This is written by a friend of mine. I wanted to post this on my blog because I know it will encourage those who hear.
The article below was written in an apparently popular Russian Journalism Publication. We are going to be, and already are to some degree, the laughing scorn of all the world. Our shameful & blatant wretchedness, greed, murder, abortion, covetousness, sexual immorality, lust, shamefulness, and apostate religion is beginning to come home to roost. Surely it is true that, "God will not be mocked, for whatsoever a man (and/or nation) sows, that shall it also reap." What we are beginning to see now is merely the tip of the iceburg. I am not "psychologically bent" with some natural tendency towards "gloom and doom", but am rather just a realist whom God has spoken to (among MANY others) about "something big (that) is coming" to this nation. Prepare yourself now for eternity.
Are you walking with the Lord in the cool of the day as Adam did, or are you simply going to the temple and making your "mandatory" spiritual sacrifices for the week as did the Pharisees? What do you know better - God's Word or your favorite TV show? Think about that.............. If I asked you about anything Biblical, would you KNOW what the scriptures say (not what you think it says, or what your preacher said)? Now, if I asked you about who is winning on American Idol, or about an episode of Survivor, or about what John & Kate Plus 8 are up to, or about who is marrying/divorcing who in Hollywood, or who is winning in the NBA playoffs - what are you most familiar with? What has your heart - prayer or entertainment? Evangelism or sports? The prophetic Word from the heartbeat of God or America's Funniest Home Videos? World Missions or your personal career advancement? The Law, the Prophets, & the Gospel, or little league sports activities? In fact, are you more familiar with the gospel according to Charles Stanley, Joyce Meyer, Myles Monroe, (insert your favorite teacher here), etc., than you are with the "full counsel of the Word of God" yourself? Can you quote your preacher but can't quote the Words of Jesus (this would make you a prime candidate for any deception and "new wind of doctrine" - Ephesians 4:14) The plight of the poor, needy, and persecuted, or the comfort and happiness of you and those in your own castle? You can fool man - but you can not fool the one who made you and who sees every deed, action, word, and thought in your heart (and what you waste your time on). We will all give account soon before the throne of the Lord of Glory, and it's not going to be like the circus show of Judge Judy's court. His eyes of flaming fire will penetrate your very being. Is that the Lord you walk with daily as you carry your cross? In what way are you currently "purifying yourself" (I John 3:3)? How have you "forsaken all to follow Him"? How are you "d ieing to self daily" and "taking up your cross daily and following Him" (Matthew 16:24)? Think about it.
I was at a home yesterday with someone who had a mailout from the largest church in Rockwall's mailout. It talked about "Vital Verses" for scripture memorization and topical preaching/teaching for each week of the next 3 months. They were all itemized with captions like Faith, Forgiveness, Love, Joy, Peace, Heaven, etc. All very "feel good" aspects of Biblical themes. Something was sorely missing from it all though. The Gospel. It wasn't even "Gospel lite" as some call it, but it is "Another Gospel" altogether, as Paul called it in scripture. There were no scriptures on eternal judgement to come, conviction of sin, the wrath of God, the total depravity of man, holiness, sanctification, regeneration, the cross, denial of self, death to self, carrying your cross daily, forsaking the world, sacrifice, suffering, persecution, etc. Without these, you have no Gospel at all. You have religion and self-righteous works of the law which cannot save.
After all, we know by scripture that "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Jesus)." (Matthew 16:24, Matthew 10:28, Luke 9:23, & Luke 14:27). How are you doing that? ...........................Honestly, think about it - are you? And, we know that, "in fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted," (II Timothy 3:12). Are you being persecuted for your "faith"? Is God's Word untrue or is God a liar? No, "Let God be true and every man a liar" (Romans 3:4). So, if you aren't carrying your cross daily, suffering persecution, and at war with this world (God's enemy - James 4:4) then what makes you think you are "born again"? {"Jesus answered, 'I tell you the truth, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again..................... no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit sives birth to Spirit." (John 3:3,5-6)}. We are in the time of the "great falling away" from the faith. The great apostasy. Everyone I talk to is either not aware of what I am telling you, or they are familiar with these scriptures and "that's the good thing about their church, it teaches the truth" (including the church who sent out the "half-gospel" mailout). If you have a "half-life" spiritually, then you have only death. Cut a living person in half and you half only two pieces of death. There is no longer any life without the whole.
What then should you do? Try to be more Holy? Try to be a "right wing christian conservative political fanatic" and bring on some degree of self-inflicted quasi-persecution? Try to make life harder than it is for you and deny yourself candy, coffee, or cake? No, realize that you can't do anything to earn salvation. Realize that you are lacking in what Christ said characterizes His true followers. AND PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DON'T RUN TO AN APOSTATE CHURCH/PASTOR WHO HAS MADE YOU COMFORTABLE IN YOUR RELIGIOUS EXISTANCE FOR YEARS FOR ADVICE. Get out your Bible, get low before God in humility, cry out to God to truly know the truth, and seek Him with all of your heart. It is the testimony of most who I know who are genuinely converted, not some "sinners prayer" bit from some lukewarm preacher/counselor.
We know that the Lord tells us, "you will seek me and find me WHEN YOU SEEK ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART." (Jeremiah 29:13) So, understand your condition in light of truth, humble yourself before the Lord, seek Him with all your heart, search the truth out in the scriptures (Luther gave his life so that you could have your own Bible without an interpreter to tell you what it means), and stay focused on this one thing until you are truly converted. Nothing else really matters but this one thing. When the angels open up the Book of Life and look to see if your name is written in it, I promise you will remember this very e-mail and know that nothing else (not jobs, family, activities, tv shows, hobbies, pets, homes, etc.) will matter AT ALL. This is all that will matter - Is YOUR name written in that book or not. It will be too late to change course then. The day of grace will be expired and the day of judgment will seperate those who were truly His from those who lived their lives for themselves. And, contrary to popular deception, not many will be written therein. That is not my opinion, but Jesus Himself made that crystal clear when He said,
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and ONLY A FEW FIND IT." (Matthew 7:13-14)
These aren't "options" for the "super-spiritual", but are required and inherant tenants of the true Gospel, true salvation, and true regeneration & discipleship. If this all sounds a little "out there" to you, then make no mistake - you are outside the faith and will be "cast out" there into "outer darkness where there is weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:12), unless you repent. Not do you "know these things (mental ascent)", but are they the reality of your everyday life? You cannot fool the Lord and the exhortation to repent is the greatest example of God's Grace/Love, not flattery and false comfort. "Examine yourselves, test yourselves to see if you are truly in the faith. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you --- unless, of course, you fail the test?" (II Corinthians 13:5). Time is short my friend and you, yes you, will be judged by Him who sees and knows all. Love compels me to warn you of this soon reality.
And lastly, if you are in a church, or have gone to one before, and many of things sound foreign to your hearing and you don't hear them on a weekly basis from the pulpit and in the mouths of so-called "counsellors" there, then get out of that apostate church. RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!! It will very well cost you that if you don't. These man-made kingdoms of religion and money are on the broad road that leads to destruction with the many. Not on the narrow path that leads to life. Choose to seek God alone, in His Word, until He brings you into true New Testament fellowship with the genuine "Body of Christ", and choose to rather be alone with God for a time rather than being in a large multitude of deceieved religionists on their way to hell. If you know, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved..." (Acts 16:31) and "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved- you and your household" (Acts 16:31), and yet many of the other verses and key tenents of New Testament Christianity/Conversion that I mentioned/quoted earlier are foreign to you (and your church's focus), then get out of there now before it's too late. We, as a post-modern culture, don't even know what these scriptures mean when they use the word "Believe". To us, we "believe" anything and everything (if it serves to benefit us), and there is no risk in believing nothing at all or everything at the same time (including opposite viewpoints which is impossible and slightly mentally insane). You may "believe" in parachutes, but you don't truly "believe" in the biblical sense until you put one on and jump out of a plane. Then, it can be truly said, you "believe" in parachutes. Not before. You can "believe" in Jesus, and it can be said as James said, "you believe, ..... good, even the demons believe and tremble." (James 2:19), and obviously you understand that though the demons in hell, and the devil himself "believe that Jesus is the Son of God", they aren't going to heaven, because they haven't been born again and haven't put their trust in Him as their one and only savior!!
I was desperately religiously deceived until I was 23 1/2 years old. Then, I got in God's Word for myself, sought Him with all my heart, saw both my wickedness and deserving of eternal punishment, and His righteous and Holy Law to which I could not stand up to. I cried out not to "get me out of a crunch" or to "soothe my conscience", but I cried out in humility before God that my life was worthless as it was, but I still surrendered it to him, no matter the cost, until I die, if He would accept me in His Kingdom. I was gloriously Born Again, praise be to God, and I was CHANGED from death to Life. God made me "a new creation, old things were passed away and behold, all things become new" (II Corinthians 5:17). I then hated the things that I before loved and loved the things that I before hated. God "put a new Spirit in me and took out my heart of stone and gave me a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26). You are different by nature when Born Again. You have a deposit of God within you and you don't "do good" because you know you are supposed to (self-righteous religion), but because God's Spirit is now within you changing your desires from self to the one who saved you. My sins were obvious and deplorable to all, and God saved me to show the extent of His mercy and grace for His glory. Most of you, by human definitions, are "better people" than I was, no doubt. But, "There is none righteous, no not one, for ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). This just means that you may have a harder time seeing your sinfulness and need for true repentance. Well, if that's the case, then you are headed for the same hell-fire of eternal torment that I was, and unless you repent, God will send you there because that is what we all deserve. Stop and think about these things before it's too late. And God as my wi tness, we don't have alot of time left.
Grace and Peace,
Jeff Marshall
(Russian Article)
American capitalism gone with a whimper Front page / Opinion / Columnists 27.04.2009 Source: Pravda.Ru
It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people. BREAKING NEWS The United States of Torture The strict traditions of Sumo wrestling More... True, the situation has been well prepared on and off for the past century, especially the past twenty years. The initial testing grounds was conducted upon our Holy Russia and a bloody test it was. But we Russians would not just roll over and give up our freedoms and our souls, no matter how much money Wall Street poured into the fists of the Marxists. Those lessons were taken and used to properly prepare the American populace for the surrender of their freedoms and souls, to the whims of their elites and betters.
First, the population was dumbed down through a politicized and substandard education system based on pop culture, rather then the classics. Americans know more about their favorite TV dramas then the drama in DC that directly affects their lives. They care more for their "right" to choke down a McDonalds burger or a BurgerKing burger than for their constitutional rights. Then they turn around and lecture us about our rights and about our "democracy". Pride blind the foolish.
Then their faith in God was destroyed, until their churches, all tens of thousands of different "branches and denominations" were for the most part little more then Sunday circuses and their televangelists and top protestant mega preachers were more then happy to sell out their souls and flocks to be on the "winning" side of one pseudo Marxist politician or another. Their flocks may complain, but when explained that they would be on the "winning" side, their flocks were ever so quick to reject Christ in hopes for earthly power. Even our Holy Orthodox churches are scandalously liberalized in America.
The final collapse has come with the election of Barack Obama. His speed in the past three months has been truly impressive. His spending and money printing has been a record setting, not just in America's short history but in the world. If this keeps up for more then another year, and there is no sign that it will not, America at best will resemble the Wiemar Republic and at worst Zimbabwe. These past two weeks have been the most breath taking of all. First came the announcement of a planned redesign of the American Byzantine tax system, by the very thieves who used it to bankroll their thefts, loses and swindles of hundreds of billions of dollars. These make our Russian oligarchs look little more then ordinary street thugs, in comparison. Yes, the Americans have beat our own thieves in the shear volumes. Should we congratulate them?
These men, of course, are not an elected panel but made up of appointees picked from the very financial oligarchs and their henchmen who are now gorging themselves on trillions of American dollars, in one bailout after another. They are also usurping the rights, duties and powers of the American congress (parliament). Again, congress has put up little more then a whimper to their masters. BREAKING NEWS The United States of Torture The strict traditions of Sumo wrestling More...
Then came Barack Obama's command that GM's (General Motor) president step down from leadership of his company. That is correct, dear reader, in the land of "pure" free markets, the American president now has the power, the self given power, to fire CEOs and we can assume other employees of private companies, at will. Come hither, go dither, the centurion commands his minions.
So it should be no surprise, that the American president has followed this up with a "bold" move of declaring that he and another group of unelected, chosen stooges will now redesign the entire automotive industry and will even be the guarantee of automobile policies. I am sure that if given the chance, they would happily try and redesign it for the whole of the world, too. Prime Minister Putin, less then two months ago, warned Obama and UK's Blair, not to follow the path to Marxism, it only leads to disaster. Apparently, even though we suffered 70 years of this Western sponsored horror show, we know nothing, as foolish, drunken Russians, so let our "wise" Anglo-Saxon fools find out the folly of their own pride. Again, the American public has taken this with barely a whimper...but a "freeman" whimper.
So, should it be any surprise to discover that the Democratically controlled Congress of America is working on passing a new regulation that would give the American Treasury department the power to set "fair" maximum salaries, evaluate performance and control how private companies give out pay raises and bonuses? Senator Barney Franks, a social pervert basking in his homosexuality (of course, amongst the modern, enlightened American societal norm, as well as that of the general West, homosexuality is not only not a looked down upon life choice, but is often praised as a virtue) and his Marxist enlightenment, has led this effort. He stresses that this only affects companies that receive government monies, but it is retroactive and taken to a logical extreme, this would include any company or industry that has ever received a tax break or incentive.
The Russian owners of American companies and industries should look thoughtfully at this and the option of closing their facilities down and fleeing the land of the Red as fast as possible. In other words, divest while there is still value left. The proud American will go down into his slavery with out a fight, beating his chest and proclaiming to the world, how free he really is. The world will only snicker.
Stanislav Mishin
Since being back in Texas I have realized more how American
Christianity is so self consumed. Nothing has changed much. Christians
are still "talking" about the same things, discussing the same
doctrines, having the same problems, fighting over the same biblical
topics, and still holding on to their life. But who's truly picking
up their cross? Laying everything down for His sake no matter the
cost?! My heart grieves at hearing so much biblical knowledge being
boasted, but where is the passion for Jesus?! To make Him known
through our death that He may be glorified?
My mind ponders again about how many do "hear" the word of God, but it is more of a hearing like Herod's, like the people that delighted to
hear from Ezekiel, but do not want to obey. Just because profess
Christians or anyone who does hear the word and understands it does
not mean they truly believe. The Israelites came to believe in some
of God's works, but God saw from the beginning that they never truly
believe IN Him. Some people that Jesus healed believed in the
miracles, but doesn't mean they believe in Jesus for salvation. So
you do meet many professing Christians who do believe in some of what
Jesus did and said, but have not been given the revelation like Peter
that HE IS THE CHRIST, THE SAVIOR and like Joshua that He is our
DELIVERER. If we had such a revelation of Jesus being our salvation
it will surely show in our walk and not just merely our talk.
What made me think about the superficial Christianity here is hearing
from Vali, the brother in India. Vali lives on his needs and works to
only provide for his and his mother's needs and the rest of the time
is given to preach the gospel. Very different from American
Christianity. Vali doesn't have a car. He walks to village to
village preaching the gospel. Vali has so little and does so much for
the sake of Jesus. We in America have sooo much and do very little
for Him, but more for us then we wonder why we aren't having revival.
How sad is that?! American Christianity boast so much in knowledge.
Yes, many can preach and teach a good "holiness" message". Even a
goat can do that, but whats missing is the power of the Holy Spirit
and you can't display the power without living a crucified life,
making Jesus your first love. So preaching a right message does not
mean anything. I've seen many goats enjoy good holiness preaching.
Such good preaching without the power of the Holy Spirit just makes
many goats and sheep legalistic pharisees. But when one is living the
crucified life, beholding Jesus they will preach in the power of the
Spirit and it will cause a shaking that will divide, uproot, expose
most of the goats and build up His true sheep. But American
Christians are more passionate about learning doctrines than beholding
Jesus and being one with Him in His death that they may receive
ressurection power. I'm not saying that doctrines are not important.
They are. But when doctrine is all you have thats a problem. You
become like a pharisee who study the scriptures, but are not willing
to come to Jesus that you may have LIFE(John 5:39-40). People who put doctrine first above delighting themselves in Jesus have no life to
show. They may know a lot about the bible, but have no fruit, still
in bondage to sin and the world, giving no hope to those around
because their life is the same as the world. They hold much zeal in
knowledge, but no zeal to know Jesus intimately. To know Jesus
intimately will cost more than knowing about Him. You must fellowship
in His suffering to know him, but many love their life too much and
cannot stand humiliation for His name sake. To think of loosing your
reputation, living lowly, consider a fool and weak by the world gives
many professing Christians much fear. These professing Christians
will hide their life from others, but make loud boast with their
mouths.
Another thing that Vali got me pondering over just by his life is
servanthood and meekness. Sean and I just found out recently that
Vali is the pastor of the fellowship that we will be working with.
Vali never told us that he's the pastor. We thought he was just one
of the guys in fellowship. Its when Sean ask about the leadership
there that Vali shared that him and another brother was one of the
leaders. Vali has a servant's heart that you do not see in many
leaders today. Many leaders today want to boast in their positions
and titles, boast in how much knowledge they have. Many Christians go
to fellowship expecting to be served by others instead of serving
others. I've met a lot of professing believers who are so bittered at
leadership that they complain about how they weren't discipled
according to what they wanted, that the leaders did not spend enough
time "hanging out" with them, that the leaders should have chased them down. If the leaders have to chase a professing believer down then that is not discipleship. Jesus never chased or forced anyone to
follow Him. When the 72 left He did not chase them down and beg them
to stay. And many leaders fall for the manipulation of these
professing believers who really do not want Jesus, but to be pitied upon. Many goats have been added this way. I am reminded about how Paul the "apostle" approach the Coritihians. With weakness, fear and much trembling(1Cor.2:1-5). Paul definitely had no dependence on his flesh, but to display the cross of Christ in his life. For that is
what will truly minister to His sheep, especially knowing that the
Corithians were very carnal that he could not go on with deeper
knowledge of Christ if they have a hard time swallowing the milk which
is the basic- The Cross. But many leaders, pastors, teachers approach
the body with much pride, ready to teach, thinking they have more to
give than others. Having no clue on how to feed His sheep because
they bring all sorts of doctrines to them when many have not been
made ready for deeper things. Many times I have seen teachers teach
many things that have nothing to do with the cross and it has lead so
many Christians to be legalistic and making many false converts. And many have brought division in the fellowship over non essentials above essentials
I am reminded of a preaching, but I forget who it was by. The
preacher shared how this woman came up to him and ask him why does he keep preaching about the cross and nothing else. The preacher said
that until I see that the people are picking up their cross then I'll
stop. Paul told the Corithians that he could not give them the meat
because they were so immature. He had to still stick to the basics.
Todays Christianity is the same. Many want the meat, but they are not
willing to swallow the milk. To give baby Christians meat will choke
them, puff them up, and bring much hypocrisy in them. Many shepards
do not know like Paul how to give food in due season. We know that
you should never give babies what they want all the time and give into
their whining or else we will make these cute babies monsters. Babies
do not know what is good for them. The same way with baby Christians, but many leaders give in to their whining. They preach on what many want to hear, they hold them so tight, not allowing them to fall that they do not learn how to walk with Christ without depending on man. Many leaders have put themselves in the place of God where many
Christians look to them and not God. Oh how important it is to
make sure that all your preaching and serving points others to Christ
and not to you. But it seems that many leaders like the praise and
attention from man, to be looked at as something great. Woe to those
who enjoy taking the place of God, having others look upon you as an
idol!
These are just some of the things I've been pondering over. There
seems to be so much doctrinal knowledge in American Christianity, but
who's really beholding Jesus and taking the message of the cross
seriously?
Let us Meditate on the basics of Christianity.....
Luke 14:27
27And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be
my disciple
1 John 2:15
15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If
any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Matthew 16:24
Take Up the Cross and Follow Him
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after
Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Matthew 10:37-39
37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And
he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And
he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of
Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life
for My sake will find it.
Luke 9:59-60
59 Then He said to another, "Follow Me."
But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father (meaning, let
me wait till my father dies)."
60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead (meaning, let
the unregenerate take care of the things that concern the
unregenerate), but you go and preach the kingdom of God."
Luke 12:51-53
51 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not
at all, but rather division. 52 For from now on five in one house will
be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53 Father will
be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter
and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."
(If you are picking up your cross, the truth will bring division in
your family who are lost, work, among the lost and lukewarm
Christians. God did not promise peace on earth, but persecution
because many hate the light and the Truth will expose man's wicked
hearts)
Luke 9:62
62 But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow,
and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
Philippians 3:7-10
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for
Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the
loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from
the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness
which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of
His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being
conformed to His death
|
RSS Feed