The god of this world (satan) owns most of all so-called Christianity of today. He has everyone parked and comfortable in the pews watching rock concerts on Sunday morning. Jesus didn't bless any one country ( mound of dirt ) over another but today the religion of patriotism rules. Yes, it is a religion. Wouldn't Patriotism be considered the religion of the USA when it tries to use Christianity for it's credibility ? Jesus tell us we can only love one or the other but not both. We are either in His Kingdom or the World. John 15:19, 1John 2:15- How can we reconcile this or how this can  be ? And when those who refuse to pledge allegiance to something other than Christ Kingdom are persecuted wouldn't we have to consider them just like those who fled Europe to be free of  forced patriotism to some other religion ? Just posing questions.

Jesus sat down and spoke to the multitudes and laid out how to enter into His Kingdom. Matt 5-7 ( Sermon on the Mount ). I suggest that those who thinks I'm making something up get their Bible out and go to Matthew.  Sit and read, no not the commentary but God's Word written for you.  How to treat one another, our Enemies, Divorce, Forgiveness, willingness to peacefully die to illustrate His love.  God had this written for you to understand.  All things He commanded He illustrated Himself. He told us as He ascended to Heaven to Disciple, Baptize, and Teach them to follow His Commands.  All these things His Disciples did including giving no resistance to being killed for keeping His commands.( in His Name)just as Jesus did for us.  Not to take away from our fallen soldiers of today but it seems that only the ones who die while killing others or a brother ( yes, there are Christians in other countries) are considered hero's but those who are willing to be killed without resistance ( not killing someone) instead showing the love of Christ as he instructed  are considered cowards ?. That's of satan because that's completely in reversal of what Jesus is commanding everyday people of His laws. No confusion here. All completely in context.

I know...All we have now wouldn't be if we didn't kill others to keep it. That's probable true but Jesus said if we follow Him we wouldn't have it and  would live in persecution.  What we have now is the opposite of His description of a Christian.  Maybe we having refused to submit to His way, having fought and killed to make our mortal and worldly lives so good and pleasant that we seem to forget that we were supposed to have given it up illustrating the same willingness to peacefully die for Him....Didn't he say " For whoever wants to save his life will lose it,  but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it "...... Seems we are fighting for the wrong life. The one Jesus promises is not of this world.

......Hummm.. this opposite thing seems reoccurring doesn't it ?

Why do we so easily doubt the Words of Christ as written ?  A possible reason for what could be termed " subconscious doubt" may be that on Sundays after the rock concerts the modern day Christian gets to hear someone they trust tell them " surly that doesn't mean" or " that doesn't mean" or they will blindly accuse someone of taking something out of context if it questions something that is contrary to what they teach, even though they are unable and unwilling to define the context of their belief. To most, if you can't reconcile words with their definitions but rather someone's opinions then subconsciously one's will to read more on their own is diminished. At a minimum all else read will be in question. One's faith in God will never reach it's potential if it's totally dependent on one's faith in a preacher's definition of words that are different than what is printed. I suggest you no longer respond by reading a verse that is offered but read the whole book or letter for it's complete context. After all the Bibles books and letters weren't written nor ever intended to be chopped up and dished out one sentence at a time. This was some printers idea in the 15th century. Hummm... the 15th century..a lot happened to Christianity in that era.  I wonder if that's why they called it the "Dark Ages "  

The reason for subconscious  doubt may be that on Sundays after the rock concerts the modern day Christian gets to hear someone they trust tell them " surly that doesn't mean" or " that doesn't mean" or they will blindly accuse someone of taking something out of context if it questions something that is contrary to what they teach, even though they are unable and unwilling to define the context of their belief.

The main reason for this is the government in Rome who's non-believing Emperor Constantine hijacked Christianity in 325. He basically denied the commands of Christ what all the first century church elders  ( many 1st century church elders were taught and discipled by the Apostles ) were taught to be taken just like Jesus said them. They then killed those who believed what Jesus said. In the 15th century with Martin Luther in Germany, there were actually nightly burnings of the saints ( human torches) along the Rhine valley in Germany.   And then with John Calvin, who for the love of money chose being a lawyer rather than a priest. Calvin basically took it upon himself to try to rewrite the Bible with his own commentary discrediting large portions of Gods words to customize it to his own lifestyle.  As you can see all three refused the commands of Christ that condemned their own life styles and then killed the so called heretics who didn't follow Constantine,  Luther, or Calvin's perverted beliefs but chose to follow Christ commands.  From that point on man constructed centuries of  traditions that perverted the churches real mission and many designed to deceive those who joined into thinking they can continue to sin and still go to heaven,  Jesus warned of these . 1John covers them extensively. And yes the traditions of men are defended as sacred in many churches today and when  most leaders I have challenged for some scriptural reference for their preaching tradition as Gods law can't provide any Biblical reference yet still defend it. Leading many to feel like a sinner over a mis-informing paid speaker. Jesus warned of these when He said when speaking of some teachers of the law: " These people honors me with their lips, but their heart  is far from me, and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men"

 
.... Hummm.. this opposite thing will seem to reoccur just keep reading.

The Church was for ever to become an arm of government. If you can control a religion you can control the people. All rulers from Constantine on demonstrated some form of this. The greatest powers like Hitler's Germany used Luther's form of religion as it's strength to command the hearts of people to kill. Why do you think the atheist leaders of the collapsed USSR immediately started printing Bibles on their old military bases ? Yep, I was one who thought " hey we won them over to Christ" but now I understand. They realized their only chance at maintaining control over the people was to control their religion.  People fled to this great land of America to escape the government form of religions in Europe but guess what folks..........yep.  It wasn't long and then. CHRISTIANITY IN THE UNITED STATES TOO WAS TAKEN OVER AND TODAY 99.9% OF ALL CONGREGATIONS THAT CALL THEMSELVES A CHURCH ARE NOW GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS. (501.C.3'S) CHURCHES. STATE CONTROLLED CHURCHES WHOSE LEADERS SOLD OUT THE RIGHT TO SPEAK FREELY IN EXCHANGE FOR MONEY. PERIOD. Like the other things above this isn't taught from the pulpit but today as people are finding out that this nations first president may really be  muslim the government controlled churches can't preach or warn it's congregations about it. Not legally and if they deify the law they are then sinning for doing so and breaking an oath.

Hummm.. this opposite thing seems reoccurring doesn't it ?   

Yes, their is a true God and Yes, He gave His Son as a ransom for our souls. Yes, by grace He forgives us of our sins but according to Christ own words ( over and over) we have to keep His commands to stay on the vine. This is were satan has entered the church. 90% plus today follow Constantine, Luther or Calvin's form of their religion that deceives and covers up or discredits what Jesus says in His word. That's why when people read their Bibles they see the conflict because what's preached, taught and acted-out  doesn't reconcile with the Words of Christ. This lingering doubt causes lack of real faith and forces most to no longer pursue truth but rather concentrate on the social aspect of church. Because of this lack of real faith they only trust their own ability to provide their needs and  completely ignore what God has to say about  what money  is authorized to be collected and used for.  They will hire outside companies to run a non-scriptural high pressure capital funds campaign asking the whole congregation to go into worldly debt and post banners on the inside of the church buildings that says "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal"  but then turn around and take the congregations borrowed money and use it to  Build a treasure on earth, that moths will eat and rust will eventually destroy it and where thieves break in and steal.  Kind of looks like satan found the way to let those in the world raise up go forward, commit and then quietly snatch them back and make them feel comfortable in their lack of their responsibility to follow through, just as long as they keep paying the preachers salary and the interest to the bank for the buildings they idolize.  All wrapped up and everyone seems PROUD , happy and working hard.  91%  the world way and ~ 9% for the Lord. Comfortably and quit.


The modern  church no longer will wait on God but choose to become slaves to the world by borrowing money to build big shrines and temples of comfort while leaving the simplest of responsibilities up caring for( children and the elderly) each other up to the worldly world. ( multi-million dollar buildings). It may be of no surprise that 90% plus of a modern days church resources, both human and fiscally go's to none scriptural purposes like worldly but comfortable Real Estate to sit in a few hours a week, Worldly bank interest, maintenance, paid speakers. Less than 10% go's to things that are scripturally commanded like, missionary and benevolence.

 Hummm.. this opposite thing seems reoccurring doesn't it ?

The fastest growth of Christianity happened when the Church operated in the way He prescribed.  When people met in small groups in each others homes. When all contributed to their meeting and all were constantly discipling others just as Christ did and instructed.  When they had elders in the community and deacons who served the physical needs of the brothers and sisters. When seemingly ALL (  not ~9% ) of their giving went to the support of the needy and missionary work.   When everyone met in homes and  brought a psalm, an instruction, a revelation and all things were done for the edification of the the Church.  When everyone were disciplining.  When they lived in Christ Kingdom He came to preach and not the worldly kingdom ( Politics, Hollywood, NFL etc. ) that satan designed to distract us.  WOW ! .

 Just ask yourself what 10 time the giving to the needy would accomplish for His Church.
Ask yourself what strength in resistance to temptation would be built by those who are in a small close family church disciplining environment.

Ask yourself what 10 time the missionary work would do in this world of despair ?
How many more souls would be reached ?   For just practical reasons ask yourself what placing your importance in Christ Kingdom and not in the worldly kingdom will do for your stress level ?

But most importantly ask yourself what placing your importance in Christ Kingdom and not in the worldly kingdom will do for your salvation?
It's no wonder why the world is in such a mess. Since satan deceptively  hijacked the church in 325 and finally scramble it to his will in the 15th century's, it's been all his way ever since. Those who choose to live according to God's Words and Commands have been persecuted and killed by satan's religious ones from that time on

If you want to seek the truth you first must remove yourself from all existing deceptions and become teachable. Step back from all you have been taught and preached and reevaluate your world in accordance with the Words of Christ.

Review your life, your church, your family all form a Scriptural perspective. Look for yourself. Can you find them in God's Word. Can you find your Church in the New Testament ? Can you find you In the New Testament ? Your Family ? Your life style ?

Hummm.. this opposite thing seems reoccurring doesn't it ?

I will say this. When I started that journey I found that all there  was were  commentary's  written by men so far removed from the scene by time that I soon began to understand how His church got so misplaced. I found the writings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers fathers to be the closet witness to Jesus and the apostles. They were the elders of the first and second century church.   In the early church the elders would write each other and share these letter among all the congregations, just as the apostles did.  Men like Ignatius, Clement, and Polycarp, who were personal disciples of the apostles. Even though they weren't considered divinely inspired they do present the most accurate view of what those who spoke with and were closest to the apostles believed. They also spoke and read Greek and understood how to abide by the His Words. No mis-translations.  Strangely enough in the vast majority of cases they were unanimous and took the Words of Christ extremely literally just as we would expect ours to be taken. No confusion and just simply as written. Yes this may seem to be hard to the worldly raise Christian but to those true followers they relished in them and obeyed His commands.  The full 10 volume set at http://www.amazon.com/Ante-Nicene-Fathers-10-Set/product-reviews/1565630823      I  found an excellent resource to be a topical reference guide to over 700 topics found in those letters. http://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Early-Christian-Beliefs/dp/1565633571    This is like listening in on those who lived it and new how to live the truth.  Not to replace Gods Word but just to affirm His truth for your self.  Everything else on can turn to is only commentary. I also know that in studying history the close the source to the events the more accurate the the information.  The only scriptural support is that the one reoccurring thing God illustrates is that the longer in time form Gods direct contact with man the further away from the truth man gets. Over and over again. So I look to the first century elders for some insight on what was meant by the God inspired writers who taught them.Just for reference. Now read the four gospels, Read 1st John and to get a good understanding of the condition of the modern day church and man today and the cause for it read the Book ( letter ) of Jude.  All this will take a couple of hours. Shut the TV off. 

 I will have to add when taken as written and not filtered through a modern conciliatory adaption to the world it all becomes extremely clear and everything meshes. Like any letter or instructional book when take like it was written there are no contradictions or confusion and easily understood. It's amazing how different the truth is from what the Calvin and Luther based seminaries teach the paid speakers of today.   It's even more amazing what comes to life when you no longer value your human life more than your salvation.

Everything I've provided here along with statistics and the history is easily confirmable with minimal research.  Some on-line sources of the early church are http://www.ecmarsh.com/    and   http://www.cob-net.org/anabaptism.htm  and  Google John Calvin and Martin Luther.  Also a great inspirational look at today's Church is Keys to Kingdom Expansion.

I will repeat.  Yes, there is one true God and Yes, He gave His Son as a ransom for our souls. Yes, by grace He forgives us of our sins but according to Christ own Words ( over and over) we have to keep His commands to stay on the vine. If we truly love Him we will strive to do just that with all our hearts and efforts. It's not to late.  No matter where you are in your journey of faith your sincere  search for His truth will  lead you to understanding His will. If that understanding brings growth and change in your walk then be prepared to walk the righteous path and don't look back.

Pick up the phone and invite people over Sunday. Men need to structure their meeting as instructed by the Bible. When one home fills up have someone who is qualified to be an elder open his home up. Just as it was all designed to be.  Keep in touch and don't be separate.  Direct the needs of others to each other so each can give as the spirit directs him.  Reach out and evangelize and disciple others to bring them to the truth.  Keep your eyes upon the Lord and not things of the world.

 Like Jesus warned us our friends and family may reject us so be prepared to face ridicule for the sake of Christ. It most likely will come first from someone with a financial stake in the religious industry. After all following Jesus the way the Bible instructs will leave Millions unemployed and they won't go away quietly. I Pray all would come to the truth and turn away from the worlds church.