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Archive for the Religious Category

Professing Christians, Fruitcakes and Homosexuals

17. November 2011 by PawBill.

///The following is a rather lengthy “mini-sermon” for the professing Christians of the world, and an encouragement for “Christians” to become Biblical Christians. It is still not too late to rekindle your faith and love for Jesus Christ. Not all who profess to be Christians belong to Jesus. Reaffirm you stance in Jesus and your faith. Take back your families, and resist the world, its lies and untruths.///

I woke up this morning feeling discouraged and defeated; discouraged that I failed in another attempt to bake my seasonal fruitcakes without incidence and defeated once again by my own inability to correctly follow a simple recipe. I am using a family recipe handed down from my father, but I have not been able to duplicate his cakes in either taste or appearance; his cakes were always perfect.

As I review my many cooking failures that have occurred over the past several years I believe it may be time to move on. I should spare you some of the ugly details of my failures, but I cannot pass up another opportunity for self chastisement. For instance: One year I left out the sugar and when I realized my mistake I tried to add it at the last minute—a difficult undertaking once the cake was ready for the oven; another year I decided to soak my cakes in brandy. Too much brandy invited unwanted questions at the church Christmas social; another year I discovered bugs in my flour but too late to stop the baking process. I sifted all the little critters out, well most I suppose, before I mixed all the ingredients together.

The only additional mistake I made was sharing this little “critter” tidbit of information with my wife. She shared it with the few people who normally like my cakes and now they avoid cake bake sales altogether. The list could go on; I have been trying to bake an award winning cake for eight or nine years but to no avail. This may be my last year as I feel like giving up.

This year I thought I had the process down pat. My first baking was almost perfect, but my next baking was severely undercooked. I should have used longer tooth picks to test for an undercooked center. My main mistake was in using different size baking pans and forgetting to adjust the oven baking temperature for larger pan sizes. I suppose I can use the cake crumbs for an ice cream topping—five gallons of vanilla ice cream should be sufficient. I could cast some blame on my six year old granddaughter but that would be unfair. She liked tasting the fruit, measuring and mixing but even she did not like the finished product. I do not believe there will be a prize winning cake in my future.

While I am kicking myself around I might as well tell you I am discouraged and feeling defeated by the state of the “Christian” church. I am not discouraged in the same way Elijah was discouraged when he was fleeing from Jezebel. Elijah thought, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” Read the entire account of Elijah’s “pity party” in 1 Kings, chapter 19.

But, why does the Christian church not recognize the times? Have Christians been blinded by their own selfish natures? Have they forsaken the God they worship? They are no longer a witness of the goodness of God but are partakers of immorality and idolatry just as the worldly. In fact, you cannot tell the difference in their lifestyles.

Most Christians can no longer separate Truth, what the Bible teaches, from untruth, what the world teaches. Consider America’s media sources. I go through periods where I have to tune out the media jocks of all stations and their “fair and balanced journalism.” They all have their own “dogma” that they proclaim as “truth.” Those periods are growing closer and closer together as media sources have been drawn to sensationalism much like the news headlines you would see on the front page of the National Enquirer. How about you? Do you know when you are hearing the Truth?

When I say tune out I am not saying that I stop listening or reading any media source or sources, I am simply saying I become more selective in what I am willing to read, watch, hear or even discuss and the amount of time I have to devote to such activities. Otherwise, I could become totally insensitive or blatantly intolerant to the views of others—like most of our Democratic, Libertarian, and Republican politicians—who have been blinded to integrity and morality by their greed and grandiose narcissistic personalities they exhibit as they claim to represent their constituents.

We all have our own source of truth that we have embraced and our lives bear witness to that truth. My source of Truth is the Holy Bible. I believe it is the inspired word of God and that if you read and study the Bible under the guidance of the Holy Spirit you will come to believe in the following Truths:

· “Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Light and no one comes to God except through Him” (John 14:6). There is only one pathway to Jesus’ heaven and that is through Him! What about your heaven?

· Marriage is a covenant between one man and one woman.

· Pro-life should be the law of the land, not the murderous Pro-choice “method of birth control” practiced by those without a moral conscience for the life they carry.

· The willful removal of God from America by the godless minority while the “Godly” majority sits idly by is hastening America’s moral decay.

· Political Correctness is destroying freedom, not broadening freedom.

· Homosexuality is a lifestyle of sexual promiscuity and “unnatural affections.” Many homosexuals will not live in monogamous sexual relationships among “their own” but willingly, or purposely, choose to spread sexually transmitted diseases to the heterosexual population. The same can be said for people who abuse drugs and alcohol.

Christians should “Love sexually immoral people, but disapprove of their lifestyle. Sexual immorality has been detrimental to the health of all people groups throughout the history of man. If you will not take God’s word for it at least consider the advice and warnings of communicable disease experts.

Now, you may find my Truth intolerant, and you probably are calling me a bigot and a homophobic, but that is OK. I am not trying to convert you to my way of thinking or religious belief. Only the Holy Spirit can reveal to you the Truth of Jesus Christ and the Cross and only Jesus Christ can save you. You can believe whatever your source of truth reveals to you. I will be tolerant of your views, but I will not compromise my views or merge my views with yours in an attempt to promote a harmony of spirits and a “let’s all get along since we all are in and of god.” My Truth is a religion of peace, not violence or intolerance; what about yours?

Christian, temporarily put aside the latest “talking points” on economic and political issues of the day and focus on your “Christian morality” and the coming assault on Biblical Christianity—the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ, His Cross and His shed Blood on Calvary for the redemption of man; the Holy Bible as the inspired Word of God to man; and Jesus Christ as the only way to God.

This current assault on Christianity is not new and is probably deserved given the current worldliness of professing Christian; (Unlike the Christian, Biblical Christians are standing and witnessing for their God. See above definition.). It has been going on since Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection and will continue until Jesus’ Second Coming. Nothing is really new, only the packaging and modern day terminology. Heresies regarding Jesus Christ were from the beginning as man has sought to defend their concept of god, death and the afterlife. This assault has always been led by the spiritual forces of darkness— Satan and his hordes and the worldly they can easily capture with their tempting lies. The same forces are at work now and have blinded the “me” generation of Americans.

By refusing to believe in God, most Americans have become worldly participants in immorality and have allowed themselves to be captured by the spiritual forces of darkness, and they do not even realize it. Look at the Occupy Wall Street anarchist;” they truly represent a “lost” generation who claim “rights” to the wages of others for which they themselves did not labor.

When parents voluntarily give up the teaching of morality to their children and the discussion of sexuality to the government or Hollywood, is it any wonder that early teen pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, disrespect for authority and ignorance of common morality standards have become acceptable social norms. Laugh if you like at the humor of television programming that constantly offers a little bit more, and then a little bit more of sexual immorality. Soon the traditional standards of Biblical morality will have quietly disappeared from the consciences of the majority of America’s households.

Christian, do you want your children or grandchildren to grow up to be alcoholics, drug addicts, and included among the selfish and immoral scum of society? If so, just keep on keeping on in your silent denial in what I call “generational parental apathy.” It is a plague upon America’s traditional moral and religious family values that needs to be stopped.

Twittering with God everyday helps guard my heart from Satan’s whispering temptations. How about you? Unless you have the Holy Spirit indwelling you, you are subject to the whims of your own desires and risk inviting demonic spirits to indwell you. Ponder on America’s drug and alcohol use, divorce rate, pornography epidemic, sexually transmitted diseases (STD’), godliness, greed and corruption to name just a few examples of America’s current morality plight. Can you not see the spiritual forces of darkness at work?

When will Christians stand and become Biblical Christians and defend morality and uphold the commandments of their God? If not soon, America will become the Sodom and Gomorrah of the twenty-first century and will pay the ultimate price for her silence—loss of her children to immorality and godliness, loss of traditional family values that bond a nation and loss of love for her fellow man.

I will leave you to ponder on the following scriptural verse:

“’In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.’ These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit” Jude 1:18-19 NIV.

“Professing Christian,” will you stand with God or will you stand with the world. It is your choice. To do nothing is to stand with the world against God.

Let me think. Was it four or five eggs and two cups of sugar or four cups of sugar and one egg?

Comments to: bt@northloopcottage.com

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Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. (Public Domain); NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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Have You Gone All The Way

12. October 2011 by PawBill.

If you as a professing “Christian” have made a public statement of promise to follow Jesus, to live for Him and to serve Him, how well have you lived up to your commitment? A few have gone all the way, “not turning back,” to become Biblical Christians; they have become sons of the living God—“…those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” Romans 8:14 NIV. Many became “Christian” in name only, turning back from their promise; they now live in a deceived religious state, denying the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit and denying Jesus Christ.

How about it? Have you gone all the way with Jesus Christ by following the guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit you received at your confession of faith or have you turned back to your sinful nature with its lust and physical desires and you human nature’s rejection of God?

It is not too late to return to Jesus; confess your sins and repent, and surrender your self-will to the Holy Spirit. Become born again in a spiritual re-birth and be set free from all unrighteousness, bondage, slavery, worldliness, immorality and idolatry. That is my prayer for you today.

If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, do so today if you hear His calling. Begin your spiritual rebirth by knelling at His Cross and praying what is called “a sinners prayer” such as the one that follows:

Lord Jesus, I confess and repent of my sins, I accept your forgiveness and grace and I accept your salvation. I believe that you came to redeem me, that you died on a cross for my sins and that you arose from death and the grave. I accept your promise to send the Holy Spirit to indwell me and to be my comforter and guide, and I surrender my self-will to you. Come into my heart today. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer in honesty, sincerity and belief, you are now a child of God; mature in Him by reading your Bible, joining a Bible believing church or study group, and follow Him in “believer’s baptism” as a symbol to others of your new life in Jesus Christ.

If you prayed the sinner’s prayer above and accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior please email me and let me know of your decision. All emails are confidential, and no response will be made to your email address unless one is requested by you.

Comments to: bt@northloopcottage.com

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As The World Divides

12. October 2011 by PawBill.

You have heard it said and you have seen it written, “America (or for that matter, the world), is at a turning point. To think about it in another way, “The turning points are actually divides of unalterable beliefs that span generational, political, social, educational, racial, sexual and religious perspectives—parent vs. child, young vs. old, Democrat vs. Republican, poor vs. rich, literate vs. illiterate, black vs. Caucasian, rich vs. poor, Christian vs. non-Christian, heterosexual vs. homosexual.

If there were perhaps just one divide, an easy solution might be found. Unfortunately there are just too many divides for easy solutions. There is a solution and that solution can be found in the person of Jesus Christ. However, most modern men have been deceived and find their source of life in materialism, government, and themselves. The ancients suffered with the same dilemmas as today’s generation and their worlds were destroyed just as America will be destroyed because of the same moral decay that claimed the worlds of the ancients.

I tuned across a radio station, WRFG the Progressive Voice, last evening looking for a Blue Grass Gospel station. It was disheartening to hear the voices of well meaning people speaking as “lunatics of knowledge and understanding” knowing that those voices are lost in the Antichrist’s jaws of death. Public Broadcasting stations are increasingly becoming the voices of everything anti-American. They speak as if God is on their side when in fact, their god is the god of this world (Satan) and they do not realize it. Fools that they are they continually promote class warfare and all the “ISMs” of bondage and slavery.

Unless you claim the TRUTH of the Biblical Scriptures of the Holy Bible, not man’s understanding of his own personal thoughts about God, an eternity in hell will be your destination. These are not my words or thoughts but are the Truths of the living God—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

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“Am I My Brother’s Keeper,” asked Cain

12. October 2011 by PawBill.

It is easy for man to get caught up in name calling—my religion is greater than your religion, my body is prettier than your body, my politics is better than your politics and that type stuff. It serves only as a distraction and causes division. Let’s face it, man became wired for divisiveness when “Eve Bit into the Apple.”

It matters not whether you believe in the story of Adam and Eve, but at some time in the distant past man’s disposition for “doing good” or “doing evil” brought about a divide that has pitted man against man, man against nature and man against God. You need only look to history and to man’s present day theatrics to see man’s true self and his outcome when left to his own humanistic, self-righteousness.

While our nation argues about meaningless, unimportant “stuff,” America’s economy, her Republic and her religious and moral values are gaining momentum circling in the “great white bowl” of polluted waste that will soon be flushed into a great gulf of tribulation and sorrow. The direction of the world and its final disposition was written about thousands of years ago, but man refuses to believe the ancients and continues with his own self-righteous ways.

What about you? Are you lost in the discussions of religious cults, Tea Parties, 99er’s and other mundane controversies you have no control over? Take control of your life and get your house in order for who knows when the days of economic disaster may be upon you.

“A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man” Proverbs 24:33-34 NIV.

As for the poor amongst us, they will survive as they always have. As Jesus said, “The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want” Mark 14:7 NIV. Government and caring people have always provided temporary assistance to the homeless, downtrodden and victims of disasters. However, when “temporary needs” become “permanent rights” as they have in America and the poor minority becomes the poor majority that chooses to blame others rather than themselves for their own behavioral dependencies and bad judgments and decisions, disastrous societal consequences follow close behind.

There is a solution and that solution can be found in Jesus Christ. Come to Jesus today and find peace and love in His arms. He will change your life!

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The Cross: Foolishness or the Key to Eternal Life

18. September 2011 by PawBill.

The shed blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross for the forgiveness of sin sounds, apparently, as foolish to twenty-first century man as it did to the men of the first century. Nearly two thousand years ago the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians that the cross was foolishness to those who were perishing. “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing…Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” 1^st Corinthians 1:18-25 NIV. What do you think? Is a belief in Jesus Christ foolishness or the key to Eternal Life?

Non readers and casual readers of the Holy Bible and this includes most who call themselves Christians, haven’t a clue as to the wisdom and knowledge that is available to those who truly believe and spend time in prayer and in the Word. It is indeed the Truth that can set man free. As Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” John 8:32 NIV. The spiritual indwelling of the Holy Spirit will teach and instruct you in your walk with Jesus Christ by revealing wisdom and knowledge from the Holy Bible, the infallible WORD of God. Why do many “Christians” not read their Bibles daily, weekly or for that matter, anytime? After all, the Bible is the road map to heaven and eternal life.

In perilous times of trouble or need people will cry out to the God of the Bible or to the gods of their world. Some will cry out in anguish and despair blaming God (The God of the Bible) or gods (gods of other religions) for all their troubles; some will cry out to God or gods for miraculous healing; some will cry out to God or gods in desperation for help and resolve. However, only the few that have actually become sons of the living God will be heard; their cries will be answered by the only God who can hear and answer their prayer. That’s correct. There is only one God who can hear the cries and prayers of man and that God is the God of the Bible—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God is the only one who answers prayers and promises “never to leave or forsake” those who accept Him in faith and belief. Wouldn’t you like to know that God personally? “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” Hebrews 13:5 NIV.

In too many cases the tragedy of answered or unanswered prayers is that after the “crisis” has passed, the God who answers prayers is once again returned to His heaven and declared by man’s natural self as a “persona non grata” until the next crisis or need. Man can be such an arrogant fool and creature of self inflicted stupidity when he allows his natural feelings to rule in his life.

Remember these words, “…without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” Hebrews 11:6 NIV. If “Christians” in America truly had faith and believed and did not practice immorality and worldliness, there would be paradise on earth. What a pity even “Christians” will not believe in the indwelling Holy Spirit!

I have often wondered how any “Christian” can read the first chapter of the book of Romans, found in the New Testament of the Bible, and not become convicted of their ignorance. It is understandable that the non-believer may not understand but there is no excuse for the lack of understanding on the part of “professing believers.” Many of you will not understand and that is expected because you have been blinded to the insight the Apostle Paul was trying to convey.

For those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding is theirs. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 3:4-7 NIV. Do you have God’s peace? If not, it is there for you if you will only confess, repent and believe.

I found God’s peace when I confessed and accepted His Grace and His Salvation. I surrendered my self-will and allowed the Holy Spirit to indwell my body, soul and spirit. I am not perfect but I seek perfection in my daily walk knowing that one day I will see Jesus face-to-face. I can testify to His miraculous powers that have worked in my life and through my various blogs I am trying to share my journey (my message and the message of the Gospel) in life and faith with those who are true seekers of Truth and everlasting life. God’s powers are real and they are powerful, and they are there for anyone who will call upon the name of Jesus Christ. “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved…” Joel 2:32 NIV.

Listen to the foolishness of the world or listen to the voice of God. It is your choice. Choose wisely for your final destination—heaven or hell—depends upon your making the correct decision.

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Abortion: Birth Control or Child Sacrifice?

22. August 2011 by PawBill.

Deuteronomy 18:9-13 NIV, “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or cast spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the Lord your God” (emphasis added)

People have not changed much since their creation. Think about it. Thousands of years ago pagans, those without God, sacrificed children to their god, Molech. As described in the “The Wiersbe Bible Commentary,” page 231: “Molech was the god of the Ammonites. His metal image was heated red hot and little children were place in his arms and burned to death.”

Can you imagine the anguish and pain felt by the children? No wonder God told the Israelites to kill men, women and sometimes children of pagan worshipers; those who practiced child sacrifice in particular were dangerous and were viewed as potentially influential to those who might consider their ways. I have no proof but I imagine child sacrifice was an inhumane method of birth control that had been justified by their culture.

Today, contemporary women, sacrifice their unborn children in a practice called abortion. Abortion is an inhumane method of birth control with little difference between the agony and pain suffered by those children sacrificed in the arms of Molech and those “sacrificed” in the hands of an abortion practitioner. God hated it then and He hates it today.

There is no guilt or shame in today’s world just as there was none in the ancient world. As it was in the days of Noah, so it is in today’s world: “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time” Genesis6:5 NIV. Abortion and sexual immorality practices need to be condemned for the sins they represent. If not for sins, then condemned for the physical and emotional problems they cause in those who, in their ignorance, willing participate.

If your mind is ablaze with guilt from an abortion or sexual immorality, you can find peace and forgiveness in Jesus Christ. It is my prayer that you will seek forgiveness and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and allow the Holy Spirit of God to indwell you. If so, follow the Spirits lead, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 3:7 NIV.

Your comments are welcomed. Email: bt@northloopcottage.com. Your identity and your email address will remain confidential, and I will not respond unless you request a response. Thanks!

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The Armor of God

13. August 2011 by PawBill.

Warning! A battle is brewing for the hearts and souls of America and the world. All Biblical Christians must put on their full armor in preparation for the fight to come. Do not be unprepared for this battle. Your enemy is already well entrenched, and he stands ready to defeated you if you are not fully battle equipped.

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings” 1^st Peter 5:8-9 NIV.

Read about the Armor of God. Go to www.spirit.theindwelling.org and click on “The Armor of God” in the header.

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The End for America!

28. July 2011 by PawBill.

I truly believe the good times as I have known them are coming to an end for the present generation of Americans. But what do I know? I am just an old man who has not only enjoyed the freedoms and opportunities available in the United States but has also been protected by the Holy Spirit of God since birth, although I did not recognize this protection for many years. Whether that was God’s doing or mine I do not know. You many have that protection too, but the only way to find out is to acknowledge Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and allow the Holy Spirit to indwell you. There is no other way that I know and through my Blogs, spirit.theindwelling.org and blog.northloopcottage.com, I have tried to encourage my readers to “Give God a Chance.”

America decided many years ago to deny God. After all, man is a god unto himself or so he believes. Civilization’s intelligent and strong in physical statue have always turned from God to pursue the desires of their human hearts; they have controlled and dominated the “less fortunate” for their own benefit since the beginning of time.

Man’s very nature if not controlled will always desire the sensuality of life —human lust, greed and sexual immorality. For instance, at various times in history a married man or woman would not violate their marriage vows no matter how great the temptation of the flesh confronting them. This is no longer true in today’s society. Marriage vows are quickly forgotten when the “he or she is not fulfilling my needs” syndrome is allowed to fester in one’s mind.

Morality in America vanished with the growth of the movie industry and the Christian’s acceptance of “just a little nudity does not harm anyone.” With “just a little” God was gradually cast aside by a godless minority while the “religious” majority lavished in their godless life styles and did nothing to stop their idolatrous relationship with the materialistic riches of America.

Homosexuality and marriage between two non-heterosexual partners is now being legitimized by both the religious and non-religious. Today’s society seeks to redefine the written word of God to justify immorality and as an appeasement of their conscience.

The Biblical Christian’s stance is well defined in the Holy Bible. I was pleased to see Bryant Wright’s, President of the Southern Baptist Convention, recent refusal to not compromise the teachings of Biblical Scripture regarding sexual purity; this happened during a meeting with a coalition of homosexual leaders and allies. “When the Scripture is so clear about sexual purity, for us to compromise … that is just something that we’re not going to be able to do,” replied Wright to a request to engage in a dialog to compromise scripture. See article by: Michael Foust, Associate Editor of Baptist Press, “Gay leaders meet with SBC president,” The Christian Index, Volume 190, Number 12, June 15, 2011, page 8, www.christianindex.org.

“Should we love homosexuals? Absolutely! Should we smile at their sexual perversion? Absolutely not!” responded Dr. J. Gerald Harris, Editor, The Christian Index, in his editorial “The gay community must be loved, not just tolerated, The Christian Index , Volume 190, Number 9, May 19, 2011, pages 4-5, www.christianindex.org.

What now must happen for America to recapture its past glory? God gave us the answer in 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV): “If my people, who are called by my name, will 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.”

If you want God to return we must respond to his calling by following His instructions given in 2 Chronicles above. We must also return to Him in faith and belief and restore His Ten Commandment to their rightful place in America from which they were removed by our godless Judicial, Executive and Legislative branches of government.

You can find the commandments in the Biblical book of Exodus, chapter 20. They are very simple but powerful in their concept. The first three commandments are the ones most find hard to accept. Admitting that there is a supreme creator, that is called God, goes against man’s desire to be free from any and all restrictions. God gave man the freedom of choice—free to do as he pleased—but that freedom came with a warning: Live without God and face the realities of the human desires of the flesh(survival of the fittest) or permit God to lead you by showing you,” the way, the truth and the life.”

“Total freedom in God requires that you have faith, trust, respect and belief in Him as God. Gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood are inanimate objects that man fashions into gods, but they are not gods. They cannot speak or hear and they cannot satisfy the human need for a relationship with the creator of life.” The government is not a god and neither are other men or women. The modern day cell phone has become a god to many in the world.

Once you accept God for who He is, the other remaining seven commandments are pretty basic to maintaining a peaceful civilized life. God knew man needed a day of rest each week for the rejuvenation of his soul and spirit. Neglect the body’s needs for rest and suffer physical and mental anguish.

You should honor your father and mother. Why, especially if they were mean, cruel and non-loving? If you had parents of this nature, forgive them in your own mind for their transgressions and move on with your life. Let God deal with them in His own time and manner and don’t make their problems yours. If you have a loving relationship with your parents, honor them with your time, resources and understanding as they age. As your children see you care for your parents, so will they likewise care for you.

The final four commandments really need no explanation. It is wrong to murder, to commit adultery, to steal, to lie and to covet or desire things that do not belong to you. Unfortunately, many living in today’s society were never exposed to these commandments in their youth. If you are not taught these at home, at church, at school or by example you may not realize they are wrong.

It is impossible for you to keep all of the commandments, but God in His mercy sent His son Jesus to die on a cross for your sins knowing that the desires of the flesh would prevent you from keeping all the commandments every day, hour, minute and second of each day. If you will accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, you can live forever in the heaven Jesus is preparing for you. Please note, unless you confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you cannot be with Him in His heaven. You may be able to go to another heaven, but not to the one He promised to those who believe in Him.

You can have the peace that surpasses all understanding that God promised. It, however, is up to you. Jesus Christ stands at the door and is knocking. Want you let him in?

As recorded in the book of Isaiah, chapter 1, verses 18 through 20, “’Come now, let us reason together’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.’ For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

America must return to Jesus Christ. It is as simple as that!

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Is Your Eternal Life in Jeopardy?

28. July 2011 by PawBill.

What you don’t know or fully understand about Biblical Scriptures of the Holy Bible can place your present and future eternal life in jeopardy! Hollywood does not understand, the Network News Media does not understand, Christians, in name only, do not understand, President Obama does not understand, followers of Islam do not understand and even many pastors or “Men of God” do not understand the ramifications of Biblical ignorance and man’s refusal to believe in the Biblical God, the “I AM THAT I AM” of Exodus 3: 14 KJV.

Why this lack of understanding is so prevalent in today’s world is remarkable when one can but look around at the vastness of the universe and the beauty of the earth. God’s prophets of old revealed the end times that man would live through from the beginning of time as told in Isaiah 46:10-11 NIV: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning.”

There is no excuse for ignorance. The Holy Bible is the road map for Salvation. If you are not a Biblical Christian but you claim Christianity on your own terms or you are satisfied there is not a God and there is not a future life after death, you have rejected the God of the Bible and you will face judgment for your sins. Continue in your unbelief. Perhaps your hope or lack of hope in an eternal life can be found in someone or somewhere else. But why listen or hope in today’s ungodly men when eternal life can be found in the Trinity of the Bible—God the father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit. If you do not accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you have no hope.

There is soon coming a time of judgment, and those without Jesus Christ will face a tribulation of “hell on earth.” Consider the following prophetic descriptions of what is to come to those who do not have Jesus Christ:

“…ugly and painful sores will break out on the people who have accepted the mark of the beast or who worshiped his image” Revelation 16:2 NIV. “The sun will scorch people with fire but they will refuse to repent and Glorify God” Revelation 16:8-9. ”Men will gnawed their tongues in agony and curse the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they will refuse to repent of what they had done” Revelation 16:10-11 NIV. ”Out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not given power to kill them, but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes a man. During those days men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them” Revelation 9: 4-6 NIV. Emphasis added by author.

Yes, God knew the end time catastrophic events that would plague the earth—earthquakes, asteroids and the resultant Tsunami’s, famines, and pestilences that would result. God also foretold and understood the actions of man and Satan. Man still rejects God’s words of wisdom and continues to believe the lies of Satan, a created being just as man was a created being.

God’s Disciple and Prophet, John, reveals to us in the book of Revelation, Chapters 6 and 8:1-5, what I call the “grand overview” of end time events that will occur during the soon coming “seven year tribulation period.” These events are called The Seven Seals. Within the Seven Seals there will be Seven Trumpets and Seven Vials that reveal exceedingly excruciating details of pain, death and destruction that were introduced and described / revealed in the Seven Seals. More learned scholars will differ in my assessment as to the actual sequence of events and that is expected given my limited scholarly education, nevertheless the end results or outcome will be the same. The grand overview of the Seven Bowls, in my restatement, is as follows:

1. There will come a time of world conquest by one that will be called the Antichrist, Revelation 6:3.

2. Peace will be taken from the earth and man will murder one another, Revelation 6:4.

3. Famine will come and there will be a shortage of food, Revelation 6:5-6.

4. Death will come and one fourth of the earth’s population will be killed by the sword, famine, plagues and the wild beast of the earth, Revelation 6:8

5. Christians will be murdered because of the word of God and their testimony, Revelation 6:9-11.

6. There will be a great earthquake with every mountain and island being moved, Revelation 6:12-14.

7. God will make His presence known with another earthquake and a great hail storm (hail may weigh as much as 100 lbs, Revelation 16: 21), Revelation 6:15-16.

The immanency of these events is growing “just as the birth pains of a woman in child birth increase in frequency and severity prior to her delivery.” There is hope for the future. However, that hope can only be found in Jesus Christ. Would you like that hope? God’s plan of salvation is a gift; there are no works involved. In other words, your good deeds do not have to outweigh your bad deeds. Simply believe and accept God’s calling in your life. The HOW is explained in the following:

Note: If you are a frequent reader of this blog you may have read the January 2011 post entitled, “Is God Calling You” that follows. For those who are seeking God, prayerfully read and believe in the Spirit’s calling that will be beckoning you to repent and believe.

Question, is God’s spirit calling you to repentance and salvation? Do you feel that gentle tug in your heart and soul asking you to allow Him to come into your life and set you free from the physical and emotional bondage that has bound you to a life of emptiness, bitterness, despair, loneliness, dependency, depression, or just a feeling that there is more to life than you have found?

If you are hearing God’s beckoning call, then answer His call in faith and belief as you read the following “Plan of Salvation:”

· Confess that you are outside the will of God, Romans 3:23 KJV, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; (All bold and underlined text added by author for emphasis.)

· Realize that at your death an eternity without God is your future, Romans 6:23 KJV, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord;”

· Believe that Jesus Christ by his sacrificial death on a Roman Cross paid your sin debt, Romans 5:8 KJV, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us;”

· Believe that Christ rose from dead. Confess, believe and repent of your sins. Romans 10:9 KJV, “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;”

· Believe that by Grace you are saved through faith, Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV: “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;”

· Believe that by your confession of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and by believing in God you will have everlasting life, John 5:24 KJV, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life;”

· Rejoice that you have found salvation through Jesus Christ, Romans 10:13 KJV, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

If you are willing to believe upon and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, tell Him now by saying this simple prayer and begin a new life in Him:

“God, I know I have been outside your will and that I do not of myself deserve eternal life. I believe Jesus Christ paid my sin debt for me by dying on a cross and then by His rising from death and the grave showed His defeat over both hell and the grave. I now place my trust and belief in Jesus Christ alone. I thank you God for your forgiveness, grace and salvation. In the Holy name of Jesus I now allow the Holy Spirit to indwell me and to give me a new spiritual birth with a ‘Spiritual Heart’ to replace my ‘spiritual human heart.’ Thank you Jesus, Amen.“

Your trusting in Jesus Christ has now saved you and made you a child of God. Find a fellowship of believers, be baptized to announce to the world your new found life, and follow the lead of the Holy Spirit that will indwell your life and provide you comfort, grace and reveal to you the purpose of your life.

Commit the scriptural references outlined above to memory One day you may have the opportunity to explain God’s plan of salvation to someone else that is hearing the Spirit of God’s call.

I hope you will accept God’s plan. AMEN!

Comments to: bt@northloopcottage.com

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Christian: Speak Out Against Unrighteousness

19. July 2011 by PawBill.

Biblical Christians have a mandate to speak out against all unrighteousness and to proclaim the salvation message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Do you agree or do you see “speaking out” as offensive and arrogant? I hope you agree but if you don’t and you find speaking out an unwelcomed characteristic of radical Christianity, you’re the person I’m trying to reach, especially if you claim a belief in God and the afterlife.

I find my mandate in Ezekiel 3:17-21 NIV: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them a warning from me. When I say to a wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself. Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself.”

While these words were spoken to Ezekiel by God and were words of warning to him concerning his witnessing to the Israelites, my heart is burdened to apply these words to my life and to become a watchman for this generation. Of what value is the word of God to you if you keep it to yourself and do not share the good news of the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ to a dying generation of lost souls?

Biblical Christians, I believe, are “watchmen” as defined in Ezekiel. Christianity as the term applies to the religious practices and beliefs in today’s world of those who confess Jesus Christ but who do not possess Jesus Christ is but an apostate charade of “feel good religiosity.” Chameleons and “Closet Christians” of the faith have allowed the godliness of immorality to invade and destroy the good and decency of America.

But what is the difference between Biblical Christianity and Christianity. Biblical Christians believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that the pathway to heaven can only be found in Him. Biblical Christians worship the Trinity—God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit—and their God is the God of the Holy Scriptures, “I AM THAT I AM” of Exodus 3:14 NIV—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Biblical Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that the only way to heaven is found in the belief and acceptance of the Gospel Message—Jesus was born of a virgin, died on a cross for your sins and was raised from death on the third day and will one day return for His faithful followers. Biblical Christians believe they are indwelled by the Holy Spirit when they profess their sins and find forgiveness, salvation, grace and redemption in the Gospel Message; the indwelling Spirit is their “lifeline,” the source of wisdom, strength and knowledge that will lead them into eternal life. Biblical Christianity is a religion of love and compassion and is not a religion of hate and bigotry.

Biblical Christians can be distinguished from Christians and their “Christianity” in this way: Biblical Christians believe and readily profess to others the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ, and they believe Jesus is the only way to heaven. Christians, while professing acceptance of the Gospel Message on their own terms, do not live under the influence of the Holy Spirit and do not profess or believe that Jesus Christ is the only pathway to heaven.

“Traditional Christianity” is a façade of righteousness that covers over godliness; “they can feel good without being good.” It is this Christianity that will usher in the compromised apostate religion the coming Antichrist will use to gain control of the world. Ultimately, this apostate religion will be usurped by the one world religion of Islam (my speculative prediction, of course).

So what about you? Are you standing as a “watchman” for this generation or do you feel this is just a bunch of bunk? You know, there is a real Jesus Christ, and He will be returning soon to either commend or condemn the people and nations of the world. Will you hear on your judgment day: “…Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” Matthew 25:34 KJV, or “…Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” Matthew 25:41 KJV.

Consider yourself warned!

Comments to: bt@northloopcottage.com

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Is Your Eternal Life in Jeopardy?

Christian: Speak Out Against Unrighteousness