Saturday, February 22, 2014

Jesus and Him Crucified and the Promise of the Father


Does your minister consistently preach and teach about Jesus and Him crucified and the necessity of the power of the Holy Spirit? I hope so! In many churches, ministers leave out or downplay these vital biblical truths.

 Many modern ministers have replaced the heart and core truths of the Word of God with other things. Either they never minister them, or they downplay their importance. They either exchange the truth for lies, bring in other messages, or over emphasize things that are biblical while under emphasizing what is vital. Many ministers have captivated numerous untrained and immature Christians with things like the purpose-driven life, seeker sensitive living, how to prosper, how to be successful, how to feel good, etc. Others emphasize things that are actually in the Word, but they leave out the importance of Jesus and Him crucified and/or the promise of the Father (Luke 24: 49; Acts 1: 4, 5), which is the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Jesus and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 1: 23; 2: 2) is the heart and core of biblical Christianity. No lost person can be saved without it and no saved person can live victoriously without it. The promise of the Father is so important that after giving the first born-again disciples what we call “The Great Commission,” Jesus told them not to go and carry it out until they had been baptized in the Holy Spirit (Luke 24: 49). 

Please don’t be offended, and I hope that you are the exception, but most modern-day Christians are biblically illiterate. They know very little about the overall Word. If they know anything at all, it is in the context of what their church or denomination emphasizes. Shouldn’t it tell us something about modern Christianity when Christians are divided into so many different groups, with many different beliefs, and each group believes they are right?

The modern church, or at the least, most of the modern church needs spiritual restoration! There will be no true and lasting spiritual restoration without Christians returning to and continually embracing the truth of Jesus and Him crucified and the necessity of the promise of the Father, which was and is the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

The longer it takes for a faithful remnant church to come forth, the more the devil will send his devilish storms. I realize that some people are not motivated when I speak of godly restoration or devilish storms. They have been taught only one side of things. They have been taught that things will get worse, and then Jesus will rapture them out. Others have been taught that things will get worse, and then the second coming takes place. Presently, one group is larger than the other, but both groups work their fingers to the bone—a sign that they depend on self and not the Holy Spirit, but neither group expects spiritual restoration. Evil will wax worse and worse, and many in modern Christianity will fall away, but there will be a faithful remnant that experiences spiritual restoration, and they will know and proclaim, even in the face of increased persecution, the truth and importance of Jesus and Him crucified and the necessity of waiting for the promise of the Father.  

Will you study the Word until you know the truth of Jesus and Him crucified and the baptism in the Holy Spirit? Will you then go and tell even if family, friends, fellow church members and ministers oppose you? Live and minister the truth in love; the Holy Spirit will anoint you, help you, comfort you and never leave you even unto death.

 

 
 

The Culture War in America


The culture war in America is being lost by modern day Christianity. Why? Primarily because a house divided cannot stand and the church in America is definitely divided. Only a faithful remnant church that denies self and takes up the cross, is filled with the Spirit, is sanctified by truth (especially about Jesus and Him crucified), and united in true faith while following Jesus can stand in the gap and be used of the Him to stop the tide.
Each concerned Christian, especially ministers, if they really want to win the cultural war, must take a look at their beliefs in comparison to the Word rightly divided. Judgment begins at the church! We must humbly judge our doctrines and traditions and make the necessary changes. My experience, up to now, is that it is easier to change the spots on a leopard or see an atheist become born again, but I do believe in miracles.  
Hopefully before the American ship goes down, the message of Jesus and Him crucified and the necessity of the promise of the Father will again be shouted from the housetops. If the ship does go down, those Christians who stubbornly held on to manmade doctrines and traditions while blaming the world will be mainly responsible.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Godly Restoration or Devilish Storms

One of the words I heard from the Spirit of the Lord several years ago was that the Church would have spiritual restoration, or there would be devilish storms. The devilish storms are not all weather related, but shortly after the Spirit spoke to me, Katrina took place.

I just heard in my spirit that this present weather storm is a precursor to other kinds of devilish storms. Some of those storms will be on the same magnitude as this weather storm. Some will be personal for people and their families, and others will be widespread. Can they be stopped? It depends on Christians! 
Another word I heard a few years ago after Katrina and some other devilish storms had taken place was that we haven’t seen anything yet. The "anything yet" could be godly restoration or intensified devilish storms, depending on what takes place among the people of God.  
There is hope, but it depends on whether or not enough Christians wake up in time and bring about godly restoration to modern Christianity. The first thing to wake up to is the need for Christians to humble themselves before God and experience true heartfelt repentance. It is not just repentance of fleshly sins; they are to repent of things such as the false doctrines and traditions of men that run rampant throughout modern Christianity, with the resulting lack of true unity of faith. 
Many in the various parts of modern Christianity will vigorously oppose this and other calls for repentance. Others won't have a clue about what is being said along these lines because their religious tunnel vision has blinded them. But may there be enough with eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to respond to form a faithful remnant that will stand in the gap and bring restoration, revival, and awakening before it is too late. I choose godly restoration!

 

 

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Agreement in Prayer

If enough Christians believed God and His Word along with being led only by the Holy Spirit we wouldn’t be so focused on what weather people are forecasting.  We would pray in agreement and stand against ice storms, power outages, etc.

Sometime in someone’s future there will be a faithful remnant Church that has the faith to speak to circumstances just as Jesus did while on earth. We like to speak about our wonderful church services and that is alright, but at those services are we being prepared for devilish storms whether these storms are weather related or not? Let’s get to the place to where we have more faith in God and His Word (especially concerning Jesus and Him crucified) than we have in weather people and their words!

P. S. I went to the water department this morning. I said to a woman, let’s pray for sunshine. She said O boy, I wish so. Wishing to O boy is not going to “get er done”.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

The Church With Jesus Formed Within


This nation is sinking fast! Church as usual must cease and desist. Every true preacher must preach and teach the following truths: 1. Jesus and Him crucified; 2. Jesus is the only Way; 3. the true gospel of the kingdom of God; 4. The baptism in the Holy Spirit with the accompanying gifts.

 Any preacher that does not preach and teach the biblical truth concerning the topics above is hindering the church from what Jesus has called the church to be and do. Game time is way over! The church of feel good is out; the church of religious works is out; the church of it ended and is not for now is out; the church of man's religious doctrines is out; the church of manipulating for earthly wealth is out; the church of give and get rich is out; the church of we are the only church is not only out, but way out. Need I continue?

 The Church with Jesus Christ formed within is in!

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Car Through the Wall


I had a lot of business to take care of yesterday afternoon. One thing was to get my daughter Kristi's car tag. The tag office had been closed for the last couple of days because of snow and ice and there was a pretty good crowd of people inside.

I had gotten about half way through the long line and suddenly there was a loud noise and people starting yelling and running. Someone had driven a car through the wall of the building. The car had struck someone outside and then possibly hit someone inside the building. Everyone was told to leave and the building closed. I pray all will be alright.

I will add a somber note: I was aware that this could have been something else. May the Lord Jesus keep us. I encourage all to study and declare Psalm 91 and to pray that their loved ones are washed with and covered by the blood of Jesus. (Read our message on Psalm 91 Personalized).