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A picture of Pisgah Baptist Church in Four Oaks, North Carolina, USA.
There are many things in this life that hold no interest for me and this is the same for everyone on the planet. We can’t all like the same things or have the same interests right across the board. I hear people talking about their hobbies and interests and sometimes those things coincide with mine but not always. For so long in my life I couldn’t understand why people went to church on a Sunday and I felt it was more to do with their traditional habits than their belief in God. Of course at that time I had no interest in God so going to church meant nothing to me. When I actually started going to church on a regular basis it was a ritual for me, it meant nothing spiritually and it was more to do with my children. For reasons not known to me at that time I felt pushed to take them along but wasn’t quite sure why. The children enjoyed going, which helped and I felt happy that they were learning the traditions of men, not realising they were learning about God and Jesus Christ too! As I sat in the pews my experience was one of listening but not understanding. It was simply what I did on a Sunday morning. Before too long we moved away to where we live now and I found another church to attend on a Sunday. Both of these two churches were Methodist. It was during my first year at the second church that I began to take an interest in God and I read the Bible from the beginning to the end for the first time. This ultimately lead to me conversion and I had a ‘born again’ experience. I also began to attend a Pentecostal church about this time. These events are listed in my pages above for those who wish to know more so I won’t elaborate here. My life was changed completely for the better once I became a Christian believer and my sole wish was to tell others about this pearl of information I had discovered so they too might benefit by coming to God as I had done. This desire to ‘preach the Gospel‘ has stuck with me ever since and really it should be the desire of every born again believer! So I witness to people given every opportunity. You might ask why we Christians want others, complete strangers to know about God and salvation but there is a new driving force within us called the Holy Spirit empowering us and there is a new love in our hearts for those who don’t know. Writing about God in a Blog is a very easy thing to do, far easier than speaking with people face to face but I enjoy doing both. I expect a lot of rejection for my efforts for many say in their own way, ‘It’s not for me’, as if it were a hobby or a pastime for me, something I just do as a hobby or because I have an interest in Christianity. Christianity isn’t anything like Islam or Buddhism, Hinduism or any other ‘religions’ for it is the only one with the promise of eternal life. Believing in a deity, is difficult to accept for many people so they dismiss it out of hand. It is only by openly pursuing God that He will be found though. We have to make the effort and earnestly seek Him. Saying that God doesn’t exist doesn’t mean He doesn’t but people will say the opposite,’believing in God doesn’t mean He exists either’. Well I didn’t know avocados existed before I saw one! The difference is that I can take avocados or not as I please without any consequences but this isn’t the same for God. If I don’t take hold of His free gift of life everlasting in Jesus Christ I will pay the consequences and these consequences will last an eternity! There will not be a second chance so why take that chance? Why gamble with your destiny? No, Christianity isn’t just a hobby or an interest, it isn’t all about going to a church or following the traditions of men as many do. It is about salvation, ETERNAL SALVATION. Pooh-pooh the idea if you think that isn’t true and I know many of you will do exactly that. It won’t stop me trying to get through to you though because I know the gift is very much worth accepting.
Many of the people I know have no belief in God despite how many times they are witnessed to. A brick wall surrounds them, their eyes are open but they cannot see, their ever-open ears hear nothing, their lives are all they see. They are born, they live and then they die as if for no reason whatsoever. According to their hearts they are all here by accident, by chance, by some fluke of nature and are simply a product of a universe they know nothing about or where it came from. The universe with all it’s galaxies came from somewhere, it was created. In the same way we were created too. God declares He is the creator of all things and He did it all through Jesus Christ and by His Spirit. God spoke and it happened. God speaks today and things happen. Those who know God will know these things but for those who don’t, they remain in ignorance. God however loves all His creation and would have none of us perish or be outside of His love. Unfortunately many do not accept this and place themselves in great danger, not in this life but in the next. We are all sinners and as such deserve nothing from God but in His mercy we may obtain forgiveness and everlasting, yes EVERLASTING LIFE if we repent and accept the one He sent, Jesus, as our Saviour. Without Jesus we are doomed to eternal punishment, Throughout The Bible we are told about this message, this Gospel, this good news but it is up to us to respond. In the final page of Revelation, the last book in the Bible, God calls out to those who have yet to come to Him through Jesus. A final warning and a final invitation. Why? Because He loves you!
Revelation 22
Epilogue: invitation and warning
12 ‘Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14 ‘Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practise magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practises falsehood.
16 ‘I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.’
17 The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: if anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
20 He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’
Probably all my readers will be aware by now that I am a Christian but I do not fill this site with religious content, that is reserved for my other site at Minkyweasels Musings but from time to time I do post here on religious themes. I am fascinated with Bible prophecy, well I am fascinated with all of God‘s Word of course and I am always delving into Scripture. I know I have read the entire Bible from cover to cover at least 28 times and learn something new each time I read. I am currently reading through the Bible yet again. A large proportion of the Bible is dedicated to prophecy, probably one-third so it is a subject that should be taken very seriously, especially as much of what is prophesied has actually happened. As a Christian believer I know that all prophecy will be fulfilled, God’s will be done. The reason all prophecy hasn’t been fulfilled is that some of it is reserved for the future and what God has already planned will happen. Many of the prophets in the Old Testament foretold of future events which were fulfilled but some of those future events refer to things even in our own future. When John was being held captive on the island of Patmos in the Mediterranean Sea he saw a vision from God and was inspired to write down all he saw. This resulted in the entire prophetic Book of Revelation,
Revelation 1 New International Version – UK (NIVUK)
Prologue
1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw – that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
The time is near. This is making reference to the ‘end times’ as prophesied in the Book of Daniel and elsewhere in Scripture, a time in the future, their future. We are living two thousand years after John’s prophetic vision and much speculation has been given as to whether the ‘end times’ refer to the present day or a few years hence from now. Descriptions of those end times seem close to what is now going on in the world and indeed can only be referring to modern times when we analyse what is written.
Daniel 12 (NIVUK)
The end times
12 ‘At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people – everyone whose name is found written in the book – will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.’
‘Many will go here and there to increase knowledge’. Think about the Internet. The Book of Daniel was written almost 2600 years ago. In Matthew’s Gospel, written a little less than 2000 years ago a better description, the words spoken directly by Jesus is given…
Matthew 24
New International Version – UK (NIVUK)
The destruction of the temple and signs of the end times
24 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 ‘Do you see all these things?’ he asked. ‘Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.’
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’
4 Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Messiah,” and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth-pains.
9 ‘Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
15 ‘So when you see standing in the holy place “the abomination that causes desolation,” spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand – 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.21 For then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equalled again.
22 ‘If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.23 At that time if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Messiah!” or, “There he is!” do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you in advance.
26 ‘So if anyone tells you, “There he is, out in the desert,” do not go out; or, “Here he is, in the inner rooms,” do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
29 ‘Immediately after the distress of those days
‘“the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”
30 ‘Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
32 ‘Now learn this lesson from the fig-tree: as soon as its twigs become tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
The day and hour unknown
36 ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand-mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 ‘Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
45 ‘Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, “My master is staying away a long time,” 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
I have highlighted some of the passage just to point out some key things but all of what is written and spoken by Jesus will come about. There will be no excuse for not taking heed to the words of prophecy for they are a warning to unbelievers to repent and turn to God. Imagine being in a building that is on fire and refusing to use the emergency exit because you think there is a better route. Well there isn’t, there is only one way out and that is through Jesus who is holding open the door for you waiting for you to walk through it! Below is a short video worth watching. Several videos automatically follow this one, should you wish to watch them leave it running. May God open your eyes and your heart to His truth.
Medieval book illustration of Christ Exorcising the Gerasenes demonic (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
As children we can easily feel frightened of the unknown and often this follows some of us into adulthood. Darkness and dark places feel creepy and uninviting giving the feeling that there might be unseen forces lurking about, ghosts or evil spirits. It strikes me that nobody ever mentions kindly spirits or ghosts when they talk about haunted places, don’t they exist too? Maybe not, maybe it is only the evil variety that want to frighten us to death. There can be no doubt that many people have experienced strange phenomena and ghostly goings on and not only during the hours of darkness either. They call such activity as paranormal, that is beyond the realm of normal experience. To be sure I believe in the spiritual realm and it wouldn’t surprise me to know that evil spirits are at work all around us. As a Christian who believes in God I have to believe in the existence of the devil (Satan) and his cohorts too. I believe much of what is reported about paranormal activity is due to the work of Satan and the other fallen angelic hosts. I even believe that people themselves can be filled or taken control of by such evil spirits, exorcism being the method used to get rid of them. Jesus himself often faced such forces in action. Take the case of the men ‘possessed’ by a legion of evil spirits. They pleaded with Jesus to send them into a herd of pigs which he did and the pigs? Well here is the account in Matthew chapter eight…………
28 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes,[c] two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29 ‘What do you want with us, Son of God?’ they shouted. ‘Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?’
30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, ‘If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.’
32 He said to them, ‘Go!’ So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33 Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.
If you take the Bible seriously there can be no doubt that demonic forces are at work in the world. Jesus has the power to just say the word and it happens. There is no need to fear the unknown with Jesus at your side and in your heart. I wonder how many instances of people behaving strangely are put down to insanity or some psychological disorder when in fact they really are demon possessed! Make you wonder too?
I’m crying. I am crying for those who hear the message of salvation and reject it. I am not crying for those who have not heard the message for if they are living in accordance with the will of God that is enough but for those who have heard the message and continue to ignore it are condemning themselves. The sad thing is they are not aware of it, they think they know best, they think that death is the end of the story and they reject the idea that there will be a judgement day for both the just and the unjust. I’m crying because try as I might to witness it all falls on deaf ears and closed minds. No argument I can put forward will convince them but of course the Holy Spirit is He who will supply me with the correct things to say and if I remain faithful the message will get through. I must not take things personally. The Holy Spirit will speak to those who need salvation through me or through someone else but they have to respond to that message themselves. This is why I am crying, they hear the truth and reject it. It is the desire of God that all be saved but God already knows who will and who will not respond. I do not so I have to believe that God’s will be done. I must remain faithful in my duty to reach out to others having come from their side of the fence myself. It isn’t that I have always been a believer, far from it, I was vehemently against God and anything to do with religion and I remember in those days people trying to witness to me but failing to convince me. The thing is though that they sowed the seed. It took years before that seed sprouted and began to grow but when it did my eyes were opened and I saw what I could not previously see. I was keen and eager to know more and I reached out to God, the very God whom I had disregarded and ignored for all my previous life. When my eyes were opened, when my heart was opened, I cried for I realised the grace that had been afforded me an undeserving sinner and what my God had done because he loved me so much. He sacrificed His only begotten Son, Jesus, for me! Even if I had been the only person on the planet He would have done the same. I cry because those who like myself as I was years ago have yet to see, have yet to understand, have yet to be saved but are turning their backs on the invitation, the free gift of everlasting life in Jesus Christ. They are Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Atheists, Agnostics, Witches, New Age followers and many others too many to list here. They all need salvation, they all need Jesus and I cry for them.
English: A protester attends a pride parade in Ottawa, with a sign with a quotation from 1 Corinthians. Several neo-pagans express their amusement. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In February of 1989 I became a Christian. The subsequent change in me was dramatic, I was indeed a new creation. The commemorative verse given to me by the pastor of the church where I was baptised was 2 Corinthians 5:17 ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!’ The pastor had no idea that I had written a poem around that verse and neither did he know that I was presenting it as part of my testimony to the church. Furthermore I received a congratulatory card from a friend in which was printed the same verse although she had no idea I was using the same verse in my testimonial presentation either. This meant that my previous life of selfishness, drinking and using foul language together with a host of many more unsavoury attitudes and afflictions simply melted away. I had been born again. This is in fact what the phrase means. My life changed for the better and I grew in my faith. However, as I live in the real world too I was still subject to its temptations and over time I have to confess to giving in to some of them. I didn’t fall away from God or my beliefs but I did wander a little off the straight and narrow path. Since I left my last fellowship in 1998 I have actually grown in my understanding but it was also during this time that I found myself picking up bad habits too. One of those habits was drinking alcohol. I was never one to over-indulge but drinking did have an affect upon me by rendering me less capable than I ought to be but that is what it does, it is a drug. I am constantly renewing my faith and my relationship with God and by His Holy Spirit am reminded of my shortcomings. Last year I wrote a song entitled ‘I’m coming home dear Father’
I’m comin’ home dear Father
I’m comin’ back to you
I’ve done my share of roamin’
And I was so lonesome it’s true.
Wandered from you for a season
For I thought that I would win through
But without your love to guide me
I would just be empty and blue.
Copyright Shirley Anne 2 Oct 2011
It is a song where I am telling God that I am coming back home from my meanderings from Him, a bit like the story of the prodigal son who realised the error in his ways and turned back to his father. I have allowed the sins of this world to overtake me on occasion but now I have come to my senses and have returned to my former love. God has never deserted me, He has never left my side, no, it was me who wandered off and now I realise where I should be. No more alcohol, no more trying to make excuses for my behaviour or trying to justify myself. There is only one way and I am back on that road now. I was created a new being when I came to Christ, I have to remember that fact and keep up the good fight. I must strive to keep the ways of the world at bay. I am no longer my own for I have been bought at a price, I belong to Jesus.
Old way to call to a door (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Whilst I was sitting down on Sunday afternoon writing the post about doing nothing there was a knock on the door, actually the doorbell rang and I got up to answer it. E was busying herself on her computer in the rear lounge so probably didn’t want to be disturbed. I opened the door to see two young women standing there, one was a black girl and the other Caucasian. Neither seemed to be or to have been born in this country by the sound of their accents, the black girl sounded as if she was originally from the Caribbean and the white girl from Poland or some other eastern European country. However they both had something in common with each other and with me. They were Christians doing a door-to-door survey with anyone who would spend some time with them. Normally I do not invite conversation with door-to-door salesmen, purveyors of household goods, Jehovah Witnesses or other such people but these two girls were different, they were sisters in Christ, members of the Seventh Day Adventist church and they were doing a small survey regarding the breakdown of society as part of their outreach to unbelievers. I invited them inside so they could ask their questions in comfort. When they realised I was well versed in my faith as a Christian and in Scripture they saw that I didn’t need any more convincing and their questions turned out to be somewhat a waste of time but I remained patient with them for they were doing God‘s work. I gave them an abbreviated version of my conversion to the faith, my testimony which they found fascinating and I mentioned that I wrote Christian songs. I was asked to perform one or two and the black girl sang along with me. It turns out she has an amazing singing voice. She sang a song which I’d not heard before and then we sang the hymn ‘I need Thee every hour’ together before kneeling down in prayer. It has been a long time since I enjoyed the company of fellow Christians in such a way and it is something I miss in life. After about twenty minutes they had to depart and I thanked them and wished them well in their endeavours. I returned to my computer to write this. Yesterday’s post was about having nothing much to do and then God sent me two sisters to build me up and encourage me. Now I am already a Christian and don’t need to be witnessed to but it is nice to be able to chat with my brothers and sisters whenever they call. Many people will reject the idea of inviting witnessing Christians into their home because they ‘are not religious’ or ‘don’t believe in God’ but I say to them don’t pass up the opportunity of possibly learning something you didn’t know before. Opportunity does knock sometimes.
Healing “laying on of hands” ceremony in the Pentecostal Church of God. Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky. – NARA – 541337 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Recent reports tell of a married couple who allowed their 16 year-old son die an agonising death through the results of a burst appendix. The couple, in their late thirties and who had seven children before Austin’s death, are members of the General Assembly and the Church of the First Born in Cresswell, Oregon, which shuns modern medicine and teaches parishioners that faith healing and prayer will cure disease. As a Christian I am dismayed that people can be so brainwashed into thinking that the only way to be healed is to pray for it. Yes, do pray but remember that prayer alone isn’t always the answer. It is true to say that miraculous healing does happen sometimes and people may be healed through the laying on of hands however these incidences occur because God has given someone the gift of healing. This doesn’t mean that they actually heal people themselves but God uses them as an intermediary. The gift of healing is just one of the gifts of the Spirit that God may bestow on an individual and indeed as Christians we are encouraged to seek the gifts. We see this in Scripture
12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to dumb idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus be cursed,’ and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds oftongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
As you can see not everyone has every gift but they are given according to the will of God. Getting back to the couple mentioned we can see they have been misled in their thinking. It is one thing to hope and pray that God will heal someone and a different thing when He does and by which method He chooses. He may either do it without human involvement or He may employ someone through the gift of healing, the laying on of hands. However, God has also given us alternative ways to heal which we should not ignore such as through medicine, surgery and the skills of the medical fraternity. It is foolishness to ignore the practical gifts God has given mankind through intelligence. There is the old tale of a passenger liner taking on water and sinking with the loss of everyone on board except for one soul who managed to cling to a floating object and who drifted for days thinking he would never be rescued. He prayed earnestly to God asking to be saved from his predicament and after a few days another ship sailed close by and saw him adrift. Pulling alongside they asked him to grasp the rope they had thrown overboard but he refused saying that God was going to rescue him. A day or two later another ship sailed by and the same thing happened. Finally a yacht drifted by and its captain tried in vain to get the man to climb aboard so he too sailed away. The conditions worsened and the man drowned. He found himself in the presence of God and asked Him why he had not been saved to which God replied, ‘I did want to save you, I sent two liners and a yacht but you refused to be saved’! God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. We cannot afford to discount any of them by expecting Him to do things our way. Had that couple and the other members of that church really been in touch with God that young man would be alive today.
Many times I have published my views on homosexuality/lesbianism or anything else that seems to contradict the secular lifestyle and have been criticized for doing so by the many secularists that read my posts. I am not ashamed of The Gospel. I am not ashamed that I place my trust and my hope in Jesus Christ. I am well aware that I too am a sinner but praise be to God and the Lord Jesus Christ that my sins have been covered and dealt with. That doesn’t however mean that I should continue in my sins, I must make every effort to resist temptation else I am making a mockery of Christ’s suffering, that suffering he took upon himself for my sake and for all who will repent and turn to him for their salvation. It isn’t easy being a Christian, it is far easier to be a secularist for in being a secularist means that you can please yourself what you do. We all have that option, God does not force Himself upon anyone but He does tell us the consequences we face should we disregard His truth. The main problem is one of belief or non-belief , we either believe God’s Word, which is written down for us to see or we simply disregard the possibility that it is all true. Some will even try to distort that truth to make if fit in with their belief system or lifestyle and will come up with all sorts of reasons and excuses to justify themselves. God cannot be mocked. We cannot twist things around to suit ourselves. To be a true believer one must make every effort to follow the way of life that God has ordained for us but of course to do that we must repent of our sins and accept God’s free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. We must have the faith to believe in that message……
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
In other words salvation cannot be earned! We need to continue the fight with temptation. If this means overcoming ungodly thoughts and feelings then that is our personal battle. For some things the battle is easily won but for other things it can prove much more difficult. In the area of sexuality there is often the temptation to give in to our feelings where these feelings and tendencies go against God’s will and we struggle to justify giving in to that temptation. If we truly love God and wish to give Him all the honour and respect as Christian people we really must take the battle seriously. Here is a short video that poses the question ‘Is it possible for a Christian to be homosexual’. The reply may surprise you.
I have been a Christian now for over 23 years. At first I soaked up all the information about my faith, God and Jesus Christ and what teachings there are in The Bible and it was a wonderful time of exploration in my life. Along the way I learned more and continued to seek knowledge and gain experience and remain doing this even now. I don’t think it is possible to know everything there is to know about God’s Kingdom during a human life-span. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:1-13
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Many long-standing Christians sometimes go too far in the execution of their duty toward God. They are filled with knowledge and understanding right enough but many lack the love or rather do not show love especially to those not of the faith. One of the very basic teachings is to love one’s neighbour as one’s self yet the command is often lost whilst trying to reach out to others. There are many ways to please God and many more to displease Him. Mankind is born to sin, it is part of our nature and it is sin which separates us from God. For those of us who have accepted Jesus as their Saviour, those sins are paid for but that doesn’t mean sin should continue in our lives, we have to make every effort to stop sinning. We are in a constant battle to stay on-track with God. We forget sometimes that those we are trying to reach with The Good News, The Gospel, are just as we were before our conversion, without salvation, without Jesus and without their sins forgiven. God lays down the rules, He alone is the ultimate Judge. If as unbelievers we ignore God, ignore His rules and reject His love we stand condemned before Him and He will be our judge. It is human nature to judge others, to have an opinion about others, to criticise their lifestyles and behaviour but as Christians we must remember that we too were not perfect in the eyes of God, we are still not perfect and won’t be until we pass from this life. Christians have to stand up for what is right in God’s eyes, we must tell others about the consequences of their sinful behaviour by telling them about God’s love through Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins, everlasting life and salvation. This we need to do in love and with compassion for it is by God’s grace that we ourselves have been saved through our faith. God is a merciful and gracious God, a loving and a faithful God but He is also a righteous and holy God who must judge according to His own Law. When making a stand for the righteous Law of God we must however not make demands. We cannot judge what is done by others not of the faith when they come against God’s will by the sins in their life else we may be accused of bigotry and hatred, which is often the case these days. People feel they have the right to unbelief and they do have that right, they always have. Our duty as Christians is to point them to the Truth, to speak about The Good News, The Gospel and the coming Kingdom of God. We are not judges, yet, so let God be the judge and leave it all at His feet.
Now I am not preaching hate here. My aim in this post is to reach out to those who in their own wisdom do not consider themselves to be sinners, ignoring or disbelieving in God. We are all sinners and that is a fact. I am a sinner, so are you. My sins have been covered and dealt with by Jesus Christ, are yours? I reach out in love, I have no personal axe to grind with anyone’s lifestyle but I am concerned for those who may be going to eternal damnation simply because of their stubborn hearts. Hear the word of the Lord your God…..
I am pulling no punches but turn away if you don’t value you future. Oh yes, you do have a future when you depart this existence. The choice is yours, as it has always been. There are many verses in The Bible I could quote to those who turn their backs on God, to those who have false religions and philosophies, to those who have no belief at all, to those who believe in other gods which aren’t gods at all, to those who believe in karma and re-incarnation, the immoral, the sexual deviants, the liars and cheats and ….well the list is endless. You know who you are. The verses below (and all of Scripture) were directed at the Israelites who constantly turned their backs on The Lord but of course they are intended for all mankind. God used Israel as an example for all of His creation and these are the words of the One and only, the Almighty, the only God, who was and is and shall be forever, the I AM……..
Deuteronomy 32:1-43
1 Listen, you heavens, and I will speak;
hear, you earth, the words of my mouth. 2 Let my teaching fall like rain
and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants.
3I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! 4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.
5 They are corrupt and not his children; to their shame they are a warped and crooked generation. 6Is this the way you repay the Lord, you foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you?
7 Remember the days of old;
consider the generations long past.
Ask your father and he will tell you,
your elders, and they will explain to you. 8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
when he divided all mankind,
he set up boundaries for the peoples
according to the number of the sons of Israel. 9 For the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance.
10 In a desert land he found him,
in a barren and howling waste.
He shielded him and cared for him;
he guarded him as the apple of his eye, 11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest
and hovers over its young,
that spreads its wings to catch them
and carries them on its pinions. 12 The Lord alone led him;
no foreign god was with him.
13 He made him ride on the heights of the land
and fed him with the fruit of the fields.
He nourished him with honey from the rock,
and with oil from the flinty crag, 14 with curds and milk from herd and flock
and with fattened lambs and goats,
with choice rams of Bashan
and the finest grains of wheat.
You drank the foaming blood of the grape.
15 Jeshurun grew fat and kicked;
filled with food, they became heavy and sleek. They abandoned the God who made them and rejected the Rock their Saviour. 16 They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols. 17 They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God – gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your ancestors did not fear. 18 You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth.
19 The Lord saw this and rejected them
because he was angered by his sons and daughters. 20 ‘I will hide my face from them,’ he said,
‘and see what their end will be;
for they are a perverse generation,
children who are unfaithful. 21 They made me jealous by what is no god
and angered me with their worthless idols.
I will make them envious by those who are not a people;
I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding. 22 For a fire will be kindled by my wrath,
one that burns down to the realm of the dead below.
It will devour the earth and its harvests
and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.
23 ‘I will heap calamities on them
and expend my arrows against them. 24 I will send wasting famine against them,
consuming pestilence and deadly plague;
I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts,
the venom of vipers that glide in the dust. 25 In the street the sword will make them childless;
in their homes terror will reign.
The young men and young women will perish,
the infants and those with grey hair. 26 I said I would scatter them
and erase their name from human memory, 27 but I dreaded the taunt of the enemy,
lest the adversary misunderstand
and say, “Our hand has triumphed;
the Lord has not done all this.”’
28 They are a nation without sense,
there is no discernment in them. 29 If only they were wise and would understand this
and discern what their end will be! 30 How could one man chase a thousand,
or two put ten thousand to flight,
unless their Rock had sold them,
unless the Lord had given them up? 31 For their rock is not like our Rock,
as even our enemies concede. 32 Their vine comes from the vine of Sodom
and from the fields of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are filled with poison,
and their clusters with bitterness. 33 Their wine is the venom of serpents,
the deadly poison of cobras.
34 ‘Have I not kept this in reserve
and sealed it in my vaults? 35 It is mine to avenge; I will repay.
In due time their foot will slip;
their day of disaster is near
and their doom rushes upon them.’
36 The Lord will vindicate his people
and relent concerning his servants
when he sees their strength is gone
and no one is left, slave or free. 37 He will say: ‘Now where are their gods,
the rock they took refuge in, 38 the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices
and drank the wine of their drink offerings?
Let them rise up to help you!
Let them give you shelter!
39 ‘See now that I myself am he! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand. 40 I lift my hand to heaven and solemnly swear: as surely as I live for ever, 41when I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and repay those who hate me. 42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
while my sword devours flesh:
the blood of the slain and the captives,
the heads of the enemy leaders.’
43 Rejoice, you nations, with his people,
for he will avenge the blood of his servants;
he will take vengeance on his enemies
and make atonement for his land and people.
Hear the words of the Lord YOUR God. Turn away from all the lies and falsehood that is your religion, all the things which will take you down on Judgement Day. Satan would have you believe in anything but the truth, that’s his job, that’s his nature and you don’t even realise it! Have a laugh, dismiss what I am saying, live your life the way you please but there WILL be a price to pay and you will not like it. REPENT before it is too late. Once you die it will be too late.
I suppose most, if not all my readers will have seen the film ‘The Sixth Sense‘ where a young boy claims to be able to see and communicate with the ghosts of those who are dead, specifically those killed unlawfully. Indeed many people lay claim to this or similar abilities. However these claims are very much debatable. Have you ever seen a ghost and if you did what did you think you were seeing? The first thing is to consider if indeed there are such things as ghosts. As a Christian I am led to believe in the spirit realm and I do believe we are capable of connecting with the spirits of other people. Now before you start thinking I am into spiritualism think again, there is no way as a Christian believer that I believe we can communicate with the spirit realm even though I believe it exists. God forbids such things. No, what I am saying is that often we receive ‘messages’ or better put we get ‘feelings’ when say a loved one is in danger or has been involved in an accident or something like that. It’s like having a sixth sense. Some would call it a premonition either before or after the fact. It could be that The Holy Spirit is guiding our thoughts, who knows? I do believe in angels, that is in their existence and capability to communicate with us and we with them. However, angels are not ghosts but spirit beings that manifest themselves as living fleshy beings when they reveal themselves. It is possible that I have spoken with an angel without knowing it. Now about ghosts, I don’t claim to have experienced such things and hopefully I will not if it means someone I love has to be in danger for it to happen but some people do lay such claims. They are often proved to be right when the bad news is revealed. Now the question is how are we capable of such things if we are not spirit beings and if we are spirit beings from whence does that spirit come? You see, many people refuse to believe they are spirit beings in a fleshy body and think everything is due to their brain. The brain is a wonderful thing but it is also a material thing so unless it happens to be a radio transmitter and receiver too there is no way it could be capable of connecting with something it cannot see! Some would then say well it is telepathy that allows those connections but what is telepathy? Is telepathy really the same as radio? If not, then telepathy would have to be a spiritual thing, something a physical thing is incapable of being. Either way it doesn’t explain the phenomenon that we call a sixth sense.
English: Icon of the wedding at Cana (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In Johns gospel we read about Jesusturning water into wine ( John 2:1). The master of the house who was holding a celebration but had run out of wine and Jesus asked him to fill the containers with water after which it was turned into the very best wine when they sampled the contents. The guests proclaimed that not only had the master served them all the wine they wanted he had saved the best until last. I don’t know if you have ever been to a gathering where the worst wine is served until you begin to feel its effects then get served with some quality wine which you recognise as such. Many hosts would serve the good wine first so that you don’t notice the poor quality of the wine that follows. Jesus may have been making the point that once you’ve tried all the other faiths he saves and presents the best, The Gospel, at the end. Several times in Scripture is wine mentioned, in fact so many times it is too many to mention here but those references which indicate being drunk on wine or point to that are in
The last reference in Ephesians warns of the danger of being drunk on wine and encourages being ‘drunk’ in The Spirit instead. A phrase that has been the butt of many a joke in secular circles as you may imagine. There is a difference between The Holy Spirit and spirit of course. Essentially we are warned not to get drunk on wine or anything else for that matter but many Christians take this warning too much to heart insisting that Jesus said we shouldn’t drink wine (or anything alcoholic) at all. There is a vast difference between having a drink and getting drunk. If we cannot maintain a sensible drinking regime we would be wise to refrain from partaking at all. If we are sensible and maintain control it shouldn’t be a problem. It all depends on the individual. Jesus did not say that we should refrain but he said we should not get drunk which means drinking to excess. It is better not to drink, it is better to remain celibate, it is better not to do many things if we are able but God does not want us to suffer if we cannot conform. All He asks is that we are sensible in these matters. If we cannot control our sexual urges we are instructed to get a wife/husband so that we are not drawn into sinful behaviour and if we like an occasional drink it is right to partake as long as we are sensible and don’t take things too far. Many do not see this principle and try to impose their reasoning on the actions of others. God wants us to be happy but sensible in what we do.
The Penance of David, Psalm 51 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Today’s world is full of liars and cheats or fraudsters seeking every opportunity to relieve us of our assets, usually money but it can be almost anything that leads to a profit for them and a loss for their victims. With the advent of the Internet opportunities to defraud have multiplied. We are constantly being reminded to remain on our guard in our dealings with others for we can never be sure of their motives. Most of us can proudly boast of having reliable family and friends although even amongst these some people have been caught out. We would all like to think that we are held in the highest esteem in the sight of others, upright citizens in every way but most of us if we were to be completely honest with ourselves have at some point fallen well short of such ideals. The world however is full of people who seemingly have no ethics or moral standards in their dealings with us and are quick to exploit any weaknesses we might reveal in ourselves. Mankind is inherently sinful in nature and it is this nature within ourselves that we struggle to overcome, that is if we wish to justify our dealings with those we meet and be held in esteem. In David‘s psalm we can see his declaration and promise to God to fight against the sinful nature
1 I will sing of your love and justice;
to you, Lord, I will sing praise.
2 I will be careful to lead a blameless life —
when will you come to me?
I will conduct the affairs of my house
with a blameless heart.
3 I will not look with approval
on anything that is vile.
I hate what faithless people do;
I will have no part in it.
4 The perverse of heart shall be far from me;
I will have nothing to do with what is evil.
5 Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret,
I will put to silence;
whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,
I will not tolerate.
6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
the one whose walk is blameless
will minister to me.
7 No one who practices deceit
will dwell in my house;
no one who speaks falsely
will stand in my presence.
8 Every morning I will put to silence
all the wicked in the land;
I will cut off every evildoer
from the city of the Lord.
David was well aware of his shortcomings for he himself had done wicked things in the sight of God and became distressed knowing that he had offended his Maker. This we see in his plea to God…….
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you. 14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Saviour,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. 15 Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
18 May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
God forgave David for his sins when he saw how filled with remorse he was for the things he had done. In the same way God forgives us our sins but He does that through His Son, Jesus. It’s all about having the right attitude and fear of God. Not fear in the earthly sense but a reverence for God for perfect love, God’s love, casts out all fear. Many atheists and secularists would claim they too would be remorseful and ashamed to have done others wrong. It is admirable to hold fast to such righteousness but it is meaningless if we do it solely for the praise and esteem of men. God laid down the standards we are to live by and it is to Him that we ask forgiveness when we fail. In these latter days we have an intercessor before God our Father, one who speaks on our behalf, Jesus, if we place our trust in him.
English: the first of the Epistles to the Colossians (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Colossians 2:8 says, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”
People around the world believe in all sorts of things, different religions, philosophies and ideas. Many deny the existence of God or think of Him in a different way than is shown in The Bible. Many will say their god is the same for all faiths but that is far from the truth. There is but one God and He is the one described in Scripture. People say there are many paths to God but God says differently and this is shown in Scripture. I know people who dabble in astrology and read their ‘stars’ on a regular basis yet still claim to be believers in God. God specifically tells us that He hates spiritists and mediums and all those who dabble in the magic arts and He says that for a reason, they are all of the devil. You cannot have your feet in two different camps. I know people who follow eastern religions or philosophies which have their roots in eastern religions and yet they claim to love God. God specifically warns us not to follow such religions but it seems the Word of God means nothing to them. They are prepared to follow the traditions of men rather than the Word of God. In fact there are numerous man-made religions around these days which have nothing to do with God at all. Where do they get their ideas from? In essence people are searching for the truth and are easily drawn into false teaching and ideas. For a time I was side-tracked when I began my search for God but by His Spirit I was guided to the truth. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. Many follow religions and philosophies because they speak of love, peace, harmony, unity of spirit and the fact that we are all part of the universe but the message they receive is deceitful and empty. The message promises nothing. For some apparent reason, which is completely irrational, some people are under the misconception that they will be born again repeatedly until they reach perfection. This is the belief system of Buddhists, Theosophists and others. The belief is a man-made tradition and has nothing to do with the truth. God says it is appointed for man to die once and then there is judgement but for those who believe in Christ Jesus there is the promise of a resurrection to eternal life. Why settle for a lie invented by man? Don’t search for the truth in these false religions for that is exactly what the devil would have you do. Seek God with all your heart and He shall be found. Read His Word and know the truth. Read The Bible and put away wrong thinking.
John Lennon (Singer): Some years before, during his interview with an American Magazine, he said: ‘Christianity will end, it will disappear. I do not have to argue about that. I am certain. Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple, today we are more famous than Him’ (1966). Lennon, after saying that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, was shot six times.
Tancredo Neves (President of Brazil ): During the Presidential campaign, he said if he got 500,000 votes from his party, not even God would remove him from Presidency. Sure he got the votes, but he got sick a day before being made President, then he died.
Cazuza (Bi-sexual Brazilian composer, singer and poet): During A show in Canecio ( Rio de Janeiro ), while smoking his cigarette, he puffed out some smoke into the air and said: ‘God, that’s for you.’ He died at the age of 32 of LUNG CANCER in a horrible manner.
The man who built the Titanic After the construction of Titanic, a reporter asked him how safe the Titanic would be. With an ironic tone he said: ‘Not even God can sink it’ The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic
Marilyn Monroe (Actress) She was visited by Billy Graham during a presentation of a show. He said the Spirit of God had sent him to preach to her. After hearing what the Preacher had to say, she said: ‘I don’t need your Jesus’. A week later, she was found dead in her apartment
Bon Scott (Singer) The ex-vocalist of the AC/DC. On one of his 1979 songs he sang: ‘Don’t stop me; I’m going down all the way, down the highway to hell’. On the 19th of February 1980, Bon Scott was found dead, he had been choked by his own vomit.
Campinas (IN 2005) In Campinas , Brazil, a girl with a group of friends, drunk, went to pick up a friend….. The mother accompanied her to the car and was so worried about the drunkenness of her friends and she said to the daughter holding her hand, who was already seated in the car: ‘My Daughter, Go With God And May He Protect You.’ She responded: ‘Only If He (God) Travels In The Trunk, Cause Inside Here…..It’s Already Full ‘ Hours later, news came by that they had been involved in a fatal accident, everyone had died, The car could not be recognized as to the type of car it had been, but surprisingly, the trunk was intact. The police said there was no way the trunk could have remained intact. To their surprise, inside the trunk was a crate of eggs, none was broken
Christine Hewitt (Jamaican Journalist and entertainer) said the Bible (Word of God) was the worst book ever written. In June 2006 she was found burnt beyond recognition in her motor vehicle.
Many more important people have forgotten that there is no other name that was given so much authority as the name of Jesus.
Many have died, but only Jesus died and rose again, and he is still alive.
‘Jesus’
PS: If it was a joke, you would have sent it to everyone. So are you going to have courage to send this to others?
I have done my part, Jesus said, ’If you are embarrassed about me, I will also be embarrassed about you before my father.’
Just repeat this prayer and see how God moves!
‘Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus’ name. Amen.’
Pass this message to people and Let God bless you.
English: Neges Gristnogol Ffair Cricieth – Criccieth Fair Christian Message Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. A message on the Christian bookshop at 813796 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Many times I have heard people who profess to have been a Christian and either started to believe in something else or lost all faith in anything of a ‘religious’ nature. My belief in this matter is that they were never Christians in the first place for anyone who has been filled with The Spirit cannot subsequently turn away and one needs to have been filled with The Spirit to proclaim ‘Jesus is Lord‘
1 Corinthians 12:3
Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
What I am saying is that those who say they were Christians would have to have declared that Jesus is Lord and have believed it in their hearts. To turn away from Jesus is to turn away from salvation for Jesus said that those who are ashamed of him will they themselves be denied at the Judgement.
1.Mark 8:38
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
2.Luke 9:26
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
So denying Jesus is Lord is denying entry into Heaven. Turning to another faith is not the answer for there is no other name given to man by which we are saved
Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
Understanding Christianity is understanding that Jesus died for our sins, it is understanding that he alone has made it possible for us to unite with God our Father so why turn away from that and think there is another way to Heaven?
Some people say that there are many ways to heaven but God says differently. Who are you going to believe, yourself or God? How can there be many ways into Heaven when God says there is but one way and that is through Jesus Christ? If you knew that as a Christian how then can you change your mind? In doing so you are calling God a liar and His love is not in you for it is through His mercy that we can be saved
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
It is God’s gift to you and it is free. All you have to do is believe in Him and in the one he sent, Jesus. Not in anything else for elsewhere He says
John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
What could be simpler? Forget your false beliefs, your false doctrines, your false ideologies, your false ideas, your false worship of human beings and what they say. Put all your trust in GOD ALONE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST ALONE for there isn’t another way. No sayings attributed to Buddha, Mohammed, Krishna, Gandhi, or any human being no matter how sincere they may be will make any difference to your destiny. Put no faith in them but put your faith and trust in Jesus. If you do that you will know how wrong you’ve been and salvation will be yours.
