The Sanhedrin Complex

The preservation of His Word is amazing and God has left a clear path for us to identify His true Word. We are blessed in this day and age to have so much of God’s Word preserved. The study of tracking His Word through the ages was something that blessed my life, and the almost two years that I spent in that study was very rewarding.

The discovery of the depth of God’s truth and His plan for our lives eternal is uplifting, this is the Gospel message. This good news of the Gospel is taught right from Genesis through Revelations. That Gospel promise of a Savior is immediate and thorough.

There are one distinct message given to believers, Go into ALL the world and preach the (Good News) Gospel for a witness unto all nations[1]. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son”[2].  God in His Word expands on this simple message and man tries to make it more complex.

God also shows how He so loves the world, but He also recognizes the heart of man when He says “I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance”[3]. Yes He died for all, but many close their heart.

We also face the “yeah hath God said” syndrome by the various scholars claiming to make the Bible easier to understand.  (Triglot, confessionals, Book of Concord, & errant versions, etc)

A child of God is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God[4]. It is God that opens the heart and man can only turn away and prevent by his own promotion of self. Remember, “it is not of works lest any man should boast”[5].

Yet today most every organization called christian, pulls bits and pieces out of the Bible to create a trail they affirm to be there, they, as God thru Paul states, are those who hope to sooth itching ears[6], of those who want to find validation for their perverted lie of a focus on the things of this life.

Along with the Gospel (good News) God provides in His Word is a clear understanding of the heart of man. God also gives us the ability to identify false teaching. Right from Eden the devil has laid out the false doctrine before the fall. “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
[5] For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”[7] Today as well as all through history man has promoted himself as something of value with equal standing to God. In today’s world we see the devil’s teaching of the promotion of self to a godlike status. In the lives of so many their own brains are the final arbitrator of truth and instead of searching the Word daily as true believers (sinners) should.[8]  God’s Plan is so well laid out for all those looking.

2700 years after creation and 700 years after the promise to Abraham, God gave the law to Israel not only to show them that it was impossible to live a righteous life, but in His Word God shows us the fallacy of believing that we can live righteous life.

What do we see in the New Testament but the Jews puffed up and strutting their stuff, proclaiming their value as equal to God.  Over and over we see God, come in the flesh, tell His (now formally chosen) people, that they are following their father the devil[9]. God also gives so many examples of what humility looks like and how faith only exists in the form of humility as a little child.

 The heart of man is exposed repeatedly. ”Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God”[10]. The heart of man wants to insert a step for man to fulfill first to ready himself to be acceptable for salvation. The heart of man lies to us, always looking for and promoting self worth. This is the Sanhedrin Complex.

The Sanhedrin Complex today rears its ugly head in most every aspect of our life. Schools and our laws promote self worth telling our children they can be whatever they want, even to the point that they can chose to be a woman or a man.

But the promotion of self has been around since Eden, we have people with all manner of gifts who proclaim they are righteous because of the presence in their being of these gifts, things like tongues and healings prove their worth, rather than humility and faith.

The world is full of volumes of books written by men that are really promotions of self and are held up in seminaries and churches as being equal to the Bible. We see in the early church in the first century where Christians searched the scriptures daily to see if it was so.

The most troubling is the pitting of God’s Word against God’s Word.

Yes we put law in its place[11] God says, but to make the law or as some would rip out the ten commandments and make them the beginning point to shed the light on the gospel when God says the Law is written in their hearts[12], man knows where his trespasses are and has only the need for the Gospel.

 The gospel is the reminder of the plan God has for our futures, the reality of the future having been taken care of and the joys of not having any pain or weariness. The joys of not having the weight of survival crush our beings. The joys that await all of us with, “be not unbelieving but believing”.

The message of the Gospel is one of the circumcision of the heart or the opening up of the heart to hear the good news of eternity taken care of through salvation. This opening of the heart is not done by man but by God. Man can only prevent such an occurrence. Mankind blocks this from happening by focusing oneself and establishing himself as the final authority for decisions for their life. The Sanhedrin Complex is the shutting down of all reception to the whole Word of God and picking out one piece or part and making it their be all end all. The Sanhedrin we are told throughout the Gospel were the sons of the devil, they believed they were righteous and had no need of a savior. Jesus said, “I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance”[13].  Just as today where man declares himself righteous by his own deeds, the Sanhedrin of our Lord’s day picked out pieces of God’s Word to follow and bragged on their righteous life and gifts.

The other part of this complex is the placing of or having a focus on the things of this world, the pleasures of life are made out to be the most important. God says that hell comes to those who have lost focus on reality. In direct answer to the question when will the end be Jesus answers, in Matthew 24:37 “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [38] For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, [39] And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

God’s Word, that was made flesh and dwelt among us, is full of wisdom and truth that sets us free.

Jesus comes as promised thru the lineage of David to fulfill the promise made in Eden of a Savior. Jesus is born into the lineage of his chosen people Israel, but His people reject Him. Why? They reject Him because they have lost site of the promise. Instead of coming to the altar knowing that they are sinners, they came to the altar with their chests thrown out and their hearts uncircumcised, touting that they were righteous for their deeds of coming to the altar, rather than hearing their dire need for a Savior.

God in His Mercy repeatedly points out the self righteousness of the Sanhedrine (scribes and Pharisees), for their benefit as well all future generations who read His Word.  All That Matters Is The Eternal

---

[1] Matthew 24:14, Mark 16:15

[2] John 3:16

[3] Matthew 9:13

[4] Romans 2:29

[5] Ephesians 2:9

[6] 2Timothy 4:3

[7] Genesis 3:4,5;

[8] Acts 17:11

[9] John 8:44

[10] Romans 10:17

[11] Romans 3:31*

[12] Romans 2:15

[13] Mark 2:17

Oh Holy Night!

May God’s Peace be in your Heart

Approximately 2020 years ago the world witnessed the beginning of the fulfillment of the promise made 4000 years prior, the promise by the Lord God of sending a Savior into the world for the making of peace with the world (man) extended from God.

This birth of our Lord Jesus Christ was heralded by the angels and looked for by believers as the promise fulfilled. In Luke 2:14 the angels announce to the world the message of the gospel, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earthpeace, good will toward men.”

This message is deeply profound, the first words out of the mouths of the Angels, “Glory to God in the highest” of places heaven, of which earth is a part of the heavens and speaks to the blanket nature of God’s gift that extends to all mankind, a completeness that does not just apply to a few but to every soul. The Gift of a Savior that turns away God’s wrath, making for a universal peace in all of heaven and earth. And God’s action in bringing His Son into the world shows His good will toward all men. The Angels speak of a peace that has been won by the whole earth.

This pronouncement of the Gospel is today overshadowed by some who would make this message to pertain to only believers, but this message applies to the Lord sending His Savior to all mankind, not just those pleasing to Him.

The gospel message is throughout the Bible and the actions of man are displayed as man turns away after things of this world and showing hearts overcome by a praising of self and promoting self worth.

Oh Holy Night! What a message! We encourage you to spend time in His Word getting to know His heart and Glory, as herein lies eternal bliss for billions of years.

All That Matters Is The Eternal

Sobering Times, Eternity Awaits!

Very Sobering times we are facing in our world today. I received an email from a friend about the Corruption across the globe where government officials are being paid off to lockdown the world with this Covid lie.

When you think about this lie you can’t help but think back to scripture where in the history of the world from Adam to until the year of our Lord’s birth we are told how over and over His people turned from Him and were distracted by the things of this world. The most notable was the time of the flood.

In 2 Timothy 4:3 God tells us again about sometime in the future. In verse 1 he starts out with instructions for God’s true Pastors:  1) I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; [2] Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

The instruction, that is almost always over looked these days, is just that, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort”   did you get that! Reprove, rebuke, exhort. Most of the churches I hear of today are applying those words to make the collection plate full, when in fact God through Paul follows up with and names what things to reprove and rebuke in Verse 3 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; [4] And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Isn’t that what caused the end of the world known at the time of the flood Matthew 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark.

Nothing wrong with that, is what we hear today in so many churches, the woke church is all about finding self gratification in the gift of promised treasure. To work out their pleasure to have a good life.

But God says, You stay with me and follow after me and mark your journey toward eternal bliss and take your mind off the earthly pleasures, you will have enough, I will take care of you and supply your every need, Not promise you a flashy lifestyle, but take care of your needs.

God through Paul goes further in 2Tim4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

So I ask you, is not what we see happening today in our country and many places in the world a focus on living a flashy or fleshly lifestyle and forgetting about the importance of Eternity. God’s plan is all about turning the minds and hearts away from this life and from living for the pleasures of this world, and bringing our focus to the fulfilled promise of a billion years in Heaven.

Truly All That Matters Is The Eternal

The Sanhedrin Complex

The preservation of His Word is amazing and God has left a clear path for us to identify His true Word. We are blessed in this day and age to have so much of God’s Word preserved. The study of tracking His Word through the ages was something that blessed my life, and the almost […]

by atmite January 4, 2021January 4, 2021

Oh Holy Night!

Approximately 2020 years ago the world witnessed the beginning of the fulfillment of the promise made 4000 years prior, the promise by the Lord God of sending a Savior into the world for the making of peace with the world (man) extended from God. This birth of our Lord Jesus Christ was heralded by the […]

by atmite December 16, 2020December 16, 2020

The Big Lie: Promotion of Self

  The goal of all true Christians is to get others to turn to god’s word and learn. Also God instructs us in 2 Corinthians 13:5, Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. God in His word very explicitly lays out the knowledge of who we are in very great […]

by atmite August 4, 2020August 4, 2020

The Big Lie: Promotion of Self

 

The goal of all true Christians is to get others to turn to god’s word and learn. Also God instructs us in 2 Corinthians 13:5, Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.

God in His word very explicitly lays out the knowledge of who we are in very great detail. God’s Word reveals to us who we are with examples exposing the Israelite leaders for who they were and their twisting of the law into the promotion of self.

Luke 18:10-14 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
[11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  [12] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  [13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  [14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

We see the actions of these two carried out in everyday life today the pharisee that promotes his own self as the final arbiter of his self worth as being important and the sinner recognizing God is the Truth in his life and a complete surrender to God’s truth. Can’t you hear it, “Lord I go to church at least twice a week, I tithe into the collection plate, I celebrate all holydays.”  Anyone can do all these things and so many more, but it is meaningless without real faith. The pharisee did all these things just as the pharisees today, and they do have a conviction in their hearts but that conviction is in their self worth not in the humility of surrendering to God’s Word. Their conviction was so strong that they killed the Savior defending their conviction.

We are falsely taught today that we can choose whatever commitment we would like, to be a Christian at any level and classify ourselves as a Christian, but God defines a Christian as one who has faith as a little child. God says your commitment as a little child is equivalent to bearing your cross, which means defending your faith to the death. So what God is telling us is that if you don’t have that kind of commitment you can’t be His. It’s really very simple, you believe with all your being and you recognize God and His Word as the only authority in your life.

We pray for the many who by their life promote themselves as the final authority in their lives. We pray that they examine their hearts and truly surrender to God for therein is Life Eternal.

All That Matters Is The Eternal

God’s Guidance: Exposing Good & Evil!

When one is truly reborn in the spirit, the Word of God becomes the center point in one’s life. This center point places everything about our world and our walk in this journey to eternity at the forefront of our life, and the gift of discernment keeps us focused on what life is about! That Journey through this life on earth to a life in eternity with God. For a billion plus years!

In Eden we see that Adam and Eve had no knowledge of evil[1] only good, yet there was this curiosity that recognized that forbidden fruit on the tree in the middle of the Garden as being “pleasant to the eyes”. And in this recognition Eve was drawn by the Satan’s words, “Yeah hath God said”. This relationship or encounter is the first tell tale marker that enables us to discern truth. That drawing away from the truth of salvation is an attraction to a focus on satisfying a fleshly lusting. Which God in His word describes over and over, as part of our struggle, a struggle that the true servants of God will remind us and point us to God’s salvation which overcomes this fleshly struggle.

When we read and study the Word of God we can see how every relationship in our life stacks up to these words “Yeah has god said”. God through Peter in 2 peter (speaks clearly to identify the evil in) 2:18 “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. [19] While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” We see God giving us yet another warning to guide us and to help us identify false prophets and teachings.

After the fall, we see the expansion of man’s thinking to be focused on this world to the exclusion of God and God’s plan of eternity.[2] The focus of a surrendering to the desires of the flesh, or as we say the “Good life.” So much so that the Lord gave up on man and caused a flood.

The progression of the focus on the “good Life” is laid out for us to see in the earlier days before the Birth of our Lord the Savior, Jesus Christ. The evil that comes from the hearts of men, unwilling to surrender to God and His Word. This unwillingness to Surrender to God is why we have so many religions that choose to call themselves Christian, and just as the attitude of self righteous Jews in the day of our Lord,[3] so we have today this bent on promotion of self and a good life here.

It is broadly published that, “God gave me a brain so that I could find my own way” and so many similar phrases that ultimately are about promoting self.  Some sort of shortcut that excludes God giving knowledge of our flesh and somehow giving each of us our own truth. This ultimately is a way to promote a good Life and still have some semblance of being a Christian. Just as Satan promoted in Eden.

All through history we see this promotion of self thinking ultimately being anti Christ or against Christ’s Gospel!

Our schools teach evolution because some guy used his brain to figure out something which is anti Christ. God shows the brilliance of His Creation when He let Adam name the living creatures[4], there was no grunting caveman ever.

We see individual verses of the Bible being taken out of context to promote a way of thinking that presents itself as truth when it leaves God and the goal of salvation out of the picture.

Starting back with the Jews who promoted their own false holiness by denying the real reason of the law in its pointing out their inability to live righteously so that they look to God’s Promise of a savior, and they falsely trusted in themselves.

God Proves that if you make yourselves a god by picking what you want rather than coming to Him and His Word for answers, with a heart that Surrenders to Him, you are lost.

God says that except you become as a little child[5] in your acceptance of Him you cannot enter into the kingdom of God!

[1] Genesis 2:25

[2] Genesis 6:1-6

[3] John 8:44

[4] Genesis 2:19, 20

[5] Matthew 18:4; 19:14

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God!

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork”. This passage in Psalms 19:1.

As we read this and Genesis 1:14 and really all of scripture we come away with all the proofs of God’s power. Everywhere you look in creation whether up in the sky or beneath the surface of the earth or into the microscopic world of the makeup of our bodies’ cells and parts of cells. Everywhere we look shows us the power of God. And that nothing is by chance. The only evolving thing in our world is the growing deception of man’s minds in developing new ways to discredit God and to trick us into not believing that there is a God. That’s the devil working.

Through the ages man has thought it necessary to have outside proof of the depth of God’s power. In the beginning God created time and time can be tracked to very intricate levels in the universe. In Revelations 10:6 God tells us there will be time no longer. In 2 Peter 3:8 God says “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day”. As a child of faith we realize that Christ was born only 2 days ago.

A little child in faith does not need reinforcement, God said it I believe. Yet there are those who possibly attempt to give us a secondary reason to believe God. An example: We know God created the universe He also created time, literally the combination of everything you look up into the sky and see, is a time piece. Those that study the heavens have been able to identify the movements of the bodies in heaven and discover the order and the built in time keeping mechanism.

I remember the story put out a few years back that there supposedly were these scientists who discovered that the clock of the universe was off by twenty-four hours and they had no explanation. (we know that part of the clock stopped because it is written in His Word) The answer at this event was brought by one scientist out his bible and showed Joshua 10:12 where the earth stood still for almost one day, and then in 2 Kings 20:10 God shows us how the Earth turned back 10 degrees which accounts for 40 minutes. Whether this story is true about the finding or not, who knows.

The result of this story brings out both sides if you search it out on the net with the deniers going through all sorts of antics to explain well maybe God lied and it was an eclipse, the stuff goes on and on. Never mind that in many ancient documents indicate the recording of a longer day in history about the time of Joshua. To a little child these bunny trails are not necessary.

The point is that, when you stray away from God’s Word, the bunny trails possibly lead to doubt and it is doubt that condemns, doubt is the opposite of faith, Romans 14:23.

Spending Time in God’s Word is the only cure for doubt. Finding pastors who focus on Heaven and not on creating a heaven on earth becomes a task that all of us must be wary about.

Eternity is real and Jesus paid the price of entry for us all! Only believe!

Onward Christian Soldiers

THE UNTOWARD GENERATION

The challenge to al of us in this day is to live for Christ. To live for Christ means to live for all that He stands for as a little child in our hearts. And that is discipleship.

When Jesus began His ministry, He collected disciples with the wonderful ultimate call, “Follow me.”  He called Peter, James, John” and many others. Jesus never stopped calling people. He always says, Follow me!”

DISCIPLESHIP

The saved are disciples. The ones who get to heaven are sheep, and the Savior is the Shepherd. Sheep who do not follow the Shepherd do not belong to the flock.

No one is saved apart from discipleship. No one is a Christian who is not a follower of Jesus. No one can be a disciple of Jesus unless something is done about himself.

God does something for a person. God’s hand lifts him right off the path of Satan and-sets him down on Jesus’ path. God’s heart of love washes him clean of sin in Jesus’ Blood, God’s creating power makes a totally new man of him. That man has been given faith in Christ! He is on the road to heaven! He is now a disciple of Jesus!

The very word disciple tells us all we need to know. The word disciple means “Follower of a teacher.” “Disciple of Jesus” means Follower of Jesus.

MASSES IN CHAOS

The mass malconception of religion also infects today’s world. People generally picture a disciple of Christ according to outward standards. If you have joined a church, they say, then you are following Christ. However, one does not follow Christ by the mere process of joining some organization. One follows Christ by personally following Christ.

Others put great stock in other outward things, such as confirmation rituals of the denominations” Yet, following Christ is not that a person (for example), shows a confirmation certificate and proves that he was confirmed. Once again, following Christ is personally following Christ.

You simply cannot substitute mere joining of a church or having a certificate of past achievement and accomplished rituals for following Christ. Following Christ still remains following Christ – personally and individually.

HEEDLESS YOUTH

I am sure that there are many folk who think they are alright because they have gone through what was necessary. They have gone to instruction classes. They have been confirmed. Or they have accomplished another prescribed course and have been received into communicant membership in some church or another.

OUTWARD ACTIVITY

They perhaps also attend the special group of the church and are avid supporters of its activities. Perhaps they have become very enthusiastic about some phase of the total program presented. They might be outstanding in the athletic program. Or they may have thrown themselves energetically into leading the rest of the group in the entertainment. They may have worked up a sweat. They may have sweat in church athletics. They may have sweat over plans for good entertainment for the others. The rest may praise them for their church work. We will agree that they have expended much energy in a church. But have they followed Christ? That yet remains the only vital question.

SELF-DECEPTION

How many deceive themselves by outward activity? How many such outstanding personalities are habitual in cursing and misusing the name of Jesus Christ? How many have used these church-connected activities for a diving board into a life of sexual looseness and immorality? How many are holy terrors at school and in their extra-curricular activities, and come to church-connected get-togethers either because the parents say “GO!” or because it makes up a little for the bad impression left the rest of the time?

BRASS TACKS

If a person got down to brass tacks, I wonder how much discipleship of Jesus there really is? I wonder how many people really are followers of Jesus, even though many have joined churches? I wonder how many folks in the world really follow Jesus, even though many are confirmed communicants or full-fledged members and engage in a number of church-connected activities?

TOWARD AND UNTOWARD

Peter preached to people to be saved from the “untoward generation” of his day. Acts 2:40. Today we must preach to people to be saved from the untoward generation of our day.

How apt is not the expression “untoward!” Untoward is the opposite of toward. If you are going toward something you are heading its way.

TOWARD

Let us pretend that I am showing you a movie. As the picture-show begins, Jesus is on the right side of a big place all by Himself. As the movie continues, we see a person begin to come into view on the left side. Now he walks across the big place. He walks toward Jesus. As the film proceeds we see that he finally comes to Jesus. This person represents a generation of people walking toward Jesus. We may call it a “toward generation” – or a “toward-Jesus generation.”

UNTOWARD

Let us now make the necessary technical adjustments and run the movie backwards. Now we see a person back up. He is now not going toward Jesus. He is “untoward.” He is backing away from Him while it looks a little as though he is going toward Him. But when we finish the film, Jesus is alone and the person has backed completely out of the picture. This person may be used to represent the untoward generation which Peter in his day warned people to be saved from.

FROZEN ACTION

The “untoward generation” creates a deceptive illusion of discipleship. Imagine that an “Untowarder” desires to justify himself to you. He shows you the backward movie. You protest that the person in the movie is really backing away from Jesus. Hearing this, the “Untowarder” quickly turns the motor switch off. Immediately the action is frozen. A single frame remains on the screen. Triumphantly, he displays a still picture of a man who appears to be walking to Jesus. “See,” says the “Untowarder” with a bland smile, “we are heading Jesus’ Way after  all, aren’t we?”

How will you answer? No matter how you answer, when he turns the motor on again, the motion will show a backward, untoward walk; not a forward, toward-Jesus walk.

OBSERVE ITS MOTION

The untoward generation appears to be headed toward the Lord, but when you observe it’s motion and direction it is always walking further and further away from Jesus.

Peter lived in a day of an untoward generation. Peter lived in a day of churchianity, not Christianity. He lived in a place where everybody was a member of the church that had the Bible of Jesus Christ.

UNTOWARD JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ was born into that generation. Jesus Christ grew up in that generation. Jesus Christ began His ministry in that generation.

At first the people listened to Him and He drew substantial crowds. But the leaders of the church of the Bible of Jesus began to back away even while they pretended to uphold the Bible that preached Jesus Christ. Soon the people followed these church leaders.

They were not a people walking across the wide area toward Christ. Rather they were like a backward movie of a people heading toward Christ. When they had backed completely off the screen, then Christ was alone. The untoward generation had completely untowarded itself. The dying Savior gasped on Calvary’s Tree!

THE UNTOWARD GENERATION

An untoward generation is made up of individuals who are churched and have church-connected activities. But they are persons who walk away from Jesus even while they try to make it appear that they are walking toward Jesus. As individuals, such people are not disciples or followers of Jesus. They are followers of their own selves and of the devil.

ONWARD FOR CHRIST

We are committed to such a preaching and teaching which makes followers or disciples of Jesus, not backer-uppers and unfollowers of Jesus.

BE COMMITTED TO CHRIST

Peter preached to his untoward generation at Pentecost. He reached a crowd of people who were committed to church organizations but not to Christ. He showed them the terrible sin that they had done by being a part of an untoward generation.  Though they pretended that their religion was to the Christ of the Bible, they ended killing the Christ of the Bible!

CHURCHIANITY

Surely, you will have to admit that people can fully oppose Christ and Christianity with Churchianity!

3000 on Pentecost Day heard Peter’s plea to “save yourselves from this untoward generation.” Acts 2:40. They uncommitted themselves to an organization and committed themselves to Christ, the only Savior.

Today, people also need to hear that plea. They need to hear, “save yourselves from this untoward generation.” They need to become uncommitted to church organizations and church-connected activities and to become fully and totally committed to Christ~

LIVING FOR CHRIST

They need to stop living for themselves, and they need to begin living for Christ. They need to stop living for outward church activities and they need to begin living for Christ. They need to stop living for church organizationalism and they need to begin living for Christ the Head of the Church.

IN HIS SERVICE

If you are followers of Jesus Christ, as I believe you are, then you have a job to do for Jesus. If you have given your life and your all to Christ and said with your heart, “Take my life and let it be, consecrated Lord to Thee,” then you are in the service of your Lord Jesus Christ.

Surely, you desire to be saved from this untoward generation! Surely, you desire that as many others as possible be saved from this untoward generation! Will you give your life to Him for this? Will you live for Jesus? I am sure your answer is, “Yes.”

SHARE

You do want a “toward generation” about you, don’t you? You do want someone else to share the glory with, don’t you? How shall we find friends who are a “toward generation?” Shall we not go to the untoward generation as Peter did and call them to Christ? Did not the Lord bless Peter’s call to turn to the Lord with 3000 souls?

But if you are cast into the same mold as the individuals of the untoward generation, what good will you be to yourself or to anyone else? If you do not really live for Christ you are an extinguished candle. You are salt that has no saltiness in it.

FOLLOW HIM!

As a new creature you can only want to do the Lord’s will. For He made you a new creature when He gave you faith. He made you unto good works. This is the work of God. This is the way He makes a disciple and a follower out of you.

Before you can rightly ask someone else to be a follower of Jesus, you need to be a follower of Jesus yourself.

If you want your friend to come to church and be turned to discipleship, why should they come if they have not seen anything more in your life than in the life of others about you?

WRONGSTERS

How can wrongsters with hateful attitudes call others to love?–The love of Jesus Christ? How can people committed to gossip and making others look bad call others to Christ who forgets and forgives all evil and makes others look clean? How can a flirtatious, sexy, naughty, unclean person call others to the God of purity and holiness? How can you live in sin and show Jesus to the people about you?

ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE

I challenge you! The Lord challenges you! Live for Jesus, who died for you that you might live. Only a dedicated person can reach other persons for Christ. May these words burn in your hearts! May the joy of the Holy Spirit enter into your heart.

THY WILL BE DONE

May you be a surrendered soul to Jesus who bought you with the price of His precious blood. Then your life will show it. Then your desires will express it. Then your will shall become more and more molded to His will. Then you shall in truth be able to say and pray, “Thy will be done.”

And I warrant you that when His will is done in you also that you shall be sharing the glorious good news of Jesus the Savior with others who have not as yet surrendered heart, soul, and body to Jesus who has bought them with His precious blood.

You are His army to fight that others may be unconditionally surrendered to Jesus the King!

ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS

God cares about every aspect of life!

There truly is no aspect of life that is not talked about by God and shown to be important. In the last few decades there has been a worldwide promotion of this lie of the need to be a separation of church and State. As Christians all aspects of life come under the guidance of God and in every corner of our lives it is not possible to make allowances for evil to reign. The attempt by evil to rule in our lives is so much more out in the open than at any time in our lifetime.

We were reading in Isaiah, one of many many places God talks of evil men and their defiance of the truth about what life is about. The passages we are quoting are directly from Isaiah 1:18-31 (We will put quotation marks on the quotes from Isaiah and put the quotes in bold and italics and intersperse commentary after each verse)

Verse 18:  “Come, let us reason together, saith the Lord: and though your sins be as purple, I will make them white as snow; and though they be as scarlet, I will make them white as wool.” As in most all of scripture God speaks His Gospel message of cleansing us from our sins when beginning a thought.

Verse 19: “And if ye be willing, and hearken to me, ye shall eat the good of the land:” God is not asking us to do anything but listen and understand.

Verse 20:  “but if ye be not willing, nor hearken to me, a sword shall devour you: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken this.”  This listening is so important, we dare not ignore.

Verse 21: “How has the faithful city Sion, once full of judgment, become a harlot! wherein righteousness lodged, but now murderers.” God then goes right to the point to  get us thinking, even though directed at Zion it applies to all the world and especially today.

Verse 22: “Your silver is worthless, thy wine merchants mix the wine with water.” This seems especially applicable today with everything being devalued to a great extent, and the shortcuts being made at every level in our lives, from our food, to living costs, to all products. The evidence of corruption.

Verse 23: “Thy princes are rebellious, companions of thieves, loving bribes, seeking after rewards; not pleading for orphans, and not heeding the cause of widows.” It is very striking how that people “in Power” are only looking out for themselves and when anyone comes along to do right they are ostracized and tormented. But what really stands out is this lack of caring for the ones in need, the orphans and the widows.

Verse 24: “Therefore thus saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, Woe to the mighty men of Israel; for my wrath shall not cease against mine adversaries, and I will execute judgment on mine enemies.”  These who are of this mindset God tells us are in danger. Let us be aware that they will not go unchecked.

Verse 25: “And I will bring my hand upon thee, and purge thee completely, and I will destroy the rebellious, and will take away from thee all transgressors.” God gives hope to Zion and hope to us that the evil will come to an end one way or another

Verse 26: “And I will establish thy judges as before, and thy counselors as at the beginning: and afterward thou shalt be called the city of righteousness, the faithful mother-city of Sion.” Let us hope that we shall see an awakening of Justice and a turning to God in our World. We saw some of what happened in Sion. We do know that at some point God will end it all and come again, bringing an end to this world.

Verse 27: “For her captives shall be saved with judgment, and with mercy.” Those that are oppressed will ultimately be relieved one way or another; we listen to and hold to that promise of our Lord.

Verse 28: “And the transgressors and the sinners shall be crushed together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be utterly consumed.” Whoa to those that think they are so smart in their pursuit of evil and amoral behavior, who repress those who are helpless

Verse 29: “For they shall be ashamed of their idols, which they delighted in, and they are made ashamed of the gardens which they coveted.” This pursuit of earthly gain at all costs and the making of those pursuits the center of their lives will ultimately have only shame to look at for eternity if they don’t change.

Verse 30: “For they shall be as a turpentine tree that has cast its leaves, and as a garden that has no water”. What can be more worthless than a dead tree or a dead garden?

Verse 31: “And their strength shall be as a thread of tow, and their works as sparks, and the transgressors and the sinners shall be burnt up together, and there shall be none to quench them.”

God goes on through the next few chapters speaking of bringing these haughty ones down and what some of their actions shall be toward the meek at heart, and what there consequences shall be!

Let us hear the message and now come and let us walk in the light of the Lord!

How great is God’s Salvation!

“Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but My salvation shall be for ever, and My righteousness shall not be abolished.”

He makes us to be sons through faith alone

In the first chapter of the Corinthians God through Paul speaks on the issue of contentious identity. Today we have lutherans, catholics, methodists etc. in Paul’s day there were those who thrust out their chests and said, “I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ[1]” same thing , it is boasting. Also such thinking excludes one from heaven.

These same churches promote,  servants (pastors, etc) as rulers or vicars or bishops, true pastors are servants, and God clearly points out over and over the tools whereby we may identify the works of the true servants of God and the phony ones (false Prophets). “[2]Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. [9] As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Any teaching that adds one single thing to the statement “no man comes unto the father but by me[3]” or “except you have faith as a little child you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven[4]” is False doctrine.

Any man, organization or religion that states “you Must” attend regular service, you must tithe, you must pay to get your family out of purgatory (a lie in itself), you must bow down to this office. Is false doctrine

Any man, organization or religion that claims to stand in the stead of Jesus Christ is a false prophet organization. So many of these organizations promote “Free will” as if you have the ability to enter heaven believing anything you want.  God says except you have faith, and He defines faith as being from the heart not the mouth. “[5]This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”

God goes to great lengths to over and over show us that his formerly chosen people Israel have stumbled that they serve their father the devil[6]. How, because they teach a watered down version of the Law of Moses that was never given for righteousness, but was given for proof that it is impossible for man to attain righteousness through works and prove to them that they need a savior.

Many pretend “Christian” religions teach a path to heaven through Good works, that somehow their good works put them in a position to be the elect of God. But Christ died for all and it is the working of God in the heart by which faith comes and grows. “Faith is not by works[7]”

In His Word God shows the heart of man and talks of the varying paths taken in life by mankind in the parable of the sower[8].

“Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.” The devil is working furiously to eliminate the real relationships one may have with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So many of the churches today are all about entertaining and lies, presenting things that they deem necessary for eternity, like statues and Mariolatry, the establishment of vicars and substitutes replacements for God rather than Pastors being servants dedicating to guiding in the Word. God says without Him there is no heaven yet the churches say without tradition and methods of worship or things like purgatory to con people out of their money

One portion of the world’s population receives the Word of God as among thorns Luke Chapter 8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.”

Spending time in the Lord gives Christians the ability to identify the thorns to protect oneself from entrapment[9].

Taking license with the word of God is very popular today as the people of the church are too busy with life on earth to even consider eternity.

Right from his fall satan has made the continual pronouncement, “Yeah hath God said, no that is not what he meant.”

1Timothy 6:5 3] If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
[4] He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
[5] Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing getting along well to be the godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
[6] But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Protect yourselves by surrendering to God’s Word, we are told this is Jesus, God’s Word. John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

[1] I Corinthians 1

[2] Galatians 1:8-9

[3] John 14:6

[4] Matthew 18:3

[5] Matthew 15:8

[6] John 8:44

[7] Ephesians 2:1

[8] Luke 8: 12-15

[9] 2Timothy 3:13

Narrow is the Way that leads to Eternal Life

Faith is all about freedom; it is knowing God’s Truth in your heart that sets you free[1]. Your relationship with God is defined by your faith, faith in anything other than God’s Gospel (good news) leaves doubt and it is doubt that damns[2], it is doubt that gives an angry heart and there is no freedom in any of that. That is why we focus on Faith praying that each person reading this will find a true relationship with God by spending time with His [3]Word!

God defines faith from so many angles in scripture, and to know scripture is to know Jesus. God teaches us what we in our flesh are, and example upon example is given for our benefit as to what faith truly is.

In multiple places God in His Word tells us that except you have faith as a little child[4] you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. God also tells us that except you take up your cross[5] and follow me you cannot enter into heaven, meaning if you are faced with death or denying Him, you will choose death. It is very freeing to know eternity is sealed and that no man can take eternity from you.

God shows what faith looks like by giving examples from Genesis through Revelations. And God summarizes in Hebrews 11, in verse one when you go back to the Greek it is more clear, “Faith is firm confidence in things hoped for, conviction regarding thing not seen” then through the rest of chapter 11 we are given example after example of those who lived before us and how Faith impacted their lives.

Verse 3: God tells us that by faith we know that the world was framed (built) by the Word of God. This helps us to identify the false doctrine of evolution.

Verse 4: Abel By faith offered up a sacrifice that came from the heart and Cain who killed Abel, offered up a sacrifice of show off while holding back as he had no faith in his heart.

Verse 5: Enoch[6] did not die, and was taken directly into heaven, because of his strong faith that was pleasing to God. Without faith it is impossible to please[7] God: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Verse 7: We hear of Noah[8] who withstood the ridicule[9] of others for his faith and the building of the Ark

Over and over God gives us examples of men living by faith and we can go back into the Old Testament and see their lives.  And God gives testimony that along with the conviction of faith comes the hatred by evil men who like Cain show their hatred of truth in their treatment of God’s Faithful.

The other definition God gives is the laying out for all to see the hypocrisy of those who have not faith. The Sanhedrin of Israel (the Pharisees and Sadducees) repeatedly are called out for their hypocrisy in making religious showmanship[10] the cornerstone of their lives. Their pride was in being of the tribe of Abraham while at the same time promoting their own worth in the activities they present.

Today many churches for the most part are just like the Sanhedrin, you walk into their places of worship and you might as well be going to a football game at the coliseum. The noise and mass confusion supply nothing for the nurturing of faith in the hearer. Most every church places another method or ritual as necessary alongside of or instead of faith and by this shows they are a false religion promoting the broad path to eternal hellfire.

Broad is the way that leads to destruction[11]

Gal 2:3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
[4] And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

It is almost humorous when you look at the meaning behind these words, for there were Jews among  the believers that were of the mindset that Titus must be circumcised and went so far as to sneak into the bathroom to find out the status of Titus’ equipment. And God says to lay burdens on men souls.

All through the testimony of God, through Paul and the apostles we are shown the mindset of those who refuse salvation and their attack on the truth, and the violence that is shown to believers, is not unlike the hatred expressed in our world today by those we call the left, who promote absolute lies and are afraid of and hateful toward the truth. They lack the surrendering of their hearts to God and go about to establish themselves as the gods of their own destiny.

Faith is a heart thing, today not only do they not honor God with their lips or mouth[12], but their hearts are far from Him. They go even further as to having their hearts covered. God says their hearts are uncircumcised (covered).[13]

A focus on self worth and the things and pleasures of this world hold back so many from becoming the sons of God for all eternity.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:[14]

[1] John 8:32

[2] Mark 16:16

[3] John 1:14

[4] Matthew 5:20, 18:3, 19:14, John 3:3,

[5] Matthew 10:38, 16:24, Mark 8:34, 10:21, Luke 9:23, 14:27,

[6] Genesis 5:22-24

[7] Hebrews 11:6

[8] Genesis 5:29, 6:13-22

[9] 1 Peter 3:20, 2Peter 2:5

[10] Matthew 23:5

[11] Matthew 7:13,14

[12] Matthew 15:8

[13] Acts 7:51, Romans 2:29, Philippians 3:3, Colossians 2:7

[14] John 1:12