heaven / Judgement / obedience / Uncategorized

What Does God Hate?

Hosea 9.15 observes, The LORD says, All their wickedness began at Gilgal; there I began to hate them. I will drive them from my land because of their evil actions. I will love them no more because all their leaders are rebels.image

Gilgal was a holy place. It was where Joshua landed with the people of Israel when he miraculously crossed the Jordan river into the promised land. It was the place where Samuel the prophet would make the will of God known to those who needed His judgement.

Gilgal was where God changed His mind about Saul being king as a result of Saul disobeying God by offering the sacrifice only the priest was to perform. Perhaps it is this last act that Hosea refers to when describing the leaders history of rebellion. (more…)

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November 3, 2016
evangelism / heaven

Hope For The World

Psalm 107.2 asks, has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others He has redeemed youimage from your enemies.

The need of the hour is for the Church to speak out about God’s redemption. The obviousness of this truth was on full display during the presidential debates. Character, truth, honesty and humility are the result of fearing God and recognizing our accountability to Him. Those who live without regard for their Maker do and say whatever they believe to be best in their own minds. (more…)

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September 27, 2016
evangelism / heaven / Judgement

Measuring our Work

Romans 12.11 commands us to never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.image

Most men over 40 are pretty committed to working hard. We were raised that way. We remember buying our own school clothes, buying our first car and paying for college. Our parents didn’t have a lot and even if they did they required us to work for what we wanted as well.

Overall I would say we are the better for it. (more…)

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August 22, 2016
evangelism / heaven / Judgement / obedience

What God Wants From Us

Acts 26.20 simplifies the gospel to the Gentiles: that they should repent and turn to God, performingimage deeds consistent with repentance. So what does God want from us?

The Apostle Paul says three things are expected: repent, turn to God and perform good deeds. This is a much better message than we have heard from the televangelist or the people who knock on our doors with religious information.

The message from the Church to the Gentile over the past 50 or so years has been that God wants people to believe in Him and by believing in Him they will be saved. (more…)

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August 8, 2016
evangelism / heaven / obedience

Our Focus Must Change

Mark 4.19 observes, all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure ofimage wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.

The problem in America isn’t God but His people not obeying God. The will of God is for the people of God to love Him first and most resulting in their working for Him to establish His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. (more…)

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July 22, 2016
Christian Living / heaven / Judgement

Obeying God Means Loving People

Matthew 22.39 records God answering the question about which command is most important. Hisimage answer is unbelievable: A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.

Most of us envision God as a bit of an egotist. He wants to be worshiped by everyone, all the time. That’s what we would want if we were God.

While the One True God seeks worshipers, His first desire is to be loved. (more…)

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July 12, 2016
Christian Living / heaven

We Can’t Demand God Prove Himself; He Already Has

Matthew 16.4 observes, only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but theimage only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.

People always want God to prove Himself. God always wants people to demonstrate faith in Him. These two demands are in conflict with one another.

No matter what God has done for us its never enough. Yesterday is gone and today there is a new crisis for which we seek God to do something lest we fall away. (more…)

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July 7, 2016