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Please Visit the new UK Christian Mental Health Website for support, advice, articles, discussions and more.

Now the Spirit explicitly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. 1 Tim 4:1

Unfortunately I believe that it will happen, only because Scripture blatantly speaks of the great falling away. The majority of this is caused by false or deceived preachers in pulpits, diluting the absolute truth of the Word to fit in with science and the world’s view, in the false hope of trying to make church more palatable for the masses by massaging their ‘itching ears’. However, this doesn’t bring anyone to church or to faith in Christ, in fact it does the reverse and makes the church look weak and feeble.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. 2Tim 4:2-4

But take heart, it means we are that much closer to The Day of Lord and His return “….for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first and the man of sin is revealed….” (2Thess 2:3)

The falling away, (called the rebellion in the NIV) and the deception is already happening here in the UK now. The stats suggest that only have 6% of our population attend church, and only 2% of us are bible believing, spirit filled, born again Christians.

The head of the Anglican church here in the UK, the Archbishop, is a self professed member of a coven of wicca witches, and their rituals are televised during the summer solstice. But for me the worst abomination is that they encourage and invite islamic imams to preach and teach in their churches to their sheep.

However, I must add that there are many, many faithful people in the Anglican church, who love the Lord, and are called by God into the C of E to feed and care for the sheep. However, it is a calling that I do not envy. It must be a constant uphill struggle not just against the prince of this world but also against the enemy within.

462 years ago Luther nailed a copy of his 95 Theses to castle church. This marked the beginning of the reformation and freedom for the UK and large parts of Europe from the slavery and authority of the Papacy. This was the time of the re-establishing of the authority of God’s Word, and for which many, many saints shed their blood, so that we can have the freedom to read for ourselves the Scriptures. And yet now we are in a horrendous position, the very foundation of the Word is being undermined in our churches.

The preachers and teachers in some of the mainstream dominations do not preach the true gospel, but a different gospel, a gospel of universalism. They teach that God is a loving God, and He will condemn no-one, all will end in heaven. It is true that God is love. But He is also a God of justice, of truth and holiness. We would not be called to love Him by walking according to His commands, if what we said, thought and did in this life was irrelevant. We will be called to account for our actions in this life. They teach also teach that there is no hell, they do not expound the scriptures and the truth anymore. Witchcraft, fornication, divorce and the practice of homosexuality are fine, as the belief is that in this civilised day and age, it is an acceptable lifestyle choice and many priests live and practice this. Abortion is just so acceptable within our culture now, but yet our women are literally sacrificing their children to the god of Convenience.

We need to get back to the Scriptures; and believe unquestioningly and wholeheartedly what the Logos Word teaches us. We need to be girding ourselves daily with the Word. And putting on our spiritual amour, for our fight is not against flesh and blood. We have to have the Word circumcised on our hearts by the Spirit, for us to use the Sword of the Spirit, so that no weapon formed against us can prosper.

And to make proclaiming the truth even harder for us, our government are trying to push through legalisation which will carry a maximum 7 year prison sentence for those who proclaim that that there is only one way to God, i.e., through Christ alone as the Gospel testifies.

But we are called to the Gospel and our calling is irrevocable (Rom 11:29). We are to go and share this wonderful, magnificent, joyous news of the Gospel, and drag people out of the fires of hell, and teach them the Truth, to Love and Follow the Lord.

Blessings

Although many may argue that we should lead by example and not smoke and/or drink and yet go into an environment where there is drinking, such as a pub or club, and so we can be a silent witness. This could be regarded as a little too pious by the very people we are witnessing too, and in a way could actually alienate them more.

However, I am not suggesting that we should go and get drunk with them so as to be accepted, I am not even suggesting that we should go and drink. But what I am saying is that we do need to go and we need to gossip the Gospel with them, and gossip the coming Kingdom.

Before being born again, everyone sins (Rom 3:23) there is no choice. People do not have the power to stop themselves from sinning. Why because we are born into sin. Adam sinned and so that has passed down through genetics to the whole human race. No one can escape from sin. People can try their darned to live an upright life, and not break any laws of the land, but I assure you wickedness is always lurching under the surface, particularly behind closed doors, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23) It is the badness that someone’s thinks, or the evil dwelling their heart, that will come up and out of their mouth. As Jesus says it is not what goes into someone that pollutes them, but what comes out of him (Mk 7:15-23).

God gave Moses the Mosiac Law (including the 10 commandments) and that Law actually gives sin its power (1Cor 15:56). So no matter how hard we try we will always sin. So for justice to be real and fair, we need to pay for our wrong doings. Of course God is fair and just and so He says that we will have to pay, and the price we have to pay is death. For the wages of sin is death. (Rom 6:23) However, God is also a God of Love, because He is Love (1Jn 4:8) and so He sent His Son Jesus to earth to pay the price, the penalty of death. Jesus went to the Cross, although he had never sinned and did not deserve to die, unlike us, the whole human race. He took all sin upon Himself. God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us (2Cor 5:21). The just (Jesus) died for the unjust (us) so that He might bring us to God.

Therefore once we believe in Jesus and believe what He has done for us, and confessed our sin, we are totally forgiven, and are born again. Everything is wiped clean. Not only do we have a fresh start, we are given eternal life to live with Him and His goodness forever in His kingdom. Thank you Jesus.

Once we are born again and in Christ, we are set free from sin and bondage, and we are truly free (Jn 8:36,Gal 5:1) and totally free from sin (Rom 6:18,). So we are blessed by God that now we have freedom, the freedom to choose. In our freedom we can choose to sin or not to sin. We can choose to drink and smoke or not to drink and smoke, because in God’s wonderful Grace, we’re now not enslaved to sin, but have the wonderful freedom of choice. However, let us not continue in sin that excludes us from the kingdom, and drunkenness is one of these sins (1Cor 6:10, Gal 5:21)

However, both Jesus and Paul, point out that we should not worry about what we eat or drink,(Lk 12:29) as in the Kingdom of God these are not important, (Rom 14:17) but to live righteously, be filled with the grace, love, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (2Cor 11-14)

Therefore, we must do all things in faith, if we think something is a sin, (i.e. smoking a cigarette/cigar or having a drink) then it is sin to us and so we must refrain from it. (Rom 14:23) as we are called nor to sin anymore, and not to be drunk on wine but filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18) and walk in the Spirit, not in carnal flesh.

But at the same time we are not to judge others, but only ourselves, and this is between us and God (Rom 14).

So then this can raise the question at what stage in consumption does the drinker become drunk?

I think I may have asked the unanswerable question, particularly if it is to be asked in a generic sense. However I personally believe that it is when you quench the Holy Spirit. This for some will be just one sip, particularly for those who have stepped over “the line” and have at some point in their lives given alcohol the stronghold by abusing it and then been abused by it . However, there are others who have never been to that point, and can enjoy a glass of wine and still not quench the Spirit.

So dear Brother and sister, the choice is yours, just do not quench the Spirit, but feel free to live and love the Lord, giving thanks for all things, if you smoke, then do it in faith and thank God for each cigarette, just do not become a slave anything, as you cannot serve two masters. If you take a small glass of wine with your meal, again praise God for His wonderful provision.

Finally, we are called to love one and another, and particularly those that are not as mature in the faith as you are. Paul points out if our brothers or sisters are weaker in the faith, then follow their lead and do not please ourselves (Rom 15:1,2) for it is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that will cause your brother to sin. (Rom 14:21)

So for me this is the crux of it, if it is a sin to my brother I will not make him stumble. So personally I am tee total.

Blessings

Caral

I just can’t help myself

I was looking on the Internet earlier today and came across a site with a fabulous tag cloud that rotates round as you move your cursor over and I just had to have one….I sound like a kid.

Look on the left at the top, this tag cloud is powered by Flash technology and I think it looks great!

Normally I don’t touch Flash with a barge pole with my websites because traditionally although very pleasing to the human eye Flash is not normally pleasing to the search engines. In other words Search engines can’t read Flash. But the wonderful aspect of this Flash tag cloud is that it still allows me to output the regular tag cloud for non Flash users and search engines to see the tags as well.

Always remember that I am on hand to create for you the finest church or Christian ministry website on the net

Feel free to contact me for an informal chat.

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