Now, More Than Ever

Being a person who likes to stay informed about the things going on in our world, I am always making comparisons of current events with what the Bible has already spoken about them. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say it’s amazing how accurate the Old Testament prophets and New Testament writers were when speaking of the days we now live in. What are the odds that so many prophetic words written thousands of years ago would all come true?

Speaking of odds, in 1958 a book was published that calculated the odds of any one man in all of history fulfilling even only eight of the 60 major prophecies (and 270 ramifications) fulfilled by the life of Christ. The probability that Jesus of Nazareth could have fulfilled even eight of those prophecies would be only 1 in 10¹⁷. That’s 1 in 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000. [1]

Still, there are always those who are quick to discredit the Bible by claiming such accuracy is merely coincidental. Using the odds given above, good luck with that theory! Though the odds of prophetic words spoken thousands of years ago being proven 100% accurate are infinitesimally small, that does not deter me from choosing to stand upon 2nd Timothy 3:16 that says “all scripture is given by inspiration of God…”

This is vitally important to the believer for many reasons, not the least of which is God’s written word has been the one thing that has stood every test that man has devised to discredit it and render it nothing more than a book of fables. This is nothing new, of course, as Satan himself has from the beginning tried to get man to doubt and discredit God’s word.

It is against this backdrop that those who have been called of God to declare His word to the nations must wage a daily battle for acceptance and (hopefully) a seat at the ecclesiastic table. As one who has fought this fight for over 45 years, I can assure you it’s never been easy, yet at the same time there has never been a time when it’s more important.

Now, more than ever, the man or woman of God must be willing to enter the arena and boldly declare a message that they know for the most part will be rejected. Does that sound like unbelief, or a lack of faith on my part? If it does, I submit to you that no less than the apostle Paul foresaw our generation, a generation that would not endure sound doctrine.

The plain simple truth is that men do not want to hear God’s word anymore because it convicts them of their sinful lifestyle. I recently read a comment from Pastor John MacArthur that spoke volumes about the difficulty that ministers are having today to get people to listen to the word of God. He said “you don’t think the world has infected your church? Cut off all the music. Turn on all the lights-normal lightbulbs please. Have a man stand in front of them and preach the Word. Try and sell that”.

Saying these things is not popular because they are an affront to the carnal mind, a mind that is enmity against God. To the unregenerate mind the word of God is archaic, an irrelevant list of “do’s and don’ts” that try to place cumbersome restrictions on their otherwise uninhibited, sin-driven existence. As Pastor MacArthur said, “try and sell that”.

It is here that the rubber meets the road, for the reality is that like it or not, there is nothing in existence that can break the stranglehold of delusion and bondage that Satan has upon mankind like the word of God can. It is the only path of truth and enlightenment, a certain and steady assurance in a world that has succumbed to the bait of Satan that “there are many paths to God”.

Christian and Missionary Alliance pastor A.W. Tozer once wrote “The church has sold out to carnal methods, carnal philosophies, carnal viewpoints, carnal gadgets and has lost the glory of God in our midst. We are a starved generation that has never seen the glory of God”. Now, imagine that this man died in 1963. What would he say about us today, some 61 years later?

As we keep a keen eye on the events taking place in our world, especially in the light of Bible prophecy, now more than ever we need to immerse ourselves in God’s “inspired” word. Only the word that God has breathed upon is inspired. It does not bend to changing cultures. It does not change to meet the desires of modern man. Instead, it demands that we change and submit to it.

Many prophetic events are yet to happen before the Lord returns. We will soon see the nation of Israel divided into a two-state nation, a move that will surely anger the One who said that “in Jerusalem will I put my name”. Alliances are yet to form and wars remain to be fought. Men’s hearts will fail out of fear of the things that will happen upon the earth. God’s word, however, will guide us safely through.

Now, more than ever, we need to trust in the God whose words can never fail.

Have a blessed say,

Ron

[1] Science Speaks written by Peter W. Stoner and Robert C. Newman

The Promised Messiah Has Come!

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. [1]

There is no greater story than the story of Christ’s birth. From as far back as the Genesis promise that One would come who would bruise the head of Satan, God has been establishing kings and kingdoms, making His presence known in the affairs of men, and orchestrating events both on earth and in the heavens to bring forth His Son Jesus Christ.

The greatest gift, indeed the greatest miracle has been given to mankind. Redemption is now possible. Freedom from the stain and guilt of sin is now within reach. A path to reconciliation with God has just been carved in a manger in the tiny village of Bethlehem!

Throughout the pages of the Old Testament we read of this coming Savior, and every prophetic word has now been fulfilled. In this miraculous event God has proven that His word will not go out and return to Him void, but it will accomplish what He intended. [2]

Heavenly Father, it is with a humble and grateful heart that I join with the heavenly host proclaiming “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”. Thank you for giving us your only Son so that we might be saved from our sins. Thank you Father for the plan of salvation that sets us free.

Have a blessed Christmas everyone!

Ron

Jesus, the reason for the season!

[1] Luke 2:8-14

[2] Isaiah 55:11

The Promise of the Messiah…part 1

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” [1]

As incredible as it sounds, as I write this blog Christmas is just one week away. So, in the spirit of the true meaning of the season I would like to share my thoughts on how God delivered on His promise that a Redeemer would one day come to save us from our sins.

The first five parts of this series will be taken from Old Testament prophecies which foretold of the coming Savior, with the remaining two parts taken from the New Testament accounts of the birth of the Christ child. It is my hope that you will enjoy reading these posts and that they will help us to focus on how this Christmas miracle came to be.

Moses, writing the book of Genesis some 1500 years before Christ was born in Bethlehem, tells of how shortly after Adam and Eve were placed in the beautiful garden of Eden, they disobeyed God. This disobedience, or what we refer to as the original sin, led to the fall of man and created a wall of separation between God and His highest creation.

It is hard to imagine anything positive coming from this event. What should have been a life of joy and profound blessing was in an instant transformed into one of fear, doubt, and curse. Both Adam and Eve were severely punished for their indiscretion, a fact we know all too well because we too bear the guilt of their sin at birth. God also promised to make enemies of Satan and the woman. In fact, their offspring—or “seed”—would remain enemies throughout all generations

It was in the midst of this tragic fall however, that God gave a glorious promise that a Savior would be coming from the seed of the woman, Eve. He also revealed that this seed would be the one that would ultimately crush the head of the serpent. We know that seed was referring to Jesus Christ.

It is true that Satan “bruised His heel” by having Jesus crucified, but it is also true that on that same cross, our Lord bruised Satan’s head by defeating death once and for all. Thus, this 1st promise of the coming Savior was fulfilled.

Tomorrow, part 2 will focus on another verse from Genesis where another of God’s promises points to a Savior who would redeem people from every tribe and tongue.

Jesus, the reason for the season!

[1] Genesis 3:15

We cannot look back

The above quote from Winston Churchill was given in a speech delivered to the British House of Commons on December 10th, 1936, just hours after King Edward VIII abdicated the throne in response to the harsh criticism he received from the Church of England, the British government, and the public, for his decision to marry an American divorcee, Wallis Warfield Simpson.

In this speech, Churchill went on to say that “Nothing is more certain or more obvious than that recrimination or controversy at this time would be not only useless but harmful and wrong. What is done is done. What has been done or left undone belongs to history, and to history, so far as I am concerned, it shall be left”.

According to Churchill, there was no going back from the decision that had been made. King Edward VIII had made his choice, and for the country to survive in an era of impending war, the only way to do that was to move forward and not spend time on what might have been. Dark clouds were on the horizon, and it wouldn’t be long before the nation would come under a near catastrophic attack from the German Luftwaffe, an attack that very nearly brough the nation to its knees.

Today, America stands on the brink of implosion. Historians are in near total agreement that the nation is now more divided than at any time since the Civil War. Those same dark clouds of war that surrounded Britian surround this nation as well, with the frequent saber rattling of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea serving to remind us that we no longer enjoy the status as the most powerful nation on the earth. That fact alone should send shivers down our spines.

In Churchill’s day, it was expected that the leaders of the government would stand up in defense of the populace. Indeed, having someone like a Churchill or a Roosevelt guiding the affairs of the nation offered great solace to its people, especially in times of grave uncertainty about the future. The fact that both men regularly brought God into their speeches and conversations further helped to instill confidence in the people they served.

Sadly, in America today we can lay no claims to having such leadership. Just the opposite is true. Instead of uniting a divided nation, we are seeing played out before us the ultimate dividing and conquering of a once proud Republic.

In what has to be one of the most devastating root causes of the unprecedented dismantling of America currently underway in Washington D.C., America is no longer “One Nation Under God…”. That’s because we are no longer “One Nation”.

We are a divided nation, a nation of many isms and schisms all vying for supreme control while giving no indication of a willingness to compromise or bring about unification. Instead, detractors and dissenters must be silenced. Unlike the America that our ancestors enjoyed, where opinions and diversity were considered to be our strengths, today those qualities are allowed to exist only if they can be used to gain an advantage over ‘them’.

I’ve said this many times, and it becomes more apparent with each passing year, that we have become like ancient Israel, adopting the customs and ideals of the heathen nations around them, nations whose sins eventually engulfed the people of God and led them back into captivity. Today America is drowning in a sea of perversion, filth, and debauchery the likes of no nation ever before. Even the ancient Romans, famous for their deviant lifestyles of sexual promiscuity and idolatry, could not have dreamed of such a corrupt and perverse nation as ours.

Perhaps most shocking of all is this: like Britian of the 1930’s, America today cannot go back to what it once was. It cannot happen, it will not happen. No rallying cry to make America great again can effectively turn the tide or reverse the trends of today. We as a nation have gone too far in our rejection of God Almighty. It will make absolutely no difference who lives in the White House. America will never again be the land of Mayberry and Aunt Bea.

Why can’t we go back to those wholesome and peaceful times we cling to in our memories? Because America has forsaken the God of its forefathers, and every nation that has committed such an atrocity has eventually succumbed to the sins it has chosen to embrace.

Astonishingly, there are several scriptural references that parallel the moral and spiritual decay that envelops America today. For example, we find in the Old Testament book of Hosea a chilling message given to the nation of Israel that could just as easily been given to our nation today.

1 “Hear the word of the Lord, you children of Israel, for the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: “There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land. 2 By swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery, they break all restraint, with bloodshed upon bloodshed. 3 Therefore the land will mourn; and everyone who dwells there will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea will be taken away.

4 “Now let no man contend, or rebuke another; for your people are like those who contend with the priest. 5 Therefore you shall stumble in the day; the prophet also shall stumble with you in the night; and I will destroy your mother. 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children”. Hosea 4:1-6

When confronted with these words from the Bible we are sure to have one of several responses to them. We may consider them as something so out of date and irrelevant that we immediately dismiss them. We might look at them and say, “well that was for Israel, not America”. Or maybe we will look at them and agree that we are seeing history repeat itself before our very eyes.

One thing is certain, however. Just as Churchill stated, we too cannot look back. The only path left to take is the path the apostle Paul talked about in Philippians 3:13: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead“.

Those things “which are ahead” are why we run this race. Reaching forward is the opposite of returning to the past. Paul saw no need in clinging to what was, or to what used to be. Like Churchill, he understood that what had been done or what had been left undone was best committed to history. What mattered was right now. What mattered was reaching forward.

I’m looking ahead to a new Heaven and a new Earth where godliness and righteousness are the rule, not the exception. Sin, brought about by man’s disobedience to his Creator, has corrupted and all but destroyed this earth, leaving me to feel more and more as though I don’t belong here. As a matter of fact, I don’t want to be here any longer. This place is not my home, it’s only a temporary residence that I’m occupying until He comes.

I don’t know what America and the world will look like when Jesus comes again, except to say that it’s going to be much worse than it is now. The downward spiral the world is in will continue; with society slipping further away from the God who longs to redeem them. Is it any wonder then that Jesus asked the question in Luke 18:8 “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Still, I am not discouraged, because I know that nothing will take the Lord by surprise! I’m running this race so that I might win the crown of righteousness. I’m in it to win it, and I’m determined to let nothing, or no one to cause me to lose what I now have in sight. The finish line is just ahead, and I intend to cross that line in victory! We cannot afford to look back!

Have a blessed day in the Lord,

Ron

Generational Curses: are we free or not?

In today’s post I want to address the issue of “Generational Curses”.

For those unfamiliar with the term, it implies that if you or someone you know struggles with an addiction, domestic violence, depression, or any other unfavorable trait it is likely because someone in your family tree has also had to deal with it.

Hence the “Generational Curse”. It is passed on to each succeeding generation.

Where does this idea come from? It comes from the Old Testament. After God had instructed Moses to ascend Mount Sinai with two new stone tablets (that He would again write the Ten Commandments on), the Lord appeared to Moses in a cloud and there He proclaimed the following:

“Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting (punishing) the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.” [1]

Here we find the Lord telling Moses that He will forgive acknowledged sin and transgressions but will punish unrepentant sin and transgressions for generations. This is where the common idea comes from that a child must pay for the sins of the father.

We find this same thought farther along in the Old Testament book of Lamentations. Having endured incredible persecution after having been carried away in the Captivity, the prophet Jeremiah calls upon the Lord for mercy.

In his passionate plea he refers to God’s chosen as orphans and fatherless, and their mothers as widows. He goes on to mention how that they are required to buy their own water if they are to drink, and describes their own wood being sold to them. He says their necks are under persecution, and they have no rest from their labor. [2]

In the middle of his humble prayer Jeremiah acknowledges the sinfulness of the people.

Our fathers sinned, and are no more; It is we who have borne their iniquities. [3]

He rightly lays the blame for what has come upon them at the feet of their ancestors that sinned. These unrepentant transgressions caused God to allow them to be carried away as captives, enslaved once again by a foreign army. These ancestors are now all dead, but it is Jeremiah’s generation who must now pay this awful price for what they did.

All of this brings us to ask the question: does this same Generational Curse ‘law’ exist for Christians today? Is it possible that the reason so many Christians struggle with specific areas of their lives is because they are still under a Generational Curse?

Well, to be sure there is no shortage of Christian ministers out there that teach that Generational Curses are still applicable to the Christian today. [4]

To find the truth however, we must look to the Word of God, not popular books written by popular ministers. When it comes to the subject of generational curses, there is no more definitive response than that found in Galatians 3:13.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”).

Through His death, burial, and resurrection Jesus Christ paid every sin debt and broke every curse. He accomplished this by becoming a curse in our place. He who knew no sin or iniquity became accursed for you and me.

He abolished for all time any curse, generational or otherwise that may have been placed upon your life. Curses have no hold on your life after you have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. They are no longer the stronghold that you once struggled with.

Personally, I find it nearly unbelievable that these same people who want to declare that everything we could ever need, including physical healing, was provided for in the Atonement, also teach that this same Atonement couldn’t break the power of a Generational Curse.

This is mind boggling. Either Jesus Christ broke the chains of sin and death, or he did not. There cannot be an exception or any exclusions. Did not Jesus tell us that He came that we might have life, even an abundant life? How in the world can we live this abundant life while under the bondage of some Generational Curse?

The answer of course is that we cannot! Therefore, every curse was broken at Calvary, so that you would be free indeed to live out this Incredible, abundant life that God wants you to be living.

Does this mean that our struggles are over? Of course not! As long as we live upon this earth, we will be continually tested by an adversary that does not want to turn loose of you. Be that as it may, we are FREE in Jesus Christ!

The Apostle Paul very clearly tells us that he was free, completely free from any law of sin and death. Every Christian enjoys this same liberty in Christ. “Whom the Son sets free, is free indeed”. [6]

And yes, that includes any Generational Curse.

Be blessed on this Lord’s day!

Ron

 

[1] Exodus 34:7

[2] Lamentations 5:1-5

[3] Lamentations 5:7

[4] See “Breaking Generational Curses” by Marilyn Hickey, “How to Break Generational Curses” by Tony Evans, “Breaking Generational Curses”, “Free at Last”, by Larry Huch

[5] Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death”.

[6] John 8:36

 

The next BIG thing

I’ve been studying 1st Corinthians 2 where the Apostle Paul speaks about the gospel being presented in a demonstration of Spirit and of Power. I’m sure most of you are familiar with this subject matter, but for reference sake I’ll post a few key verses.

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.  For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.  And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1st Corinthians 2:1-5

Knowing the capabilities of Paul to more than hold his own in any theological debate, I find it interesting that he would start this letter by saying he wasn’t coming to them using excellency of speech or wisdom.

We know that this man Paul studied at the feet of Jewish scholars, and was well versed in the Old Testament scriptures. He most certainly had attained a high level of wisdom, and his knowledge of various languages gave him the ability to converse with nearly everyone. He disputed with the Jews and Greeks frequently, clearly demonstrating to all that he was on their level, so to speak.

Yet he said that he pretended not to know anything except for Jesus and him crucified. In other words, Paul’s heart was for winning souls. He knew that the key to winning these people was to become one of them. So he left his superior knowledge, education, and skills at home so that he might be received by these Corinthians.

Do you think there might be a lesson here for all of us today? Might we be better soul winners if we were to lose the attitude? Is it possible that if we humbled ourselves and got down on the level of those who are so desperate for hope, that we might actually have something to offer?

Paul went on to say that his preaching was not done with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power.

What he meant by that is that he did not come to entertain them as though he were some great orator. The people were accustomed to hearing speeches given by politicians, sages, philosophers, and other learned men of the day. As such, they were always on the lookout for the next BIG thing.

If Paul had come to them as one of these, it is likely that they would have paid him very little attention. Paul, however, was hardly in the ‘entertainment business’.

The Apostle knew that the Corinthians had many voices vying for their attention. There was one voice, however that they had yet to hear from. This voice not only spoke at a level they could appreciate, but it was accompanied by a demonstration of God’s power.

These passages remind me of how desperate the Church is today for a demonstration of the Spirit and power of God. When I say that, I am making a clear distinction between the Spirit and power of God as Paul knew it, and that which is passed off today as being from God.

We have a lot of voices in the world today who claim to speak for God and to operate in His power. Sadly, these voices are nothing more than con men(and women), who have figured out that desperate people will shell out millions of dollars in hopes of receiving their miracle.

This is not, however, the power that Paul spoke of. As a matter of fact, the Apostle Paul would have soundly rebuked each and every one of these modern day deceivers.

Unfortunately, the Church isn’t aware of it’s desperate state. Instead, she is only too willing to continue down the path towards capitulation to the gods of this world.

Such is the price that must be paid when the Church embraces the world and its standards, instead of proclaiming herself as the standard bearer of Biblical truth and righteousness.

Oh how I wish that pastors everywhere would once again teach this to their congregations. Instead, what we have is a modern day system of idolatry, where pastor worship has become the norm.

Beloved, “the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God”(1st Cor. 3:19). Do not allow your hearts to be deceived by placing your faith in man. Whatever wisdom man has, it is temporal. It is fleeting, destined to pass away.

The power of God however is from everlasting to everlasting. It transcends the wisdom of man, indeed the natural man cannot begin to understand such power.

Paul desperately wanted the Corinthians to understand that their faith must not be in the wisdom of men….but in the power of God.

Instead of always searching for the next BIG thing, my earnest prayer is that we who know Him as Lord and Savior will come to experience His power in a very real and tangible way.

Be blessed,

Ron

 

 

 

The Sounds of Silence in God’s House

Have you ever felt grieved over something you cared deeply about, but had no control over? Lately, I’ve been feeling this way, like someone who just stepped out of the pages of the Old Testament.

Like Jacob of old, I have wrestled with the Lord over this post because I know as soon as it is read, I will be branded a critic of the Church. Unlike Jacob however, I have given up trying to hide my feelings any longer and admit that I am defeated.

Let me explain.

Whenever it became necessary for the Lord to deliver a message of correction to His people Israel, often He would raise up a man or woman and instruct them to go to the people and deliver the message. We refer to these servants as Prophets.

These Prophets are scattered throughout the Old Testament. Some we have labeled as “Minor Prophets” while others are called “Major Prophets”. All of them were called of God for a specific task and season in the history of Israel.

Of the many things these Prophets had in common, one was that they all shared a burden for God’s people. They bore this spiritual weight in their hearts because the people loved the pleasures of sin more than they loved God.

Oftentimes, as in the case of the Prophet Jeremiah, the magnitude of the weight they bore would reduce them to tears and cries of anguish. [1]

While I am certainly no Prophet, I can empathize with them because of something amiss among God’s people today. In fact, if I dwell on it too long, I become almost grief stricken. What is it that has me feeling this way?

It is the sound of silence in God’s house.

It is the realization that the church no longer desires revival; thus, she no longer travails in expectation of a new awakening. Rejecting the call from above to “come out from among them” [2], she has decided instead to align herself with the world, and in the process has rejected the Lord of Glory.

There is no longer a sound of weeping and anguish in the house of God over our spiritual barrenness, and the sound of this silence is deafening.

The church of Jesus Christ has married the world and thus has come under its spell. In doing so, the church is now more impacted by the world than the world is impacted by the church. Who can deny this truth?

We have sold our birthright.

I grieve because the church no longer wants God, but rather has discovered a way to carry on without Him. Remove the Holy Spirit from the church? No problem, hardly a soul will notice as we carry on with our regimented programs disguised as religion.

In our efforts to appease the masses, we have compromised all that made us unique, and our birthright has been auctioned off on the altar of pragmatism. We have copied the error of ancient Israel, who rejected the Almighty in favor of a flawed and imperfect king. [3]

I am distraught over the absence of Holy men and women of God, those who have been in His presence and now carry with them the burdens of a people gone astray. Where are those who have heard His voice, who have received the clarion call to sound the alarm and cry aloud for the church to return to its former glory? How long will they remain silent?

Incredulously, in the span of but a few generations the church has become little more than Sunday morning entertainment. Impassioned, God-inspired, soul searching sermons have given way to polished speeches that have more in common with the mantra of positive thinking than they do with the Word of God!

Instead of preparing our hearts for an encounter with the Holy One, we have created a sterile, guilt free environment where our hearts will never be pricked, and our conscious will remain unseared.

This environment is better suited for a coffee house or a nightclub, places where one never need concern themselves with being confronted with the sin that permeates their life.

We dim the lights and crank up the sound system in our efforts to mask the reality that we no longer walk in the Spirit, therefore we are resigned to manufacture a spirit of our own. The cheering thousands are proof enough that we have found the right formula.

Never mind that weeping and anguish of soul are no longer found in God’s house. The church now exists to make us feel good about ourselves, and all who enter its doors have entered a “Guilt Free Zone’. We have created a safe place where sin is never acknowledged or confronted. Come as you are and leave as you came.

We do not want revival. We do not want a return to the old paths. We do not want a fresh revelation from God as to the pitiful condition our souls are in. No, we want none of things because if we did, we would have them!

If the church wanted revival, it would have revival. It would pay any price in order to once again be endued with power from on High. But the church does not want revival because to have it means she would have to divorce herself from the harlot, worldly system it has aligned itself with.

The church is not inclined to return to the old paths, where the good way was [4]. To do so would force us to choose whether we will be hot or cold. To return to the old paths would force us from our lofty seat on the fence of mediocrity and lukewarmness, and we are quite comfortable there, aren’t we?

Instead, we want to be like the world in nearly every respect, while still calling ourselves “Christian”, and we will stop at nothing to accomplish this goal.

What has this illegitimate marriage given us? It has given us a parade of sexual predators in the church that has left untold thousands broken and bleeding in its wake.

It has given us a litany of ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’ [5] disguised as clergy who reject the teachings of scripture in order to cozy up to the world, thus allowing every conceivable and base lifestyle to stand in the pulpit and declare their own twisted version of ‘truth’.

It has given us an anemic and sick substitute for Christ’s church, the very church He bled and died for. What is supposed to be His Body has been rendered powerless to stem the tide of sin and degradation that has enveloped it.

Such a church has forfeited its birthright and is no longer Christ’s representative on the earth. It is a counterfeit, and the deafening silence from within its lukewarm walls is proof enough that she is in danger of being rejected by the Lord. [6]

May God have mercy on us…

Ron

 

 

[1] Jeremiah is often referred to as the “Weeping Prophet because of his own words in chapter 9, verse 1: Oh, that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of my people!

[2] 2 Cor.6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.

[3] 1 Samuel 8:19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, No, but we will have a king over us.

[4] Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the Lord, Stand you in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk in them.

[5] Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

[6] Rev. 3:16 So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth.

 

 

Who’s really in control of YOU?

No doubt you’ve heard the expression “one step forward, two steps backwards”.

Have you ever really thought about this statement? What does it say about us?

I think it says that we are trusting more in our own abilities than we are the Lords.

It says for all the world to hear that we are controlling things, or at least we are trying to. And when we try to be in control, our progress is always being hampered by US. We get in our own way and make a mess of things.

Hence, we take “one step forward and two steps backwards”.

Of course, being a human being carries with it a certain “issue”, one that we all have, which is that we really like to be in control don’t we? The thought of someone, anyone besides ourselves calling the shots is, for the most part, unthinkable to our carnal nature.

C’mon, admit it. You like to be the one calling the shots don’t you? I know I certainly do! We all have this compelling need within us to take charge of the situation and bulldoze our way through it.

But what about when our own capabilities, talents, and skills leave us on the wrong side, or short of the goal?

More often than not, we go backwards don’t we?

Did you ever think that maybe, just maybe, those two steps backwards was where the Lord wanted you to stand and be still for a time and a season? That maybe He wasn’t ready for you to move forward just yet. Or that YOU weren’t ready to go forward yet because there were still lessons to be learned ‘back there’?

There is a verse in the Old Testament that talks about standing still and seeking out the old paths. Perhaps you are familiar with it?

Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.   Jer. 6:16

Israel had a terrible time with simply walking in the place God had called them to walk in. Seems they always had a better idea, or so they thought. If ever a people was known for taking “one step forward and two steps backwards” it was the children of Israel.

So prevelant was their penchant for backsliding that in the long history of Israel, only two little words are necessary to sum up their predicament. These two little words say it better than an entire library full of scholarly works.

If Only.

If only they would have listened. If only they would have followed the Lord instead of trying to take charge themselves. If only they would have stood by the Lord and asked for the old paths, where the good way was.

If Only.

The whole of human history has been one gigantic battle of “If Only”, and that includes you and me.

If Only we would have listened to the warnings of the one who had already walked where we were about to tread.

If Only we would have sacrificed and taken our children to church when they were still young, instead of either taking them to the lake or soccer practice or worse yet, permitting them to do whatever they wished to do.

If Only

Who’s really in control of your life? If we’re honest, that’s a very easy question to answer isn’t it? As long as we continue to take “one step forward and two steps backwards”, the answer is obvious.

The question then becomes are we willing to give up control in order to gain rest for our souls as the Lord desires us to do?

Something to think about on this Lords day.

Be blessed, in Jesus name.

Ron

Where do we go from here?

Many of my older readers are no doubt familiar with the name Paul Harvey. For those too young to remember his radio and TV newscasts, Paul Harvey was a very familiar voice in America from the early 1950’s to 2008.

He is most famous for his “The Rest of the Story” segments where he would talk about a particular subject, and later in the newscast would reminder his listeners that there was more to this story than meets the eye. Hence “The Rest of the Story”.

Throughout his long career he made many special broadcasts such as So God Made a Farmer, Freedom to Chains, and one of my personal favorites If I Were the Devil.

“If I Were the Devil,” was originally broadcast in 1964, but he updated it several times over the years. The version I am sharing with you today aired in 1996. Here, In Paul Harvey’s own words, is what he said he would do, if he “were the devil.”

“If I were the prince of darkness, I would want to engulf the whole world in darkness. I’d have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree — thee. So, I would set about however necessary to take over the United States.

“I’d subvert the churches first, and I would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: ‘Do as you please.’

“To the young, I would whisper that the Bible is a myth. I would convince the children that man created God instead of the other way around. I’d confide that what’s bad is good and what’s good is square. And the old, I would teach to pray after me, ‘Our Father, which art in Washington …’

“Then, I’d get organized, I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.

“If I were the devil, I’d soon have families at war with themselves, churches at war with themselves and nations at war with themselves until each, in its turn, was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings, I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames.

“If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellect but neglect to discipline emotions. I’d tell teachers to let those students run wild. And before you knew it, you’d have drug-sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door. With a decade, I’d have prisons overflowing and judges promoting pornography. Soon, I would evict God from the courthouse and the schoolhouse and then from the houses of Congress. In his own churches, I would substitute psychology for religion and deify science. I’d lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls and church money.

“If I were the devil, I’d take from those who have and give to those who wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. What’ll you bet I couldn’t get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich?

“I’d convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun and that what you see on television is the way to be. And thus, I could undress you in public and lure you into bed with diseases for which there are no cures.

“In other words, if I were the devil, I’d just keep right on doing what he’s doing.”

Now, I do not pretend to make Paul Harvey out to be a saint or a Prophet. I do know that he attended various churches in his lifetime, but beyond that who can say exactly what his relationship was with God?

What do know is that what Mr. Harvey wrote in 1964 has mostly come to fruition. How anyone could argue otherwise is beyond my limited capabilities to understand the human thought process.

Whether he was ‘inspired’ to write the things that he did, or whether he may have somehow seen into the future, no one can truthfully say. In my own opinion, it doesn’t matter how he knew, but what matters is that he was able to ascertain that the societal trends that were evolving in the 1960’s were planting the seeds for the destructive trends you and I are now left to contend with.

For all of our modern sociologists attempts to portray society as an ever evolving one, replete with technological advances the likes of which our forefathers could not have dreamed of, we are actually devolving. We are simply following the well-established pattern of the great cultures of history that long ago found themselves adrift on the ocean of Godlessness.

We are living in strange and difficult times, of that we can all agree. It almost seems as though the ‘powers that be’ are fully aware that they are in over their heads yet dare not admit it to the populace. To do so would be an open admission of their own fallibility.

As Christians, we are often guilty of living in the manner of our choosing, believing Grace and its accompanying freedom will cover the multitude of our sins. It’s as if we have either forgotten or have willingly discarded Paul’s admonition of Romans 6:1,2.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

We know, of course, that to continue in sin and disobedience is a recipe for the worst kind of disaster. This applies to individuals as well as nations.

To quote historian Gertrude Himmelfarb, “What was once stigmatized as deviant behavior is now tolerated and even sanctioned; what was once regarded as abnormal has been normalized. As deviancy is normalized, so what was once normal becomes deviant. The kind of family that has been regarded for centuries as natural and moral – the ‘bourgeois’ family as it is invidiously called – is now seen as pathological.”

Indeed, it would seem that what was once considered shocking and unbelievable is now par for the course. Just as Mr. Harvey said in his “If I were the Devil” broadcast.

All of this reminds me of an event from the Old Testament book of Judges where God was once again contending with the Israelite’s on again, off again relationship with Him.

Also the Sidonians and Amalekites and Maonites oppressed you; and you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hand. Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods. Therefore I will deliver you no more. “Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress. Judges 10:12-14

The million-dollar question is now ‘Where Do We Go from Here’?

Do we continue sliding even further from the one Source of hope and security, the one Source of help who can pull us from the mire?

Or do we come to our collective senses and acknowledge our back sliding, and turn our hearts once again to the God who stands ready to make straight our paths once again?

Not unlike Paul Harvey, the answers to these questions will be found in “The Rest of the Story”.

Be blessed,

Ron

Real heroes of the faith are still among us: part 1

The New Testament book of Hebrews contains a record of what many call “heroes of the faith”. In fact, chapter 11 of Hebrews is commonly referred to as the faith chapter because it lists what some call the “faith hall of fame”.

As you read through this chapter, one is struck by the presence of some very familiar names. Abraham, Moses, David, Samson, and Gideon to name just a few. Readers who are familiar with the Old Testament can no doubt recall some of the events associated with these well known men of God.

Yet there are references to other,unnamed heroes of the faith that are recorded here as well. While the writer of Hebrews doesn’t mention them by name, he does list some of their “qualifications” for enshrinement into the “faith hall of fame”.

Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.  Hebrews 11:35-38

Though lesser known than the Old Testament patriarchs or kings, these “others” were nonetheless uniquely qualified to take their place alongside their more famous predecessors.

These were men and women who refused to bow the knee, but instead held fast to their faith in God and believed that a better day was coming. Put to the severest of tests, these faithful soldiers endured unimaginable persecution because they counted their lives as nothing that they might win the ultimate prize.

Our minds today simply won’t permit us to comprehend the untold sufferings described in the verses noted above. Being stoned to death is itself a terrifying method of execution, but can you imagine what it was like for someone to be sawn in two?

Church history reveals that tens of thousands of Christians were persecuted by some of the most vile,heinous, and satanically inspired means imaginable in an effort to eradicate the true Church. Yet somehow, the sustaining grace of God kept alive a remnant, for which you and I owe an enormous debt of gratitude.

In our present culture however, I am often surprised at the apparent unwillingness of many in the church to “earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints” (Jude v3). Indeed, there seems to be an attitude of spiritual entitlement among us that would be totally unrecognizable to the early church.

No doubt this is due in part to the prevalence of the gospel of “easy believism” and “health and wealth” that is pandered about today. It should be noted as well that neither of these false gospels would have ever been taught in the early church.

In fact, I’ll go on record and say that such teachings are part of what Paul described as “another gospel”, one that he said anyone preaching it is accursed (Galatians 1:8). That is for another day however.

 

In part 2 of this series, I will introduce you to some modern day heroes of the faith. Their identities may not be well known among believers today, yet their stories are no less inspiring than those found in the book of Hebrews.

Until then!

Ron