There are more than 70 verses in the Bible that prove that God is to be our source. Whatever we are in need of, God is our source. Now, let me pose an hypothetical question to you. Let's say that you have a bank account with a 6 figure balance; that means your account contains at least $100,000. One day your car breaks down and needs to be repaired. Who is your source. Who, or what, do you think of when presented with the bill to cover the cost to repair or replace your car? Is your immediate action to pray and ask God to provide or do you simply pull our your debit card and pay the bill without even thinking twice?
How you answer that question is important; if you answer with the first solution, then God is your source. If you answer with the second, your wealth is your source. Yes, God may have blessed you with that wealth in the first place, but we are supposed to rely on God for EVERYTHING. Which means when we are in need we should immediately turn to God to meet that need. When you have stockpiles of cash in bank accounts and portfolios, you are no longer relying on God to be your source. Your stockpile actually appears to prove that you don't believe God can provide all your need so you're stockpiling the cash to cover your needs when they arise.
Jesus told the man who asked what he had to do to be saved and Jesus' answer was: "Keep the commandments. Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother, love your neighbor as yourself, sell all that you have, give it to the poor and you'll have treasure in heaven and follow Me."
Why would Jesus say that? Because as Believers we are supposed to surrender everything to God and rely on Him for our every need. Jesus gave so many examples in the Bible about how much God cares for us and how He will take care of us, provide for us and keep us. Not only spiritually, but physically. When we have large bank accounts and portfolios we are not relying on God to meet our need. We're saying that we don't believe God can meet our need so we're stockpiling treasure in order to make sure we're comfortable and taken care of. But, there's also this point: God blessed us with what we've hoarded, but why did He bless us with it? When He, Himself, told us not to store up riches in this life, why did He give that to us? Because He wants us to use it to help the poor. To feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick and incarcerated, visit and care for the widows and orphans. That's our core calling. That's our core mission.
I challenge anyone who has millions in the bank or in portfolios to think about who they are relying on as their source. Because, trust me, it's not God when you have stockpiled that kind of wealth. And if your first thought when someone says give it all away is one of self preservation, you've just proved to yourself that God is not your source. If even 10% of those in the Body of Christ would take their stored up earthly treasure and give it to the poor we could end hunger in this nation.
Wake up. Pray up. Stand up. Be a candle, not a wildfire.
Thursday, August 7, 2025
Wednesday, August 6, 2025
The 7 Churches
In Revelations, John writes that God told him to write to the seven churches. While there were actually seven churches in Asia Minor, present day Turkey, I've always wondered why God, at the end of time, chose to only speak to those seven churches. He didn't. Each of those churches represents the church today. Let's look at each one, separately.
The first is the loveless church. Boy, does that sound like today's church? Where is the love today? Why do so many local congregations have to explicitly tell the world that love is spoken in their congregation? Surely any local congregation that professes to follow Jesus would be loving toward those who enter their doors! Ephesus looked to be the perfect congregation. They fought against false teachings, they performed good works, yet they had lost their love. Love is the main factor that brought Christ to die for our sins and give us the chance to have a relationship with God. It's the first principle of our being: "for God so LOVED the world, that He gave His only begotten Son...." Church today: where is your love?
The second is the suffering church. Well, we wouldn't know anything about that in the US. We only THINK we are persecuted. We don't know what suffering for Christ means. Third world countries, communist countries and most specifically Islamic countries know what it means to suffer for Christ. I'm not talking about underground churches whom no one knows about. Those churches have hidden their candle beneath a basket. Jesus told us to stand and be vocal about our dedication and service to Him, not to hide and pretend we don't believe in Him. There are local congregations all around the world who stand up and declare they follow Christ and they suffer for it. We in the US who want to claim we're persecuted for being Believers should get down on our knees and repent. Or better yet, they should have to visit those churches who know true persecution.
Next it the compromising church. Boy, we see that one quite a bit these days. Including pagan rituals into the worship of Christ is what this church was guilty of. They mixed the world into the church. Watering down the truth of God's word by including wordly rituals and refusing to stand on the principles of Christ's teaching. This is a way of holding on to the world while saying you Believe. But, that's trying to serve two masters and we all know that doesn't work.
Now we have the adulterous church. What? What church would allow such things to go own in their midst? Tolerating immorality, adultery within the church will never be tolerated by Holy Spirit. While God's word never returns void, when you have leadership involved in immorality and leadership that tolerates immorality within the congregation, you wind up with the church of Thyatira.
The dead church. A church that is Christian in name only. Wow. How many times do we hear about nominal Christians who claim to Believe but their actions do not reflect a relationship with Jesus, Himself. Faith without works is dead. No, your works will not get you into heaven. But, if you truly Believe your works will reflect that you are a Believer. You will do those things which Christ commanded all Believers to do. If you're not doing them, then you are a member of the dead church.
The faithful church. Only two of the seven churches received no condemnation. Philadelphia was called the faithful church because it stayed true to God's Word and did the things Christ commanded. They fed the hungry, clothed the naked, gave water to the thirsty, visited the sick and incarcerated, took care of the widow and the orphan and they ministered to the strangers at the gate. Not one thing Christ commanded did they not follow. They are the faithful.
Last is the lukewarm church. I've seen plenty of this type of Believer. Yes, they believe, and yes, they do some of the things Christ commanded, but they aren't consistent. They still cling to some of the ways of the world and they don't spread the Good News the way they should. These days we call them the pew warmers. They show up at services but then they disappear when the doors of the church close.
Now, God wasn't talking to specific brick and mortar locations when He spoke of the seven churches. He was speaking to anyone on the planet who falls into these seven categories. Because the church is not the brick and mortar location, the church is the Body of Christ. Where would you fall in the above list of church members? Loveless, suffering, compromising, adulterous, dead, lukewarm or faithful? Truly look at your heart, at your spirit and with God's help take spiritual inventory. If you fall into any of the five that don't include suffering and faithful, you need to re-examine your commitment and you need to repent and surrender.
Wake up. Pray up. Stand up. Be a candle, not a wildfire.
The first is the loveless church. Boy, does that sound like today's church? Where is the love today? Why do so many local congregations have to explicitly tell the world that love is spoken in their congregation? Surely any local congregation that professes to follow Jesus would be loving toward those who enter their doors! Ephesus looked to be the perfect congregation. They fought against false teachings, they performed good works, yet they had lost their love. Love is the main factor that brought Christ to die for our sins and give us the chance to have a relationship with God. It's the first principle of our being: "for God so LOVED the world, that He gave His only begotten Son...." Church today: where is your love?
The second is the suffering church. Well, we wouldn't know anything about that in the US. We only THINK we are persecuted. We don't know what suffering for Christ means. Third world countries, communist countries and most specifically Islamic countries know what it means to suffer for Christ. I'm not talking about underground churches whom no one knows about. Those churches have hidden their candle beneath a basket. Jesus told us to stand and be vocal about our dedication and service to Him, not to hide and pretend we don't believe in Him. There are local congregations all around the world who stand up and declare they follow Christ and they suffer for it. We in the US who want to claim we're persecuted for being Believers should get down on our knees and repent. Or better yet, they should have to visit those churches who know true persecution.
Next it the compromising church. Boy, we see that one quite a bit these days. Including pagan rituals into the worship of Christ is what this church was guilty of. They mixed the world into the church. Watering down the truth of God's word by including wordly rituals and refusing to stand on the principles of Christ's teaching. This is a way of holding on to the world while saying you Believe. But, that's trying to serve two masters and we all know that doesn't work.
Now we have the adulterous church. What? What church would allow such things to go own in their midst? Tolerating immorality, adultery within the church will never be tolerated by Holy Spirit. While God's word never returns void, when you have leadership involved in immorality and leadership that tolerates immorality within the congregation, you wind up with the church of Thyatira.
The dead church. A church that is Christian in name only. Wow. How many times do we hear about nominal Christians who claim to Believe but their actions do not reflect a relationship with Jesus, Himself. Faith without works is dead. No, your works will not get you into heaven. But, if you truly Believe your works will reflect that you are a Believer. You will do those things which Christ commanded all Believers to do. If you're not doing them, then you are a member of the dead church.
The faithful church. Only two of the seven churches received no condemnation. Philadelphia was called the faithful church because it stayed true to God's Word and did the things Christ commanded. They fed the hungry, clothed the naked, gave water to the thirsty, visited the sick and incarcerated, took care of the widow and the orphan and they ministered to the strangers at the gate. Not one thing Christ commanded did they not follow. They are the faithful.
Last is the lukewarm church. I've seen plenty of this type of Believer. Yes, they believe, and yes, they do some of the things Christ commanded, but they aren't consistent. They still cling to some of the ways of the world and they don't spread the Good News the way they should. These days we call them the pew warmers. They show up at services but then they disappear when the doors of the church close.
Now, God wasn't talking to specific brick and mortar locations when He spoke of the seven churches. He was speaking to anyone on the planet who falls into these seven categories. Because the church is not the brick and mortar location, the church is the Body of Christ. Where would you fall in the above list of church members? Loveless, suffering, compromising, adulterous, dead, lukewarm or faithful? Truly look at your heart, at your spirit and with God's help take spiritual inventory. If you fall into any of the five that don't include suffering and faithful, you need to re-examine your commitment and you need to repent and surrender.
Wake up. Pray up. Stand up. Be a candle, not a wildfire.
Monday, August 4, 2025
The Facts about Sodom
Let's explore the facts about the destruction of Sodom. Genesis 18:17 says that God had a conversation with Himself about whether He should tell Abraham that He was going to destroy Sodom. So, God tells Abraham (verse 21) that He's going to Sodom to see if the people there had done what He's heard they're doing. He said, "because of the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous." Abraham asks if God will destroy the cities if there are 50 righteous men in the cities and God says no. Abraham bargains with God all the way down to 5 righteous men in the cities and God agrees that if He finds 5 righteous men in the cities, He will not destroy them.
Now, it's interesting to note, here, that God did not say He was going to destroy the cities because of homosexuality. He said He was going to destroy them because there were not even 5 righteous men in those cities. And, remember, the two angels of God that had been with God during the meeting with Abraham had left to go to the cities and remove Lot and his family because Lot was the only righteous man in the cities.
In Ezekiel 16:48-50, God explains Sodoms destruction. "As I live, saith the Lord God, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou has done, thou and thy daughters. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and commited abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good."
Not one mention of the men of Sodom trying to rape the angels. Why not? Because God had determined the destroy the cities before that event happened. Not one mention of homosexuality in the statement of God on why He destroyed those cities. If that had been a deciding factor in God's reasoning, He would have said so. No, God said their biggest sins were they had a lot of bread, they did not feed the poor or help the needy, they were full of pride, haughty and committed abomination. There are more things that are abomination to God, in the Law of Moses, than just sexual acts between same sex peoples.
Look around America, today. What do we see? Pride, haughtiness, fulness of bread, abundance of idleness, refusing to feed the poor and help the needy. We do not take care of the stranger at the gate. We shut the gate and throw away those we think are not worthy to be in this land. How dare we call this land a Christian nation when we do not follow the teachings of the Messiah. We're in danger of fire and brimstone falling on our land, although we do have more than 5 righteous men in the country, for now. Were it not for that, America would be destroyed the same way Sodom was.
The biggest thing Believers need to do is to get on our knees and ask forgiveness for distorting, twisting and outright fabricating what the Bible says to meet our own agenda. We need to read, and teach, the Word of God without putting our spin on it. God help us to do the right things in the right ways with the right attitudes.
Now, it's interesting to note, here, that God did not say He was going to destroy the cities because of homosexuality. He said He was going to destroy them because there were not even 5 righteous men in those cities. And, remember, the two angels of God that had been with God during the meeting with Abraham had left to go to the cities and remove Lot and his family because Lot was the only righteous man in the cities.
In Ezekiel 16:48-50, God explains Sodoms destruction. "As I live, saith the Lord God, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou has done, thou and thy daughters. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and commited abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good."
Not one mention of the men of Sodom trying to rape the angels. Why not? Because God had determined the destroy the cities before that event happened. Not one mention of homosexuality in the statement of God on why He destroyed those cities. If that had been a deciding factor in God's reasoning, He would have said so. No, God said their biggest sins were they had a lot of bread, they did not feed the poor or help the needy, they were full of pride, haughty and committed abomination. There are more things that are abomination to God, in the Law of Moses, than just sexual acts between same sex peoples.
Look around America, today. What do we see? Pride, haughtiness, fulness of bread, abundance of idleness, refusing to feed the poor and help the needy. We do not take care of the stranger at the gate. We shut the gate and throw away those we think are not worthy to be in this land. How dare we call this land a Christian nation when we do not follow the teachings of the Messiah. We're in danger of fire and brimstone falling on our land, although we do have more than 5 righteous men in the country, for now. Were it not for that, America would be destroyed the same way Sodom was.
The biggest thing Believers need to do is to get on our knees and ask forgiveness for distorting, twisting and outright fabricating what the Bible says to meet our own agenda. We need to read, and teach, the Word of God without putting our spin on it. God help us to do the right things in the right ways with the right attitudes.
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