A young skeptic said to an elderly lady, “I once believed in God, but since studying science, I am convinced that God is a empty word.” The lady replied, “I have not studied science, but since you have, maybe you can tell me from whence came this egg.” “Why, of course, from the hen,” was his reply. “And where did the hen come from?” “Why, the egg.” “And perhaps,” said the lady, “you can tell me which existed first.” “The hen, of course,” said the young man. “You mean that a hen existed without having come from an egg?” asked the lady. “Oh, no,” said the young man, “I should have said the egg was first.” “Then you mean that an egg existed without having come from a hen?” The young man shouted, “You’ve got me all mixed up!” She then said, “Sir, since you cannot explain the existence of a hen or an egg without God, you cannot expect me to believe that you can explain the existence of the whole world without God” (Amos 4:13; Isaiah 45:18).
From Leroy Brownlow, Greatest Questions in the Old Testament Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. The word of God produced the church, and it isn’t the other way around (Matthew 16:18). I’m speaking about churches changing their doctrine to suit a ever changing world.
People are crying out for change in just about everything and the word of God does not change. It is spoken by our Creator and is able to last beyond the destruction of this earth (Matt. 24:35; Hebrews 13:8; 1 Peter 1:25; Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 55:10-11). God created man, and He knows what instruction man will need in order to exist. Therefore the inspired word of God, the Bible, cannot be changed because man wants to redefine something or add something not written in the divine text. Man must conform to what the word of God said (Romans 12:2). It is the only way that anyone will see God in peace (Matt. 25:31-46). Many are championing changing doctrine to suit worldly people, but they will pay the price when standing before the Lord on Judgment Day, having no answer, defense, or excuse. Don’t even think of changing God’s doctrine in order to please man, instead conform to the doctrine of the Lord and remain in it (1 Timothy 4:16). Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. Then said one unto Him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And He said unto them, strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able.” (Luke 13:23-24). “Enter ye at the strait gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many shall go there, but because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leads to life and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14 KJV).
These are the words spoken by Jesus Christ, and distressing as the words are, they are true. People will be lost because of the refusal to submit to the commandments of God, and Jesus said if man does the will of the Father, he will be saved (Matthew 7:21). However, man loves doing things his way and not God’s way (Proverbs 14:12). For example, men refuse to accept the Bible as the infallible word of God. Men refuse to go to church. Men refuse to pray, and men refuse to believe in Jesus. Men are bold enough to deny the existence of God. With all this evil being done, it’s easy to see why most will go to hell (Psalm 12:1-8, 14:1-7; 1 Peter 4:18). Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. Being condescending is a tone of speech that makes listeners feel that the speaker is talking down to them (Genesis 44:14-15). The Bible teaches us to speak with words seasoned with salt and grace (Colossians 4:6). The Bible also teaches men to be careful with their words because emotion with its finger on the trigger of the tongue, causes much damage (James 3:5-10). And the proud attitude of looking down on others, considering oneself to be so much better, is just plain ignorant (1 Corinthians 8:2; 1 Cor. 1:27). One of the virtues of being wise is to work with others on their level and understand that none is greater because of degrees from institutions of higher learning (1 Cor. 9:19-23; Romans 12:15-16; Matthew 18:1-5).
Such is true because all men die, and Jesus won’t judge men because of degrees or lack thereof (Ecclesiastes 3:18-21; Matt. 25:32-33). So let none of us be guilty of practicing condescending speech. Instead let us speak to each other as equals because in the eyes of God we are (Acts 17:26, 10:34-35; Rom. 2:11, 3:23). Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. Babies don’t need to be baptized because they have no sin and are heaven bound if they should die (Matthew 5:8; John 8:21). Sin is the breaking of the laws of God and babies cannot do that, or inherit the sins of their parents (1 John 3:4; Ezekiel 18:20).
In order to be baptized one must have sins that need to be washed away (Acts 2:38, 22:16), and believe in and confess Christ (Mark 16:16; Romans 10:9-10). Babies cannot qualify to do any of the things mentioned, thus they are not candidates for baptism. The word of God teaches that baptism isn’t sprinkling or pouring water on a person, but is a complete burial in much water (John 3:23; Rom. 6:3-6; Hebrews 10:22). In the Bible way of baptism, one goes into the water, not have water brought to him in a container (Matt. 3:6,16; Acts 8:36,38). Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. When Obama ran for his first presidential term, he had a poster which appeared all over the country. The poster was a picture of his head with the caption “hope”underneath.
The prophet Jeremiah said, “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed is the one that trusts in man and makes flesh his arm and whose heart departs from God” (chapter 17:5). The Psalmist also wrote, “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returns to the earth and in that day his thoughts perish. But happy is he that has the God of Jacob for help, whose hope is in the LORD his God.” (Pslam 146:3-5). Far too many are placing their trust in the wrong hands, and the need to listen to the scriptures is now. Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. Ever wonder what the dead are doing? According to the word of God, only the deeds of what was done in life follows the dead (Revelation 14:13). The dead cannot take anything with them and neither can they work on new projects because their laboring is over and only the Judgment awaits (Ecclesiastes 9:4-10; Hebrews 9:27; 1 Timothy 6:7; Psalm 49:17; Job 1:21). Which means that a dead person only has the time to rejoice in or regret the deeds done in life (Luke 16:19-31). Once dead, one cannot change his fate, so man must be prepared at the precise moment of death (John 8:21-24; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:37-47; John 3:14-21). So, anyone that has passed on is either in comfort or agony, based on how they lived while on earth.
Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. The late Michael Jackson had a statement he would say when fans spoke of their love toward him. Jackson would reply, “I love you more.” And if we think seriously about the power of that statement, we can see just how awesome it is.
For men to return more love than they experience, is what the writer in 1 John 4:7-12 had in mind. For the scripture said: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.” Jesus also said, “this is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you, no greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’ (John 15:12-13). So let us, “love others more” (Matthew 5:46-48; John 3:16). Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. I want you to do your own investigation of scripture, and I want you to allow it to speak to you and tell you what is said. Don’t try to make the scripture fit your thoughts, but rather change your views so you will become as what is taught (1 Timothy 6:16).
Matthew 19:4-5: “Have you not read, that He which made them at the beginning, made them male and female. For this cause shall man leave father and mother and cleave to his wife. What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” My questions are:
Send us your reply along with your contact information, so we can talk. Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. Jesus Christ, the Apostles and some Christians, had miraculous powers by which they healed sickness and injuries. They picked up snakes, struck men dead or blind, cast out demons, and healed with handkerchiefs and their shadows (Matthew 8:1-17, 9:1-35, 12:9-13, 14:15-36, 15:21-39; Mark 16:17-18; Acts 2:43-44, 3:1-16, 4:7-22, 5:1-16, 6:8, 7:55-56, 8:5-25, 9:6-43, 13:9-12, 14:8-12, 16:16-18, 19:11-12, 20:9-12, 28:1-10). Ever wonder why you don’t see this from people who claim to have the power of the Holy Spirit today? Ever wonder why these people never go in a hospital to heal or a graveyard to raise the dead? Ever wonder why neighbors who live next door to such people don’t even know they claim Holy Spirit power?
And that’s because these lying people know they can’t heal (Revelation 2:2). That’s right! They can’t heal a broken hair on a dog’s tail! If a person has the power of the Holy Spirit, he will be busy using that power and everyone would know about it. People suffering from gunshot wounds, car accidents, stabbing, etc, would all be healed (1 Corinthians 2:4). So beware! Hope to hear from you or see you at the services. |