Modern Christianity (Written by my Wife)

Modern Christianity (Written by my Wife)

The amount of holiness Christians with the belief that our works do indeed matter and we must pursue righteousness to obtain eternity with Jesus Christ, has seriously decreased.  When I did a search on the words, "What percentage of people have holiness beliefs?" the results were quite sad, though not unexpected. In an article by G. Shane Morris (I don't know much about him, so I am not specifically promoting him, just quoting him. You can read his article here: https://thefederalist.com/2016/10/10/survey-finds-american-christians-actually-heretics/), he said that today's Christians are basically heretics. One of the things he writes is, "Two-thirds admitted that everyone sins a little bit, but still insisted that most people are good by nature, which directly contradicts scripture (See “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” and “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”). Over half said it’s fair for God to exercise his wrath against sin, but seemed to waffle about which sins deserved wrath (not theirs!). Seventy-four percent said the “smallest sins” don’t warrant damnation, in contrast to Jesus’ brother, who when writing at the Holy Spirit’s inspiration taught that even one infraction of God’s law is enough to sink someone."

Another article I found by George Barna (again, I am not specifically promoting him, just quoting him https://www.barna.com/research/the-concept-of-holiness-baffles-most-americans/) says, "Holiness is a matter embraced by the Christian Church, but it is not one that many Americans adopt as a focal point of their faith development. This is partially because barely one-third of Americans (35%) contend that 'God expects you to become holy.' A larger share of the born again public believes God has called them to holiness (46%) but that portion remains a minority of the born again population."

According to Wikipedia (which I know is not always accurate), in the past 50 years or so, people who consider themselves a part of the holiness movement has dropped from 600 million to 12 million.

‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labor, you patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent... He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” Revelation 2:1-7

We have both written quite a bit on the importance of striving to live a holy life, so I will not dwell on that issue today. My goal is to focus on the perception, or I should say, misperception of the true Christian. For the sake of this article, I use the term "true" or "holiness" Christian meaning one who has Arminian beliefs rather than believing in the false doctrine of eternal security.  I am not attempting to be derogatory or sarcastic, but just based on what the Bible says. We are labeled as legalistic, judgmental, hateful, and narrow-minded. True Christians who stand up for their beliefs are no longer admired or respected, but just the opposite. Although my heart goes out to the  martyrs that are being persecuted in other countries, and I greatly admire them all, my focus is on what is happening in America.  

Sadly, one of the reasons most that call themselves Christians have watered down in their beliefs is that they fear persecution from the world and do not have the courage to stand up for Jesus.  In the ancient days of the Romans, the Christians initially rejected Paganism (false gods).  Yet after being tortured and executed for their faith, they decided to allow the Pagans into their churches, believing this would cause the persecution to stop.  They also believed they would be the stronger influence and would not let the false religions drag them down.  However, that was not the case, and the Christians compromised their beliefs and adopted the false gods and even used the images of false gods as the faces on their own saints.  This is also a topic that would make another good issue for another blog, but I will move on for now. However, if you are skeptical of this, do your own research and notice the similarities between the Pagan goddesses Diana & Isis and the Catholic Mary (just as one example). 

My point is that the ancient Christians chose to conform to the world and exchanged the truth for a lie just to be popular.  Today's Christians have done the same thing. They care more about being liked than living a life of holiness and standing up for their beliefs.  You no longer see congregations in modern churches weeping at the altar repenting of their sins because they believe there is grace for all sins.  The modern church members no longer dress as if church is a special occasion, but come in shorts (men and women), mini skirts, low cut tops, and  other provocative clothing.  Even the pastors dress in blue jeans (sometimes ripped) and T-shirts.  They all want to look like the world and in turn treat church irreverently as if going to the mall. Why not when churches now have book stores and coffee shops.  Didn't Jesus warn against turning the church into a marketplace? 

I am continually saddened by people who call themselves Christians then say homosexuality is okay, admire witchcraft, drink alcohol, dress provocatively, tell dirty jokes, etc., all to fit in with their buddies.  Wake up, if these people were really your friends, you would not need to compromise your beliefs to stay friends!  True friendship is as true Christianity, you are loved in spite of your differences. 

That brings me to the topic of true Christians being seen as hatemongers.  Just because I do not support LGBTQ, that does not mean I hate the people involved.  My heart is saddened for them and I have great compassion for their souls.  The old saying, "Love the sinner, hate the sin," applies.  Hating the sin does not mean I hate the person.  98% of our friends have different beliefs from us.  We do not stop being their friends, nor do look down on them. We love them and cherish their friendships.  Instead, we say an extra prayer every day that their eyes will be opened to the ways of holiness. With that said, it is also a shame that the more liberal Christians no longer accept the holiness Christians as if we are not all striving to serve the Lord.  But are we?  Do the modern day Christians really care about serving Christ or serving themselves? Donating time or money to a worthy cause is more than it takes to please the Lord; it takes a lifestyle of holiness and striving to put down sin.  It takes repentance and the casting away of habitual sin, not just throwing money in the offering.  

 If you want to be truthful, you can admit that true Christians are looked at with a lot less tolerance than the LGBTQ community, or any other group that goes against the principles of Jesus Christ. Shortly after we moved to Washington, there was a report on the radio about a street preacher in Seattle being beaten up when he protested gay rights.  This was not an isolated incident. It has become more and more frequent for a Christian to be harmed for speaking the truth more than ever before. Christians are not beating up nonbelievers and yet we are seen as the ones filled with hate?

Even those that call themselves Christians look down on true Christianity and say we are being legalistic and judgmental. When I looked up the definition of legalism on dictionary.com, I was shocked.  One definition was, "the doctrine that salvation is gained through good works."  What?  Even this website is against true holiness Christians! Legalism is what Jesus Christ spoke out against.  Read the gospels!  The Pharisees were so steeped in manmade laws that they were mistreating one another and not focusing on a relationship with God! True Christianity is not about manmade traditions, it is about focusing on the lessons and words of Jesus Christ and striving to live like Him and treating others with love! It is not tolerating sin, but loving the sinner by showing good works to all. 

As the world becomes more and more liberal, the holiness Christian becomes more and more hated.  And I no not use the term "hate" lightly.  The Bible says we will be hated and persecuted for our faith, and this is nothing new.  However, there was a time when non-believers were more tolerant of us.  I fear it will eventually be so bad that just saying the name of Jesus (other than as a curse word) will get one beaten up. 

We all know the day is coming when true Christians will be thrown into jail and certain types of churches will be banned.  In order to stay safe, we will have to hide our faith.  Whenever I think of such things, it both saddens and frightens me.  However, I am not here to scare you. But I do want to wake you up to what modern Christianity has become and will eventually become a huge taboo. 

I also want to encourage you not to water down your beliefs.  Read the gospels of Jesus Christ to know what is right and wrong and quit compromising to be popular!

There is so much more I can say on this subject, but I feel horribly inadequate to expound farther.  I will end by pointing you to the prophet David Wilkerson who said, "I see an hour of persecution coming such as mankind has never before witnessed. This will be a persecution of true Jesus believers that will soon arise like a many–headed monster out of the sea" He also predicted, "An antichrist spirit will enter the hearts of certain men in high places in government and in the judicial system, causing these officials to engage in legal maneuvers designed to harass independent churches, missionaries and ministers."

I am Warning my Children to get Out!

I am Warning my Children to get Out!

(2 Thess 2:³⁾ Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 

How many people not only read God's Word, but study it? Many people trust their pastors or television evangelists to teach them the Bible, while their Bible gathers dust on a shelf. Many Christians are led astray by blind guides who have not been truly born again. In order to please their flocks, these blind guides tickle the ears of their flocks with man-pleasing lies, which produce spiritual death. God's Word teaches us that before the Lord's return there will be a great apostasy (falling away from Christ). Toward the bottom of this posting, I have shared dreams and words God has given me concerning the apostate church.

 The American church of today is a carnal (sinful, worldly) body, who has replaced holiness teaching, with the false grace for everything doctrine. True grace, only follows repentance and is not automatic. We should repent of our sins on a regular basis and turn from them. God does not want lip service, but obedience. There is no grace for words only, we must allow God's Spirit to transform us, this is the true meaning of being born again. Any tree who does not bear good fruit, will be cut down, and thrown into the fire. These are not the words of a legalist, they are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. The holy prophets and apostles who wrote scripture inspired by the Holy Spirit would be called legalists, or works based ministers, by today's church, if they preached today. If you don't believe that works will affect your salvation, I encourage you to read Rev chapters 2 and 3. The Lord rebuked the churches because their works were not perfect before God. The Lord Jesus threatened to remove their lampstand from it's place before God, unless they repented, and did the first works again, as well as to vomit out a lukewarm Laodicean church! James the brother of Christ, wrote that faith without works is dead.

 Paul, Peter, James, John, and Jude, also taught us that holiness is a requirement for salvation. Many people believe that the sinner's prayer alone will save their souls, this is contrary to the Word of God. If the sinner's prayer is prayed with sincerity, and is preceded and followed by true repentance of sins, God will honor it. When you truly come to Christ, you have entered through the narrow gate which is Christ. This is not the end of your spiritual walk but the beginning. Once you have been born again, you start walking down the narrow road which leads to eternal life. Christ said that those who endure unto the end shall be saved. You may have been born again and spirit filled at one time, but because of your lawless deeds, you may be shut out of the Kingdom of God (Matt7:21-23). You must keep your faith, as well as your walk, unto the end to enter God's kingdom.

(Matt 7:¹³⁾ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ¹⁴ Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Therefore by their fruits you will know them.²¹ “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Jude the brother of Christ warns us to avoid apostate ministers who lead God's sheep astray. These men and women have turned the grace of God into lewdness, as well as deny both the Father and the Son by their unsound doctrine and wicked lifestyles. Many churches have been deceived by the love of money and pleasure, as well as corrupted by the lust for power, or position. The souls of people are the church, and we don't need large fancy buildings, or gimmicks to get people through the doors. We don't need Starbucks coffee houses in our churches to attract people, or strobe lights and smoke bombs. All of this is worldly, sensual, and void of God's Spirit. Much of the modern worship services please the emotions but are an abomination to a Holy God. God takes no pleasure in our worldly rock music, or jumping up and down, or dancing the holy ghost hop. God gave me more than one dream about how this is offensive to Him. Recently, the Lord spoke to me about how worldly some of the videos were that I shared on this page. The Lord told me that just because a music minister gets on his knees and weeps doesn't justify the music. I repented and removed the videos. The Lord showed me that most of the Christian music industry is married to the apostate church.   

(Jude 1:4) For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

(Jude 1:¹⁶⁾ These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. ¹⁷ But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: ¹⁸ how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. ¹⁹ These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

(Rev 17:18) states that the harlot is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth. I believe that this is a reference to both Rome, as well as the USA  in a physical sense, as well as the Roman Catholic Church and her offspring spiritually. She is depicted as an adulterous woman clothed in purple and scarlet, scarlet is symbolic of sin, and purple is symbolic of royalty, as well as is the official color of the Roman Catholic Church. This adulterous woman sits on many waters and commits  fornication with the kings of the earth.  This is a depiction of the harlot church which rides upon the back of the beast (anti-christ, as well as his beast empire).  The biblical term Babylon is used many times within the old testament as a reference to sin and wickedness. There is also a similarity between the adulterous wife of Yahweh, mentioned in Ezekiel, and the harlot of Revelation. Just as Israel was unfaithful to God many times within the old testament, so much of the church is unfaithful to Christ today. To live in un-repented sin is to commit spiritual adultery. Mystery Babylon, is referred to as the mother of all harlots, I believe this is a reference to the Roman Catholic Church, as well as her offspring, the many protestant churches that preach a dead message of compromise (grace without repentance). God commands his children to come out of the harlot churches.

   

Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. ⁵ For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.

The Lord shows me dirty brown or black birds in churches that compromise with their teaching, and lifestyle.  This is a reference to the apostate churches of the end times, known as Babylon (wickedness). (Rev 18:²⁾ And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

(Rev 18:1) After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. ² And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! ³ For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the ^[b]abundance of her luxury.”

⁴ And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. ⁵ For her sins ^[c]have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.

A number of years ago, the Lord showed me the church as an unfaithful bride, and he said, “Divorce.” The Lord made it very clear that sinful bondages that are not repented of, will lead to spiritual death (divorce). The Lord spoke to me in an audible voice and said, “I am warning my children to get out!” This word was followed by a dream. I dreamed that I was in a convenience store and that nothing worked right, the gas pumps, food machines, as well as everything else within the store was malfunctioning. I then noticed that the lid was off the drink machine, and it was almost empty; there were also three, half-eaten bags of Fritos in the drink. I said, “This is nasty,” I then removed the drink machine and put it in the trash outdoors. Then an older man walked into the store, and he said that nothing worked right. The angel of the Lord then answered him and said, “The authorities are on their way.” As I stated previously, the Lord refers to the harlot church system of the end times as Mystery Babylon. Babylon is a term synonymous with wickedness (Rev 18:4-5).  The convenience store in my dream was symbolic of the churches who are serving up spiritual junk food. The almost empty drink machine, with three half-eaten bags of Fritos in it, is the greasy grace doctrine taught by most churches. The gas pumps that do not work are symbolic of an unholy spirit, which has replaced God’s Holy Spirit. It is time to come out of Babylon!

In another dream, I was standing next to an angel outside of a church building. I noticed the stone church building looked Gothic in appearance and we proceeded to walk inside. The angel showed me various different rooms or sanctuaries within this building. Each room was a different Christian denomination or fellowship. I understood that the church building that we were in was a Roman Catholic Church, and the Protestant denominations and fellowships were her offspring. The RCC is the mother of all harlots and the other churches (her offspring) are harlots, as well. In other words, the sinful bondages within the lives of those who profess to know Christ is spiritual adultery (Rev 17:1-15).

Next, the Angel led me into one of the rooms and he pointed to a glass display case that had wax figures in them that represented the persecution of true Christians by the church throughout the ages. It displayed true Christians being burned at the stake, as well as killed in other ways, by the Protestant reformers, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and others. It also displayed the drowning of the Ana-Baptists in barrels. The angel said, “This is the history of the apostate church.”

I was then standing within an Assembly of God church, very similar to ones that I have attended in the past. The angel walked me down the aisles and pointed to the people sitting in the pews. I noticed that everyone was dressed in wedding garments, the men in tuxedos, and the women in white wedding dresses with veils. However, many were dead rotting corpses still wearing wedding garments, seated next to living people throughout the congregation. I noticed that around sixty percent of the congregation were dead corpses, and around forty percent were alive. Since the dead corpses were still wearing wedding garments, this is an indication that they were once born again, but now they were dead in their sins. Christ said that those who endure unto the end, shall be saved.

When is Shame not Shameful? (Written by my wife)

When is shame not shameful? (Written by my Wife)

I started a new job June 3 that is approximately thirty minutes from home. The drive is a bit tedious, but to make the time to faster I switch back and forth between two Christian radio stations. My intent is not to insult these stations so I will not name them specifically; one is a national station and the other local.

When we lived in Cascade (we moved 2 1/2 months ago), we were limited to radio stations, so it has been four and half years since I have listened to music other than on CD. I am not surprised to hear the constant grace message (if you read my blog, you know how I feel about the false eternal security message), but I am surprised to hear the trend of music take this grace message even farther out of bounds by saying that feeling shame is wrong. Whether this is a new theme or one that has been around for a while, I cannot say.

Before I go on, I want to make it clear that there are levels of shame I believe one needs not to feel. If you are a victim of any form of abuse and feel as if it is (or was) your fault and you feel shame over what your attacker did to you, please seek help and know you are not at fault (family member or not). Plead the blood of Jesus over your heart and pray you heal from feeling shame as a victim.

The type of shame that I believe the singers are trying to insist is wrong, is when we feel shame over our sins...

I have to pause for a moment. While I am writing this I switched over to https://www.biblegateway.com/ to search scriptures for this blog, and, wow, this just happened to be the verse of the day :
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. Jeremiah 17:9-10 KJV
Fits in nicely with this theme. Anyway, what I was going to write was that the artists like to quote Romans 8:1, but what they all fail to do is finish the verse. What you are used to hearing is:
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus...
However, it goes on to say is:
...who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
In other words, there is no condemnation (shame) for our actions WHEN we walk in the Spirit instead of in the flesh of sin. How many of you knew this verse had 10 extra words? In fact, as I searched images for this blog and typed, "Romans 8:1 images," 50% of the images left out the last 10 words! Preachers (and singers) want you to believe you do not have to ever feel shame if you call yourself a Christian. From now on, please remember the rest of Romans 8:1 and that, yes, there is condemnation when we walk in fleshly sins. In fact, read verses 2-16 as well. I know it's long, but carefully read over all the words and let the message sink in. Romans 8:1-16 is posted at the end of this blog.
The Bible tells us to examine ourselves daily (read also Psalm 139):
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. II Corinthians 13:5
Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. Luke 9:23
Taking up your cross daily and denying yourself means to lay down your sins. In order to know what sins we must lay down, we must listen to our conscience, which, yes, can be called shame. When you feel no shame or remorse, you are basically saying you have not sinned.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. I John 1:8-10

And, yes, absolutely check out verse 9 above. Jesus is full of grace when we confess our sins.

As I mentioned at the beginning there are forms of shame that are unhealthy. There are forms of shame that are from the devil. When you have repented from your sins and have true remorse and are working hard at not repeating the same mistakes, you should not feel guilt over your past. I do agree that the devil wants to inflict unnecessary shame upon the past you have overcome. When this happens, rebuke Satan in the name of Jesus Christ and remind yourself that Jesus forgave you when you repented, and that you are doing your best to never repeat your sins.

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:10-11

Satan wants to accuse us day and night, but when we have overcome our sins by the blood of Jesus, then we need not feel shame. Again, remember, when you confess your sins, Jesus will forgive you. However, do not use the true grace of Jesus as an excuse not to feel shame or as an excuse to sin.

True shame is not shameful when we feel remorse for sins we refuse to let go. When we say, "I feel bad I am addicted to porn," or "I feel shame that I have cheated on my spouse," or "I feel guilty for stealing, taking, drugs, cheating," etc., then this type of shame is very good for your spiritual health. That is the Holy Spirit speaking to your conscience, prompting you to repent and give up your sinful ways.

I could probably go on a little longer on this subject, but instead, as promised, here is Romans 8:1-16. Please read these verses carefully and see how a life lived in the flesh will cause shame, but when you chose to do your very best to walk down paths of righteousness (holy living), then and only then, will there be no condemnation.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. Romans 8:1-16