Faith in Today's Church, is it real?

 

The church that our Lord began two thousand years ago seems to be lost. Not from the lack of members or converts, but from a lack of conviction and purpose. We, as the Church that our Lord gave His life for, have become stale, bland and unappealing to those who need Hope the most. Like salt which has lost its saltiness and is good for nothing, and the message has lost its fire.

The message from the church only causes more strife and bitterness in the world at large rather than giving men hope. Why is that? Jesus taught us a message of hope and yet Christians today seem to be unable to give that hope or His message the fire and the flavor that they once did. The enemy seems to be able to quench the fire of our faith too easily, why is that?

It is because our lives have become too involved with “stuff”, not just our everyday existence but other insignificant issues which get in the way like so many thorns and weeds. The only way to overcome our adversary is to study God's Word and get our hunger for it back. If we don't do that, he will overcome us and our message, and the Church cannot, must not allow that to happen! The Spirit will guide us and protect us but we have to be willing to follow Him daily.

Our coming to God is not of our own volition because we are drawn by the Spirit. Once we claim our place in His service as Christians, God never lets go. We may walk away but He is always there waiting for us like a patient Father. The time which we have here on earth is to be of service to Him but so is our eternal service after this life. This will not be a chore, as some would think, but a glad and cheerful service as unto someone dearly loved.

The message which was given by Jesus to be spread to the “uttermost parts of the earth” was and is the good news of the Kingdom of God. This also includes the forgiveness of sins through our Lord's suffering for all on the cross with His death and resurrection putting the final blow to the control over us by our sinful nature. Once we come to Him, believing in Him and the forgiveness extended to us through His sacrifice for us, we can never lose that which we cannot gain through any act of our own.

The sacrifice that our Lord made on our behalf is something that no mere man can accomplish, only the Son of the Most High God! Only the Lion of Judah could accomplish the forgiveness which was needed for the whole world. No law or man-made “thing” can accomplish this. Our so-called righteousness is as formless as a vapor and has no substance to it at all, especially from the point of view which God has. A perfect and Holy God cannot view imperfect man and his imperfect righteousness.

YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO A GOD WHO TRULY WANTS TO SAVE YOU (Ezekiel18:30.32)

 

The Jews in exile were saying that God was going to condemn them so He could watch them suffer, that God would take pleasure in destroying them (vv. 30.32).

Ezekiel's reply to this idea was that God does not want you to die! (See v. 23.) These statements from God cannot be any more plain, forceful, or beautiful than this: I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies. (v. 32). God wanted His people to live. He did not want Judah to be destroyed; He wanted His people to live, not to die!

If they died, it would not be because God wanted it to happen; it would be instead because they refused to listen to God’s prophet and turn from their sins that they might be saved, so they might live! Even so today: If you die, if you are lost now and are lost eternally, it is not  because that is what God wants. God does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9); rather, He wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). Jesus died for all (Hebrews 2:9); the grace of God that brings salvation
is available to all (Titus 2:11). If you ultimately are lost, then, why will it
happen? The answer is sin. Sin condemns (Romans 6:23), regardless of the type of sin that it may be.

Even that answer is incomplete. We are lost because of our sins, certainly; but if that were the complete answer, everyone would be lost eternally, for all have sinned (Romans 3:23). Why will you be lost? The answer is unrepented-of sins! That was Judah's problem: It was not merely that Judah had sinned, but that Judah had, in spite of the warnings of the prophets, refused to repent. Ezekiel came with a final appeal: Repent and live.! (18:32b). In the end, Judah was destroyed as a result of the people's failure to heed Ezekiel's appeal.

Likewise, if anyone should perish, the reason will not be that God wanted it to happen. Rather, destruction will come because you have failed to heed the warnings found repeatedly in His Word.  Repent and live!

Our life in Him, His Life in us!

Some people think that Christianity is just like other religions. That there is no difference other than the person that we believe in. We still have to try hard to be good enough to “get saved” before Jesus will accept us as His. This view of doctrine is not from God’s Word.

Jesus’ words were “I will abide in you and you abide in Me”. The word translated as “abide” can mean many things like “walk, live with, or trust”. Our responsibility as Christians is to daily live as Christ would have us live. Follow Him daily or as scripture puts it “pick up your cross daily and follow Me”.

God expects us to be holy as He is holy but He knows that we cannot do this without Him. We are not able to be holy on our own, our righteousness is as “filthy rags” before a holy God. Without Jesus in your heart, nothing that you do or say can ever be “worthy” enough.

Other religions of the world try to get us to work our way toward heaven so that it is our accomplishment and our way which brings us to heaven. These religions have been and are being deceived by the ruler of this world, Satan, the adversary of God. He can and has done this for many thousands of years and is still doing it. The world doesn’t like Christians or our message because our message is against their way of life. It makes everything that they do or say look foolish because it is when judged by God’s Word.

Before the troubled times come at the end of this age, please read the Bible! Ask someone to explain it to you, pray about it and ask God to show you what you should know and what you need to know. He will if you ask.

Do you ever feel like your voice is never heard?

Do you ever feel like your voice is never heard, even when you are talking with someone close to you? A friend, your wife or husband or even your dad or mom? Does it feel like your voice is just going into the air and no one actually hears what you are saying? In a crowded place do you feel alone, as I do? These feelings are what is considered normal in today’s society but they are not normal in any sense at all!

Do you feel empty, like there is always something missing? Something that you know that you should have or something that you feel deep down that you really need and yet you know that you don’t have it yet? We were actually created with this “need”, but we were not given the identity of that need. We are supposed to find it ourselves. The problem with that is that we usually look in all the wrong places for this “something” that we know or feel will make us “happy”. Why is that?

Our society and its expectations are such that we look to “trophies” of one kind or another to make us “happy” or fulfilled, and in reality these trophies can do no such thing. No matter how much money, fame, honor, glory, praise, or prestige you may have, it will never fill the ache inside which you have felt for most of your life.

The only way to fill that emptiness is with a relationship with God and His Son, Jesus. When you truly accept Him into your life, the void will begin to fill up! It will continue to fill as you seek Him to guide your life daily through prayer and by reading His Word, the Bible. God is not dead as some say and He is not asleep. He has not forgotten us because He can’t. We are His creation, all of us! Prophecy from His word tells us this and that He is not finished. There are many things yet to come.

Your life can be a witness to His glory and for Him. It doesn’t matter whether you are a Jew, or a Muslim, or Hindu or Buddhist, if you give your life to Him and ask Him into your heart the void in your life will be filled! It will begin to fill up and it will continue until He comes back or you are taken home to be with Him. The life we live here is but a temporary, fleeting existence. Our real life begins at our meeting Jesus and continues on from there. Death has no control over our life after that, this world and its troubles has no control over our life and its meaning after we accept the Christ. Our witness to every person that we come in contact with daily matters more than anything we can accomplish on earth because everything here is temporary.

Your life and what you choose to do with it is what matters and what matters the most is what you choose to do with Jesus in relation to the life you live and what you pass on to others. Whether they are your friends, your children or your family in general, the message that you portray to others as a Christian is your legacy that you will leave when you die. Nothing else truly matters until that part of your life is filled with Him. When that happens, then your life has a purpose and a true meaning. Before you accept Jesus nothing has an eternal meaning but after you do, everything can have an eternal meaning when you are living your life for Him and through Him daily.  Have a blessed day in His Service.

Standing accused before a Judge

Standing before the Judge and about to be sentenced for a serious crime, how would you feel? What could you say in your defense that would make a difference? Anything?

“I have given ten percent to my church all of my adult life”; “I have always helped out during Christmas at the homeless shelter”; “I gave over a million dollars to the relief of hunger in Israel”:  Would any of these wonderful humanitarian acts mean anything in relation to the crimes you are convicted of? Have you forgotten anything?

Just before the Judge sentences you, a Man steps forward and tells the Judge, “I know he is guilty but I will pay for his crimes. I will take the punishment for him. Let him go free!”  What kind of person would do such a thing? Why?

The answer lies in a simple but profound word, love.  We are not wrongly accused at all. All of humanity has fallen short in that we cannot be good enough on our own. I know the One who would take and has taken the punishment for all of our sins, do you? The Man who stepped forward is Jesus and the one accused could be any of us. Our own humanitarian acts and good deeds in this life are not good enough to get us into heaven. We can’t be good enough because without Jesus, we are just as guilty of rejecting God’s gift of salvation as Lucifer and the other angels are of rebellion.

Our lives and the good works which we may do are gifts from God and yet the only way to heaven is through the blood of Jesus that was shed for our sins long before we were born. God cares for all of us, Jew and Gentile, but if we choose to live our lives our way instead of giving our life to Him through Jesus then it is our decision that condemns us not Him. It is a hard concept to accept from our limited point of view and it seems too easy, but that is why God gives us the choice and the ability to choose.

Give serious consideration to the message here and those found in the Bible because it is important! Your life here and in the hereafter will be greatly affected by your decision, so choose carefully. Regardless of the rhetoric out there regarding life or the lack of it after you die, wouldn’t you rather choose Jesus and His gift and find out that the Bible is true, than to choose not to believe and still find out that the Bible is true? One choice leads to life forever and the other leads to  eternal punishment for the simple act of refusing to believe.

URGENT RECALL NOTICE!

The Maker of all human beings (GOD) is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart.

This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units. This defect has been technically termed "Sub-sequential Internal Non-Morality," or more commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily expressed.

Some of the symptoms include:

1. Loss of direction

2. Foul vocal emissions

3. Amnesia of origin

4. Lack of peace and joy

5. Selfish or violent behavior

6. Depression or confusion in the mental component

7. Fearfulness

8. Idolatry

9. Rebellion

The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is providing factory-authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this defect.

The Repair Technician, JESUS, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. There is no additional fee required. The number to call for repair in all areas is:

P-R-A-Y-E-R.

Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure.

Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the heart component.

No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:

1. Love

2. Joy

3. Peace

4. Patience

5. Kindness

6. Goodness

7. Faithfulness

8. Gentleness

9. Self control

Please see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) for further details on the use of these fixes.

WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded. For free emergency service, call on Jesus.

DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect will not be permitted to enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that facility.

Thank you for your attention!

GOD

P.S. Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important recall notice, and you may contact the Father any time by 'Knee mail'!

Because He Lives

Our country needs PRAYER, NOW!!

We are just before losing our country to radicals and because of the government's stand against Israel. I am calling on ALL Christians, regardless of your denomination, in this country or around the world to start fasting and praying for the USA.

I am beginning a forty day fast starting this Friday and I call on all committed Christians to do the best that they can to follow me in this. Even fasting for one day and praying will let God know that we are all serious about this so please consider it. Our world is rapidly approaching the end time spoke of in the Bible and if we don't do something, nothing will be done!

I await your comments on this.