Old-Fashioned Revival Can Come If…
Old-Fashioned revival can come if: Then, our church would have revival. — Author Unknown If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. — 2 Chronicles 7:14
Will Jesus Know You?
In Matthew 7:23, the Bible describes a most surprising and unexpected happening: On Judgment Day, Jesus will tell certain church people, “I never knew you.” Now, why didn’t Jesus know these church people? Jesus did not know these church people because they had never HONESTLY sought to know Him. Revelations 3:20 tells us: Behold, I [Jesus] stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Come Judgment Day, the people Jesus will not know…whether church-goer or not…are those who never opened the door of their heart and life to Him. The people Jesus will not know are those…who across the DECADES of their life…were too busy with their own interests, agendas, and activities…such that they didn’t have the time…nor the interest…in opening the door of their heart and life to Him. But, going back to the point of this article, SOME of the people Jesus will not know on Judgment Day were involved in church and in all kinds of church activities and ministries…they were around the things of God…and they knew all ABOUT Jesus…but they were not interested in actually KNOWING Jesus in a personal way…and they were for sure not interested in drawing closer to Him…or in surrendering their heart and life to Him…and that is why in the end, Jesus will NOT know them. Being involved in religion will NOT get you into Heaven. Belonging to a church will NOT get you into Heaven. Knowing ABOUT Jesus will NOT get you into Heaven. Being a leader, official, or executive in a church will NOT get you into Heaven. Being active in Christian ministries will NOT get you into Heaven. The ONLY thing that will get you into Heaven is KNOWING Jesus…so much so that your name is written in His Book of Life. Revelations 20:12,1512: And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.15: And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. If you and I want Jesus to know us on Judgment Day, then we each better see to it that we each seek to know Him TODAY.
Barrenness For Wickedness…
The Bible gives us this… A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. — Psalm 107:34 Christians, we must get/be/stay right with God…we must stand up for righteousness…and we must stand against wickedness. Otherwise, the wickedness will surely overrun us and we will get to suffer in greater and greater barrenness. All it takes is a look around at the conditions and circumstances here in the USA and we can easily see that God HAS been progressing our country into barrenness. So, IF we want to see this trend reversed, then it is up to us to get involved, engaged, and active.
God’s Terms…
Question: Why does God reveal far more of Himself and His power to a FEW people … while He reveals far less of Himself and His power to MOST? Answer: It is because a FEW people come to God on GOD’S terms … while MOST want God to come to them on THEIR terms. This is probably a part of why so many people are rebelling against God; they are mad at Him because He won’t come to them on their terms.
Holiness Is Required…
If you claim to be saved, but live unholy, you have a “salvation” that will not allow you to see God. God says: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord“. (Hebrews 12:14) Salvation without holiness is a lie! Those who God saves are those who He changes. If there has been no change, then there has been no salvation! “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Be Careful What You Wish For (Because God Just Might Give It To You)
There are people who like the idea of being able to live however they want. They are attracted to the notion of being able to do whatever feels fun or pleasurable to them. They find the concept of living an unfettered, uncensored carnal life very appealing. They think it would great to be free from God’s laws, boundaries, and restrictions. Sadly, what these people fail to realize is that everything they REALLY want in life…all the peace, happiness, satisfaction, fulfillment, meaning, significance, enjoyment, and goodness they REALLY want…is available ONLY WITHIN God’s laws, boundaries, and restrictions. That is why God provided those laws, boundaries, and restrictions FOR us in the first place…because they were FOR OUR good! God didn’t need those laws, boundaries, or restrictions. We needed them! However, God WILL generally give people what they insist upon having…including a life without His presence or providence. Here is what the Bible says: …people would not hearken to my voice…[they would have] none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels. — Psalm 81:11-12 The day God Almighty gives a person the sinful desires, interests, and imaginations of their heart… The day God Almighty lets a person do things in their own way based upon their own knowledge, understanding, and perspective…without regard for God’s way…without the benefit of God’s knowledge and wisdom…without the blessing of God’s understanding and awareness…without the advantage of God’s perspective and insight… The day God Almighty frees a person to live however they want…to be whatever they want…to do whatever they want… …is the day that bodes, foreshadows, and portends more evil for that person than he or she could ever imagine. This is true for many reasons including these: So, the message for us today is as follows: In doing these things, we each will be blessed with and get to enjoy the good-life that God designed and intended for each one of us. See also: Romans 1:21-32, Isaiah 30
What Is Your REAL Testimony?
On one hand, people we interact with hear us saying we are a Christian…or that we go to church…or that God is good…or whatever it is that they hear us saying…that lets them know we affiliate ourselves with God. But on the other hand, when these same people see and hear us doing _______ or acting _______ then no matter what we SAY about God…our attitude, behavior, actions, interactions, and responses REVEAL our REAL testimony. So the question is: when people interact with us enough to be able to see the REAL composite of who and what we REALLY are, what is the testimony they get? Is it one that inspires them to draw closer to God…or one that drives them away from God? Is it one that attracts them to Christian people…or one that drives them to avoid church-going, religious people? Is it one that raises their respect, appreciation, and admiration of us…or one that causes them to think of us as a fraud or a fake? Does our REAL testimony put a good taste…or a bad taste…in their mouth? Does our REAL testimony leave a good smell…or a bad smell…in their nose? When we interact with people at church…at home…at our job…at a store…and all the other places we go…what is our REAL testimony in each one of these places? Let’s explore… I once went to church with a man for 5 years…a man who readily claimed he was saved…but not one single time in all those years did I ever see this man pray. When everyone else was standing and praying, he wasn’t standing or praying. When everyone else was kneeling and praying, he wasn’t kneeling or praying. When everyone else was at the altar praying, he wasn’t at the altar and he was not praying. No matter what was going on, this man would find something else to do so that he was “occupied” and unable to pray. Now, God is this man’s judge and not me. Moreover, I cannot see in his heart or mind. And certainly, I was not sitting around making a career out of watching this guy. But, you can’t help but notice certain things about people when you are around them…and the question is: what kind of testimony was this man LAYING ON his family and others that his life was impacting and influencing? I recall another man who never ever exhibited any excitement or emotion in church…he was as stoic as they come. But, come time to go on vacation in Hawaii, somewhere in the Caribbean, or whatever tropical beach he was headed to, and this guy suddenly became the epitome of excitement and emotion. Again, I’m not this man’s judge…and there is nothing wrong with vacationing. I think every family should vacation regularly and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. But, to the point here, think about the testimony that this man is presenting and laying on those around him. Specifically, his testimony is that he is NOT excited about God…but the beaches and islands that God made sure excite him. Stated differently, this man’s testimony is that beaches and islands are more important and worthy of praise and excitement than God is. Anyone who has sat in church for very long has seen what I am talking about played out many times by men who won’t hardly budge or move in church…but watch how they act during a ball game…and you won’t hardly believe they are the same person. As before, they are people who are not excited about God Almighty…but they are very excited about the sports gods of this world. What about the mom who loves to tell her young adult children that they need to go to church…that they need to get saved…but the children frequently sees their mom flying off the handle and acting like a lunatic over some little this, that, or the other? Well, “flying off the handle” is that mom’s REAL testimony…is it not? A testimony is being lived out in front of those children…and no matter how much the mom claims to be a Christian, her ACTUAL testimony may very well be driving her children AWAY from God. Similarly, what testimony do children REALLY get when their parents say they are Christians…but they have an awful marriage filled with confusion, chaos, discord, and conflict? What about the person who claims to be a devout Christian…who loves to talk about how much they read the Bible…but turns around and makes fun of people…belittles them…criticizes them…and cuts them down in all kinds of ways? What about the person who claims to be all righteous and holy…so much so that nobody is good enough for them…and their attitude shows it? What about the person who is very vocal about telling everyone he or she is a Christian…but over and over this person is caught lying, deceiving, cheating, and/or stealing? What about the woman who claims to love God…but when you see her away from church she looks like a street-walker? What about the man who condemns others for being a sinner…but every time you turn around, you can see him ogling women in a lascivious manner? What about the person who testifies of being filled with the Holy Ghost…and yet, there is no evidence in their life that they have any of the Holy Ghost let alone being filled with the Holy Ghost? Well again, no matter what a person may say, there IS a REAL testimony that is being presented to those who are looking on, isn’t there? Now, for most of us, there is usually an individual or two who faults, condemns, criticizes, and rejects us…for reasons, issues, hang-ups, flaws, or deficiencies of their own…that have nothing to do with us. We could have the world’s greatest testimony and these individuals STILL would not like us or approve of us. But, ignoring any such exceptions and anomalies, and evaluating ourselves in relation to all the normal, rational people observing our
Don’t Be A Stumbling-Block To Others (Or Yourself)
Let’s begin with these points: Next, let’s cover this point: Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. The essence of this verse is that if the nature and Spirit of Christ is not reflected in our way of thinking, attitude, relating, interacting, behavior, and operating…then we are going to be in trouble come Judgment Day. If we fail to exhibit the Spirit of Jesus Christ, then the Bible is making it plain to us that we are NOT Christ’s…no matter how much we may claim we are a Christian. Now, let’s continue by pointing out two of satan’s favorite strategies: That brings us to this: Romans 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. This verse is telling us that we each need to be paying attention to our own witness and influence…and carefully monitoring ourselves…to make sure that we are exhibiting the Spirit of Christ…so that we are not in one way or another turning someone away from the Lord. Moreover, this verse is telling us that we each have a full-time job minding our own witness…a job that is so demanding that we don’t have a lot of time left over to concern ourselves with judging how others are living their lives…and IF any one of us is spending very much time judging how others are living, then probably, we have already started failing at managing our own witness. But, if we ever do get to the place where we have time enough to mind more than our own witness…then the Bible gives us instruction on what we are to do: Isaiah 57:13 …but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Note that God does not dwell with those who are busy judging the life and actions of others…nor does He dwell with those who are a stumbling-block to others. Rather, He dwells with those who are humbling themselves into the Spirit of Christ. And from there, IF and WHEN we get ourselves fully immersed into the Spirit of Christ, THEN we can seek for ways to eliminate stumbling-blocks that are causing people to be turned away from the Lord’s way. Let’s continue on… Matthew 18:3 …Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!” First, notice God’s proclamation to us: “woe to the person who is an offender who turns anyone away from the Lord.” Now, backing up a step: what is a very young child like relative to other people…while they are in the age-bracket of true innocence? Specifically, they are not jealous or envious…they are not insecure…they have no malice…they feel no offense…nor do they offend…they are not hurtful…they are not selfish…they are not dishonest…they are simply pure love…and when they interact with you, there is nothing there except happiness, joy, appreciation, and acceptance. Wouldn’t you agree that is how we are to be as ambassadors of Christ? Let’s have a look at another accounting of these scriptures we are talking about here… Luke 17:1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.” So, “take heed to yourselves”…which means the first and BIG responsibility that we each have is to watch out for our own witness and how we affect and impact other people. But, if some person does us wrong, we are to rebuke that person…and there is a proper process the Bible gives us for doing that…namely, we are to confront the person one-on-one…and if that doesn’t work, then we bring in a spiritually-minded brother or sister as a third-party witness and mediator…and if that doesn’t work, then we bring the matter before the entire church…and if that doesn’t stop the problem, then the church is to evict the individual. The point is, we are not to let people continue on being offensive…we cannot continue to support or be affiliated with a negative witness to the name of Christ…because there is too much damage and fall-out that can happen…there are too many souls that can end up lost when such people are left unchallenged. So, the message the Lord has for us here is that we better be careful…we better watch our attitudes and our spirit…we better watch our words and our actions…because these things CAN and WILL have far-reaching effects and consequences…effects
What Does God See When He Sees Us?
Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked — Revelation 3:17 We humans have a rather bizarre way of assessing ourselves. In terms of our natural self, we tend to assess ourselves rather negatively. We tend to be rather critical of ourselves. We tend to think small of ourselves. We tend to think more of everyone else…and less of ourselves. In contrast, relative to our spiritual self, we tend to assess ourselves rather positively…and everyone else rather negatively. It there is sin in our life, we tend to excuse, pardon, and justify it…to the point we nearly turn our sins into virtues. In contrast, we tend to judge even the smallest hint of wrongdoing in others as a monstrous, dastardly transgression. The point is, it would do us good to see ourselves as God sees us. Really think about this… We can see what each other looks like on the outside. We can see that most of us look normal and healthy. But, what would we see if our spiritual inner-self…the parts that nobody sees…was manifested in physical form for all to see? If we were able to see each other as God sees us…if we were able to see the real person hiding behind the designer clothes and the big smiles…what would we see? Would we appear sick and decrepit…would we appear weak and frail…would we need a wheelchair…all of which was a manifestation of our lack of Bible reading and prayer…a manifestation of our lack of spiritual nourishment? Would parts of us be missing…illustrating the lack of wholeness in our spiritual personhood? Would parts of us be rotten, poisoned or bile-filled…representing the negative kinds of feelings we harbor within ourselves towards certain other people? Would we appear black, vile, and nasty…a manifestation of the sins we partake of and participate in? Would we appear broken and mangled…as a result of how we have hurt, broken, and mangled other people? Would we see unhappiness, haggardness, and raggedness…a manifestation of our refusal to fully surrender and submit to God through Jesus Christ? If we are hiding and harboring sin and unrighteousness inside of ourselves, how might those things appear in a physically manifested form? Or, is our spiritual and inner man just and righteous…washed in the blood of Jesus Christ…surrendered and submitted completely unto God through Jesus Christ…such that we would appear strong, whole, and healthy…such that we would appear clean, classy, attractive, and desirable? Again, if we could all see each other’s spiritual inner man manifested in a physical form, what would we see? This concept of our inner self being manifested externally in physical form is something we should honestly consider within ourselves because our inner person IS in fact what God sees. And, if our assessment of ourselves…compared to what the Bible teaches…reveals that our inner person manifested externally and physically would not be beautiful, desirable, and healthy, then let’s go ahead and get ourselves cleaned up before God. cleanse first that which is within…that the outside…may be clean also. — Matthew 23:26 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. — Isaiah 55:7 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die? — Ezekiel 18:31 Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. — 2 Corinthians 7:1 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hears, ye double minded. — James 4:8
Are We Christians Ready And Prepared To Be A Witness For Jesus Christ?
The more prepared and developed we are as Christians, the more God can use us in His Kingdom. God commands us to be full of good works and deeds … and for that to happen, we must prepare, develop, and SANCTIFY ourselves to the level that God CAN use us and work through us. If we are ignorant about God’s Word, if we are not learned in what the Bible teaches, then common sense tells us that God cannot use us nearly as much as He otherwise would be able to. (And besides this, if we are Biblically ignorant then we are spiritually weak and vulnerable to the devil’s attacks and treachery.) In a similar vein, if we read the Bible but then promptly forget what we read, then that too will render us ineffective in God’s Kingdom. Likewise, if we are not living a life that is distinctly separated from ungodly interests … that is, if we are not living a sanctified life … then that too will minimize God’s ability to use us and to work through us because we will be encumbered by too many carnal and humanistic interests, cares, and burdens. From a witnessing perspective, the more prepared and developed we are, the more the Lord can move people into an interaction with us whereby we can be a witness for Him. Bluntly, it takes study, preparation, and memorization in order to be able to share and present God’s Word to other people. The fact is, if the peace and light of Jesus Christ is shining though us as it should be, then sooner or later, someone is going to ask us to tell them more about Christianity. Let’s bring this on down to a personal level: if someone was to ask you to tell them about Salvation … if someone was to ask you the what, why, and how of being Saved … are you prepared to answer them intelligently and articulately? Well again, being an effective witness requires study, preparation, and memorization … and we should definitely be proactively doing this study, preparation, and memorization. An excellent way to prepare ourselves to be a witness for Jesus Christ is to find key scriptures throughout the Bible … and then use a special color of highlighter to highlight these key verses … so that they are easy to find when we have the opportunity to share them with someone … so that we can memorize them over time … and so that we can easily review them from time to time to keep them fresh in our memory.
The Failure of the Church
“The church has failed to tell me that I am a sinner. The church has failed to deal with me as a lost individual. The church has failed to offer me salvation in Jesus Christ alone. The church has failed to tell me of the horrible consequences of sin, the certainty of hell and the fact that Jesus Christ alone can save. We need more of the last judgment and less of the golden rule, more of the living God (and the living devil as well), more of heaven to gain and a hell to shun. The church must bring me not a message of cultivation but of rebirth. I might fail that kind of church, but that kind of church will not fail me.” — Stanley High Sadly, there are many churches within the “Christian” realm that are failing to be the light of Jesus Christ that they are supposed to be. But, God has a church…made up of people who have separated themselves from the sin, wickedness, evilness, immorality, and carnality of this world…people who have decided and determined to live their lives in a way that pleases God. Allentown Holiness Church is one of those churches that STILL preaches Biblical truth…instead of giving out good-sounding speeches that accept and accommodate man’s sinful nature. Allentown Holiness Church is one of those churches that STILL stands for being separated from the sin…instead of compromising and trying to fit in with sinners. Allentown Holiness Church is one of those churches that STILL tells sinners that sinful living will send them to hell…instead of lying to sinners and telling them that they can live any way they want because God just loves them as they are. It IS true that God loves all people…but He hates sin in any form..and no sin or sinner will EVER dwell with Him in His Holy presence. (Revelations 21:27) It IS true that God loves all people…it IS true that God is not willing that any should perish and go to hell…that’s why the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared unto ALL people. (Titus 2:11) NOBODY will stand before God on Judgment Day and say, “God, you never dealt with me…you never revealed your Spirit to me…you never pricked my conscience when I was sinning.” because EVERYBODY KNOWS that God’s Spirit has “checked” their spirit when they were stepping into wrong-doing. The fatal mistake that too many people make is that they reject God’s grace that He extends to them…they trade God’s grace for the momentary thrill of sinful living…and they keep trying to outrun the growing consequences of sinful living by reaching for yet another momentary thrill of sinful living…and the next thing they know, they have trampled on God’s grace for the last time…and they are stepping into eternity without God…condemned to hell by their own choices and actions…condemned to hell by their own rejection of God’s grace.
Am I Become Your Enemy (Because I Care About You And Am Truthful With You)?
In the interest of each of us improving our own self, let’s consider these words from American Theologian Albert Barnes… “Is my telling you the truth in regard to the tendency of the doctrines which you have embraced, and the character of those who have led you astray, and your own error, a proof that I have ceased to be your friend? How apt are we to feel that the man who tells us of our faults is our enemy! How apt are we to treat him coldly, and to “cut his acquaintance,” and to regard him with dislike! The reason is, he gives us pain; and we cannot have pain given to us, even by the stone against which we stumble, or by any of the brute creation, without momentary indignation, or regarding them for a time as our enemies. Besides, we do not like to have another person acquainted with our faults and our follies; and we naturally avoid the society of those who are thus acquainted with us. Such is human nature; and it requires no little grace for us to overcome this and to regard the man who tells us of our faults, or the faults of our families, as our friend. We love to be flattered, and to have our friends flattered; and we shrink with pain from any exposure, or any necessity for repentance. Hence, we become alienated from him who is faithful in reproving us for our faults. Hence, people become offended with their ministers when they reprove them for their sins. Hence, they become offended at the truth. Hence, they resist the influences of the Holy Spirit, whose office it is to bring the truth to the heart, and to reprove men for their sins. There is nothing more difficult than to regard with steady and unwavering affection the man who faithfully tells us the truth at all times, when that truth is painful. Yet he is our best friend. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful,” Proverbs 27:6. If I am in danger of falling down a precipice, he shows to me the purest friendship who tells me of it; if I am in danger of breathing the air of the pestilence, and it can be avoided, he shows to me pure kindness who tells me of it. So still more, if I am indulging in a course of conduct that may ruin me, or cherishing error that may endanger my salvation, he shows me the purest friendship who is most faithful in warning me.“ — Albert Barnes, 1798-1870 Some pretty strong questions flow from this essay. Let’s each apply them to our own self: As I consider these questions and apply them to my own self, what is the real truth? No one is going to force me to be righteous, blameless, and faultless relative to other people. I am each free to hold sin within myself towards other people. If I choose to, I can go through my entire life with issues between me and other people…but if there are legitimate issues between me and other people that is due to misconduct on MY part, then the Bible makes it clear that are there ARE issues between me and God…issues that WILL block me out of Heaven. With regard to my attitude, conduct, behavior, and actions…if I refuse to be honest with myself and towards other people, then the Bible lets me know that come Judgment Day, I WILL find that my entrance into Heaven has been refused. If I lack integrity and righteousness in my interactions and dealings with other people…then the Bible lets me know there IS a problem between me and God. So, in the interest of making Heaven my eternal home…in the interest of making sure I am right with God when that unknown time comes for me to leave this world and to step into eternity:
The Essential Pillar
Just as a pillar holds something up in the natural, so does a stalwart Christian hold up those around him or her. Yes, you may be tired of standing strong… Yes, you may be tired of holding everyone around you up… But be encouraged and keep standing…keep holding those around you up…because without you holding them up, they would surely tumble down in ruin.
Which Type of Christian Are You?
Have a look at the following “types” of Christians and see which one fits you. Christian-Affiliate – This is a person who classifies and categorizes their self as a “Christian” but does not actively live the life of a Christian as defined by the Bible. That is, they affiliate their self with the “religion” of Christianity … but they live a life that is indistinguishable from that of a person who makes no attempt to serve or please the Lord and who lives only for self-pleasure. The Bible makes it clear that this kind of person is not saved and is bound for Hell unless they repent of their sins and commit their life to following Christ. Licensed Christian – This is a person who professes to be saved (see description of “Saved Christian” below) but there is no change whatsoever in their life. This is a person who joins a church group and then feels “licensed” to do whatever sinning they want … because after all, they are a member of the church. This is a person who loves to use God’s mercy and grace as a license to excuse and cover up their sinful living. This is a person who really has no interest in living a clean, Godly life … they just need some way to get people off their back when the subject of doing right or being saved comes up … and telling others they are already saved is how they do that. The Bible makes it clear that this kind of person is not saved and is bound for Hell unless they repent of their sins and commit their life to following Christ. This person is a hypocrite whose judgment is soon-coming as stated in 2 Thessalonians 2:12, “That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Not-Responsible Christian – This is a person who does not want to have to overcome or stand against sin on their own. So, if God does not block the sin from coming to them, then they just go along with it … placing all responsibility for their right-living upon God and taking no personal responsibility their self for living right and being right before God. The Bible makes it clear that this kind of person is not saved and is bound for Hell unless they repent of their sins and commit their life to following Christ. Self-Made Christian – This is a person who lives a warped concoction … where they “call” their self a Christian … but in reality, they merely pursue a self-satisfying religion of their own making and choosing. This is a person who does not really care what God has to say in the Bible. They just want to do things in their own way that suits and satisfies them … and they can always find a way to explain, excuse, or justify why it is appropriate for them to ignore God’s truth and to instead live their own made-up “truth”. The Bible makes it clear that this kind of person is not saved and is bound for Hell unless they repent of their sins and commit their life to following Christ. Fence-Riding Christian – This is the kind of person who likes to fit in with sinners … who likes to be around sinners … and when they are around sinners … they dress like them, act like them, and talk like them. But then, when they are around Christian people, they switch over and will look, act, and talk the part of a Christian. This kind of person is a hypocrite and a blight on the name of Christ. The Bible makes it clear that this kind of person is not saved and is bound for Hell unless they repent of their sins and commit their life to following Christ. Week-Long Christian – This is the person who asks the Lord to forgive them of their sins … but within a day or two they are getting pressure from their friends … and sinful interests strongly beckon them … and within a week, they are right back to fully living the sinful life they were living before … they forget about God … they backslide away from Christ … and now, they are no longer saved. (Matthew 13) Years later, they still have not ever got back around to praying again. The Bible makes it clear that this kind of person is not saved and is bound for Hell unless they repent of their sins and commit their life to following Christ. Down-And-Out Christian – This is a person who gets saved (see description of “Saved Christian” below) … and who does really good for a while … until a serious problem or situation shows up in their life … at which point, they get discouraged, disenchanted with God, or even offended at God … and they backslide away from Christ … they turn back to living a life of sin … and they are no longer saved. (Matthew 13) The Bible makes it clear that this kind of person is not saved and is bound for Hell unless they repent of their sins and commit their life to following Christ. Side-Railed Christian – This is a person who gets saved (see description of “Saved Christian” below) … and does really well for a long while … they prove faithful even through hardships and problems … but eventually, they lose their love for the Lord … they lose their interest in the Lord … and they become more interested in pleasure, success, prominence, and renown … until soon enough, all of their time is devoted to self-gain and they have little time for God. Eventually, they reach the stage where they have completely backslid and they are no longer saved. (Matthew 13) The Bible makes it clear that this kind of person is not saved and is bound for Hell unless they repent
How Much Of A Christian Do We Have To Be In Order To Go To Heaven?
We each have the personal responsibility of learning what pleases God…and then living accordingly. So, in the interest of learning what pleases God, this article brings out some concepts that we can each consider within ourselves. And, if we find any areas within our self that can stand some improvement…well, hopefully we will each be man enough or woman enough to make those improvements within our self. With that, consider these two core questions… Romans 10:9-10 There are many in the realm of Christianity who have over-simplified these verses to the point that all a person has to do is say they believe in Jesus … that all a person has to do is confess that he or she is a “believer” … and with no other changes or improvements, that is enough to get them into Heaven. But, that simply is not true. It is not true because a sinner cannot step into true recognition of Christ’s Lordship and Divinity and remain the same old sinner. It is not true because a sinner cannot grasp the full work of Christ…and the atonement He made for sin’s penalty…without realizing he or she needs to make some serious improvements before God. In other words, a shallow “confession” followed by the occasional shallow “profession” is NOT enough for a person to be saved. It’s not true because as John 7:38 says: “He that believeth on me … out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” When a person TRULY believes, there IS going to be a difference in their life … changes and improvements ARE going to happen as that person seeks to move into pleasing the Lord … there IS going to be a difference as the things of God begin to flow out of him or her. Now, we will get to some scriptures in just a moment…but let’s consider this scenario first… During the years when we were raising our children … did we approve of … and support our children in being far less than their capabilities? Did we approve of their talent and potential just being squandered and wasted while they lived lazy, shiftless, worthless lives? Were we okay with and supportive of our children flunking their classes in school? Were we okay with and supportive of our children being lazy mooches who refused to work or develop themselves? Were we okay with and supportive of our children hanging out with sinful people? As long as our children weren’t dealing drugs … or murdering people … or engaging in newsworthy criminal activity … was it okay with us for our children to be low-caliber, low-quality, and low-value? Well, IF we were the kind of parents that we were supposed to be, the obvious answer is that none of these things were okay with us … and we certainly did not support them. So, here is a question: come Judgment Day, will God approve of us having been far less than we could have been? If it wasn’t acceptable to us for our children to be far less than they could be … can we expect God to be okay with us being far less than we could be? Do we honestly think that when it comes our time to stand before God and give account of our lives and our deeds … that He will be okay with an admission that we could have been more in Him … and done more for Him … but that it just wasn’t important enough to us to actually be more and do more? That takes us back to the first question… How much of a Christian do we have to be in order to go to Heaven? The story of the thief being saved on the cross is a popular story with some people. It is a story that appeals to some people because it is a story about a guy who did not live right or do right … but it was “okay” … because in the end, he was saved. And, there are some people who are essentially trying to pull off the same “strategy” with God … they are living their life according to their own rules and laws … and God’s rules and laws are secondary to their own … but they fully intend to repent and surrender to God’s rules and laws just before they die. But, following such a strategy is extremely dangerous … and the probability of success is extremely low. Let’s have a look at these familiar scriptures… Matthew 19:16-22 Notice the phrase in verse 16 … “what good thing shall I do“: The young man in these scriptures would have really liked it if any of these items would have been sufficient to get him into Heaven … but they were not enough. With the young man … as with us … God calls for total surrender and submission. Having said that, here is the point I really want to get to: this young man WAS a good moral man … based on how he lived, we would NOT call this young man a “sinner”. And yet, as far as the Bible records, he did NOT make it into Heaven … because he was not willing to fully surrender unto the Lord … he was not willing to fully follow after the Lord … he was not willing to place the Lord as first and foremost in his life. These scriptures let us know that being a good moral person is NOT enough to get us into Heaven. Let’s consider some more familiar scriptures… Matthew 25:1-12 As you look at these scriptures, notice that: Again, we find that it is not enough to be a good moral person who goes to church on Sunday morning. These scriptures let us know that we have to be MORE than that. Not only MUST we be good people … we also must be men and women who are filled with
How Would You Feel?
How would you feel if a certain person wanted:• Help from you…• Support from you…• Gifts from you…• Work from you… But, they did not really want anything to do with you? How would you feel if a certain person wanted what you could do for them…but they had no interest in fellowshipping, interacting, or relating with you? How would you feel if a certain person wanted what you could give them…but they wanted as little to do with you as possible…and they had zero interest in giving anything back to you? As you think about how you would feel in this scenario…realize that this is precisely how some people are towards God. They want God blessing, helping, supporting, gifting, protecting, and working on their behalf. They want what God can do for them and what He can give them. But, they do not want a real, committed, submitted relationship with Him. Well, such people cannot be surprised on Judgment Day when they hear, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:23) Now, let’s personalize this… What about me? Am I guilty of wanting God to give to me…and to do for me…but yet I am busy with too many other things…and have no time for Him…or interest in Him? Do I need to improve my relationship with God through Jesus Christ? Do I need to ramp up the love I feel for God the Father and my Lord Jesus Christ?
Peace Is Available If You Want It…
Do you find yourself filled with worry, concern, anxiety, unease, uncertainty, or fear…over what you are facing in life right now…and over what lies ahead for you and your loved ones?Do you find yourself frustrated and fretting…because you do not know what direction to take in life…or because you do not know what to do in a particular situation…or because there seems to be nothing at all that you can do to resolve a certain problem in your life? If so, remember these words from the well-known 23rd Psalm: “The Lord is my shepherd“. IF you will LET Him, the Lord WILL be YOUR shepherd. IF you will LET Him, the Lord will take the steering wheel of your life and He WILL take you into all the goodness He has prepared particularly and especially for YOU. Life becomes so much easier and so much more enjoyable when we surrender our life and our will over to God through Jesus Christ. And in fact, WHEN you go ahead and LET the Lord Jesus Christ take over in your life and the things that concern you and your loved ones, that is when the Lord can fulfill another of His Psalm 23 promises in your life: “He leadeth me beside the still waters“. How much would you enjoy the “still waters” of peace, quietness, calmness, and comfort…that comes with knowing that the Lord IS leading you into all the goodness He has particularly and especially prepared for YOU? Are you ready for the peace and comfort that comes with knowing that God through Jesus Christ is in charge of your life and that He is directing your affairs, conditions, and circumstances? Consider these Psalm 23 words: “I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.“ Just how comforting would it be to KNOW that the Lord is WITH you? How much better do you suppose you could face your life’s situations and circumstances if you KNEW that the Lord was with you? Well, you CAN KNOW that the Lord is with you…simply by surrendering and submitting yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ…by obeying and honoring His Word given to you throughout the Bible. Now, there is an important point we must understand about the goodness that God has especially prepared for us. MOST of the time, the goodness that the Lord has prepared for us will seem obviously good to us. On rare occasions however, there will be times when the goodness that the Lord has for us will not at all seem like “goodness” to us. It is in these times that we must implicitly, unreservedly, unconditionally, absolutely, and completely trust in the Lord…and time will INFALLIBLY PROVE that God WAS IN FACT being good to us. When we understand this point…and we KNOW that the Lord is with us…then there really is NOTHING to fear in our life. Rather, there is only excited anticipation as we look forward to the good that God is going to surprise us with. Having said all of this, there is a catch… Surrendering…submitting…obeying…honoring…those are words that our rebellious, sin-prone nature does not like. We want the peace, goodness, and blessings of God…but we want to stay free to do whatever our rebellious, sin-prone nature wants to do. But, the simple fact of the matter is, you cannot have it both ways! If you prefer, you can continue holding onto the steering wheel of your life, and suffering through EVEN MORE fear, uncertainty, and frustration. Maybe you want to loop and struggle for a while longer…maybe you feel it is to your benefit to stay stuck, trapped, and jammed up for a while longer. You can certainly SUFFER longer if you want to… You can certainly WAIT LONGER and HOLD YOURSELF AWAY from all the good that God has prepared especially and particularly for you and those you love… But, do you really want to do that? Haven’t you had enough suffering and struggling already? Haven’t you done without real peace and true happiness long enough? Haven’t you already learned…again and again…that letting your rebellious, sin-prone nature drive is NOT a good way to go through life? Perhaps the smarter thing to do would be to just stop right now…and have a little talk with Jesus Christ…just you and Him. Invite Him to be your Shepherd. Tell Him that you fully surrender your life, your conditions, your circumstances over to him and His goodness for you. Ask him to take away the fear and to bring peace into your life. Ask him to forgive you of your sins and mistakes. And then, make your way to a Bible-believing, God-honoring, God-worshipping church on Sunday…so that you can gain strength and encouragement by fellowshipping with some of God’s other blessed people.
Blame Me Not
“You call me Master…and obey me not.You call me Light…and see me not.You call me The Way…and walk with me not.You call me Life…and desire me not.You call me Fair…and love me not.You call me Rich…and ask me not.You call me Eternal…and seek me not.You call me Gracious…and trust me not.You call me Noble…and serve me not.You call me Mighty…and honor me not.You call me Just…and fear me not.When I condemn you on Judgment Day…then blame me not.” — Author Unknown If the Lord Jesus Christ was to speak verbally to you and I today, would he say something like this to us? Are the above words similar to the words that echo in that secret place of real truth inside of us? We know that there is a place of no pretense inside of us…a place where a lie is a lie…and the truth is the truth…a place where how we are really living is fully known…both by us and by God. Is this place a comfortable place for us to visit? Is this a place we are unashamed and unafraid to walk into with the Lord? Is this a place where we regularly meet with the Lord in prayer and relationship? Or, is this a place we hide and avoid because we know we are not quite right before the Lord? Do we avoid this place as much as possible…do we avoid going to church…do we avoid certain people that we know are right with God…because it reminds us of this place and our not-quite-right relationship with God? And, even if we avoid this place, do we still feel that haunting sense of uneasiness that corresponds with knowing we need to make things right between us and God? Right now is the time to pray…right now is the time to fix things between us and the Lord. There is no promise of tomorrow. There is no promise of even another minute. There is only the opportunity of right now. The obituary list of each and every day is filled with people who thought they had plenty of time left…people who planned on getting right with God later…and they never got another chance. Let’s do what we need to do right now…let’s take care of our business with God right now. And come Sunday morning at 10 am, Allentown Holiness Church would be a great place for us to be.