Posts filed under ‘emergent church’
Discerning the Times: Departing the Faith
Of course, what is just as concerning, if not more so, are the many leaders within Christendom who have not yet physically left the faith, but have remained, teaching heresies to followers, which results in creating heretics. This latter group may be far worse than the first, though both are clearly problematic. While the first group has at least been honest enough to admit their own failure to believe truth and have, realizing they cannot remain, the latter group has walked away from the truth and replaced it with lies, yet they remain in positions of authority within Christendom.
Fear Not
God wants us to “sit down” on the inside by empowering us to live as He would have us live. Interestingly enough, if we actually learn to biblically fear God, we will, I believe, at the same time, be learning to “fear not” or to “rest in Him” as He works in and through us for His good pleasure.
Inevitable Tragedy of Evil Rulers
The evil of so many kings of Israel/Judah tends to shock us because this was the nation that God created, revealed Himself to, and gave His Law to so that they would be a light to the world. We wonder how after experiencing so many blessings and miracles came to a point of rejecting God? It is the same reason people do so today; it is due to our sin and our unwillingness to live in fear of the Lord that would cause us to live godly lives, which is seen in obedience to Him. This puts us at odds with God. Even as Christians, if we are not careful to nurture our relationship with God, we will fail.
Are We There?
Over the past week or so, I’ve pretty much stopped going to social networks. It’s always the same repeatedly. I’d rather ignore what’s there and just concentrate on what God is doing. If I am learning to fear Him, then I must be willing to let go of those things of this world that keep me bound to frustration, worry and concern.
I honestly believe that as we separate from the Babylon system, we will be honoring Him and what we do in secret will be rewarded openly and that includes a greater awareness of Him and His work in and through us.
Will you join me in praying for each other that we will learn to offer Him our sacrifice of fear that leads to obedience?
Discerning the Times: Heretics, Racism and New Numbers for Holocaust?
Our anti-Christian society wants us all to conform. They want churches to play by their rules. They don’t like it when some pastors try to buck the world’s system and government officials then decide to come down on them for their unwillingness to tow the line. But in fact, Christians have a much higher calling and it is now past time for us to realize and understand this. If we say we are Christians, shouldn’t we understand and live in a way that prompts us to follow Jesus regardless of the cost?
Grow in your godly fear Him this week!
False Teachers and Prophets, Part 9
There are way too many false teachers today; both men and women. While some are calling them out, too often, those voices are being ignored or silenced. This should not be. Reading through 1 and 2 Samuel proves that any nation who ignores God’s rule is destined for destruction, often coming from within. God seems to turn nations over to their own desires (Romans 1), and allows them to fail and fall all because they chose to ignore God and try to play by their own rules.
Satan’s Cloaked Kingdom
If we understand exactly how Satan gained control of many things, we will at the same time become more able to appreciate just how much more God controls. While it is completely true that Satan is a fully defeated foe, in the present, he is given freedom as though he is not at all defeated. This is a crucial difference to understand because it alerts us to the real issue: our need to constantly rely on God, His strength, grace and discernment to do proper battle with our biggest enemy, the battle for people’s souls. We are in the thick of that.
Discerning the Times: Truth for Christians
Ironside clearly enunciates the truth of Scripture and proves that while our lives should continually improve because of our standing and position before Christ and the progress that we are to make as we daily surrender to Him, the fact remains that those caught up in some form of holiness movement become either entirely hypocritical or have some type of breakdown and/or falling away from the faith. This belief that we can reach a state of absolute pure and consistent holiness without ever again sinning is not taught in Scripture and Ironside explains that very clearly.
God is Big Business
As can be expected, there are plenty of professing Christians who continue to state that we should not “judge.” After all, we are all fallen creatures saved only by God’s grace extended to us. That of course is true, but this idea of “not judging” is increasingly becoming the battle cry of those within Christendom who choose to only emphasize God’s grace as though God has nothing to do with holiness and therefore does not require it of those who follow Him. True, we are not to judge another person’s heart condition or their motivation for doing something. That, however, does not preclude us from judging another’s words or actions on their face. In fact, we are called in many places to do this (John 7:24; 1 Cor 11:5-13; Rom 12:9; 2 Tim 2:16-17; 3 John 1:9-10, etc.). We are called to make correct judgments and of course, our judgment should always begin with ourselves, but this does not mean we should never judge the words or actions of someone else who claims to be a Christian. In fact, we must do this, comparing those words and actions to our highest authority – Scripture.
What is Repentance Unto Salvation?
What is repentance? What is it supposed to be “feel” like if feelings play any part? What is supposed to prompt a person to do? Is repentance and “once for all” issue that happens prior to embracing salvation? Is repentance something that Christians should exercise throughout their lives?
StudyGrowKnow 