Tag Archives: judgement

Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, Theology, Uncategorized

HEAVEN OR HELL…..WHERE WILL YOU GO WHEN YOU DIE?

As I started to pan this weeks article, I got a message that changed the topic and direction. I got a text from someone that had just lost a good friend. And the sender asked why God would take the friend so soon in life. And why He would not fix the friend’s disorganized mental state. These questions bring up important things we have all asked at one time or another as Christians.

None of us, I believe, are as stoic as Job. His response to loosing everything and almost everyone was ‘God gives and God takes away’. There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.   And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.   His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.   And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.   And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. 
   Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.   And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.   And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?   Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?   Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.   But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.   And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. 
   And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:   And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:   And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.   While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.   While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.   While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:   And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.   Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,   And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. (Job 1:1-22).

We have all asked these questions. Whether is be the loss of a friend, parent, or child. The truth is, God does not always gives an answer as to why. If you read the entirety of the book of Job, You see that God allowed Satan to do as he willed to Job, except take his life. Why? To prove Job’s faithfulness. Job didn’t know this. Nor did God ever explain it to him. In fact, when Job questioned God, God did’t replay with an answer, He questioned Job. (Read Job chapters 38-40)

There are, however, scriptures that enlighten us to things like death. Scripture tells us in Ecclesiastes, ‘To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; (Eccl 3:1-2). God has appointed when we come into this world. And has appointed the time we leave this world. Nobody lives beyond there appointed time. Taking from my own life, I have survived three heart attacks (I’m 54). My father died at 39 from his first heart attack. Everybody goes when God says so.

Another question that arises is, that person was such a good person and died young while this other person is wicked and lives a long life. And while it seems unfair, it brings two answers that are prominent. The first is the fairness of the righteous and the unrighteous suffering the same things. And let it be remembered that while some do good and others do evil, Jesus told us that only God Himself is good.‘And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. (Luke 18:19). We are told in the Psalms ‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Psalms 14:1-3).

What the writer is saying is not that people don’t do good things. He is stating that without God, the human heart and mind are evil, even if they do good things. This is why eternity in heaven is not works based. ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Eph 2:8-9). Faith in Christ produces good works, but just being a ‘good’ person (without faith in Christ) will not get anyone into heaven.

While loosing someone close to us, or seeing innocent lives be taken (murder, war, etc) is a tragedy, the real tragedy is how their soul is at the time of death. And their final, eternal place. Make no mistake, there is a final place that we all go to. HEAVEN or HELL.

Those with Christ as their Savior will be in HEAVEN. Those without, will end in HELL.

And despite what society, and many preachers like Joel Olsteen say, there is only one way to HEAVEN. That is by accepting Jesus Christ and following His commandments. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6). Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved’ (Acts 4:12). Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus (Rev 14:12).

Without having received the grace of God through the saving by Christ on the Cross, HELL is the eternal reward. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,   And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:42).

And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh (Isaiah 66:24).

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.   And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt(Dan 12:1-2).

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:   Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.   And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:   Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.   And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:   Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:43-48).

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:   Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (2 Thess 1:8-9).

Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire (Jude 7).

The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:   And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name (Rev 14:10-11).

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.   And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.   And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.   And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.   And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Rev 20:10-15).

WILL YOUR NAME BE FOUND WRITTENIN THE LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE? OR WILL YOU FACE JUDGEMENT INTO ETERNAL HELL?

SEEK CHRIST NOW WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME. FOR WE KNOW NOT WHEN WE WILL TAKE OUR LAST BREATH.

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Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, Theology, Uncategorized

Desafío, devoción y consecuencias

La humanidad tiene dos elecciones que hacer en esta vida Para seguir a Dios o para desafiar a Dios (que está siguiendo a Satanás).Jesús el Hijo y Dios el Padre han dejado claro a través de toda la escritura, que solo hay estas dos elecciones Una conduce a la vida eterna con Dios, la otra conduce a la condenación eterna.
Hoy veremos una historia en Daniel que ilustra estas dos elecciones Conocemos la historia del rey Nabucodonosor de la antigua Babilonia Sabemos cómo su sueño del estatuto multimetálico fue interpretado por Daniel.
Daniel 2
Y en el segundo año del reinado de Nabucodonosor Nabucodonosor soñó sueños, con los que su espíritu estaba turbado, y su freno de sueño de él Entonces el rey mandó llamar a los magos, y a los astrólogos, y a los hechiceros, y a los caldeos, para mostrar al rey sus sueños Entonces vinieron y se pusieron delante del rey. Y el rey les dijo: He soñado un sueño, y mi espíritu se turbó para conocer el sueño Entonces habló los caldeos al rey en siriaco, oh rey, vive para siempre: di a tus siervos el sueño, y mostraremos la interpretación El rey respondió y dijo a los caldeos: La cosa se ha ido de mí: si no me hacéis saber el sueño, con la interpretación del mismo, seréis cortados en pedazos, y tus casas serán hechas estercolero Pero si muestras el sueño, y su interpretación, recibirás de mí regalos y recompensas y gran honor; por tanto, muéstrame el sueño, y la interpretación del mismo Respondieron otra vez y dijeron: Que el rey diga a sus siervos el sueño, y mostraremos la interpretación del mismo El rey respondió y dijo, Sé con certeza que ganarías tiempo, porque ves que la cosa se ha ido de mí Pero si no me haces saber el sueño, sólo hay un decreto para ti; porque has preparado palabras mentirosas y corruptas para hablar delante de mí, hasta que cambie el tiempo; por tanto, dime el sueño, y sabré que podéis mostrarme la interpretación de ello Los caldeos respondieron delante del rey, y dijeron: No hay hombre sobre la tierra que pueda mostrar el asunto del rey: por tanto, no hay rey, señor, ni gobernante, que pidiera tales cosas a ningún mago, ni astrólogo, ni caldeo Y es raro lo que el rey exige, y no hay otro que pueda mostrarlo delante del rey, excepto los dioses, cuya morada no es con carne Por esta causa el rey se enojó y se enfureció mucho, y mandó destruir a todos los sabios de Babilonia. Y salió el decreto de que los sabios fueran asesinados; y buscaron que mataran a Daniel y a sus semejantes. Entonces Daniel respondió con consejo y sabiduría a Arioc el capitán de la guardia del rey, que había salido a matar a los sabios de Babilonia: Respondió y dijo al capitán del rey Arioc: ¿Por qué es tan precipitado el decreto del rey? entonces Arioc hizo saber la cosa a Daniel Entonces entró Daniel, y deseó del rey que le diera tiempo, y que mostraría al rey la interpretación Entonces Daniel fue a su casa, e hizo saber la cosa a Hananías, a Misael y a Azarías, sus compañeros: Que desearían misericordias del Dios del cielo acerca de este secreto; que Daniel y sus semejantes no perecieran con el resto de los sabios de Babilonia Entonces el secreto fue revelado a Daniel en una visión nocturna. Entonces Daniel bendijo al Dios de los cielos Respondió Daniel y dijo: Bendito sea el nombre de Dios por los siglos de los siglos; porque la sabiduría y el poder son suyos; y cambia los tiempos y las estaciones; quita reyes y establece reyes: da sabiduría a los sabios, y conocimiento a los que saben entendimiento: revela las cosas profundas y secretas: sabe lo que hay en las tinieblas,y la luz mora con él Te doy gracias y te alabo, oh Dios de mis padres, que me has dado sabiduría y poder, y me has dado a conocer ahora lo que deseábamos de ti; porque ahora nos has dado a conocer el asunto del rey Por eso Daniel entró a Arioc, a quien el rey había ordenado destruir a los sabios de Babilonia: fue y le dijo así; No destruyas a los sabios de Babilonia; tráeme delante del rey, y mostraré al rey la interpretación. Entonces Arioc trajo a Daniel delante del rey apresuradamente, y le dijo así: He encontrado un hombre de los cautivos de Judá, que dará a conocer al rey la interpretación. Respondió el rey y dijo a Daniel, que se llamaba Beltesasar: ¿Puedes darme a conocer el sueño que he visto y su interpretación? respondió Daniel en presencia del rey, y dijo: El secreto que el rey ha exigido no pueden los sabios, los astrólogos, los magos, los adivinos, mostrar al rey; Pero hay un Dios en el cielo que revela secretos y hace saber al rey Nabucodonosor lo que será en los últimos días. Tu sueño y las visiones de tu cabeza sobre tu cama son estos; En cuanto a ti, oh rey, tus pensamientos vinieron a tu mente sobre tu cama, lo que sucederá en lo sucesivo: y el que revela secretos te hace saber lo que sucederá Pero en cuanto a mí, este secreto no me es revelado para sabiduría alguna que yo tenga más que ningún viviente, sino por causa de ellos que darán a conocer la interpretación al rey, y para que conozcas los pensamientos de tu corazón Tú, oh rey, viste, y contemplas una gran imagen. Esta gran imagen, cuyo brillo era excelente, estaba delante de ti; y su forma era terrible. La cabeza de esta imagen era de oro fino, su pecho y sus brazos de plata, su vientre y sus muslos de bronce, sus piernas de hierro, sus pies parte de hierro y parte de barro. Tu viste hasta que una piedra fue cortada sin manos, el cual hirió la imagen sobre sus pies que eran de hierro y barro, y los partió en pedazos Entonces fue el hierro, el barro, el bronce, la plata, y el oro, hechos pedazos, y se hizo como la paja de las eras de verano; y el viento se los llevó, que no se les halló lugar; y la piedra que hirió la imagen se convirtió en un gran monte, y llenó toda la tierra Este es el sueño; y diremos su interpretación delante del rey. Tú, oh rey, eres rey de reyes; porque el Dios del cielo te ha dado reino, poder, fuerza y gloria. Y dondequiera que habiten los hijos de los hombres, las bestias del campo y las aves del cielo las ha entregado en tu mano, y te ha puesto por gobernante sobre todos ellos. Tú eres esta cabeza de oro. Y después de ti surgirá otro reino inferior a ti, y otro tercer reino de bronce, que gobernará sobre toda la tierra. Y el cuarto reino será fuerte como el hierro; por cuanto el hierro rompe en pedazos y somete todas las cosas; y como el hierro que rompe todo esto, se romperá en pedazos y moretones. Y mientras viste los pies y los dedos de los pies, parte del barro de los alfareros y parte del hierro, el reino se dividirá; pero habrá en él fuerza del hierro, por cuanto viste el hierro mezclado con arcilla de espejos. Y como los dedos de los pies eran parte de hierro y parte de barro, así que el reino será en parte fuerte, y en parte quebrantado Y mientras viste hierro mezclado con barro de espejos, se mezclarán con la simiente de los hombres: mas no se partirán unos a otros, así como el hierro no se mezcla con barro Y en los días de estos reyes el Dios del cielo levantará un reino, que nunca será destruido: y el reino no será dejado a otros pueblos, sino que romperá en pedazos y consumirá todos estos reinos, y se mantendrá para siempre Por cuanto viste que la piedra fue cortada del monte sin manos, y que rompe en pedazos el hierro, el bronce, la arcilla, la plata, y el oro; el gran Dios ha hecho saber al rey lo que sucederá en lo sucesivo: y el sueño es seguro, y su interpretación segura. Entonces el rey Nabucodonosor cayó sobre su rostro y adoró a Daniel, y mandó que le ofrecieran una oblación y dulces olores. El rey respondió a Daniel y dijo: De cierto es que vuestro Dios es un Dios de dioses, y un Señor de reyes, y revelador de secretos, viendo que podías revelar este secreto Entonces el rey hizo a Daniel un gran hombre, y le dio muchos grandes regalos, y le hizo regidor sobre toda la provincia de Babilonia, y jefe de los gobernadores sobre todos los sabios de Babilonia Entonces Daniel pidió al rey, y puso a Sadrac, Mesac y Abednego, sobre los asuntos de la provincia de Babilonia; pero Daniel se sentó a la puerta del rey.
Pero como veremos en el capítulo 3, el rey decidió frustrar la visión y construyó una estatua de oro macizo y ordenó adoración a la imagen Esto es un presagio de Apocalipsis 13:15 ‘Y tenía poder para dar vida a la imagen de la bestia, que la imagen de la bestia debería hablar ambos, y porque todos los que no adoraran la imagen de la bestia deberían ser asesinados.’
Daniel 3
Nabucodonosor el rey hizo una imagen de oro, cuya altura era de sesenta codos, y su anchura de seis codos: la puso en la llanura de Dura, en la provincia de Babilonia Entonces Nabucodonosor el rey envió a reunir a los príncipes, a los gobernadores y a los capitanes, a los jueces, a los tesoreros, a los consejeros, a los alguaciles y a todos los gobernantes de las provincias, para venir a la advocación de la imagen que Nabucodonosor el rey había puesto Entonces los príncipes, los gobernadores, y capitanes, los jueces, los tesoreros, los consejeros, los alguaciles, y todos los gobernantes de las provincias, fueron reunidos a la advocación de la imagen que Nabucodonosor el rey había puesto; y se pusieron delante de la imagen que Nabucodonosor había puesto Entonces un heraldo clamó en voz alta, A vosotros os está ordenado, oh pueblo, naciones y lenguas, que a qué hora oigáis el sonido de la corneta, la flauta, el arpa, el saco, el salterio, el dulcimer y toda clase de musiqueos, os postráis y adorad la imagen de oro que el rey Nabucodonosor ha puesto: Y el que no caiga ni adore, será arrojado la misma hora en medio de un horno de fuego ardiente. Por tanto, en aquel tiempo, cuando todo el pueblo oyó el sonido de la corneta, flauta, arpa, sacos, salterio y toda clase de musique, todo el pueblo, las naciones, y las lenguas se postraron y adoraron la imagen de oro que había puesto Nabucodonosor el rey, por lo cual en aquel tiempo se acercaron ciertos caldeos, y acusaron a los judíos Hablaron y dijeron al rey Nabucodonosor, oh rey, vive para siempre Tú, oh rey, has hecho un decreto, que todo hombre que oiga el sonido de la corneta, flauta, arpa, cilicio, salterio y dulcémele, y toda clase de musick caerá y adorará la imagen de oro: Y el que no caiga ni adore, para que sea arrojado en medio de un horno de fuego ardiente. Hay ciertos judíos a quienes has puesto sobre los asuntos de la provincia. de Babilonia, Sadrac, Mesac y Abednego; Estos hombres, oh rey, no te han mirado: no sirven a tus dioses, ni adoréis la imagen de oro que habéis puesto Entonces Nabucodonosor en su rabia y furor mandó traer a Sadrac, a Mesac y a Abed-nego Entonces llevaron a estos hombres delante del rey Nabucodonosor habló y les dijo: ¿Es verdad, oh Sadrac, a Mesac y a Abed-nego, no sirváis a mis dioses, ni adoréis la imagen de oro que he puesto? Ahora bien, si estáis preparados para que en qué tiempo oigáis el sonido de la corneta, la flauta, el arpa, el saclo, el salterio y el dulcémele, y toda clase de musique, os postréis y adoréis la imagen que he hecho; bueno; pero si no adoráis, seréis arrojados a la misma hora en medio de un horno de fuego ardiente; ¿y quién es ese Dios que os librará de mis manos? respondieron Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, y dijeron al rey: Oh Nabucodonosor, no tenemos cuidado de responderte en este asunto. Si es así, nuestro Dios a quien servimos puede librarnos del horno de fuego ardiente, y él nos librará de tu mano, oh rey. Pero si no, sé tú, oh rey, que no serviremos a tus dioses, ni adoraremos la imagen de oro que has puesto Entonces Nabucodonosor estaba lleno de furia, y la forma de su rostro fue cambiada contra Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego; por eso habló, y mandó que calentaran el horno una siete veces más de lo que solía calentarse. Y mandó a los hombres más valientes que estaban en su ejército que ataran a Sadrac, a Mesac y a Abed-nego, y que los echaran en el horno de fuego ardiente Entonces estos hombres fueron atados en sus abrigos, en sus mangueras, y en sus sombreros, y en sus otras vestiduras, y fueron echados en medio del horno de fuego ardiente Por lo tanto porque el mandamiento del rey era urgente, y el horno excediendo caliente, la llama del fuego mató a los hombres que tomaron Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego Y estos tres hombres, Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, cayeron atados en medio del horno de fuego ardiente Entonces el rey Nabucodonosor se asombró, y se levantó apresuradamente, y habló, y dijo a sus consejeros: ¿No arrojamos tres hombres atados en medio del fuego? Respondieron y dijeron al rey: Verdadero, oh rey Respondió y dijo: He aquí, veo a cuatro hombres sueltos, caminando en medio del fuego, y no tienen daño; y la forma del cuarto es como el Hijo de Dios Entonces Nabucodonosor se acercó a la boca del horno de fuego ardiendo, y habló, y dijo: Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, vosotros siervos del Dios altísimo, salid, y venid acá Entonces Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, salieron de en medio del fuego Y los príncipes, gobernadores, y capitanes, y los consejeros del rey, estando reunidos, vieron a estos hombres, sobre cuyos cuerpos el fuego no tenía poder, ni un pelo de su cabeza estaba chamuscado, ni se les cambiaban los abrigos, ni el olor del fuego había pasado sobre ellos Entonces Nabucodonosor habló, y dijo: Bendito sea el Dios de Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, que ha enviado a su ángel, y ha entregado a sus siervos que confiaban en él, y han cambiado la palabra del rey, y dado sus cuerpos, para que no sirvan ni adoren a ningún dios, excepto a su propio Dios Por eso hago un decreto: Que todo pueblo, nación, y la lengua, que habla cualquier cosa mal contra el Dios de Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, será cortada en pedazos, y sus casas serán hechas un estercolero; porque no hay otro Dios que pueda librar después de esta especie Entonces el rey promovió a Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, en la provincia de Babilonia.
Las dos elecciones para toda la humanidad están presentes en esta historia Ambos grupos en esta historia muestran las tres partes de elección a favor o en contra de Dios El desafío, la devoción y la consecuencia.
Desafío
Por Dios: Los tres hombres de Israel desafiaron la orden del rey y se negaron a inclinarse ante la estatua.
Contra Dios: El rey desafió el mandato de Dios de tener sólo a Él como Dios.

Devoción
Por Dios: Los tres de Israel dijeron que, aunque Dios no los salvara de la muerte, todavía lo adorarían.
Contra Dios: Los soldados del rey, incluso después de que el fuego fuera más caliente que nunca, se dedicaron a seguir órdenes de colocar a los tres de Israel en el fuego.

Consecuencia
Para Dios: A pesar de ser arrojados al infierno ardiente, los tres no fueron perjudicados, sus ataduras se desprendieron, su vestimenta intacta Pero lo más importante, incluso el rey vio su redención El Hijo de Dios antes de que se encarnara “Lo, veo a cuatro hombres sueltos, caminando en medio del fuego, y no tienen daño; y la forma del cuarto es como el Hijo de Dios.” (Daniel 3:25).
Contra Dios: La elección de seguir las órdenes del rey, costó la vida a los soldados La llama que el rey ordena que se caliente, se convirtió en el juicio de fuego de Dios a los soldados Esto un presagio del fuego final que caerá sobre esta tierra. ‘y cuando los mil años hayan expirado, Satanás será desatado de su prisión, Y saldrán a engañar a las naciones que están en los cuatro cuartos de la tierra, Gog y Magog, para reunirlos en la batalla; cuyo número es como la arena del mar. Y subieron sobre la anchura de la tierra, y rodearon el campamento de los santos y la ciudad amada; y descendió fuego de Dios del cielo, y los devoró.’ (Apocalipsis 20:7-9).

Al ver en esta historia, vemos las consecuencias de a quién servimos Solo hay dos elecciones: Dios o Satanás Si no eliges ser salvo por la sangre de Cristo y seguirLO, entonces sigues a Satanás Incluso si crees que te sigues solo a ti mismo, el desafío a Dios es seguir a Su enemigo, Satanás.
Las elecciones son: Eternidad con Dios en el Cielo o Eterna Condenación en el Infierno.
Josué lo dijo mejor. ‘Y si os parece mal servir al Señor, escogeos hoy a quién serviréis; ya sean los dioses a los que sirvieron vuestros padres que estaban al otro lado del diluvio, o los dioses de los amorreos, en cuya tierra habitáis; pero a mí y a mi casa serviremos al Señor.’ (Josué 24:15)

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Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, Theology, Uncategorized

Defiance, Devotion, and Consequence

Mankind has two choices to make in this life. To follow God or to defy God (which is following Satan). Jesus the Son and God the Father have made it clear through out all of scripture, that there are only these two choices. One leads to eternal life with God, the other leads to eternal damnation.

Today we will look at one story in Daniel that illustrates these two choices. We know the story of King Nebuchadnezzar of ancient Babylon. We know how his dream of the multi-metal statute was interpreted by Daniel.

Daniel 2

And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.   Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.   And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.   Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.   The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.   But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.   They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.   The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.   But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof. 
   The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.   And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.   For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.   And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. 
   Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:   He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.   Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.   Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:   That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 
   Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.   Daniel answered and said,
 Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever:
 for wisdom and might are his:
   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:
   He revealeth the deep and secret things:
 he knoweth what is in the darkness,
 and the light dwelleth with him.
   I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers,
 who hast given me wisdom and might,
 and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee:
 for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.
     Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.   Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.   The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?   Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;   But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;   As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.   But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. 
     Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.   This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,   His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.   Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.   Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 
   This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.   Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.   And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.   And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.   And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.   And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.   And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.   And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.   And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.   Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. 
   Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.   The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.   Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.   Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

But as we will see in chapter 3, the king determined to thwart the vision and built a statue of solid gold and commanded worship to the image. This is a foreshadowing of Revelation 13:15 ‘And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.’

Daniel 3

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.   Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.   Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.   Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,   That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:   And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.   Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 
   Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.   They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.   Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:   And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.   There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 
     Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.   Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?   Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?   Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.   If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.   But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 
   Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.   And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.   Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.   Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.   And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.   Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.   He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 
   Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.   And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.   Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.   Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.   Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

The two choices for all of mankind are present in this story. Both groups in this story show the three parts of choice for or against God. The defiance, the devotion, and the consequence.

Defiance

For God: The three men of Israel defied the order of the king, and refused to bow to the statue.

Against God: The king defied the command of God to have only Him as God.

Devotion

For God: The three of Israel said that, even if God would not save them from death, they would still worship HIM.

Against God: The soldiers of the king, even after the fire was hotter than it had ever been, were devoted to following orders to place the three of Israel in the fire.

Consequence

For God: Despite being thrown into the blazing inferno, the three were not harmed. Their binds came off, their clothing untouched. But most important, even the king saw their redemption. The Son of God before he became incarnate. “Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” (Daniel 3:25).

Against God: The choice to follow the king’s orders, cost the soldiers their life. The flame that the king order to be made hotter, became the fire judgment of God to the soldiers. This a foreshadowing of the final fire that will fall on this earth. ‘and when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,   And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.   And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.’ (Revelation 20:7-9).

Seeing in this story of history, we see the consequences of whom we serve. There are only two choices: God or Satan. If you don’t choose to be saved by the blood of Christ and follow HIM, then you follow Satan. Even if you believe you follow only yourself, defiance of God is following His enemy, Satan.

The choices are: Eternity with God in Heaven or Eternal Damnation in Hell.

Joshua said it best. ‘And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ (Joshua 24:15)

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Christianity, Current events, faith

Repentance and Revival

The current social shift of western society has become to be known as being woke. But, we have to awaken, not be woke. Paul writing to the church in Ephesus (Ephesians 5:14) wrote, ‘Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead. And Christ will shine on you.’ One could assume that Paul was speaking in the idea of the resurrection. But it can be seen he wasn’t. Arise from the dead is referring to earlier in the letter (Ephesians 2:1) where Paul states that members of the Ephesian church are dead in their sins. And the use of awake brings instantly to mind Jesus’ message to the Pharisees when He opened the eyes of the blind man in John 9. “And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” (John 9:39)

This article is to revisit true awakenings and revivals. What led to them, what they consisted of, and the outcomes. It will also show how some ‘revivals’ are not revivals, but only emotional gatherings.

The Great Awakening (US)

The Great Awakening went from the 1720s to the 1740’s (roughly). Many of our denominational founders came from this time period. We will look at two of the main participants of this Christian revival, although there were many.

The first is Jonathan Edwards. Born in the early 18th Century in Connecticut, he came from a Christian household. Like many Christians through history, he struggled with the bliss that comes with forgiveness, but also understood the struggle of conviction of the sin in his life.

Ordained in 1727, he became the pastor of a church in Northampton in 1729. He preached mainly on repentance, and started seeing things in his town change for the better. In 1741, Jonathan Edwards gave, what even today is considered the greatest sermon in this country, the sermon ‘Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God’ in Enfield, Connecticut. The sermon was based on the scripture of Deuteronomy 32:35 “Their foot shall slide in due time”.

In this sermon, he made two points that need shared for understanding the Great awakening and its results, as well as for society today.

  1. Speaking of those who have not repented to God and turned from their inherently depraved life, he stated “They are already under a sentence of condemnation to hell. They do not only justly deserve to be cast down thither, but the sentence of the law of God, that eternal and immutable rule of righteousness that God has fixed between him and mankind, is gone out against them, and stands against them; so that they are bound over already to hell. John iii. 18. “He that believeth not is condemned already.” So that every unconverted man properly belongs to hell; that is his place; from thence he is, John viii. 23. “Ye are from beneath.” And thither be is bound; it is the place that justice, and God’s word, and the sentence of his unchangeable law assign to him.”
  2. At the end of the sermon, he called for repentance. “Therefore, let every one that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come. The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over a great part of this congregation: Let every one fly out of Sodom: “Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed.”

The second man we will look at is George Whitefield. Whitfield was the son of a tavern owner in England. At 17, he entered Oxford University. While at university, he for the ‘Holy Club’ with men who would become great preachers of the Great Awakening, John Wesley and Charles Wesley. At the age of 25, he returned to America after several visits and became known as the boy preacher. He became friends with Benjamin Franklin. At one service, Benjamin Franklin (by report) stated he could hear Whitefield preaching a half mile away. Another time Franklin stated in a journal entry “From being thoughtless and indifferent about religion, it seemed as if all the world were growing religious, so that one could not walk through Philadelphia in the evening without hearing Psalms sung in different families of every street.” He also had estimated that Whitefield could be heard clearly by up to 30,000. (This without the modern aid of a sound system).

His message ‘Repentance and Conversion’ was based on Acts 3:19, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord”. The last few lines of this message speak clear and ring as true today as they did when he himself spoke them. “If it is asked why a person should repent and be converted, I answer, “Because without conversion, there is no way to be happy after you die.” You must be converted or be damned. That is plain English, but not plainer than my Master used. I did not speak the word as strongly as He did when He said, “He that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16). That is the language of our Lord.

Some have said that hell is only a temporary punishment. Who told them so? God grant you may never know the meaning of Jesus’ words “I never knew you” (Matt. 7:23) by awful experience! Conversion makes you happy in eternity, and without it, you are damned forever.

But you say, “All in good time. I do not choose to be converted yet.” Why? What age are you now? Suppose you are fourteen. Do you not think it time to be converted? There was a young man buried last night who was seventeen. Are you forty or fifty? Is that not the time? There was a poor woman who died suddenly two or three days ago. God grant that may not be the case with any of you. The only way to prevent that is to be enabled to think that “now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2).

It is a mercy that each of us has not been in hell a thousand times by now. How many are in hell that used to say, “Lord, convert me–but not now”? The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Now can you blame me for calling after you? Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken! God help you! Save yourselves from a wicked generation!

If you are damned for lack of conversion, remember that you are not damned for lack of warning. Thousands have not had the gospel preached to them, but you have heard. If there is a deeper place in hell, God will order a gospel-despising church member to be put there. You will have dreadful torments. Of him to whom so much is given, much will be required. How dreadful to have minister after minister say, “Lord God, I preached, but they would not hear.” Think of this, professors, and God make you possessors!

You young people, I charge you to consider. God help you to repent and be converted. He woos and invites you. You middle-aged people, O that you would repent and be converted. You old, grey-headed people, the Lord make you repent and be converted. O I could preach until I preached myself dead. I would be glad to preach myself dead if God would convert you! May God bless His work on you that you may blossom and bring forth fruits unto God. Amen.

Second Great Awakening (US)

The second Great Awakening surged from the late 1700s-through the 1800s. A preacher proclaimed in this period ‘How many thousands . . . never saw, much less read, or ever heard a Chapter of the Bible! How many Ten thousands who never were baptized or heard a Sermon! And thrice Ten thousand, who never heard of the Name of Christ, save in Curses . . . ! Lamentable! Lamentable is the situation of these people.

This second US awakening was heralded in by statements like this, “Revivals, of a more or less general nature, have taken place in many parts, and multitudes have been added to the church. . . . From the west, the Assembly have received intelligence of the most interesting nature. On the borders of Kentucky and Tennessee, the influences of the Spirit of God seem to have been manifested in a very extraordinary manner.”

Camp meetings were started ( at least in name) during the early 1700’s. The first real place of revival (1800) was the Red River Meeting House in Kentucky. The preacher was James McGready. This was known as the the Great Revival, and the kickstarter of the Second Great Awakening.

Charles Finney became the face of this awakening. His message ‘True and False Repentance’ was based on 2 Corinthians 7:10-11. ‘For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.’ 

The first few lines of the sermon demonstrate what repentance is and how the unrepentant sinner sees repentance. ‘True repentance involves a change of opinion respecting the nature of sin followed by a corresponding change of feeling toward sin. Feeling is the result of thought. When this change of opinion produces a corresponding change of feeling, if the opinion is right and the feeling corresponds, this is true repentance. Godly sorrow, which God requires, must spring from His views of sin.

To one who truly repents, sin looks very different than it does to him who has not repented. Instead of looking desirable or fascinating, it looks odious and detestable. He is astonished that he ever could have desired such a thing. Impenitent sinners may look at sin and see that it will ruin them because God will punish them for it. But it still appears in itself desirable. They love it. If it could end in happiness, they would never think of abandoning their sin.

But one who truly repents looks at his own conduct as perfectly hateful. He looks back and exclaims, “How detestable and worthy of hell my sin was.”

Sinners don’t see why God threatens sin with such terrible punishment. They love it so much that they cannot see why God thinks it is worthy of everlasting judgment. When sinners are strongly convicted, they see sin in the same light as a Christian does. Then all they need is a corresponding change in feeling to be saved.

Many sinners reflect on their relationship to God and know that they deserve eternal death, but their heart doesn’t agree with God’s opinions. This is the case with the demons and wicked spirits in hell. A change of opinion is indispensable to true repentance and always precedes it. There may be a change of opinion without repentance, but no genuine repentance occurs without a change of opinion.’

The last four lines of this sermon remind us of what it takes to be truly repentant and saved. ‘If you are willing to give up sin, you are willing to promise to do it and willing to have it known that you have done it. But if you resist conviction and still love your sins, all your convictions will not help you. They will only sink you deeper in hell for resisting them. Let us pray that this is the evidence that our repentance is genuine’.

Closer to my home and our time was one of the 20th Century’s greatest revival preachers. Billy Sunday, from Iowa, was former baseball player with the Chicago Whitestockings (The Chicago Cubs). During an outing in 1886, Sunday stopped into the Pacific Garden Mission (Still in operation and producer of the still running radio program Unshackled). He converted and then attended Jefferson Park Presbyterian Church.

He started his evangelism career around 1896. Sometime around 1910, he bought a home in Winona Lake, IN.  Sunday’s homespun preaching had a wide appeal to his audiences, who were “entertained, reproached, exhorted, and astonished.” Sunday claimed to be “an old-fashioned preacher of the old-time religion” and his uncomplicated sermons spoke of a personal God, salvation through Jesus Christ, and following the moral lessons of the Bible. Sunday’s theology, although sometimes denigrated as simplistic, was situated within the mainstream Protestantism of his time. (wikipedia)

In a video capture at one of his revivals he stated’ “Civilization and society rests on morals. Morals rest on religion. Religion rests on the bible, faith in God, and Jesus Christ. America needs a tidal wave of the old time religion.”

Repentance in Scripture

The prophets of the Old Testament (including John the Baptist) spoke of the need of the children of Israel to repent. The Holy Spirit leads to a deep conviction of personal sin and then leads to a true conversion of the heart. This message from the Holy Spirit came through prophets.

Nathan and King David. “Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said, “There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.“The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.“But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nourished; And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom, And was like a daughter to him.“Now a traveler came to the rich man, And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd, To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him; Rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die.He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.”Nathan then said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul.I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these!Why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.’”Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.”So Nathan went to his house.” (2 Samuel 12:1-15)

Jonah and the Ninevites. Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them.When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. (Jonah 3:4-6)

Joel.“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning;And rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness And relenting of evil. (Joel 2:12-13)

John the Baptist. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.(Matthew 3:2)

Jesus Christ. “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13:5)

Peter. Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:37-38)

John, while on Patmos, wrote on repentance twelve times from the message of the Revelation of Christ.“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary.But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. (Revelation 2:1-5)

We see people wanting revival, but don’t understand revival comes through Repentance (even by the saved) and prayer. So that brings into question ‘revivals’ like Asbury in Kentucky earlier in the 2023 year. It started after students did not leave after a short chapel sermon. While those in attendance (for two weeks and many arriving during that time) stayed and showed some questionable actions, there is a question of a true revival or just emotionalism.

While emotion is usually part of conversion and restoration, it also requires a couple things. One are messages on the Gospel. The preachers of the old time revivals and awakenings didn’t just speak one message and that was it. The spoke multiple times during the events. They also called for true repentance and conversion. From video and some witnesses, none of those components were present. Conversion does not happen without repentance.

If revival is truly wanted, then we hit our knees in fervent prayer, look into ourselves and repent of any hidden or lingering sin, have a true conversion of the heart. And don’t put God in a time frame (most revivals have set days and hours).

And during the message preach repentance (Luke 13:5) and Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23-24). Because no sermon is effective unless it leads back to the Cross of Christ and the cleansing blood shed for us.

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