No other fear is like this fear. The Bible tells us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Why is that?
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Fear of Death
The Bible tells us that we do not need to fear death if we have faith. The key is in having that faith.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Fear of People
Much of the stress in our lives comes because we need to do something that will upset someone else. They may not like us anymore or seek retribution. Thus, we fail to do what we need to do.
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Seven Predictions of Our Future If a Holy Spirit Led Revival Doesn't Come to America
Nearly all predictions are wrong. That is why people either predict very often and get some of their predictions right or they predict so far into the future that they can't be proven wrong during their lifetimes. However, I have been watching what is happening in America and see a dismal future if the Holy Spirit does not bring a revival to our country. Some of these predictions are already coming true.
I'll try to state these succinctly.
Prediction 1: People are going to get meaner and there will be more violence.
Less people are going to church. Less people are being influenced by Christian principles. It is more acceptable to seek revenge, hold grudges and lash out at others. Those who have been bullied are becoming bullies. Where are people going to find out that they should love one another if they don't go to church.
Now I know that some people will say that they will teach that in their own homes. They will require their children to treat others with respect. Always treating people with respect is not hard. It is impossible as long as we are trying to do it in our flesh. The flesh looks good when people are watching but has now foundational motivation for treating others with respect when no one is looking. Thus, the meanness and violence will escalate when others bring it to the table.
The world does not have nor knows much about the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that changes us. The fewer people being changed, the less bad behavior will be noticed. America will go the way of flesh which demands that it is satisfied.
We will remain exactly what we are in the flesh if we are not changed by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (ESV)
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Prediction 2: Customer service will be a thing of the past.
This doesn't sound so bad, does it? After all, customer service is already a thing of the past in some businesses. During the last recession people said they wanted jobs but what they really wanted were paychecks. The businesses where they work have no loyalty to them and they have no loyalty to their business. They have no concern for the businesses' customers. Why should people care for others when they is not something built into them to care for others?
Matthew 7:12 (ESV)
12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Prediction 3: America will continue to devalue life.
Children are aborted in this country in alarming numbers. Most of the time it is because they are unwanted. Value is determined by how much an item or even a person is wanted. It is, therefore, acceptable to abort children.
I wonder when this will escalate to allowing old people to die. Elimination of the expense should be expected when the value of life doesn't exceed the cost. If people are created by a biological function alone, they can be eliminated because they only belong to the realm of biology.
Psalm 139:14 (ESV)
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Prediction 4: There will be an increasing persecution of Christians.
I recently heard someone thank God that we could worship freely in America. I thought to myself, "At least for now," because I don't know how long that will last. Christians are already being persecuted if they stand against the immoral values of secular America. America does not tolerate voices which stand for righteousness. Thus, many of the Christian principles will be labeled "hate crimes" and Christians will be persecuted for them.
Matthew 24:9 (ESV)
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.
Prediction 5: There will be a larger population of "Fast Food" Christians.
Many Christians attend church and serve God as long as it is convenient. Many of the growing churches are snagging these Christians by eliminating the need to spend more than one hour per week doing anything for God. There is very little mentioned about changed lives. Attendance is the only thing that matters. And, by the way, there are lots of people who like a judgment free, no commitment type of Christianity.
2 Timothy 3:1-7 (ESV)
1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
Prediction 6: Christians will demand messages from their preachers which tell them how to be rooted in this world.
Thus, more messages will tell people how they can manipulate God into giving them whatever they want. These messages will tell the people that they do not need to repent. These messages will say that any lifestyle is okay as long as it is acceptable by the world. The messages will claim that going along and getting along are God's desires for Christians. Christians will hear of a God who is going to make them rich beyond their wildest imaginations.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 (ESV)
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Prediction 7: America will become more and more a totalitarian state.
The waning influence of Christians to affect truth will result in more and more corruption. Thus, the state will have to watch each citizen more thoroughly than ever before. It will be more than just red light cameras which are watching the people. Each conversation will be scrutinized. Each act will determine if a person will keep his or her job. More and more reporting will be required by the government. It will all be done in the name of peace and safety.
Pharaoh made things harder on the Jewish people when they asked to be released. He put tighter restrictions on them so that he could maintain control. Thus, America will follow this pattern for all her people.
Exodus 5:6-9 (ESV)
6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.”
The only hope for America is revival. And Christians have the ability to usher that revival in. But will we? Well, we haven't in a very long time.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)
14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
I'll try to state these succinctly.
Prediction 1: People are going to get meaner and there will be more violence.
Less people are going to church. Less people are being influenced by Christian principles. It is more acceptable to seek revenge, hold grudges and lash out at others. Those who have been bullied are becoming bullies. Where are people going to find out that they should love one another if they don't go to church.
Now I know that some people will say that they will teach that in their own homes. They will require their children to treat others with respect. Always treating people with respect is not hard. It is impossible as long as we are trying to do it in our flesh. The flesh looks good when people are watching but has now foundational motivation for treating others with respect when no one is looking. Thus, the meanness and violence will escalate when others bring it to the table.
The world does not have nor knows much about the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that changes us. The fewer people being changed, the less bad behavior will be noticed. America will go the way of flesh which demands that it is satisfied.
We will remain exactly what we are in the flesh if we are not changed by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (ESV)
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Prediction 2: Customer service will be a thing of the past.
This doesn't sound so bad, does it? After all, customer service is already a thing of the past in some businesses. During the last recession people said they wanted jobs but what they really wanted were paychecks. The businesses where they work have no loyalty to them and they have no loyalty to their business. They have no concern for the businesses' customers. Why should people care for others when they is not something built into them to care for others?
Matthew 7:12 (ESV)
12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Prediction 3: America will continue to devalue life.
Children are aborted in this country in alarming numbers. Most of the time it is because they are unwanted. Value is determined by how much an item or even a person is wanted. It is, therefore, acceptable to abort children.
I wonder when this will escalate to allowing old people to die. Elimination of the expense should be expected when the value of life doesn't exceed the cost. If people are created by a biological function alone, they can be eliminated because they only belong to the realm of biology.
Psalm 139:14 (ESV)
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Prediction 4: There will be an increasing persecution of Christians.
I recently heard someone thank God that we could worship freely in America. I thought to myself, "At least for now," because I don't know how long that will last. Christians are already being persecuted if they stand against the immoral values of secular America. America does not tolerate voices which stand for righteousness. Thus, many of the Christian principles will be labeled "hate crimes" and Christians will be persecuted for them.
Matthew 24:9 (ESV)
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.
Prediction 5: There will be a larger population of "Fast Food" Christians.
Many Christians attend church and serve God as long as it is convenient. Many of the growing churches are snagging these Christians by eliminating the need to spend more than one hour per week doing anything for God. There is very little mentioned about changed lives. Attendance is the only thing that matters. And, by the way, there are lots of people who like a judgment free, no commitment type of Christianity.
2 Timothy 3:1-7 (ESV)
1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
Prediction 6: Christians will demand messages from their preachers which tell them how to be rooted in this world.
Thus, more messages will tell people how they can manipulate God into giving them whatever they want. These messages will tell the people that they do not need to repent. These messages will say that any lifestyle is okay as long as it is acceptable by the world. The messages will claim that going along and getting along are God's desires for Christians. Christians will hear of a God who is going to make them rich beyond their wildest imaginations.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 (ESV)
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Prediction 7: America will become more and more a totalitarian state.
The waning influence of Christians to affect truth will result in more and more corruption. Thus, the state will have to watch each citizen more thoroughly than ever before. It will be more than just red light cameras which are watching the people. Each conversation will be scrutinized. Each act will determine if a person will keep his or her job. More and more reporting will be required by the government. It will all be done in the name of peace and safety.
Pharaoh made things harder on the Jewish people when they asked to be released. He put tighter restrictions on them so that he could maintain control. Thus, America will follow this pattern for all her people.
Exodus 5:6-9 (ESV)
6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.”
The only hope for America is revival. And Christians have the ability to usher that revival in. But will we? Well, we haven't in a very long time.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)
14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
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