WERE YOU LEFT BEHIND? THERE IS HOPE. INFORMATION PAGE UNDER "TEACHINGS".
HE'S COMING BACK SOON
THE DOOR
KNOCKIN’ ON HEAVEN’S DOOR
Bob Dylan wrote a song in 1973 called “Knockin' on Heaven's Door”. It was written for the movie “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid”. It was to lament the thoughts of a dying sheriff in the movie. But the song can relate to just about anyone, including you and me.
The dying sheriff in the movie knew that his time was near. The first lines from the song are…
“Mama, take this badge off of me…I can't use it anymore. It's gettin' dark, too dark to see…I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door.”
Jesus taught his disciples many things while in this world. Many of them were teachings on how to interact with others, like being forgiving, being careful about judging others, and how to love others. But his primary teachings were about the Kingdom of God…and how to get there. He told people that He was the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6) Talk about a powerful verse! It could be worded this way, “I am the way to Heaven, the key to ALL truths, and in believing in Me…there is eternal life.” All three hold the key to our future.
We’ve already talked about the “narrow way” and the “straight gate” which refer to the path that we must take to get to Heaven, as opposed to the “wide…gate and broad…road that lead to destruction.” But Jesus also taught about a “door” in Heaven. This door is referred to several times in the New Testament.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)
This door will be opened for anyone that is truly seeking God. It’s a door that we can go through when we need to talk to God. It’s the door that opens up to the throne room…
“Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)
What a blessing to know that we can go through this door anytime we want, and He’s there waiting for us.
Jesus talked about those who shut the door on people that are truly seeking to know God. He said to them…
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.” (Matthew 23:13)
Jesus taught that people had to be born again to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the Pharisees wanted them to keep bringing their sacrifices and offerings, and to keep doing whatever they told them. They did not recognize the Truth, and they didn’t want anyone else to either.
“Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.” (Matthew 24:33)
Jesus had been telling his followers about the signs that would precede His return to Earth. These signs were meant to show us just how close we are to entering the door for good, the door to our Heavenly home. Since the time of the Apostles right up to today, these signs have been appearing, with their frequency and severity increasing as the days go by. If you look at these signs that Jesus pointed out, you will see that we’re almost there…right at the door.
In the parable of the Ten Virgins, Jesus describes how the church would look when He returns to rapture his bride, the true believers, from the hour of testing that is going to come on the whole world. According to the parable, if I am interpreting it correctly, only half of those who profess to be Christians will be allowed into Heaven at the time of the rapture. The others will be locked out because they are missing the main ingredient that is needed to be a born again believer. That ingredient is the Holy Spirit, which God fills each of us with when we truly come to the Lord with broken and contrite hearts, and know that without Jesus they will never enter Heaven or the Eternal state that awaits those who have put their faith in what He did at the cross.
"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
"Later the others also came. 'Lord, Lord,' they said, 'open the door for us!'
"But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I don't know you.'
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:10-13)
In the parable, the five foolish virgins were told by the five wise ones to get some oil quickly, before the bridegroom arrived. But like the rapture, when Jesus comes for his bride, only some will be ready to go. The others will be left behind.
“Later the others also came.” After the Rapture happens, those who proclaimed to know Jesus, perhaps because they attended a church, or said that they “believed” in “god”, will look to the sky saying “Lord, Lord, open the door for us!” At that point the door to Heaven will have been shut to them. But during the time of testing, they will have a chance to prove their “new” belief in Jesus as Savior.
And I believe there will be MANY, who today, will tell you that they are saved for various reasons, including that they believe in Jesus. But none of those reasons will include spending time with God in prayer, and growing closer to Him each day. Without a broken and contrite heart calling out for God to save them, they will be professors of Christ in name only, but not truly born again. I stress this point because I don’t believe there are many churches today who teach about being born again. There are very few that have altar calls where people who want to be saved can come forward and be led in a true prayer for the forgiveness of their sins. It seems that most churches instead teach “feel good” sermons and send everyone home happy until next Sunday.
This makes me think of those broken people sitting in pews with no one to guide them. A good shepherd is supposed to, but it’s hard to find one who will care for each individual lamb. Sadly, many will mislead their flocks into believing that they need to do nothing more than show up on Sundays to be saved.
In the last two verses above, the Lord’s response to those who are not born again was “Truly I tell you, I don't know you.” Time is running out for those people right now. In my daily prayers I plead to God for these people, especially the ones that think they are saved…but aren’t.
And finally, Jesus warns us all to “keep watch”. This term is one that my wife and I stress to others. We do that because when we look around it seems like no one is talking about God. Only a few friends and family members “want” to talk about Jesus. But most people seem to be more interested in things that have nothing to do with God. Those people are not watching for God, hoping for His soon return. And again, there are many professors of Christianity who never talk about God. They don’t seem to be looking for Him at all. But the Bible tells us that we should be watching. And if we’re not, it might be a good idea to find out what God means by “keeping watch.” Pertaining to this, John Gill wrote…
“Watch therefore,.... In ordinances, in prayer, public and private, in hearing the word, at the Lord's supper, and in every religious exercise; over the heart, the thoughts and affections of it; over words, actions, life, and conversation; and against all sin and unbelief, Satan's temptations, the world, and its charms and snares, false teachers, and their doctrines, and for the bridegroom's coming. This is the use and application of the whole parable, and shows the general design of it.”
F.B. Meyer wrote…
“How few there are who approve themselves as chosen for that inner intimacy! We must see to it that our hearts are pure with virginal purity, and that the light is ever burning in our hearts, through the continual inpouring of the oil of the Holy Spirit.”
THERE WILL BE NO “HEAD’S UP” BEFORE JESUS COMES FOR HIS BRIDE. SO WATCH!
"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” (Revelation 3:7-8)
I love the second verse where Jesus says, “I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” Many of us are holding on to what seems like the tattered end of a rope at times, wondering how much longer we can hold out. The Bible calls this “patience endurance”. Paul wrote about this in 2nd Corinthians…
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.” (2nd Corinthians 1:3-7)
I don’t believe there is anything that we can go through in this life, that Jesus cannot sympathize with. When He spoke of us having “little strength” he knew that feeling very well. And so did many of the early Christians. Some of them even suffered martyrdom. They could have turned back, but they “knew” Jesus. They knew that He died for them on the cross, and that all their sins had been paid for, and that His death was actually their doorway into eternity. To die for Christ, instead of denying Him, would be an honor, it would be the victory of all victories.
But, when speaking to the church in Laodicea, Jesus said…
“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.” (Revelation 3:19-21)
These words were to a church that is like many of them today. Jesus calls them “lukewarm”. They are lukewarm because they “have a form of godliness but deny its power”. (2nd Timothy 3:5) In this letter to Laodicea, Jesus tells them to “be earnest and repent”. A church is where we are supposed to go and worship God and glorify him…not ourselves. One of the first things Jesus said in his ministry was “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." (Matthew 4:17)
Jesus did not intend for churches to be a place of entertainment. He did not intend his pastors to be “personal motivators”. He intended his church to be a place of place where believers meet to honor God with all their hearts, minds, souls, and strength. So, to these churches He says, “repent”. Mounce’s Greek/English Dictionary defines repent…
“To undergo a change in frame of mind and feeling, to repent, Luk_17:3-4; to make a change of principle and practice, to reform, Mat_3:2.”
When we come to the Lord, there are a couple of things that we must understand. We must understand that there is no other way to be saved but believing in what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. We must understand that Jesus died for all our sins and set us free from the penalty of sin…which is death…in Hell. When we realize these things, our hearts should long to thank Jesus for what He did. And not just that first day. Every day of our lives should be changed from that point on.
But if we go back into the world and conform to its ways and ignore the things of God (Romans 12:1-2), there is a very good chance that our conversion was not real. The Holy Spirit’s job is to help us recognize sin in our lives and to help us turn from it. Just like in the parable of the virgins, it’s time to get your oil (the Holy Spirit) and get it fast…before the Bridegroom arrives. If you’re not ready the door will be closed.
So, if Jesus is knockin’ on your door, answer it. Let Him in. He won’t make us open the door. We have to open it for Him to come in. Ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior today.
God Bless!
HAVE YOU STRAYED FROM GOD?
Today is the Day of Salvation
HOW DID WE GET SO FAR AWAY FROM GOD?
I remember watching the Billy Graham crusades on tv when I was younger. I remember getting all dressed up on Easter Sunday and heading to church. At Christmas there were always carols being sung in the churches and at the malls. In the summer when school was out, we went to vacation Bible school. My parents tried to make sure that our lives were built around God.
These things were there to remind us that when everything is said and done, this life is all about God. Praying was a solemn time of bowing our heads and listening to the words being spoken. My uncle Joe was usually the one who said the prayers at our family gatherings. And whenever we entered a church, we knew that we were walking into a place where God was worshiped so we should act respectfully.
We sang out of hymnals, songs like How Great Thou Art, Amazing Grace, and The Old Rugged Cross. In our church there was usually someone who played the piano or an organ. Back then the men wore suits to church, and the women wore dresses. But it didn’t seem to be about looking good; it just seemed like it was the proper way to be reverent before the Lord.
Things sure have changed, I’m not even sure where to begin. One thing is for certain, it doesn’t seem like it’s all about God anymore. The world has been moving away from God ever since Adam and Eve sinned. But now, the church seems to be moving away from God too, and more towards the worship of ourselves. We’ve made our own lives more important than God; and that needs to stop, right now!
We know about the role that sin plays in our lives; it causes decay in the world, and in mankind itself. But now, it seems to be on a fast track, moving forward at a pace that we can’t keep up with. We used to fight the battle of good versus evil, but now we just ignore it if it doesn’t affect us personally. Why is that?
I believe one of the main reasons is that people have become selfish, including myself. When I began to understand how deeply it was rooted in me, I finally began to fight it. One thing that I’ve learned in this battle is that selfishness is a vary devious and deceptive tool, one that Satan uses to cause problems from many different angles. So, what does this have to do with what’s going on in the world, and in the church? Much indeed. We need only look at a simple passage or two from the Bible to understand it a little better. In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he wrote…
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:16-21)
Let’s start with “selfish ambition” because this is how Satan came to fall from Heaven in the first place. He was prideful and felt that he could do a better job than God. He wanted to rule everything…that’s selfish ambition. The Bible also says that the love of money is the root of all evil. Together, these two are a recipe for disaster in our world. Paul warned the young pastor Timothy…
“Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1st Timothy 6:9-10)
Both the world, and the church, have gotten away from these crucial teachings from God’s Word. The Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth (B-I-B-L-E) are being ignored. Without them, we perish. It’s true. The Bible says that people perish for the lack of knowledge. God spoke to Israel about this. He said to the prophet Hosea...
“My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. — a people without understanding will come to ruin! (Hosea 4:6,14)
The very first words from the Book of Proverbs tell us how important wisdom and instruction from the Lord are, and that only fools will despise them…
“The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young—let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance—for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:1-7)
“The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.” (Proverbs 10:14)
Just like Satan, we also want to be the ruler of our own lives. We don’t like restrictions, or people telling us that we’re doing something “sinful”. People say things like “I’m a good person. God wouldn’t send me to Hell.” Those who say things like that don’t know God very well.
It is true that God loves the people of the world, in fact, so much so, that He set up guidelines to help protect us. That’s what the Bible is all about. But without its knowledge and wisdom in our hearts and minds, we walk through this evil world blindfolded, never knowing what’s going to happen, even in our next few steps. Sin has been doing its damage for about 6000 years. God put a stop to it once, and He’s about to do it again, but this time for good.
God could have destroyed all mankind forever when they continued to rebel against Him. That is until a man named Noah came along. At one point God said that He regretted creating man. This is the account from the Book of Genesis…
“The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.
The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.
So the LORD said, "I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them."
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” (Genesis 6:5-8)
The King James Version says, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”
But God did finally wipe mankind from the Earth, with a worldwide flood, that is, except for Noah. He and his family were the only ones that God spared. If it weren’t for Noah, none of us would be here today. If God had not found what He was looking for in Noah, there wouldn’t even be words printed here. (Think about that for a moment.) Who knows what God might have done then. Maybe He would have created a world with just plants and animals, and a garden for just Himself to walk in.
What was so special about Noah that God spared him? The next verse in Genesis reads…
“Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.” (Genesis 6:9)
One man out of perhaps millions, or even billions of people! Just one! Go back to verse eight. It says that Noah found “favor” with God, or “grace”. With Noah, God knew that it was possible for a human to be faithful to Him, to walk in righteousness. How was he able to do that? He did it by doing the things that he knew would please God. We too can do that, but only when we learn about God and what He desires of us. But notice verse eight again. It says that Noah “found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”
We can acquire the same grace that Noah did by believing in Jesus Christ and what He did for us at the cross. If we’re sincere, God’s grace will be poured onto us also through His Holy Spirit.
But what about Noah’s wife and three sons, and their wives? They weren’t perfect, were they? Probably not, but God could not carry on his plan for mankind without the world being repopulated by them. Perhaps the grace that God showed Noah covered his wife, sons, and daughter in laws. But either way, God allowed them to live so that life could go on and His plan for eternity could move forward. Noah’s job at that point became teaching his family as much as he could about living the kind of lives that would be pleasing to God.
We are very fortunate to be here today. But I think that we truly do take our lives for granted. It is only by God’s grace that any of us are here. And if you’re born again, that grace will take you into eternity. Yes, God never gave up on His plan, or us. His Son was sent to rescue us, and fortunately for us, it only takes believing in Him.
But, the rest of the world will perish for the lack of this information. That’s why so many of us try to tell others about what God did for us. But lately, it looks as though not too many are listening. When speaking to His disciples about the end times, Jesus said…
“At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:10-13)
The Apostle Paul speaking to Timothy again wrote…
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.” (2nd Timothy 3:1-9)
Much of these verses speak of the unsaved that are in the world, and even those inside the church, but even worse it also speaks of the false prophets and teachers that will be in our world, and in the churches towards the end, misleading people down the wrong path…which is exactly what’s happening today. Paul goes on to tell him what to expect, and that all who want to live for God will come against opposition.
"You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2nd Timothy 3:10-17)
In the first set of these verses from 2nd Timothy, we see what happens when people do not know or follow the Word of God. In the second set we see how we can become more like Noah, finding favor and grace in God’s sight. Paul is speaking of his own teaching, his way of life, his purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, and suffering. These are some great examples of how any born again believer should act, whether they are speaking to another Christian, or anyone else. He also tells Timothy that this life can have troubles, the same as Jesus taught.
But he goes on to say that the learning Timothy had received from himself, and from his mother and grandmother, had prepared him well, so that he could understand the Scriptures and the surety of the salvation that we have all been promised through Jesus Christ.
And Paul finishes up with one of the most important teaching verses in all the Bible, 2nd Timothy 3:16 and 17. This is vital for anyone who truly wants to know God and His Son Jesus Christ.
Every single word in your Bible was God breathed to every single writer in the Bible. They are the Words of God himself, written down for all peoples, you and I included. With the Bible in your hands, you have access to the same knowledge and wisdom that they had, and that any Bible scholar today has. And with that knowledge and wisdom at your disposal you can navigate this world much better than just flying by on the whims of your own limited wisdom.
God’s Word is truth, the absolute truth, infallible, and inerrant. God’s Word is perfect. All you need to do is ask God to guide you with the help of His Holy Spirit living in you, and He will show you all that you want and need to know.
There are several reasons why, and how, we got so far away from God. The first being that we have allowed Satan to expand his territory year by year. We have not stood up to him in times that we should have. Today, people would rather keep silent, than to speak up against sin. It didn’t use to be that way. Many years ago, kids were taught discipline and the consequences of sin by their parents. But today, we just yell to the next room “Stop that!” and expect lasting results.
On July 8th, 1741, a preacher named Jonathan Edwards gave a sermon titled “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”. It is said that some of the people listening to that sermon felt so convicted of their sin that they held tightly onto their pews in fear that they would literally drop into Hell right that moment. Even with the vastness of today’s internet, it is hard to find a sermon that can compare to the one Mr. Edwards preached. Why is that? It seems as though we’ve all become too polite and reserved to chance offending anyone. There are people in Heaven right now because someone was brave enough to offend them with Truth of God’s Word.
The society that we live in today has made up their own sets of rules, many of them being in direct opposition of what our God teaches us. The biggest one right now seems to be called “Hate Speech”. What that means is, that if someone feels “offended” by what you say, it’s considered hateful speech, and that includes many of the teachings from God’s Word. As I said above, nobody wants to hear that they are “sinning”.
The persecution that comes from just reading the Bible out loud is on the rise. It won’t be long before Bibles will be outlawed altogether. Think I’m kidding? The church organizations will fight it as long as they can, but one day a judge will pound their gavel in favor of the Bible being considered “Hate Speech”.
When the great tribulation spoken of in the Book of Revelation starts, people will be cherishing their Bibles, hiding them wherever they can to prevent the police from confiscating them. They will search high and low looking for the Only thing that can save them…God’s Word.
If only we had listened when we were being taught about God as kids and young adults. If only we had read our Bibles daily, filling our hearts and minds with the Truths of God that can set us all free. If only pastors had been true men of God that preached the whole Bible, and not just the parts that tickle people’s ears and won’t offend anyone. If only we had called on God in daily prayer to guide us through this life. If only we had longed for the New Heaven, and the New Earth, instead of just existing until we die on this one.
If only…
But there is still one thing that all of us can do, and that is tell others about Jesus in person. Soon that will be the only way to save people from the coming tribulation and Hell. Soon preachers won’t be able to preach anymore, and people won’t be able to read or write things pertaining to God and eternal life anymore. Soon there will only be that dusty Bible on the shelf, the one that will soon be worth all the gold in the world.
So, keep reading your Bible. Keep telling children, young and old, about God. Tell family members and friends about what Jesus has done for you and what He wants to do for them.
God Bless you All!
BEWARE OF FALSE TEACHINGS
Don't be Deceived by False Teachers
The Apostle Paul wrote…
“I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4)
There were people in Paul’s time who were distorting the gospel of grace, so he wrote this letter to warn the new believers. His intent was to make sure that they did not go beyond what Jesus had taught about salvation, and God’s grace. Paul also made a visit to Jerusalem to talk with the Apostles there...
“Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain.
Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.
We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.” (Galatians 2:1-5)
Many of the Jews of that time were trying to mix God’s grace with their Old Testament teachings from the law, which included being circumcised as one of the conditions for being a disciple of Jesus. In his letter to the Galatians, he wrote…
“Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation.” (Galatians 6:15)
In the above passage, Paul speaks of those who were preaching “a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached” or “receiving a different spirit from the Spirit you received” or a “different gospel than the one you accepted.” A different Jesus, spirit, and gospel? Today we call that “adding or taking away from God’s Word” which the Lord absolutely prohibits. (See Revelation 22:18-19, I believe this pertains to the rest of God’s Word also.)
Some who were spreading these false teachings were Jewish believers who thought that the Gentiles should have to be circumcised as they were. Some preached these things out of jealousy towards Paul. Others did it for monetary gain, or power. Some probably felt that Jesus’ gospel was too simple, that “anyone” could be saved by it, so they began to add conditions. This is where “teachings of men” came into being. “Their teachings are merely human rules.” (Matthew 15:9) The Bible teaches us…
“Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so.” (Hebrews 13:9)
One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is to guide us into all truth. Jesus told his disciples…
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26)
After I began writing this message, I came across the passage above from Galatians chapter two. In my notes I wrote…
“Having grace towards oneself. The devil loves to make you “feel” like you are under the law. By doing this, or allowing this, we give up the peace and joy that God wants us to feel as people who have been freed from the penalty of sin, which is death.”
So, I began to write something else, on ‘preserving the truth of the gospel’. I thought of how there were so many people are fighting and struggling over so many different doctrines and teachings about God. It was causing a lot of division in the Church, the body of Christ. And as I mentioned in my notes, “By doing this, or allowing this, we give up the peace and joy that God wants us to feel as people who have been freed from the penalty of sin, which is death.”
The truth of the Gospel is that Jesus paid our sin debt…completely! Jesus was asked about the conditions that God required of them…
“Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." (John 6:28-29)
That sounds pretty simple to me. And the gospel of Jesus truly is simple. It was made that way so that ANYONE could be saved…IF they truly believed that Jesus died for them on the cross. For a believer, their sin debt was paid for when Jesus said, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) Perhaps that is a verse that we should write on our palms to remember every single day to remind of us of the joy and peace that come from knowing Jesus as our Savior…”It is finished.”
Today, the gospel is still being distorted. Once again it is being transformed into something different, a different gospel, a different spirit, and a different Jesus. It began with circumcision, but it has now become a variety of different ways, and/or things that you MUST do, to be saved. I capitalized “must” because that’s what these false teachers want you to believe. They want you to believe that THEIR way is the only way, and if you don’t follow their teachings, you will miss out. And it’s not only about missing out on salvation, it’s also about missing out on a healing, a financial windfall, or anything else that your heart desires. Truth is, Jesus is the only thing that we should desire. He said…
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
False teachings have been going on ever since Jesus ascended to Heaven after his resurrection. You will find them in mega churches, and the small ones down the road. But any of them that is preaching a gospel other than the one Jesus and the apostles preached, then the Bible says…
“For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. But we can learn a lot about false teachings, and how to avoid them, if we continue learning and studying God’s Word, with the help of the Holy Spirit.” (2ndCorinthians 11:13-15)
To the Galatians Paul wrote…
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse! (Galatians 1:6-8)
I think the founder of the Mormons forgot this. Joseph Smith said that an angel name Moroni came to him and told him that God wanted Joseph to restore the gospel. Smith said…
“Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious beyond description, and his countenance truly like lightning. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person.” “He (the angel Moroni) said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent (North America), and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants.” (The words of Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church.)
Smith is describing an angel of light who told him of a “new” gospel”, different from the one that our Christian Bible teaches.
According to Wikipedia, there are over 16 million Mormons around the world. That’s a lot of deceived people! And that’s just one of the false religions.
HYPER-GRACE
Some preachers are doing just the opposite of adding conditions. Instead, their messages focus on being free from all human restraints, telling their hearers to “relax” because Jesus did all the work. In essence they are teaching them to “Just say Yes” to sinful habits. They are telling people that being saved is as easy as looking up to the sky and saying “Count me in Jesus” without truly knowing and understanding what He did for them on the cross and at the grave. What I mean is that pastors and teachers are telling everyone “Come on in and be saved!” without telling them that things will have to change in their lives at some point.
“For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” (Jude 1:4)
Does Jesus accept us just as we are? Absolutely! But after asking Him to be our Savior from the penalty of sin, we need to recognize that He is also our Lord. He desires to help us mature us into a people that will be fit to rule and reign with Him on the New Earth. This is where commitment comes in, where we must ask ourselves “Do I really want my life to change, or do I like my life just the way it is?” Most people seem to want it both ways, but Jesus said that we cannot serve both God and money equally, we must serve one or the other. We cannot live for God AND worldly pleasures too.
"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24) “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.” (Luke 8:14)
Jesus spoke of people that would make excuses for not following Him. One of them was “I just got married so I can’t come.” Another was “I just bought some land, and I must go see it.” (See Luke 14:20, 18) This is an example of our world today. We are too busy for the things of God. Our worldly pleasures mean more to us. NOTHING should mean more to us than God!
The world seems to look at God and his son Jesus as “kill joys”, and that following Him will ruin all their fun. It will only ruin their fun if it is evil in the first place, which no one should want to be associated with anyway.
If you, or someone you know is living more for the things of the world, than God; if they are doing things the Bible condemns, then you or they may not be born again, therefore not truly saved. And without being saved you cannot spend eternity with God. The Bible says that Hell, the burning lake of fire will be your eternal home…with no chance of escape.
But if you do seek God’s face, seek to be born again by the Holy Spirit, then God and his son Jesus will become the most important part of your life. Actually, the Bible tells us that Jesus is our brother, our friend, and our confidant. He wants to help us every step of the way in our journey into eternity. This is easy for Him because he truly understands what we go through in the world, because He went through it too, all the way to His death on a Cross. A very important passage for all of us to remember is found in the Book of Hebrews…
“But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.
Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family.So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.” (Hebrews 2:9-11)
One other simple reminder should be…
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)
If this is true, how could God want anything but the best for us?
Now, before I continue, I want to admit that in some ways I had been drawn towards unhealthy ways of living out my Christianity in the past, even to the point of living outside of God’s will for me. The worst of those ways was living a “Hyper-Grace” type of Christianity.
Hyper-Grace is living a life that is not much different than anyone else’s yet claiming that you are indeed a Christian through and through. There is little or no repentance, no changing of your ways to please God, and continuing to practice things that you know are wrong, evil. It’s like showing up for school every day of the year, but never once going to a class or opening your books.
A better way to describe Hyper-Grace, is to say that whatever someone does, good or bad, righteous, or evil, is “covered” by God’s grace and therefore they can do whatever they please without any remorse for their actions that might offend our God. That’s like saying, “Thank you God for saving me, but until I get to Heaven I’m going to live as I want, not as You want.” Can you imagine how that must make God feel? “I sent my Son to die a horrible death for you, and you act like it’s nothing at all?”
If you are living like that you might want to check your ticket for Heaven, it might be a counterfeit. Anyone who has been born again (John 3:3) does not go on intentionally sinning day after day. The Word of God says that we become new people, in and through God’s Spirit.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2nd Corinthians 5:17) “No one who lives in him (Christ) keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.” (1st John 3:6-7)
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he taught what a this “new creation” would look like over time…
“When you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:21-32)
HEALTH, WEALTH, AND PROSPERITY
There are also those out there who are teaching that giving money is the way to success in God’s kingdom. They distort every passage that deals with health, wealth, and prosperity in order to persuade you to give to God’s coffer…via their personal ministries. The only ones getting healthier and wealthier are the false teachers themselves. The Bible teaches us...
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)
In 1st Timothy 3:3 it tells us that overseers, which also means pastors, should “not (be) a lover of money.”
God is our reward. He is all we need. I have stood behind the pulpit myself, and it was an honor to tell people about God. Telling people about what God did for me and showing them the Way to living forever were my only priorities. The Apostle Paul loved to preach for free. He said “What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge.” (1st Corinthians 9:18)
Money has a funny way of corrupting people, and sometimes corrupting their messages for the want of more. The true Gospel of Jesus Christ is about being forgiven of all our sins because God loves us. It’s about Him wanting to spend forever with us, not just the 70 or 80+ years that we’re allotted here and now because of what sin had done to God’s creation, including you and me. Knowing those two things should cause a person to humbly bow their head in unending gratitude for what Jesus has done for them and cause their heart to want to please His.
IDOLATRY (First of all, let’s define what idolatry is.)
Britannica.com - the worship of someone or something other than God as though it were God.
Gotquestions.org - The definition of idolatry, according to Webster, is “the worship of idols or excessive devotion to, or reverence for some person or thing.
Another false teaching concerns idols. People pray to, or through certain idols that are not Jesus Christ himself. These people trust in their idols to be their gateway to Heaven, their hotline to God. But the Bible teaches us that Jesus is our one and only mediator between us and God.
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.” (1stTimothy 2:5-6)
Sadly, the Catholic church has practiced idolatry for a long, long time. They teach that prayers should go through, or even to the Virgin Mary. The website gotquestions.org posted this…
“The Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church, second edition, seems clear enough that prayers on earth can indeed be directed to Mary: “When we pray to [Mary], we are adhering with her to the plan of the Father, who sends his Son to save all men. Like the beloved disciple we welcome Jesus’ mother into our homes, for she has become the mother of all the living. We can pray with and to her” (part 4, § 1, ch. 2, art. 2, ¶ 2679, emphasis added).”
They pray to Saints also. But who should we pray to? Again, gotquestions.org puts it very simply… “All prayer should be directed to our triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Bible allows for prayer to one or all three, because all three are one.”
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are the Holy Trinity. Some deny this, choosing instead to reform the true Godhead into a different one, the one they want you to pray to. Remember the verse at the very beginning?
“I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4)
There are millions of Catholics all over the world, about 1.3 billion. At one time I thought about becoming a Catholic myself. But I’m glad that I didn’t. Because if I had, I would never have gotten to know the true Jesus Christ. As far as I know Catholics are not taught about being born again. Instead, they are taught man-made rituals, told to recite certain prayers at certain times, abstain from certain foods at certain times, and to confess their sins to a priest…who they call Father. The Bible forbids us to call anyone Father except God himself.
“And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.” (Matthew 23:9)
It may sound as though I’m bashing people that call themselves Catholics, but I’m not. I’m only bashing the religion that Martin Luther broke away from when he saw their idolatry and myriad of rules that were not Biblical. The Jewish people of Jesus’ time were much the same, a lot of rituals and man-made laws that were not Biblical according to the writers of the Old Testament.
The Gospel is not about rules, rituals, and idols. It’s about having faith in what Jesus did on the cross…that’s it!!!
When someone is born again, and God’s Spirit begins to work in them, they can look to the Bible for wisdom, understanding, and guideposts to direct them in paths that won’t cause them harm like the sinful paths can do. A couple of passages that have always meant a lot to me, because they’ve helped me at times when I thought that I was failing as a Christian, because of Satan’s accusations towards me, are…
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2)
"I have the right to do anything," you say—but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything"—but not everything is constructive.” (1st Corinthians 10:23)
The second verse is a good reminder when I’m considering some decisions. It causes me to look at the choices in front of me and figure which is best, which is God honoring and which one is not. If something is not God honoring, then I caution myself away from that choice.
Another thing about NOT being born again is that we can never see the kingdom of God according to Jesus. Without being born again we cannot really know Jesus at all…and He will not know us on the day of judgment. Being born again gives us a clearer vision into the realities of life. It gives us the assurance of not going to Hell. There are no negatives about being born again. Not only do we become “new creations”, we also become members of God’s Kingdom which will last forever and ever.
Getting back to idols…Having idols, and actually praying to them goes against God’s commandment…
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thingthat is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God.” (Exodus 20:3-5 KING JAMES VERSION OF THE BIBLE)
A famous television personality walked away from Christianity years ago because of the part where it says, “I the LORD thy God am a jealous God.” Another word for “jealous” is “envious”. I wonder why she opposed those words from God. My guess would be that she loved the things of the world more than she loved God and did not want Him interfering with her life because she had a lot of money, popularity, and probably lived like a queen. Perhaps the Lord’s Spirit was convicting her about making idols of those things, making them more important than Himself.
There are a lot of false teachings in the world today, so we must make sure that our main focus is on God’s Word, our Bible. It’s important to look for a version that is recommended by the Christian community. Personally, I read daily from an older version of the NIV, the 1984 edition. But I use others for my studies, like the King James Version (KJV), the New American Standard Bible (NASB) and a few others. There are versions to be wary of though, so please do your research when looking for a new or different Bible. Please stay away from The Book of Mormon, and the New World Translation of the Bible which the Jehovah Witnesses use. Both are false teachings and not of God. One other note about Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the other false religions…many of them CLAIM to be Christians…but are not. Beware!
Our Christian Bible is our best tool when looking to avoid teachings like the ones that I’ve pointed out already. That’s because there are many men and women out there who are very good at taking certain verses from the Bible and putting a spin on them that distorts from God’s inspired Word and meaning. They do this to make their messages sound more appealing to you…to tickle your ears as the Bible says.
“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2ndTimothy 4:3-4)
Many are drawn to these false teachers because their messages are reaffirming of a person’s current lifestyle of “living YOUR best life now”, instead of “living your life for God.” These teachers, whether they will admit it or not, are working for the devil, not for God. If you’re living for God, you’re living for the future, for the eternity spent with God. But if you’re living your best life now, for yourself, you are living the lie that Satan wants you to live, “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.”
These same teachers NEVER preach about repentance and Hell. Those types of messages convict people about the way that they’re living, and where they’ll go if they don’t stop living the way they are. If they start preaching about sin, repentance, and Hell, you will slowly see people begin to leave their churches because they wanted a happy message, not one that brings them down. They want to hear that it’s ok to keep living their life of sin, that it’s okay with God. Sin is not okay with God. Remember…He sent his Son to die on the cross because of sin.
Scriptures being twisted and used out of context; is why we hear so many people stressing that you must use a verse in the context in which it was written. Take this verse for instance… “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2nd Corinthians 9:7)
A false teacher could easily use the words “God loves a cheerful giver” without talking about what the rest of the verse says. What does it say? It says, “you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion.” Under compulsion means to be urged or pressured. How many televangelists are telling people “if you give…you will get such and such”?
This reminds me of a time when I got a firsthand look at this kind of teaching. Several years ago, I was invited to a church one night, where a special guest was speaking. She was “supposed” to be someone who people were healed by. But she didn’t heal anyone, and several people left very disappointed. But to make matters worse, at the end of the night the speaker said, “Anyone that wants a personal $500 “special word from God” please come forward.” It was a small church, but a few people did go forward. All she did was tell them that God was going to do something special in their lives, and then handed the money to one of her attendants.
God will do something special in someone’s life just because He loves them. He doesn’t need our money. The worst part was seeing one lady in particular who seemed to be badly crippled in some way. You could tell that she wanted to be healed so badly, but after repeated attempts from the speaker to manifest the healing…it never came.
These wolves are everywhere. So, we must be educated about how to recognize them. Most of us have heard the words “con man” before. They’re still out there, but now many of them are wearing suits and carrying Bibles. One day these folks will have to answer to God for every verse they twisted, every dollar they took, and every heart they deceived. These false teachers need to be prayed for, so that they will turn back to God, repent of what they’ve done, and truly ask Jesus to be their Lord and Savior. I say this because a man or woman who has truly been born again lives and walks in the Spirit of God, not the spirit of the flesh. A person born of the Spirit of God will not try to deceive people and take advantage of them. We are to love others…not take their money…or their hope.
If you hear or read a Biblical teaching, but aren’t sure about its validity, or don’t fully understand it, study it. Keep searching for the correct answers until you find them. Never rely on your own worldly wisdom to make your decisions. I did that several times in my earlier Christian life, and it cost me dearly. There are always going to be things from the Bible that we will wonder about, but that’s normal. Pray and ask God to guide you to the answers. They are in the Word of God. If you still cannot find them, hold off on taking any action. One thing that God teaches us in times like that, is patience, which is truly a great virtue. So, memorize this short passage…it will guide you.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.” (Proverbs 3:5-7)
We have a very cunning enemy named Satan, and he will distort anything of God’s that he can. And he often comes disguised as an “angel of light” as I mentioned above, and I think it’s worth going over one more time…
“And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” (2nd Corinthians 11:12-15)
Servants of righteousness in this context can be a pastor, a teacher, a motivational speaker, or anyone else who claims to speak of, or for, God. Again, these “angels of light” can carry Bibles and sound like the most trustworthy person in the world. But Beware!
So, be careful of what you read, watch, and listen to. If it sounds too good to be true, there is a chance that it isn’t. Many books found in Christian books stores today should not be labeled Christian at all. Television evangelists and preachers have to be examined also. If ANYTHING about them doesn’t sound or seem right, look to your Bible, and see if it matches up with what God actually said and meant in His Word. The same goes for radio shows, etc.
I’ve been a born again Christian for over twenty years, and I’m still learning, and unlearning, from some of the teachings that I THOUGHT were truly God inspired…but weren’t. A few years ago, I went through my bookshelves and threw away several books that I had purchased over the years. They sure looked good…until God’s Word shows you the TRUTH. Some of them were well-meaning books, but full of Scripturally distorted teachings.
The biggest thing that I’ve learned throughout these years, was that we must have fellowship with God through the Holy Spirit, in prayer, and when we’re reading His Word. Which means…we must be born again. We must ask God to give us the Holy Spirit.
I have shared this Scripture many times before, but without people truly understanding it many people will die in their sins. The people who thought they were truly saved will perish because they didn’t find out what it really meant. And without it, without being born again, God will one day tell you, “I never knew you.” To them, God was just a “being”. But to the saved…He is our true Father. Jesus tried to explain this to a “religious expert” who didn’t understand…
“Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."
"How can someone be born when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!"
Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'” (John 3:3-7)
We should not be surprised either. The Bible teaches that God is spirit, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." (John 4:24)
I pray that everyone who reads this will ask God to be their Savior, and to fill them with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit connects us with God.
The other morning when I was praying, I started out by saying, “God, I know that you are more than I could ever imagine. You created the universe, the Earth, and us. I feel so inadequate in my prayers to You.” I said that because I wanted to be closer to Him, truly wanting to speak to him as a child to his Father.
As I told my wife the other night “I’m sixty-five years old now, and I’ve spent a lot of time trying to live for God, whether it was attending church, serving in a ministry, or whatever. But now I really want to know my Father. I want to truly understand what it means to be loved by Him and know how to love Him better.”
Our walking with the Lord is a journey that leads us to eternal life. And Salvation is a gift from God. We only need to accept it, truly receive the pardon that Jesus bought for each of us with His blood at the cross.
All of us need to get as close as we possibly can to God. You must be born again. You must pray. You must read the Bible. Sadly, many of these false religions, and false teachers keep us from really knowing God. Without knowing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, true happiness and eternal life will slip from your fingertips. The biggest mistake anyone can make is “thinking” they are saved, without knowing for sure. You must be born again.
I found this writing the other day, and it summed up what I’ve been trying to say…
Lawrence O. Richards wrote…
“You can’t be a “halfway” Christian, or a “social believer.” Ulimately you will choose to go all the way, in full commitment to Jesus. Or your natural instincts will win out, and you’ll turn away from the faith entirely. If you’re in that halfway state, go the whole way, quickly. It’s better to never have known the way, than to know it and turn back.”
“False teaching has no such power to help its adherents attain godliness. In fact, one of the characteristics of false teaching is that it appeals to man’s lower nature. It promises freedom rather than demanding self-control. It offers pleasures rather than calling for commitment. And many a true Christian has, through the de-emphasis of godliness, been led astray by teachers whose emphasis is utterly, tragically false.
So watch out if a teacher promises you “freedom”—and means that you will be able to do whatever you want. And watch out if a teacher promises riches and ease! Jesus has never led His followers to Disneyland. The Jesus road winds off, over the hills, and there, ahead, you can glimpse Calvary.”
ADDED NOTES:
Be wary of flamboyant types who are preaching. They can come across as sounding very convincing, and some come very close to shaming anyone who doubts what they say.
False teachers are called wolves in sheep’s clothing because they can sometimes sound very meek and humble, but inside they are looking to draw you in to teachings that are corrupted.
This was God speaking to Solomon, but it’s also Him speaking to each of us…
“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.” (1stChronicles 28:9)
“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)
In Christs' Love,
Brother Mike
God Bless!
