(Matt. 13:22 & 16:26) The world mentioned in these scriptures is not the earth; it is the world systems controlled, operated, utilized and justified by unbelievers or Holy Spiritless believers which offer opportunities for illicit sex, acceptance of scripturally forbidden sex; riches, power, position and self-gratification if you will perform certain acts and commitments.
The world also offers ready access to scripturally forbidden entertainment and intoxicants. The world systems offer “religions” in which you can worship whatever can be dreamed up to be worshiped.
(Matt. 11:29 & 2Tim. 2:15) We are commanded to study the Holy Scriptures and learn about Jesus. Some people grab (2Tim. 2:15) out of context and say; “Oh, Paul was writing to Timothy and that doesn’t apply to me, OR: my congregation, OR: us, OR: my little bunch, OR: whatever!” Good grief! (1Tim. 4:7-16 esp. V.11, 13 & 16) Paul was instructing Timothy what to teach and preach! The whole Bible was written to somebody about something! (2Tim. 3:16-17) BUT it is also written to all of us for a reason BECAUSE:
(John 1:1 keyword: Word) God’s Word is defined: *something said, the thought, the reasoning, the motive, the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ), the intent) of God. All Christians had better understand God’s thinking, reasoning, motive and intent and that (John 1:1-4 & 1John 1:1-4) Jesus was the embodiment of God’s Word (1Tim. 3:16) and Jesus was the manifestation of God in the flesh!
AGAIN: *something said,: (2Tim. 3:16-17) “All scripture is given by inspiration of God (God *said the scripture to man through inspiration and man wrote it down for us), and is profitable for doctrine (teaching, instruction), for reproof (that by which a thing is proved or tested), for correction (a straightening up again, improvement of life or character), for instruction in righteousness (justification, the condition acceptable to God, integrity, virtue, purity of life, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting): That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.“
The Holy Bible is the record of the how, who, what, why, where and when of God’s relationship with man from (Gen. 1:1 thru 3:24) the creation of man (Rev. 21:9 thru 22:1-21) to the final result of God’s achievement of having man in a permanent relationship with God in forever. THINK NOT? Ultimately, we have the same opportunity as the first man and woman.
For effect, God *said; (Gen. 2:9 & 16-17) DO YOU CHOOSE LIFE OR DEATH! THEY CHOSE DEATH!! How could Adam and Eve have been so heedless of what God had so plainly said??? (Rom. 10:8-13 esp. V.9-11 keywords: believe/believeth: defined: to trust Jesus for salvation and to commit the rest of one’s life to Jesus care THEN Rev. 20:15 thru 21:4) THE BIBLE, GOD’S WORD, TELLS US HOW TO CHOOSE LIFE FOREVER OR HOW TO CHOOSE DEATH FOREVER. GOD’S WORD (*said;) IS THAT IMPORTANT! DO YOU CHOOSE LIFE FOREVER OR DO YOU CHOOSE DEATH FOREVER?
PLEASE THINK ABOUT THIS. Do you see and understand what grave error is made when someone leaves out part of or adds to the Bible? (Rev. 22:18-19 concerning the prophecy of the seven churches in Rev. 1:1 esp. V.3 keywords: this prophecy THRU Rev. 3:22) Do you see and understand what grave consequences certain individuals will face at the judgment (Rev. 22:18-19) when they have left out part of or added to God’s word? (1Pet. 4:17-18) “And if the righteous scarcely (with difficulty) be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?”
Do you see and understand just how awful the judgment will be to a lot of Christians? Can you even imagine how fearful it will be for a person who is absolutely sure he has lived a “good” Christian life and then he (Heb. 10:26-31) falls into the hands of the living God filled with fiery indignation who has vengeance and recompense on His mind?
Think about this. (Dan. 2:47; Matt. 13:34-36; 1Cor.4:1; & Eph. 6:19) God has secrets and mysteries hidden in His Holy Word that we have to study to understand (John 14:26 keyword: said) and they are only revealed by the Holy Spirit. Below is an example.
Some people have said taking drugs is not mentioned in the Bible so it must not be sin. The scriptural word witchcraft is really, really important so please study it closely; (Gal. 5:19 & 20) gives a list of the works of the flesh (***human nature with its frailties and passions***) and witchcraft is one of those works of the flesh. This is the only scripture where the word witchcraft is used in the New Testament and the word witch is not used in the New Testament. The Greek word from which witchcraft is translated is pharmakeia (phonetically written and pronounced) and is defined (medication) and it is the source of the English word pharmacy.
Pharmakeia by extension is translated (magic), and figuratively it is translated (sorcery). The first person use of pharmakeia is pharmakon which is translated (druggist, POISONER). Poison is toxic. Intoxicate is defined (to poison). Intoxicated defined is (you are poisoned). Medications are Chemicals. Medication, commonly called drugs, is used to help cure people from disease but it always poisons or kills something.
THE WHOLE IDEA BEHIND REGULATED PROPER DRUG TREATMENT IS PRESCRIBED DOSAGE AND METHOD OF DELIVERY OF THE DRUG. Take enough poison to “kill” whatever one is after without killing the human body; kill germs, kill pain, kill normal thoughts, kill emotions, kill the immune system, kill a tumor in you and etc.
Alcohol is a chemical intoxicant so it is also a drug. Alcohol (ethyl alcohol-the drinking kind) is so common and so commonly accepted by American society most people are surprised to find out it is really a chemical intoxicant with its chemistry commonly written as CH3CH20H. For a further breakdown of its chemistry please look up ethyl alcohol on Wikipedia. SO: Alcohol is simply another drug! Medical science proves long term alcohol abuse shortens life by slowly destroying body organs and systems.
The abuse in drug abuse is when a person takes enough chemical intoxicant ON PURPOSE to poison their brain to the point the brain malfunctions and hallucinates. This hallucination results in the much sought after “high” where as if by magic everything becomes warm, cozy, good, alright and problems are gone right along with reality. The sorcery part is unaided flight, the sounds of different colors, seeing and talking to beings not really there, the color of music and other hallucinations. Brain chemistry is such that physical addiction (outward man) to various chemicals is the result.
Yes, there are the well-known, Christless, so called earth religions that practice witchcraft and sorcery but that’s not what I’m talking about here. Read (2Cor. 4:4 keywords: the god of this world hath blinded & 11:14-15 keywords: Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light then Eph. 6:11-12 esp. V.11 keywords: the wiles of the devil) and draw your own conclusions concerning the earth religions Satan the devil, the god of this world has founded in that these religions deny that Jesus is the Son of God and Saviour of those who will believe in Him.
The soul (mind, me, person, self, heart-the inward man) also becomes addicted to the magic and sorcery by the illusion of freedom and craves to depart from the reality, responsibility, drudgery, work, failure, pain and other problems of normal life that every person faces daily.
EXAMPLE OF PROPER MEDICATION USAGE: A pain pill of a DOCTOR PRESCRIBED DOSAGE is swallowed into the digestive system to begin the METHOD OF DELIVERY, the medication is slowly released into the system by digestive action, blood carries the drug to the pain receptors in the brain in a time-release sequence and pain is controlled over a pre-determined amount of time.
EXAMPLE OF IMPROPER MEDICATION USAGE: The same pill can be crushed, the powder is sniffed into the nostrils, the digestive tract is bypassed and the METHOD OF DELIVERY is also bypassed, the crushed pain pill dust is absorbed rapidly into the blood vessels in the airway and the PRESCRIBED DOSAGE is also bypassed, the whole dosage quickly goes to the brain, the pain receptors are overwhelmed and the brain begins to malfunction and hallucinate. There are three hallucinogen paths of entry into the body; snorting, injection or ingestion by mouth.
Two other methods are used to obtain illegal intoxicating chemicals. #1) Some plants such as marijuana, peyote, opium poppy, cocoa plant and etc. contain chemical intoxicants which can be extracted and also #2) various chemicals can be combined to manufacture chemical intoxicants; and both of these types use the same blood to brain METHOD OF DELIVERY with the DOSAGE AMOUNT dependent upon what the user thinks he needs to achieve his “high”.
Too much toxic substance (poison) and the brain can become permanently damaged or even die. The addiction to toxic chemicals becomes so great the drug abuser will do anything to feed his/her habit which has become his god; steal, lie, beg, prostitute, murder; anything! An intoxicated brain loses the ability to feel compassion or sympathy for other people and moral inhibitions are lost. A drug addict becomes capable of any act, any degradation and any sin to feed his habit.
Usually the drug abusers family, especially children, is his/her most helpless, hopeless, and worst hurt victims. THE INTOXICATED BRAIN AND SOUL ARE EASY VICTIMS FOR SATAN TO DECEIVE, SUGGEST TO AND INHABIT. Drug abuse is sin and it leads to more sin.
Drug abuse is selfishness in its most extreme because nothing else matters but pleasing self. (Gal. 5:20-21) They which do witchcraft (drug abuse) shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Rev. 21:8) Sorcerers shall have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone forever. THE MOST AMAZING THING ABOUT DRUG ABUSE IS THAT ANYONE WHO IS ABLE TO THINK WOULD EVEN START WITH THAT FIRST “HIT”! THAT FIRST HIT IS THE FIRST STEP IN “THE LONG GOODBYE” TO WHO YOU USED TO BE!
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AROUND AND YOU WILL SEE THE WASTE, THE LOSS, THE PAIN, THE TRAGEDY AND THE DEGRADATION. DRUG ABUSE MAKES LIFE HARD, BITTER AND PAINFUL SO WHY WOULD ANYONE EVER TOUCH THE STUFF!!! JUST THINK HOW MISERABLE IT IS TO COME DOWN FROM A HIGH ALL SICK, MISERABLE, COLD, LOST AND DYING FOR A HIT OF THE STUFF THAT GOT YOU IN THAT SHAPE IN THE FIRST PLACE. HOW STUPID!
LET ME SHARE THIS WITH YOU ABOUT ALCOHOL AND DRUGS. I got to know Teddy when he started dating and eventually married a neighbor. Teddy became a very good friend. We hunted, fished and hung out together; the old country store, pitching horseshoes and telling yarns’ kind of hanging out.
I came home from my Marine adventure, started trying to put the pieces together; school, marriage, jobs, children. The old country store was gone but I ran across Teddy here and there. Teddy already had his family going, a good job and lots of friends.
BUT: Teddy had started drinking beer or whiskey nearly every day. He had started smoking “weed” once in a while too and later on he started using pain medication. Now don’t get me wrong; Teddy was a humorous, witty, tall, burly, bursting with life kind of man; you know the kind; always friendly; just “a good old boy”.
He’d give you the shirt off his back if you needed it and I never heard him put anybody down or talk badly about other people. I never heard of Teddy getting into a fight. He never bullied anyone and his presence and demeanor plainly said; “I will not run and I won’t back down.”
I never saw Teddy sloppy drunk or out of control BUT: I very seldom saw Teddy entirely sober either. He didn’t cheat on his wife and he could have because he was a handsome man and his personality was a magnet.
Whatever the reason, his wife started cheating on him; disgust I guess OR: maybe she just got rambling feet, she finally left, took their two sons with her and eventually married another man. If it hurt very bad Teddy didn’t show it. A person never knows about things like that because we cannot look into a soul and we are not there in the middle of the night to see the remorse, grieving and crying. Things like that, if they do happen, are far too painful to share; pride and shame I suppose.
Teddy kept up a good relationship with his boys over the years. The oldest son followed Teddy’s SORRY example with the drugs and alcohol. I don’t know about the younger son. He’s gone from here. It didn’t take Teddy long to start dating and he soon married a beautiful, much younger woman. Beyond all reason she was a devout Christian too! She loved huge, friendly Teddy and I guess she thought she could change him. If she did think that, it didn’t work. She lost that war with the world.
Teddy loved his “intoxicant god” and he worshipped at that altar every day. I’ve often wondered who Teddy loved the most; his wife or his god. Neither ever left so I guess I’ll never know. They didn’t have any children. You’ll have to draw your own conclusions about that.
I had gotten saved and had been a Christian eight or nine years. The Holy Spirit started burdening me to witness to Teddy. I dreaded it but I could understand why I was being sent; Teddy thought a lot of me and we had a lot in common right down to being coal miners; he’d probably listen to me more than he would anybody else. I went, and went, and went. Years of “went”.
No, I didn’t wear out my welcome. I figured God was working in Teddy’s soul through the Holy Spirit and when I “sensed” it was time to go I went; who knows; maybe twelve or fourteen times a year for several years. Yes, we’d talk about other things and have a good visit but I always got in some “Jesus talk” and invited Teddy to church. Teddy always invited me back; “Buddy, don’t be gone so long. Come on back and set around with me.”
When I had started witnessing to Teddy his “intoxicant god” had already started whittling away Teddy’s health and it got worse as the years went by. Teddy never moved, he wouldn’t budge an inch, our friendship never changed and he always greeted me warmly. BUT: It was like witnessing to a stump; a comprehending, living, breathing, friendly stump. Time went on and Teddy started being hospitalized once in a while.
That last time, the last day of it, the last few minutes of that last day, there in the intensive care unit, right when he was getting into his dying Teddy’s oldest son was with him holding Teddy’s hand and crying. That oldest son by his first marriage was a grown man with a child of his own and while he was standing there loving his Daddy with his heart breaking in him Teddy begged his son to go get him a pint of whiskey and sneak it to him.
That’s the way Teddy died, worshipping the god that was killing him by burning his guts out and Satan stood right there, laughing. HOW STUPID! And that oldest son: Later on he pulled eight years for dealing drugs, got out, a friend got him a job in the coal mines, he got back on drugs after eight years of being clean in prison, got fired and couldn’t get another job because he couldn’t make a clean urine sample and now he’s pulling another eight year sentence for dealing drugs.
He’ll get out an old man, the tax payers will have to keep him up, pay his medical bills and somebody will find him dead someplace, he’ll be cold, grey, dirty, wrinkled, raggedy, WITH: dried whiskey ‘n drugs puke on him AND: somebody will have to clean him up, buy him some clothes and bury him. THANKS DAD! HOW STUPID!
DRUGS! There is a neighbor family with which we go back three generations. The old man and his wife were my Daddy’s age. They had eight or so children and most of those children had one to three children each and some of those children were my son’s ages.
The old man drank a lot of booze for a bunch of years while his children were growing up, he bootlegged booze a lot (we were a dry county in the middle of several dry counties), intermittently worked and finally he and his wife accepted Jesus’ salvation at a revival very late in their lives. BUT THE DIE OF DADDY’S EXAMPLE HAD BEEN CAST!
One of the sons was in ‘Nam when I was there. Some of the next generation went to school with my boys. Some of those little boys have been to my house, stayed all night with my boys and ate at our table with us. I’ve been involved with their marriages and their funerals.
Sometimes, now and then, one or two of both of those two generations would go up to our old country church or some other church, get saved, get baptized, get back with their family and go right back into alcohol and/or drug abuse and addiction. All of them, every one of those last two generations in that family use drugs and alcohol.
Well, all of them don’t, eight don’t because they overdosed and died in the last few years. Eight out of one family! DEAD! I talked to one of the survivors just the other day. I saw him coming, we spoke and he hit me up for cigarette money. He was a nervous, dirty, scrawny shell of his vibrant, animated former self. I talked to him about Jesus, church and drugs. “Jimmie, I’m thinking ’bout going back to church. I shore am Buddy ‘n I haven’t done no drugs in, awww let me see, I haven’t done drugs in about a year and a half!”
YET, there he stood with fresh crystal meth burns around his mouth and even up between his eyes where his god had marked him for his own and my friend was assuring me everything was alright! It makes me want to scream and tear out my teeth in frustration. I might as well be talking to rocks alongside the road. This was a boy I watched grow up; I’ve hugged him and laughed with him in church. HOW STUPID!
This is written to the church. (Rom. 12:1-2) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed (fashion self according to) to this world: but be ye transformed (the Greek word phonetically written and pronounced is metamorphose) by the renewing (renovation) of your mind (soul), that ye may prove (examine) what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”
This whole scripture speaks of time; time to transform into a better and better Christian by the gradual renovation of your ALREADY SAVED soul. YOU ARE A WORK IN PROGRESS.
(1Pet. 2:20-22) It is a battle to fight off the temptations and enticements that try to return you back to what you used to be before you were saved. That word transformed (metamorphose) used above causes some amazing mental pictures. The Greek word metamorphose is the word from which the English word metamorphosis is derived. THE PICTURE: An old creepy crawly worm eats the right food and transforms into a beautiful butterfly.
(2Tim. 3:16) THE RIGHT FOOD IS: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” The word metamorphosis is also one of the (Dan. 2:47; Luke 8:10 & Eph. 1:9) hidden metaphors in the Holy Bible and this one pertains to the continuing work of grace through the Holy Spirit by spiritual growth in the life of the individual Christian.
The devil loves to see a Christian get caught up in habitual sin such as taking God’s name in vain, cursing, the attitude of fornication, stealing, telling lies and etc. The corrupting enticements of any sin can be very subtle and they start out so small; then all of a sudden the Christian looks around and he is bogged down in a quagmire of sin that is smothering him to death spiritually. Do you really want to improve as a Christian?
There will be temptation from yourself thinking: “I’m too tired; it’s too late; I’m not in the mood; there’s something else to do; the game is on tonight; Man she is sexy; I need just one shot of “booze”; Just one “pick me up pill or smooth me out pill” won’t hurt nothing.” And the most terrible reason of all to not improve as a Christian when you think; “I’m just not in the mood for You right now God so I’ll read the Bible or pray some other time. OR: I’ll go to Church some other Sunday.” That’s the way God hears your thinking and actions!
EXPLAIN THOSE LAST TWO SENTENCES IN THE ABOVE PARAGRAPH PLEASE! Remember this; (1Kings 19:11-18 esp. V.12) GOD SPEAKS IN A STILL SMALL VOICE. Think about this physical example: You have met this new person in your life. You decide to go visit him; your plan is to talk and reveal yourself to him and to learn more about him.
You have begun your friendship with that person and now you are planning to go build that friendship bigger, better and stronger. You are happy, excited, filled with anticipation and all warm and mushy with kindness and goodness. You knock on their door, they open it and ask you what you want. You explain your mission.
They say; “No, I’m not interested, I’m getting ready to watch my favorite television program.” and they close the door right in your wounded, insulted face. That would hurt you and you would be burned up, insulted and angry. You would “hear” that person say; “No I don’t want you around and I don’t want to know you better!” Would you ever come back? TWO SPIRITUAL REALITIES ARE POINTED OUT BY THE PHYSICAL EXAMPLE, the analogy, GIVEN ABOVE ABOUT YOU:
(Rev. 3:20) Jesus said; “Behold (look) I stand at the door and knock;”
Please read all of the above given scripture. #1 You are in your house and the thought “like a still small voice” comes that you ought to go to a quiet place and pray for a few minutes. Then the thought comes; “My favorite show is coming on.” SO: you go watch TV instead of praying.
That “still small voice” so much like a thought was God, through the Holy Spirit, asking you to have a conversation with Him so you could (John 15:14-15) become better friends and you said “no” then you shut the door of your soul right in God’s face! Just like the above analogy: GOD HEARD YOU SAY “NO GOD, I DON’T WANT TO TALK TO YOU AND I DON’T WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND!
#2 You are in your house; the “still small voice” says in your thoughts; “I ought to go read the Bible for a while.” BUT: You decide to call a relative or acquaintance on the telephone or enter the stupidity of endless Facebook or texting and you call them or become involved with endless Facebook or texting instead of reading God’s Holy Word, your Bible.
That “still small voice” so much like a thought was God, through the Holy Spirit, (Matt. 11:29-30) asking you to learn about Him and get to know Him better so you “shall find rest unto your soul” and you said “no” then shut the door of your soul right in God’s face again! Just like the above analogy:
GOD HEARD YOU SAY “NO GOD, I DON’T WANT TO LEARN ABOUT YOU AND I DON’T WANT TO KNOW YOU BETTER.” HOW WOULD YOU FEEL, WHAT WOULD YOU THINK AND WHAT WOULD YOU DO ABOUT YOU IF YOU WERE GOD? Remember this:
(Psa. 86:15) “But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” (James 5:11) “the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” (Eph. 4:30 keyword: grieve & 2Pet. 3:9 keyword: longsuffering) God is alive and warm and real and He can have His feelings hurt too! (Rev. 3:15-16) Do you really want to risk hurting God by slamming the door of your soul in His face? If you have ever done this do you think you should go pray and ask God’s forgiveness about it right now?
American Christians love to feel persecuted but American persecution is really just barely starting. Your children aren’t allowed to pray in school. Your preacher isn’t allowed to discuss politics and voting from the pulpit under penalty of losing their church’s tax-free exemption. Creationism is not to be discussed OR TAUGHT in school. Creationism is not to be discussed OR TAUGHT in school.
Your children will be taught the theory of natural selection; “that man descended from some missing link superior ape.” Christmas is becoming a taboo word because (1John 4:1-6) the word Christ always insults and strikes fear into the antichrist spirit who rules so many people, organizations, religions and nations.
Where was the voice of the church when prayer was taken out of the schools? The Church’s mouth was full of popcorn and Coca-Cola in front of the TV, or bowling, or–. When the church did swallow and could talk, it was to talk to each other about “how awful” the government is treating Christians. Where was the prayer? No time to pray; its entertainment time! Where was the righteous indignation? Busy accumulating things!
(Matt. 7:15) Where were the pastors to unite us? Busy keeping the wolf out of the flock. The wolf ate prayer time, creationism, the Ten Commandments and Christmas right in front of us on the front lawn of the school and all the church did was whimper. (John 10:12) The wolf caught the kids away from the flock and is destroying them! It is no wonder America’s children are slaughtering each other; it is no wonder school is a place of drugs, sex, ignorance and cruelty; the wolf is handing out birth control, expounding sexual tolerance and teaching school!
There are no Ten Commandments in school anymore! OH HAPPY DAY! OH HAPPY DAY! WE’LL JUST SOCIALIZE SOCIETY OUT OF TROUBLE! The wolf is teaching that people are related to animals, so we act like animals. Oh pardon me animal world; I’m so sorry!
You don’t kill your babies through abortion by the millions, you don’t take mind altering drugs; you work out your food and shelter and raise your babies (Luke 3:14; Phil. 4:11; 1Tim. 6:8: & Heb. 13:5) and you are therewith content. Has the world gone insane? The animals are following God’s scripture and man is not! (Prov. 22:6) “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old he will not depart from it.” So we teach them the theory of evolution; granny was a gorilla?
(Luke 20:25) “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s,” VOTE! “and unto God the things which be God’s.” VOTE FOR GOD! It is reported there are sixty million Christians in the United States! That is more than the ballots usually cast in a lot of presidential elections!
Pastors put aside denominationalism for the sake of Jesus! Where is our unity through the Holy Spirit? (Mark 3:25) JESUS SAID; “AND IF A HOUSE BE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF, THAT HOUSE CANNOT STAND.” WAKE UP CHURCH! You are giving away the freedom of religion by giving up to sin. You are giving away the freedom of religion by giving up the freedom of speech. THAT HOUSE CANNOT STAND MEANS IT WILL FALL (2Thess. 2:3) and that falling away is well underway right now! If you do not believe it is underway, see the Home page INTRODUCTION TO WEBSITE and read THE SUB-HEADING ARTICLE: THE CHURCH IN AMERICA: STATISTICS near the end and your blood will run cold!
“Christians are too busy to listen! The church has the votes; together we can say; “We will give you one term to get started turning this mess around, if you don’t we’ll elect somebody else who will.” (Luke 12:17) It is ridiculous that a Christian would vote for a political party, or for an individual, (Rom. 6:6 keywords: henceforth we should not serve sin and 1Tim. 5:22 keywords: neither be partaker of other men’s sins) instead of voting against what the Bible calls sin.
(2Thess. 2:15) “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epistle.” Sure; tough choices have to be made; sometimes a Christian is forced to vote for a candidate who stands for a “lesser evil” in order to vote against a candidate who stands for a “greater evil.” But then a write in campaign can be organized; “If you want elected the next time forget about this lesser evil you want to legalize.” Politicians like to win; they will listen. Can you imagine a president, governor or various members of congress receiving sixty million letters every month? Wouldn’t you like to see their faces?
By the above scripture it is a sin for a Christian to stand for nothing. God is not unaware! God knows every heart and He knows when you did the best you could with what you had when you voted for a lesser evil in order to vote against the greater evil. Honestly pray about it with an open heart. Let the Holy Spirit show you what to do.
The sad part about American politics is the vast majority of Christians will sit right there on their sanctimony night after night totally involved in the “pretend world” of TV drivel and let the devil take their lovely children away from them.
(2Tim. 3:12-13) It won’t get any better! Did the Holy Spirit fall down on the job or has the church gone spiritually deaf? You are a Christian Soldier; FIGHT, LOSE, OR RUN! What did the Holy Spirit say to you about the preceding few sentences? If you didn’t “hear or feel” anything you are in spiritual trouble.
That is the popular “religious rant” among fundamentalist Christians today and it is true. But there is a question.
Question: Were it in your power to snap your fingers and change the government into a Christian led government which denomination would you choose? Of course you could not select leaders from all denominations to form a representative government; they would never agree or compromise on anything and chaos would prevail. So you finally have a denomination to control people’s activities.
What would be outlawed first; homosexuality, alcohol, Hollywood, atheists, your denominational beliefs? How long would it be before religious intolerance ruled the day? In thirty, twenty, even less years there would be a death sentence for some infraction of scripture! Christianity is not a democracy. How long before Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and etc. would be expelled from America? Think about that and this very brief Church History.
The Pope wouldn’t grant King Henry the 8th of England a marriage annulment from his wife so the King, who beheaded two of his wives, established the Anglican Church in 1534. The “Royal Families” of several different nations were intermarried and from that lineage came the various Monarchs of England. Whatever King or Queen came to power automatically became the head of the official church and he appointed his own archbishop to head the church under him.
If the new king was Catholic the church went Catholic; if he was Anglican the church went Anglican. Common people were not free to worship as they pleased and faced fines, imprisonment and even death if they refused to “worship” the way the official “state church” dictated they should.
The Pilgrims simply wanted to separate from England so they could worship as they desired. The other belief that came to America at the same time was the Puritans. They believed the break of the Church of England from the Catholic Church was simply a move for the King or Queen to take the Pope’s place and little else had changed.
The Puritans desired to “purify” the Church from all Catholic influence hence the name Puritan. Both parties were separatists and protested against the Church of England. These protesters brought the Protestant Movement to America; hence the name protestant.
Both factions left England because of governmental religious intolerance. The Puritan movement came to the forefront in America and became religiously intolerant themselves. The Puritans mandated every person in the colony had to attend a regulated number of church services per week; had to believe a certain way; and had to act a certain way while away from church. Any violation of Church Law was punishable by incarceration, withholding food, public floggings and etc. even to execution. Remember the Salem witch trials?
This struggle between church and civil government; with man’s greed, thirst for power and desire to be free as the prime movers, was what brought about the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, the American Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Did you know all wars are fought because of one of, or a combination of, only four reasons; greed, religion, racism, or politics?
The Church was sick of government influence. The government was sick of Church influence. Americans were sick of both Church and government telling him what to do and how to worship.
THE THING THAT ELECTRIFIED THE WHOLE WORLD WAS WHEN AMERICA BECAME A NATION THAT WAS FOUNDED ON DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPALS NOT RELIGIOUS ONES. That was what faced the Founding Fathers when they wrote the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
The “wall of separation” between Church and State is not stated in the Constitution but was described in a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1802. This letter titled “Jefferson’s Wall of Separation Letter” can be found on the internet. It is very interesting reading. The first sentence begins with; “Thomas Jefferson was a man of deep religious conviction—“.
Also on the internet is an article titled “Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: A Brief Account”. In that article is stated that DNA tests conducted by Dr. Eugene Foster and a team of geneticists indicated a genetic link between the Jefferson and Hemings descendants.
The results of that test adds fuel to the “rumors” of a sexual relationship between married Thomas Jefferson, a man of deep religious conviction, and Sally Hemings, one of his female slaves. Those rumors were started in a Richmond newspaper in 1802 by journalist James T. Callender and those rumors persist today. More complete information can be found on the internet site “Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: A Brief Account.”
Remember the great words “All Men are Created Equal”? Some of the men who signed that document owned Negro slaves! You might also want to read an internet account of the married Quaker Benjamin Franklin and his many affairs with the French ladies while he politically tried to get the French to side with the colonists against England. We must remember Thomas Paine who coined the famous “These are the times that try men’s souls”.
Thomas Paine, born into a Quaker family Jan. 29, 1737, wrote the book “Common Sense”; a 79 page pamphlet, that turned many neutralists (American citizens neutral concerning the American revolution against England) and even some loyalists (American citizens loyal to England concerning the American Revolution) into patriots (American citizens who were willing to go to war against England to obtain independence from England) that supported the American Revolution. “Common Sense” was published early in the same year the Declaration of Independence was written later that year.
Paine also served in Washington’s army and gave his money to support the American Revolution. During that war Paine wrote many articles that urged the colonists to keep fighting for freedom. In other words Thomas Paine was an invaluable asset in starting, fighting and winning the Revolutionary War! Thomas Paine also wrote “The Age of Reason” in which he stated; “The Bible is such a book of lies and contradictions there is no knowing which part to believe or whether any.”
The lives of the founding fathers are but a mouse click away for you. You will find that they were just like Church people today! For a further discussion on separation of church and state please read “The Introduction to Sin in Church” on this website.
(1Cor. 3:1-4 esp. V.1 & 4 keyword: carnal) According to scripture, the concept of denominations was started by carnal Christians! Sometimes it appears denominations are perpetuated by carnal Christians! This writer has heard preachers say in both the worship service and teaching service that; “If anybody here does not believe what my (this) denomination teaches, get on out the door and don’t come back!” No person had disagreed with any teaching and actually nobody had said anything at all. Those statements were right out of man’s carnal heart because there is no scripture that supports such a statement.
So here we are today. We are stuck with denominations and if you attend church it will be a denominational church because that is all we have. YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS: Based on (Mark 3:22-30): If any Catholic or any Protestant says the other denomination is of the devil and there is even one person in that “condemned” denomination that has achieved salvation through the Holy Spirit, as set forth in the Holy Scriptures, then the speaker has committed Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit!
Since the constitution was written there has been a constant “refinement” of what the constitution means and what the writers meant when they wrote it. The Bill of rights guarantees the freedom to worship and the Constitution backs it up. The Supreme Court is the “refiner” of Constitutional Law and is concerned with “civil liberties” hence the name Liberals.
By rule of civil law people of other religions or non-belief in any religion have the right to have their children educated without Christian influence. Suppose the Federal Government of America the democracy did pass a law that permitted a one hour class, per day, on religion, in every tax supported school:
RESULT: Hindu Day, Muslim Day, Wicca Day, Buddhist Day, Christian Day, Atheist Day, Jewish Day and on into infinity! Of course the government would have to democratically divide Christian Day because America is a democracy and each Christian denomination would have to have its day: Southern Baptist Day, Church of Christ Day, Church of Pot Day, Old Regular Baptist Day, Methodist Day, Freewill Baptist Day, Church of God Day, Primitive Baptist Day, PCMW Day, First Christian Church Day, gaychurch.org Day, Independent Christian With Signs Following Church Day, Church of Satan Day, Enterprise Baptist Day, Episcopalian Day, Unitarian Universalist Day, Independent Baptist Day, Greek Orthodox Day, Lutheran Day, Russian Orthodox Day, Catholic Day and on into infinity!
Isn’t that the most ridiculous thing you have ever heard? Can you imagine the children’s confusion by the time the school year is over? Is it possible the children would be the only people able to see the humor in the whole situation?
Early on the Catholic Church recognized the threat, understood the problem and built schools that teach in every level of education. Over the four hundred plus year history of the colony, later named America, a very few far sighted Protestant leaders saw this problem and built Christian Schools that teach in every level of education. Oral Roberts University and Liberty Baptist by Jerry Falwell are more recent prime examples.
Thank God we live in a nation that will even permit Christians to build a Christian School. Thank God we live in a nation where common people are wealthy enough to pool their resources and build a Christian School. Think of all the nations that won’t permit it and all the people of other nations who can’t afford it even if they were allowed!
Some might ask; “Why do we even need Christian Schools?” In your church, counting all the services in an ordinary week, it is doubtful the children receive even one hour of pure, new Bible teaching in that week.
It is much easier for American Christians to sit around on their religiosity, whine and cry about persecution and do nothing. So the Protestant Church is faced with a question of faith. Does the Protestant Church send its children to be taught under the civil liberty doctrine? OR: Do the Christian denominations unite and elect political candidates who will change the law to the way the whole church wants it? OR: Does the Protestant Church and its denominations unify to build its own schools and teach its children under a general Christian doctrine. OR: Each denomination can pool its resources and build denominational Christian Schools. THE DILEMMA IS:
Are Christians and denominations willing to sacrifice money, time, effort and do without “things” to build Protestant Christian Schools on God’s side of the wall of separation between Church and State? To sacrifice your time, money and possessions A CHRISTIAN SELF TEST might be in order: Do you know the difference between your needs and your wants?
How many TV’S can you watch at one time? How many beds can you sleep in at one time? Does your house have to be that big? Do you need designer clothes and shoes? Do you need all the tapes, disks and games for home entertainment? How many autos can you drive at one time and do they have to be brand new every one to three years? Do you have to go to the spa to get your nails done? Are you forced to “eat out” so you don’t have to cook? Do you dress the way you do so you can be proud of the way you look? SO: DO YOU HAVE PRIDE?
Look around you; is there anything, or any number of things you possess, that you could do without and use that money to support a Christian School? Reading the Bible, witnessing and volunteering are excellent, very inexpensive hobbies; what does yours cost? “Good grief those are harsh questions you nosey Bible thumper!”
It is rather harsh when we think of our children going to hell. “I don’t have any children you Jesus nut!” (1John 3:14) “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” Cain, after he had killed his brother Able, answered God; (Gen. 4:9) “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Are you the keeper of your Christian brother or sister’s children?
What does God want you to do? Each Christian is faced with THAT CHOICE; whether we like it or not!
Note: (John 1:1-3 then 1John 1:1-3 then John 14:15-20) A Christian must become personally involved, a union, with the scripture. Just reading words and remembering a few snippets of scripture will not work. God is a living God. The scripture is the living word of God. The Holy Spirit is God and Jesus living within you. You are alive. All this life must blend within you.
If you seriously want “a closer walk with God” study hard and long, sincerely ask God to make it happen and He will through the Holy Spirit. There will be distractions to home Bible study; unexpected company will show up, the boss was a jerk today, the phone will ring, the children, neighbors or pet will have a crisis, your significant other, old grumpy, will be carrying around a big load of hateful.
Jesus said; (Matt. 10:22) “but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” It is your life; it is your time; set some of it aside for the living God! Too many times Christians set their time aside for some other god, usually god self. The tithe of time is two hours and twenty four minutes per day! Do you give God the tithe of time?
Have you ever even thought about the tithe of time? How much time do you contribute to TV, computer, electronic games, telephone conversations and etc. per day? Have you ever fasted from TV, OR: home computer, OR: whatever? Try it and you will be shocked from your hair to your toes by the difficulty of doing without your ELECTRONIC “FIX” for three days. Here’s a practical method to start growing spiritually; change the way you study; dedicate one hour to God every day, turn off any distracting noise, do this alone every day, no matter how you feel, for a week:
#1 Start with a five minute prayer of truth. Explain to God what kind of Christian you think you are. Tell God exactly who you think God is and what He means to you. Tell Him what you want and expect from Him.
#2 (Eph. Ch. 4, 5, & 6) Slowly and carefully read these three chapters of Ephesians. Think about what you read! Reference the definition of words in your concordance. Study a commentary about it; the internet is full of them. Take time to lean back, stare at nothing and think about what you just read or reference to other scriptures. Keep thinking! Stop any time during the hour to think about what you are reading. Yes, the same scriptures each night! Sincerely yield yourself to God as you read; sincerely ask for God’s revelation concerning them as you read; sincerely think about what you are reading.
#3 Give yourself time to sincerely think about who and what you are.
#4 Give yourself time to pray before the hour is up. Ask God questions! “God what do You mean in this scripture? What’s in this for me? (Eph. 4:22-24) Lord help me understand? (Eph. 5:14-17) Lord, what are you telling me?
#5 Bleed the scripture dry of all that is in it! Lord in these scriptures You’ve told me how a marriage is made successful, how children are raised, how I’m supposed to work my job and I realize I’ve messed a lot of it up! Please forgive me. Oh God help me! I’m tired, I’m wore out, I’m fed up with the devil beating the tar out of me every time I turn around! Give me the armor, and show me how to fight. I want to bash him a few times and get some of my own back!”
You will be shocked and amazed at what God will accomplish in your soul if you will sincerely do this. Just remember; God said; (Isa. 55:1-13 esp. V.11) My word shall not return unto Me void (empty). Each week pick a new subject or set of scriptures. The one hundred and seventeen little verses of (John chapters 14, 15, 16, & 17) are very good for the next round.
You will never know until you try! Of course this paragraph sounds foolish; the devil will see that it does. “Read the same thing over and over for seven days? You must be insane!” No, there is no insanity. If you do this sincerely, with prayer, there will be a wonderful opening and unfolding that will forever change you for the better. You do have a choice; either good or bad, it is your choice. THIS IS YOUR WAR WITH THE WORLD!
GOD BLESS YOU.