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The Growing Apostasy in our Churches
by Michael Adams What Will You Do Will you stand for the truth? What if your pastor announced a change with in your church that is heresy to Christianity? Would you stay and fight it out for pure doctrine or would you leave? Or are you blinded enough to think it could never happen in your church? So with these questions let me ask one more, are you ready for Jesus to come back and see the state of apostasy the church has decayed to? Jesus will soon return, are you ready Prophecy is being fulfilled at an increasing rate these days and one of those is apostasy of the church. Preachers are preaching with itching ears. They hear what the congregation wants them to preach and that is what is spewed out week to week. Back to some questions, if that is ok? When was the last time you heard a good old fashioned Hell fire and brimstone message from the pulpit? Not from a street preacher preaching doom and gloom but a real, old fashioned, Thus saith The LORD GOD message. When was the last time you heard a pastor leading his flock, shepherding the people by preaching on sin and confessing your sin at the altar before God Almighty? SIN IS SIN Furthering this approach let me ask a few more questions and I will get onto my message. When was the last time you heard an evangelist preach one particular sin? Did he preach on, Lust? Envy? Strife? Depression? Coveting? I can go on with listing sin! This in no way is meant to be a tolerance sermon. Tolerance is sin in my book. Yes, you heard me correctly. The act of tolerance, allowing humanistic views has corrupted our churches today and has ushered in the Apostasy of the last days. Have you heard a message lately on alcoholism? I do not believe it is a disease, it is sin that has caused it. Drug addiction? Again, sinful desire. Homosexuality? Once more sin from pride. I know with these last few I have lost some readers, hopping on to another message or listeners closing a deaf ear to the truth. There is only black and white with our Holy, Sovereign, God, sin is sin, period. The Message How many of these sins and more are we all guilty of? Yes, I did say we all. I include myself, for I am living in a fleshly body also. I do know though I have a mediator an advocate between me and God and that is Christ Jesus. He bore the sin of my flesh nailing it to His cross so I bare it no more. Praise God! But brother Michael you say, I am a pretty good person. God loves me as I am. And, if I am a pretty good person not hurting others by how I live then I am ok! Yeah, by whose standards? By God's standards? God gave us standards to live by, He gave us His law. Let us take a simple journey through the law of God and see if we meet His standards. Are you willing to do that? Ok, let me start. So you think you are a good person let's see. Keep in mind by breaking even just one of God's laws you are condemned. You are unworthy of being in the very presence of God. 1. Have you ever told a lie? Come on be totally honest here. Then what does that make you? Correct a liar. 2. Have you ever stolen anything? Taken something that did not belong to you without rightful permission? It does not matter the value. What does that make you? Correct again, it makes you a thief. 3. Have you ever taken the name of God or Jesus in vain? In a matter of disgust? What does that make you? Right you are, a blasphemer. We have discussed just three of God's commandments and so far, more than likely all of us have failed to live up to the expectations of God. That in itself leaves us condemned. Without God! 4. Have you ever committed adultery? You may so no, no way, but, Jesus said whoever looks on a woman with lust in his heart is guilty of adultery. Yeah, this one used to get me, I had this problem until I gave my life totally over to God and became a new creation in Christ. Are you converted So you have failed the test and by your own admission you are a liar, thief, guilty of adultery, and a blasphemer. Are you guilty of murder too? See Jesus said whoever holds hate in their heart for another is guilty of murder in his heart. My dear friends I have been there too, I harbored such hatred in my heart for so many years only the Spirit of God could soften this hardened heart. The good news is He loves you so much He is not willing that you perish but become whole and cleansed. Not just a little religious but converted. Converted to His way, His life, His truth. Romans says all have sinned, there is none righteous, none that does good. It goes on to say the wages, what we would receive if we were paid for our sin, is death. Death here is eternal separation from God. It all sounds so bleak doesn't it? Paul was not done in the book of Romans yet, he went on to give us our hope. In Romans 5:8,"But, God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." There is our hope. There is our peace. Jesus said,"Come unto me all ye that are weak and heavy laden and I will give you rest." Lay the bond of sin on Jesus. Ask Him into your life to forgive you and change you. II Corinthians 5:17," Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." I have found that newness in Him, and you can too. It matters not where you have been He will take you in. Jesus said,"He that comes to me I will in no wise cast out." He wants you to come. Will you come before Jesus today, He is waiting for you and your family to come. All quoted scriptures are from the King James Bible Michael is an evangelist serving from South Dayton Baptist Church in Moraine, Ohio. He has given his life to serve God in evangelism and pulpit supply for over 100 area churches. He is married to his wife Tammy the love of his life. Together they travel and spread the great news of Jesus Christ. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |