THE WORD FOR TODAY

ISAIAH 56:10-12

2009-06-04T08:58:00.001-07:00

Beware of the 21st Century Watchman
A biblical guide to exposing an apostate.
Being a sailor for the first five years of my adult life, I have stood my fair share a watches. When you are on a four and a half square acre floating city with over four thousand men, there has to be watchmen. The watchman has one of the most important duties on board. It is the watchman that is awake when all others are asleep. It is the watchman that stays aboard when all others take liberty. It is the watchman that sound the alarm for "general quarters" when there is a threat. It is the watchman who patrols relentlessly all hours of the day, keeping a keen eye for anything out of the ordinary. A good watchman knows every little detail about his environment. Without a good watchman, the enemy will have an open passage below decks. In battle, the watchman is the first line of defense. The Lord, in Isaiah 56:10-12, outlines an apostate watchman.
I. They have no vision (vs.10) “His watchman are blind:” If the watchman have no vision, the
people are vulnerable. If left in this state for too long, heresy will result. There are generally three
reasons a teacher is blinded:
1 Refuses to be born again.
2(1) Blind leading the blind.(Matt.15:14)
3Refuses to study the scriptures.
4(1) One must study to be approved.(2 Tim 2:15)
5Refuses to pray.
6(1) Without prayer one cannot see.(Ps.119:18)

IIThey reject truth (vs.10) “they are all ignorant,” A common trait of an apostate is that
they are not open to truth. This is commonly known as “fundamentalism”. A "fundamentalist" will
generally refuse to accept any doctrine outside of their core set of beliefs. ALL corporate
denominations are fundamentalist and must reject a certain degree of truth in order to remain in that
organization. Some characteristics of these apostates are:

1. "Taking orders from headquarters": All major doctrine taught will come from the head
of that particular organization. The Bible is not their final authority. They will be
"double minded" ( Jas 1:8 )

2. The glorification of the "organization" and it's founders. Statues and monuments to
honor these founders are usually present. Usually the name of the founder will be on
every building, bus, stationary, publication etc. If the organization and founders get
exhaulted above Jesus Christ they become an abomination ( Lu 16:15 ).

3. A strong legalistic slant (usually in the area of appearance). These apostates love
to control people. And one of the ways is to set up a standard of holiness according to
the flesh. That way men will lust after it. You see, these people look good, but inside
they are rotten (2Ti 3:5 ) Usually these congregations are full of scandal.

1 III. They have no public ministry. (vs.10) “they are all dumb dogs”A dog that won't bark is a worthless dog. It provides no protection to its Master, leaving him vulnerable to attack. We are told all through Scripture to speak up for the Lord Jesus Christ (Mr 16:15; 2Ti 4:2). This was the probably the problem with the church at Laodicea, and sadly, this is the problem with the church in America. Generally, there are three areas that apostates will not touch:
2
3 1. Public preaching (commonly known as street preaching). The Lord Jesus Christ
4 demanded a public ministry( Lu 14:23 ). And old testament and new testament alike,
5 the Prophets, Disciples and the Apostles preached publicly (Jer. 11:1-10; Acts 20:20;
6 John 18:20; Rom 10:9-17; 2 Cor. 5:18-21). This one thing will make or break a
church. The punishment for not having a public ministry is apostasy (Rom 1:18-32).
1
2 2. Door to door soul winning (not to be confused with invitation). This is not say that,
you shouldn't invite people to church. But, church is not the priority. The soul is. Not
only that but I have noticed in my own experience that, most people that I invite to
church usually don't come or are just plain dead (spiritually). It seems that most people
who are saved are already in a church. It amazes me how many men I have met that
claim to be "saved" and are not in church. Nevertheless it is a good thing to invite
people to church, especially if there is an evangelist scheduled. Soul winning can be
very difficult depending on the demographics of your area. Lower class people seem to
be more open to the gospel than the wealthy. Jack Hyles has an excellent book on
soul winning. The Apostle Paul went house to house (Ac 20:20).

3. Personal work (this would usually be one on one). This is the toughest one out of the
three. Your success in personal work will be a direct result of your own testimony
(life). If you have a good testimony for the Lord, then it will show and personal work
will come easy. If you have a bad testimony, it will also show, and the person you are
working on will see right through you. Without personal work there will be no
disciples.

IV. They refuse to work. (vs.10) “sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.” There
is nothing worse than a preacher that refuses to work(2 Thes 3:10 ). A apostate will
refuse to get into the trenches. He won't get his hands dirty. This is prevalent with
evangelists and missionaries. A great deal of men (within America) are capable of
working a job to support their own ministry but, simply refuse. I understand money is
needed to support a ministry, but I believe that if you are not lazy and do the things you are
supposed to be doing, then God will provide for that work. If he doesn't then maybe the
work should not continue. Much can be said of this topic. Pr 10:26 ; Pr 20:4 ; Pr 19:15 ;
Ro 12:11; Heb 6:11,12.

V. They increase quantity not quality (vs.11) “they are greedy dogs” Religion is the biggest
business in the world. A false teacher will be more concerned with building a work more
than building the Kingdom of God. The Lord Jesus did not bother with material things. He
had nothing here on earth (Mt 8:20 ;Mt 6:31 ). Generally speaking a "greedy dog" will be
mostly concerned with the three B's:

1. Buildings: Be suspicious of constant expansion of structures. (Mt 6:19-21)

2. Baptisms: Many are being baptized prematurely by churches in order to boast of
convert numbers.(1Tim 6:5)

3. Budgets: False teachers will often put heavy burdens upon congregations (guilt trips)
in order to cover unbalanced budgets. (1Ti 6:10 )

VII. They refuse to rightly divide the scriptures. (vs.11) “that cannot understand” The key to
unlocking the scripture is found in 2 Tim 2:15. It never ceases to amaze me how messed up
these preachers get when they fail to rightly divide. One can't possibly believe the scriptures
to be infallible unless he rightly divides. If you don't, then you have contradictions all over
that thing! I mean, you have Paul saying to "believe" over there in Acts and then you have
John saying "endure" over in Revelation. You have Peter over in Acts telling them Jews to
"repent" , and then in 1 Peter he tells gentiles to "suffer" You can't tell what is going on
anywhere in that Bible unless you rightly divide it. Man if you don't rightly divide, the next
thing you know, you'll be the Pastor of "FAITH COMMUNITY WORSHIP CENTER" or
the "N.I.C.E." (Northwest Indiana Church of Encouragement) church like we got up here in
Indiana. Every single cult in America came about because they wouldn't rightly divide the
word. Well there are three main doctrines that these apostates can't see:

1. Salvation by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ . (without any further acts of
obedience) You can't miss this one unless you are "dumb on purpose" (willingly
ignorant 2Pe 3:5, You can't even understand this reference unless you rightly
divide). You have 14.5 books in the Bible that all teach beyond the shadow of a
doubt that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. There are too many
references to list, just start in John, then skip over to Acts 15 and read all the way
to Philemon. A man is never told to do anything but "believe" when it comes to
salvation. 'Nough said.!

2. Eternal security of the believer: (Col 3:24; John 10:28; Rom 8:31-36; Eph 4:30;
Php 1:6; 2 Tim 2:12; 1 John 3:19) These verses right here can make all the
difference when dealing with Christian that is hurting from one of these false
teachers. Not teaching eternal security is a good way to make a congregation get
self righteous and enslaved to a system all at the same time. Not only that, but
they are all grouchy! Have you ever noticed how bad of an attitude these people
have towards other Christians. Its funny because these people believe that it is
their faith that saves them (and so do most Baptists). But it's the faith of the Son
of God. All we have to do is believe!

3. The rapture of the Church (this will consist of all born again believers) Now this
is one of the seven mysteries that Paul talks about (1Co 15:51-58) and it not to
be ignored (1Thess 4:13-18). If you don't rightly divide the scriptures, you are
going to miss this and have the CHURCH going through JACOB'S trouble in
danger of taking the mark of the beast. Many a Christian lose sleep over this
subject. I have seen men give up everything, including their wife and kids, just
to prepare for the tribulation. Ignorant to the fact that they to will be caught up
by the Lord Jesus Christ with the rest of us.

VIII. They refuse to live a holy life. (vs.12) “... and we will fill ourselves with strong drink;” So
much in today's society are we losing more and more brethren to the world. It's hard to
believe that a sanctified church starts with a sanctified preacher. A pastor must set the
standard for the congregation. More and more each day, the church is changing, making it
nearly impossible to discern between it and the world. Alfred P. Gibbs, in his work entitled
"The Preacher And His Preaching" outlines some qualifications of the Preacher, that I feel
apply in this area. Beware of a teacher that:

1. Is not a student of the Bible: I would dare say that it is a "rare bird" to find a so called
preacher that has actually read the Bible from cover to cover. One way to test a
preacher is to ask questions. If you are met with contention, most likely you
are dealing with a false teacher.(2 Tim 2:15)

2. Is not a man of prayer. Prayer is what separates the men from the boys. Prayer brings
peace, and you can tell by looking into a man's eyes whether or not he has a good
prayer life. (Lu 11:34)

3. Is not living a clean life: (This does not mean sinless) Everyone knows a godly man
as soon as he enters the room. Its kind of like when you were a kid in school and the
principle walks by. If you do not feel compelled to clean up your act around a
preacher, than more than likely he is not living a clean life.

IX. They are not looking for the Lord's return. (vs.12) “to morrow shall be as this day” I find
it very sad when I hear a brother in Christ that has no hope that the Lord will return in their
lifetime. I have had men that have been saved for over forty years get mad and annoyed
when I say this year will be the year. In this day an age, every believer should feel as though
the Lord is already on his way! There can be only one reason Christians are not looking for
the Lord's return, and that is because an apostate talked them out of it. There are usually
three things an apostate will glaze over in this area to conceal the doctrine that "the Day
of Christ is at hand"

1. The world system is satanic: Seldom will a man preach against the world system.
Most preachers nowadays sound as if they are on the government payroll. Beware of
the Preacher that teaches blind subjection to government. The Bible makes it clear
what our position should in relation to the world system.( 1Jo 2:15; Jas 4:4; -
2Co 6:17; Re 18:4; Ac 5:29 )

2. The apostasy of the Church: Only apostate teachers preach that the church is not
in a state of apostasy. The lack of a King James Bible and ecumenical ism are
their traits. Love is their message. Growth is their goal. Entertainment is their
vehicle. And hell is their destination. They have an attitude of "I'm okay, your
okay, we're all okay". Paul warns us of these morons, telling us "from such
withdraw thyself" (1Ti 6:5 ). I noticed from dealing with apostate men that there
can only be two reasons why they buy into this contemporary movement, and that
is either they are spiritually blind or they are sworn to secrecy. To deny the
apostasy of the church is to deny the Lord to return, for it is a requirement before
He can. (2 Th 2:3 ) Not only that, think about this: If Adam is a picture of Christ
and Eve a picture of the church, then wouldn't it make sense that the church will
be beguiled by the serpent like Eve? If you doubt the condition of the modern
Church, just take a gander at Laodicea in Rev. 3.

3. The Lord's return is imminent: Far to many times I have heard a preacher speak of
the second coming as some far off event that we will never see. They make it
sound so distant that it robs you of your joy and stops us from watching, praying
and being ready. (Mr 13:37; Mt 24:44; Mr 13:33; 1Pe 4:7) America is spoiled.
We have had the Gospel preached to us since day one in this nation, and people
don't want to hear it anymore. Why is this so? Because apostates are
watering down the word of God so much, that it has nothing to offer. Think
about it. What is exciting about an NIV? You don't even know who Lucifer is,
or who killed Goliath! Not only that but that puny little NIV looks so little
and effeminate. Preachers look so silly when they carry one. If you read an
NIV from cover to cover, you'd still be sixty four thousand words shy of
the word of God. Beware of this watchmen, he'll have you naked in front
of the Lord.

The burden of the watchman is heavy. There is only one who can bare it. There is only one who is relentless enough. There is only one who will not fall asleep. There is only one who will not compromise. There is only one who will not faint. With this watchman you can rest assured he is always on watch. He will always sound the alarm in plenty of time. Jesus Christ said"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." Who is your watchman?

ISAIAH 56:10-12

2009-06-04T08:58:00.000-07:00

Beware of the 20th Century Watchman
A biblical guide to exposing an apostate.
Being a sailor for the first five years of my adult life, I have stood my fair share a watches. When you are on a four and a half square acre floating city with over four thousand men, there has to be watchmen. The watchman has one of the most important duties on board. It is the watchman that is awake when all others are asleep. It is the watchman that stays aboard when all others take liberty. It is the watchman that sound the alarm for "general quarters" when there is a threat. It is the watchman who patrols relentlessly all hours of the day, keeping a keen eye for anything out of the ordinary. A good watchman knows every little detail about his environment. Without a good watchman, the enemy will have an open passage below decks. In battle, the watchman is the first line of defense. The Lord, in Isaiah 56:10-12, outlines an apostate watchman.
I. They have no vision (vs.10) “His watchman are blind:” If the watchman have no vision, the
people are vulnerable. If left in this state for too long, heresy will result. There are generally three
reasons a teacher is blinded:
1 Refuses to be born again.
2(1) Blind leading the blind.(Matt.15:14)
3Refuses to study the scriptures.
4(1) One must study to be approved.(2 Tim 2:15)
5Refuses to pray.
6(1) Without prayer one cannot see.(Ps.119:18)

IIThey reject truth (vs.10) “they are all ignorant,” A common trait of an apostate is that
they are not open to truth. This is commonly known as “fundamentalism”. A "fundamentalist" will
generally refuse to accept any doctrine outside of their core set of beliefs. ALL corporate
denominations are fundamentalist and must reject a certain degree of truth in order to remain in that
organization. Some characteristics of these apostates are:

1. "Taking orders from headquarters": All major doctrine taught will come from the head
of that particular organization. The Bible is not their final authority. They will be
"double minded" ( Jas 1:8 )

2. The glorification of the "organization" and it's founders. Statues and monuments to
honor these founders are usually present. Usually the name of the founder will be on
every building, bus, stationary, publication etc. If the organization and founders get
exhaulted above Jesus Christ they become an abomination ( Lu 16:15 ).

3. A strong legalistic slant (usually in the area of appearance). These apostates love
to control people. And one of the ways is to set up a standard of holiness according to
the flesh. That way men will lust after it. You see, these people look good, but inside
they are rotten (2Ti 3:5 ) Usually these congregations are full of scandal.

1 III. They have no public ministry. (vs.10) “they are all dumb dogs”A dog that won't bark is a worthless dog. It provides no protection to its Master, leaving him vulnerable to attack. We are told all through Scripture to speak up for the Lord Jesus Christ (Mr 16:15; 2Ti 4:2). This was the probably the problem with the church at Laodicea, and sadly, this is the problem with the church in America. Generally, there are three areas that apostates will not touch:
2
3 1. Public preaching (commonly known as street preaching). The Lord Jesus Christ
4 demanded a public ministry( Lu 14:23 ). And old testament and new testament alike,
5 the Prophets, Disciples and the Apostles preached publicly (Jer. 11:1-10; Acts 20:20;
6 John 18:20; Rom 10:9-17; 2 Cor. 5:18-21). This one thing will make or break a
church. The punishment for not having a public ministry is apostasy (Rom 1:18-32).
1
2 2. Door to door soul winning (not to be confused with invitation). This is not say that,
you shouldn't invite people to church. But, church is not the priority. The soul is. Not
only that but I have noticed in my own experience that, most people that I invite to
church usually don't come or are just plain dead (spiritually). It seems that most people
who are saved are already in a church. It amazes me how many men I have met that
claim to be "saved" and are not in church. Nevertheless it is a good thing to invite
people to church, especially if there is an evangelist scheduled. Soul winning can be
very difficult depending on the demographics of your area. Lower class people seem to
be more open to the gospel than the wealthy. Jack Hyles has an excellent book on
soul winning. The Apostle Paul went house to house (Ac 20:20).

3. Personal work (this would usually be one on one). This is the toughest one out of the
three. Your success in personal work will be a direct result of your own testimony
(life). If you have a good testimony for the Lord, then it will show and personal work
will come easy. If you have a bad testimony, it will also show, and the person you are
working on will see right through you. Without personal work there will be no
disciples.

IV. They refuse to work. (vs.10) “sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.” There
is nothing worse than a preacher that refuses to work(2 Thes 3:10 ). A apostate will
refuse to get into the trenches. He won't get his hands dirty. This is prevalent with
evangelists and missionaries. A great deal of men (within America) are capable of
working a job to support their own ministry but, simply refuse. I understand money is
needed to support a ministry, but I believe that if you are not lazy and do the things you are
supposed to be doing, then God will provide for that work. If he doesn't then maybe the
work should not continue. Much can be said of this topic. Pr 10:26 ; Pr 20:4 ; Pr 19:15 ;
Ro 12:11; Heb 6:11,12.

V. They increase quantity not quality (vs.11) “they are greedy dogs” Religion is the biggest
business in the world. A false teacher will be more concerned with building a work more
than building the Kingdom of God. The Lord Jesus did not bother with material things. He
had nothing here on earth (Mt 8:20 ;Mt 6:31 ). Generally speaking a "greedy dog" will be
mostly concerned with the three B's:

1. Buildings: Be suspicious of constant expansion of structures. (Mt 6:19-21)

2. Baptisms: Many are being baptized prematurely by churches in order to boast of
convert numbers.(1Tim 6:5)

3. Budgets: False teachers will often put heavy burdens upon congregations (guilt trips)
in order to cover unbalanced budgets. (1Ti 6:10 )

VII. They refuse to rightly divide the scriptures. (vs.11) “that cannot understand” The key to
unlocking the scripture is found in 2 Tim 2:15. It never ceases to amaze me how messed up
these preachers get when they fail to rightly divide. One can't possibly believe the scriptures
to be infallible unless he rightly divides. If you don't, then you have contradictions all over
that thing! I mean, you have Paul saying to "believe" over there in Acts and then you have
John saying "endure" over in Revelation. You have Peter over in Acts telling them Jews to
"repent" , and then in 1 Peter he tells gentiles to "suffer" You can't tell what is going on
anywhere in that Bible unless you rightly divide it. Man if you don't rightly divide, the next
thing you know, you'll be the Pastor of "FAITH COMMUNITY WORSHIP CENTER" or
the "N.I.C.E." (Northwest Indiana Church of Encouragement) church like we got up here in
Indiana. Every single cult in America came about because they wouldn't rightly divide the
word. Well there are three main doctrines that these apostates can't see:

1. Salvation by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ . (without any further acts of
obedience) You can't miss this one unless you are "dumb on purpose" (willingly
ignorant 2Pe 3:5, You can't even understand this reference unless you rightly
divide). You have 14.5 books in the Bible that all teach beyond the shadow of a
doubt that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. There are too many
references to list, just start in John, then skip over to Acts 15 and read all the way
to Philemon. A man is never told to do anything but "believe" when it comes to
salvation. 'Nough said.!

2. Eternal security of the believer: (Col 3:24; John 10:28; Rom 8:31-36; Eph 4:30;
Php 1:6; 2 Tim 2:12; 1 John 3:19) These verses right here can make all the
difference when dealing with Christian that is hurting from one of these false
teachers. Not teaching eternal security is a good way to make a congregation get
self righteous and enslaved to a system all at the same time. Not only that, but
they are all grouchy! Have you ever noticed how bad of an attitude these people
have towards other Christians. Its funny because these people believe that it is
their faith that saves them (and so do most Baptists). But it's the faith of the Son
of God. All we have to do is believe!

3. The rapture of the Church (this will consist of all born again believers) Now this
is one of the seven mysteries that Paul talks about (1Co 15:51-58) and it not to
be ignored (1Thess 4:13-18). If you don't rightly divide the scriptures, you are
going to miss this and have the CHURCH going through JACOB'S trouble in
danger of taking the mark of the beast. Many a Christian lose sleep over this
subject. I have seen men give up everything, including their wife and kids, just
to prepare for the tribulation. Ignorant to the fact that they to will be caught up
by the Lord Jesus Christ with the rest of us.

VIII. They refuse to live a holy life. (vs.12) “... and we will fill ourselves with strong drink;” So
much in today's society are we losing more and more brethren to the world. It's hard to
believe that a sanctified church starts with a sanctified preacher. A pastor must set the
standard for the congregation. More and more each day, the church is changing, making it
nearly impossible to discern between it and the world. Alfred P. Gibbs, in his work entitled
"The Preacher And His Preaching" outlines some qualifications of the Preacher, that I feel
apply in this area. Beware of a teacher that:

1. Is not a student of the Bible: I would dare say that it is a "rare bird" to find a so called
preacher that has actually read the Bible from cover to cover. One way to test a
preacher is to ask questions. If you are met with contention, most likely you
are dealing with a false teacher.(2 Tim 2:15)

2. Is not a man of prayer. Prayer is what separates the men from the boys. Prayer brings
peace, and you can tell by looking into a man's eyes whether or not he has a good
prayer life. (Lu 11:34)

3. Is not living a clean life: (This does not mean sinless) Everyone knows a godly man
as soon as he enters the room. Its kind of like when you were a kid in school and the
principle walks by. If you do not feel compelled to clean up your act around a
preacher, than more than likely he is not living a clean life.

IX. They are not looking for the Lord's return. (vs.12) “to morrow shall be as this day” I find
it very sad when I hear a brother in Christ that has no hope that the Lord will return in their
lifetime. I have had men that have been saved for over forty years get mad and annoyed
when I say this year will be the year. In this day an age, every believer should feel as though
the Lord is already on his way! There can be only one reason Christians are not looking for
the Lord's return, and that is because an apostate talked them out of it. There are usually
three things an apostate will glaze over in this area to conceal the doctrine that "the Day
of Christ is at hand"

1. The world system is satanic: Seldom will a man preach against the world system.
Most preachers nowadays sound as if they are on the government payroll. Beware of
the Preacher that teaches blind subjection to government. The Bible makes it clear
what our position should in relation to the world system.( 1Jo 2:15; Jas 4:4; -
2Co 6:17; Re 18:4; Ac 5:29 )

2. The apostasy of the Church: Only apostate teachers preach that the church is not
in a state of apostasy. The lack of a King James Bible and ecumenical ism are
their traits. Love is their message. Growth is their goal. Entertainment is their
vehicle. And hell is their destination. They have an attitude of "I'm okay, your
okay, we're all okay". Paul warns us of these morons, telling us "from such
withdraw thyself" (1Ti 6:5 ). I noticed from dealing with apostate men that there
can only be two reasons why they buy into this contemporary movement, and that
is either they are spiritually blind or they are sworn to secrecy. To deny the
apostasy of the church is to deny the Lord to return, for it is a requirement before
He can. (2 Th 2:3 ) Not only that, think about this: If Adam is a picture of Christ
and Eve a picture of the church, then wouldn't it make sense that the church will
be beguiled by the serpent like Eve? If you doubt the condition of the modern
Church, just take a gander at Laodicea in Rev. 3.

3. The Lord's return is imminent: Far to many times I have heard a preacher speak of
the second coming as some far off event that we will never see. They make it
sound so distant that it robs you of your joy and stops us from watching, praying
and being ready. (Mr 13:37; Mt 24:44; Mr 13:33; 1Pe 4:7) America is spoiled.
We have had the Gospel preached to us since day one in this nation, and people
don't want to hear it anymore. Why is this so? Because apostates are
watering down the word of God so much, that it has nothing to offer. Think
about it. What is exciting about an NIV? You don't even know who Lucifer is,
or who killed Goliath! Not only that but that puny little NIV looks so little
and effeminate. Preachers look so silly when they carry one. If you read an
NIV from cover to cover, you'd still be sixty four thousand words shy of
the word of God. Beware of this watchmen, he'll have you naked in front
of the Lord.

The burden of the watchman is heavy. There is only one who can bare it. There is only one who is relentless enough. There is only one who will not fall asleep. There is only one who will not compromise. There is only one who will not faint. With this watchman you can rest assured he is always on watch. He will always sound the alarm in plenty of time. Jesus Christ said"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." Who is your watchman?

2009-02-17T22:01:00.000-08:00

Sanctification
The Apostle Paul confidently proclaims in Gal 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." It never ceases to amaze me how men can take something as simple as sanctification and make it so difficult. You can read 20 different commentaries on it and get 20 different interpretations. I have come to find that there are 3 basic positions amongst most "Christians" as to the biblical teaching of sanctification: 1. Sanctification occurs at the new birth. 2. Sanctification is a process during this life. 3. Sanctification will take place when we get a glorified body. The funny thing is that all three positions are correct. The spirit, soul, and body all get sanctified. Just not at the same time. But I am going to deal with only one of the three. That is, the sanctification of the spirit during this life. If you are going to be sanctified in this life there are three enemies that you will have to go to battle with and defeat.
I. THE WORLD.
A. You cannot be worldly and be sanctified by God. You must choose one or the
other. Let’s see what God thinks of the world.
Paul tells us to be not conformed to the world(Rom 12:2)
John tells to love not the world(1 John 2:15)
James tells us not even be friends to the world(Jas 4:4)
II. THE FLESH
The flesh is probably your worst enemy. It must be put away in order to be sanctified. Paul was a great ensample pertaining to the flesh.
1. Paul said in his flesh dwelleth no good thing.(Rom 7:18)
2. Walking after the flesh merits condemnation.(Rom 8:1)
3. You can’t please God in the flesh(Rom 8:8)
4. The works of the flesh are evil(Gal 5:19-21)

III. THE DEVIL
A. Now this guy is really going to be upset about you being sanctified. He will
Stop at nothing to ruin your testimony and witness for Jesus Christ. You
Probably won’t even have to deal with the devil until you have defeated the
World and the flesh. Beware the wiles of the devil!
1. The devil is just waiting for the opportunity to get you down (1 Pet 5:8)
2. The devil will attack when you are weak. (Matt 4:1-11)
3. The devil will be subtle. (2 Cor 11:3)
4. The devil will test your spiritual armor. (Eph 6:11-18)

Conclusions: Brethran, at the judgment seat of Christ every work will be tried by the fire. Please make sure of the sort that it is. If it is not sanctified and done unto Christ for Christ, then it will just burn up. Paul said in 2 Co 5:10-11 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;" I pray that you examine yourselves that ye be in the faith.

WHAT A FRIEND

2008-08-28T20:06:00.000-07:00

JONATHAN

Mt 25:34-40 says “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” The judgement of the nations will be a dreadful day for those who mistreat the Jew in the tribulation. But for those that take care of the Jew, they will enter into the Kingdom. Jonathan is a picture of one of the individuals that help the Jew in the tribulation. Lets take a look at who Jonathon was and what he did.
.
I. PERSEVERED (1 Sam 13:3; 14:1-23)

A. Jonathan’s record in battle was almost perfect. Let us examine how he
did things, and maybe we can figure out why he was so successful.

1. Jonathan was diligent.(13:3)
a. Pr 12:24 says “The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but
the slothful shall be under tribute.”

2. Jonathan acknowledged the Lord. (14:6).
a. Pr 3:6 says “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall
direct thy paths.”

3. Jonathan trusted in the Lord to deliver the enemy into his
hand. (14:12)
a. Ro 1:17 says “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed
from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by
faith.”

4. Jonathan led from the front. (14:13)
a. Jas 1:22 says “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers
only, deceiving your own selves.”

II. PROTECTED ( 1 Sam 19:1-7;20:24-35)

A. What a friend in Jonathan! We can all learn from his example.
Everyone needs a friend like Jonathan. Notice the lengths at which
he was willing to go to protect David.

1. Jonathan disobeyed his father to protect David. (19:1-2)
a. Acts 5:29 says “…, we ought to obey God rather than men.”

2. Jonathan testified on David’s behalf (19:4-5)
a. Pr 31:8-9 says “Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of
all such as are appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth,
judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and
needy.”

3. Jonathan put his own life in jeopardy to protect David. (20:33)
a. John 15:13 says “Greater love hath no man than this, that a
man lay down his life for his friends.”

III. PROVIDED (1 Sam 20:11-17,42)

A. The saying is “a man’s word is his bond” and Jonathan meant it. He
did not hesitate to include God in their oath. This is the sign of
someone who loves the Lord. Let's look at a couple other things that
“set him apart from the rest”.

1. Jonathan made a covenant with David for he loved him as
himself. (20:17)

a. Ga 5:14 says “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in
this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

2. Jonathan not only secured his own life but also all his
descendants. (20:15,42)

a. 2Sa 9:1 says “And David said, Is there yet any that is left of
the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for
Jonathan's sake?”

b. 2Sa 21:7 says “But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of
Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD'S oath that
was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of
Saul.”

Jonathan persevered, protected and provided. Jonathan did this for one man. Do you realize the Lord Jesus Christ did this for the whole world? (John 3:16) He persevered at the cross (salvation). He protects the ones he loves (eternal security). And He provided for his children (our inheritance). What a friend we have in Jesus! Don’t be like most and reject what Jesus Christ has done for you. Believe what he did at calvary . Rom 10:9 says “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Receive Him today.

SAUL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

2008-08-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

Introduction
William Penn said "....Those who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants." Such is the case with the Nation of Israel recorded in 1 Samuel 8:7. Israel is referred to as a “peculiar people” in the Bible, and they would have to be, in order to give up a commonwealth system in which God is the ruler for a Monarchy in which a man is the ruler. A wise Preacher once said “God gives a nation the rulers it deserves”. If you read on in 1 Samuel you will see that Saul is the ruler that Israel deserves. I spent the first eight years of my adult life in the military. Every six months or so you had to be evaluated by your section leader. This evaluation was based on your performance on the job. There were many factors involved. Now, a perfect evaluation was a 4.0. The saying was “4-0 good to go!” Well, lets take a look at Saul as if we were evaluating him according to the military’s standard. The evaluation will be divided into three categories.

I. The ability to be at the appointed place of duty on time.
A. King Saul demonstrated a lack of initiative, discipline, and

responsibility in that he failed to appear at his first appointed place of

duty. 1 Sam 10:21-22
1. First impressions are lasting impressions. If your going to mess up

don’t mess up on your first day. In the military first impressions

are everything. My entire tour of duty at a specific post could be

ruined on the first day that I reported for duty. I made sure that I

was squared away that day. Remember as Christians we are a

testimony for Jesus.

a. Tit 2:7-8 “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good

works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness,ravity, sincerity,

Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of

the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to

say of you.”
2. Set a good example. Remember, if people know you are a Christian

then they will be watching you closely, looking for any mistake.

Set the standard wherever you are in life.
a. Mt 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see

your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
II. The ability to complete assigned tasks with minimal supervision.
A. King Saul demonstrates the inability to follow orders. 1 Sam 13:9-14
1. Saul takes it upon himself to have burnt offerings. God made him

King not priest. At this point God rejects Saul. What he should

have done was inquire of the Lord as to what to do when Samuel

didn’t show.
a. Pr 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not

unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge

him, and he shall direct thy paths.
B. King Saul demonstrates a lack of attention to detail. 1 Sam 15:1-9
1. Notice how Saul spared Agag and some animals after being told

not. The common phrase in the army was “by the numbers”. When

the Lord wants something done, it must be done His way.
a. John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and

the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
b. Col 3:22 “Servants, obey in all things your masters according

to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in

singleness of heart, fearing God:”

III. Leadership ability.
A. King Saul demonstrates an inability lead from the front. 1 Sam 17:41-49
1. Saul is such a poor leader that he sent a boy to do a man’s job.

Remember, Saul was head and shoulders above all the people. To

send David in his stead shows just what a coward he was. Thank

God in the new testament that our weapons are not carnal, and

Jesus Christ fights our Battles for us!
a. 2Co 10:4-6 “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,

but mighty through God to the pulling down of

strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high

thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and

bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of

Christ;"
b. Php 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which

strengtheneth me.”
B. King Saul demonstrates an inability to maintain a professional

attitude towards subordinates.(specifically David)
1. Just imagine sitting in your boss’s office trying to help and all of

the sudden here come a spear flying at your head! Notice how

Saul acts just like Cain when he realizes that David has been

accepted by God. Instead of getting right with God, what does he

do? He tries to kill David. (1 Sam 18-11; 19:10) That is just how we

act sometimes when we realize we are wrong. The best thing to do

is humble yourself and confess that sin.
a. Mt 7:3 “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy

brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in
thine own eye?”
b. Ro 2:1 “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man,

whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest
another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest

doest the same things.”

Conclusion
Well, not a very good eval if you are looking to get promoted. We must remember that God chose Saul to be King. And that God doesn’t make mistakes. I truly believe that Israel got the leadership that it deserved. If you look deeper into 1 Samuel you will see another picture. One of a future evil ruler called the “man of sin” the “son of perdition” (Saul) that is persecuting a Jew (David) during “Jacob’s Trouble”. The antichrist will make Saul look like Mr. Rogers. Thank God the Holy Spirit cant be taken away from us like it was from Saul. (Eph 4:30) We can rest assured that our next King will be perfect and his Kingdom will be forever. .

The Second Coming.

2008-08-02T22:10:00.000-07:00

THE SECOND COMING

Rev 19:11-16 says “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
You cannot make the Lord’s return anymore glorious than the scripture. It will be the “greatest show on earth”. It is the most discussed event in the Bible. It is also one of the most misunderstood events in the Bible. Today I am going to talk about three areas of the second coming.
I. The second coming is definite.
A. There is nothing more definite in the Bible than the doctrine of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The old
and New Testament are packed full of references for the glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ. With the Prophets
and the Apostles it was never a matter of “if”, but “when”.
1. John was given the revelation of Jesus Christ. There was no doubt in his mind of the second coming. “Behold, he
cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth
shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” Rev 1:7.
2. Look how James is sure of the second coming: “Be ye also patient; stablish your
hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” Jas 5:8.
3. Notice how Paul comforts the Thessalonians about the second coming: “And to you who are troubled rest with us,
when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on
them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with
everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be
glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in
that day. 2 thess 1:7-10.

II. The second coming is literal.
A. The Bible teaches a physical, literal return of Jesus Christ.
1. The Lord will physically touch down on the mount of Olives. Zech 14:4.
2. The nations will literally come to the Lord to learn His ways. Isa 2:3, Micah 4:1-7.
3. The lord will physically, literally take the thrown in Jerusalem. Jer 23:5-6.
a. “…and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The
mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there
shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment
and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” Isa 9:6-7
4. Even the environment will be effected by the return of the Lord: “ Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and
not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?” Amos 5:20
III. The second coming is preceded.
A. Matt 24:36 tells us that the day and the hour of the Lord’s return are not known, but we are given some clues. The Bible lists some events that absolutely must take place prior to the second coming.
1. Before the Sun of righteousness is revealed the son of perdition must be revealed. Notice in 2 thess 2 that the “day of Christ” (return of the Lord to establish his kingdom) shall not come until the man of sin is revealed: Vs 3 says: “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;…”
2. Prior to the second coming there will be Great tribulation. This is known as “Jacob’s trouble” Jer 30:7
a. The Lord Jesus spoke of it in Matthew: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Matt 24:21.
b. The tribulation is called a “time of trouble” in Dan 12:1.
3. Not only does this next event take place prior to the second coming, but it also takes place prior to Jacob’s Trouble.
a. 1Co 15:51 says “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall
be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this
mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal
shall put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up
in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
b. This the “blessed hope” talked about by Paul in Titus 2:13.
c. 1Th 4:13 ¶ But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye
sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so
them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the
Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are
asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and
with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall
be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with
the Lord.
d. There are many references that support a pre-tribulation rapture.
1) Notice in Rev 4:1 that John sees the door in heaven open prior to the 6 seal judgments: “After this I
looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a
trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be
hereafter.
2) 1 Thess 5:1 “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” The reasons Paul skips the “times and seasons” is because the Thessalonians are Christians and will be raptured prior to the “times ands seasons”, therefore there is no need of Paul to write about them. (that’s good man!)

Listen, If you don’t know the Lord, then you are going to be left behind to go through the Great tribulation. If you make it out alive you will be face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ representing yourself, no one to testify on your behalf. You don’t want to be in this position. God has given us a way to get out of this terrible time. And that is to get into Christ. If you get into Christ today you rest assured you will be returning with the Lord. Jude 1:14 “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” This is the position you want to be in. Be part of the second coming the way God intended. Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God. And that God raised him from the dead on the 3rd day. Admit you’re a sinner, and trust that Jesus Christ will save your soul from the wrath to come. Eph 2:8, 9 says: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.

WHAT CHRIST MEANS TO ME

2008-07-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

What Christ Means To Me

- 2Ti 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

1. Jesus Christ means deliverance! Vs. 11
a) 2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
-Jesus Christ means deliverance!

b) Ga 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
-Jesus Christ means deliverance!

c) 2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
-Jesus Christ means deliverance!

2. Jesus Christ means judgement! Vs. 12
a) 2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every
one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done,
whether it be good or bad.
-Jesus Christ means judgment!

b) Joh 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto
the Son: 23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He
that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
-Jesus Christ means judgment!

c) Jude 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying,
Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15 ¶ To execute
judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their
ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches
which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
-Jesus Christ means judgment!

3. Jesus Christ means hope! Vs.13
a) 1Ti 1:1 ¶ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our
Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
-Jesus Christ means hope!

b) Tit 1:1 ¶ Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the
faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world
began;
-Jesus Christ means hope!

c) 1Jo 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall
see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even
as he is pure.
-Jesus Christ means hope!

1Jo 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

calvary chapel costa mesa

2007-12-28T20:18:00.000-08:00

This is some correspondence between myself and the assistant Pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa.I don't think he saw it coming. Judge for yourself..

----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeremy Lawson" <lawmankjv@yahoo.com>To: <info@twft.com>Sent: Friday, December 28, 2007 7:56 AMSubject: godsPastor Chuck,During the evening radio show, a caller asked who the gods of Psalm 82:6 referred. Your answer has left me confused. You referenced exodus saying the gods were actually judges (men) over the people. I can't find any passage in the book that reveals this idea. It appears the context of the use of the word gods throughout exodus is physical literal gods. If you would please explain your position further and please explain why you depart from the English.thank you for your time in this matter. Jeremy

Carl Westerlund wrote:Jeremy, This verse is usually questioned, because of Jesus quote in John 10:34.John 10:30 I and my Father are one. John 10:31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. John 10:32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? John 10:33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. John 10:34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? John 10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; John 10:36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? In Psalm 82 we find God’s judgment against the evil Israelite judges. The judges were called “gods” because they pronounced life and death judgments against people. But they became corrupt and unjust in their dealings. In verse 6, Asaph, speaking of these unjust human judges, said: “I said, ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High.’ But you will die like mere men; you will fall like every other ruler.” Asaph is clearly speaking in irony. He is saying in effect: “I have called you ‘gods,’ but in fact you will die like the men you really are.” When Jesus alluded to this psalmj in John 10, He was saying that what the Israelite judges were called in irony and in judgment, He is in reality. Psa. 82:2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. Psa. 82:3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Psa. 82:4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. Psa. 82:5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. Psa. 82:6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. Psa. 82:7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.Carl Westerlund assistant pastor, CCCM

Mr. Westerlund,
Your answer seems on the surface to make sense, but I can't find anywhere in the Bible where the word "gods" refers to men. Every time it is used the context is literal gods or idols. As a matter of fact "gods" and "judges" are two different beings! (Judges 2:17)
In reference to John 10:34, Jesus is not calling the Jews that were present at the time "gods". He was making a point that the "gods" of Psalm 82 were not accused of blasphemy for claiming to be the sons of God. And now, the "God of gods" was in their midst and they wanted to stone him for claiming to be The Son of God. The context of Psalm 82 historically appears to be the events leading up to the flood in the days of Noah(Gen 6:4).Also, notice verse 5 where the "foundations of the earth are out of course". While the doctrinal footing appears to be the 2nd Coming of Christ( notice verse 2 "Selah",and verse 8 "inherit all nations"reference to the millennium).
As for the "gods" dying like men, this reveals that the "gods" are not men,but something else!(Jude 6,7). He would not tell men that you will die like men.All men die like men!
In conclusion, these "gods" are obviously fallen angels. Also called "sons of God" in Job 1:6 and Gen 6:4, who left there "first estate" (Jude 6,7) and became flesh or "strange flesh".

Hope to hear from you soon,
Jeremy Psalm 12:6,7

what saith the scriptures

2007-08-09T10:35:00.000-07:00

WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURES

Have you ever noticed how stupid we "Christians" look when we are challenged theologically? I believe that biblical ignorance is the culprit. We need to study the Bible(preferably a perfect Bible) for ourselves, instead of letting some moron behind a pulpit chat us up every Sunday (Rom 16:17-18). We need to constantly compare what people say about the Scriptures. Do you realize an entire religion was born and is sustained through Biblical ignorance? Let's examine this religion and figure out where they went wrong.

First of all their foundational footing rests on this one verse: Matt. 16:18 "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it". A careful study of the Scriptures(in a perfect Bible) will reveal the truth.

This religion claims that the verse in question gives Peter the authority over the christian church as we know it today and that he was the first pope. This could not be farther from the truth.First of all, the verse is not even talking about a christian church.

Look at verse 19. It mentions to the "kingdom of heaven". This "kingdom" . This kingdom is a Jewish kingdom and will be established at the second coming , because Israel rejected Christ(Matt. 23:37-39). If Israel would have accepted Christ the "kingdom of heaven" would have been established at that very moment. Remember this conversation takes place prior to the death of Jesus. The context of this verse is still old testament. Notice that Peter is the apostle to the Jews( Ga 2:7). This church could be a Jewish church in the tribulation (act7:38) or possibly a Jewish church in the millennium in which Peter will be in charge. But to claim apostolic succession from this one questionable verse is crazy! This is just another example of some man made religion perverting the word of God.

ANSWERS

2007-03-28T21:53:00.001-07:00

WHO IS LEVIATHAN?

Job 41:1 speaks of a creature that seems unreal. He is a fierce monster, with scales. He can breath fire. No man can match his strength. And no weapon can harm him. Who is Leviathan?

Well, if we use the "standard" method of studying the Bible, we will find some pretty silly answers. Take STRONG'S CONCORDANCE for instance lists 3 other references for leviathan. They are: Ps 74:14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

Ps 104:26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

Isa 27:1 ¶ In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. Now these verses are the only verses in the Bible that use the word "leviathan". I can gather from these verses that he lives in the sea and is like a "serpent" and called the "dragon in the sea" If we use the mainstream standard of studying this is all you get. You would assume that leviathan is some giant sea creature that torments ships. This unfortunately, is where all the "scholars" stop. I have seen some commentaries say Leviathan is a hippo! Where is that verse?

Well, when you want to know God's answer, you can usually discard the "scholars", for they are as blind as a bat when it comes to the scriptures! God wants you to find the answer for yourself. Don"t let some moron do your thinking for you. Get in the "book" and study to shew thyself approved! Did you notice in the Isaiah reference God used the words "crooked serpent"and "dragon"( is it coming to you yet?) Look over in revelation 12:9. It says" And the great DRAGON was cast out, that old SERPENT, called the DEVIL, and SATAN, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." You see? See how God works? He talks to us through His Word. That was a blessing. I got goosebumps just writing the post. I hope it was a blessing for you to see how easy the Bible is to understand.

LEVIATHAN IS SATAN!

WHICH MUSIC

2007-03-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

GODLY MUSIC

What kind of music do you listen to at home and at church? I know this is a touchy subject because, we all love our music. But, have you ever really thought about the music you expose yourself to on a daily basis?

There are two kinds of music , GODLY and UNGODLY. We are going to take a look (biblically) at how to tell the difference.

Php 3:3 says" For we are the circumcision, which worship God IN THE SPIRIT, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. " All through the Bible we are told not to indulge the flesh. Paul says: "So then they that are in the flesh CANNOT please God." Did you see what he said? You CANNOT please God in the flesh. No "ifs" "ands" or "buts". You CANNOT please God in the flesh!!! I don't care how sincere you are about what you do. If you are IN THE FLESH, you CANNOT please God. Do you realize what Paul is saying? Think about it for a moment. When is the last time you heard your Preacher quote that verse? Most Preachers would have to throw out their entire music program if they Preached that verse!!! Isn't it funny how the Bible (with one verse) can eliminate literally ALL "contemporary christian music"?

The Bible is very clear concerning how we are to sing. Eph 5:19 says: "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and SPIRITUAL songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;..." and Col 3:16 says:" Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and SPIRITUAL songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Is the music you listen to SPIRITUAL? Does it glorify God? Or does it just make you (your flesh) feel good. These are honest questions we should be asking ourselves or our Pastors.

I should point out that music and lyrics are not one in the same. For example, a song can have godly lyrics, but ungodly music. Or, a song can have godly music, but ungodly lyrics.

In order to please God, both must be godly. Lu 5:37 says: "And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. Lu 5:38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved."

If we as Christians would just be honest with God, we would be able to see our faults. 2Co 13:5 says: " Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? " We need to constantly examine whether we are pleasing God or ourselves. Most of the time you will find the latter to be true. I hope this will help.

WHICH BIBLE

2007-03-19T16:53:00.000-07:00

FINAL AUTHORITY
Are you a "bible believer"? Do you really believe what the Bible says? Many people say it , but don't really mean it at all. The Bible has become a frequently quoted but seldomly read book. I get so tired of people (mostly women) saying "the bible says..." when it doesn't or "Jesus said..." when he didn't. Most of the time these people are misquoting the Bible to justify their sin. My favorite misquote is (with a sixth grade voice) " judge not lest ye be judged" These are quotes of people who have made themselves their own final authority. THE BIBLE IS THE FINAL AUTHORITY ON ALL MATTERS OF FAITH AND PRACTICE.
Every sport has a rule book. One rule book! That BOOK is the FINAL AUTHORITY. Imagine if NASCAR had no rules!!! You would have drivers going off in all directions. It sounds a great deal like main stream Christianity to me. We have "churches" going off in all directions! The reason for this is very simple. The Bible is not their FINAL AUTHORITY.
Now when I say "Bible" I mean ONE BOOK. Not multiple books. 1Co 14:33 says: "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints". Many "churches" are using multiple versions of the Bible. In many circumstances, these new versions differ from each other. Ps 12:6 says "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever". Do you see that? This means exactly what it says. God, has preserved his word forever. Then, it is logical to think that I can get a copy of it in my hands. Why are there so many "bibles" that say so many different things. The NIV removes 16 entire verses that are in my KJV. Why is that? Is the KJV wrong to have included these verses? Are these verses irrelevant? These are questions you should be asking.
Php 2:2 says: "Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the SAME LOVE, being of ONE ACCORD, of ONE MIND". How can this be obeyed if there are "bibles" that say different things. If you are a "Bible Believer" and say that the "Bible is your FINAL AUTHORITY" which BIBLE do you mean? I challenge you to pray for guidance and to seek the truth. In closing, I hope you find GOD'S FINAL AUTHORITY.

STUDY

2007-03-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

UNLOCKING A SEALED BOOK

Interpretation, Context, and Doctrine (rightly dividing the Word) are the core fundamentals for Bible study. If you apply these methods, you already know more Bible than 95% of Americans. Probably more than 85% of all pastors in America.These are the KEYS to UNLOCKING A SEALED BOOK.

1Co 2:14 says" But the NATURAL MAN receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are FOOLISHNESS unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Ever try talking to unsaved people about Bible subjects? They just don't seem to get it, do they? Well, that's because they think it is "foolishness" as 1Co 2:14 says. I've had unsaved men and woman look me right in my face and laugh hysterically when trying to explain creation, or the trinity. Don't bother, it is "foolishness unto him". This is why I DO NOT advocate inviting unsaved people to church, unless there is a special, or some other event where the Gospel will be preached. Get them saved, then invite them to church. Church is for Christians! There is not one single church in the Bible that is a congregation of unbelievers.In Galatians, the unbelievers in the church were referred to as "LEAVEN", and a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump! Being "born again" is one key to unlocking the Bible.

1Pe 5:5 says" Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with HUMILITY: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the HUMBLE." God wants us to be humble. A humble man always seeks the truth. A humble man will hearken to criticism and not get angry. God cannot and will not work with the prideful man. Notice how He "RESISTETH THE PROUD". All through the Bible, God is constantly HUMBLING people, the hard way. A WISE OLD MAN ONCE SAID " IT IS BETTER TO EAT HUMBLE PIE ONE BITE AT A TIME, RATHER THAN ALL AT ONCE SHOVED IN YOUR FACE". There is a great deal of wisdom in that quote! God wants us to HUMBLE ourselves. 2Ch 7:14 says" If my people, which are called by my name, shall HUMBLE themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; THEN will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." Did you see that the promise was conditional upon their HUMILITY. What a country America could be again if she would just HUMBLE herself. Humbling yourself is one key to unlocking the Bible.

1Ch 28:9 says" And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a WILLING mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever." Finally, God wants you to be WILLING. I cant find one example in the Bible where God forced a man to do anything against his own WILL. You (saved or unsaved) have ALWAYS had a free WILL. If you are not WILLING to obey the scripture, then don't even pick the Book up! We would not have SALVATION if it were not for Jesus being WILLING to die on the cross. God is always looking for a WILLING man. Being willing is one key to unlocking the Bible.

I hope this answers some question you may have.

RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD

2007-03-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

DOCTRINE

When studying the Bible, we are to use Godly methods. 1 Cor 2:13 says " Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual" The correct method for studying the Bible is to compare Scripture with Scripture. The Bible is to be your "FINAL AUTHORITY". The problem today and in the past with the "scholars" is that, generally speaking, most of them do not do their own research. They usually just quote men that they believe to be correct. This is a tragedy in main stream churches today. You've got some pastor quoting the Strong's Concordance, or the Greek, or the Hebrew, or some idiot that makes a living off of so called christian books. The whole while ignoring what the Bible says on a subject. Most that teach this way are advocates for the new versions. The "CHURCH" has suffered greatly from this perverted way of studying.

2 Tim 2:15 says " Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (This verse is changed in every Bible since the KJV. They all change or remove the word "study".) We see from this verse, that the Bible must be RIGHTLY DIVIDED. How do we do this? Well, 2Tim3:16 says "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" Did you see that? The Bible said that the priority of the scripture was 1 DOCTRINE,2 REPROOF,3 CORRECTION,4 INSTRUCTION. Does your pastor teach in this order? Do you seek truth from the Bible with these priorities in mind? If we want to please God we must use God's methods. There are no points for originality at the JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST. So, in order to RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORD OF TRUTH we must know where these divisions rest. Now the Bible divides humanity into 3 classes: JEWS, GENTILES, and THE CHURCH OF GOD (1 Cor 10:32). When dividing scripture you must first decide through the context of the verse, to whom it applies. If you use this method when studying it can help to understand so called "problem text." Look at James 1:1, it is written to THE TWELVE TRIBES WHICH ARE SCATTERED ABROAD. These 12 tribes are definitely JEWS. Therefore it would be extremely dangerous for a christian (church of God) to apply doctrine from James to himself.

All books in the Bible can be looked at in this light. I hope this helps you with your studies.

Bible technique

2007-03-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

CONTEXT

When studying the Bible, context is everything. You use context to determined 1. Who wrote the passage. 2. To whom the passage applies. 3. What period of time the passage applies to. This is where most "christians" drop the ball.

Knowing the context of a passage is very simple. Paul's writings for instance, were letters(epistles). Paul wrote letters to certain people and churches. When you read a passage of scripture you need to know who is dong the talking and who is he talking to. For example, when you get the mail you look at the envelope and determine who it is to. Then, you look to see who it is from. If it is addressed to you then you know it is for you. If it is not your name, then, you do not open the letter. If you apply this technique throughout the Bible you will never go wrong.

Let's look at a few examples:

Romans. Who is doing the talking? Rom. 1:1 Paul. Who's he talking to? Rom. 1:7 "all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints." He is talking to born again christians in Rome! There location is not important. Who they are is what is important. Romans is safe ground for a christian. You can apply this letter to you.

Hebrews.Who's doing the talking? Heb. 1:2 a hebrew, key word is "us" referring to hebrews. Who's he taking to? Title of the letter is HEBREWS. This is not safe ground for a christian. Be very cautious of applying this letter to christians.

This technique can be applied to individual verses as well as books in the Bible. Take Gal. 5:4 it says " Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." Who's doing the talking? Gal. 1:1 Paul. Who's he talking to? Gal. 1:2 Christians. But in Gal. 5:4 Paul throws in a statement to unsaved people! Notice, it says "...whosoever of you are justified by the law..." Last time I checked christians are justified by "FAITH" (Rom. 3:28), not the law. Therefore, Gal. 5:4 cannot possibly be applied to a born again christian.

I hope this helps to answers some question you might have about certain passages in the Bible.

Bible sense

2007-03-08T08:07:00.000-08:00

INTERPRETATION

This is the word for today. It is a simple word made complex by most men, particularly preachers and scholars. In order to know what the Bible says on a given subject you must first consult the Bible.Now, to get a correct Bible interpretation we must use correct Bible methods. The Bible is clear that the Scripture is of no private interpretation (2 peter 1:20). The Holy Ghost is the interpreter of scripture (2 peter 1:21). It is very easy to figure out how the Holy Ghost interprets a verse of Scripture. The Bible says what it means and means what is says!

There are 4 ways to mess up a Biblical interpretation:

1. Add a word.

2. Subtract a word.

3. Change a word.

4. Take a word or verse out of context.

All heresy is achieved by doing any of the 4 things. Yes, that means there are a great deal of heretics in the world. i.e Jehovah's Witness, Church of Christ, Pentecostal, Assembly of God, Lutheran,CATHOLIC, Mormon, Southern Baptist, Mennonite, most Baptist, Christian Reform, Unitarian, and the list goes on....

Now if you are in one of these "churches" that does not mean you are a heretic. You are just being deceived by one. Do you self a favor read God's Book for yourself.

opening post

2007-03-07T10:27:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying : I do not claim to know everything about the Bible. But, I will diligently search the the scripture for an answer to any questions you may have. That being said, please, if you have questions ask. I will check back often.