Tag Archives: God

Buying Your Stairway to Heaven?

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Central Christian Church

Central Christian Church (Photo credit: char1iej)

Perhaps, when you read this, it will not apply to you.  Or at least, you will think it does not apply to you.  I simply urge you to consider what is said here with a sober judgment of yourself.  Far too often we allow ourselves to be fooled by our own mind.  And this is a crucial point to be made among all men, especially the members of the body of Christ.

Entrance into the kingdom of heaven cannot be bought.  You can’t buy your way in by doing anything more than to receive the gift of God in Jesus, His Christ.  With that said, I know there are certain things we are compelled to do by the Lord’s commands.  And I do not speak against the things of God here.  What I am talking about is the things we do for the sake of being respected by God.  We would do well to be careful how we perceive those necessary things.

Some might attend every Church function perfectly.  I remember reading about a woman who received a reward from her Church because she did never missed attending.  I recognize that the Church was trying to say that dedication to the body of Christ was important enough to reward.  But such things can also cause men to be led into a wicked lie.  While rewarding good behavior is not to be frowned upon, it is wrong to leave a carrot before God’s people.  Let them secure God’s pleasure before man’s appreciation.  Then the man of God will serve out of a pure heart.

Men tend to try to buy what they are not willing to do.  A man hires someone to do the tasks he does not want to do.  And in this the Church often leads to folly.  Remember this incident from the book of Acts, and consider hard where you stand.

“Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’  But Peter said to him, ‘May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!  You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.  Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.  For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.’  But Simon answered and said, ‘Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”  (Acts 8:18-24)

Please, don’t judge what I have written here as an accusation against you.  There is one who does that, and this is not my intent.  I am simply trying to wake my brothers and sisters up to the facts of wickedness which lays within all of us.  Let us all consider how to clean the House of God.  Let us ponder how to remove every possible obsticle from the path of His people, and from those who desire to enter.

Got it? Really?

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Open hand. Original description: 2000. Español...

Open hand. Original description: 2000. Español: Esta es mi mano a los 20 años. El anillo era de mi madre, estaba hecho de hueso y un día, al poco de hacer el dibujo, se me rompió en dos. 😦 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Men are mistaken in their apprehension of God.  Even those who worship Him cannot fully understand His Holy ways.  Right about the time we think we understand, another test or teaching appears from the hand of He who Lives Forever.

When we find ourselves empty in our prayers, there is a reason.  If we have sinned, that silence may seem like an angry God.  But I do not see it that way.  He is stern with us, demanding that we adhere to His commands.  But not that pouty little boy way that men foist on those who spurn their advise.  His face is beautiful!  Even if it is looking away from us for a moment.

The Love of God is not like the love of man.  He is actively searching our wicked hearts so that He can lead us into all things best.  I have said it before, and say it again.  I would rather the rebuke from the Living God than all the fame, love, wealth, and pomp this world can muster.  The first builds me into something eternally valuable.  The second only serves to hold me hostage until a remedy can be found to enslave me once again.

 

hmmmmmmm.

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I was standing on the back porch, again.  And a thought came to mind.  For the life of me I really couldn’t answer a question.  Why is it that the language in print is so dramatically different than conversation?  Especially when it comes to the things of God, we are avoided and laughed at behind our back.  Even in a Church setting we are expected to speak with one another in a very different tone than what we read in Scripture or hear in the sermon.  Oh, it’s ok to speak God things like “bless you”, or speak some great thanks to God in the presence of others while we are in some kind of Bible study.  But close the book and we all seem to go different ways with our minds and tongues.

I admit I used to be very irritated when the sermon was over, the prayer was prayed, and the last blessing was given from the Pastor.  Because immediately after that people left the building.  If there was conversation it would be rather trivial.  And I wondered how such a beautiful God could be loved while a man was speaking from a certain place, yet ignored in conversation immediately after.

Why didn’t we gather together to pray in little spontaneous groups?  Why didn’t someone come and take me by the shoulder of my shirt and smile while he led me to a corner to pray?  Why was talk about fishing, cooking, football, and cars, so much more important at that moment?

Lots of questions.  Anyone got some good answers?

Detail

Detail (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Speak with Boldness, Not Timidity!

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Painting of Samuel learning from Eli

Painting of Samuel learning from Eli (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

For those who think we have no right to speak firmly of the folly of Oprah’s teachings about God:

 

We are representatives to the world for the Most High God, through the sacrifice of Jesus.  They count on us to bring God’s message of light to the darkness of the world (though they clearly hate us for it).  If we do not speak out with boldness, against the sins of man, who will?   I ask you to consider the plight of Eli, the priest of God in 1 Samuel.  Because he did not rebuke or restrain his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to be careful with the things of God, all three were killed.

 

We have an obglation to speak of what is true AND to point out the folly of wicked men (and women).  It is not judging to speak these words.  It is wise to speak of the ways of God with a firm and stern word.  If Oprah were doing these things in a small place, and had not accused the Lord publicly, we would have little to say.  But she puts herself up as the salvation of millions.  And for this we point out her error.  Perhaps some will read and consider what is said concerning her teachings.  Perhaps none will read these words we speak.  Regardless, we will have spoken what is true and avoided Eli’s fate.

 

There is “judging others”.  And there is firm and stern teaching against all wickedness.  Wisdom draws the line.  And there is no shame in taking the mantel of the Gospel upon our shoulders.  What shall be said between incompetent liars, though they walk in ignorance, and those who speak what is true by the power of Christ Jesus?  There is a line.  And the wisdom of the Gospel has drawn it clearly.

 

There is a folly in today’s watered down gospel (which is no gospel at all).  The folly says we have no right to claim the truths of the Bible.  And the tool used against the Lord is the word “judge”.  We are told we must love everybody.  We must not be intolerant, they tell us.  I, for one, hate that watered down gospel.  It is a lie and must be challenged where ever it is found.  There is judging others, yes.  And often such judging has to do with considering the other as less than yourself.  We do not consider ourselves better than any other.  We point out sin in this world just as I will gladly point out sin in myself.

 

As long as we remain silent, the world spirals into hell all by itself.  This silence has come upon the Church with a black vengeance because others have judged the Gospel of Jesus Christ too harsh for the world to endure.  God is pure.  And what we are doing is warning of that absolute truth.  The meaning of the word “judge” has been taken to the cleaners!  There is a love in Christ Jesus which rebukes with all earnest speed and strength.  Love isn’t always a soft little teddy bear on a clean bed.  It is often necessary for love to rebuke and correct.

 

Gangrene in the Church

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Dry Gangrene with dead toes and visible bone o...

Dry Gangrene with dead toes and visible bone of 85 year old female (left leg). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Gospel of God in Jesus tells us plainly, “Repent or die.”  We stand condemned already, that is to say before we believe the condemnation of God is upon us.  John points this out clearly in chapter three of his Gospel.  But the “repent” part has been shaken off the tree of the Church today by men who have said that God loves us all.  They have used a truth to dispel the urgency of repentance.  The reasons why they have done this are many and quite obvious.  But they have done so in error.  They think they clean the conscience of men by removing the stumbling block of sin from men.  “Let’s get them past the condemning God stuff”, they say.

I am filled with rage that such things have been done.  And the damage it has wrought is apparent in the lack of holiness among God’s people.  I too fell for this lie.  And even now I struggle, from time to time, to maintain a strong standing before the Lord for the lies hidden within my heart because of this foolish gospel.  All day long men speak lies in the name of the Lord.  And as long as we listen to them we too become corrupt with their sweet sins of corruption.

I fear the rot of lies has come to the point where the foot needs to be cut off lest it infect the entire body.  The stench of sin wreeks from the injured foot.  And the signs of sickness are unavoidable to the eye. The “Church” is hobbled by a hideous sickness.  What is called the Church today is often simply a polished up secular teaching of psychology.  And the “good” they perceive done by this set of lies has murdered thousands.  They have turned the holy gathering of saints into a happy little club of man.  And I, for one, will have nothing to do with them!

Silence Can Murder

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No Corruption

No Corruption (Photo credit: Ann Douglas)

Socrates was charged and put to death for corruption of the youth.  Apparently he incited them to contempt of leadership by his words against unjust laws and rulers.  With amazement I have to say, “What did he do but point out the obvious?”

If a leader is worthy of contempt what is the harm in pointing it out?  It is not a charge that should be laid against the one who speaks.  It is a charge against the corrupt leader.  The one who speaks is only pointing out what is well known and true.  It is the

Portrait of Socrates. Marble, Roman artwork (1...

Portrait of Socrates. Marble, Roman artwork (1st century), perhaps a copy of a lost bronze statue made by Lysippos. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

obligation of the corrupt leader to change his ways.

Yet corruption often leads to power and influence.  So to point out the faults of those who attain power by means of corruption are likely to wield that power against truth sayers.  My reply is, “What is that to me?  I’m going to die anyway.  Let them come and assail me for telling the truth.  At least I will have done my duty.  That cannot be said of those who took oaths of truth and shed them as soon as they put the robe of office on their shoulders.”

I confess that I am so very frustrated at the lack of leadership from those who know better.  But hasn’t that been the case since the time of Adam?  The frustration is a shared cloak which all men of truth wear.  One thing comes to mind that bears saying.  If I were as I am and placed in a populous advantage I would not be alive today.  Here I am to speak out and I find a twinge of shame in that statement.

You who hold a place of leadership should be speaking out strongly against the corruption in leadership.  But you often resort to simply maintaining peace among the people under your charge.  You turn inward in hopes of establishing stability for those who will listen to you.  All the while the corruption grows to near riot right outside the walls of your sanctuary.  You teach them righteousness and peace while you make no attempt to shine a light on the corruption of this world.

You know who you are.  I know who I am.  Neither of us is the other.  And I do not judge you for what you are doing.  But will you judge me for pointing this out?