There is something BETTER than going to heaven! That is taking someone else with you.
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Created 04/2000. Updated 10/2007.
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"Do not believe the Devil's gospel, which is a chance of salvation; a chance of salvation is a chance of damnation". -A. Saphir
Salvation is a GIFT from God.
Rom 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
Do you give a gift to someone and then ask for it back? No? Neither does God. There is not one person in the Bible who possessed the Spirit of God and then was rejected by God.
Do not be deceived by those who believe salvation is complicated.
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
We are justified by our faith in the blood of Christ and NOTHING else. The revelation that Jesus spoke of to Peter is not about a ministry, or a church. It was that Jesus is the Son of God and therefore worthy to die for the sins of the world. This is the Good News. BELIEVE in the BLOOD, evidence of goodwill toward man!
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
People may be saved through reading the Bible;
2 Tim 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
There is a difference between the appropriation of the old testament spirit and the new testament spirit. In the OT, the spirit "came upon", like putting on a garment. Garments can easily be put on and taken off.
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
The new covenant speaks of a spirit living within, and transforming out heart. When God writes His law on our heart, it is there to stay.
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Why praise God? Read Ps 50:23 "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me:"
Why do Christians start a service by singing? Psa 22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. It is because God dwells in our praises!
Have you ever heard of sending singers in front of an army? Praise is a spiritual weapon!
2 Chr 20:21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.
Don't wait for the battle to be won to praise God, praise Him now!
How do we praise God? Praise is a sacrifice, Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Just with our actions or is there more?
Verbal Praise
Psa 71:15 My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day;
Psa 70:4 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.
Psa 35:28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
Psa 145:10 All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.
Psa 145:11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;
Instrumental Praise
Psa 98:5 Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.
Psa 144:9 I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.
What is the result? We become effective witnesses!
Psa 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Psa 51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Isa 38:16 O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live. Isa 38:17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
Isa 38:18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
Isa 38:19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.
Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Phile 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
Have you discovered the Good part of the Good News? If so, you will want to share it!
Prov. 11:30 He that winneth souls is wise.
Praising God and works are the primary tools that make us effective at witnessing. Knowing scripture doesn't hurt either! Our means of witnessing will be different based on the spiritual gifts given to us by God.
Psa 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
The enemy of our soul does not want us to recognize Christ in us, but when we are able to, we become effective witnesses.
Phile 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.
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Collection and Giving:
Lev 23:22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
God considers it a sin to ignore the needs of poor people;
Ezek 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
Psa 82:3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Psa 82:4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
These verses are not talking about being spiritually poor. These are natural verses, else why would he say to "defend the fatherless"?
Prov 14:31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.
Prov 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
Prov 28:27 He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
....and finally, the virtuous woman gives to the poor;
Prov 31:20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
What did Paul say?
1 Cor 9:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
NO, it is not a great thing to give (in comparison to what we have received).
What did Jesus say?
Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Mat 25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Mat 25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Mat 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Acts 20:35 I have showed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
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Works are not required for salvation, but they are evidence of true faith and important for witnessing, and spiritual reward.
Jesus said: Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
A command from God to lay up treasure in heaven, but how do we do it? The answer is given in context of Mat 6 and last half of Mat 5. (e.g. Mat 5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?).
Jesus is speaking of works (things that we do or say having spiritual significance), and for that there is eternal reward or profit.
Paul explained the purpose of our Christian existence in the following verse. Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. He went so far as to say we would be a peculiar people because of being zealous of good works (Titus 2:14). Paul wrote about works in I Corinthians 12:1-3 and basically said that not all work has eternal profit. Be aware that your works are motivated by love!
James 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
James 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
James 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.
James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
James 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
James 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
James 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
WORKS ARE A BIG PART OF OUR WITNESS; IF THEY ARE MISSING THE CHURCH WILL NOT GROW!
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What does God want from our lives?
Luke 9:23 And he [Jesus] said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
-What does God want initially?
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.-What does God want from our lives eventually {what does it mean to follow Jesus)?
Micah 6:8 He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Zec 7:9 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother:
Zec 7:10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.
Zec 8:16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
Zec 8:17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Mat 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Mat 5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
Mat 5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Mat 5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Luke 10:36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
Luke 10:37 And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
The difference between the sheep and the goats is what they did!
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:Does your form of religion encourage you to do these things? How will we be judged at the very end? According to what we have done!!
Mat 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.Click here to return to top.
REFORM
1. Have workers call a workers meeting and admit that the truth may not have existed in its current fashion since the days of Christ. Notes from the meeting would be passed around to elders and meetings across the English speaking world. Instruct all of the workers to no longer preach against other denominations.
2. Outlaw ex-communications (workers denying people taking part in meeting) for marriage reasons, dress, disagreeing with workers, or involvement with a Christian denomination. Only promoting evolution or atheism would result in an ex-communication. Workers would be instructed to stop playing the role of God.
3. Stop sermons about outward appearances, emphasis on meeting attendance, no Saturday night visits by friends, no association with unprofessing people and stop telling people who to marry! PLEASE!!
4. Support activities for our young people.
5. Donate worker surplus to charity; even to people not apart of our fellowship.
6. Stop emphasizing our "differences" with the world. Focus on real sin and not the breaking of worker designed rules and traditions!!
7. Stop worker sermons criticizing unnamed friends for being weak saints and not upholding the standard!
8. Emphasize the teachings of Jesus and stop referring to what "an older brother worker" used to say in meetings.
9. Workers need to stop the judging! Shed the robe and gavel and let God be the Judge of the quick and the dead!
10. Limit mentions of workers, friends and conventions and mention more about the Father, Son and Holy Ghost during meeting time.
11. Stop trying to defend the Truth as a religion and the ONLY way. A way that began in 1897 cannot be the ONLY way. NOBODY in the USA professed until 1903 and I REFUSE to believe that people from the earliest settlers in the 1500s until 1903 all went to hell because they had never heard 2 homeless preachers!!
12. Workers need to visit all sick people in a nursing home/hospital and not just those that profess.
13. Start trying to increase the number of professing people and stop trying to set "conditions" for people to profess! Go to the highways and byways and compel ALL to profess. Like Jesus and Paul did in the New Testament. They did not make people sweat through months of gospel meetings and state "conditions" for people to profess! They just asked them if they believed! Witness Zaccheus, Legion, Lydia, Jailer, and the Ethiopian Eunich!!
14. Stop constructing new convention grounds and use tents. WAY too much money is being spent on these 4 day a year events pleasing government inspectors!!
15. Turn a blind eye to young women wearing pants and trimming their hair.
16. Ban position of overseer. Samuel protested when the children of Israel wanted a king. An overseer is a KING! Many cut people off from fellowship with family and friends in fellowship meetings!
17. Encourage friends to own and display Christian signs and literature. Religious shirts, bumper stickers, crosses on the neck etc. People in Hebrews 11 DECLARED PLAINLY that they sought a better country.
18. Stop criticizing internet sites against the Truth. Realize the truth is NOT perfect and reform can only better any group. Once the problems are corrected then you have a sweeter fellowship. If the overseers would be real men and admit that they have erred in some of their teachings in the past then the problem could be corrected!
19. Workers need to advertise their group more. Remind people of a crusade to reestablish the New Testament church.
20. Move the workers around more. The workers need a group of overseers and workers to meet at convention farms and hear grievances against worker power and abuse.
21. Financial disclosure is badly needed.
22. Allow workers to marry. The Apostle Peter was married.
23. Stop secret workers meetings and allow the friends to attend the meetings.
24. Publicize on the web workers that tell people to quit taking part in meeting. Let the entire professing world know about their power abuse. Greater publicity will only bring this evil practice of workers playing God to a halt!!!
25. Stop assigning workers to a field. Let the workers travel around across a state or province unhindered by the restraints of a field. FRIENDS let me tell you that the work of God has been hindered by some judgmental workers. Demand that the New Testament Church is resurrected like the one established by Jesus that tolerated the doubts of Thomas and the denial of Peter!!
26. Allow instrumental music in the fellowship meetings. This way of praising God is very biblical Ps 98:5,6 and 144:9.
Demand that the New Testament Church is resurrected! Take away worker worship and power abuse! Let God be our great leader! Let the Holy Spirit be our teacher! We reformed friends will keep up the battle to bring Christ into the meetings and judgmental Pharisee like behavior out of the fellowship!!
Join the Crusade for Christianity!!
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