Two Important Items


I don’t know that Christianity has ever witnessed a greater coldness, within its ranks, than today’s “so called church”.  I can’t say with absolute certainty, for I am not privy to the entirety of history.  But from what I see and read, I find it hard to imagine a more rebellious time.

From the beginning, Christianity has been unpopular.  But as the unpopularity and attacks against the Church increased, so did the number of those who believed.  But now?  Now I see, witness, and hear many lives that bear almost no resemblance to Christ’s intent for His people.  The world is far colder to the Gospel than ever before.  And this desire to replace the Gospel’s intent with ANYTHING ELSE, is not diminishing, it is exploding; replaced by a willing ignorance en mass!

I’ve asked before, as have hundreds others, “What time is it?”

If you’re going to miss your flight, a good friend will certainly remind you of the time.  And his reminders will increase in urgency of delivery.

Those who go to bed late, will wake up less refreshed than they ought to have been.

If you know the family eats at 6 pm, it’s foolish to purposely stay out till 9 pm.

Waiting to accomplish, till you know it’s long past time to prepare and do, is selfish idiocy.  Love does not act like that.  But The Bible promises that just such things will happen to Spiritual (Eternal) things.  I would gladly even extend that to morality itself.

Many, (I don’t think that word does justice to the actuality of the number or percentage) will determine to withdraw from The Faith.  The term the Apostle Paul uses is “a great falling away”.

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a great falling away first. . .”. (2 Thessalonians 2:3)  That’s not just a few, that’s a great majority.  Jesus alluded to this by saying, “Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18: 8)

The Lord uses the simple word “faith”.  I have come to call it “The Faith”.  But the use of the word “faith” implies an even greater horror than does the use of a more poignant title.

One other aspect to this vein of thought, is that the “falling away” indicates that one must first have had something to fall away from.  This doesn’t necessarily exclude the world, but it more speaks of Christianity.  The sad part of this is, that those who are falling away won’t even be able to identify this stage of creation, as they will perceive the nature of things from the perspective of self-righteousness.  To them, all things are as they should be!  Wow!  What a horrifying seal to those who allow the world to draw them off from Christ.

And look what Peter said about this:

3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.  5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 thereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved to fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3)

With what tool shall anyone awaken the sleep that has come to cover the souls of today?  How will the Holy Spirit contend with the flesh driven rebellion that covers the earth like a putrid mold?  With all their perceptions anointed with the things of this world, humanity now enters into that blindness which will cause them to dance in the streets, send gifts to one another, and celebrate with great abandon, the death of God’s two prophets.

How greatly we warn.  But who even cares that such words still exist?

I’m done writing this post, but for one question:

What about you, what about me?

Christianity Demands a Choosing


In everything our God told us, it is our joy to suffer for him.  As he was cast out, so will his disciples be, simply because he spoke what is true.  As we speak what is true, they will treat us like they treated him.

Everything he taught (and by the Holy Spirit of God within us, he still teaches) contains the element of extreme choice.  The teachings of Jesus do not offer mediocrity as an option.  The best examples of this can be found in Matthew chapter 25, and Revelation 3.

Matthew 25 tells us what became of the wicked and lazy servant.  Revelation 3 tells us what became of the Church of Laodicea. 

The world describes joy as happiness, peace, and pleasant prosperity; “Let’s all just get along”.  Christ Jesus describes his disciple’s joy as having the honor to suffer in His Holy name. 

Our joy is hidden in his promise.  The Christian’s joy is not revealed to him as the world defines joy.  For now we die.  But his promise is the eternal joy of eternal life.

As we openly associate ourselves with him, the world will come and try to take away our toys.  They will try, with everything they have, to destroy our right to speak; to mock a life of holiness.  That’s how they treated him.  He has promised, that is how they will treat his disciples.  For that is how they have treated every godly man.  I promise you in Christ, nothing has changed.

Christianity is divided about their response to this.  Some say, “That’s for the prophets only”.  Others say, “This applies to every Christian.  Everyone has to make up their own mind about this. 

10 “We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 Under the old system, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, and the bodies of the animals were burned outside the camp. 12 So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. 13 So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore. 14 For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come”.  (Hebrews 13 New Living Translation)

It is like humanity to choose the easy path.  It is like Christ to choose the path that leads directly to crucifixion.  But let every man make his own choice.  Only let us be sure that every Christian understands these things.  Teach them well, that they may make an intelligent and willful choice.

By His Grace