Is America Going To Pot?

In the late '50's, '60's & early '70's, a dictator by the name of Nikita Khrushchev ruled over the Soviet Union. Watching television one day, several years before I became a Christian, I remember vividly watching that man make a startling statement and wondering what he meant by it or how such a thing could happen in America. As he pounded his shoe on the podium, he said in so many words, "We will bury you." "We will not fire a shot." "America will die from within."

That was 5 decades ago, and within the past few years we see his prophecy coming to pass. Communists have encroached the executive branch and without doubt, the other two branches of government. Laws are being made today to promote lifestyles and other issues that in the '50's and '60's would be unthinkable and shocking.

It was one of Khrushchev's predecessors, Vladimir Lenin, who realized the possibility of changing the values of a culture and set it on a course to the desired direction, by teaching its values early on to the children. He said, "Give me four years to teach the children and that seed will never be uprooted." The first step in that endeavor for America occurred soon after Khrushchev's remarks, when in 1962 the Supreme Court sided with one atheistic woman against the will of millions of Americans by removing prayer from the schools. To see the results of that ruling, view one of my earlier blogs by clicking here.

That event happened over 50 years ago, much longer than the four years to change the minds of our children. Many children from that era have grandchildren and great-grandchildren in this generation. A great percentage of them reared without any teaching of God as noted by the explosion of atheism in today's society.

Is America really going to pot or have its citizens merely lost direction? It seems Khrushchev and Lenin were both right. Oh by the way, Lenin also made another statement that seems to fall right into line with what America is facing in society and government today. He is quoted as saying, "A lie told often enough becomes the truth."

Not to take sides, the Church must also shoulder as much of the blame. When we, as a called out people, will humble ourselves and pray and seek God's face and turn from our wicked ways, then He will hear from heaven and forgive our sins and heal our land. Although I believe we are beyond the point of no return, this passage from 2 Chronicles 7:14 is still valid, if not more so.

One final Scripture for the Church living in a decaying culture of today, is this one from Titus filled with hope for tomorrow:

• "Looking for that blessed hope,and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." - (Titus 2:14) To God be the glory.

Yes, We Can Prove There Is A God.

You have probably encountered someone who states that "there is no God," or "If there is a God then prove it." What they fail to understand is that there are several things about God concerning the way He has chosen to prove Himself to us. If God could not be proved then chances are many who have made Jesus their Lord also would no longer believe.

The atheist and non-believer CANNOT prove or disprove God by stating "God is not real," or "I shall never believe the lie that God exists." You might want to look at my earlier blog about "An interview with Satan" to find out where that kind of thinking originates. So, exactly how does God prove Himself to us?

Most individuals understand that God is by faith; however, we must also realize that we have a free-will to choose anything in life. Faith and free-will are primary considerations in proving God. Both faith and free-will go hand-in-hand. Nevertheless, either one is worthless unless acted upon. Before Jesus paid the price for our sins, there was only one choice (Satan). Today we have another choice (Jesus). Jesus was the beginning (Founder) of what is known as the Church (Christianity). We all remain under bondage to Satan and sin until we choose Jesus who will set us free from bondage by making Him Lord.

 

God will not infringe upon your free-will. If you want to prove that God is real, it is not hard to do. However, you must take the first step. If God took the first step, He would infringe upon your free-will. However, when you exercise your free-will by taking the first step to ask God to make Himself real to you, this is where and how faith becomes involved. Without a desire to know if God is real, you will never find out. If you keep refusing to take the first step, you will stay at square one. But, by acting in faith, God will prove Himself to anyone who is truly sincere with a yearning heart to prove God for themselves. Try it for yourself and see.

 

 

 

What Does This 3-Letter Word Have To Do With 4-Letter Words?

Four-letter words have become an accepted part of our everyday society, but when was the last time you heard the three-letter word called sin mentioned anywhere? Apart from a church setting, probably never. Yet, sin is the biggest obstacle to prosperity in any nation.

So, who is to say what is sin and what is not sin? Do we as a society, or individuals simply make up our own rules to fit our own behavior? Maybe if we act like it doesn't exist, it will go away! But there is a better way - the Word of God. It is the only absolute we can depend upon in this day of seemingly endless communications on the information highway.

The Bible definition of sin is the transgression of the law. The following Bible verse indicates there are no differences in sins. "For He that said, do not commit adultery, said also do not kill. Now if you commit no adultery, yet if you kill, you are become a transgressor of the law." - (James 2:11) Thus, transgression of the law is simply put, sin. Notice that (James 2:11) mentions both adultery and kill as its examples in the same verse. Does this ring a bell?

 (You might want to read my blog about Satan a couple of blogs back to get a better handle how this concept actually works.)

Once this supposedly highly intelligent and so-called civilized society realizes the quagmire sin produces and the apathy of our ways, maybe it will return once again to seek after repentance and after the God who is able to heal our once prosperous land. Till then, we can continue our quibbles about politics, money, animals, healthcare and the promoting of the very issues that hinder whatever prosperity the people hoped for in the first place.

Have You Been Born-Again?

Jesus told us in John 3:3 that except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Jesus went on to explain the difference between being born of the flesh, and becoming born of the Spirit. Except a man is born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Jesus makes the distinction between the fleshly birth of water to the spiritual birth of the Spirit. That concept is supported in John 6:63, whereby Jesus tells us that it is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing.

Being a Christian is not simply because your parents were one, or you walk into a church building, or do as other religions (Bud-hind-lums), where if you want to join them they tell you to see their priest or leader and he will write your name on a piece of paper. Christianity is a covenant with God (as Abraham made in the OT), this is a New Covenant with God through Jesus. Thus, when you invite Jesus into your life to be your Lord and Savior, you are in essence, making a covenant with Him.

Many say they have tried Christianity, but found it was not as they supposed. For that reason, they wind up making a covenant to bash Christianity as much as they can. All this came about because they did not keep their end of the covenant and now they place the blame upon God. What was the real reason that Christianity did not turn out as they supposed? It was simply because they made a one-sided covenant. A one-sided covenant never works. Isn't that like what some couples do when they get married - where they secretly say, "if I don't like her (or him) later, I will just divorce."

So how do we know the "Born-again" experience is real? There are no rituals or signing-up involved. Everything is done by faith and a free-will. When an individual makes a covenant relationship with God to make Jesus their Lord and Savior, that individual becomes born-again and the Spirit of God takes up residence in that person's heart. You have heard that the proof is in the puddin; in this case, the proof is in the heart. What better proof could one ask for? Do it now and prove it for yourself and ask Jesus into YOUR heart.

What Did Jesus Say About Marriage?

Never in the history of mankind has marriage been outside the realm of one man and one woman. The issue of marriage was already settled in the Old Testament account of Creation. This issue never ensued as a topic in the Gospels and therefore Jesus never address the marriage issue as being challenged today. However, Jesus did verified in the New Testament what God stated in the Old Testament. The following passage contains all the information necessary to clarify and verify how God stands on this issue.

Genesis 1:27-28 reveals how God created man in His own image, male and female He created them and told them to be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth.

Genesis 2:24 expounds how God made the woman from Adam's rib and records how God joined them in the marriage ceremony,  "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

Jesus reinforces the Genesis 2:24 account with clarification in Matthew 19:4 and Mark 10:6 by stating that "from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female, and for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh: so then they are no more two, but one flesh." Without this structure for marriage they could not obey God's command to be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth.

There can be no misinterpretation of the design God proposed for marriage from the beginning seeing that particular stance was never changed in any other place in the Bible. However, as with many laws of God, man chooses to change them to fit his own agenda even if it means denying God Word.

Within all this we can find that the Christian is manifested in contrast to the world. Jesus made the remark that if they hated Me, they will hate you also and He further declared  that the elect shall not be deceived by those things of which man attempts by twisting the Word of God around to fit his own purpose and lusts. 1 John 3:9-10 expounds: "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin (transgression of the law - verse 4); and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil; whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

One side note to all this is that the Bible (1 Timothy 4:3) also predicts in the latter times they will forbid to marry. As things stand today, we see hints of doing away with marriage altogether. Along with that possiblity also comes the probability of those views spilling over into polygamy, child marriage and other deviant practices. Jesus told us of a time that would exceed the wickedness of Noah's day. Could those days be rapidly approaching?

In conclusion, Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that: "We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Once we realize who is behind the wickedness of this world, we can understand that God knows we are but flesh. We all have sinned and fell short of the glory of God. And while you have heard it said that God hates the sin, but loves the sinner, the Bible verifies that statement with a Scripture in Romans, "that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" and through Him is eternal life obtained. Jesus does not condemn us, but as He said when on the cross, "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do." God loves us and forgives us, but we must be willing to accept that forgiveness and the salvation provided through His Son Jesus. Invite Him into you life to become your Lord and Savior today. Only when we do our part, will God do His part. He will not override your free-will.

*************************************************************************************

What Should it Profit a Man?

 A virtue so central to Christianity's core values is enclosed within (1 Corinthians 13).

• 1 Cor. 13:1) "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become  as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."
• 1 Cor. 13:2) "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing."
• 1 Cor. 13:3) "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."

Before the Lord ascended into heaven, He left us with the Great Commission to go forth and teach all nations about the mighty salvation, which He has provided for the world. An important truth emerges within verses 1-3 above regarding how to approach evangelizing.

(Verse 1) signifies that no matter how faithful our witness appears or how gracious our words may sound, if we have self-gratifying purposes without a motive out of pure love - the words we speak are merely as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.

(Verse 2) - If we have the gift of prophecy so we know the beginning to the end and understand every mystery God has kept from us these many years, and understand everything in the Bible from cover to cover, and faith to move every mountain we encounter, everything is meaningless if we do not have love.

(Verse 3) - If we give to charity or to the poor $50, $1000, $10,000, or every ounce of our possessions; it profits us nothing if not given out of love.

The Bible declares that men will become more wicked and vile in these last days, and the love of many will wax cold. However, a Christian is not of the world and Jesus is the lesson we learn in these three verses. He set the example for us to follow. Everything He did was out of love and fully forgiving what we have done in our lives, by dying in our place and paying our penalty. If we are to bear any fruit by carrying out the Great Commission as He commanded, love must be our foremost concern. Without love, even for our enemies, we are become as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. As noted in the very last verse in 1 Corinthians 13 - "Now abideth these: faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love." 1 Peter 4:8 reports that "Love covers a multitude of sins." Make it first and foremost in your witness endeavors and, may God bless your efforts.