The Last Days

“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”  Acts 2:17

The “last days” referred to in this verse are the days leading up to the day of the LORD, when Jesus returns to rule over the earth.  On that day, every person who has rejected Christ will be judged.  Those who are not born again will spend eternity in hell.  Although no one knows exactly when that day will be, Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:32-34 that, just as you can predict the coming of summer by observing the fig tree, so you can know that Jesus’ return is close by observing certain signs and the fulfillment of prophecies.  Watch this video and see just one way that God is fulfilling the prophecy that originated in the book of Joel and is referred to by Peter in Acts 2:17.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoyayndwXQ4&feature=related

The God of the Whole World

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Sometimes we forget that there is a great, big world out there beyond the boundaries of America.  What He is doing in other parts of the world, He can do here.  Watch these videos to see what God is up to in other parts of the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=nDqY29Fbu8M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=6BMQm_XY6FQ

A Message From Billy Graham

My Heart Aches for America

By Billy Graham

“Some years ago, my wife, Ruth, was reading the draft of a book I was writing. When she finished a section describing the terrible downward spiral of our nation’s moral standards and the idolatry of worshiping false gods such as technology and sex, she startled me by exclaiming, “If God doesn’t punish America, He’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”
She was probably thinking of a passage in Ezekiel where God tells why He brought those cities to ruin. “Now this was the sin of … Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen” (Ezekiel 16:49–50, NIV).
I wonder what Ruth would think of America if she were alive today. In the years since she made that remark, millions of babies have been aborted and our nation seems largely unconcerned. Self-centered indulgence, pride, and a lack of shame over sin are now emblems of the American lifestyle.
Just a few weeks ago in a prominent city in the South, Christian chaplains who serve the police department were ordered to no longer mention the Name of Jesus in prayer. It was reported that during a recent police-sponsored event, the only person allowed to pray was someone who addressed “the being in the room.” Similar scenarios are now commonplace in towns across America. Our society strives to avoid any possibility of offending anyone—except God.
Yet the farther we get from God, the more the world spirals out of control. 
My heart aches for America and its deceived people. The wonderful news is that our Lord is a God of mercy, and He responds to repentance. In Jonah’s day, Nineveh was the lone world superpower—wealthy, unconcerned, and self-centered. When the Prophet Jonah finally traveled to Nineveh and proclaimed God’s warning, people heard and repented.
I believe the same thing can happen once again, this time in our nation.”

source: http://www.billygraham.orgarticlepage.asp?articleid=8813

Sin in the Camp

“Israel has sinned and broken my covenant!  They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me.  And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings…I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.  Joshua 7:11,12 (NIV)

After the battle of Jericho, God told Israel to set apart the things made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron for Him.  One man, Achan, disobeyed and his disobedience brought judgment on Israel.  They were soundly defeated at Ai, a battle they should have easily won, because God was angry with them.

In our churches today, the pews are full of people who are sinning against God.  They may be cheating on their spouse or planning to divorce them.  Maybe they have lied or gossiped about someone and brought dishonor to that person. Perhaps a young couple is living together outside of marriage.  Or It could be one of those “little sins” that we hardly think is worth mentioning.  But, any sin, in God’s eyes, is serious. In 1 Corinthians 5:6 Paul says, Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast…”  In other words, get rid of sin or it will spread through the whole church. Why, then, do we look the other way when we see people, who call themselves Christians, openly sinning with no thought of repentance? God turned His back on the nation of Israel because of one man’s sin.  Do we really think He doesn’t notice? Maybe God has left our church and we don’t even know it!

Safely Saved or Radically Forgiven?

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.  Do you realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

So—what if you examine yourself and find that you are safely saved?  You are saved from hell and going to heaven, and that (and your sporadic church attendance) seems to be the only difference between you and your neighbor who is lost.  You own a Bible, but don’t read it.  You know you should pray, but you’d rather watch TV or spend hours on the computer.  You work hard for your money and all that you own, and you jealously guard it.  Your free time belongs to you and is for your enjoyment. Church is a place where you go to drink coffee, eat donuts, joke with your friends, sleep through the sermon and then go home and take a nap.

Or—are you radically forgiven?  You can’t understand how a holy God could sacrifice His only Son so that you could call Him Father.  You love God’s Word because it is a way to get to know your Father better.  It is living and active in your life—it changes the way your see yourself and the world God created.  When you think about the salvation God has provided for you, you want to share it with others.  Prayer is time spent with your Father, and you want to keep that appointment with God every day, no matter how busy you may be.  You realize that everything you have--your money, your time, and your special gifts, came from God and belong to God.  You want to serve Him out of a thankful heart, and glorify Him in all you do and say.  You are no longer the master—you are the servant.

You see, the gospel message is not just about being saved from hell. It’s about Christ coming to live His life in and through you—your body is now the temple of the Holy Spirit.  You have the power that raised Christ from the dead, living inside you. You are no longer a slave to sin but have victory over it.  It changes you and everything about you!

The Kinder, Gentler Church

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.  I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”  Matthew 10:34 (NIV)

 

What is being preached in our churches today?  Is it the full counsel of God or do we prefer a kinder, gentler approach to delivering His Word? No one wants to hear that they are miserable sinners who deserve the wrath of God, and only the blood of Jesus can save them. It’s much more pleasant to hear that God loves them and has a plan for their life.  There’s nothing wrong with that message—it’s a good message.  But it’s not the whole story.  There are two sides to every coin.  If people don’t understand what their salvation cost God the Father and His Son, they’re not hearing the whole story. If people hear that all they have to do is ask Jesus into their heart to be saved, how does that prepare them to become His disciples?  One might think that they have no further obligation other than to say a prayer and attend church when it’s convenient. Jesus saves—that’s great! What about our part of the bargain? What about the fact that God's Word says we are not our own, we were bought with a price?  That we are to be holy, for He is holy?  That we are to love Jesus more than anyone or anything—including our family, our possessions, even our life?  Those are hard teachings but Jesus didn’t sugar coat the Truth and neither should we.  I think this is why our churches are so weak today—people are not being told to do the hard things.  In the end, it leaves the church with nothing but baby believers who are not challenged to grow in their faith.  Worse yet, they are being robbed of the promise of abundant life. The abundant life is not about “having it all”. 

“He who loses his life for my sake will find it.” 

Taking the Church's Temperature

“My house will be called a house of prayer.”  Matthew 21:13. (NIV)

Vance Havner (1901-1986) was a popular revivalist who boldly proclaimed the word of God for seventy-three years.  The following excerpt is from the book When God Breaks Through: Sermons on Revival by Vance Havner.

“I think prayer is the thermometer of a church.  What a church is on Wednesday night is what it is, not what it is on Sunday morning.  You can’t tell much about a church on Sunday morning.  You’ve got the morning glories and all the rest of them.  But it’s Wednesday night when you can find out what a church is like—how many people care enough to come to pray.”

If prayer is the measure of a church’s temperature, I think we are in trouble.  God says He wants His house to be a house of prayer--not preaching, not programs, not fellowship. We are very busy doing things, neglecting that which is most important.  Prayer should be the very heartbeat of our churches—but today, there is barely a pulse. In Revelation, Jesus describes the church at Sardis saying, “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.”  They were doing things that gave the appearance of life, but they were really on life-support.  What was His advice to them?  “Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent.”

God said, “My house will be called a house of prayer.”