For the moment, set aside the expectations of the experts—prominent preachers, worship leaders, ‘successful’ churches, long-time learned theologians.
– – –
Consider the following without thinking about what you’ve heard.
Just ‘see for yourself’ it it’s really in the Bible—not something somebody tried to fit into the Bible.
– – –
1-once saved, always saved
2-age of accountability
3-trinity
4-infant baptism saves
5-promised prosperity
6-guaranteed healing
7-peace with everybody
8-retirement
9-financial portfolio
10-rapture without persecution/tribulation
11-smooth sailing
12-always up
13-avoid politics
14-be nice
15-non-confrontational
16-inclusiveness
17-non-violence
18-
– – –
Almost guaranteed you can’t read through that list without automatically thinking about what somebody has said.
It’s more work to open your Bible and find The Word’s words on the subject.
It’s much easier to let someone else do the work, and then tell you what’s right.
With all the variety out there, you can find something that suits you.
– – –
And that, my friends, is why many churches over many centuries become so ‘successful’/powerful.
– – –
– – –
This may sound like a one-sided article, without answers.
The point—OPEN ‘YOUR’ BIBLE ! ! !
DO ‘YOU’ SEE IT IN THE BIBLE ?
RIGHTEOUS ANGER
“Sometimes the tables need to be turned over.”
—–Don Wildmon (founder of American Family Association)
(In righteous anger Jesus turned over the tables and used a whip to drive people out of his Father’s House, the Temple—when evil had taken over.)
I WAS THINKING
“The other day I was thinking . . .
And then I realized that didn’t work.”
MORE THAN MY DAILY FOOD
How valuable is the Word of God ?
How valuable could the Word of God be to me ?
“I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily food.”
How does that happen ?
First, know that I need to hear from God, from the Bible.
Then, ingest some every day, and digest it.
Then, develop a taste, a craving, until the Word of God becomes a necessity, foremost in my day, for life.
THE GOVERNMENT IS HERE TO HELP
The administration in Washington is sending thousands of government personnel to the border to help with the immigration crisis.
What sounds noble and helpful at first hearing—IS NOT !
Biden’s help is going to make sure the flood of illegal immigration continues successfully, to further ensure the destruction of the United States as a sovereign country.
– – –
Who is going to stop Joe Biden and company—enemy of America ?
DEATH PENALTY + and –
Death Penalty—implemented in the U.S., and still debated.
Pro
+”Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.”
+”If you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.”
+The punishment fits the crime of murder.
+The punishment deters crime, including the death penalty.
Con
–Some claim that all criminals should be rehabilitated.
–Some criminals could be sentenced by mistake.
–Some think another person should not be killed for any crime.
– – –
The other Death Penalty, widely implemented in the U.S., and still hotly debated.
Pro
+Letting this person live will ruin my life, my plans.
+It’s okay if the government says it’s legal, and if I pay someone else to do it.
+I’m for it because I’ll never expect to see the person.
+Do it right away, don’t think about it, and you can put it behind you.
Con
-The punishment does not fit the crime—NO CRIME, always innocent.
-Government is always wrong legalizing this death penalty.
-Murder for hire serves no justification, and generates a lot of money—evil incentive.
-The heart and soul never forget what the eyes don’t see, or don’t expect to see.
-God knows you—who you are—before you are born.
IF JESUS WAS ALIVE TODAY . . .
What if Jesus was alive today ?
HE IS !
JESUS IS ALIVE TODAY !
– – –
What if Jesus was here today ?
Would that bother me ?
Would that help me ?
Would that thrill me ?
– – –
What if Jesus was here today ?
HE IS !
JESUS IS HERE TODAY !
DOES that bother me ?
DOES that help me ?
DOES that thrill me ?
FEAR OF GOD
The “fear of God” is all over the Bible, so it must be a big deal.
The fear of God is something so awesome, I don’t dare try to explain it.
I know the preachers and teachers and other theologians are compelled to explain the fear of God when they are asked, and when they are not asked.
I always get the feeling that they’re trying to tone it down, so the word ‘fear’ does not scare anybody away. *
My rule for explaining God is to simply use other Bible verses, and tell people to find those verses and read for themselves what God says about Himself.
What God says, counts ! ! !
What man says, not so much.
What I say, not so much.
I believe God tells us all we need to know about Himself, and all we need to know about how to live.
If we study what He actually tells us, that is enough for us to apply, practice, obey, for our lifetime.
– – –
The main thing I am compelled to add to the above, is warnings about what is constantly added to the Word of God, dangerously and unnecessarily so.
– – –
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”
“The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life.”
“Through the fear of the Lord, a man avoids evil.”
“Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come.”
“The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”
“The church grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.”
“Blessed is the man who fears the Lord.”
“Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
Than great treasure and turmoil with it.”
“How blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
Who greatly delights in His commandments.”
“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
– – –
Those verses just scratch the surface of the many wonderful Bible verses on the fear of God—fear and comfort—beyond and close—awe and confidence—distance and discernment—and on and on.
It all starts with recognizing how great God is, and then learning how He wants to have a loving relationship with us, and how He makes that possible through Jesus bridging the gap between us.
Just start reading and you will be blessed, and get excited—that’s the power of the Word of God.
* Just a thought—“Did you ever hear a message that scared the hell out of you?”
Not a bad thing in the L O N G run.
WHAT DID THE ALAMO DEFENDERS ACCOMPLISH ?
They all died.
They all knew they were all going to die.
They did not know the future success of their sacrifice.
So, why ?
– – –
They ignited a passion that immediately won Texas Independence.
They ignited a passion with a cry that remains fixed in the heart of every Texan to this day, nearly two centuries later, and in many others fighting for freedom—“REMEMBER THE ALAMO !”
– – –
Texans, Americans, we better reclaim that passion and cry for our very freedom, now, or it will be too late.
– – –
REMEMBER THE ALAMO !
– – –
Remember Lincoln’s line at Gettysburg, “. . . that those who died will not have died in vain.”
– – –
Surveillance is the greatest obstacle, the greatest enemy, preventing leadership for freedom-restoration revolution.
It’s not safe, and it’s stopping us.
– – –
NOTHING is working to stop what’s happening to America—NOTHING is stopping any of it ! ! !
– – –
Documenting the disaster is not decimating the disaster, Congressional hearings notwithstanding.
We only wish it were otherwise.
Dream on, for just another day, like we all go to work, for just another day, to buy food and pay bills, for just another day—UNTIL THE DAY WE CAN’T.
– – –
– – –
Freedom requires a “pledge” of sacrifice again—loss of “lives”—loss of “fortunes”—loss of “sacred honor”/reputation—so someone else may live and work and gain favor, in freedom.