The Manner of Paul, his Gospel and his Preaching

Acts 28:25:31 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,

26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:

27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.

30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, (Paul being an ambassador, inviting and receiving people into his home, preaching those things which concern Jesus Christ.)

31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

Much has been said about Paul the Apostle. Paul has been pigeonholed by many.  Made to something he wasn’t.  We must make sure our assumptions of Paul are accurate and biblical.  Paul is so important to the body of Christ, as far as his example, and his letters.  “Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ”.  Paul didn’t say this to tell us to imitate what we see in Christ.  We are a peculiar people, yes.  Paul, and the Apostleship was a spectacle in his ministry (I Corinthians 4:9) not us.  

He followed Christ, but never imitated Christ.  He believed the prophets concerning Christ but never imitated them.  Paul was brash and hard in his own way, but you do not see unnecessary disrespect, or judgmental condescending as men claim to find in Paul.  Men do not realize, that Paul’s manner is directly contrary to this spirit we see today among many Fundamentalist of the baser sort.  Men think this way of Paul to have reason and excuse to be vitriolic and angry preachers.

The Dumb Ass Speaking

Every time I see a news story like the one I saw the other day, “Street Preacher Arrested”, I think to myself, “Another “dumb ass” was arrested!”  Another street preacher gets arrested so he can proclaim how bad America is.  Another man that felt called to tell some their sins got arrested.  

And many of you care now more about the fact that I said the words dumb ass then you care about the emulations, frowardness and great reproach coming from these lunatic, fringe street preachers!  Do we preach to incite?  Do we peddle conflict?

Men are not being arrested for preaching Christ, but for being a undiscerning, forceful, intrusive, delusional martyr-complex-holding mad men!  Another preacher denied rights to others while exercising his right to preach!  Another glory hound sought an occasion of the flesh, to fulfill his fleshly desires of notoriety and fame.  

Another idiot saw a group of people and made them his God called congregation!  Another dolt ambushes a captive audience.  Another street preaching jackboot thug bushwhacks the public!   

I really wish, I mean I really wish my conscience would allow me to place 2 Peter 2 at your feet street preachers when it comes to this topic.  I mean, you guys place crazy verses at the feet of common people all the time stripped of their context, so you can take a little of what you dish out!  You men are in BAD company if you are finding your actions in line with 2 Peter 2, but you seem to fit the bill to the “nth” degree. 

Protesting the World or Proclaiming the Savior?

The image selected is that of a young Bob Grey.  Like many Fundamentalist then and now, they have people in the world they attack and preach against.  For him it was Elvis.  For many preachers today, it is all sorts of nonsense that tends to nothing but laboring in vain and wasteful ministries.  Yeah I said it!  What? 

In the sense of public ministry, us servants of the Lord, are we (watch as I wax homiletical) Protesting Sin, Provoking Sinners, Promoting Wrath or Proclaiming the Savior?  There seems to have been this recent rash of confrontational sensationalism among our ranks.  Whether it is in the pulpits, pushing for decision by any means necessary, or it is on the streets, ranting and raving about all sorts of sins and unrighteousness.  We are out of the way, thinking we are promoting the way.  Who's world do you think this is?  

Some years ago I remember quite distinctly, Christians, Protestants, Catholics, and even a state power, the Vatican, all came together as one protesting "Brokeback Mountain" at the theaters worldwide. Many across the nation in protest of this film could be seen holding up signs with negative “sodomite sayings” and the typical, verses of scriptures to lay at the feet of any unrighteous believer.  We have our ammo ready all the time.

As I watched it play out, I observed many men attempting to inaudibly speak through a megaphone over the noise of 100 cars driving by with their windows up.  In my view, this would only attract more attention to the spectacle!  But what do I know right?

Good Works and Working for God

I selected this image with careful consideration to deal with something head on in our ranks which is elitism and  hypocrisy in our leaders (and I know you hard-core, militant uncompromising preachers will get ruffled seeing a bare breast, or a nipple slip, at least you will have something to preach about Sunday!) There  is a  predominantly fixed mindset and problem which we will get to, that has run through the local churches  like a rash over the last 2o years.  You protest so much and take such offense, and yet when someone tells you that you and your cronies have been sucking off the same protestant, Fundamentalist teat for decades, it just doesn't register.

It's like a preacher I knew took his shoe off one Sunday moring and chunked it across the room on the wall where it left a scuff.  No one knew what to do!  Did he loose his mind? He was making a point and said, "Now some of you care more about the fact that I scoffed the wall, which I meant to do, then the fact that..." and then he proceeded in his point.  A great illustration!  

This woman in the image is doing a great work for God! Much like Tabitha in Acts 9. Tabitha was full of good works, alms deeds, She used her talents and gifts while SHE was with them.  She made coats and garments, while she was with them.  She used her members.  The body of Christ was established on this in Acts.  Simply gifts and talents being used to minister to others.  She didn't stand out.  Most likely poor to boot. Simply doing what she could.  This is a work of God.  That was a ministry.  That was her calling so to speak.  

We are Christians not because we say we are or go to this church or that church.  People in the NT were called Christians because they shone forth fruits of righteousness associated with Christ. He desires us to have his fruits of righteousness, as in the holy spirit actually bearing those fruit in us, so that we can have fruit unto God and unto perfection.

Judging a Unrighteous Judgment

You may have seen some street preaching men with signs that say;

REPENT, Fornicators, Homosexuals, Liars, Thieves, Masturbators, Obama Voters, Buddhist, Dirty Dancers, Hindus, Gangster Rappers, Muslims, Drunkards, Feminists, Immodest Women, Democrats, Liberals, Evolutionists, Atheist, Potheads, Sodomites,

HELL AWAITS YOU!

I think they about covered everyone! Needless to say, it is evident our public ministries are not bringing in the public! Now, in regards to the above sign, Hell only awaits those who have rejected Jesus Christ and his blood atonement!  

People read these few “lists” in the Bible of groups of people that aren’t allowed in the Kingdom of Heaven without realizing that NO sin will pass over that eternal veil.  It’s why we must be born again.  That’s what this and other passages are simply saying.  Heaven is a Holy place with a Holy God.  Sin will not enter in because we will have glorified bodies, like Christ, when we reside in glory.  Dolts!

Addicted to the Ministry (Not what you think)

An addict in anything is a unusual study that reveals plain truth.  Many times, they will not change even facing their own mortal death.  Christians can have many of the same traits as a drug addict does when stuck in traditions of men. Men and women can be addicted to the ministry, but not a bible way.  They won’t leave positions, or change anything from the status quo.

I Corinthians 16:13-18~Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

14 Let all your things be done with charity.

15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)

16 That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.

17 I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.

18 For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.

We often hear this phrase, “addicted to the ministry” applied to the joys of the ministry.  And how the men in the ministry  love it.  I can’t even tell you how many times I have heard this sentiment.  Men boast of this.  This should be alarming. They have to talk about how hard it is to so that we don't see through the game!  

"They addicted themselves to the ministry!"  This has been  roared from the pulpit many times by the preachers in our churches. They rarely reference the text or companion passages, and they rarely finish the verse which states  that they “Addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.”  

Fade to Black ~ Part 5

Evolution is just another form of intellectually masked, pagan worship, and it exist only to deny the one, true, Creator of all, God the father.  Pagan worship has evolved over thousands of years in to a more modern sophisticated form of teaching.  Whether it is a NASA scientist or a Harvard Evolutionary professor, the religion they preach is what pays their bills.  They will never leave it, and will defend it harshly, and quite thoroughly.  

Back to our original point in all this, it is why Geocentricty is the world view of the solar system.  It perpetuates the educational conundrums of our day.  Look at the state of our nation since the inception of Higher learning. Sixty plus years without prayer or God,  now we follow other nations instead of lead.

Clarence Larkin - “For a long time it was supposed that the Sun of our solar system was  stationary, and that the planets and comets circled around it.  But now we know that it is NOT stationary, but it (the sun) is circling, with all the members of our Solar system around some central point in the universe”

“He left not himself without witness”

It is understood that the predominant view is geocentricty, however I believe in heliocentricity, because it seems to be the position the bible takes. The following verses emphatically indicate that the Sun is indeed moving as stars do, and the Earth is a footstool, immovable, and fixed in it’s location.