I posted this before...but it is so good I had to post again!

The church is merrily proceeding like most of America is repentant, and just needs to understand the grace of God.  Maybe at one time, but not any more.  Like most of Europe (where Luther sparked the Reformation, where Spurgeon and Whitefield preached, where Calvin preached), she is gospel (grace) hardened, and needs to understand her sin in the light of a Holy God.

It is the Law of God that breaks the hard heart and prepares it for the grace and love of God in Christ Jesus....

1Timothy 1:8-11 ESV - Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, (9) understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, (10) the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, (11) in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

Rom 7:12-13 ESV So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. (13) Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.

Once the Law has done its holy work of preparing the heart and producing contrition (with our conscience bearing witness, Rom 2:15), receiving the love and grace of God in Christ becomes the most important thing in the world because of the wrath to come!

1Th 1:10 ESV and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Rom 2:5-8 ESV But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. (6) He will render to each one according to his works: (7) to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; (8) but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

2Co 5:10-11 ESV For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (11) Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.

Oh how great is the love of God!

Eph 2:4-9 ESV But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, (5) even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- (6) and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, (7) so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (8) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, (9) not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Download and read this free e-book by Ray Comfort: God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life.  It is SO worth the read!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Rev 3:1-22 ESV

"And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. "'I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. (2) Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. (3) Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. (4) Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. (5) The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. (6) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

(7) "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: 'The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. (8) "'I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. (9) Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie--behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet and they will learn that I have loved you. (10) Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. (11) I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. (12) The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. (13) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

(14) "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. (15) "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! (16) So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. (17) For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. (18) I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. (19) Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

(20) Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (21) The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. (22) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

Oh yes they are!  I love my family! (Deut 6:1-12)

Revelation 2:1-29 ESV

"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: 'The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. (2) "'I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. (3) I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. (4) But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. (5) Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. (6) Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (7) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'

(8) "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: 'The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. (9) "'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. (10) Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. (11) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.'

(12) "And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: 'The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. (13) "'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. (14) But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. (15) So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. (16) Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. (17) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.'

(18) "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: 'The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. (19) "'I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. (20) But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. (21) I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. (22) Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, (23) and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. (24) But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. (25) Only hold fast what you have until I come.

(26) The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, (27) and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. (28) And I will give him the morning star. (29) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

That sound you hear...it's me...screaming. (Deut 6:7/Eph 6:4/Psalms 78/WHOLE BOOK OF PROVERBS)

Help Lord....

Woke up this morning really thinking about the mission of the church and where it is.  It just seems we have such a long way to go to recapture and reclaim the Gospel message.  All around us, even in church circles, there seems to be an unwillingness to declare the whole counsel of God....

• Repentance?  Nope...not really needed.  Just check a block.
• Fear of God?  Nope...He doesn't want us to fear Him.  (Note: not what our Lord taught...Luke 12:5!)
• Biblical ethics?  Nope...just do what feels right.
• Holiness?  Not needed.
• My life this, my purpose that?  Now that's what I'm talking about!
• The Biblical, one husband one wife family?  C'mon now...don't judge.
• Church services designed for worship and instructing the saints?   LOLOL.

Underneath all this compromise are the masses of the spiritually dead and dying.  Why can't we see that the current path of softening or eliminating parts of God's character and message isn't working?  We've lost the culture!  We've lost most of our children!

The road back is hard but simple: The Scriptures.  All of them.  Every jot and tittle interpreted through the Christ of Scripture and His work. 

• Who is He?  The Son of God and God the Son.
• Why did He come?  Because of sin, defined biblically as "transgression of the law."
• Why did He suffer and die?  To satisfy the wrath of the Father because of His hatred of sin.
• Is this why the Old Testament is such a bloody mosaic with rule after rule? Yes...all designed to point to Christ.
• What is Jesus' message?  Repent and Believe the Gospel.
• What does He promise?  Eternal Life to those who believe.
• Is He the only way to heaven?  Yes.
• What happens to those who don't believe?  Condemnation; an eternal, conscious punishment called Hell.
• Why?  Because God is just.  He must judge and punish unrighteousness.
• What is the over-arching theme that undergirds all the above?  The love of God in Christ Jesus.

We aren't doing anyone any favors by side-stepping the hard truths of Scripture.

Revelation 1:1-20 ESV

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, (2) who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. (3) Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

(4) John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, (5) and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood (6) and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (7) Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

(8) "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

(9) I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. (10) I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet (11) saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea."

(12) Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, (13) and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. (14) The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, (15) his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. (16) In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

(17) When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, (18) and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. (19) Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. (20) As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
 

Below is an excerpt from Starr Meade's wonderful book, Training Hearts, Teaching Minds.  This is the beginning catechism book we recommend to CRCC families for their family worship.  This particular excerpt really ministered to my family this week:

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Question 61.  What does the Fourth Commandment forbid?

Answer: The fourth commandment forbids failing to do or carelessly doing what we are supposed to do.  It also forbids treating the day as unholy by loafing, by doing anything in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thinking, talking about, or working on our worldly affairs or recreations.

Tuesday's Devotional:

We fail to rightly honor God on the Lord's Day when we are careless about our worship.  We can be careless about our worship in several ways.  Often, people come into the worship service late.  Imagine receiving an invitation to a meeting with someone important and showing up late!  Coming to worship God is at least as important as meeting with an important human being.  Yet Christians seem to feel quite free to walk in to church late.

Imagine being in a meeting with someone important-the president of the United States, for instance-and not paying attention to what he said.  People often fail to pay attention in a worship service.  When people sit in church, letting their minds wander during the sermon or when they sing the words of hymns without paying attention to them, they are being careless about honoring God.

The prophet Malachi wrote down God's message to His people.  He complained about their carelessness in worshiping Him.  In the case of the Israelites, they brought sick or damaged animals for offerings to God.  God was offended because they should have brought Him their best.  "Would you give a damaged gift to your governor?" he asked them.  If such a gift would insult a human leader, would it not dishonor God?  We no longer bring animal sacrifices as a part of our worship, but the principle is still true.  God's people should bring their best to God-their best worship, their best attention.  We should be careful, not careless, as we come to worship our great God.

Mal 1:6-8 ESV "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, 'How have we despised your name?' (7) By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, 'How have we polluted you?' By saying that the LORD's table may be despised. (8) When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts.

(Note: we believe the principle of giving God "one day in seven" for His worship is a moral one, not a legal one.  Christians are free to do this whenever they like.  The spirit here is not judgment...Col 2:16...but one of diligent and intentional worship for a God who is WORTHY!)

I've done lots of blogging and tweeting about "the love issue" lately.  As I opened up my browser this morning and the Yahoo news page loaded, I saw the below image.  Kinda a "picture is worth a 1000 words" moment....

See!?!  A loving couple!  Happy people in the background!  Discrimination finally ended!  The President onboard!  Key republicans onboard!  Several states and many if not most of the nation trending to be onboard!  Many "Christian" denominations have finally ended the hate and bigotry and repented!  Most of Hollywood and many influential in the music industry are onboard.  Main culture-driving areas are in favor (New York, Maryland, DC, etc)!  Utopia is upon us!!!

Oh but wait...there are still a few hateful, spiteful, ugly, mean-spirited people around.  Guess who they are?

The Christians.  The Bible-believing Christians to be more precise.  They need to learn to love like Jesus did.  If they understood true love, there wouldn't be so much hate.

And the "bible-believing" response (at least among the more popular pastors)?: "Yep...you are right.  More love. Love wins!"

Nevermind that untethered from the Laws of God love loses all meaning (Jn 14:15; Rom 13:8-10).  Nevermind that Scripture declares that homosexuals (if they do not repent) will not inherit the Kindom of God....

1Co 6:9-10 ESV 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.

1Ti 1:9-11 ESV understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, (10) the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, (11) in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

But of course, the above Scriptures are hateful or being misinterprepted or mean something else than what they plainly say.  Maybe that's why, as a matter of strategy, many churches carefully pick "loving" Scriptures and refuse to teach the Whole Counsel of God. (Acts 20:27).

There is just one problem.  That ain't love.  God's love will look these two nice ladies in the eye, and with care, tact, respect, brokeness, tears, and a sense of desperate pleading for one who might be dying and going hell, confront their sin with the Law of God in the hope they might repent and receive His grace.  That's love.

Amen.

Judges 21:25 ESV In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Proverbs 14:12 ESV There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

"My object in life is to dethrone God and destroy capitalism." Karl Marx

 “America is like a healthy body and its resistance is threefold: its patriotism, its morality and its spiritual life. If we can undermine these three areas, America will collapse from within.” – Joseph Stalin (whether he said it or not, it’s still true!)

Spheres of Government, Home, Church, State: The State is god, kill other two
Quotes from agenda outlined in the Naked Communist, 1958:
40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.
41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

see below as well....

Life: Abortion on Demand
Quote from agenda outlined in the Naked Communist, 1958:
27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity, which does not need a "religious crutch."
25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

Check any socialist, communist, or progressive website for their views on abortion.

Marriage: Any “loving couple”
Quote from agenda outlined in the Naked Communist, 1958:
26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

Economics: Progressive Taxes, Abolish “Income Inequality,” etc.
The Communist Manifesto 10 Planks by Karl Marx and Frederich Engels:

1. Abolition of Property in Land and Application of all Rents of Land to Public Purpose.
2. A Heavy Progressive or Graduated Income Tax.
3. Abolition of All Rights of Inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the Property of All Emigrants and Rebels.
5. Centralization of Credit in the Hands of the State, by Means of a National Bank with State Capital and an Exclusive Monopoly.
6. Centralization of the Means of Communication and Transport in the Hands of the State.
7. Extension of Factories and Instruments of Production Owned by the State, the Bringing Into Cultivation of Waste Lands, and the Improvement of the Soil Generally in Accordance with a Common Plan.
8. Equal Liability of All to Labor. Establishment of Industrial Armies, Especially for Agriculture.
9. Combination of Agriculture with Manufacturing Industries; Gradual Abolition of the Distinction Between Town and Country by a More Equable Distribution of the Population over the Country.
10. Free Education for All Children in Public Schools. Abolition of Children's Factory Labor in it's Present Form. Combination of Education with Industrial Production.

Government Scope: Everything
Quotes from agenda outlined in the Naked Communist, 1958:
29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.
30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."
31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.
32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

Care of the Poor: Social/Government
See the above.

Education: Free, Public, and Godless

"Education is the most powerful ally of Humanism, and every American public school is a school of Humanism. What can the theistic Sunday school, meeting for an hour once a week, and teaching only a fraction of the children, do to stem the tide of a five-day program of humanistic teaching?" - Charles F. Potter, Humanism: A New Religion 1930 p.128, signer of the Humanist Manifesto

Quote from agenda outlined in the Naked Communist, 1958:
28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."
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Dear friends, I'm REALLY not trying to be mean, divisive, or unloving.  It's just that so many CHRISTians believe and support these things without thinking them through biblically.  Humanism and socialism are inherently anti-Bible and anti-God, created and pushed foward by men and women who hated God from Plato through Marx, Stalin, Hitler, and many others in the 1800s/early 1900s.  That's why those who subscribe to them eventually end up trying to "get God out" of the picture in every way they can, or turning Him into a "social" god or a god that "wouldn't do that/wouldn't condemn who I am", etc.  It is no accident that communist/socialist countries persecute believers.

Yes, the Gospel is the answer.  But a pastor is also called to equip Christians.  Be equipped dear friends...don't fall for it.

In Christ's love,

Eph 5:6-11 ESV Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (7) Therefore do not become partners with them; (8) for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (9) (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), (10) and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. (11) Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.