Answering may place you on a gubmint watch list and a reeducation camp may be in your future.
Posted on 01/26/2024 8:36:57 AM PST by ducttape45
My former church(UMC) is doing a series on Politics...er, current topics. I found it odd because they have gutted the congregation by going as far left as they can.
I still get their newsletter and I saw the UMC logo(cross and flame) had been replaced and I thought they had disaffiliated. They went to just a brown cross because black people were offended by the cross and flame. I find that ironic because a) black UMC congregations still use it and b) there are no black people in that church. So I guess a white woman was offended for them.
I agree with your comments, except that I can't really rank the problems in terms of priority. Each one can destroy a soul or bring down a church on its own. Also, one of these problems seems to spawn the others. Churches are increasingly man-centered, which is swallowing secular humanism hook, line, and sinker. Churches must be God-centered; failure to do so inevitably leads to a church dissolving into a glorified social club that performs all sorts of good deeds externally, such as feeding the homeless or honoring veterans. But they're dead inside. Satan is subtle, if we aren't diligent, he will use our assets to pursue his ends. For example, our desire to be kind can be twisted to be permissive and tolerate sin. Always be on your guard.
If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.....Mt 5:29-30
Thanks for the illustration. Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men. (Hosea 10:13)
Lie #1: You need to see results or you’re not doing God’s will.
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (Hebrews 10:36)Lie #2: Age is proportionate to relevance.
And Moses was fourscore years [80] old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh. (Exodus 7:7)
Lie #3: People of different ages and stages must be kept segregated.
The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (Titus 2:3-5)
Lie #4: Cater to the individual’s comfort.
But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets. (Luke 6:24-26)
Lie #5: Tell people what they want to hear.
That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. (Isaiah 30:9-13)
Lie #6: If you ignore tough topics, they will go away.
And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 22:30-31)
Lie #7: If culture and Scripture disagree, side with culture.
Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you. For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. (Leviticus 18:26-29)
No room for compromise
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. (Jude 20-25)
That is preaching to me also toward more holiness in scope and depth, by the grace of God..
“If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell”
“hell” is a mistranslation. The true old testament word was sheol - mistranslated into the Greek as hades (from Greek mythology, not the old testament), and sheol means no more nor less than “the delling place of the dead”, i.e., the grave.
Answering may place you on a gubmint watch list and a reeducation camp may be in your future.
People are desperate for hope, for practical solutions to real-world problems. Since faithful Christians are silent about such things, the voices of the left’s sock puppets seem louder.
The mainstream Evangelical press (a.k.a. “the Wheaton mafia”) was glad to channel HALF of R J Rushdoony’s scholarship, the religious nature of secular humanism, a term he coined. However, this “channeling” was through accomplished plagiarist Francis Schaeffer, who covered his tracks and stonewalled regarding the source of his most powerful insights. Schaeffer kowtowed to the demands of the Wheaton mafia, perhaps in order to get his books into print, and apparently denied knowing his classmate and friend.
The other half of Rushdoony’s message, the Biblical SOLUTIONS to the issues of the day, got suppressed, blacked out, embargoed. I think the ArmEnian Calvinist nailed the motive for this denial of so much of God’s Word:
[
The fear of victory is not unusual. Doctors are plagued with healthy people with imaginary ailments; ... They fear health, because it brings them face-to-face with their responsibilities as men and women. In one way or another, countless people cripple themselves either physically or spiritually to avoid meeting life victoriously. The responsibilities of success and victory are avoided by many.
] (Chariots of Prophetic Fire. p. 160. Ross House Books. 2003)
It’s a bit mendacious to whine about real-world problems while resolutely renouncing and rejecting God’s real-world solutions.
***Anyone here read their Bible today?***
Every night before going to bed. A chapter or two in the OT then a chapter or two in the NT.
Amen!
Churches are an invention of man and are always open for scrutiny or purpose. Man is not perfect and can do things not consistent with the word of God. And often.
Remember Mathew 18:
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Many times more than three on any topic can cause confusion and misinterpretation...even of the Bible. Remember, you need two to disagree but a third to hear it and assumed something.
Luke 23:
“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” KJ
wy69
MeganC, yours is an interesting take. Except for when he drove the money changers from the Temple, I don’t recall Jesus treating anyone with anything but love. Even when He rebuked Peter, He didn’t “stay angry” with him. The world around Him was very evil, yet He operated in love. I know we must shun evil and act with obedience to God’s Word, and sometimes that means telling it like it is, always it means doing what is right in the sight of God. Sometimes I wonder how we would behave, if we in the US were being persecuted and martyred the way Christians are in other parts of the world. I know the Bible and history tells us that early Christians hid from their persecuters, but did not fight against them. In fact, they counted it as an honor to be martyred for Christ. Just some pondering.
Also been to a church where the 50 year old pastor was dressing in skinny jeans
I’m laughing because my 73 year old husband wears skinny jeans (well, not the ones that hug the legs like leggings) and they look great on him. He’s an Indian (feather, not dot) with a flat Indian butt, and most jeans are too big in the butt for him.
God wants you with Him but he is not going to torture you in hell for an eternity if you shut Him out.
The Bible teaches that you will suffer he’ll fire if you reject God. He’s not the torcherer, though. People choose to go to help by rejecting Him.
[[Lie #1: You need to see results or you’re not doing God’s will.]]
Nope- God often works behind the scenes- sometimes many many years later, and we never knew we were used by God to affect someone’s thought process later on- sometimes all it takes is being kind to someone on a consistent basis despite their being an unlovable person or whatever- and later in life- they remember back to “That Christian” who was kind while others ignored him or her=- Sometimes just something that is written will spark an interest in someone’s life, and the writer will never know-
[[Lie #6: If you ignore tough topics, they will go away.]]
It’s ok to say to a skeptic “I don’t know the answer to that” and leave that person’s salvation in the hands of a very capable God Who will know how to get through the skepticism if that person has been chosen before the foundations of the earth were placed- ie God knew who will and won’t accept- and He knows how to woo those who will- -
By the way- Paul said that the ‘whole earth had been evangelized’ already- said it a few times actually- I never realized that before- sadly though less and less people are listening, and it’s estimated that in modern day, only about 5% will have been evangelized to despite there being a lot more Christians aroudn today- Not saying everyone has been called to evangelize, but just thought it interesting that the whole world had already been so back when- with less Christians- it was quite a feat-
Yep- it took a “Hellfire and BRimstone” message to move me to accept Christ-
Hell, not help.
“Except for when he drove the money changers from the Temple, I don’t recall Jesus treating anyone with anything but love.”
Jesus was pretty clear of His contempt for the Pharisees and Sadducees. He went out of His way to heal people on the Sabbath just to piss them off.
Jesus told his Apostles to go buy a sword. He wasn’t expecting them to cut a cake or to chop wood with it.
Jesus had no problem expressing His anger at hypocrites.
Jesus had no love for the fruitless fig tree and He cursed it to wither. Many scholars consider that the fig tree was for Jesus a proxy for the fruitless Jews of the time.
In Matthew 18:6 Jesus makes clear not just that He has no love for those who would bring harm to children but that He wants them dead. And if they are not wise enough to kill themselves then much worse will be waiting for them.
As to those who embrace martyrdom I am happy for them and their faith. Myself, if someone wants to kill me and mine for our beliefs then I fully intend to kill them for theirs.
Others may lay down and die for their faith and feel proud of themselves for doing so.
I might die for my country and for liberty but if it comes to that I fully intend to go down fighting. I will not go to the concentration camp peacefully.
“Give me liberty, or give me death!”
- Patrick Henry
I can’t stand skinny jeans. Especially on men.
Nor man buns.
Preach it!!!
Calvinism is not Christianity.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4S19ubs2BxcWctWoQklOxWbIyvMg8SOU&si=muddVjr4_l8CQu3u
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