“You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glry and honour and power: for You have created all thingd, and for Your pleasure they are and were created.”

 

Note, “they are and were created.” God is still creating for His pleasure. God is still creating life in the womb. God is still creating unions between men and women. God is still creating families and al. Of these arefor His pleasure. God pleasures in lives and unions and families that love Him and honour Him.

God has, does, and will create for His pleasure and others Scripture adds for His purpose. You have been created for God’s pleasure and purpose. Even the lost will serve the purpose of glorifying God’s wrath, justice, holiness, righteousness in their eternal torment in Hell. Reader, ALL things are created forHis pleasure and purpose…all things, “even the wicked for the day of evil.”

Yet with this truth being stated throughout Scripture, persons think, persons believe God is there for them…for their use…for their ordering. I have heard preachers present God as a Santa Claus….”If you do this, God will do this.” While it is true; there is a type of spiritual law…if you honour God, God will honour you.  We love God because He first loved us. These are spiritual laws but this is not what these preachers are spewing. They speak as if God is a vending machine….put your good works in and you can. expect God to drop X in to your life or bank account. This is not how God works. We aren’t good so we can get. We are good because God is GOoD.

One (1) might negotiate with the Almighty but the spirit must be right and the heart pure. The heart pure….let’s speak to that for a minute. What is a pure heart? A sinless heart? I don’t think so, beloved. While we strive to keep our hearts and to guard our hearts, it still has the penchant to deceive us. The pure heart is the heart that is open and transparent to God….of course God sees everything….i’m talking about opening our hearts willingly, happily and inviting God to look. We are seeking to share with God all that is in there….even the stuff we wish were not in there…but we do not try to hide even that. We say with David, “Search my heart, O LORD.” Are you able to do that? Are you willing to seek out God and purposely ask Him to search your heart, your mind? If so, you are of apure heart. If not, you are not of a pure heart. Reader, be honest with Him, He knows it all already…He knew it all from eternity past. He knew it at Calvary, He knows it now. What you don’t know, is He took it with Him when He entered Paradise and their He left it. You keep digging it up, not Him. It is either you or the enemy that digs it up and throws iit.in your face.  It is not Christ. When the enemybrings it back up, laugh him to scorn and say, “oh, foolish creature, Christ has taken that and cast it away. That is something He shall never do for you….depart from me, satan, get thee behind me devil….in the Name of Christ, YOUR Lord!!!”

Did God bless Samson because he was good? Did God bless David because he was. good all the time? What about the disciples, were they perfect all the time? Yet they were perfectly loved.

Reader, if God loves you, it is unconditional. He did not begin loving you because you were lovable, He chose to set His eternal and abiding love upon you in spite of anything lovable. Does not even a human parent yet love the wayward child?  Does not the .shepherd leave the ninety- nine (99) to search for the one (1)?

Reader, He loves you if He loves you, You are loved by Him if you are loved by Him. Everything God does is for always and forever, beloved, Now, Be-loved.

Godspeed.

 

“We use not enticing words.”  Paul, Christ’s Apostle to the Gentiles.

 

Words can be tricky. If you ever watch a tv show that involves a court room, you see how words can trip a very intelligent person up. In todays politically correct and God-less world you have to be a wordsmith to survive. Or you cando what i do…speak freely and let everything fall where it will. We live in a time when to offend is a given. Therefore, let us offend rightly and let us offend the right persons. For example all the different types of Americans…..African-American, Asian- American, Mexican-American, etc.  NO MORE. i write this not to offend in a hurtful way but in a way to wake us up. The hyphen divides!!! You are not African-American….you are An American, period. You are not Asian- American, you are an American. You are not Mexican-American, you are an American. Just…like..me. I am not a Native-German-Irish-American, I am an American. It pleased God to put both you and me in America, therefore, you and i am Americans.

My jiu jitsu trainers are Christ-ian and they are black skinned…. They say, with great and good pride “I’m an American, period.  My greatly loved mother in law is Korean. But she identifies as American and not Asian-American. One does not come to America to fly one’s national flag and to force one’s culture on everyone else. If someone come to America, it is to be an American with no hyphen. That does not mean forgetting one’s past, not at all. Keep your memories but make new one’s in America.

I am not a bigot. I hate no one. I am a logical and loving, and thinking person, however, and this seems loving and logical to me.

All of the political correctness comes from the left and that is where it should remain… left behind. P.c is a divider.

Don’t get me wrong Christ-ian Reader, in terms of our faith, we are to be separate, there is no doubt there. When it comes to moral values….American values, we do agree, as these moral and ethical values come from above to keep those beneath in order. Make sense? In fact, we should be leading the charge in all things moral and ethical as these come from God.

Darwin was right when he taught only the strong survive or natural selection…..that is when the world is God-less, immoral, and unethical. Or in other words, “as in the days of Noe (Noah).”

Words can be tricky. For example: “Is it?”  or  “It is.”  You see, two (2) tiny words, both one (1) syllable, but yet the ordering of these words make all the difference. With those words and the ordering of those words we either ask a question or make a statement and then if we add an ! Or !!! to the statement we add great emphasis, we add emotion and feeling.

You see, words are an evidence for God. Where did language come from? Oh, someone might give you an answer but that answer is like a net, it is full of holes. Theorists use words like, “may be”, “could have”, “i think,”  “it is probabable” (then we change the order of our God-given words and say, “Is it probable?”), other terms: “most likely” or “most think” or “most believe,” or “it is thought,” or   “it is likely.” You get the picture. Another tricky use of words is, “is it possible?” or “Is there the slightest chance?”

How to say something without saying something: “Others say,” or “Don’t THEY say?” You can always blame it on “THEY.”  OR ” You will not believe what i heard,” with this, you say what you want to say, yet you are not saying it!

Reader, words can be tricky but they can be useful. I do not condone using words like above to deceive or disimulate. Not at all. We should use our God-given words to edify, to speak the Gospel, to be a blessing. And not to lie, that is what the enemy does. However, having said that, there are times when a lie is the right way to go. I have written on this pretty extensively. I write about lies with Scriptural support and examples. Words are useful and good if they be used rightly.

We are told by Christ that our words are written down and we will give answer for our use of God’s gift of words….know ye not?  Think before you speak and think about your thinking before you think to speak.

Godspeed.

.

“In many things we offend all.”                                                        (James 3)

 

If the first (1st) two (2) titles sound like you, then the third (3rd) title is your answer. If a Christ-ian is afraid of offending others with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus, that person might as well cease now.

The truth about the Gospel is this: it will offend because it is suppose to, period. The Gospel, by it’s holy nature, is to offend and to do so greatly.  The Gospel in outline is this:

1.You are a sinner before God and God is greatly offened by your very presence in this world.

2.There is nothing about you or your life that does not offend Him or His Holy Nature.

3.God seethes by you and your sin. Someday God will act upon His Holy Distain for you.

4. There is absolutely no hope for you and you will someday die and be sent out of His Holy sight and Presence. You will be cast into hell.

5.UNLESS, Christ credits you with His Perfect and Sinless, and Holy Life….His death….and….His Resurrection. Unless these are attributed to you…you will suffer eternal torment outside of God’ s mercy and love.

6.Today Christ is prepared to credit you with all that He is….He is prepared to credit His Sacrifice to you and to be credited with your sin.

7.This is why Christ endured the Cross…so you wouldn’ t have to suffer in Hell. He died to take your sin upon Him and save you from your sin and all it’s penalty.  CHRIST WAS MADE SIN SO THAT YOU MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUNESS OF GOD IN HIM. What will you do with Christ? What will God do with you?

 

Reader, What about the above isn’t offensive to the pride and the false self sufficiency of the flesh?  If you said all of it is offensive, you are right.

Therefore, if you think you can share the Gospel and not offend you are wrong, wrong, wrong.

There are ways you can soften the blow. You might ask the person if you could share with them the Gospel and forewarn them that it is quite offensive and you hope they still love you afterward. But even if tthis person is not angry with you, the Gospel will still offend…it is the very nature of the Gospel. If it does not offend, it is not the Gospel…plain and simple. Another way you can present the Gospel is to tell the person about the time you shared your faith with someone and how angry that person got and then tell this person what you told the angry person.

You can try these tactics or simply give a tract and ask them to share their thoughts or objections with you the next time you see them.

You can try these or you can simply embrace the offense of the Gospel and let the bodies hit the floor. In other words share the offensive Gospel and accept what comes.

I’ve seen Joey Grossman attackd by a hound from hell while attempting to share the offensive Gospel. I’ve been laughed at, seen tracts thrown to the ground and into the trash. I’ve had others ignore me like i was invisible. I’ve had others politely refuse to hear me and thank me for my time. Others have taken tracts and thanked me and start reading them immedietly.

Persons will react differently. Most of the time you will not be able to tell how the person(s) will react. The Hell’s Angel motor cycle looking guy will be grateful and thank you and the “sweet little old lady from down the street” will throw curses at you like a witch, stirring her cauldron.

Regardless of how the human reacts, you can always be assured The Godhead is pleased. Greater the cursing from the puny human, greater is the blessing fron on High!!! Let us fear not the face of puny man, let us fear The Great God. This is what God tells Jeremiah.

Reader, Once you enter and remain within the fear of the LORD, you will fear no-thing and no-one ever again. This i can promise and Reader, i do not make promises, it is the fool that promises because there is so so much that is out of his control. But this i promise because it is based on SomeOne Who holds tomorrow in His Sovereign and Omniscient Hands and Omnipresent Being. Once the saint fears God aright, all else pales in comparison. Reader, what dog need ye fear when a great lion walks before you and with you.

My reader, what Avon lady is there that fears to share her product with you? Does the Amway presenter seem frightened by you or is s/he loath to share their products? What about the Kirby vacuum salesman? Does he seem reserved or held back? The answer to all those questions is no! Yet you are fearful….that is to say full or filled with fear and anxiety to share YOUR GOSPEL with others. The other reasons one (1) does not share THEIR GOSPEL is unbelief….UNBELIEF!!!???  Yes, reader, some believers refuse, and it is a refusal, to share their faith is due to unbelief!!! Unbelief that anyone would heed the Gospel.  Or unbelief in themselves to share it, “rightly.”

The only other reason is the believer doth not care. Doth not care about the other person, doth not care about Christ’s purposes or pleasures or doth not care about what awaits them in Heaven.

Reader, Do not get me wrong, i am not trying to guilt anyone into saturday door knocking…i am not one for that and i do not push that on anyone or atleast not how it is usually done. What i am speaking to are the persons that God purposely puts in your way and puts you in their way. Most Christ-ians believe most persons would rather cross the path of a black cat while walking under a ladder than to cross paths with a Christ-ian. This may be true of some. But ihave found more times than not the person is polite and doesn’t want to cause a scene.

There are ways to be a witness rather than witnessing. Let a person go before you in the store line. Purchase the items for the person behind you at the convenience store. Tell them it is because of the Lord you do this or you do this because God is so good to you. Then give them a tract as well as the cashiere when it is your turn. One (1) could carry invitations to church with the Gospel printed on it. Reader, there be many ways to share Christ. T-shirts are one (1) of the very best, “DOES. GOD REALLY LOVE YOU? HOW DO YOU KNOW?”  OR “REPENT, BELIEVE OR PERISH…JOHN 3:16”  “ARE YOU GOING TO HELL?….HOW DO YOU KNOW?” OR “SUBMIT TO LORD JESUS AND LIVE.” T-shirts are not expensive to make and they are a tremendous witness. The shorter and more poignant they are the better. In other words if they offend they will not be forgotten….many of you canstill remember something bad from elementary school, right? When something effects you emotionally that something is not forgotten. This is another reason your Gospel is offensive….so it is remembered.

Again, iam not seeking to guilt you into going out and knocking on doors. My point in this article is to assist you in BEING A WITNESS to those in your world. Your Gospel is for those in your world…for those you cross paths with. If everone did that the world would be evangelized properly and though the your Gospel would offend, maybe you would not.

Ask yourself why you do not share YOUR GOSPEL?

ARE YOU FRIGHTENED?

ARE YOU UNBELIEVING IN WHATEVER?

DO YOU NOT EVEN CONCERN YOURSELF WITH YOUR GOSPEL?

DO YOU NEED TO SEE AN EXAMPLE? I WOULDBE HAPPY TO LET ANYONE RIDE SHOYGUN WITH ME. YOU NEEDNOT SAY A WORD…ONLY PRAY WHILE THE SPIRIT AND I SPEAK. I KNOW NO ONE WILL TAKE ME UP ON THIS OFFER AND I DO NOT SAY THAT AS A WAY TO GET YOU TO TAKE ME UP ON THIS OFFER. I DON’T LIKE THAT TACTIC AND DO NOT USR IT.

Godspeed.

 

 

 

 

“What if….?”  (Romans 9)

 

I remember an old evangelist saying years ago, “If it wasn’t for you Lord, I would have quit long ago.” This man of God was remarking about the difficulties he met throughout his many, many decades of service. For you that do not know this, service to God if fraught with heartache, difficulties, loss, backstabbing, gossip, and once in awhile a blessing here and there.

The man of God will pour his heart out, serve others only to have these persons forget them or turn their backs on them. It is here whn th man of God must remember why he does what he does. He must remember he does all of this for God.

Paul wrote to Timothy that at the end of his ministry all have forsaken him and it was the Lord, Who Alone stood with him.  Learn this lesson minister of God…learn this lesson well anmd prepare for it.  I have had ministers friends and mentors turn on me when they felt like i was challenging of becoming a challenge to their legalist rule and reign. Most ministers can speak to this even if it be for different reasons.

So why does the minister continue service?”  If one does not do all he does for his Lord and Saviour, he will not last.

We have written almost six hundred (600) of these articles and i know not who reads them. Once in a great while someone will comment or write something to me regarding these articles and i am greatly encouraged but s i said it is very seldom. If i wrote these articles, which average thirteen hundred (1300) words each article, alone for readers i would have quit or given in a long, long time ago to be sure. I cannot estimate who reads these. I have been told by a small few that they read these “here and there.”

What if i learned no one read me at all, what would i do?  I would continue to write and would not lessen my imput.

You see reader, i hope many do benefit from this labour of God, if if no one read me, i would continue because i know One who does read me…each abd every word. This Person is God.  God hears and records every word i speak with my pen and every word I think and say. Thi is why every servant should do as they do. You see some do what they do for to be seen of others and that is their reward. There are some that are at a loss if they are disallowed to serve others of before others to be seen. There are evevsome serve as to be seen by God but if their ability to serve God is taken, their self worth, even before God causes their relationship to suffer with God. I have heard a man say he doesn’t want to go to heaven if their isn’t service….this man is a man of exceeding folly.

Reader, make certain you do what you do is for God and make certain the only thing you have between you and God is that service. Some day your ability to serve God may be taken and then all that is “left is You and God” in a room with very little to say….how it would b so awkard and what ashame and how embarassing that would be.

“Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.”

 

The titles above are professional wrestling terms. In pro wrestling there are heels. The heel is the bad guy. If the bad guy receives a “push” or is being put into the spotlight per writers script, they will “go over” or be accepted by the wrestling community. The heel will be booed and jeered. That’s a good thing for the heel’s character and career.

The Babyface is the good guy and the above is true of the babyface or face character. The babyface is either pushed or not pushed. The babyface is over with the community or they are not.

In this world of scripted wrestling, heels can “turn babyface” and the babyface can “turn heel.” It’s all according to the script.

This is and is not true in the real world. Persons do not change. A person may curb or hide certain traits but they are hidden and not gone. As they say, in the world, “Once a cheat always a cheat.” The cheater may become faithful outwardly post being caught but inwardly he is still a cheat. In his or her soul they are who they are. They are not who they pretend to be. They are not who you want them to be either. A person does not change and no obe can change anyone else. So if you aretrying to change someone, stop.

The above speaks to the unregenerate and not to the Christ-like. The humans above have been written into God’s script and they will play their part and they will glorify God, even if that is in their damnation. With man it is impossible to change. It is possible with man to hide or curb certain traits. Think Jacob pretending to be Esau.  Humans cannot, do not, and will not change, at least not for the better. The human can always devolve, but never change….actually change for the better.

Looking at criminals, as an example. And as Batman says, “We’re all criminals, Clark.” We will see they have a pathology. A serial killer is a serial killer. The serial killer cannot stop. This type of killer is compelled to what he calls his work. The pathology of this killer is this: The killer kills and then he is calmed but then the inclination rears it’s head and he must kill. These must kill like the elect must be saved. The serial killer is one from birth or one from youth (my opinion). This killer begins by harming, killing, and disarticulating or dismembering the small helpless and now dead animal. This type of killer will urinate the bed throughout his youth and he will be drawn to fire. This killer will burn things like dolls and small animals. This person…he is not a monster, no not at all, he is fully human…depravity on parade if you will. This person will not stop or change. This killer has a signature or in other words he is compelled to take something or leave something, a lock of hair may be taken, a piece of under garments, who knows, this pathology, this compelling is particular to each killer. As this killer cannot, does not, and will not change, neither does any other human.

BUT…BUT…BUT… What is impossible with man is possible with God!!! God can, has, does, and will change a person as He has so ordained in and from Eternity past. God creates new creatures everyday. By the way each new creature is a miracle. What is a miracle? A miracle is when God, the Supernatural and Sovereign God acts in the natural world and does something only He can do. This is true of salvation. Every person that is made into a new creature is a miracle. Now paaallleeezzzzeee praise God, the High and the Holy, Who Alone, changes a person from sinner to saint!!!

Never ever take for granted that change God has made in you. Never let it become a usual thing….for it is still a miraculous event. When Heaven and Heaven’s occupants cheer a man’s salvation, it is something BIG. IT IS BIG BECAUSE MY GOD IS SOOOOOO BIG SOOOO STRONG AND SOOOOO MIGHTY, THERE’S NOTHING HE CANNOT DO!!! !!! !!!

Godspeed, Walking Miracle.

“Think on these things…”

 

It is part of my nature or my God-wiring to be analytical. It is part of who I am. It is not judgment or discernment, though God has gifted me in these areas, it is a taking a part or a disassembling. I tend to take apart every word a person used, says, or writes. I dissect every word a person says to me. I ask myself why someone chooses to use a word over another word. I think this comes from my method of Bible study, too.

So is it any surprise that i would note the phrase, “I feel like…” In the stead of “I think?”

Reader, it is the person ossessed by emotions that feels their way through life….that follows their heart, which Scritures says is deceptively wicked and states further, no one can know it (perfectly). The lost know it not at all but they tend to follow it…not all, of course. God has gifted some of the lost with great intelligence that they may serve the Christ-ian world. Remember everything is made for Christ and we are joint heirs with the Elder Brother.

Reader, we are not to use emotions in making decisions. Emotions may alerts the mind to act but the feelings are not to usurp the mind. When we act out of anger, we work not the righteousness of God. But the emotion anger may spark the mind to begin processing thoughts and plans.

In terms of politics, the left is emotion and the right is thought. If the children would “play nice nice” they would work like human emotions and human reasoning or logical thought working well together.

Therefore, Reader stop “feeling like” and return to “Thinking on these things.”

“Precious in the sight of God are the death of His saints.”  (Psalm 116)

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”

 

In the passages above we are provided three (3) views of a single event. This single event is death. If Christ tarries everyone will pass through this event. In this article we will see how God views this event, the Christian view and the unsaved view of this event.

God views the death of the saved as precious. The Christian views this event with hope and the unsved as hopeless. In other passages we see the rightful Christ-ian view is sleeping and a departure. David, when his infant son passed from this life to the next,, David had every expectation to see him again. In fact, it was only after his son passed that David picked himself up off of the floor, where he lay prostrate before God, in prayer. His servants were confused. They wondered why he would rise up now after the passing of David’s son. David explained there was nothing to do now as he would see his son in Heaven. Reader, this is hope and the proper view of the departed of saints.

Paul considered his exit as being present with the Lord and as a drink offering being poured out. Peter viewed his exit as simply changing tabernacles. Stephen, the original Christ-ian martyr literally saw  Christ standing up to receive his saint.

However others should have seen death as a thing to be feared. Judas went to his own place, a place of perdition. The Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Herodians, and many of the kings in both O.T. and N.T. as well as many that crossed the Holy path of God’s monogene or Image or Son. Many….most persons today should fear their end as they have, are, and will continue to follow their own way…the way that seems right unto them…the way that leads to their eternal torment, the broad way…..not the narrow way or the straight way, but the broad way that leadeth to death.

The elect, the redeemed, the ransomed, the saved view death with hope. The reprobate, the lost, the wicked should view death with the greatest of fear, but they pretend ignorance.

God views death as precious. Most read this as precious as in precious or very special as in, “isn’t the baby so precious, i could eat it all up.” But the word precious means, “rare.” Reader, the Christ-like dies….NOT. Paul would not have you to be ignorant of this truth and neither would any preacher that comes after him.

Christ said, His death was expedient for His own, “it is expedient for you that I go away.”  Go away, not die. We the Christ-like should view the death of another believer ashaving gone away, but not as gone away forever but for awhile.

I do know this is easier written than applied, especially when someoneso so close, goes away. I remember when my Grandpa, Dad’s side, went away, i shed not a tear….until four days later. When my Big Momma, G-ma on Mom’s side, who i loved and spent much much time with and share much with, went away, i cried not a tear to this day. Faith allowed tears in one (1) instance and not another. As an adult, i look back at my Grandparents theology, and know their is a Christ-ian bloodline. They both knew God and God knew them. Their theology is sound. If there were such a thing, my family would be a Christ-ian dynasty. The faith and gifts have been present in much of my family. All praise to God, the Great Elector of His Family in Christ Jesus.

The Christ-like dieth not. The Christ-like may ascend, may depart, may go away, may go to their reward, may go to be with Him, may pass on or over, may go to heaven, mayhave gone to walk the streets of gold,  BUT The Christ-like does NOT die, nor does s/he face death, kick the bucket, go to a better place, meet their maker (the Christ-ian has already met Him). Pushing up daisies, taking a dirt nap, etc. etc. etc.

By faith we trust in the passing of a loved one and find hope.  In the flesh, we still ache and feel the loss. That may be one of the only acceptable uses of the flesh….to feel loss…..yet we must remember to walk by faith, and thetein will be found hope and hope can stare down all things.

Godspeed.

 

“The church which God purchased with His Own Blood”  (Acts 20)

“Let no man despise thy youth.”

 

The two (2) verses from above are like all Scripture in that i take them very serious. I enjoy a humour, i do. This surprises many. I do enjoy jokes and i enjoy joking around…really i do. The thing is. I don’t always get the humour of others and others do not always get mine. Ihave found that when others laugh at myjokes, they are really laaughing because i am laughing at my own joke. I do enjoy humour but….

I am not a preacher that mixes humour with ministry. The preacher is to begrave and sober when it comes to the Word. I confess, i do find humour in Scripture where others do not. I have brokendown into tears of laughter in the pulpit more than once. But i am, otherwise deadly sober inthe pulpit and in the ministry Godhas entrusted to me. I can remember years ago, having young punks in a service anddisrupting it. The pastor reproved them but they continued.

I thenstood up and demanded the punks, follow me outside. They did and thenbegan smarting off to me. I put them all against the wall and then our seven foot member can to their aid. They continued…it turned out they had afamily member who was a cop and that member was on duty. Someone called the police and it was family that showed up. The kids then threatened to return with their dad to get even with me andi invited them to Wednesday evening service where i would be teaching. …Scripture, but i was willing to teach jiu jitstu lessons free of charge.

Wednesday came as did the punks and their dad and some others. I taught the lesson while looking them all in the eyes and ieven taught some of it in the aisle next to the family and friends of the disrupters. Nothing happened that night.

Why do i share that with you? I do so to demonstrate the seriousness inwhich i hold the ministry God has entrusted to me. Now that i am older….you might ask me if i would handle the situation the same. I would answer with a question…..is the pope the head of a satanic institution?

We have been attending BBC for over a month now and we have observed and noted many things. We will list these and then expand:

1.Pastor Sonsek is without the right choice for the pastorate. If i had one thing that could be taken as negative or rather a great difficulty is the heart that is greatly enlarged. The man is a man that greatly feels. Sonsek reminds me of Paul when Paul lists his physical maladies, which are many but then ends. His list with his greatest pain and ache and that is the concern he has for the church.

2. There is a wealth of knowledge and understaning among the BBC congregation. When the pastor is not in the pulpit, he has a wealth of choices from among the men in the church. One (1) warning however, with much knowledge comes the danger of being puffed up and the loss of our First (1st) Love….Who is Christ. This is a great and very present danger.

3. The Lord’s Supper. I have remembered the Lord’s death until He come with many congregations. Alan Muxlow handled it very very well. I have stood in awe of some churches and the sacrilege in what they call the Lord’s Supper. What so many ministers forsake or refuse to mention is the extreme danger in taking past in this ordinance. While this ordinance is not to be taken as the literal Body of the Lord Jesus’ and the catholic cult bladpemously teaches; the wine element can become literal poison to the person who takes it unworthily. Their are two ministers that i have heard to stress this danger and it’s reality. I have stressed it and called it a cup of broken glass to the unbeliever and Pastor Muxlow. The Lord’s Supper is not to be taken lightly. Calvinwas exiled from Geneva because he would withhold the elements from those he knew to be unsaved or living as unsaved. Calvintook this ordinance very serious as should we all. How many of us would consider a sudden illness of a church member or attendee as the fruit of the Lord’s Supper? Would you think it a possible judgment ofthe Lord’s Supper or would you think a natural illness? What does you answer say about you?

4. I am surprised and pleased with the myriad of outreach opportunities the church has in the area.

5. I have observed a lessening of persons attending. I would encourage any reader of mine from BBC with this word: WHAT A BLESSING!!!

Crazy Preacher say what? In Scripture we find few who are forsaken by so many.  1. Was not Christ left by many and left by many so often (John 6)?  2. Was not Paul left alone, save Luke? 3. Did not God whittle down Gideon’s army?  4.Was not David chastened for even considering the number of persons (1Chronicles 21)? Reader, as i said before, when a pastor is voted in to a new church, he should expect 60% to “depart and follow him no more”  (John 6:66 and let not the chapter and verse number be lost on you). I remember a story. A preacher and his family asked for a vote of confidence. The preacher andfamily turned around, their backs now facing the church. The church stoodup and ecited the building. This pastor and family forsaken by all. Not many can say that, save our Blessed Lord and Savior and His. Apostle to the gentiles!!!. A blessing was the forsaking. And was not Joseph the Christ-type in Genesis of Christ, too.

I also, personally know of a missionary family that was forsaken by all….eall….even by those they never knew.  We received a letter when i was in another church. It was froma missionary board. A missionary board we were not part of. This board was sending a letter to all the legalistic churches they knew of. This letter was from a Missionary family. The point of this epistle was to inform tjose that supported them that they have hada change in understanding in Scripture. This was a change from free will. Salvation or easy believism or hersey to a more Calvinistic view. They promised that their evangelism and reaching remains the same.

The mission board that sent the letter forsook this family and encouraged others to do so, even those churches that might hear from them in the future!!!!!! Brethren, I would standwith this family and Against all the loveless pharisees. I was outraged beyond words…i thought of some words butthey would have been unbecoming. Ihave seen much hate and disloyalty in the local church. Paul says these things must be, so that sound doctrine and truth may stand out.   5. I have noticed that some of the persons who have departed have begun attending Harvest. I will not speak against the Lord’s annointed until he proves not to be. However what i will say about Harvest is what i say about all mega churches. There is not the sense of closeness or unity that i can sense in BBC. That is an observation and not meant to be a shot or a blow. I have attended a number of services at Harvest and they are sound, Scriptural and direct. If a person wants to attend church andbe left alone a mega church may be an option but isthat how God has designed it?  6.My family is fitting in nicely. That was one of the pros in coming to BBC. Not a reason but a benefit. The reason was God’s will for now.  7. BBC is one (1) of two (2) churches in the immediate are that i find to be sound and alive. With seven (7) being the number of completeness we will end here. God Bless BBC.

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“And when they heard of the Resurrection of the dead, some mocked…So Paul departed from among them.”  (Acts 17)

 

Mystic, Catholic, Lordship Salvation, Calvinist, Republican, Democrat etc.

Labels can cause all types of trouble, but unfortunately they are a necessary evil. Labels like denomination names cause division when there shouldn’t be. Yet without denomination names, a person knows not what they are getting themselves into. An example: In our part of the country Non- denominational hints at Baptist based. In the south, non- denominational hints or leans more Charismatic. You see?

The label mystic CONJURES up a lot of bad connontations, does it not? What if i, your writer told you, he considered himself a mystic? Would you be like those in John 6 and depart? Your writer does consider himself a mystic and has so for years.

We also consider David a mystic, and all of the Apostles as mystics. You see most hearmystic and they think wizard or sorceror or old crazy catholic at best. The mystic is none of these, or atleast not the Christ-ian mystic. A.W. Tozer called himself a mystic all day long. Edwards, Moody, and others could be considered mystics.

Beloved Reader, Ihope YOU are a mystic. A mystic is no more than a person who actively walks with God in an unbroken fellowship, union, communion. The mystic engages the Holy Spirit as the disciples engaged Christ when they walked this earth. Once Christ ascended, the disciples became mystics. You would do well to become a mystic.

 

Another label that has caused division is Lordship salvation. How we define Lordship salvation is Biblical salvation. It that easy. If the Lord Jesus saved you and you seek to obey Him, then you are a proponent of Lordship salvation…the doctrine need not be as divisive as it has been. The labeling of the doctrine is the culprit.

As for the republicans and democrats. It is no secret that i hold the democrat. In contempt. But let me be very clear: When i say that, i speak about the leadership of the democratic party and their platform. IDO NOT speak about any individual democrat. Let that be understood. I think individual democrats probably and hopefully think the same. We are to judge with righteous judgment and without respect of persons if we are to be right with Scripture.

The label, Calvinist. On one (1) hand i like it and on the other i do not. I do not like taking another man’s name on myself, save Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour. But with the label of Christ-ianity being as wideas the broadway,  Calvinist summs meup nicely.

Catholic…the institution….not a church…the institution is wicked, evil, full of iniquity and has trespassed God eons ago. There are, however, i think…i hope some of God’s elect within. Luther was, Calvin was, as were many others. Let us not despise the elect within that that kingdom of devils, but let us seek them out. Let us be elect hunters.

“…I am the truth…”  (John 14)

 

“In Jesus Name i pray” these are words that the great majority of Christ-ians use universally to end their prayer. Some believe if those words are not said, their prayer will notbe heard or answered. This is a kin to not telling someone your birthday wish for fear of it not coming to fruition. I’m not kidding.

I know there are persons reading this that could not not say it when ending their prayer.

This can also greatly offend some persons. If you do not say those magical words you anger and trouble some persons….don’t believe me? try it. A Christ-ian can lose credibility with some if the end not their prayer with these words.

“In Jesus’ Name,” what do these words actually mean?  Do you know? These words equal “In the Authority of Christ…” or “By the Authority of Christ…” And even “I stand before you in the stead of Christ.” And “For all intents and purposes I am Christ.”

One does not need to say those words to be heard. The very fact that you are praying and God is inclining His Hearing Ear to your prayers demonstrates you are praying in Christ’s Name. Praying in Christ’s Name is a right and a priviledge that only believers have. We need notsay the words as God already sees us in Christ and therefore as christ…small c.

A possible draw back or an erronious inference drawn from using those blessed words at the end of a prayer. The erronious inference is stated in our last sentence. The end of a prayer.

Reader, Prayer should not ever end. “Pray without ceasing” is a precept from Paul. Another precept, “Be instant in prayer.” Paul teaches further, “Men should pray everywhere, holding up holy hands unto God.” And did not the Master Himself say, “Men ought always to pray.”

How does one (1) then pray unceasingly, instantly, everywhere, and always? The close reader might find a contradiction in the last sentence…..do you see it?………………………. Why would someone need to be instant in prayer if he is praying ceaselessly? Hmmmm. Have we found acontradiction in Scripture that Christ’s enemies speak of so often?…………methinks, not a chance…Lance……..I don’t think so Tim…No way, Faye.

Let us put all of this together. Prayer is not meant to be a 911 call. Prayer is not meant to be a list. Prayer is meant to be a communion or a communing of child and Father, little brother and Big Brother, friend and  Friend.

Prayer should never end. Prayer should always be left open. Amen does not mean the end. Amen means agreed as in a negotiation. Have you ever negotiated with God? Moses did, David did, The good Ananias did in a way. The owner of the mule negotiated with Lord Jesus.

What Christ was and is currently to His Apostles….the Holy Spirit is meant to be to you and me. Christ ate, drank, camped with, went to arties with, preached with, spoke with, traveled with, performed exploits with, faced dangers with (humanly speaking), laughed with, cried with….enjoyed and lived life with. This is how we are to engage the Holy Spirit of Christ.

Just as we are to be witnesses and not witness, So, too, should we be prayer. David in the Psalms called himself prayer….so should we.

Our thoughts should be Godward, tell Him, Lord, Please accept my thoughts as prayers, please accept my actions as prayer, please help me do all things with You in and on my mind. Possess me as legion possessed the man at the Gadarenes. Lord, let me commune with you at all times.

Before you do this count the cost as Christ says. If you enter into this commune with Him, life will never be the same again and it will not be all smooth sailing. But ye will never be of little faith again. The peace and stillness is ….no words, the peace and stillness is period.