Tag Archives: Christianity

Tough but True!

“It is a remarkable fact that all the heresies which have arisen in the Christian Church have had a decided tendency to ‘dishonor God and to flatter man’. “  Charles H. Spurgeon

We live in a time like none other in the history of the Church~Body of Christ.  There is not a single day that goes by that we don’t read a story in mainstream media and/or Christian media,  or hear on the news or a from a radio station of another Christian organization that is “falling away” from the blessed truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)   I know I’m not alone in watching with great sadness churches (some denominational– others interdenominational– some non-denomination) changing their views, policies, doctrine and ministries to suit the “times”.  We are warned often in the New Testament of those who will creep unawares into our churches… and those who will walk away from the One True Gospel because of  the self centered, lust-filled and power-driven old “person” within us.  Charles Spurgeon witnessed it.  We are witnessing it!  Like a “whirlpool sucking everything into the darkness”.

I wrote several postings last year about wolves in sheep’s clothing ( Matthew 7:15), however they weren’t read by many.  A year later, apostacy has escalated at an alarming rate as I watch Christian (?) ministers/ministries/organizations move away from the true Gospel… to a

‘people-pleasing gospel’

or a ‘cotton candy Christianity’

or a ‘cultural gospel’

or a ‘New Age gospel’

or a ‘question the Bible gospel’

a ‘jump on the band wagon gospel’

or a ‘mix Christianity with other religions’

All of these are deceiving many in our churches,  and the members follow along, like the “blind leading the blind” not questioning. (1 Timothy 4:1)  Why???  I’ll tell you why… because the average Christian has no idea what they really believe or why they believe it because they spend no time in the Word of God, “testing the spirits” (1 John 4:1)  I know that sounds tough and hard, but, it is the truth.  As I’ve written many times before… you don’t need a theological degree to read and study the Word;  you don’t need an education in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.  All you need is a personal relationship with God!  That relationship comes through repentance and personally receiving the “gift of salvation–the blood of Christ” that reconciles us to the Father; making Jesus Christ the Lord of your life and then the Holy Spirit takes up residence within your heart and at that moment you are a brand new person, with a new life.  With the abilities to read and study the Bible.  Earnest prayer for understanding, asking the Holy Spirit for discernment and a willingness to surrender your own will to the will of God—-the Word will become something you crave and can’t do without!!

Much Praise to The One Who is The Giver of Eternal Life

The unconditional love of the Almighty LORD God given to sinful, God rejecting, and self pleasing mankind is the most amazing representation of WHO He is.  He sent His ‘only’ Son to die and pay the penalty of our sins, then offers to us as an amazing free gift … we don’t need to work or try to be perfect (we couldn’t anyway), because Our Savior Jesus Christ who was without sin chose to take all the sins of world as the price required for salvation and freedom from the bondage of ‘self’!   The Word of God is the most amazing book ever written!   Here, thousands of years after the initial writings, the original manuscripts are still with us.  The Bible is God-breathed words penned by the holy men He chose.  

Let us never cease to be in awe of  the one and only True LORD God and His  endless grace;

 The salvation freely given to us by the precious blood of the Lamb of God;

The Holy Word of God!  ©Streim

If anything I’ve written here disturbs you… pick up your Bible.  Find out for yourself!  Read and ask God for wisdom, as it is His Will that you read His words of love and caution.  Your heart must first be in the right place with the Father and Lord Jesus to receive instruction.  Here’s a few verses you get you going… reading them in context gives the depth.  All four of these references are from our Lord Jesus:  Matthew 7:15; 10:16, Luke 10:3 and Acts 20:29.  Be blessed…

 

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Wolves and Artificial Sweeteners~ Part 1 http://wp.me/p1Ypb1-7V  

Warnings Given With Love  http://wp.me/p1Ypb1-tB

 

Hannah’s Prayer

Since today is the National Day of Prayer (as appointed by our government) , I wanted to share what I believe is one of the most beautiful prayers of  thanksgiving I’ve read in the Word of God.  It is my hope, that each of you as you pray remember Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 and 18 “pray without ceasing,  in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Hannah’s Prayer

And Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.  “No one is holy like the Lord, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.  “Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the Lord is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.  “The bows of the mighty men are broken, And those who stumbled are girded with strength.  Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, And the hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the barren has borne seven, And she who has many children has become feeble.  “The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up.  The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up.  He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. “For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He has set the world upon them.  He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. “For by strength no man shall prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces; From heaven He will thunder against them. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed.”   1 Samuel 2:1-10 (NKJV)

Hands raised in Praise

♥ Streim

Are we a people of the WORD?

Okay, so let’s get real here.  Any Bible believing, church going Christian will tell you that WE stand on the Word of God.  I read an alarming, well-documented statistic the other day that literally broke my heart and made me angry at the same time!! 

Bible believing churches/denominations across this country recently polled members of their congregations with one simple question.  Each person received a small post-it size piece of paper; then asked to answer the following question with a number.  That was all — no name required.  Complete anonymity.  I can imagine some of the respondents smiled while others squirmed– inside their hearts that it.  The question and it’s findings:

How many times a week do you read your Bible, outside of during a church service or Bible study group?

The results —  Only 45% of these Christians read the Word at least once a week.  The other 55% — ZERO!

That means over half of church attending Christians in today’s society NEVER even pick up the Word, except to carry it along to church as an accessory to their wardrobe.  Does that stir the Spirit within you?  It should, especially if you’re in 55 percentile!  Now if you’re in the 45th percentile group, you’re still not doing too great if the number is less that 17 (my opinion only).  Where’s I come up with that number you ask?  Well morning and evening (as David wrote in the Psalms)= 14, Sunday morn 1, Sunday evening 1, midweek service 1.

I would like to share with you a short quiz I read sometime back.  The responses are strictly between you and  our Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  The numbers 1-10 for each question are self-explanatory.

1.)  I am consistent each day, and all day long, in reading, meditating on, and thinking about the Bible and what God is teaching me through His Word.

1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10
Not at all                                  All the time

2.)  I read the Bible in order to discover what it has to say about every area of life

1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10
Not at all                                   All the time

3) Whenever I do read the Bible, I’m looking for ways that I might grow, or that I might help others grow in the Lord, or come to know Him.

1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10
Not at all                                  All the time

4) I can hardly wait to get time in the Bible each day; I eagerly look forward to every moment of reading, studying, meditating on—drinking in!—the Word of God.

1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10
Not at all                                  All the time

5) I read through all of the Scripture regularly, and I’m always looking for new ways that the Bible can speak to my life, my society, my culture, and the world in which I live.

1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10
Not at all                                  All the time

6) The Bible is changing my life; I can see it and my friends comment on it. And I’m eager to see it change the lives of others as well.

1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10
Not at all                                  All the time

 Can you describe yourself as a person of the Book?  Or do you just have a kind of loose adherence to Scripture as somehow a part of your life, although not in any consistent or transforming way? What have you learned about your own commitment to the Bible, and what, if anything has this quiz suggested to you about any changes you need to make?

As the followers of Christ we have been given His Word as a sacred trust as written in Psalm 147:19-20 “He shews His word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.”  Remember, we as adopted children through the blood of Christ these verses pertain to Christians as well .

God gave us the Bible, and He sent His Spirit to lead us into all truth and teach us the things we need to know, as we compare one section of Scripture with another and listen for His Voice to instruct, convict, and transform us  “Now we have received , not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak , not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual”  1 Corinthians 2:12-13.

Finally, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in His parting words to His disciples before ascending the Father tells us simply He appointed to us the ministry of the Word for the purpose of making all the nations disciples And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying , All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo,  I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.  Matthew 28:18-20

But He said , “Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it”  Luke 11:28

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness.  Acts 4:31

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  Ephesians 6:17

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.  Psalm 119:11

As for God, His way is perfect: the Word of the LORD is tried : He is a buckler to all those that trust in him. Psalm 18:20

The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.  Isaiah 40:8

If you’re not being transformed by the Word; you’re being deformed by the world ©Streim