Are short-terms missions trips a good idea?

A Sovereign God, A Corrupt Government, And Christian Duty

A Sovereign God

Ecclesiastes 7

¹³ Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

¹⁴ In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

Lamentations 3

³⁷ Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?

³⁸ Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?

Isaiah 45

⁷ I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Job 2

⁹ Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

¹⁰ But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Proverbs 16

⁴ The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil

Proverbs 21

¹ The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

³⁰ There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.

Psalm 24 

¹ (A Psalm of David.) The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

Psalm 103

¹⁹ The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

Psalm 115

³ But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

Romans 9

¹⁸ Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

¹⁹ Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

²⁰ Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

Daniel 2

²⁰ Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

²¹ And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

A Corrupt Government

Ecclesiastes 3
¹⁶ And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

Ecclesiastes 5

⁸ If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

Daniel 4

¹ Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

² I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.

³ How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

⁴ I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:

⁵ I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

⁶ Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.

⁷ Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.

⁸ But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,

⁹ O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.

¹⁰ Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.

¹¹ The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:

¹² The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

¹³ I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;

¹⁴ He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:

¹⁵ Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:

¹⁶ Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

¹⁷ This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

¹⁸ This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wisemen of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

¹⁹ Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.

²⁰ The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;

²¹ Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:

²² It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

²³ And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;

²⁴ This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:

²⁵ That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

²⁶ And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.

²⁷ Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.

²⁸ 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.

God, sovereign over the affairs of men puts the "basest" in charge for His own glory and pleasure. Has this concept changed since Nebuchadnezzar?

Christian Duty

The Apostle Peter advises us as "strangers" and "pilgrims" in the world and not as citizens.

1 Peter 2

¹¹ Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

¹² Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

¹³ Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

¹⁴ Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

¹⁵ For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

¹⁶ As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

¹⁷ Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

Paul's letter to the Church in Corinth calls us ambassadors

2 Corinthians 5

²⁰ Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Does an ambassador submit to the laws of the land he occupies? Yes

Does an ambassador have his identity in the land he occupies? Nope 

The writer of Hebrews expresses:

Hebrews 11

⁸ By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

⁹ By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

¹⁰ For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

"as in a strange country" though it wasn't unfamiliar to him at all but his citizenship and identity was now heavenly and no longer carnal.

Back to Paul in 2 Corinthians 6

¹⁴ Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

¹⁵ And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

¹⁶ And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

¹⁷ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

¹⁸ And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Is political affiliation an unequal yoking?

Maybe we should re-phrase the question:

Identifying as a Democrat/Republican/Libertarian helps me preach the Gospel how?

Would political action be inappropriate for an ambassador?

Should sheep meddle in the affairs of goats? 

Why can't we trust a sovereign God and tend to the things He has commanded us and leave the rest to Him? Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?

Genesis 18 

²⁵ That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

How then shall we live?

Micah 6

⁸ He hath shewed 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?

2 Timothy 4

¹ I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

² Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

⁴ And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

⁵ But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Matthew 28

¹⁸ And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

¹⁹ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

²⁰ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Conclusion

God is sovereign, governments are corrupt, and Christians in politics are at best wasting their time and at worst disobedient to the commandments of Scripture.

Matthew 6

³⁴ Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

The Devilish Puppet Master of the Word-Faith Movement (Justin Peters) St...

Preparing For Congo Mission...

I'm sharing this video of my time learning about alligators and crocodiles in preps for my Congo trip. It's a skill I will probably never use but it was a blast. I'll be departing June 23 and covet your prayers for my mission and for my family staying in Colorado.

A Great Door In Africa

1 Corinthians 16:9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

    The Church in Florence was recently visited by two men from Congo. Gabriel Kisanga and Ekahnya Niphon. They both came up to Westcliffe to have breakfast and enjoy the mountains. We talked for most of the day and discussed the need for sound doctrine in the bush and why missionaries won't go deep into rural areas.

Gabriel, who runs a seminary in Congo, is training men in the fundamental tenets of Christianity against a tidal wave of Word of Faith teaching sweeping across the continent. He is supported by Dynamic Church Planting in California and became friends with my current Pastor in 2007 at the Shepherd's Conference (Grace Community Church). Ekahnya is planting churches in the bush among the Pygmy people. He speaks English, French, and some of the Pygmy dialect. He currently has 11 Pygmy Pastors in small churches and they are in need of training. His purpose for coming to America was to seek help. He asked for someone, anyone, please come to the bush and see what is happening. Ekahnya faces a host of obstacles and has reached out for assistance.

The Going Gets Tough

A short time reading the World Factbook about Congo  and some wiki about the Pygmy people made me realize that the going will be tough. According to Ekahnya, there will be a few jungle roads that will lead to an endless maze of jungle trails and rivers that will eventually lead us to some very remote villages. There are no restaurants or hotels, no running water (unless you run and get it yourself) or bathrooms. There are trees to hang a hammock in, thatch huts to sleep in, and the bush is there for unmentionable needs. Here in these villages, people are hospitable and open to the Gospel but there are no conveniences that Americans believe they need. That means there are very few Americans willing to travel to these remote areas. This is not bad news.

The Footprints Of Satan

You will never see Joyce Meyer or Benny Hinn in the remote bush, but you will see their influence all over Africa. The Word of Faith movement has attacked the continent as a roaring lion. The blending of Christian terminology with Voodoo and Occult practices is widespread into a pandemic of bad theology. The footprints of Satan can be seen leading up to the stage of many large gatherings promoting "faith healing" and "financial blessing." Sound familiar? The good news is that most American heretics don't go and preach more than a 30 minute drive from a 5 star hotel but the bad news is that their message of a false gospel is spreading like a wildfire. 

There's A Call Come Ringing O'er A Restless Wave

In the letter to the Church in Corinth, Paul writes in Chapter 16 that there is a great door and effectual opened unto him but that there are many adversaries. It's amazing how so many false teachers could manifest in churches planted by Paul himself so quickly. The Devil shows up to work every day. There really is nothing new under the sun. Absent the work of the Holy Spirit, there can be no movement against the forces of darkness in the hearts of men. The visible church in Africa is appearing weakened and led astray but the true Church is preserved and protected by the sealing of the Holy Spirit. The call has come from Congo to "Send the Light" and I intend to do just that. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation and the endeavor is a theological one. 

1 Corinthians 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Getting Involved

I have sold or am selling most of my hunting equipment to pay for this trip. Some have offered financial assistance and the help is greatly appreciated. The Church in Florence is supportive but also very small and relatively new re-born as a body of Biblical believers. If you wish to support this trip financially, please contact me for instructions on how to send funds to the Church in Florence. Most of all I would appreciate you sharing this blog with other believers and ask for prayer. I will update from this blog as appropriate. 

The proposed dates for the trip are August 4th - September 16th. 

For more specific info please feel free to call.

Bro. Jeff Ward (719) 221-6243 

Pastor David Rogers (719) 429-2452

A Great Performance

The singing martyr from Latvia

Pastor Schweitzer was a Lutheran minister, who as a young man, had moved from Germany to Latvia. After World War I when Russia annexed Latvia, Pastor Schweitzer was amongst the first to be taken captive and ostracised by the Soviets, primarily because he was a German national.

Later, he was accused of being a German spy and was deported to Solovetiki, an island in the White Sea located between Archangel and Murmansk. The concentration camp there was known as "The prison without a hope on Earth," and some of the guards, who had served in the Red Army, were thieves and criminals themselves - a bunch of cut-throats under the command of honourable officers. Among the prison inmates were found: teachers, professionals, workers, intellectuals and the "religious".

After the usual "cultural and educational lessons" which were obligatory for all captives, Pastor Schweitzer took every opportunity to bear witness for Christ by word and with singing. In his documentary, "God's secret armies", J. Johnston recorded the invincible courage and the infectious joy of Pastor Schweitzer: "The guards, as well as both the convicts and criminals, greatly feared the old pastor whose spirit could not be broken by caning, hard labour, hunger, or torture. Even though well over 60 years of age, Pastor Schweitzer was given the spine-breaking work of drawing a loaded sleigh into the woods and back again. With a hymn on his lips he went to work. When the guards beat him with whips or rifle butts, the old godly man looked at them and muttered, "God forgive you."

After the quarter-of-an-hour break for the usual meal of watery corn soup, hot water and a crust of bread, Pastor Schweitzer erected a rough cross of wood and led his fellow-sufferers into prayer and singing. Often nobody dared to meet with him and the old man absolved his divine service alone. Eventually he was condemned to solitary confinement and locked up in the isolation cells 900 metres from the prisoners' hut. Nevertheless, day and night, the other captives heard his voice from the cell, singing praises to the Lord.

It was a terribly cold night in January 1947 when Lublinski, the new commander, released him with the warning to stop this unbearable singing. In the middle of the night Pastor Schweitzer quietly returned to the darkness of the cold huts and sat on his plank bed. Weaker than ever before, with tormenting tubercular coughing, he addressed the hut full of men: "Brothers, would you like to sing with me? I could not be with you on Christmas Eve." From all corners of the dark hut voices united in holy singing; above them all the voice of Pastor Schweitzer. He lifted their spirits and brought their thoughts back to the days when they were still men (human beings).

Lublinski burst into the room. The singing stopped. He grabbed the old man and beat him hysterically about his mouth, nose and eyes with his pistol grip.

He could wrench neither a cry nor a whimper from Pastor Schweitzer. "I will teach you. I will break you. I will show you sanctions you have never dreamed of," Lublinski shouted.

Four criminal guards dragged the old man away. For a few minutes he could still be heard singing... then silence fell.

In the morning when the captives were led outside, they saw a block of ice in the middle of the courtyard. During the Arctic night, Lublinski had sprinkled Pastor Schweitzer with water.

Frozen to a human statue, the body of Pastor Schweitzer lay on the courtyard in the posture of martyrdom - his outstretched arms forming a cross.

The singing saint left his frozen temple of loam and he is still singing!

source: cai.org

A Great Performance

Matthew 6:25
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?


Matthew 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.


Matthew 16:25
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.


Luke 9:24
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Luke 17:33
Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.


John 12:25
He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.


Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.


Galatians 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.


Romans 6

6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.


7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.


8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:


9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.


10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.





Luke 1216 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?


18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.


19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.


20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?


21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.


22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.


23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.


24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?


25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?


26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?


27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.


28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?


29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.


30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.


31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.


32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.


33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.


34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.


Luke 12:29 

And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.


Matthew 6:31-34

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?


32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.


33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.


34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.





We haven’t been seeking God first, we’ve been seeking Him on “Sunday Only.”


We seek evil during the week and expect the Spirit to come down on Sunday?


The “Sunday Only” church is full of “performance people” putting on a show.

And because the people come to put on a performance, they come expecting a performance.

And in that performance there is no room to confront the evils of today because the performance is evil itself.

Evil? What Evil?

What are the evils of today? What must we wage war against in the church?

Americans have tolerated drunkenness and drug use and called it a disease, not sin.

Americans have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

Americans have embraced homosexuality and called is an alternative lifestyle.

Americans have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

Americans have taught children fraudulent evolution and called it solid education.

Americans have taught our daughters to dress like prostitutes and called it fashion.

Americans have abused power and called it politics.

Americans have committed idolatry and called it entertainment.

Americans have stolen from each other and called it business.

Americans have coveted their neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.

Americans have polluted the air with profanity and called it free speech.

Americans have killed 56 million unborn since 1973 and called it choice.

Americans are...


Romans 1


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 (AMERICANS) have pleasure in them that do them.


Yes AMERICA has done all of these things!


And where is the church in all of this? The true church is just fine and dandy, but...

What about American Church Culture?

The American Church Culture has incorporated Pop Psychology and called it discipleship

The American Church Culture has adopted worldly methods and music and called it holy

The American Church Culture sits in a pew on any given Sunday, watching the clock

The American Church Culture loves politics and football more than the Bible and evangelism

The American Church Culture loves religion and tradition and is ignorant of Scripture.

The American Church Culture leads people in the sinners prayer and assures them that speaking those words guarantees them entrance to paradise

The American Church Culture has redefined the Gospel in the name of cultural relevance and become irrelevant in the process.

The American Church Culture has rejected the faith and fallen away


It is the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ that is the power of God unto salvation and not a performance.


1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.


This is why “performance preaching” is so popular, because the church culture is full of dead people.


The Gospel is the ONLY power of God unto salvation. The Bible is sufficient, is enough and it contains the words of life. If the Gospel is the power of God then the text demands expository teaching. Expository preaching is the cure for the sickness of a Sunday Only church.


Haggai 1:4-7

4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?

5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

The love of many waxes cold because today is a good day to die for the performance of the Gospel but we’ve already made other plans and besides, that’s just not the way we do things around here.


Consider your ways.


Matthew Chapter 16

24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Consider YOUR ways ….. are the problem 

Isaiah Chapter 55

8 For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

9 For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Matthew 10:28 

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

The world wants a man on a stage to deliver a great performance but God wants a man in submission to His word, on the ground, frozen into a human statue, in the posture of a martyr with out stretched arms. In God’s eyes, a great performance.

Arrows of Chance?

2 Chronicles 18

Arrows Of Chance Hit Sinners of Choice

1 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.

Here we have a righteous man willingly befriending an unrighteous man.

2 And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramothgilead.

3 And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I am as thouart, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.

An unclean thing makes a clean thing unclean. It’s only a matter of time before bad company corrupts good morals.

1 Corinthians 15:

33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

Proverbs 22:

24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

4 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.

5 Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand.

Of course they did! Here is the ecumenical council, the elite of the religious class, the best of the dr. do-flunkies gathered together to bring “good news” to a wicked man.

When the popular religious crowd advises a course of action; there’s trouble nearby.

Psalm 64

1 (To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.) Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

2 Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:

3 Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

4 That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

5 They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?

6 They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

7 But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.

8 So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.

9 And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.

10 The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?

Jehoshaphat knew this was not the counsel of God

Psalm 1 1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly...

7 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

Ole’ wicked Ahab knew where the REAL man of God was to be found. He knew his address, he knew his God, and he knew his message. A man of God has got to be known.

8 And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.

9 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

A public spectacle is made to puff themselves up and here comes the TV preachers.

10 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.

Machinations of his own doing, evoking pride and puffing up but not the Word of the Lord.

11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

Yes, yes. We all agree to this sabre rattling, flag waving exercise in vanity.

12 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.

We want your advice as long as it is positive.

13 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.

The answer of a man who reverences God and His Word

14 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.

Dripping with sarcasm.

15 And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?

The King knows that the other prophets are false. He knows they function to edify him only in the eyes of the people and to ease his conscience for his wickedness. By them he is justified but his spirit is not quieted. Men in REAL power recognize truth and lies.

16 Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.

17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?

Who is critical of the preacher of the Word of God but the wicked? Be careful from whom you take counsel against any man who preaches the Word of God faithfully.

18 Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.

19 And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

20 Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?

21 And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.

22 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.

The wicked prophets are the prophets of Ahab and not of God. But God puts the lies in their mouths as His judgement on all who follow them. He still does this today with Word of Faith preachers as well as others.

23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?

Here is the persecution of the righteous by the religious. Always the persecution of the righteous by the religious.

24 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

The word of God will rebuke him, not Micaiah.

25 Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

26 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.

The preacher of the Word of God expects to dine on affliction.

27 And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.

The Word of the Lord is a sure word. You can bet your life on it.

28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.

29 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.

He thinks he can hide from God in the crowd. Safety in numbers! Here is your brave and wicked king.

30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel.

There’s a hit on the King of Israel and not on the King of judah

31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.

He was mistaken for the company he kept. His identity was confused with another. Is your identity easily established?

32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.

It appears as though Ahabs little deception is working. At least for now. You can outsmart men but you can’t outsmart God. These are disciplined men on a mission. They’ll turn away now but don’t tempt God’s patience.

33 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, (a specific man drew a bow at what he believed was chance) and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.

34 And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.

Arrows of chance, hit sinners of choice.

There are too many false prophets speaking to too many Ahab’s who are all too willing to listen. How long will God’s Patience hold back His wrath?

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.

Ungodly people in the church who sow discord amongst the brethren perform the work of Satan.

Matthew 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

Discord is sown by friends of the world, in secret, while men sleep because the wicked are cowards.

James 4

1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

There are always wolves hiding in the flock. They are friendly with the world and the enemies of God. They seek to sift you like wheat. God knows who they are.

Galations 6

7 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.

Don't worry about ole' Ahab. God's got an archer.