There Is A GOD!

There Is A GOD!

There is a GOD and He Loves you so much that:

He created the heaven, the earth, the sea and all that is in them just so you would have a place and everything you needed to live.

He was born a man, of a virgin, so that He could give you eternal life instead of eternal damnation.

As that man He introduced GOD as the Father, the Son and the Spirit.

As that man He showed us that the Kingdom of GOD is present in the earth.

As that man He was rejected by His family and nation so that you could know Him.

As that man He was falsely accused, tried and found guilty of your sin so you could be forgiven.

As that man He was beaten, whipped and crucified for your sin so that you could be healed and delivered.

As that man He became sin even though He had never sinned so that He could stand in your place of judgment.

As that man he died and was buried in a sealed tomb so He could preach the gospel to those who had already died.

As that Man He defeated temptation, sin, death and hell; taking the keys of death and hell so that you could be “Born Again”.

As that Man He rose from the grave on the third day and displayed Himself to over 500 people so that you would know that it was true.

As that Man He ascended to be seated at the right hand of GOD so He could intercede and advocate for you.

As that Man He sent the Spirit of GOD to live in all who believe in Him as the Son of GOD so that He could teach you His wisdom and knowledge and remind you of everything Jesus said.

As that Man He is the Head of His Body, the Church, in the earth so that He can direct your life to bring glory to GOD.

As that Man He will return and reign in Jerusalem for 1000 years so that all peoples will know and honor him.

As that Man after the 1000 years the Father and the Son will judge every living being and destroy this heaven, earth and sea and create a new eternal Heaven and Earth so that you can live with Him for eternity.

Prosperity 2019

Prosperity?

There is a lot said about prosperity and the prosperity doctrine.

Here is what I believe and every believer should have an opinion and know why they have it.

When I first became a believer in December of 1974 I did not know anything about GOD or the Bible. I soon got married and we attended a small church in a semi-rural area of San Diego County. In September 1975 I started Bible College and went for two years, besides being involved in the Church we attended.

Not long after I became a Christian I heard about the prosperity doctrine, that GOD wanted all Christians to be healthy and wealthy and if you gave enough money to the right ministries that would happen. It did not sound right to me as a young Christian and it still sounds wrong to me 44 years later.

THE GOSPEL IN NOT FOR SALE!

Not just prosperity doctrine teachers make a profit from the Gospel, many ministers sell their teachings and books and charge speaking fees. I believe this is wrong!

Jesus told the disciples the first time He sent them out to minister in His Name, the 12 and the 70, “Do not take a purse (wallet, billfold, money belt, bank card, etc.) accept what is offered, a workman is worthy of His hire.” (my paraphrase) Jesus also told them that freely they had received and freely they were to give in regards to the ministry gifts He gave them. This did not change when He gave them the Great Commission and it did not change when the Father gave them the Holy spirit, nor has it ever changed, there is nowhere in the scripture where we are told or allowed to make a profit from the Gospel. Study Matthew 10:5-15 and Luke 10:1-20.

In the epistles and in Proverbs we are told to watch out for those who are drawing people to themselves and for those who seek after fame and wealth.

I believe that the works of the Kingdom are works of faith (trust), if we believe that GOD is GOD and that JESUS is the savior of humanity and LORD of All then we should also believe that the Bible is the Word of GOD and is to be used for teaching, training, correction, direction and life. Our trust has to be like Peter’s when JESUS told him to step out of the boat and walk on water, so we must believe GOD then when He tells us to do something and there is an expense or materials required or anything that we do not already have then we have to wait for GOD to supply, we have all heard of testimonies where GOD told someone to go somewhere or do something and without asking or telling anyone GOD miraculously supplied what was needed when it was needed; like being told to go on a trip and going to the airport without the money do get a ticket and someone shows up and said GOD told them to bring the money for their ticket.

This is what happened after the day of Pentecost, the Apostles did not tell the new believes to sell their property and homes and bring the money to them, but the new believes did. This is what happened to the Israelites when GOD delivered them out of Egypt. GOD put it on the hearts of the Egyptians (in fear) to give of their wealth to the Israelites as they were leaving. Then in the wilderness when GOD showed Moses the plans for the Tabernacle He told Moses to tell the people to give and they gave so much that Moses had to tell them to stop giving. Paul was living and ministering in one region and receiving unasked for support from another region; and he used that to teach the Church not to just tithe but to give to the needs of the Church in other regions; and none of those funds went to administrative costs and salaries.

JESUS did not take a collection or offering when He traveled and ministered, the Father put it on the heart of women (who were not allowed to be part of the ministry) to support Him and the disciples out of their allowances.

This is the way the Kingdom of GOD works if we trust Him to do as He asks or tells us to do He will supply everything we need when we need it. If He does not supply it, it is either not the time or not for you.

GOD Is Not A For Profit GOD!

Until late in the Twentieth Century traveling ministries received faith offerings from wherever they were ministering, they usually traveled at their own expense and stayed with and took their meals with the pastor’s family or an elder’s family. Now many ministries expect and demand travel and hotel accommodations as well as a specific payment for their ministry, some even charge admittance and for materials provided; it’s not that there are no costs involved but are they doing it at cost or making a profit?

JESUS told us to lay down our life and take up our cross daily, JESUS told us to lay down out life for the brethren. Prosperity is not a doctrine it is the result of GOD’s blessing on people and prosperity is not about money but about our whole life. GOD only calls those to be rich whom He has gifted to be rich in their mother’s womb and who have proved to Him their trustworthiness throughout their life time. There are many who get rich on their own but are actually missing the call GOD has for them.

The teachers of prosperity actually make many Christians unhappy with the call GOD has gifted them for. Also if financial prosperity was GOD’s goal for all Christians than why do so many who try to follow the prosperity doctrine and give by faith to the prosperity ministries and sow seeds of faith into the prosperity ministries never get rich?

The prosperity doctrine can only be taught in wealthy nations, it does not sell in nations where 90% or more of the population lives in abject poverty. The prosperity doctrine does not sell in

third world nations or nations under totalitarian or communist government.

If a doctrine is not for the whole Church then it is not a Biblical doctrine!

Eternal Life Starts Now!

What is eternal life? Eternal life is not just living forever!
"And this is eternal life; that they know You, the One True GOD and Jesus Christ whom You sent."
In the flesh we are "to seek first the Kingdom of GOD and His righteousness."
In the Church we are to be conformed to the image of Christ and to have the mind of Christ; obedience to the Will of GOD!

GOD's Judgment on America and the Church!

GOD’s Judgment for America and the Church!

There is so much bad going on in America (the United States of America - USA) since 1960, more crime of every kind (regardless of the local and national reported statistics); more hate and division on every level of society; more violence; more immorality; more lack of integrity personally, legally, professionally, and governmentally!

Many ask, “Why?” and there are many suggestions like violent and sexually explicit movies and TV programs, video and on-line games, more violent and vulgar pornography; an increase in hopelessness and despair in every level of society; less respect for life for some while demanding respect for others; a greater drive towards violence against self and others.

All of these are just systems of the real problem which is a lack of GOD!

In the 1950s America stared prospering as never before and many attributed it to our strength, wisdom and ability as demonstrated during WW2. Humanism infiltrated our society and government at every level and started taking credit for GOD’s blessings and protection over this nation; forgetting our past and rewriting our history to exclude GOD we rejected GOD’s call and purpose for America.

A Short History Reminder

The United States started out as thirteen colonies of England, but before that they were settlements from different nations of Europe and many of them came here to escape religious persecution by the national church of the countries they left. As England gained control over the eastern part of the nation and exerted greater control many of the colonies decided they had enough and wanted their freedom to decide their own destiny. These thirteen colonies were independent of each other and even during the revolution did not agree on much. After they won independence from English rule they could have each gone their own way. But, they seemed driven to form a central government even though they all had different thoughts on how that should look and act. After much debate the whole idea was about to fall apart when Benjamin Franklin (a Deist) called the assembled representatives of the colonies to pray as they had done during the war. Out of that came our democratic republic, The United States of America and our Constitution! While not everyone was a born again Christian, there was a Rabbi, an Imam and several Christian Pastors that were participants in forming our government and nation, they all sought one thing; the right to worship GOD as they desired and to not be forced by the government to all worship the same way.

Back to the 1960s: as a nation we decided that we no longer wanted GOD to lead us and guide us through the night with His light from above. So we started excluding Him from our education system, entertainment, social awareness and government. The Christian Church in America went along with the secularist and mostly kept quite as we not only kicked GOD out but started murdering babies in the womb, making criminals the heroes of movies and TV and all popular culture and allowing pornography to be available to everyone.

Since the 1990’s we have seen attacks against America at home and abroad, both foreign and domestic. We have seen an increase in the violent nature of both criminal and accepted behavior. And while we pass stricter and harsher laws the violence increases because laws do not prevent crime they only punish the criminal after the crime. We also are seeing greater, more destructive and deadly natural disasters, accidental disasters (like industrial and transportation) and attacks across our nation.

So we return to the question, “Why?” because we kicked GOD out! We want to be guided by our own conscience and not by GOD. But GOD told us about 5000 years ago, “…that every thought of man is evil and his heart is continually wicked.” so our self rule is wicked and destructive.

It used to be that when people asked “why”, I would say it was because of sin, man’s nature was changed when Adam disobeyed GOD and ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Just look at Cain and Able and nothing has changed not after the flood, not when GOD brought the descendents of Abraham out of Egypt and gave them The Promised Land. Since Jesus Christ died on the Cross and rose from the dead washing away the sins of those who believe and repent (stop sinning) and taking our punishment upon Himself there is hope for humanity. But, even some who claim to be Christian and all who reject GOD’s salvation through Jesus still have an evil heart.

Now I believe that what we are experiencing as the Church and as a nation is the judgment of GOD for our unrepentant sins. The only hope for the Church and America is prayer, fasting and humility which lead to repentance and revival.

“If I shut up the sky, so that there is no rain; or if I order locusts to devour the land; or if I send an epidemic of sickness among my people; then, if My people, who bear My Name, will humble themselves, pray, seek My face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear from Heaven; forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears will pay attention to the prayer made in this place.” 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 CJB (emphasis mine)