General
REPENTANCE AFTER A GODLY SORT
ow often we hear people, prognosticators, telling us the woes of the world and yet these self prescribed doomsayers give us no direction on how to change things to make the future better. Yet, to have a better future we assuredly must have change now. But, change what and to change to what? In the book of Jonah the city of Nineveh was going to be destroyed but they changed and were saved. This record will give us insight into what we should do.
A PRIMER ON THE GRACE OF GOD
One of the principles that you should understand in studying the Word of God (the Bible) is previous usage of a word. This principle is exquisitely shown in the study of the word “grace”. By understanding and applying this principle your understanding of God’s Word will increase exponentially.
FREEDOM OF WILL
There is one thing that God honors and that we need to recognize and appreciate, it is our FREEDOM OF WILL. In Revelation 3:20 Jesus Christ says “Behold, I 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.” Understanding this verse will give you an inner strength and a freedom that only truth can bring.
A CURE FOR THE HOLIDAY BLUES
There is one reason that I don’t like the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas. The reason I don’t like them is that they remind those who lack family or money of that fact. It is the loneliest time of the year for many. No other time during the year affects people like this. Never fear, I have the answer for those that suffer from the holiday blues as well as bonus information on how to stop yourself from over spending at Christmas!
INSANITY IS NOT EXCLUSIVE
I was watching a TV news program where some people were holding signs that said “ God hates America” while others on the opposite side were holding signs that said “God hates fags”. This got me to thinking. To me it was obvious that both sides were wrong on numerous counts. But what I started thinking about was how wrong many of the stances that people have taken over the last few years are not only wrong they are insane! There are so many that I can’t elaborate on all but I want to hit on a few. Why insanity is not exclusive is that it shows up in Christianity and all religions as well as governments and just about any organization you care to mention.
CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A RELIGION
Christianity is not a religion! That is right! I am here to refute the long held belief that Christianity is a religion. It is not! Now there will be one side that will say that I don’t know what I am talking about because everybody knows that Christianity is just ONE of the major religions. The other side will be incensed by this idea because they will think that I am trying to pull their religion from its exalted position. Both will be wrong. Man, not God, labeled Christianity a religion when man started denying the power of God. When you look at the truth of God’s Word Christianity is the way of the Father with His children.
CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A RELIGION
Christianity is not a religion! That is right! I am here to refute the long held belief that Christianity is a religion. It is not! Now there will be one side that will say that I don’t know what I am talking about because everybody knows that Christianity is just ONE of the major religions. The other side will be incensed by this idea because they will think that I am trying to pull their religion from its exalted position. Both will be wrong. Man, not God, labeled Christianity a religion when man started denying the power of God. When you look at the truth of God’s Word Christianity is the way of the Father with His children.
The definition of religion is “man’s expression of the divine. A system of beliefs and practices relating to the sacred and uniting its adherents in a community”
New Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus 1993
Put another way, it is what man does.
Jesus Christ was the only begotten Son of God and as such he walked with His Father and talked with His Father. Jesus Christ always did the will of His Father. When He healed the sick and cleansed the lepers, when He raised the dead and confronted the religious leaders of Judaism all the time He was doing the will of the Father. What He did was not religion of religious. What He did was walk in harmony with God and brought deliverance to people because of His walk. As a matter of fact He was one of the most unreligious people ever. Everything the Pharisees and Sadducees promoted Jesus ran contrary to. Healing people on the Sabbath, allowing His disciples to eat with unwashed hands, healing a man blind from his birth. Now you ask how that relates to us.
If you were taught like you should have been taught then you would know that we Christians are sons of God and joint heirs with Christ. Romans 8:17 . That it is Christ in you the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27. We are supposed to walk as Christ walked. We have the power that Christ had and can do the works that Christ did. John 14:12.
What is missing from the church today is POWER. Without it Christians are just one of the many but with it we are more than conquerors in every situation. Romans 8:37.
Romans 15: 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the POWER of the Holy Ghost.
I Corinthians 1: 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the POWER of God.
In I Corinthians 2 4 & 5 Paul says And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of POWER:
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the POWER of God.
I Corinthians 4:19 & 20 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the POWER.
For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in POWER.
II Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the POWER may be of God, and not of us.
Ephesians 1:15-19 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
And what is the exceeding greatness of his POWER to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty POWER,
Ephesians 3: 20 & 21 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the POWER that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Ephesians 6: 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the POWER of his might.
Colossians 1:10 & 11 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious POWER, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
II Timothy 1: 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of POWER, and of love, and of a sound mind.
To be a Christian should be a wonderful, powerful exciting walk with your heavenly Father not a religion!
II Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
IS IT REALLY GOD’S WORD?
Over the centuries men have continued to hack away at the Bible and it’s reputation so that now it is almost impossible to find a person that believes that the Bible is THE WORD OF GOD. Even in the hierarchy of the Christian Churches (where this should be a given (a cardinal rule)) they think that they are modern or sophisticated to believe exactly the opposite
WHAT IS ISRAEL’S BEST DEFENSE
Main stream Christian leaders and government officials in the United States have held a belief over the past few decades that the Western World especially the United States has to protect Israel because of some Bible thing that (they say) Israel has to remain a nation because they are God’s chosen people and this is the end times etc.. I see things differently.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS
