Why? ( Revelation 2 v 5)

There are denoinations that are slowly dying a death,it dosen't give me any joy to say that,I know were some ministers are looking after 3 or 4 churches, and each have few people attending .One has to ask the question why?,there must be a reason,is it the times we live in ?,yes it could be,for people are not connected to the church as were former generations.We  live in a secular society,religion is not in vogue,materialism is rampant, many people are just concerned about the here and now.The spread of evolution is accepted on questionable,sad to say,those who believe in creation are not given a voice.So coming back to the question as to why some denominations are dying a slow death. ? I think of a particular denomination and many of their  ministers and congregations have a pick and choose attitude to the Bible,as to the truths there in,and as to God's moral values.Often we here people say,oh that's what Paul says,the question is why highlight Paul?.Sin is never mentioned and so we could go on. So all this is leading to the demise and the end of these denoinations they are not only out of step with  God,they are opposing Him. There was a lady in 1 Samuel 4 v22 who lived at a time of spiritual decline in Israel she had a baby and she called him Ichabod, which means 'The glory of the Lord has departed from Isreal',

                                                             'When we depart from God

                                                              He will  depart from us'

Be warned ( 2 Thessalonians 2 v15 )

She got annoyed with me,why,I was only pointing out some important important Biblical truths ,we were  talking as regards a particular religious group,and how so many things they believe are contrary to the word of God. But the lady would have none of it,so the conversation stopped, and I like a gentleman left it at that.Let us turn to Exodus 25,and the building of the Tabernacle,Moses was instructed how it was to be built,and when he had finished telling Moses this,God said 'Be sure  that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.(v 40) Moses could not add to the instructions,or take away from the instructions,God forbid him to do so.At the end of the book of Revelation there is a severe warning given,it reads,'If anyone adds anything to what is written here,or if anyone removes any of the words from this book',they would come under severe judgement'.(v17-19)I believe this applies to all scripture and woe betide anyone who goes against this.The early church was plagued by people who wanted to add to the Gospel ,read Colossians 2 v16 -23/ 1 Timothy 1 v3 v7. To go beyond what scripture teaches both morally or theologically is forbidden ground,we must not be swayed by anything or anyone we must not compromise,be warned.

Free,free at last.( 1 Peter 1 v18-19)

In 2 Peter 2 v1-3 the apostle writes of the false teachers who were bringing destructive heresies into the church,even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them'.One commentator writes the following,'The word 'bought' comes straight  from  the public  slave auction. It is used twenty -five times in the New Testament for a simple commercial transaction'. People in those days knew what it meant to be a slave ,and as one reads history we see clearly the evils of it. It meant that one had no freedom, no rights,and ones life was controlled by one's master. Israel were slaves in Egypt for 400 years, and then God brought them out under the leadership of Moses.Pharaoh refused to let them go,so God sent 10 plagues on Egypt and it was the last one that did the trick,when a lamb was slain, and it's blood  was put on sides and tops of the door frames.It saved them from death,and brought them out of  Egypt,a free people.Now let us move forward to the NT and Jesus.Jesus declared that' everyone who sins is a slave to sin' (John 8 v 34) as we are all sinners it means that we are all slaves.So in order to rescue us from sinful slavery another lamb had to be slain ,but we are not talking about a literal sheep, no we are talking about Jesus  (John 1 v 29)who would be led as a lamb to the slaughter. (Isaiah 53 v7)  Through His sacrifice on the cross, our sins would be forgiven,and we sinners would be set free from sin's power the moment we trust Jesus as our Saviour.

                                                        'There is a fountain filled with blood ,

                                                         Drawn from Immanuel's veins;

                                                         And sinners plunged beneath that flood

                                                         Lose  all their guilty stains.'

                                                                  'Words William Cowper'

I got it wrong ( 1 John 4 v1 )

 Yes I confess I got it wrong,when I was 65 ,I read  in 2 Kings 20 that  King Hezekiah   became very  unwell and was at the point of death ,indeed Isaiah told him so.Well Hezekiah prayed  pleaded with God with tears.Isaiah was leaving the palace  but God stopped him,and told him to go back to Hezekiah,and tell him that God heard his prayer and seen his tears. and that he was going to heal him,and then He said He would add fifteen years to his life.Nor for  some reason I felt that was a word for me,in other words God was given me 15yrs to live.I didn't tell many people ,but of course I got it wrong ,I am now 81, let me just say this there are no infallible people,the Papacy declares that in things spiritual the Pope is infallible,they got that wrong,when one considers what they believe,so many things the Roman Caholic church believe are contrary to the word of God. I don't claim to be infallible,but I do wordship a God who is infallible,His word is true,what He says will has come to pass,the prophecies as regards our Saviour has came to pass, his birth (Isaiah 9v6) His death, (Isa v53) His resurrection, (Acts 2 24-28) His ascension, (Psalm 67 v 19) His coming again,( Zechariah 12 10.) Let me just say again only God is infallible,no matter how spiritual we are,we are not.

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False prophets ( John 14 v1-6)

The early church had to contend with many  things that could have destroyed them, so Peter in his second letter wrote to such a church ,he warned them of such people.(2v 1-3) He calls them false prophets,he reminds them of the evil people in Sodom and Gomorrah whom God destroyed.He speaks to the church warning them of wicked people of their corruptness and rebelliousness they appear to be moral degenerates calling them an accursed brood.They knew the way but had gone away from it ,Peter sums up their actions as a dog returning to its vomit,or a sow that has been washed,returning to her wallowing in the mud(2 v22)These false teachers were throwing doubt on the coming again of Christ,but Peter challenges them,telling them clearly that Christ is coming but in His time (2 v3-10) Let us not forget that no one on our planet knows when Christ is coming again only the Father knows.(Matthew 24 v36).Our Saviour said ,'So you also must be ready,because the Son of Man will come at an hour  when you do not expect  Him(Matthew 24 v44)In light of the day of Lord ,(that is Christs coming) Peter tells the Church and indeed all of us,'To make every effort to be found spotless,blameless and at peace with Him.(2v 13)

Abraham ( Romans 5 v1)

 Abraham is one of the major people in the Bible,and it is from  him we get the answer as how to be justified before  God,in Genesis15 God promised  him a son and from that son and his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the heavens,(in Gen 22 v 18) we are told that through that son all the earth would be blessed)So returning to Gen 15v 6 and hear Abraham's response,'He believed the Lord,and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith'.Now let us move forward to Romans 4 v 2 and it tells  us at that Abraham was not saved by works,then to v13 we are told that he was not saved by the law,no it was by faith,my son said as regards a certain cult ,ask them who are trying to save,and of course they are trying to save themselves,by their door knocking. Of course they are not on there own most religions believe that  they are saved by keeping laws,and even doing good works. Romans 4 v3 ,starts by saying ,'What does Scripture say?,yes that's were we are clearly told that we are saved by faith alone in Jesus.Salvation is a gift from God(Romans 6 v23),we cannot earn salvation, nor can we merit salvation, Some teach that they believe in Jesus who died on the cross to save us,but then they add on,but we must do our bit, not so, Salvation is of the Lord (Jonah 2 v9).

                                                          'Not the labours of my hands

                                                          Can fulfil Thy law's demands;

                                                          Could my Zeal  no respite know,

                                                           Could my tears for ever flow,

                                                           All for sin could not atone;

                                                           Thou must save, and Thou alone' ( Words by A M.Toplady')

        

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You must ( John 3 v7 )

 The Bible makes it very clear that we are all sinners and  the result is we are seperated from God in fact we are told that we are without hope and without God (Ephesians 2 v 12) We are spiritually dead (Genesis 2 v 16) we are born that way, so how can we know God and have a relationship with Him? .We need to hear to what Jesus said to a very religious person ,He told him something of the utmost importance,here is what He said,'You must be born again'(John 3 v7).Consider that important word,'Must',  that means everyone no exceptions,you will never have a relationship with God unless your born again by the Spirit of God.Jesus  speaks of two births,the natural and the spiritual,first He mentions the natural birth,He says 'Flesh gives birth to flesh',that's how we come into being,but we not spiritual beings,but Jesus goes unto say,'But theSpirit gives birth to spirit'. (John 3 v6) In John 4v 24 we read,'God is Spirit,and although the word speaks of Him in human terms,that is just to accommodate us,helping us to relate to God. yes God is Spirit,but then the verse goes unto say,'and His worshippers must worship in spirit and truth'.So in order for anyone to worhship God,it must be on a spiritual  relationship,and that only comes about when you trust Jesus to be your Saviour,and when you do that you are born again.