Christian Devotionals & News

Humble

2013-02-21T16:13:00.000-08:00

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." -2 Chronicles 7:14

This verse is talking about the nation of Israel. Even being a covenant nation they had to obey God in order to receive His favor and blessings. The U.S. as a nation doesn't have any covenant with God. So what makes anyone in the U.S. think they can get away with living so immorally when Israel couldn't?

The U.S. murders 4,000 of it's own children every single day. It supports and even promotes everything that God hates. Adultery, lying, pornography, blasphemy, etc. People raise their children to not only love evil but they add new sins to their families, making every generation worse and worse. What we do doesn't just affect us, but generations to come that we will never even meet. We already have a generation being raised up that doesn't even know what a good stable marriage looks like, do you really think that isn't going to have repercussions in the future?

Everyone always says "God bless America" but the U.S. isn't acting in a way that will be blessed. If even Israel had to obey God, we certainly do. You want to know why everything is falling apart? The U.S. has abandoned the truth and God and in return God has abandoned this nation and left it to it's own sins, which ultimately causes destruction and an end to that nation (See Romans 1:18-32). It's happened a million times before in history with every other fallen nation, we are no different. Do not be deceived, "God is a righteous judge, a God who is angry with sinners every day." -Psalm 7:11

God's Name

2013-02-20T10:35:00.001-08:00

Have you ever noticed, virtually all unsaved people/false converts will write God's name with a lower case "g", but satan's name with a capital "s"? Just an interesting observation...

As soon as that happens I already know what I am in for with that person. Even their writing has revealed who their true god is, regardless of what they say with their mouths. I know they are going to fight me on every scripture, they won't want to submit to any of it and will make excuses as to why they should disobey God. Jesus said "Those who love Me obey my commands", so reversing that, those who disobey Him every chance they get, what does that say about them? They do not love God.

They may love the god they create in their own mind who supports all of the evil things they do, but the Bible calls that idolatry and it's breaking the 2nd commandment. Most of these people will even pray to their made up god, asking for all of their selfish desires. They are comfortable with the god they made up in their minds because he doesn't have any moral standards so they feel free to live like pagans.

What other name is hated so much that people use it as a four letter filth word to express disgust? People don't even hate Hitler that much. Again, their words betray them and show what they really think. They hate God so much they break the 3rd commandment by using His name in vain. People even say things like "Oh my G--", they care so little about His Holy name they use it without even thinking about it. What an insult it is to take the name of the God who gave them life and everything they have and drag it through the mud or use His name without even thinking anything of it.

What kind of speech do you have?

2013-02-18T06:16:00.000-08:00

You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. - Matthew 12:34-35

What does your speech consist of? Is it foul language? Perversion? Or is it the things of God? Do not be deceived, whatever is coming out of your mouth is what is in your heart. God sees all of it. You can't fool Him as you fool yourself. It's who you really are when you aren't putting on a mask to create a show for the public. So many people fill themselves up with perverted and foul entertainment, that is the food you are feeding yourself on, of course it's going to show up in your speech. What about the "friends" you spend your time with? Do they help you cultivate a godly character or are they just perverted and foul and are the very people the Bible tells you to stay away from?

To change what is coming out of your mouth to good things, you need to first repent (turn from your sins and towards God) and put your trust in Christ to save you. Then you need to fill yourself up with good food. Read your Bible everyday. Listen to sermons from great preachers. Read books from wise preachers. Spend your time with friends who have godly character. Soon enough you will see that what is coming out of your mouth has changed and is now good speech because you have filled yourself up with good things.

Misleading Others

2013-02-15T10:03:00.002-08:00

"But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." -Matthew 18:6

If you lead others into sin Jesus said it would be better for you to have a large, heavy stone tied to your neck and drowned in the sea. That's a pretty scary and horrifying death if you think about it and Jesus says that is better than what will happen to you. There are so many parents these days who teach their children that things like fornication, adultery, homosexuality, lying, etc are all okay. Everything God says He hates, they promote and encourage. Even if they don't do it with their words they do it with their actions.

You will have to stand before God one day and give an account of yourself before Him and all of your pathetic excuses (which you won't even be able to say because you will be in pure terror) won't hold up before a righteous Judge. You can run from what a man tells you but you won't be able to run from God on that day (and we all know it's coming, 10 out of 10 of us die). Teaching others to break God's law not only destroys your children but also future generations to come you will never even meet because your kids will teach their kids the same immorality they were taught except it will get worse and worse each generation.

Do not deceive yourselves, stop running, repent and put your trust in Christ now before it's too late. None of us know if we have tomorrow, don't waste this day while God is still granting you mercy (by giving you another day to repent and stop clinging to your sins).

Question and Answer

2013-02-14T06:36:00.003-08:00

Question I was asked:

"You can't give someone free will and then punish them for using it....that's like giving a child a choice between juice and milk, and then punishing them for choosing the one you didn't want them to have."

My Answer:
"God isn't looking for robots, He wants people who willingly obey Him. That analogy is bad as well. Obeying God or rebelling against Him isn't like the choice between juice and milk (two neutral items), it's like obeying the laws in a society or breaking them. In society they do not follow us around with guns and force us to do what they want at all times, we have free will in a sense to obey the laws or break them. If someone decides to go and rape and murder, society punishes them for using their free will because it breaks the law.

God's laws are infinitely higher than any society's and He is infinitely more Holy and Just as well."

False Teachers

2013-02-13T11:43:00.003-08:00

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds. -2 Corinthians 11:13-15

Just because someone is a (so-called) preacher or has been to seminary, doesn't mean they are in the faith. I can tell you that many of them aren't even Christians. They don't know the Gospel, they attract the world with entertainment and do not feed the flock. I want everyone in Bible believing congregations. There are many people who sit in a so-called Church every Sunday but couldn't tell you anything about the Bible, because their preachers don't preach from it (and they don't read it themselves). They are just behind a pulpit telling stories meant to entertain you all the way up until you die and go to hell.

Compare what your preacher says to what the Bible says. Does he actually cover theology or just entertain you? Does he teach Jesus is the only way or does he promote false doctrines like universalism? Does he support homosexuality? Abortion? It's up to you to do your homework on these things so you are not mislead.

The Law

2013-02-06T07:50:00.001-08:00

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. -Galatians 3:24

Nothing makes me more frustrated and angry than all the modern day preachers and Christians who go around saying the law is Old Testament and has nothing to do with Christianity. They also tend to be the people trying to win everyone over with music, games, entertainment of every kind...anything but the actual Gospel. All they are doing is producing false converts (See Mark 4:1-25).

Jesus said to repent, you can't repent of your sins unless you have heard the law to know what sin is (See Romans 7:7). If you want to know why American Christians constantly fall for false prophets and live exactly like the world, it's because they believed a man-centered gospel that removed the law, sin and repentance and replaced it with entertainment and other nonsense. It is no gospel at all and Jesus will tell these people to "Depart from me you workers of iniquity (law breakers), I never knew you" (Matthew 7:23) on judgement day.

I've pleaded with so many people to listen but most refuse and have been brainwashed by men who should have spent more time reading their Bibles and less time spreading false doctrine (which they will be judged by God for).

The Model of Christ’s Love

2013-02-04T09:10:00.000-08:00

“[Christ died for the church] that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word” (v. 26).
- Ephesians 5:26–27

Remarkably, the Bible has very little to say specifically about how a wife’s submission to her husband is to look in practice. Certainly, it is clear that the wife is to follow the loving direction of her own spouse, for “the husband is the head of the wife” (Eph. 5:22–23). Furthermore, although today’s passage indicates that the husband’s spiritual leadership is of utmost importance to the family, it seems plain that the husband’s authority is not limited just to spiritual matters. After all, wives are to submit themselves “in everything to their husbands” (v. 24).

Still, the practical outworkings of wifely submission are never specified in great detail. Consequently, each family possesses a great deal of flexibility to decide how it will function. Of course, the husband is the final decision-maker when a couple cannot agree upon a choice between two or more godly options. This preserves the principle of male authority and helps ensure that chaos does not rule the home, which would be at cross purposes with Christ’s work to unite all things in perfect harmony (Col. 1:19–20). But nothing says male headship means that he keeps the checkbook and that she does all the housecleaning. Examples could be multiplied, but the point is that the church must give every family latitude in figuring out what headship and submission looks like in its own home.

Christian husbands, however, are accountable to love their wives as Christ loves the church, and a passionate concern for the wife’s spiritual well-being is essential to this love. Ephesians 5:26–27 reveals that one goal of our Savior’s affection for His people is that He might present the church fully sanctified and flawlessly beautiful to all creation. Paul borrows imagery from Ezekiel 16:1–14, wherein God washes Israel and takes the nation as His bride. This act reaches its ultimate fulfillment in the new covenant as we are washed by the “word” of the gospel and given a bridal gown that is as white as snow (Isa. 1:18; Zech. 3:1–5; Rev. 19:6–8).

Unlike Christ, husbands possess no inherent power to sanctify their wives. But since Jesus’ love serves as the husband’s model, he must do all that he can to encourage her sanctification. As Christian husbands rightly love their wives, the beauty of their wives’ holiness becomes indescribably magnificent.

Coram Deo

The husband is called to be the spiritual leader of his home, which requires that he take the initiative in family worship, helping his wife and children learn the things of God, and much more. This should be the primary focus of his leadership — doing whatever he can to further the sanctification of his wife and children. Husbands, are you taking the lead in spiritual matters and directing your families to glorify God?

Passages for Further Study

Song of Solomon 1:8–10, 15
1 Thessalonians 5:23–24
1 John 3:16

Source: http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/the-model-of-christs-love/

Read Your Bible

2013-01-31T08:05:00.000-08:00

I'm amazed by professing Christians who don't read their Bibles everyday. They typically claim they don't have time or forget to do it. God's word is spiritual food. I would bet these same people make time and remember to eat physical food everyday (and fill their minds with hours of worthless tv). How much more important is the word of God? If you don't want to be fooled by false teachers and mislead constantly, read your Bible everyday and watch yourself grow in wisdom and your walk with God improve. There is no better time to start then now. I would also suggest picking up a copy of the John MacArthur Study Bible for the commentary.

Are You Ready for a Relationship? - Biblical Manhood Part 2 - Paul Washer

2013-01-29T09:35:00.001-08:00

What a Man is Not - Biblical Manhood Part 1 - Paul Washer

2013-01-28T11:46:00.000-08:00

Saved or Self-Deceived, Part 1

2013-01-25T08:30:00.000-08:00

Dating, Courtship, and Marriage - Paul Washer

2013-01-24T06:33:00.001-08:00

Are overweight Christians false converts?

2013-01-21T12:27:00.001-08:00

What does it mean to live in habitual sin?

2013-01-20T09:23:00.001-08:00

True and Flase Conversion (Part 2)

2013-01-17T07:25:00.000-08:00

What to Look for in a Pastor - John MacArthur

2013-01-15T16:56:00.000-08:00

The Shack

2013-01-12T07:31:00.000-08:00

There are some "preachers" out there who support and promote books like 'The Shack' from William P. Young. If your "pastor" says that is a good book you need to flee from that "Church" as quickly as you can before you are perverted by his false teachings. At best he has no wisdom, discernment or love of the scriptures.

William P. Young is a universalist, he believes everyone goes to Heaven, regardless of if they believe in Christ or not. He also denies that Jesus paid the price for sin on the cross. In his blasphemous book 'The Shack' he says God is a black female and provides an irreverent and casual attitude toward God. He also puts words into God's mouth that He never said (and are completely heretical) like:

Jesus said, "Those who love me come from every system that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptist or Muslims, Democrats, Republicans and many who don't vote or are not part of any Sunday morning or religious institutions. I have followers who were murderers and many who were self-righteous. Some are bankers and bookies, Americans and Iraqis, Jews and Palestinians. I have no desire to make them Christian, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into my brothers and sisters, into my beloved."

He defends these things (and so do many so-called Christians) by saying that it's just fiction. Really? How would you like it if I wrote a book about you and said that "you are a child molester, you steal from your neighbors house and murder puppies for fun". Then when you come to me and say "you are spreading lies and assassinating my character" I say "Oh, it's just a work of fiction, it's no big deal". We wouldn't accept this nonsense for a person, why would we accept it for God, the one who created everything? It's mind boggling.

Why Do 80% of Youth Leave Church?

2013-01-09T13:53:00.000-08:00

Wretched: Why men look at porn

2013-01-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

True and False Conversion (Part 1)

2013-01-04T16:21:00.000-08:00

Hell's best Kept Secret

2013-01-03T08:13:00.001-08:00

In all honesty, most people walking into the average American church are going to end up in worse condition than they were in before hand. American churches as a whole do nothing but promote false doctrine, a false gospel and make men twice the sons of hell they were before. Now these false converts think they are saved and are free to do anything they like with no consequences. They won't even listen to the truth afterwords because they have already been brainwashed with a false gospel. Many of these same people, eventually being angry at God for not getting everything they wanted out of Him, fall away from the church altogether.

Wretched: Who is nicer?

2013-01-02T10:35:00.000-08:00

How Twilight Affects Christian Girls

2012-12-31T05:35:00.004-08:00

Mark Driscoll on Twilight

2012-12-18T19:29:00.003-08:00

It is disgusting all of these middle aged women are lusting over teenage actors and leading their daughters into the occult. It's mind-boggling actually.