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And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
Welcome again to the Bully Creek Baptist Church! We had a wonderful 4th! Nobody got hurt, we had plenty of good food, and a lot of visitors. We had a big chunk of meat that we inserted garlic cloves into, covered with seasonings, smothered in onions, covered in corn husks, wrapped in foil, and cooked on slow heat on the grill for several hours. It was really good! One of the Mexican girls, that has been visiting the church for some time now, came out with her brothers, and she brought homemade tamoles. We had corn on the cob, buttered and cooked over the grill. Everything was great, and we thank the Lord for His blessings.
We ended up in front of the church for our traditional firework lighting time until about 1 AM. The kids, and mature people all had fun setting off the many different little goodies we had purchased for the night. No one was hurt thanks to the close supervision, and relatively tame fireworks, but some of them sure were loud. The kids, the parents, and grandparents had a riot. The little guys kept us all busy lighting their sparklers and other various “little” things that pop and fizz.
To me, it is a lot more fun than going to the large displays, because everyone gets to participate. We had a few bigger things for the grand finale.
We got the old flagpole painted, and repaired the broken cable, so we were able to raise up “Old Glory”. It sure was beautiful as she was waving in the gentle breeze. I do thank God for the relative liberty we enjoy, as compared to other nations where things are not so tame.
Well, we enjoy these times, as we have for 232 years in America, but we fear things cannot last forever. All good things must come to an end, and the end for America as we know it, is at hand. “Times, they are a changing”, as Bob Dylan would say, but not neccesarily for the better. There has been a coursening of the culture that is getting ugly. Satan is reaching out to the young and beckoning them to come and join the revelry. It is like, nobody's getting it. In spite of the dire situation our nation is in, people continue to let the good times roll, as if under a spell, or in a trance. You think them delusional, and then you realize they are.
“Even him. Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (II Thes. 2:9-12).
The name of game today is deception. The Devil is diverting the masses through any means neccesary to keep them from the truth, and the old Devil is very good at what he does.
“Ah, let's see. Tonight it is the fair, tomorrow, it is the rodeo. The salmon are biting, so we'll spend the weekend at the river. I hear tell they are catching sturgeon up yonder. I think I'll go there next weekend. Saturday I'll go to my Seventh Day Adventist cult for a couple hours. That'll get God off of my back for a while I hope. I'll abstain from the pork chop, and from totally resting in the finished work of Christ, because of my wicked pride and unbelief. Then I'll go elk hunting next week. Won't need to go to church for a few weeks. It's Saturday night, I'll go to the bar. There's a rock band playing and maybe I can have my pick of the chicks. You know those one night stands. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll baby! Oh krud, I forgot about my kids that I made from the previous one nighters. Better go see where they are at. Maybe I can find someone to watch them for a while so I can party some more. Oh, krud, I'm drunk again. I don't know who's arms I'm in as I stumble out of the rodeo, but who cares. I love this ACDC music playing while the guy on the mic is talking about the girls dancing on the bar. Oh, I'm sober now. Oh krud, where are the kids. Well, maybe I'll have time to spend with them. I hope they turn out OK even though I have no intention of being a role model for them. It all about me baby! Party time! Where are the condoms? Got to be safe you know. That's what mom told me. What does dad say? I don't know, where is he? Oh good, its Sunday! I can sleep in, get over my hangover, take a shower and try to wash away my shame. Shame? I quit being ashamed years ago silly! Where is the party tonight? I'll go to the movies. What about church? That's for the nerds. Beside, they have been saying Jesus was coming back for years. Nothing is changing. Let the good times roll. Guys are getting boring. I think I'll go out with Jane. You know, take a walk on the wild side. If it works out, I can move to California so we can get married. Oh, krud, the kids. I keep forgetting. Where's the game tonight? Church, what's that?”
On and on they go, but the God of the universe, they don't care to know! God sent His Son, to die on the cross for the sins of mankind. The people whom God had created continue to reject that sacrifice. They refuse to “receive the love of the truth” . Instead, they have pleasure in unrighteousness. I personally am disgusted at my own sinfulness, but when I behold the thanklessness in this county today I get nauseous.
I used to eat out more when gas prices were lower, but I must say, out of years of eating out, I could probably count on one hand, those who have bowed their head to thank God for His blessings. I couldn't begin to count those I have heard using God's name in vain.
As Christians, we must stand in these evil days, and things are deceptive for us too. In Matthew chapter 24 the word “deceive” is used four times when describing the times preceding and during the Great Tribulation period. We have to be on our guard. The Devil is not your friend. Those who do not know Christ as their personal Saviour cannot be expected to understand things of God, and therefore cannot be trusted in spiritual issues.
“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that,it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matt. 24:24).
These are very evil times. The fight at our little church has been vicious. The pull of the world has been tremendous. The hearts of even the youngest people are as hard as a rock. The rebellion against God is deep in many of those we are trying to work with. The armies of the anti-Christ are being molded right before our eyes, in my opinion. There is fine line between the “spirit of truth”, and the “spirit of error”. The church cannot allow the world to win. We must fight, and stand against the secularization of the church. For this, we must stay vigilant because our adversary, the devil has desired to sift us as wheat. The devil wants us to blend into the world and render us ineffective for God.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes. And the pride of life, is not of the father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but be that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (I John 2: 15-17).
Of course, the Bible is not referring to enjoying nature, and a walk in the forest, or a cruise on the ocean. It's talking about the things that are contrary to godliness.
We try to bring rock music into the church for instance. The next thing we must ask ourselves is, what is our purpose? There are some things we do not do as Christians. Of course the colleges drag our young people down with their liberalism. There are no boundaries to a liberal, and Satan is a pro at destroying your kid's faith in God at these institutions of higher disinformation. I don't want to be rude here, but the more college you have, the more you are unfit to be used in the Gospel ministry, in most cases. We may allow you to clean the toilet, but that will be questionable. You'll probably be to Marxitized to even become a church member. You probably believe you evolved from a monkey.
Satan knows what he is doing. You are so educated now, and way too sophisticated to believe in God, the miracles, creation, and the Bible in general. I want to invite you to be an exalted guest at our church. Yep, we want to raise you up to fix a leak on the roof.
Wake up you ignoramus and become a fool that you may win Christ! You are going to die in your sin because you fell for the communist propaganda! Listen to the words of the Lord unless you slip into outer darkness today! But no, you are much too prideful to hear God's voice now.
“And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” (Mark 9:43-48).
My friend, it is not worth it. Throw away your pride, and stupid degree, if need be, and be saved. It is funny how men exalt men today. The church is full of educated nimrods. They have the big words. They have the theories, and the same old spiritually dead rhetoric, that is enough to put God Himself to sleep.
We need fire in the pulpits today.
“Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltiness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.” (Mark 9:50),
What does the church have to offer today? More of the world! The world and the scoffers are saying things are going on as they always have. The watered down church members are saying things are going on as they always have. Where's the fire? Where's the salt?
“:And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. (Rev.3:14-16). CP
Created By CyberPastor on 07/06/2008 11:31 AM
Last updated by CyberPastor on 07/06/2008 11:33 AM
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