NEW LIFE: A MONTH OF VERSES: JANUARY 22, 2017

VERSE: "Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you....(Genesis 12:1)...' Abram took.....Lot his nephew, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, and the persons which they had acquired in Haran, and they [set out for the land of Canaan; thus they came to the land of Canaan. (Genesis 12:5).

EQUATION: Doing exactly what God says = Less hassle + headaches.

ACTION: God specifically told Abram to leave his relatives behind and go. He was only supposed to take his wife. Abram (not yet Abraham) took Sarai (Sarah) and much more, including his nephew Lot. The result of this error of slight disobedience is all kinds of trouble with Lot to the point of parting ways with him, and Lot eventually becoming steeped in the culture of Sodom, even though God rescued him from its destruction. Lot's young daughters' immorality with him, eventually led to the birth of the pagan nations of Moab and Ammon (Jordan etc). For us, this means one thing - do exactly what God says, as far as Abram and secondly, do not be as greedy and eager to partake in the fleshly lusts and temptations of this world, even if you're a real Christian. In other words, do not be like Lot!

PRAYER: Most High God, blessed be Your Name in ALL the earth. You call many out of the pit of despair from pagan and lost lands, families and backgrounds and You give life, hope and purpose to them. You make promises which are always true and never to be broken. But we, in our broken, sinful and rebellious condition always violate Your commands and either ignore Your specific instructions or do not follow them, as You intend. Lord, today, in this new year, give us clean hearts to obey You, clean minds to listen to You and clear thoughts to execute the plans You have specifically put before us, that it will go well with us and Your Perfect Will be done. Forgive us for all the times we have disobeyed Your extremely clear commands and instructions and paid the price. You continued to rescue us, like You did with Abraham, because You love us so much. Make us more like Christ, Who always did what You wanted and help us to see with Your eyes, the things we are called to do, to the Praise and Glory of Your Name, amen.

(Graphic Credit Here)

THE MODERN LAODECIAN CHURCH

From my Plumbline TV Show on 1 Timothy 4: 10- 16 (NASB)

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The word Laodecia is Greek for "justice of the people".....from the combined words - LAOS (the people) and DIKE ("judgment or decision").  It was a wealthy community in Asia Minor which is very similar to the United States primarily and western civilization in general. It had a form of religion without the God of religion. Its pride, wealth and corruption caused the Lord Jesus to deliver the most memorable of the Seven Letters to the Church from the Book of Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3.

Jesus said to the Church of Laodecia as He is saying to the dysfunctional American church today: 

The Lukewarm Church (Revelation 3:14-21)

14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,

‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Because American church leadership has gone AWOL on all fronts - Biblical/Cultural and Societal - we are losing our youth to the culture of death and this perishing world. Intolerant liberalism is using public education system to brainwash the second generation in a row in godlessness; evolution and deviant sexual behavior. More is taught in school about how to violate standards of decency and health than how to think critically or do math and science. 

Then, while Christians are persecuted and the leaders of society violate the Word of God constantly while using it to perform unrighteous deeds, American pastors stay silent and by their silence, give free passes to those who persecute the body at an alarming rate. American church leaders remain silent as Christians are persecuted and killed in Nigeria, North Africa, Asia and elsewhere. They will be judged harshly for coveting their comfort more than caring for Christ's community of believers worldwide. American celebrity pastors, whose names will not be mentioned here - because they are not worthy of it - have left their first love. They are the descendants of the the Lukewarm Laodecian Church and have a lot of 'splaining to do one day.

Because of the Spiritual condition and worthless leadership, the next generation of believers are in mortal dangers of their souls being lost forever. The latest Barna surveys have confirmed all that we are witnessing as anectodal. 

We must change before the Age of Grace comes to an end. 

We must do our best to rescue our young people before it is too late. 

We must stop playing games. 

We must stop trying to be like the culture and instead, starting acting like the men and women of God we are commanded to be - Holy and Apart from it, even while living in this perishing world.