|
HIS
SERVANTS' MINISTRY
www.hisservants.org
Welcome to our website
What
Does the Bible Say About:
Pride, Violence, Sexual Lust, Anger?
This
booklet is one of the most requested by prison
inmates.
Contents
Comments
Introduction
The Sin of Pride Chapter 1
Examples of Pride Chapter 2
Violence Chapter 3
Results of Violence Chapter 4
Sexual Lust Chapter 5
Homosexuality Chapter 6
Results of a Homosexual Lifestyle Chapter 7
Anger,Wrath Chapter 8
The Golden Rule Chapter 9
Salvation
POEMS
Hold On Tight . . . Comments
Tomorrow May Never Come . . . Introduction
Transition Time . . . Introduction
When Sin Comes Between . . . Ch.3
She Looked Back . . . Ch.7
Do Unto Others . . . Ch.9
Consider . . . Ch.9
Gates of Heaven, Or Hell’s Fires . . . Ch.9
SCRIPTURE
VERSES TAKEN FROM:
[KJV] King James Version
If
you see words in red,
bold italics, you will know
it is Jesus speaking. For instance:
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto
him, I am the way,
the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me. [KJV]
The WAY to Eternal Life
We must ‘BELIEVE’ in Christ
to receive eternal salvation of our souls.
#1. Believe that Jesus is God [Matthew 3:17; John
10:30],
#2. Believe in His virgin birth [Isaiah 7:14;
Matthew 1:18-25],
#3. Believe that He never sinned [Hebrews 4:15;
1 Peter 1:18-20; 2:22],
#4. Believe that He died on the Cross for
us, to save us from eternal death [Isaiah
53:5; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18],
#5. Believe that He is alive, that He was
resurrected from the dead [Psalm 16:10; Luke
ch. 24;Acts 26:23],
#6. Believe that He ascended to Heaven and is
now sitting at the right Hand of God, the
Father Almighty, interceding for us [Luke
24:51; Acts 1:9],
#7. Believe that the power of His precious Blood
can cleanse ANYONE who accepts Him, from all
their sins [1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5],
#8. Believe that salvation (eternal life) is a
“GIFT” from God simply by our
faith and the grace of God, not by any works
we could ever do [Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans
6:23],
#9. Believe Jesus when He tells us He will personally
come again [1 Thessalonians 4:13-18], and
#10. Believe Him when He tells us we must
obey His command to LOVE, and to tell others
about Him [Matthew 22:36-40, 28:18-20].
Believe that Jesus is the only WAY to
Heaven!
HOLD
ON TIGHT
When
you turn to Christ to save your soul,
Submit completely; give Him control!
The road of life is bumpy, hold on tight,
You cannot survive, with your own might!
Hold
on tight to Jesus, with a firm hold,
For He’s leading to the City of Gold!
Tho’ trials and sorrows do surround,
The blessing of His grace, does abound!
Grab
hold and hold on tight, to our Lord,
Only Jesus can keep sin’s door barred.
Troubles arise like a violent sea,
Just Christ can stabilize you and me.
Satan
will lure with temptations great,
His pow’r we must not underestimate!
Firmly grip Jesus, and hold on tight,
Don’t turn loose, or you’ve lost the
fight!
Hold
on tight to Christ, our precious Lord,
Grasping His goodness, all else discard.
Don’t be shaken loose by anything,
The tighter the grip, the greater the blessing!
Hold
on tight to Christ; clutch securely,
For just He can give life eternally.
Let nothing, from Him, pull you away,
For we must think beyond, this present day.
*****************************
INTRODUCTION
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT:
PRIDE, VIOLENCE,
SEXUAL LUST?
I recently had a prison inmate suggest that we
do a book on these subjects. To quote him: “A
good booklet for prisoners would be one that teaches
about not being prideful and violent.” Then
he added “also sexual lust.”
As I told him, I have been thinking about doing
one on the widespread and well accepted sin of
homosexuality. When his letter arrived, it was
as though God was saying to me, “Stop thinking
about it, and do it!”
The Bible very clearly tells us that we are ALL
sinners, every last one of us. Romans
3:10 As it is written, There is none
righteous, no, not one: [KJV] Romans
3:23 For all have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God; [KJV] So, if we
are all sinners, what’s the big deal? The
big deal is that there are two classifications
of sinners: those who are saved and forgiven by
the precious Blood of Jesus, and those who are
not saved nor forgiven, because they persist in
rejecting the only One who can save them or forgive
them.
TOMORROW
MAY NEVER COME
Tomorrow
for you, may never come,
Why far from Jesus, do you roam?
Please don’t wait to accept God’s
one Plan,
Eternal life, thru’ the ‘Son of Man’.
Only
Jesus can save your very soul,
He has power; let Him take control!
In Heaven’s Book, He can place your name,
And He can take away all your shame.
Tomorrow
may never come for you,
Now is the time for Christ to rescue.
Without our Saviour, Hell is your end,
Jesus can save you, and be your Friend!
Don’t
wait ‘till tomorrow to trust Him,
Do it now, He can remove your sin.
You’re God’s enemy, without His Son,
Trust Christ; and God’s blessings you have
won.
Today
is sure; tomorrow is not,
Christ should be in your uttermost thoughts.
Just He can keep you from Hell’s judgment,
Just He can give peace and contentment!
*****************************
A lot of people must think they will live forever,
by the way they live. They have absolutely NO
fear or respect of Almighty God! And then there
are so many today that think ‘everybody
will go to Heaven.’ This is utterly FALSE!
The Bible does NOT teach any such thing! In fact,
the Bible teaches that there will be just a “few”
that ever make it to Heaven. Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait
gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way,
that leadeth to destruction, and many there be
which go in thereat: [14] Because strait is the
gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto
life, and few there be that find it. [KJV] Jesus tells us we can enter Heaven
only through the narrow gate. The highway to Hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the multitude
who choose the easy road. Only a few ever go through
that strait (hard) gate and walk the narrow road
with Jesus.
TRANSITION
TIME
Life
on Earth is a time of transition,
We must take this into consideration.
This time is given for us to decide,
Where, in eternity, we will abide.
This
is a topic most tend to neglect,
And only on today, do they reflect.
I ask that you consider, seriously,
Just where will YOU live for eternity?
Belief
in Jesus, will place you in Heav’n,
Reject Him, my friend, and Hell will be giv’n.
Believe on Jesus; God will not condemn,
Instead, you will be, one of God’s children.
Transition
from Earth, to another place,
I ask you this day; will you see His Face?
He’s not willing that any should perish,
But, His Son, you must accept, and cherish!
Your
soul lives forever; the Bible tells,
In Heaven or Hell; where will you dwell?
Heaven is where our wondrous God abides,
Hell is where Satan’s children reside.
Transition
time: have you thought about it?
Where will God send your immortal spirit?
For
those who believe, blissful Heav’n awaits,
But those who reject Christ will be shown Hell’s
gate.
*****************************
You have a soul, and that soul will live FOREVER
in one of two places. Your soul is the true you.
It is the eternal you. If your name is not written
in the “book of life” you
cannot ever enter Heaven. Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the
book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
[KJV] The “lake of fire”
is HELL! So many people have so many misguided
thoughts and imaginations about Hell. Hell
IS a litreal place. And it will be a place
of absolute torture and agony that will NEVER
end! Oh, how I pray that this little book will
touch the heart of just one lost soul. How I pray
that this little book would make just one see
the Truth of the Bible! You
are absolutely on the way to Hell without Jesus! 1 John 5:9-12 If we receive
the witness of men, the witness of God is greater:
for this is the witness of God which he hath testified
of his Son. [10] He that believeth on the Son
of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth
not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth
not the record that God gave of his Son. [11]
And this is the record, that God hath given to
us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
[12] He that hath the Son hath life; and he that
hath not the Son of God hath not life. [KJV]
Since we believe human testimony, surely we can
believe the testimony that comes from God. And
in this Passage, God has clearly testified about
His Son. Those who don't believe this are actually
calling God a liar because they don't believe
what God has testified about His Son. God has
given us eternal life, and this life is in His
Son. IF you have God's Son, you have life; IF
you reject God's Son, Hell awaits. IF
you truly want to know the Truth of the Bible,
God will make it known to you. Can you afford
to take a chance that you are wrong and God is
right? Eternity is at stake. Will it be Heaven?
I
truly believe that God has allowed us this time
on Earth to make the biggest and most important
decision we will ever make; that being where we
will spend eternity. God did not make us robots.
He gave us a mind and a heart and a free will
to make our own decisions. He
will not force us to make any decision, He will
not force us to love Him. He will not force us
to stop our sin, whatever that sin may be. This little book will tell you, in very plain
words what God thinks about sin, and what God
wants for you (to turn AWAY from sin and TO Him).
It will tell you about sins like pride, anger,
violence, malice, vengeance, coveting, hate, and
sexual lust. It will tell you they are wrong and
that God hates all of them!
God loves you, no matter what you have done in
the past. When I look back over my past, I shudder
at all the horrible things I did. It actually
makes me sick! I knew about Jesus, but I kept
rejecting Him, year after year! All those wasted
years; that too makes me sick! But God in His
mercy has forgiven me, for I finally realized
I was wrong and God was right! I was a sinner,
bound for Hell unless I repented (turned and went
the other way). I was doomed to the pits of an
eternal Hell (everlasting destruction) unless
I turned TO Jesus! He was the ONLY One who could
save me! He was the ONLY One who could help me
from giving in to the devil’s temptations.
He was the ONLY One who could ever give me access
to God’s amazing blessings and eternal life
in Heaven! When I finally realized this and accepted
Jesus as my Saviour and Lord, my life changed!
THE
SIN OF PRIDE
Chapter 1
Just exactly what is ‘pride’ and why
does God hate it so? Pride is an over-high opinion
of oneself; exaggerated self-esteem; conceit;
arrogance; self important; self-exaltation; over
confident; great delight in one’s achievements
and/or possessions.
But --- WHY does God hate it so much? He hates
it because in effect you are saying: “I
can do it myself. I don’t NEED you God!”
There are so many people today who fit into this
category. Self-made millionaires, famous movie
stars, politicians, rulers, etc. “God didn’t
do this --- I did it!” Below are some verses
from the Bible about PRIDE.
Psalm 10:4 The wicked, through
the pride of his countenance, will not seek after
God: God is not in all his thoughts. [KJV]
--- The “wicked” are those who reject
Jesus (unbelievers). They stand afar off from
God by their unbelief, and then complain that
God is afar off from them. They do not seek after
God, will not call on Him. They live without prayer,
without God. They have many thoughts, but the
Lord is not in any of them. They do not submit
to His will, nor care about His glory. The cause
of this is pride. People think it is ‘below
them’ to be religious.
Psalm 12:3 The Lord shall
cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that
speaketh proud things: [KJV] We may think
that lies are harmless, sometimes even useful.
But God does not see things that way! God does
NOT overlook lies, flattery, deception, or boasting.
They are SIN! Each of these sins starts from a
bad attitude that eventually comes out in our speech.
Our tongue can be our greatest enemy. Be careful
how you use yours.
Psalm 119:21 Thou hast rebuked
the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy
commandments. [KJV] --- Most of us are irritated
by rules, for we think they restrict us from doing
what we want. But God’s laws free us to
be all that He wants us to be. They
restrict us only from doing what might hurt us
and keep us from being our best. If we follow His rules, we avoid roads that lead
to destruction. Are you too proud to follow God’s
rules? Are you on the broad road to Hell? You
don’t have to be! This verse states that
the “proud” are cursed by God!
Psalm 138:6 Though the Lord
be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but
the proud he knoweth afar off. [KJV] ---
The Lord is awesome and majestic, yet He has respect
to every humbled sinner. But, what about the proud
and unbelieving souls? They will be exiled far
from His blissful presence.
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 In
flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know
not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ: [9] Who shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, and
from the glory of his power. [KJV] --- God
will tell you exactly how it will be, IF you want
to know!
Proverbs 6:16 These six things
doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination
unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and
hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that
deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift
in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that
speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among
brethren. [KJV] This
is a list of things that God hates. These sins are especially provoking to God, because
they hurt people. If God hates these sins, we
must hate them also, and make every effort not
to do them. We must shun all such practices, watch
and pray against them; and avoid (with disapproval),
all who are guilty of them, whatever their rank
(whoever they are).
Proverbs 8:13 The fear of
the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy,
and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I
hate. [KJV] --- The more a person fears (reverences)
and respects God, the more he or she will hate
evil. We CANNOT love God and love sin. One has
to go. We must make a clean break with sin and
submit completely to God.
Proverbs 13:10 Only by pride
cometh contention: but with the well advised is
wisdom. [KJV] --- All contentions (conflicts,
discord, arguments), whether between certain persons,
families, churches, or nations, start with pride.
All disputes would be prevented or ended, if it
were not for the sin of pride.
Proverbs 16:5 Every one that
is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord:
though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. [KJV] --- Pride is the devil whispering: “My
way is best.” Pride is resisting God’s
leadership and believing that you are able to
live without His help. Pride is insisting to do
things your way and looking down on other people.
Only when you eliminate pride can God help you.
Though sinners strengthen themselves by sticking
together, they will not escape God’s judgments.
Proverbs 16:18-19 Pride goeth
before destruction, and an haughty spirit before
a fall. [19] Better it is
to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than
to divide the spoil with the proud. [KJV]
--- Proud people seldom realize that pride is
their problem, even though everyone around them
is aware of it. Don’t fear the pride of
others, but fear pride in ourselves. Humility
makes the world to look down on us, but pride
makes us an enemy of God.
Proverbs 30:32 If thou hast
done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou
hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
[KJV] --- Pride makes us do many
foolish things and say things we shouldn’t
say. We must keep all evil thoughts in our minds
from becoming evil speech. Nothing should be said
or done with violence, because of our pride.
We must not stir up the passions of others. Evil
words can never be retrieved. Is pride your sin?
1 John 2:16 For all that
is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not
of the Father, but is of the world. [KJV]
The world offers us only the lust for physical pleasure,
the lust for everything we see, and pride in our
possessions. These are not from God. Lust is a
sinful longing; a ‘heart’ sin which
leads us away from God. Lust was the sin of Adam
and Eve.
HUMILITY AND PRIDE
The Book of Proverbs is direct and forceful in
rejecting pride. Pride tops the list of seven
things God hates (Prov. 6:16-17). Harmful results
of pride are contrasted in the Bible with humility
and its benefits. Humility: leads to wisdom, takes
advice, and ends in honor. Pride: leads to disgrace,
causes quarrels, ends in punishment and destruction.
EXAMPLES
OF PRIDE
Chapter 2
(1) King Nebuchadnezzer had a dream, which Daniel interpreted for him.
In the dream, the king saw a tree; strong, tall
enough to reach Heaven, and wide enough to fill
the Earth. In his dream, he saw “a watcher
and an holy one” come down from Heaven (Dan.4:13-14)
with orders to cut the tree down. God’s
“watchers” (probably angels) see everything,
know everything and tell everything to God! If
you think that you are living in secret, and that
God does not know what you are doing, think again!
In Psalm 139:7-12 we are told that no matter where
we go, we CANNOT get away from God or His all
seeing eyes.
Daniel told the king why the dream was given to
him. Nebuchadnezzer was lifted up with pride.
The
“tree” represented the proud king,
and God would ‘cut him down.’ The
king would be driven out of his magnificent kingdom
to where the beasts of the field lived, to eat
grass like an oxen for seven years.
Did God make good
His threat? YES! He gave the king twelve months
in which to change. The king did not change his
proud ways and attitude.
Daniel 4:28-37 All this came
upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. [29] At the end
of twelve months he walked in the palace of the
kingdom of Babylon.
[30] The king spake, and said, Is not this great
Babylon, that I have built for the house of the
kingdom by the might of my power, and for the
honour of my majesty? [31] While the word was
in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven,
saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken;
The kingdom is departed from thee. [32] And they
shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall
be with the beasts of the field: they shall make
thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall
pass over thee, until thou know that the most
High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth
it to whomsoever he will. [33] The same hour was
the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he
was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen,
and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till
his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and
his nails like birds' claws. [34] And at the end
of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes
unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto
me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised
and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion
is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is
from generation to generation: [35] And all the
inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing:
and he doeth according to his will in the army
of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth:
and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What
doest thou? [36] At the same time my reason returned
unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine
honour and brightness returned unto me; and my
counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I
was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty
was added unto me. [37] Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise
and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose
works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those
that walk in pride he is able to abase. [KJV]
--- Daniel begged Nebuchadnezzar to change his
ways, and God allowed Nebuchadnezzar one full
year in which to change. But regrettably, there
was no repentance in the heart of this proud king,
and so the dream was fulfilled. Pride and self-conceit
are sins that befall the rich, the powerful, the
famous, etc., but also common folk as well, simply
by taking glory and honor that belongs only to
God. While those proud words were still in the
king’s mouth, powerful words came from God.
The king’s understanding and memory were
completely gone! All the powers of the rational
soul disappeared. How careful we ought to be,
not to do any thing which may provoke God to put
us out of our senses! God resists the proud. God
lives for ever, and His kingdom is like Himself,
everlasting, and universal. His power cannot be
resisted! When we honor God, by confessing our
sin and acknowledging His sovereignty; then, and
only then, may we dare to hope that God will honor
us, and restore us to the dignity we lost when
Adam sinned in the garden. Only by the righteousness
and grace of our precious Saviour and Lord (Jesus)
can we ever accomplish this feat. The Lord knows
how to humiliate those that walk in pride, but
He gives grace and comfort to every humble, broken
hearted sinner who calls upon Him.
(2) Belshazzar,
grandson of Nebuchaduzzar made
a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and
when drunk with wine sent for the sacred vessels
Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from the temple
in Jerusalem, and he and his princes drank out
of them. This must have been some wild party!
In the middle of their drunken orgy, a “hand”
was seen by the king, writing on the wall the
announcement of God’s judgment, which came
to pass that very night. The king’s mother
insisted that Daniel be brought in, and he interpreted
the writing. That night the kingdom of the Chaldeans
(Babylon) came to an end, and the king was killed
(Daniel 5:30).
Daniel 5:18-23 O thou king,
the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father
a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
[19] And for the majesty that he gave him, all
people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared
before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he
would he kept alive; and whom he would he set
up; and whom he would he put down. [20] But when
his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened
in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne,
and they took his glory from him: [21] And he
was driven from the sons of men; and his heart
was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was
with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like
oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven;
till he knew that the most high God ruled in the
kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it
whomsoever he will. [22] And thou his son, O Belshazzar,
hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest
all this;
[23] But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord
of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of
his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords,
thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine
in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver,
and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which
see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose
hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast
thou not glorified: [KJV] --- Belshazzar
knew what had happened to his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar;
he knew it was pride that brought him down, yet
in verses 22-23, the same sin, pride, was his
end as well.
(3) Haman, Persian
king. Esther 3:5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not,
nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of
wrath. [KJV] ---
When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down
or show him respect, he was filled with rage.
Haman loved the power and prestige of his position,
and he was enraged when Mordecai (a Jew) did not
bow down before him. Haman was not angry only
at Mordecai, but toward what Mordecai stood for;
the Jews’ dedication to God as the only
one worthy of reverence. Haman was prejudiced:
he hated a group of people (Jews) because of their
difference in belief and culture. Prejudice grows
out of personal pride; when someone considers
themselves better than others. God
is NOT prejudiced! Romans
2:11 For there is no respect of persons
with God. [KJV] Any one who is prejudiced
sins! James 2:9 But if ye
have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are
convinced of the law as transgressors. [KJV]
In the end, Haman was punished for his arrogant,
sinful attitude by Almighty God. God will harshly
judge those who are prejudiced or whose pride
causes them to look down on others. This is NOT
what God wants from His children.
Esther 7:10 So they hanged
Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for
Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified. [KJV] PRIDE is a
complete abomination (something hated) by God,
and absolutely will be judged!
4.
Satan, the devil. I would like
to include one more ‘example’ of pride
given to us in the Bible, and that is the devil.
So many people think Satan (Lucifer, the devil,
etc.) is a horrendous looking red creature with
horns and a pitchfork. This is far from
the truth! Lucifer was one of God’s
angels in the realm of Heaven. He was beautiful!
He was probably God’s most beautiful creation.
Ezekiel 28:12-19 Son of man,
take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus,
and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou
sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect
in beauty. [13] Thou hast been in Eden the garden
of God; every precious stone was thy covering,
the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl,
the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald,
and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of
thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee
in the day that thou wast created. [14] Thou art
the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have
set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain
of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst
of the stones of fire. [15] Thou wast perfect
in thy ways from the day that thou wast created,
till iniquity was found in thee. [16] By the multitude
of thy merchandise they have filled the midst
of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore
I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain
of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub,
from the midst of the stones of fire. [17] Thine
heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou
hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness:
I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee
before kings, that they may
behold thee. [18] Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries
by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity
of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth
a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour
thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the
earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
[19] All they that know thee among the people
shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror,
and never shalt thou be any more. [KJV] ---
Some of the phrases in these verses describing
the human king of Tyre, are describing Satan.
Great care must be taken to interpret these verses
with discernment. At times, Ezekiel describes
this king in terms that simply could not apply
to a mere man. This king had been in the Garden
of Eden (28:13), had been “anointed as a
guardian cherub” (28:14), he had access
to the holy mountain of God (28:14), but was cast
to the ground (28:16-17). Ezekiel was more than
likely condemning not only the king of Tyre, but
Satan, who had motivated the king to sin.
Notice what it states about Satan: “full
of wisdom and perfect in beauty” (28:12).
No mere man is either of these! “Every precious
stone was thy covering.” (28:13) We cannot
begin to imagine how beautiful Satan was and IS!
“The workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy
pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou
wast created.” Not only was Satan a thing
of beauty, but he could sing and was musically
inclined. Where is music first mentioned in the
Bible? Genesis 4:21 --- the offspring of Cain.
There is indeed some wonderful music: hymns, Gospel
songs, classical, some country songs, but some
is straight from the devil himself!
Ezekiel 28:17 Thine heart
was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast
corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness:
I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee
before kings, that they may behold thee. [KJV] Please note: Satan’s heart was filled with
“pride” because he was so beautiful.
There are many today that fall into this category.
Maybe you are one of them. We can become ‘proud’
for many, many reasons, ALL of which are wrong!
ALL of which are sin! God simply hates (abhors)
ALL pride! Satan fell because of pride; many will
go with him.
Isaiah 14:12-14 How art thou
fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst
weaken the nations! [13] For thou hast said in
thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will
exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will
sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in
the sides of the north: [14] I will ascend above
the heights of the clouds; I will be like the
most High. [KJV] --- There are several interpretations
of these verses. (1) It is Satan, because the
person here is too powerful for any human king.
(2) This could be Sennacherib or Nebuchadnezzar,
kings with supreme power. Their people looked
upon them as gods. These kings wanted to rule
the world. (3) It could refer to both Satan and
a great human king, possibly Nebuchadnezzar, because
Babylon is pictured as the seat of evil in Rev.
17-18. Pride was Satan’s sin as well as
Babylon’s. But, what all three viewpoints
share is: pride
willfully opposes God and will result in judgment.
I truly believe this “fallen one”
is the devil. Please notice the “I wills”
in this passage. Lucifer has
tremendous pride. The devil hates God, because
he wants to be worshipped.
Isaiah 14:13-14 For thou
hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:
I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation,
in the sides of the north: [14] I will ascend
above the heights of the clouds; I will be like
the most High. [KJV]
- 1. “I
will ascend into Heaven.”
- 2. “I will exalt my
throne above the stars of God.”
- 3. “I will sit on the
mount of the congregation.”
- 4. “I will ascend above
the clouds.”
- 5. “I will be like
the most High.”
The “I wills” of Satan are answered
by God!
Isaiah 14:15 Yet thou shalt
be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
[KJV] --- God plainly states that Satan “SHALL”
be brought down to Hell!
Satan was given a free will (as we are) to make
decisions. God allowed him to do as he wanted
to do. God allows us the same privilege. Satan
was so puffed up with pride that he set his will
against the will of God. There are many people
today that place their will above what God wants
for them. There are only two ways to go: God’s
way --- or your way! There are only two groups
of people on the Earth today: God’s children
--- and Satan’s children. There are only
two destinations to eternity: Heaven and Hell.
Which road are you on?
As you read this, if you are not a child of God
headed for Heaven, you can be! Stop listening
to Satan. He is headed for Hell. Matthew
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:
[KJV]
VIOLENCE
Chapter 3
Violence is physical force used to injure
or damage; any roughness in action; the use of
force to hurt, injure or damage a person, animal
or thing; severe action; unjust use of power.
Genesis 6:11 The earth also
was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled
with violence. [KJV] --- Noah did not find
favor in the eyes of men; they hated and persecuted
him because by his life and preaching he condemned
the world: but Noah
found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis
6:8). What a tremendous statement! Let this be
our desire, that we may be accepted by God, and
find grace in His eyes. The rest of the world
was wicked (evil continually Genesis 6:5), but
Noah kept his integrity. He “was a just
man, and walked with God” (Genesis 6:9).
He had right principles, and was righteous in
his lifestyle. He was honest and devout. He wanted
to do the will of God. He wanted to hurt no one,
as those around him did.
Isaiah 53:9 And he made his
grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his
death; because he had done no violence, neither
was any deceit in his mouth. [KJV] --- This
is telling us of the horrible sufferings of Christ.
It was for our sins, and in our place, that our
Lord Jesus suffered. We all have sinned, and have
come short of the glory of God. Each sinner has
their own beloved sin, their own way of evil,
of which they can’t seem to give up.
Our
sins deserve all griefs and sorrows and judgment.
But because of Christ’s sufferings, we are
saved from Hell. Atonement was
made for our sins. And this (Christ) is the only
way of salvation. Our sins were those horrendous
thorns that was crushed upon Christ’s head;
those huge rusty nails pounded in His Hands and
Feet; the spear that was thrust in His precious
side. He was delivered to death for our offenses;
a sinless Sacrifice. By His sufferings He redeemed
us from the bondage and penalty of sin.
Ezekiel
45:9 Thus saith the Lord God; Let
it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence
and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take
away your exactions from my people, saith the
Lord God. [KJV] Violence, extortion and greed
are major social sins, of which God’s children
should have NO part. How do you measure goods,
money, or services. If you are paid for an hour
of work, be sure you work for a full hour. If
you sell a cord of wood, make sure it is a full
cord. God is completely trustworthy, and His followers
should be too.
Job 20:19 Because he hath
oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because
he hath violently taken away an house which he
builded not; [KJV] The love of the world
and love of money is evil! Yet man sets his heart
upon them. The sins of violence and injustice
will absolutely bring God’s judgments down
on you and your family. Though you may not ‘get
caught’ by authorities, God
knows exactly what you do and think! Ezekiel 11:5-B --- for I
know the things that come into your mind, every
one of them. [KJV] --- You
will NOT escape God’s judgment! Your every sin will be paid for unless you repent, turn to Jesus, and ask forgiveness. He came to
save the world (John 3:17; 6:33, 51). That includes
you --- and me!
Job 24:2 Some remove the
landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and
feed thereof. [KJV] Many who live at ease
are ungodly and profane. Many who defy (mock,
despise) all the laws of justice seem to succeed
in wicked practices. But anyone who acquires riches
by violence, oppression, or unjust, unrighteous
acts will most assuredly be judged by a righteous
Judge, and be condemned for all the wrongs they
have done.
Psalm 73:6 Therefore pride
compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth
them as a garment. [KJV] --- Foolish and
wicked people sometimes have great outward prosperity.
They have the least troubles but the most comforts.
They live without the fear of God, are proud and
violent in obtaining their desires; yet they prosper.
We cannot judge anyone’s state, neither
here on Earth, or beyond death. This we must leave
in the hands of a just, pure, righteous and holy
God. Hearts can only be cleansed by the Blood
of Christ which comes by faith. It is not in vain
to serve and obey God. He
watches all that we do, and knows our hearts.
We cannot fool God. Don’t try it!
Proverbs 4:17 For they eat
the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of
violence. [KJV] The way of evil men may seem
enjoyable to them, but it is wicked, and will
end badly. If anyone loves God and their soul,
violence should be avoided. We should keep
as far away from it as we possibly can. The way
of the righteous is light; Christ being our Way,
and our Light. We must shun the darkness of the
devil, and all the sins he tempts us with. The
way of sin is as a dark night. The way of the
wicked is dark and dangerous for all who participate.
We must set a strict guard on our souls; and keep
from doing hurt to anyone. We must please God
and be in His will.
Isaiah 59:6 Their webs shall
not become garments, neither shall they cover
themselves with their works: their works are works
of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their
hands. [KJV] --- Sin offends God and separates
us from Him. Because God is holy, He cannot ignore,
excuse, or tolerate sin as though it doesn’t
matter. Sin cuts people off and forms a wall,
isolating God from the people He loves. YES! God
loves you, but He hates all your sins and iniquities
and any acts of violence! God wants YOU to live
with Him forever, but you cannot enter into His
holy presence unless your sin is removed. Have
you confessed your sin to God? Have you allowed
Him to remove it? The Lord can save you IF you
turn to Him.
WHEN
SIN COMES BETWEEN
Sin will block you from our wondrous
God,
Fellowship is halted, as you trod.
Sin, like a dark cloud, will come between,
Standing between you and God, as a screen.
In sin, we lose the “joy
of salvation,”
Satan smiles at our degradation.
God’s Holy Spirit, we should not grieve,
We must turn away, from our sin leave.
Sin will always make your pathway
dark,
Darkness prevails, when to Satan , you hark.
Dark black nights are sin and wickedness,
Ruled
by old Satan, in his finesse.
We
must confess our sin, night or day,
Our great God, we must love and obey.
Lament, mourn, and weep; true sorrow show,
Then turn and run; from sin and Satan, go!
If
we obey Him, our path is bright,
Christ will lighten, with glorious light!
With Christ, it’s always bright shining
day,
His brilliance always lights the way.
When
e’er you sin; that cloud comes between,
Dark will be the way; the path can’t be
seen.
Of that sin, you must repent, and confess,
God will forgive; this He does promise.
************************
Luke 3:14 And the soldiers
likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall
we do? And he said unto them, Do
violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely;
and be content with your wages.
[KJV] --- John the Baptist gave general warnings
to the people when they came to be baptized. The
guilty, corrupted race of mankind is become a
generation of vipers; hateful to God, and hating
one another. There is no way to flee from God’s
wrath, except to repent. And when we change our
way, the change of our mind and heart must be
shown. If we do not change, both in our heart
and our life, our profession of religion and our
relationship to God and His church, will do us
NO good at all. Stop violence and don’t
lie!
RESULTS
OF VIOLENCE
Chapter 4
Genesis 6:5-7 And God saw
that the wickedness of man was great in the earth,
and that every imagination of the thoughts of
his heart was only evil continually. [6] And it
repented the Lord that he had made man on the
earth, and it grieved him at his heart. [7] And
the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have
created from the face of the earth; both man,
and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls
of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made
them. [KJV] --- All kinds of sin were found
among these people. They corrupted and perverted
God’s worship. Sin completely filled the
Earth with violence. It was like a widespread,
infectious epidemic. God was fully justified in
His decision to destroy the world. He is the God
of this entire universe; the Creator of ALL things,
be they plant, animal, fish, or human. No matter
what you see, God created it! It belongs to Him!
He has the absolute right to do with it as He
sees fit!
When wickedness became “evil continually”
God decided to step in. He had taken all that
He could take! So, what did God do?
Genesis 6:17 And, behold,
I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the
earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath
of life, from under heaven; and every thing that
is in the earth shall die. [KJV]
Genesis 7:12 And the rain
was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
[KJV] --- Did God
keep His word? YES! He always has and He always
will! If He says He will bring judgment on the
wicked (unbelievers),
then you can count on it.
Genesis 7:17-24 And the flood
was forty days upon the earth; and the waters
increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift
up above the earth. [18] And the waters prevailed,
and were increased greatly upon the earth; and
the ark went upon the face of the waters. [19]
And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the
earth; and all the high hills, that were under
the whole heaven, were covered. [20] Fifteen cubits
upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains
were covered. [21] And all flesh died that moved
upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and
of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth
upon the earth, and every man:
[22] All in whose nostrils was the breath of life,
of all that was in the dry land, died. [23] And
every living substance was destroyed which was
upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle,
and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven;
and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah
only remained alive, and they that were with him
in the ark. [24] And the waters prevailed upon
the earth an hundred and fifty days. [KJV]
--- Every man, woman
and child in the world at that time, died, EXCEPT those
in the ark! Can you even begin
to imagine the terror that seized them when they
realized that everything that Noah had preached
to them was true, and that there was NO way out.
They were going to die! Jesus tells us, that until
the very day that the flood came, they were eating
and drinking (Luke 17:26-27). They were deaf and
blind to all Divine warnings. Then it was too
late! We may suppose they tried all ways and means
to try
to enter the ark, but to no avail! I can hear
the screams and pleading. It burdens my soul.
But God had shut the door (Genesis 7:15). All
those outside the ark perished! It is the same
with ALL those that are not found in Christ (our
Ark of today). There will come a time when God
will “shut the door” and
they will be left outside to perish, because they
failed to heed all warnings!
I have written this before,
in another book. At one time, I did not have the
compassion I thought I should have for lost souls.
One night I asked God to “show me something
of what Hell is like.” I was truly sincere
in my request. God did answer my prayer. Sometimes
I wish I had not asked. He opened my heart to
lost people, doomed to the ‘pits of Hell.’
He ‘showed’ me things about Hell that
makes me desperate to reach those who do not know
Jesus. He has given me poems for several years
now; but He has given me more poems on Hell than
any other subject. I can ‘see’ what
Hell is like, and I will try my utmost best to
keep you from going there. You do NOT want to
go to Hell, please believe me!
How agonizing will be the day of judgment and
the condemnation of ungodly men to Hell! But happy
are they who are part of God’s family because
of belief in God’s Son (John 1:12-13). They
are safe in and with Him. They can look forward
without any dread whatsoever, and rejoice that
their sins are forgiven and that they will have
a “mansion” in Heaven. If
you do not know Jesus as your Saviour and Lord,
turn to Him NOW! Only He can save your soul from
an eternal Hell. He’s waiting to hear from
you, no matter what you’ve done in the past.
SEXUAL
LUST
Chapter 5
Lust
for anything is wrong! Lust is sin! Lust is seeking
to fulfill your pleasure; desire to gratify the
senses; bodily appetite; sexual desire; excessive
sexual desire; seeking unrestrained gratification;
craving; passion; urge; appetite; eagerness; lasciviousness.
Lasciviousness is being lewd, obscene, indecent,
vulgar, wanton or dirty. Wanton is unruly or willful.
So as you can see, NONE of the above can possibly
be pleasing to God’s sight.
Let’s
start out with some questions.
(1) Q.--- Is there
any such thing as ‘safe sex’ outside
marriage? A.--- According to God
there is not. ALL illicit sex outside the one
man-one woman marriage is wrong and sin. This
includes: premarital sex, adultery, fornication,
homosexual or gay and lesbian acts, prostitution
whether male or female, incest, rape, and this
even includes lustful thoughts or obscene speech.
God forbids ALL sexual immorality, no matter what
it is, or who is doing it.
(2) Q. --- What
is the truth about sexual standards?
A. --- 1 Thessalonians. 4:1-8 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren,
and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have
received of us how ye ought to walk and to please
God, so ye would abound more and more. [2] For
ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord
Jesus. [3] For this is the will of God, even your
sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
[4] That every one of you should know how to possess
his vessel in sanctification and honour; [5] Not
in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles
which know not God: [6] That no man go beyond
and defraud his brother in any matter: because
that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we
also have forewarned you and testified. [7] For
God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto
holiness. [8] He therefore that despiseth, despiseth
not man, but God, who hath also given unto us
his holy Spirit. [KJV] --- We must place all sexual lust and activities
under the control of Jesus. God created sex for
procreation and pleasure (in marriage); and as
an expression of love between a husband and wife.
Sex outside marriage does nothing but hurt; ourselves,
our relationship to God and our relationships
with others. The Lord brought us into His family
to live holy lives. Some people (unbelievers)
scorn the rules of holiness, because they hear
all the opposite from wicked people around them.
But to disobey God’s rules, is to despise
and reject God.
1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee fornication.
Every sin that a man doeth is without the body;
but he that committeth fornication sinneth against
his own body. [KJV] --- God created sex to
be a beautiful and needed ingredient of marriage,
but sexual sin (sex outside the marriage relationship) always hurts someone.
It hurts God because it shows that we choose to
follow our own lustful desires instead of obeying
the Holy Spirit. It hurts others because it tampers
with the commitment (promises) necessary to a
relationship. It affects our nature for we harm
ourselves physically and spiritually. It also can
bring disease to our bodies, such as venereal
or so-called social diseases; syphilis, gonorrhea,
herpes and last but not least --- aids. Have you
ever wondered why they can’t find a ‘cure’
for aids? I, personally believe it is God’s
wrath against such actions that cause it. And
I believe that if they do find a ‘cure,’
that yet another horrific disease will take its
place. I feel so sorry for all the innocent people
infected with this virus. More on homosexuals
in another chapter.
(3) Q. --- What’s
the consequences of giving in to sexual lust? A. --- [a] Immorality produces
victims. Even though those involved are willing
participants; they have been abused, deceived,
robbed and wronged. [b] Immorality invites God’s
judgment, by outraging Him. This sin is wrong,
as are all other sins, and God does not take any
sin lightly. Galatians 6:7-8 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever
a man soweth, that shall he also reap. [8] For
he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh
reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit
shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
[KJV] --- NO one makes a fool of God. It you plant
corn, corn will come up; not tomatoes! Whatever
you plant, that is what you will harvest. This
is true in other areas of life too. Every action
has results. If you plant to please your own desires
(lust), you’ll reap a crop of sorrow and
evil. Time here on Earth is ‘planting’
time. Time in eternity (in the other world) is
‘reaping’ time. You can ‘plant’
two entirely different ways; one “to the
flesh” (giving in to your lust), and the
other “to the Spirit” (giving in to
God). Whatever we sow, that is what we
will have coming to us. If you give in to your
lust by living a life of sin, you cannot expect
to gather anything but misery and everlasting
destruction in Hell. But if you obey the leading
of the Holy Spirit by living a life of faith in
Christ, you shall reap life everlasting in Heaven
above. What kind of seeds are you planting?
Let’s consider
some common, well known LIES about sexual lust.
- “What I do is my own business.”
No, it’s your decision, but God has
the FINAL say!
- “Times have changed.” Yes, but
God has not changed (Hebrews 13:8).
- “The Bible doesn’t apply to these
times.” Oh, but it does!
- “All
sex is OK if it’s done in love.”
No, no!
- “Everybody is doing it, even old people.”
But even if they are doesn’t make it
right!
- “Lust isn’t wrong, if I don’t
follow through with
the act.” Jesus says it
is! Matthew 5:28 But
I
say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a
woman to lust after her hath committed
adultery with her already in his heart.
[KJV]
- “Sex before marriage makes a better
marriage.” No way my friend! God says
it’s sin!
- “Sex between two consenting adults doesn’t
hurt anyone.” God says it’s wrong!
- “No one will ever know.” God knows!
- “God is a loving God, He won’t
punish me.” He must punish you or He
is a liar!
- “Gay and lesbian acts are highly accepted,
so they must be OK!” God HATES them!
HOMOSEXUALITY
Chapter 6
A homosexual is someone who has sexual lust for
another of the same sex, as opposed to a heterosexual
(sexual relations between individuals of opposite
sex).
This
ministry believes the Bible (both the Old and
New testaments) to be inerrant (never wrong) as
originally given, and was written by men inspired
by God. The Bible is a complete revelation of
God’s will for mankind. The Bible speaks
to us, showing us just what God expects from us,
and what He wants us to avoid.
We
take a firm stand because of this, regarding the
sinfulness of homosexuality. God hates it, therefore
we must hate it! It is an abomination to God,
therefore it must be an abomination to us!
Is the ‘gay’ or ‘lesbian’
lifestyle any more sinful than that among heterosexuals?
No. Sin is sin and God hates ALL sin! We must
remember that Christ died for all sinners; that
means everyone, for we ALL are sinners! Romans
3:10 As it is written, There is none
righteous, no, not one: [KJV]
Romans 3:23 For all have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [KJV] Romans 6:23 For the
wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
[KJV] --- The result of sin is death, eternal
death (Hell). Though at the time, the way may
seem pleasant and inviting, yet it will be the
agonies of Hell in the realm of eternity. And, yes,
my friend, there is eternity. Your soul is eternal
and will live forever in one of two places; Heaven
or Hell.
So, are you doomed to Hell because of sexual lust?
Not if you turn your life over to Jesus!
John 3:15-18 That
whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have eternal life. [16] For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life. [17] For God sent not
his Son into the world to condemn the world; but
that the world through him might be saved. [18]
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but
he that believeth not is condemned already, because
he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten
Son of God. [KJV] Though
the road is up-hill, narrow, and plagued with
troubles and temptations; yet Jesus and everlasting
life in Heaven are at the end of it. The gift
of God is eternal life. And this gift is yours
through Jesus Christ our Lord. You are free to
choose between two masters, but if you choose
the wrong way, you will pay the penalty! Eternal
HELL! What choice have you made?
Did God ‘make’ homosexual people?
There is NO evidence whatsoever to this belief.
There is NO scientific proof that homosexuality
is genetic. There is no specific gene that makes
you a homosexual. This
lifestyle is chosen; it is an acquired sexual
dysfunction, it is not inherited.
Let’s
go to the Bible and see exactly what God has to
say about homosexuality. It’s not good!
Leviticus 18:22-24 Thou shalt
not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is
abomination. [23] Neither shalt thou lie with
any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither
shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down
thereto: it is confusion. [24] Defile not ye yourselves
in any of these things: for in all these the nations
are defiled which I cast out before you:
[KJV] --- People today take some of these practices
lightly, even making them acceptable. But just
because people do and accept them, they are still
sins in God’s eyes. If you go along with
and accept them, you are not judging by God’s
standards. All the above are immoral sexual perversions,
and are SIN!
Leviticus 20:13-16 If a man
also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman,
both of them have committed an abomination: they
shall surely be put to death; their blood shall
be upon them. [14] And if a man take a wife and
her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt
with fire, both he and they; that there be no
wickedness among you. [15] And if a man lie with
a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and
ye shall slay the beast. [16] And if a woman approach
unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt
kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely
be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. [KJV] --- This list of commands against sexual
sins has extremely harsh punishments. Why? They
destroy the sanctity of the family, they twist
people’s mental well being and they spread
disease. Sexual sin has always been widely
available and acceptable among mankind, but that
does NOT make it right. Satan makes sexual sins
alluring and attractive, but God has good reasons
for prohibiting sexual sins. He loves us and wants
the very best for us.
Romans 1:24-32 Wherefore
God also gave them up to uncleanness through the
lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their
own bodies between themselves: [25] Who changed
the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and
served the creature more than the Creator, who
is blessed for ever. Amen. [26] For this cause
God gave them up unto vile affections: for even
their women did change the natural use into that
which is against nature: [27] And likewise also
the men, leaving the natural use of the woman,
burned in their lust one toward another; men with
men working that which is unseemly, and receiving
in themselves that recompence of their error which
was meet. [28] And even as they did not like to
retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over
to a reprobate mind, to do those things which
are not convenient; [29] Being filled with all
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness,
maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit,
malignity; whisperers, [30] Backbiters, haters
of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors
of evil things, disobedient to parents, [31] Without
understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural
affection, implacable, unmerciful: [32] Who knowing
the judgment of God, that they which commit such
things are worthy of death, not only do the same,
but have pleasure in them that do them. [KJV]
--- God
lets us make our own choices, even those that
are against His will. He lets us ‘go our
own way’ even though He knows that in time
we will be sorry for our rebellious choices. Most
people never think in terms of ‘eternity.’
All they can think of is the ‘here and now!’
What they want, is all the pleasure they can possibly
have, and obeying God sure doesn’t fit in
with this! So --- God says: “NO” but
they say: “YES.” They give in to the
devil! And unless they change, they will end up
exactly where the devil is going! Matthew
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: [KJV] HELL does exist.
Hell IS real! People want to believe
lies that reinforce their own selfish, personal
beliefs. TV, music, movies, the rest of the media
present sinful life-styles and unwholesome values.
We are constantly bombarded by beliefs that are
totally opposed to the Bible!
God desires natural sexual relationships for His
Creation. But sad to say, sin distorts what God
had in mind. Homosexuality (abandoning or changing
natural sex) was as widespread in days gone by,
as it is in ours. God is willing to receive anyone
who comes to Him in faith; and Christians should
love and accept others no matter what their background.
Yet, homosexuality is strictly forbidden in Scripture. Homosexuality
is considered an acceptable practice by so many
in our world today; even in some churches. But
no matter who says it is right --- God says it
is WRONG!
Most homosexuals believe that their desires are
normal and that they have a right to express them.
But God does not agree with this, nor does He
encourage us to fulfill all our desires (even
normal ones).
If you have homosexual desires (lusts), you can
and must resist them. Avoid places or activities
you know will ignite temptations of this kind.
Never underestimate the devil’s power to
tempt you. Remember,
God can and will forgive sexual sins just as He
forgives any other sins, but you must be sorry
for what you have done, and make every attempt
never to do it again! 1 John 1:8-9 If we say that we have
no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is
not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness. [KJV] Prayer,
Bible study, and fellowship with true Christians
can help you to gain strength to resist these
powerful temptations. If you are involved in homosexual
behavior, seek help from a trustworthy pastor
or chaplain.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Know
ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit
the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators,
nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate,
nor abusers of themselves with mankind, [10] Nor
thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers,
nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of
God. [11] And such were some of you: but ye are
washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified
in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit
of our God. [KJV] --- Paul is describing
characteristics of unbelievers. He
isn’t saying that idolaters, adulterers,
male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy
people, drunkards, slanderers or swindlers will
never enter Heaven. As I stated before, we all
are sinners. But there are two kinds of sinners:
forgiven ones because of their acceptance of Jesus;
and unforgiven ones, or those who reject Jesus
and all the He stands for. God’s children
come from all kinds of different backgrounds,
cultures, races, etc. We still struggle with evil
desires, but we should not continue in these practices.
1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born
of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth
in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born
of God. [KJV] --- “Does not sin”
means we do NOT continue in sin; we do NOT practice
sin! However, those who say (profess to be) that
they are Christians (there are many) but continue
on in these sinful, immoral practices (with no
sign of remorse) will NOT inherit the kingdom
of God, for they are NOT true Christians. In our
permissive society, it is so easy for Christians
to overlook or tolerate some immoral behaviors
(greed, drunkenness, lies, etc.) yet become outraged
at others (homosexuality, thievery, murder, etc.).
We must not participate in sin or condone it in
any way, nor should we say: “This sin is
OK, but that one is not.”
1
Timothy 1:8-11 But we know that the
law is good, if a man use it lawfully; [9] Knowing
this, that the law is not made for a righteous
man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for
the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane,
for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers,
for manslayers, [10] For whoremongers, for them
that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers,
for liars, for perjured persons, and if there
be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
[11] According to the glorious gospel of the blessed
God, which was committed to my trust. [KJV] --- There are many today who try to legitimize
homosexuality as an acceptable alternative life-style.
Even some so-called ‘Christians’
say people have a right to choose their sexual
preference. But
that is NOT what God tells us! The
Bible specifically calls homosexual behavior sin,
as we have seen in the above verses. Even in the
light of this, we must be careful to condemn only
the practice but not the people. That judgment,
that condemnation belongs to only One, that being
God! They can be forgiven and their lives can
be transformed, and we should try to help them
do this if we can. Tell them about Jesus; His
love, forgiveness, and salvation He can bring
to them.
Our fleshly lusts continually try to pull us away
from God and His goodness, into a life of self-fulfillment
and pleasure. “But it feels so natural”
homosexuals say. All sin ‘feels’ natural!
We were born into a sinful line, going all the
way back to Adam and Eve. Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin
did my mother conceive me. [KJV] --- David was a sinner: sexual lust, adultery,
conspiring, lies, murder; yet God called him “A
man after His own heart.” WHY? Because David
repented of all his sins and God forgave him (read
Psalm 51). If God did it for David and millions
more, He can do it for you too!
RESULTS
OF A
HOMOSEXUAL LIFESTYE
Chapter 7
God very plainly states that He hates ALL sin;
and any gay or lesbian acts are sin according
to Almighty God. God also very plainly states
in His Word (Bible) that ALL sin will be punished.
There will be a penalty for all sin. When Jesus
died on the Cross, He paid the penalty for the
sins of the world; but unless you accept Jesus
and His Work on the Cross which was paying the
penalty for our sins (redeeming us from Hell),
you must pay sin’s penalty on your own.
You are NOT able to do that. You
CANNOT buy nor work your way out of Hell into
Heaven. John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting
life: and he that believeth not the Son shall
not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on
him. [KJV] God’s
wrath (because of sin) can be removed only through
faith in Jesus.
Genesis 19:1-28 And
there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot
sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them
rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with
his face toward the ground; [2] And he said, Behold
now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your
servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash
your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go
on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will
abide in the street all night. [3] And he pressed
upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him,
and entered into his house; and he made
them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and
they did eat. [4] But before they lay down, the
men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed
the house round, both old and young, all the people
from every quarter: [5] And they called unto Lot,
and said unto him, Where are the men which came
in to thee this night? bring them out unto us,
that we may know them. [6] And Lot went out at
the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
[7] And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so
wickedly. [8] Behold now, I have two daughters
which have not known man; let me, I pray you,
bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as
is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing;
for therefore came they under the shadow of my
roof. [9] And they said, Stand back. And they
said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn,
and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal
worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed
sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to
break the door. [10] But the men put forth their
hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and
shut to the door. [11] And they smote the men
that were at the door of the house with blindness,
both small and great: so that they wearied themselves
to find the door. [12] And the men said unto Lot,
Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy
sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast
in the city, bring them out of this place: [13]
For we will destroy this place, because the cry
of them is waxen great before the face of the
Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.
[14] And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons
in law, which married his daughters, and said,
Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will
destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked
unto his sons in law. [15] And when the morning
arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise,
take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are
here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of
the city. [16] And while he lingered, the men
laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of
his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters;
the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought
him forth, and set him without the city. [17]
And it came to pass, when they had brought them
forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life;
look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all
the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be
consumed. [18] And Lot said unto them, Oh, not
so, my Lord: [19] Behold now, thy servant hath
found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified
thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving
my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain,
lest some evil take me, and I die: [20] Behold
now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is
a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it
not a little one?) and my soul shall live. [21]
And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee
concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow
this city, for the which thou hast spoken. [22]
Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any
thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the
name of the city was called Zoar. [23] The sun
was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into
Zoar. [24] Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and
upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord
out of heaven;
[25] And he overthrew those cities, and all the
plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities,
and that which grew upon the ground. [26] But
his wife looked back from behind him, and she
became a pillar of salt. [27] And Abraham gat
up early in the morning to the place where he
stood before the Lord: [28] And he looked toward
Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of
the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the
country went up as the smoke of a furnace. [KJV] --- The gate (19:1) to the city was a place
of authority. Lot’s status in Sodom was
perhaps the reason he was reluctant to leave (19:16).
Lot was the only ‘good’ one there;
all the rest were very wicked and vile. Lot had
to flee for his life. He must not long for anything
of Sodom. We too are given similar commands to
deliver us out of a sinful state and condition.
Return not to sin and Satan. Don’t be secure
in self and what the world offers. Reach out for
Christ and Heaven. When we consider the destruction
of Sodom and Gomorrah, we must realize that it
is revealing God’s wrath against sin and
sinners of all times. God states that sin is evil
and it leads to ruin.
Genesis 19:14 And Lot went
out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married
his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this
place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But
he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in
law. [KJV] --- So many of God’s people in Old Testament
times were warned of approaching disaster but
the people would not listen. They wouldn’t
listen to Noah, and these two young men would
not listen to Lot. What happened? They died. What
about today? There
are those who faithfully serve God --- warning
of ‘coming disaster’ but
people will not listen! What will happen to these
people who refuse to turn to Jesus? They too shall
perish in Hell.
2
Thessalonians 1:8-9 In flaming fire
taking vengeance on them that know not God, and
that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
[9] Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction
from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory
of his power. [KJV] In this account of Sodom
and Gomorrah, we see two sides of God’s
character: His great patience and His fierce anger.
As we grow spiritually, we should develop a deeper
reverence and respect for God because of His anger
toward sin, and too, a deeper love for Him because
of His extreme patience with us when we sin.
Lot,
his wife and their daughters were commanded NOT
to look back (19:17); but Lot’s wife turned
back to look at the smoldering city of Sodom (19:26).
She wanted to cling to the past (the good times),
she just was not willing to turn fully away. Do
you look back longingly at sin while trying to
move forward with God? You CANNOT do it! You cannot
make progress with God as long as you are holding
on to some of your old life, refusing to give
it all up. Jesus tells us plainly: Matthew 6:24 “No
one can serve two masters.”
Because Lot’s wife ‘couldn’t
let go’ she immediately became a “pillar
of salt” when she longingly “looked
back.”
What’s can we learn from this account? Everyone
was wicked in Sodom and Gomorrah, and everyone
was destroyed because of their sin, but it is
NOT too late for you! God loves you.
SHE
LOOKED BACK
Sodom
and Gomorrah were evil towns,
On their immorality, God did frown.
Lot was warned to leave that place,
For God would destroy; it was a disgrace.
Lot
gather’d his fam’ly and left that
day,
“Leave, look not behind thee,” so
he did obey.
Lot’s wife did not listen; she ‘looked
back,’
And became a pillar of salt in her tracks.
Murder
was not her sin; she just ‘looked back,’
So cunning and sly; Satan did attack!
She was not a thief; she cared not to steal,
Yet when she ‘looked back,’ her heart
was reveal’d.
When
she ‘looked back,’ it show’d
her true heart,
She loved worldly ‘things,’ wanted
not to depart.
There’s great danger in Satan’s craftiness,
A lesson we should learn from worldliness!
Do
you have a secret love for this world?
Where is your heart? as Satan’s darts are
hurled?
Don’t fall victim to the world and its ‘things,’
For you will miss out on all God’s blessings.
The
‘things’ of this world are not here
to stay,
Your hope and heart should be turned Heav’n’s
way.
Don’t ‘look back;’ keep your
eyes on Christ our Lord,
Be honest and true to Him; the world discard!
***************************
Sexual lust was not this woman’s sin; but
she did indeed lust --- after worldly things.
Her sin was greed and coveting (lust). We must
resist and turn our hearts away from lust, for
all lust is sin!
ANGER,
WRATH
Chapter 8
Anger is a feeling coming from evil, injury,
mistreatment, opposition, etc.; it usually presents
itself in a desire to hit out at someone or something.
It is: wrath; rage; indignation; ire; fury; irritation.
Anger is an feeling (sensation, response) of instant
displeasure because of something evil or something
we don’t agree with. Anger is not necessarily
sinful; but may become so if allowed to fester
(postponing it), if there is no cause, if it is
excessive, or if vengeance is planned (malice).
When
anger or wrath is ascribed to God, it simply implies
His displeasure with sin and with sinners. Psalm
7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and
God is angry with the wicked every day. [KJV]
--- God
is always perfectly fair.
ANGER IS
FORBIDDEN
Ecclesiastes 7:9 Be not hasty
in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in
the bosom of fools. [KJV] --- Many times
our troubles turn out better than we ever thought
they could. It is better to be patient than to
be proud and hasty. We should not be quick temtered.
Be not soon angry, nor be angry for long; for
these are not actions of a wise man.
Matthew 5:22 But
I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his
brother without a cause shall be in danger of
the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother,
Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever
shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell
fire. [KJV] --- Murder is
a terrible sin, but so is anger; for it violates
God’s command to love. Anger in this verse
refers to a raging, brooding bitterness
against someone. Anger is a dangerous emotion;
always threatening to leap out of control, to
lead to violence, to hurt someone (emotionally
or physically), to increase mental stress, or
to damage someone spiritually. Anger is a dreadful
sin that keeps us from pleasing God.
Have you ever been glad that you didn’t
strike out at someone and say what was really
on your mind? Self-control is good! But Jesus
wants us to exercise thought-control too! Jesus
said that we will be held accountable even for
our attitudes! All wild uncontrolled anger is
‘heart’ murder.
“Raca” is a scornful word, coming
from pride. “Thou fool” is a spiteful
word, coming from hatred. Spiteful slander and
criticism are like poison that kills the spirits
of others, in a slow and devastating manner. We
are NOT to make light of these sins for they certainly
shall be judged!
1 John 3:15 Whosoever hateth
his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no
murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
[KJV] --- John echoes Jesus’ teaching (above)
that whoever hates another person is a “murderer”
at heart. Harboring anger and bitterness against
someone is like a fast spreading cancer within
you; and it will eventually destroy you. We should
love our Lord Jesus, and value His love by loving
others. Love is NOT lust or sex; love is care,
concern and compassion for others.
Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved,
avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto
wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I
will repay, saith the Lord. [KJV] --- Today,
lawsuits and demands for legal rights are popular
and widespread. Paul’s command
in this verse sounds next to impossible. When
someone deeply hurts you, instead of getting even,
we are put it in God’s Hands, and let Him
take care of it. Our natural instinct is to ‘hit
back with all we’ve got’!
Why are we to forgive
our enemies?
- Forgiveness
may break the vicious cycle of retaliation
and lead to reconciliation.
- It may cause our enemy to feel ashamed and
change his or her ways.
- Repaying evil for evil hurts you as much or
more than it hurts your enemy. Even if your
enemy never repents, forgiving him or her
will lift from you a heavy load of bitterness.
“Avenge not yourselves” is a very
hard lesson for our corrupt nature. When someone
is angry, let the steam blow off first, or
it could make the rage against us greater.
Romans
12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but
overcome evil with good. [KJV] --- We cannot win in a fight with Satan. You must
not adopt worldly strategies of hate and revenge,
or your end will be total defeat, total destruction!
You can win the war over evil by doing “good”
to the one who does evil to you. Try it!
ANGER IS
LINKED TO CRUELTY.
Proverbs 27:3-4 A stone is
heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath
is heavier than them both. [4] Wrath is cruel,
and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand
before envy? [KJV] ---
Those who cannot control their emotions or passions,
will sink deep in the mire of sin under the load.
God curses anger, resentment and wrath, for it
is sin (the sin of a fool). Control is possible!
Take it to Jesus!
Proverbs
29:8 Scornful men bring a city into
a snare: but wise men turn away wrath. [KJV] Mockers
can get a whole town agitated, but those who are
wise will calm anger.
HARSH
WORDS STIR UP ANGER.
Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer
turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up
anger. [KJV] You cannot stir up an argument if you whisper!
It is just as hard to argue with someone who insists
on answering in a soft, gentle manner. Most arguments
start with a voice that keeps getting louder and
louder; speaking harsh, contemptible words. If
you do not want to argue, but want peace; choose
kind, gentle words. Grievous words stirs up rage.
BE SLOW TO GET ANGRY.
Proverbs 15:18 A wrathful
man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to
anger appeaseth strife. [KJV] --- A hothead
starts fights; a cool-tempered person tries to
stop them. Those who are slow to anger, not only
prevents strife, but appeases it, if kindled.
Learn to control your temper.
Proverbs 16:32 He that is
slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he
that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
[KJV] --- The Bible says that self-control is
better that power. A hot temper can ruin success
in business, school, or home life. It is a great
victory to be able to control your temper. When
you feel yourself ready to explode, consider that
by losing control of yourself, you may forfeit
what you want the most.
Proverbs 19:11 The discretion
of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory
to pass over a transgression. [KJV] --- A
wise person will restrain their anger, and overlook
wrong actions or sharp words. Put a ‘muzzle’
on your anger.
James 1:19 Wherefore, my
beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear,
slow to speak, slow to wrath: --- When we
talk too much and listen too little, we ‘announce’
to others that we think our ideas are much more
important than theirs. To say the least, this
aggravates people into fury. No one likes a ‘know
it all.’ It would be wise for us to reverse
this process (listen more, talk less). A wise
person once said: “We have two ears, and
one mouth; so we should listen twice as much as
we speak.” Keep track of how much you talk
and how much you listen. When we allow anger to
erupt like a volcano because someone has bruised
our ego, or our opinions were not heard, we are
like a child having a temper tantrum. Don’t
let anger win out when you feel offended or neglected.
This is selfishness, and selfish anger NEVER helps
any one or any cause. When injustice, unfairness,
favoritism and sin occur, be angry because others
are being hurt.
Proverbs 30:32-33 If thou
hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or
if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon
thy mouth. [33] Surely the churning of milk bringeth
forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth
forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth
forth strife. [KJV] ---
We must keep our temper when we are provoked.
We must keep those evil thoughts in our minds
from breaking out into evil words. We must not
stir up outbursts in others. Let nothing we say
or do, be done with violence, but say and do every
thing with softness and calmness. This
verse tells us pride, violence and anger are wrong!
Daniel 3:19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar
full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed
against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore
he spake, and commanded that they should heat
the furnace one seven times more than it was wont
to be heated. [KJV] --- We are back with
the king again!
Nebuchadnezzar
made a huge, golden idol, and demanded that everyone
fall down and worship it. Daniel 3:6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth
shall the same hour be cast into the midst of
a burning fiery furnace. [KJV] --- These
three young men absolutely refused! The king was
“full of fury.” What was
this king’s sin in verse 19? Pride started it; then he became angry,
which led to violence. It’s
the same with us at times; one sin leads to another,
then another, on and on! A vicious cycle!
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were under much
pressure to deny God, but they did not! They remained
faithful to Him. They trusted God to deliver them,
but they would have been faithful no matter what,
even to death! If God always rescued those who
were true to Him, we would not need faith. ‘Religion’
would be like a great insurance policy, and there
would be lines of selfish people! We must resolve to be faithful to God,
whether He intervenes on our behalf or not. Sometimes
He will, sometimes He will not! Our
eternal reward is worth any suffering we may have
to endure. If it’s in the Lord’s will,
He can do anything! If He be for us, we need not
fear what man can do unto us. God will deliver
us, either from death or in death! We must obey
God, not man. Saving these young men was a great
miracle; but anyone saved by God’s grace
today is just as much a miracle! Fear of man and
love of the world, make us yield to temptation.
We must not be ashamed of Jesus. We must make
a decision that we will obey God rather than the
devil. God can and will care for our soul for
eternity if we trust and accept Jesus as Saviour
and Lord.
THE
GOLDEN RULE
Chapter
9
DO
UNTO OTHERS
If
you want others not to lie to you,
Then you must speak only words that are true.
Do unto others only right, good things,
Or you cannot expect your life, good bring.
If
you want others to be loving and kind,
You cannot to these qualities be blind.
You must show love, and kindness, from deep down,
Or what you receive, may cause you to frown.
If
you want others to speak soft, tender words,
Then harsh, evil speech, from you can’t
be hurled.
Speak unto others, as you’d want them to,
Soft, tender words, they can’t misconstrue.
Do
unto others as you’d have them do,
Don’t be abrupt, impatient, or untrue.
A calm, gentle nature, gracious and meek,
Against such there’s no law; this we should
seek.
If you want others to help comfort
you,
Then you, to them, must be a good friend too.
Quiet and pleasant, with love that abounds,
Do
unto others, and friends will be found.
If
you want forgiveness, for wrongs you’ve
done,
Then you must forgive, if any you’ve shunn’d.
Do unto others, as you’d have them do,
No better advice than this; tried and true.
***************************
If you “Do unto others” only things
that you would want people to do to you, you will
never harm anyone, for you certainly do not wish
evil upon yourself! Deep in your heart, you want
only ‘good’ things to come to you,
no matter how rough and mean you try to act.
Matthew 7:12 Therefore
all things whatsoever ye would that men should
do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is
the law and the prophets. [KJV] Jesus’ words --- Sometimes it is not
hard to keep from harming others; but it is much
more difficult to get motivated and do something
nice for them. The Golden Rule as Jesus sets it
down is the basic foundation for all goodness
and mercy; in other words, it is exactly the kind
of love God shows to each of us every day. Try
doing something nice for someone today. It not
only will change their attitude, but yours as
well, and it won’t hurt you to try, just
to see what happens.
Matthew 6:14-15 For
if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you: [15] But if ye forgive
not men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
[KJV] Jesus words --- It can’t be any more
clear than this! IF you want God to forgive you,
you must first forgive the person who has wronged
or hurt you. Not easy to do, but it is possible
and necessary!
Romans 13:10 Love worketh
no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the
fulfilling of the law. [KJV] --- Loving others
(care, concern, compassion) includes the duties
of the last five commandments. They are all summed
up in this ‘royal law,’(James
2:8) “Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
If we love our neighbor as ourself, we will want
only good to come to them, because we want only
good to come to us!
Galatians 5:14 For all the
law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. [KJV]
--- When we are not motivated
by love, we really judge and criticize others.
We never look for any good in them; we see only
their faults. Have you talked about someone when
you shouldn’t have? Have you focused only
on their shortcomings instead of their strengths?
If you feel critical of someone, think of that
person’s good qualities! If there are problems
that need to be ironed out, it is better to confront
them face to face (in love), rather than gossip
behind their back. No one is perfect! But when we
begin to think we are because of pride, our troubles
have just started!
Some live in a rough environment; such as prisons,
those from broken homes, those who have never
known true love, etc. But Jesus loves you! And
He can help you overcome even the worst obstacles,
but you need to acknowledge and accept Him!
CONSIDER
Consider
how many folks there are,
The world over, who from God are far.
Proud they are, craving earthly things,
Give in to temptations Satan brings.
Most
people want what Satan can give,
They follow after him, as they live.
Seeking wealth and pleasure with ev’ry breath,
And power and fame; ne’er thinking of death.
Satan
makes ev’ry thing look so great,
He has power we can’t estimate.
A dark evil creature of the night,
But shows himself as an angel of light.
People
just flock to his constant pull,
He gives what they want; he is no fool.
Makes all his wrongs and evils look right,
Most folks accept this without a fight.
I
ask you to consider one thing more,
What does eternity hold in store?
Your soul lives forever in some place,
Do you want some day to see God’s Face?
Can
the ‘prince of devils’ save your soul?
NO WAY! only Christ has that control!
Satan will be cast by Christ, to Hell,
There for eternity he will dwell.
If
you follow Satan; with him you’ll go,
God’s Word is clear; God wants you to know!
The option is Christ; He can save you,
You can live in Heav’n, His promise is true.
**************************
THE
GATES OF HEAVEN, OR HELL’S FIRES
The
gates of Heaven, or Hell’s fires,
Which of these two, is your desire?
Most folk have not thought much ‘bout this,
The terror of Hell, or Heaven’s bliss.
Most
go thru’ life, not thinking of God,
Just their ev’ry day life, as they trod.
Just the comfort of each new day,
Is in their thoughts, as they go their way.
This
Earth is not our perm’nent home,
We’re just pilgrims, as we do roam.
We’re given this time to decide,
Where for eternity, we’ll abide.
God
does live in Heaven above,
Where there’s peace and joy, and great love!
Those gates of Heaven have just one key,
Christ Jesus, is His identity!
Without
our Lord, there’s just Hell’s fires,
On your own, that’s what you’ll acquire.
Only Christ Jesus has the power,
To deliver us, at the right hour.
***********************
SALVATION
Jesus
said “Except
a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God.” (John 3:3).
What does it mean to be ‘born again’?
When we are born of our mother (our physical birth),
this is our ‘first birth’. Our second
birth comes the moment we accept Jesus as Saviour
and Lord (Jn.1:12-13). Jesus said you can’t
even see Heaven without being ‘born again.’
Salvation (eternal life in Heaven) is readily
available to all! It is not something you buy,
or work for; it is a “Gift”! God made
salvation so simple that even a child could understand
and accept it. God loves you. He does not want
you to go to Hell, but if you refuse to accept
the “Gift” of His Son, which is eternal
life, you most certainly will end up there.
If you do not know Jesus as your Saviour, you
are God’s enemy! But once you accept Jesus,
you are reconciled to God, by His Son (Ro.5:9-10).
Romans
5:1 Therefore being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ: [KJV] ‘Justified’
--- just as if you’d never sinned! You are
declared ‘not guilty’ in the courts
of Heaven! This can happen only through Jesus!
God forgives all our sins the moment we turn to
His Son to save us (from God’s wrath, and
Hell).
No one is righteous without Jesus (Ro.3:10).
We all are sinners, every last one of us (Ro.3:23).
If we ‘keep on’ in sin, we receive
eternal death in an agonizing, everlasting Hell
(Ro.6:23-a).
If we accept Christ, we have eternal life (Ro.6:23-b)
awaiting us in the beauty and bliss of Heaven,
in a reserved mansion (1 Peter 1:4, John 14:2).
Where
will YOU spend eternity?
Bible Study Booklets
A Gift, Unequaled . . A Loving God Wouldn't Send Me To Hell . . Christ in Psalms . . Christ Is the Door . . False Teachers . . God's Kind of Love . . Living With Eternity In Mind . . Is Jesus God? . . Messianic Prophecies . . Olivet Discourse . . Pride and Violence . . Privileges . . Sermon on the Mount . . Satan and Witchcraft . . The Will of God . . Unfilled Prophecies . . What Must I Do To Be Saved?
Home Page
|