False Unity - A sign of the end times.

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Psalms 133 KJV

Unity among Christians is to be greatly desired. Of course, in the Psalm above, David is speaking to the Jews of his day. However Paul spoke similarly to the Christian. We are called to unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace so that we will mature, use the gifts that God has given us, and not be influenced by the current "trend" in doctrine (or "Christian" best seller).

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Ephesians 4:1-16 KJV

The Church has fallen away from these plain and simple teachings and is instead seeking a false unity at the price of the Gospel and God's Word. While the Bible plainly teaches that there should be unity in the Body of Christ, this unity beyond the Body that many modern "denominations" are currently seeking is of the devil.

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
2 Timothy 4:1-4 KJV

That time is now.

If someone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don't invite him into your house or encourage him in any way. Anyone who encourages him becomes a partner in his evil work.
2 John 10-11 NLT

Let all those pastors, teachers, who have had Islamic Clerics come into their church and teach, or are considering doing so remember what John taught.

Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Jude KJV

You'd think that Jude had knowledge of the modern "ecumenical" trend. The current movement of protestant denominations joining with the roman catholic church and the roman catholic church seeking to join with their islamic brothers only has one real stumbling block; Jesus Christ. All the world's religions are compatible, except those few (we few) "fanatics" that claim the Jesus Christ is the only name by which we can be saved. I expect to see a coming together of the world's religions in my lifetime. The only question is whether the rapture will occur before, or after, the establishment of the "universal" church.

Tags: unity, Christianity, eschatology

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Keeping the Sabbath

Having a job where I'm required to work, literally, eight days a week has bothered me concerning the Fourth Commandment.

⁸Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: ¹⁰But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: ¹¹For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
(Exodus 20:8-11 KJV)

And what about all those people who work in the service industry. I remember one of the gretest hypocrocies from my youth seemed to be going out for lunch after Church on Sunday. Here we were being taught, don't work on Sunday (I know, the Sabbath is Saturday; that's a whole 'nother post for another day.) and yet we "require" these cooks and waitstaff to work. God says through his servant Paul, that in whatever we do, we should do it for the glory of the Lord.(See 1 Corinthians 10:31) and

²² Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: ²³And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; ²⁴Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
(Colossians 3:22-24 KJV)

If our employer requires us to work on the Sabbath, then we should work on the Sabbath. However, we should especially make clear in our own hearts that the day is truly the Lord's Day.

¹³If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: ¹⁴Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
(Isaiah 58:13-14 KJV)

Tag: Sabbath

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God is in Charge

A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
(Proverbs 16:9 KJV)

Or as the New Living Translation puts it...

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.
(Proverbs 16:9 NLT)

I've learned this through example over the last few days. :-) Some of my work clothes are on a truck in Tampa Florida, as that was where I was planning to be for work next. However, God decided I need to visit San Antonio, Texas first. That's okay,

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
(Romans 8:28 KJV)

Tag: God

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What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas

This is the lie that the hotels, casinos, adult night clubs, and other merchants would like you to believe. It's not uncommon, I've heard some of my co-workers say pretty much the same thing; "What goes on the road stays on the road." Unfortunately that's simply not true. Everything we do stays with us, and not only us but God in heaven knows.

You spread out our sins before you--
our secret sins--and you see them all.
(Psalm 90:8 NLT)

¹¹I could ask the darkness to hide me
and the light around me to become night--

¹² but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are both alike to you.
(Psalm 139:11-12 NLT)

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
(Ecclesiastes 12:14 KJV)

²³Am I a God who is only in one place?" asks the LORD. "Do they think I cannot see what they are doing? ²⁴Can anyone hide from me? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?" asks the LORD.
(Jeremiah 23:23-24 NLT)

Tag: hiding from God

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Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
(Philippians 2:12-16)

Don't just get "fire insurance"! If you are going through life, thinking that you "got saved" and now you have "fire insurance" so you can do anything (no matter how bad) you want... think again. James the brother of Jesus wrote:

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
(James 2:14-17)

Your "fire insurance", without true changes in your life, is worthless. We need to always remember and be deeply thankful because the cross was a horribly painful and shameful death, and through that death our sins were paid. And through the ressurection on the third day, we have hope of eternal life. (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-23)

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
(Ephesians 5:1-21)

Tags: Christianity, Salvation

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Really Good News

There's some lizard selling auto insurance who claims you can save some money; but I've got really good news.

I'm a sinner saved by the grace of God, and you can be too!

What? You don't think you need God's grace? You think a God who is perfectly good won't condemn you to eternal punishment? A God who is perfectly good (not to mention Holy and Just) can't be perfectly good and let us evil sinners get away with our evil actions unpunished. What? You're basically a good person? Yeah, right. Ever tell a lie? Not even a little "white" lie? You're liar. Have you ever stolen anything? Borrowed something without giving it back? Ever? You're a liar and a thief. Ever looked at someone else with lust in your thoughts (heart)? That makes you a lieing, thieving, adulterer. At least you're not a murderer, eh? Okay, that makes you a lieing, thieving, adulterous, murderer. And that's only four of the Ten Commandments!

So, what should a "good" God do with a lieing, thieving, adulterous, murderer? He should throw you (and me!) in the deepest pit of hell and throw away the key! But this good God is also loving! He looks at our wretched condition and knows that we cannot be perfect on our own. So He decided to do most of the work for us (all of the work actually). He sent His Son down here to live the perfect life and then sacrifice that life on the cross, not to pay for his sins (because he was without sin) but ours. He paid the price that we couldn't, the least we can do is live for him. God has given us a choice; accept the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for us and live our lives for him, or suffer eternal punishment for our rebellion.

If you declare that Jesus is Lord, and believe that God brought him back to life, you will be saved. By believing you receive God's approval, and by declaring your faith you are saved.
(Romans 10:9-10)

tag: Good News

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