Blog

There has been a lot of mention these days about Christians; specifically, Evangelical Christians. But what is an Evangelical Christian? Hopefully by the end of this article, it will be made clear.

What is an Evangelical Christian

For starters, an Evangelical Christian is a Christian. However, they stand in difference from the general Christian population in that their emphasis in

on being born-again according to the teachings in John 3:3-7

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. KJV

Evangelicals take this passage very seriously and put a distinguishing and sole importance on the need for all people to experience the transformation of the new birth. This was what the Great Awakening of the 1740s was about when the modern Evangelical movement was born.

Evangelicals also believe the Bible to be the inerrant, absolute authoritative Word of God and after having a conversion experience maintaining a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. This relationship is established and maintained with the assistance of the Holy Spirit which was released after Christ’s ascension.

Lastly, evangelicals for the most part, are fully involved in proselytizing (conversion). They are active in engaging the conversion experience. To sum up, Evangelical Christians take their Christianity very serious and to a large degree more than their counterparts—mainline Christians

What is the difference between Evangelical and Mainline Christians

The two factions of Christianity are not as completely distinct as some might argue. But there are clear differences at the center of each tradition, which allows us to identify them as different approaches to Protestantism.

These two groups of Christians have very similar basic beliefs and doctrines. But what distinguishes the evangelicals from other Protestants and other Christians are four central beliefs that keeps them distinctive.

Mainline Protestants have a different perspective. They have a more modernist contemporary theology. So, for example, they will read the Bible, however not as the inerrant word of God, but as a historical document, which contains God’s word and a lot of very important truths, but truths that needs to be interpreted in every age by persons of that time and that place.

Mainline Protestants are inclined to also believe that Jesus is the way to salvation. However, many mainline Protestants believe that perhaps there are other ways to salvation as well. This includes people in other religious traditions that are even outside of Christianity who may have access to God’s grace and salvation, as well as on their own terms, and through their own way.

Mainline Protestants are much less concerned with personal conversion. Although they do confer about spiritual transformation, they’ll often discuss a spiritual journey from one’s youth to senior adulthood, leading on into eternity. So while there is a sense of transformation, there isn’t that emphasis on conversion; on that one moment or series of moments in which one’s life is dramatically changed.

Lastly, mainline Protestants are somewhat less concerned with proselytizing than evangelicals. Certainly proselytizing is something they believe in. They believe in sharing their beliefs with others, however not necessarily for the purposes of conversion. The idea of spreading the word within the mainline tradition is far wider than simply preaching the good news. It additionally involves economic development. It also involves personal assistance, charity, a whole number of other activities.

Evangelicals Christians and politics

The political position of Evangelicals is somewhat misrepresented. The consensus is that Evangelicals position is in favor of the Republican Party because the Democrats of previous administrations didn’t support them. In fact, they supported and continue to support many of the issues that are against the beliefs and convictions of Evangelicals such as abortion, same-sex marriages, transgender rights, etc. and their concern is about losing control of their movement. Because of this, there is strong evangelical support for the present Republican President, Donald J. Trump, in spite of his immoral speech and behavior. This gives the impression that Evangelicals are simply a branch of the Republican Party and will support any Republican regardless. However, what the polls really indicate is that it is a majority of white Evangelicals voters that support the President. However, there is a significant percentage of white Evangelicals that don’t vote and there isn’t much mention of non-white Evangelicals. This can lead one to believe that Evangelical support is stronger than it really is.

There are certainly Hispanics, Asians, and African Americans who identify as Evangelicals. There are some from these groups that do not declare themselves specifically as Evangelical because of the political implications but will however identify with evangelical doctrines. For example, African Americans certainly will identify themselves as born again. Many from these groups voted against Donald Trump, a lot of them don’t participate in politics at all, just as many white Evangelicals don’t participate in politics. But for some reason white Evangelical voters that vote Republican are taken to represent the whole American evangelical community.

Recently, Mark Galli, editor in chief of Christianity Today magazine, published a scathing article against President Trump and his immoral behavior—that he should be removed from office. To that I say: it’s about time! It is high time for the Christian community to speak out against the immorality that has been spreading through our nation and I pray that it continues.

The modernistic mindsets of the main line Protestants I mentioned earlier leaves the door open for compromise. It appears that the Christians that support the current administration are of this branch rather than the evangelical branch to the danger of the church and the nation.

In the article https://thechristianadvocate.org/postmodernism-and-the-church/
more detail is given on the effects of modernism on the church.

Closing

I am an Evangelical Christian and I acknowledge the position that Mr. Trump has taken against abortion, for religious freedom, and the appointing of conservative judges—more than previous administrations—I get that. But abuse of office and obstruction of congress, and the threat to our national security tips the scale in the wrong direction. There are two sides to every coin. If we become influenced by the wrong country as a result, what happens to our religious freedom then? We can kiss it good-bye! As Jesus is quoted in the Scriptures as saying: … Take heed that ye be not deceived… Luke 21:8 KJV

Billy Graham may have voted for Trump in 2016, but I sincerely wonder if he would have voted for him today.

Question is: if Trump were removed, that would put Vice-President pence in control who is an evangelical and is a member of the first White House Bible study in one hundred years.  So…

To quote Mark Galli: “That he [President Trump] should be removed, we believe, is not a matter of partisan loyalties but loyalty to the Creator of the Ten Commandments.”

To my fellow Christians, let us remember who
we serve and act accordingly!

Amen

I welcome any comment, question or concern. Please feel free to them leave below.

Here in the US, we recently celebrated Thanksgiving Day.

When you hear the word thanksgiving what comes to your mind? When you hear the word Thanksgiving Day, what comes to your mind? Chances are when we think of Thanksgiving Day, for most, our thoughts are a far cry from its origins and its true meaning. The intent of this article is to enlighten the truth behind Thanksgiving Day.

Thoughts of Thanksgiving Day include: turkey, Thanksgiving dinner with

family and friends, the pilgrims, the Thanksgiving Day parade ((US) etc… Some of us are thankful and some of us are more thankful than others and some just like to eat. Eating is the strongest of these when we traditionally stuff ourselves at the Thanksgiving dinner table.

What is thanksgiving all about

But, what is thanksgiving really about? What does the Bible say about thanksgiving? In the King James translation, thanksgiving is mentioned 28 times covering the Old and New Testaments. I won’t expound on all of them but let’s look at three (3) of them

In the Old Testament, the book of Leviticus contained the law which included sacrifices that were to be made unto God for various reasons. One category was peace offerings which included thanksgiving.

Lev 7:11-13 reads:

11 And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the Lord.

12 If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving
unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.

13 Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings. KJV

This is the first mention of thanksgiving in the Scriptures. Thanksgiving offerings were given in gratitude for deliverance from sickness, trouble, or death, or for a blessing received.

Ps 100:1-4 reads:

1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. KJV

This is clearly a passage of praise. Within this praise is the acknowledgment of thanksgiving for creating us and providing us with His blessed provision as we are called: “the sheep of his pasture.”

Now the New Testament: Phil 4:6-7

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace

of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. NIV

Christians are not to be consumed with anxiousness concerning self-centered, counterproductive worry, but with
thanksgiving take all of our requests to God. So while we are making our requests, we are to be thankful for the current blessings, give credit and praise to God for what he has already done. We can also, by faith, thank Him for answering our prayer request.

We are to be thankful even when things aren’t going the way we think they should. Scripture further says: “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” [1 Thess 5:18 KJV] God has a purpose and a plan for all of us and it includes all things. For “all things work together for good to them that love God”… [Romans 8:28]

This spirit of thanksgiving is a year-round activity; not only one day. God blesses 24/7/365. Having said that, the day of Thanksgiving that’s celebrated is a far cry from its original inception.

Let’s move ahead in history to the beginning of Thanksgiving Day as a holiday.

Abraham Lincoln the sixteenth President of the United States declared Thanksgiving Day a national Holiday on October 3, 1863, during the Civil War. Below is a segment of the proclamation.

“No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things.[He’s referring to the blessing of the nation] They are

the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances

and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.”

Notice the word: “with humble penitence.” Thanksgiving Day was intended as a day of humbleness, contrition and praying—not gluttony. Another example of how we have taken the focus off of the creator and onto the creation. This is nothing short of idolatry.

Now, I have been to thanksgiving dinners where the emphasis was on “a short prayer” we dare not pray too long, the turkey is waiting, AND I have attended thanksgiving dinners where there was no prayer and all! Ironically, this is one of the days when we should pray the longest!!

It is interesting to hear the Israelites criticized for their foolish slide into apostasy when we’re falling into the same state. We seem to be forgetting just how blessed we are and more importantly where the blessings have come from. Instead of criticizing Israel, we would be wise to learn from their mistakes and act accordingly.

However, our culture is following the ways of Israel by turning further and further away from God. We are adopting attitudes and behaviors that are extremely contrary to the will of God and more sadly, it is infiltrating the church. More and more are we becoming a secular nation and the churches are following down the same slippery slope. In my article https://thechristianadvocate.org/postmodernism-and-the-church/ more detail is given.

This can’t be stopped as it is prophesied in Scripture of the coming apostasy. In the article https://thechristianadvocate.org/the-bible-and-end-times/
detail is given on this scenario.

In spite of this, Scriptures indicate that there is always a remnant of Christians that hold true to their profession. To them I say: “hold on!” Scripture reads in 1 Peter 1:13-16:

13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. KJV

So we are to think clearly, exercise self-control and look forward to the salvation that will come to us when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. Therefore, we must live as God’s obedient children and not slip back into our old ways of living to satisfy our own desires when we didn’t know any better. We must be holy in everything we do, just as God is holy. For the Scriptures say, “For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Lev 11:44 KJV

So brothers and sisters, let us be thankful always, year-round and on that special day of thanks, let us have the proper attitude of thanksgiving as children of almighty God.

We need to take the focus off of the turkey and onto God!

Amen

Please, feel free to leave any question, comment, or concern below.

Blessings!

Sin is the breaking or transgression of God’s law. 1 John 3:4 reads:

“Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.” NIV

Therefore, anytime we break God’s law, we sin. In my article: Repentance and sin, I explain more about the description of sin and the value of repentance from sin. But, why should we repent? Because there are end results:—consequences of sin. This article, addresses The Danger of Sin.

In the US, sin is a word that has become increasingly ignored these days. More and more this nation is embracing and condoning sinful actions and behaviors in alarming ways. We are adopting behaviors that God has destroyed nations for. A society that is becoming more and more secular with sin simply being ignored. Therefore, sin has become ubiquitous throughout the land.

Does sin have consequences

It is important to realize that sin doesn’t only have negative consequences for individuals, but for nations as well. So what happens when a nation sins against God?

For the answer to questions from a spiritual perspective, the only place to turn is to the Scriptures. Let’s take a look at Prov. 14:34, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” In other words, Godliness makes a nation celebrated—great, but sin is a dishonor to its citizens.

For the most part, politicians and rulers at every level of government—whether it be kings, governors, presidents, prime ministers, or officials—are to seek what will best prosper and exalt their nations. In the end, however, only one factor determines whether a nation rises or falls: righteousness. The nations that follow God’s standards and are governed by His Holy Word are great nations. Countries that embrace selfishness and sin over righteousness suffer disgrace and shame. World history repeatedly proves this to be true. The most obvious illustration is Old Testament Israel. When Israel obeyed and followed God, it became the greatest nation on the face of the earth. But when it forsook God for idols and all manner of sins, it fell. To this day, Israel has yet to be restored to its former glory. And, sadly, Solomon, the king who wrote this very proverb, actually set Israel’s decline in motion.

Israel had reached its peak of greatness during Solomon’s reign, but then began its downward slide when the king stooped to living in brazen and unrestrained immorality with 1,000 women.

To make matters even worse, Solomon exposed his nation to the false gods of all these foreign women.

This emphasizes the critical importance of individual righteousness and responsibility and the importance of righteous leadership.

This is why for those of us who live in a society that allows us to vote for leadership must take that responsibility very seriously. As the leader goes, so goes the nation. Let’s look at this in Scripture. 1 Kings 11:1-13

11:1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;

2 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.

3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.

5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.

7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,

10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded.

11 Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.

13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen. KJV

So again, this was the beginning of Israel’s spiritual decline. Because their leader disobeyed, sinned against God and the nation has paid dearly. This begun with the dividing of the kingdom. Because God promised David an everlasting kingdom He split the kingdom and gave one tribe to Solomon’s son to continue David’s throne (vs. 13).

The next passage of Scripture contains the manifestation of this leader’s sin for the nation of Israel.

Jeremiah 25:4-12

4 And the Lord hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.

5 They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever:

6 And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.

7 Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the Lord; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.

8 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words,

9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.

10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.

11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations. KJV

Now some 356 years later, Israel is stepped in sin. God sent out numerous prophets asking Israel to turn from their wicked ways and return to Him in righteousness. But they refused (vss. 4-7).

As a result, a price had to be paid (vss. 8-12).

Down through the years, three separate indictments and warnings were issued to the people of Judah (the southern kingdom of Israel).

The first indictment—was issued by Jeremiah. He had been faithfully preaching the Word of God to the people for twenty-three long years, nineteen years during the reign of Josiah and four years during the evil, brutal rule of Jehoiakim. Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the Word of God. They rejected His Word and shut their ears to His demand for righteousness. Wanting nothing to do with God’s holy commandments, they rejected the warnings of His Word and denied the fact of coming judgment. Time and again Jeremiah issued his warning, but the people would not listen.

The second indictment—was issued by true prophets down through the years (vss.4-6). Time and again the Lord sent prophet after prophet to the people. But the people refused to listen to God’s servants. The prophets’ message was one of repentance, a message that offered great hope to the people. If they would turn away from evil, the Lord would allow them to stay in the Promised Land (vs.5). If they would turn away from their idol worship—the creations of their own imaginations—God would not judge or harm them (vs.6). Yet despite this wonderful offer of salvation and deliverance, the people shut their ears. They would not listen and paid no attention whatsoever to God’s Word

The third indictment— was issued by the Lord Himself (vs.7). He leveled three strong charges against the people:

⇒ No matter what He offered them, they did not listen to His Word. They stubbornly closed their ears and became hard-hearted against Him.

⇒ They provoked Him by turning away and worshipping false gods. Instead of worshipping Him, the only living and true God, they turned to the idols of the world, the so-called gods created in their own minds and imaginations.

⇒ They brought judgment upon themselves. Because of their stubbornness and their refusal to listen to God’s Word, they had no one to blame but themselves. They had to accept the blame and bear the burden for the coming judgment of God.

In the balance of the chapter, devastating judgment was the consequence of not listening to God’s Word. Due to the people’s intentional spiritual deafness, God’s hand of judgment would fall heavily upon them. They would be conquered by Babylon, exiled throughout the Babylonian Empire, and suffer a seventy-year captivity. The Lord would use King Nebuchadnezzar as His agent of judgment (vv.8-14).

Notice that the Lord referred to Nebuchadnezzar as, “My servant” (27:6; 43:10). This does not mean that Nebuchadnezzar was a righteous man, but rather that God was using him as a servant to execute His justice and judgment on earth. God was appointing Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Judah and all the surrounding nations (v.9). It is important to take note that God uses the righteous and the unrighteous as He wills.

Once Judah and the other nations were completely demolished, they would become objects of horror and scorn. All activities of life would cease. No longer would there be the joyful occasions associated with marriage, work, and home life (v.10). Judah and the other nations would be utterly devastated and become a wasteland (v.11a). Again, note a significant time frame: they would be held in captivity for seventy years (29:10; 2 Chr. 36:21; Dan. 9:1-2). Most likely, the seventy years began at the time of the first deportation of exiles in 605 B.C., the year Daniel was deported to Babylon (Dan. 1:1ff; 9:1-2). This means that the seventy years ended with the first return of exiles in 536 B.C. (Dan. 9:1-2).

But that wasn’t the end of the story the judicial judgment of God had to be executed against Babylon as well. Babylon was guilty of the most horrendous evil, injustice, and cruelty toward other people. The Lord would rise up another nation (Persia) as His agent to execute judgment against the wicked, brutal Babylonians. Just as they had enslaved other nations, so the nations and kings of the Media-Persian Empire would enslave them (v.14).

God leaves no stone unturned regarding His blessings or judgments. He is just in all He does according to our works (vss. 13-14).

Now applying this to today, there Bible contenders who will dismiss this as Old Testament and inapplicable to today. Therefore I would like to direct to a New Testament Scripture,

1 Corinthians 10: the first five verses (vss. 1-5) contain a summary of Israel’s blessings, and their subsequent demise as a result of their unfaithfulness. Out of the over the two million original Israelites that left Egypt, only two entered the Promised Land—Caleb and Joshua.

Verses 6-10 contain a warning:

6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. [cf. Exod. 32:6]

8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. KJV

Two points:

1. 1. Here we have New Testament Scripture confirming the Old Testament. Stating that the things of the Old Testament, namely Israel’s history was written and given to us as an example as well as a warning so that we would not repeat them and experience the same tragic consequences (vss.6, 11). These examples and warning has been handed down to us for our admonition; our cautious warning.

The Scripture is very specific regarding the sins: lust, idolatry, fornication (sexual sins), and temptation of God, murmuring and complaining.

1. 2. Note that this warning was written to the Corinthian church by the Apostle Paul. It applies to the church today. The church of today is experiencing the same situation as the Corinthian church experienced.

The security of the Christian believer is one of the great doctrines of the Scriptures. Unfortunately, the doctrine has too often been preached and taught with an inadequate understanding of the doctrine and to the neglect of the warnings of Scripture.

As a result, two of the greatest problems facing the church today are those of false security and over-confidence. But Scripture is clear…if interpreted and taught correctly.

The result has been tragic, for it has brought multitudes into the church who has not been genuinely converted to Christ, and it has given them a sense of false security and over-confidence. Multitudes think they are Christians and followers of Christ, but their lives do not match their profession. The very sins listed in this passage were entrenched in the Corinthian church and they are entrenched in the church and lives of Christians today. It behooves us to learn from the mistakes of others—namely Israel.

We may not bow down to physical idols and statues today, but we certainly have our idols. Sin itself with the lack of repentance is an idol. [Ephesians 5:5] Money and material possessions have become the new religion; societies are increasingly embracing extremely immoral acts ignoring God and His Word—just as Israel did. The moral fiber is in serious decay, and the results are beginning to show. Societies and governments are becoming more and more corrupt and dysfunctional. The slippery slide has begun.

Because God moves in His own time, we don’t see the consequences of national sin right away, in some cases not in one’s life time. Remember as I mentioned earlier, it was 356 years for the pronouncement of judgment came down on Israel. But because the consequences aren’t immediate, doesn’t mean that God is sleeping. He patiently waits for the turn around, the repentance. [2 Pet. 3:9] His goodness is to bring us to repentance. [Rom. 2:4] He’s waiting patiently for us to turn around.

We face danger, great danger: what happened to the believers of Israel can happen to us. If it does, then the doom that fell upon the believers of Israel will fall upon us. It is critical, therefore, to pay attention and know what caused the people of Israel to be destroyed and what kept them from entering the Promised Land and adjust ourselves accordingly.

In my article, https://thechristianadvocate.org/postmodernism-and-the-church/ one of the issues addressed is how it has affected the church. In this age of relativism truth is according to the individual’s belief in his or hers own mind. This in essence kicks absolutes and the Bible to the curb. But it doesn’t matter what we believe the truth to be in our own minds, the real truth always prevails. Because we choose to ignore sin and go our own way, doesn’t erase it and God doesn’t wink at sin. The Scripture is clear: “the wages of sin is death…” [Rom.6:23]

We are promised a Promised Land also but in order to enter it, we will have to acknowledge and accept the truth— and act accordingly or bear the dire consequences. This applies individually and nationally.

Does sin have consequences? You bet it does—dire ones.

Please feel free to leave any comment, question, or concern below.

Blessings!

The foremost activity a Christian engages in is prayer. Christians and prayer go hand in hand. A Christian without prayer is the same as a fish out of water. There is simply no existence to a Christian without prayer. A professing Christian that doesn’t pray is simply a fraud.

What is prayer

Prayer is communication with God. It is the life line in which all spiritual activity transpires. Prayer is the means by which a sinner confesses their sinfulness and sins and accepts Christ as their Lord and Savior. This is known as the sinner’s prayer. It literally puts one on the path to salvation. However, it doesn’t end there. Prayer is an activity that continues throughout the life of a Christian fueling their growth.

What is the purpose of prayer

Christianity isn’t only about following commands and rules, but a relationship with God through His Son Jesus. If we want to receive all the fruits from a relationship, communication is vital. All relationships thrive on communication and a relationship with God is no exception. Therefore, the main purpose of prayer is to perpetuate a relationship with God. This doesn’t only involve praying for our needs, but communicating perpetually. God communicates with us through the Spirit. Many individuals to comprehend that prayer is a two-way activity not merely a means of requesting wants and needs.

Prayer is the acknowledgment of the presence of God. It is where pride is deserted and humility is adopted, hope is raised, and requests are made. Prayer is the act of admitting our need for God—our dependence on Him, and expressing and illustrating faith upon God. Prayer is a most essential practice for the Christian. Prayer is the privilege of touching the center of the heart of the Father through the Son of God, Jesus our Lord.

There is yet one more benefit of prayer: peace. Scripture says in Philippians 4:6-7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (7) And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus,”

Peace is invaluable. It is a state that that compares to nothing else. It is beyond being happy. One can be unhappy but have peace. When you have peace, you have everything—you’re at rest no matter what is going on around you—to the point that it, as the Scripture reads: “surpasses all understanding.” No one can understand your peace in the midst of a storm. We ought to take “everything”
to God “by prayer and supplication.”

What are the different kinds of prayers

The basic kinds of prayer are praise, petition (supplication), intercession, and thanksgiving.

Prayer is a work of worship that exalts God and emphasizes the need for Him. Living a life of prayer is a response to Christ’s work of salvation and communication with the very source of and purpose for our existence.

Praise—Praise is the form of prayer that highly recognizes that God is God and lets Him know it. It gives Him glory for what He does, but also beyond what He does, but for simply who He is and because He IS. It bestows blessing and adoration upon God the creator. It acclaims the greatness of the Lord who created us and the colossal power of the Savior who sets us free from evil.

It highly expresses the happiness of the pure of heart who love God in faith before seeing him in glory. Christianity is a based on Faith. More on faith in the article: What is Faith About.

By praise, the Holy Spirit is united with our spirits to bear witness that Christians are children of God and testifying that we glorify the Father. Praise embraces the other forms of prayer and carries them toward Him who is the One God, the Father.

Petition—a prayer of petition is a formal request. The first act of the prayer of petition is asking for forgiveness… it is a prerequisite for righteous and pure prayer. When Christians share in God’s saving love, they understand that every need can become the object of petition. They also understand what Jesus said …” in John 15:16 …”that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” Christ is glorified by what we ask of the Father in His name.

Intercession—intercessory prayer is prayer on behalf of another. Intercession is a prayer of petition which guides us to pray as Jesus did. He is the one intercessor and mediator with the Father on behalf of all men, especially sinners. The Holy Spirit Himself intercedes for Christians when they don’t know what they should pray for.[Rom 8:26] Christians can also intercede for others for any reason deemed necessary. Two praying in agreement can be stronger than one. [Matt. 18:19-20]

Thanksgiving—prayers of Thanksgiving encompasses the giving of thanks for blessing—both spiritually as well as materially. Humanity has so much to be thankful for—especially Christians. Non-believers because of the kindness and goodness bestowed upon them in spite of their spiritual condition or the lack thereof. Scripture is clear that God’s goodness is to bring repentance. [Rom. 2:4]

God in His kindness provided a way through His Son, Jesus Christ, for all mankind to be redeemed. All we’ve to try and do is accept this gift. That in itself warrants praise and Thanksgiving. But on a daily basis we all
have much to be thankful for.

Means of Prayer

Just as there are different kinds of prayer, there are different avenues or ways of prayer.

• Vocal—verbal prayer openly expresses the heart. What is within the heart comes out of the mouth. [Mark 7:21] Whether individually or in the presence of others, verbal prayer connects the body with the internal prayer of the heart. By words, mental or vocal, our prayers take root.
•  Meditative—meditation totally involves the mind and allows a full concerted effort to focus on Christ and God. Meditation employs thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. This form of prayerful reflection is a great value. Scripture reads in Isa 26:3:

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Keeping our minds on God and the things of God will keep us in peace. Peace that we desperately need in this divisive and troubled world.

• Contemplative Prayer—involves being prayerfully deep in thought as opposed to praying in the mind. It is a gaze of faith fixed on Jesus, God, and the Word of God, a silent love. It is a rewarding spiritual mental exercise.

The best test our prayer life and dependence upon God is by the presence of peace or the lack thereof in our hearts. In all things in life, we are to seek the Lord and in His continued presence.

Peace will surely be our gain. Amen.

Please feel free to leave any question, comment or concern below.

Blessings!

To some the Holy Spirit is a mystery. To others, it is a powerful source.

Which one is it for you? Find out by reading this article: All about the Holy Spirit.  It is descriptive of what the Holy Spirit is and the role it plays in a Christian’s life.

What is the Holy Spirit

It isn’t so much of what but who is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit). For more detail on the Trinity, see the article on this site: all About the Trinity.

One of the ways God exercises His power is through the Holy Spirit, which was promised by Jesus to the disciples as He was preparing for His departure from earth. His first mention was in John 15:26-27

26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

Here Jesus refers to the Spirit as “Comforter.” The word Comforter conveys the helping, encouraging, and strengthening work of the Spirit as He represents Christ. “The Spirit of truth” refers to the teaching, illuminating, and reminding work of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit ministers to both the head and the heart, and both components are important.

In verse 27, Jesus stated that the disciples will bear witness of Jesus’ authenticity—that He is the Messiah and the Son of God since they were with Him since the very beginning of His ministry. The disciples were the crucial link between Jesus Christ and all resultant believers. The Holy Spirit would be needed to remind them so that when they preached, taught, and wrote, they would spread the truth of the gospel. The Holy Spirit would make certain that their witness would not be impaired by persecution. Jesus had already warned these men about the persecution to come so that they would not be surprised in previous verses 18-25.

This is why Jesus is recorded as telling the disciples in Luke 24:49: “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” They were instructed to wait until they were empowered by the Holy Spirit, promised by the Father, before enforcing His commission to them. They would need His help to overcome the resistance that awaited them.

In the next chapter, Jesus went on to explain more about the Holy Spirit-the Comforter. In chapter, John 16:7-16

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Without the death of Jesus and His resurrection we could not be saved. His death made it possible for the removal our sins. Before Jesus could overcome death by his resurrection, He had to submit to death. And if He hadn’t gone back to the Father, the Holy Spirit would not have arrived in the way God had planned. The Spirit could not arrive until Jesus was glorified.

After his glorification — through the process of crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension — Jesus could send the Spirit to the believers. While Christ was on earth, He was limited to one place at a time (being in human flesh). His leaving meant he could live, through the Holy Spirit, in every Christian in the whole world. Therefore, it was for their good that he had to go away. The Spirit carried Jesus’ work to a more intense level during the history of the church. By the Spirit the gospel would go out to the entire world.

In verse 8, Jesus started to go into detail of the Spirit’s work: he will reprove the world of sin. To reprove is to condemn and convict. The Holy Spirit carries out his convicting work in at least three ways:

1. The Holy Spirit proves the world wrong by exposing the world’s error and convincing people they are sinners. This includes general admittance of guilt as evidence of the Spirit’s work.

2. The Holy Spirit convicts people of their sins, representing the righteous judgment of God.

3. The Holy Spirit makes sin personally known to individuals in order to bring them to repentance. He personalizes God’s accusation from all are guilty to you are guilty. He breaks through our defenses and rationalizations and confronts us with at least a glimpse of our true selves in relation to God’s standards.

The third way that the Spirit works is the one that matters. Alone by themselves, the first two communicate not much more than a strong sense of the justice of God. But the third explanation not only includes the first two, but it also brings to bear God’s mercy. God graciously makes us aware of our sin that he might make us open to his grace. The Holy Spirit prepares the human heart and then applies the healing work of Jesus Christ to that person’s heart.

In verse 9, Jesus specifically mentioned the greatest sin. The greatest sin is the rejection of Jesus (Jn. 3:18). Those who deny Jesus are in danger of eternal separation from God.

In verse 10, Jesus makes the point that the Spirit’s function is to show all people that Christ alone provides the standard of God’s righteousness. The Holy Spirit is to attempt to make unbelievers recognize God’s perfect standard before they will admit their own deficiency. It is up to the individual to accept.

In verse 11, Jesus stated that the Spirit will show that, through Jesus’ death and resurrection, the prince of this world, Satan, has already been judged and condemned. Although Satan still actively attempts to deceive, harden, and threaten those in this world (1 Peter 5:8), it is only a matter of time, for God has determined the time of his execution (Rev 20:2, 7-10).

In verse 13, Jesus made the point that the prominent role of the Spirit of truth is to guide the believers into all truth. By truth Jesus meant the truth about his identity, the truth of his words and actions, and the truth about all that to happened to him.

In time disciples would fully understand that he was the Son that came from the Father, sent to save people from their sins. But only after these events occurred, and only through the Holy Spirit’s guidance would the disciples be able to understand. The Holy Spirit is the true guide for all believers; his primary task is to instruct us about the truth (1 John 2:20).

In verse 14 we see that the Spirit does not glorify his own personality; instead, He glorifies the Son’s. The Spirit takes what the Son is and makes it known to believers. In that way, He individualizes the teaching of Christ and calls people to obey. The Holy Spirit encourages us to apply, instructs us to apply, and then helps us apply Christ’s words!

In verse 15 we see the complete unity of the Trinity.

What we refer to as the doctrine of the Trinity is a summary of what Jesus taught about his relationship to the Father and the Spirit. Without in any way retreating from the awesome revelation of God as One, Jesus demonstrated that God’s oneness is at the same time a threefold godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God exists in perfect, complete harmony while at the same time functioning in the person of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are one; yet they relate to one another. They are beyond our complete comprehension; yet they have graciously exposed themselves to us so that we may trust and be saved!

When a person hears the Word and accepts Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit is received. From that point on, it is the Holy Spirit that prompts the teaching, the learning, and the subsequent growth in a Christian’s life. It is the Holy Spirit that enables one to live the Christian life in a world with so many distractions and temptations.

It therefore behooves Christians to constantly listen to the “still small voice” of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Blessings!

Please feel free to leave any question, comment, or concern below.

Watch the Message

⏱️ Short Version (under 60 seconds)

If you watched the brief message above and want to go deeper, the full version below walks through key Scriptures and teachings on the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives.

? Full Message (approx. 25 mins)

Are we living in the end times? The Bible is pretty clear about end time events; the signs of the end times. So what exactly does the Bible say about end times? The object of this article is to examine the bible and end times to answer the question: are we living in the end times.

What does the end times mean

The term “end times” refers to the final time (s) before the end of history, specifically the second coming of Christ. It is also referred to “last days” in the Scriptures.

The study of this period is called Eschatology. The word comes from two (2) Greek words, eschatos (last) and logos (study) – thus its definition as: the study of last things. This period began when Christ ascended into heaven and ends upon His return. Therefore, we are living in the last days and the end times.

What Does the Bible Say About End Times

For starters, we are informed in the Scriptures about the signs of the end

times. Let’s look at one in 2 Tim 3:1-5:

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. KJV

Does this apply to today? Let’s take a look.

The Scripture says in verse 1: “in the last days perilous times shall come.” We are without a doubt living in some dangerous times. People are shooting each other in the streets. Individuals are being shot in their homes for no reason. Worshipers are even being killed in their houses of worship. The police, who are supposed to protect us, are too often the ones endangering us and we are living under the ever-increasing threat of terrorism both domestically and internationally.

Verse 2: “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous,” Have you noticed how narcissistic our society is today? It is all about self: what I want, what I need and the me first attitude. Our culture has a me first and the hell with everybody else attitude. There are numerous segments of the population crying for their own rights instead of being unified under the general law.

“Covetous?” Our society is all about the dollar and material things. There is no such thing as enough because it’s lusted. Eccl 5:10 reads: He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.” People of today want more and more and bigger and bigger and better and better, and are seldom satisfied with what they have. In the last days people focus and will continue to focus upon…

• money, accumulating more and more.

• houses in the very best neighborhoods, on the seashore, in the mountains, and by the rivers.

• furnishings and property.

• property, stocks and bonds— be in possession of more and more.

possessions—such as clothes, jewelry, antiques, art, and cars.

• travel, seeing more and more sights.

• power—controlling more and more.

People love money, what it buys and allows them to do, and they will covet more and more of it and the things it buys. Their eyes and hearts are focused upon money instead of God. The new religion of the nation is—money. They will indulge and hoard instead of meeting the desperate needs of the poor and lost of the world.

Notice what has happened to the middle class. It’s disappearing! It’s shrinking to only two classes: the haves and the haves not. The haves want more and more at the expense of the others. They simply don’t care.

“boasters, proud, blasphemers,“ have you heard our President lately? Blasphemy is usually thought to be against God, as it is. But it is also against people. People can blaspheme people. Think of the cursing and insults thrown against God and folks today. Practically everyone is cursing and reviling someone. There is so much cursing today because there is a loss of respect for both self and others, for both position and authority because people are disturbed within.

“Unthankful”
There is an ever decreasing sense of gratitude or appreciation for what one has and receives; no giving of thanks due to God or man. Many feel that the world and society or business and government owe them the good things of life. Our present society fails to see how good God has been to them. Therefore, they reach out to get more and more without sensing any need to express thanks and appreciation. They take and take and forget all about the thanksgiving. —the debt and contribution—they owe to God and men. Retail stores are even open on Thanksgiving Day! Today we as a nation can’t as much as put a day aside to be thankful for all that God has done and is doing.

“unholy” Our nation, the US, has become more secular than ever before. It began with the removal of prayer from the schools and has progressed steadily since. The cries for removal of the Ten Commandments from public grounds, retail stores no longer display Merry Christmas, record low church attendance are manifestations of an unholy secular society. More and more and more businesses are open on Sundays—total disregard for God (The Lords day). The atheists are more and more aggressive with their agenda of denouncing God and twisting the separation of church and state.

These are just a few examples of the progressive godliness in occurrence. In my article: Postmodernism and The church, I explain how this movement was used to usher in this apostasy.

Verse 3:”without natural affection” This addresses a lack of feeling for others who become little more than pawns for a one’s own use and benefit, pleasures, excitements and stimulation. It’s presently legal in the US to disregard human life for one’s selfish benefits. There is less and less affection for the normal and natural. People are turning to the abnormal and unnatural in relationships and behavior, pleasures and sex. Men and women have become unfaithful and perverted. Affection for friends, country, and earth is diminishing.

“trucebreakers” A trucebreaker is an individual or some organization or body of people who tragically do not keep their word or promise. They are simply untrustworthy and undependable. Recently we backed away from our commitment to an ally in the fight against terrorism; pulled out all troops. As the last days move forward, we will see even more of what we are seeing in our society today: a barrage of broken truces, covenants, and promises.

“false accusers” these are simply slanders. Such people are quick to spread falsehoods. Slanderers enjoy spreading gossip and malicious reports about others. Destroying another’s good reputation gives them some perverse pleasure. There is certainly enough of that going around today.

“incontinent” describes someone who is undisciplined and uncontrolled; having no self-control or no power to discipline. It is being given over: to pleasure and indulgence, to passion and sexual craving, to lust and lewdness. It is a person who cannot control their passion for food, sex, pornography, sensuality, drink, drugs, smoking, whatever their passions dictates. It is a passion that grips and enslaves a person until it becomes an unbreakable habit and bondage. For examples of this: just watch the news, both local and world news.

“Fierce.” The single word of description: terrorism. These are people who are savage and untamed. It is the word that describes the savage beast of the wild that’s unrestrained in its ferocity. It is a word that should never be true of human beings, yet tragically it is. Never in the history of the globe have men become as fierce and savage as they are nowadays. They are conducting public mass beheadings, blowing up civilian villages, raping women and children, mutilating and torturing innocent people. These horrific things are happening and it isn’t going to get any better.

“despisers of those that are good.” These people are so evil that they actually have abhorrence for anything good.

“Traitors” These individuals are prepared and willing to betray anyone. It refers to a person who betrays any trust or any commitment. The most tragic betrayal of all is the person who betrays Christ and the church—who turns his back upon Christ and returns to the world and its crowd. As the last days progress, we will see an increase in traitors.

“heady” obstinate and reckless, rash and hasty—all without giving thought to the consequences. Reckless is probably the best word to describe these individuals. These people cause irreparable damage to society: the drunken drivers, the random shooters, gangbangers and thugs all increasingly present in our society today. By being heady, thinking that one knows best and can live and act recklessly without consequence, has led to more hurt, accidents, damaged bodies, and death than can ever be imagined.

“highminded” These are people who feel that because they are educated, and so scientific, so advanced, so high in position and authority, ability, and gifts that they feel completely self-sufficient. They feel no need for God. They are above God and most people. Furthermore, they have no problem showing it.

“lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” This is simply fleshly. Unfortunately, this has crept over into the church. Professing Christians are choosing pleasures over church. This has contributed to the decreasing attendance of churches across America.

“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” These individuals have godliness on the surface, but on the inside they deny God’s power over their lives. In a word— Hypocrites—and there are plenty of them to go around!

These behaviors and events are happening all over the world right now—today. Are we living in the end times? Indicators say, yes.

The Scriptures mention the event when the final battle between God and the adversaries of God meet for the final battle in a place named Armageddon. [Rev. 16:16] Although scholars disagree on the exact location, it is in the Middle East. An individual would have to be living under the biggest rock to not know that the middle east is the most contentious region on earth and becoming more so with every passing day. Just know that there will never be complete peace in the Middle East.

So what are we to do while all of this goes on around us?

In Luke 21:7 Jesus’ disciples, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked Him when the end would come and what would be a sign of His return. Verses 8-36 contain the discourse with the answer. [cf. Matt. 24:3-42] At the end of His discourse, in verse 36 He said: Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

As followers of Jesus we are to always be on the watch, and pray. This reflects an attitude toward life that endeavors to stay away from evil and to follow and obey Jesus. Both watching and praying are free will actions — as Christians await Jesus’ return, we are to work to advance his kingdom. Only with a focus on Him and the power of the Holy Spirit can we escape all that is about to happen, and only through obedience to him will we be able to stand before the Son of Man when he returns. All Christians must be ready and alert for Jesus’ return, working for the kingdom, both because they know of the certainty of Christ’s return and because they don’t know when that return will happen. Being prepared demonstrates believers’ faith and wholehearted obedience. Amen.

Please feel free to leave any question or comment below.