Tue, Jun 30th - 1:00AM

RECOVERY

Brothers and sisters,  we know the list of addictions amongst mankind would be way too long to list for the purpose of this study. It is understandable that the first thing many of us think of as relating to addictions would be drugs and or alcohol. Yet the “nice” people’s addictions are rarely discussed with any passion and there are no public outcries against it or public agencies established specifically to treat obesity.

In a sense, obesity along with tobacco addictions are the step children of the recovery movements which gives them a nod with various types of online and in person self- help groups. These “nice” addictions have many enablers, holy people,  including the obese themselves and they all have their own form of denial. No one will arrest the obese for contributing to their children becoming obese and the illnesses that accompany obesity. The obese/enablers will never publicly confess that they shortened their own lives and/or caused their own medical problems and/ or enabled others to do the same. The “nice” people’s addictions is medicalized as opposed to drug/alcohol addictions which is criminalized.

I am not saying that this is not justified in many cases. However, brethren, we know that it is highly unlikely that anyone will ever be fired for showing up having had a gut busting meal,  or arrested after a bout of overeating driving down the freeway the wrong way causing injuries, or passed out in the streets, or holding somebody up for their subway sandwich.

 Interestingly, holy people, is the rise of the fat acceptance/anti-discrimination movements seeking to normalize obesity. They are not getting much traction with the public in the face of the long standing well documented medical evidence that obesity causes many types of illnesses such as heart disease, gall bladder disease, stroke, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, and a variety of cancers, this list is not exhaustive.

Only s small portion of people suffer obesity caused by heredity, hormonal and other medical conditions. We know the cause of obesity is ingestion of too much food and too little exercise. Obesity gives an early warning as it is capable of being observed and therefore is open to prevention. Obesity is a problem among some in the church, which is not to condemn, but shows the on going need for us to teach, guide and support one another in following God’s plan for dealing effectively with this issue.

love

serola 

Wed, Jun 24th - 9:56PM

RECOVERY

Mark 3: 31There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. 32And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. 33And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? 34And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 35For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

Brothers and sisters, thanks be to God not only for the families we are born into, although I know, sadly, there are some who cannot and only use the term for their family very loosely, and some of them might not belong to our forever family. Nevertheless, thanks be to God for our forever family given to us through faith in Lord Jesus Christ. Dearly beloveds, raise your hand if you can give God thanks for the brothers and sisters who at some point(s) in your life or through your life, kept your foot from slipping, and caught you and lifted you up; even if it was done harshly sometimes, it was always done out of love.  I raised both of mine. Praise God who has the world’s biggest and eternal family.

My mind goes back from time to time of that brief meeting with the gentleman whom, aforementioned, hoped to build a life out of the ashes. He was brutally honest, no excuses, he had come to the place where he profoundly understood that the hands that had set the fire that burned his house down to ashes were his own. He thought the phoenix would serve tentatively as a  symbol to use but freely admitted he did not really know how he would get his life to go forward in the right way, just that he felt strongly he would find a way. I went to look up what the phoenix bird was. I discovered that there was one big problem I don’t think the gentleman knew, the phoenix bird always unescapably degenerated back to ashes at some point, as many times as it arose from its own ashes. Many use the phoenix as a symbol not knowing the whole truth regarding this mythical creature.

Holy people, some, unfortunately, never come to a place in life where they feel any guilt or take responsibility for being the cause of their own problems in life. The Bible warns against hypocrisy: Romans 2:3 KJV

3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

Perhaps some who just smoke can feel smug and relieved that they never did drugs and or alcohol.  They never put a gun to anybody to rob them to get money for drugs. Smokers can see themselves as “nice” and “good”. Brethren, please, do not ask me why the study is taking this direction. I have a general idea for most studies, but through faith in Jesus Christ, I count on the Holy Spirit of truth to lead me in all of them. Let us not look down on people seeking and needing help and let us not hesitate to seek help from God and one another when there is a need and the wisdom to know the difference between constructive helping and foolishly enabling.

It’s a common human failing and easier to see the flaws in others, brethren, but fail to recognize them in ourselves. I am of, course, not omniscient, brethren, only God is. Although there might be some,  I have never heard any smokers publicly say that by their smoking they caused themselves to have strokes,  gave themselves and others cancers, heart attacks, retarded the development of their children’s lungs, gave them asthma, and caused sudden infant death in their newborns. There are those who struggle in vain to quit smoking, and some who successfully quit smoking, and others who keep smoking in denial of its terrible consequences to them and all who are exposed to their smoke.

Unlike the alcoholic or drug addict, many who cause well documented injuries and or deaths, the smoker will never be arrested or tried for the injuries and deaths their smoking has caused. Strangely? The Bureau of alcohol, tobacco and firearms and explosives (ATF) among its duties is the prevention of tax evasion of alcohol and tobacco products, in 2020 its budget was 1.274 Billion dollars. Despite all the damages that cigarettes cost, the government still wants its tax cut on the profits even of illegally sold tobacco products.

Despite the cost of smoking, the American Lung Association, and the American Cancer Society’s well documented hard evidence of the dangers and consequences of smoking there are no programs, no clinics, no hospitals dedicated to help a smoker quit. Usually there are just a doctors private office or a general clinic along with  lists of self-help advisements on steps the smoker and or their loved ones can take to help them stop smoking.  

There might be reasons for this, dearly beloveds, off the top of my head, brethren, it might be that smokers are not seen as a physical threat of personal violence or dangerous reckless behavior that the drug addict or alcoholic is known to be to society at large by well documented hard evidence.

The secular world only sees the Bible as applying only to ethereal things, but brethren, we know better the Bible is the comprehensive final message of God, the Creator/ Owner of the earth and all that is in it. He has set the bounds of both the spiritual and temporal. God’s absolute word is relevant in every aspect to the lives of the saved and unsaved alike, to the world and every aspect of science and nature itself. He has appointed us through the gospel, to prepare all the people that we can for His new eternal world to come where only the righteous can dwell.

Holy people,  we know that God is in control, this doesn’t mean Christians are not free to enjoy this present world (but without excess), or vote whether we do or don’t, or run for office or not, it is our free choice as long as we comprehend, brethren, that: Dan 4:17 - This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, let us walk, teach, and warn that men should trust in God and not trust in themselves for all who do so shall fail.

Proverbs 16:25

Romans 6:21

love

serola

Wed, Jun 17th - 12:55AM

RECOVERY

Brothers and sisters, I suppose some might ask why didn’t the spouses just insist that its members not drink at all if they did not know whether or not they could drink responsibly. Some might even think my family wrongly enabled these members to sin, and were too soft on them, and should have left them to suffer any consequences for their drinking, regardless if it meant their spouses and children would be impacted too.

None of my family members, dearly beloveds, condoned drunkenness, but there was no way they were going to take their hands off of family and allow them to sink or swim under those circumstances. The true sin would have been for those who felt they might have trouble with alcohol would have been for them to keep it secret and not accept help under family authority, and for my family not to give the strict help needed. Personally, for myself, brethren, if I had a problem with alcohol, I just would not drink period. I know some might think it is easy for me to say this having never been a drinker.

Brothers and sisters, most certainly we feel compassion for people trapped in addictions. However, we have to speak the truth in love, because innocent people can be negatively impacted by our choices good or bad.

Brothers and sisters, statistically there are many kinds of addictions in America that impact the users and society in a negative way. According to United States government data: Widely and legally available, Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States. Nearly 40 million U.S. adults still smoke cigarettes, and about 4.7 million middle and high school students use at least one tobacco product, including e-cigarettes.

Holy people, according to the CDC: Secondhand smoke is the combination of smoke from the burning end of a cigarette and the smoke breathed out by smokers. Exposure to secondhand smoke raises the risk -- by as much as 30 percent -- that others will get lung cancer and many other types of cancer, it can lead to emphysema, and it is bad for your heart. Smoke makes your blood stickier, raises your "bad" LDL cholesterol, and damages the lining of your blood vessels.

Secondhand Smoke and Death:

 Exposure to secondhand smoke causes an estimated 41,000 deaths each year among adults in the United States: Secondhand smoke causes 7,333 annual deaths from lung cancer.  Secondhand smoke causes 33,951 annual deaths from heart disease. Secondhand smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals. Hundreds are toxic and about 70 can cause cancer. Since the 1964 Surgeon General’s Report, 2.5 million adults who were nonsmokers died because they breathed secondhand smoke. There is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke.

It is unlikely, brethren, that a smoker will hold anyone up to get money to buy cigarettes. Smokers will not likely be impaired so that they cannot operate a vehicle, a plane, work or carry out other functions or raise a family. Nevertheless, smoking as we easily see, is far from harmless. Smoking illness costs the United States impaired lives in addition to $300 billion yearly and 170 billion for direct medical care for adults. Ironically the United States makes 12.46 billion dollars a year in tax revenues. Holy people, we know that all addictions are just various forms of countless sins in the world.  Brothers and sisters the Bible is true it is impossible for God to lie: Sin damages and sin kills.

Galatians 6:8

https://www.biblestudytools.com/concordances/treasury-of-scripture-knowledge/galatians-6-8.html

love

serola

Sat, Jun 13th - 6:34PM

RECOVERY

Brothers and sisters, I met a gentleman who shared with me that he had problems with addiction that marred his life. It deeply touched me as he shared his hopes that someday he would rise from the ashes of his life, like the phoenix who was reborn out of its own ashes.

I had not thought much about addictions, but this encounter stirred up memories of a few of my family members having a problem with alcohol. I was raised in a really big Christian family, we lived in a small community in the country, not even on the map. We lived not off the land but with the land, taking no more than what was needed. We trusted God’s word, no one in the family drank, although it was possible to make wine and or alcohol, we never did.

When we moved to the city, some of my family members discovered alcohol, and this troubled their spouses greatly. Their spouses called on the family for help and we all confronted the drinkers with scripture and they received it well, agreeing, asking for our help, They were taken down to the only tavern for miles where the tavern keeper was sternly warned to never sell them liquor ever again. 

Holy people, we understood that the Bible did not forbid drinking, but excess and drunkenness. My relatives felt they could not trust themselves to drink responsibly and allowed their spouses to take their liquors and control when and how much they would be allowed to drink, one or two shot glasses once a week, then the liquor was taken and hidden away.

We had one relative, a bachelor, who periodically would out of shame disappear to drink to drunkenness in secret. When this was discovered, he agreed he had to have our help and would do whatever was necessary. He agreed to quit work and gave the family his money and moved in with family members to help him. We provided everything he needed, we knew something was really wrong with him and despite keeping all alcohol from him he still had periods when he would somehow get a hold of a bottle of alcohol and out of shame would drink to drunkenness in secret, the family would not rest until he was found, brought back home and sobered him up. Sadly, this family member’s drinking took a toll and he got really sick; only then did he finally stop sneaking away to drink. As a child observing all the love, wisdom and care showed to my vulnerable relatives, I grew up with a secure sense that if I had vulnerable areas in my life, I did not have to be ashamed or afraid to ask my family for help, when I needed it.  

Rom 15:1 - We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

1 Thes 5:14Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all [men].

Interestingly the Bible mentions a good kind of  addiction: 1 Co 16:     15<1161> 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<2532> That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with [us], and laboureth.

Dearly beloveds we can please God by devoting ourselves to the good cause of ministering to our brothers and sisters in need, as well as in other areas to all men, according to scripture within the standard of Jesus Christ, as laid out within the unchanging boundaries of the new covenant.

Now, brethren, we know the Bible counsels that anyone operating under the influence of alcohol is called a drunkard, and is not to be allowed in the church in a drunken state nor to fellowship with: 1Co 5:11 - But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

Deu 21:20 - And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.

A habitually intoxicated person under the influence lacks self- control and is not able to offer or be able to participate anywhere  including the church, in any meaningful way socially. They also are not to remain in the church to disturb and or influence others to do the same things.

Saints, (G40 hagios), this may seem to be the ending of this study, but it is just the beginning. It will progress as the Holy Spirit teaches and leads, for I know Lord Jesus Christ has more to say to us His people about this and even all matters common to men.

love

serola

Wed, Jun 10th - 11:59AM

CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Brothers and sisters, initially, on the surface the parable that Jesus spoke seems short and simple. Upon digging into it, however, it reveals itself explicitly, without confusion in a way that is amazing and filled with great hope. The owner of the vineyard is God. God is in control; He has put His Son and only appointed Saviour/Mediator/High Priest Jesus Christ in charge of His vineyard. No excuses or reasons are given for why the tree despite all the nourishment it has been given has failed to develop any fruit. There are no explanations given such as the poor tree ought to remain, because it had a bad start in poor soil early in its life, or that well it looks good maybe we can keep it as an ornamental:  Rom 1:20.

The reality, saints (G40 hagios), although this might shock some is that there is coming a time when one who claims to be a believer will either bear good fruit or be plucked up by God and cast into the fire of hell when they die. Dearly beloveds, we cannot fail to understand the urgency of the gospel message of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Jesus has hired us to partner with Him in His work, we are commanded to understand the urgency of His message and our work. We are to diligently spread the gospel, and nourish the growth of all believers with the teachings, preaching of the gospel which includes living the word publicly and privately, care of the poor, love for one another and all men.

 We must present the whole gospel message and not present it as a syrupy sentiment and a psychologized focused on just giving people a problem free life.

At the end of the day, holy people, we are explicitly commanded by God to present the gospel message of love and truth in its entirety: It is God’s final offer of love to save all who believe in His and the only appointed Saviour Jesus Christ to be forgiven of all sins and saved from the wrath of God to come. If it is not about Jesus Christ, brethren, it is about nothing at all. God gives no one authority now or ever to add to or take away from the word of God.

Lke 11: 23He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.

love

serola

Tue, Jun 9th - 2:40PM

CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Brothers and sisters, in this exchange between Jesus Christ and those bringing him the bad news about those Galilaeans aforementioned, and Jesus’ response in telling about the accidental deaths of those whom a tower fell on, he absolutely refrains from blaming these victims for being the cause of their own deaths. Jesus knows the Law, for He is the very Word of God. He could have warned those who brought Him the bad news to save themselves by quoting: 2Ch 7:14

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Jesus does not do this; for He more than any man knows that the Law cannot save, but only curse, condemn and punish. He refuses to and is loath to condemn. Holy people, it goes without saying that we the people of God must keep in mind that there is only ONE way for people to be saved and that is through the free gift of grace of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. If there are any preaching the Law for grace, I pray they will repent and obey God and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ not the Law of Moses, as God absolutely commands.

Jhn 3: 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

The only true condemnation of people, brethren, is for them to reject Lord Jesus Christ the only one appointed by God to bring salvation to all who believe in Him.

Lord Jesus follows through with a parable: Lke 13: 6He spake also this parable; A certain [man] had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung [it]: 9And if it bear fruit, [well]: and if not, [then] after that thou shalt cut it down.

This is a short parable, dearly beloveds, but it carries forth the intense reluctance of the vineyard dresser to give up trying to bring a barren tree to the place where it might actually bear fruit and avoid being condemned, plucked up and destroyed by the owner of the vineyard. Yet, we can understand the concern of the owner of the vineyard with a non- productive tree, which might mean the tree was defective/diseased and could also be a source of contaminating destruction to his whole garden.

The owner was therefore not making a frivolous decision for he had been patient in waiting and monitoring the tree for a long while in vain. It seemed advisable for the owner to get rid of this tree and put something in its place that would bear fruit. It is extraordinary that the vineyard dresser would in every sense make strong intercession for such a tree, willing to do everything in his power, even extra things to save the tree from condemnation, in spite of its long duration of infertility.

It is clear here, brothers and sisters, that the vineyard owner is God and the dresser is Jesus Christ.  To be continued.

love

serola

Mon, Jun 8th - 6:36PM

CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Brothers and sisters, I ponder if some find a bit of relief in jumping to the conclusion that when bad things happen to people it’s always pay back for the bad things they have done. Although it might be true in some cases, always blaming the victim perpetuates an ugly myth that bad things only happen to bad people, so good people don’t have to worry about bad things happening to them. Hmm what does the Bible teach? Jesus said: Mt. 5: 10Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Jesus said: Jhn 15: 18If the world hate you, ye know {5720} that it hated me before [it hated] you. 19If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. 23He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

1 Jhn 3: 13Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

Dearly beloveds, God fears no one and we His people are not afraid, we hate no one but even love our enemies. The body of Christ has the right to speak out on the same things that the Bible speaks out about. The great danger comes when Christians join with non-Christians whose interests are very narrow, and often hostile to the gospel message and God’s people. In fact, some of them blame Christianity falsely for many evils in the world.  We can help improve some things in this present world, but neither we nor anyone in the secular world is going to permanently fix or heal the world once and for all. That is not the gospel message. This present world is doomed, evil exists and it will get worse and worse. God will have the last word and the final answer for this world and all that are upon it. Holy people, we must allow nothing and no one to stop this message and the only solution to the whole world.

We have a limited time to get the gospel message out to save all that we can through Lord Jesus Christ,  while the door is still open. We must teach our children the bible, before they enter the secular education system which serves as an organ of anti -Christian indoctrination and false science of feeling based biology. Be sure to promptly opt your children out of their so- called sex education which promotes early sexual intercourse without benefit of marriage, abortion, and denies biologically determined bi-fixed genders. Monitor carefully their homework materials and books too. It is very likely that outside tutoring for your child will be necessary as most of these schools do a poor job of teaching children what they are actually paid to do i.e. to master reading, writing, and math.

love

serola

Sun, Jun 7th - 7:01PM

CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Brothers and sisters, initially we teach children and all new believers alike in simple easy ways for a child and all new believers to understand, and as they develop and mature, we fine tune our teachings to help them understand them in a comprehensive way so that they can sensibly and actively carry out and apply the teachings in practical, ethical ways in their lives. The Bible clearly teaches that there are terrible injustices going on in the world and will continue until He returns.

Holy people, although the speakers did not directly state why they told Jesus of the horrific things that befell these Galilaeaens, its pretty clear that Jesus understood in their thinking they thought it was because these victims were great sinners. As mentioned earlier Jesus totally rejected the idea of seeing all victims as somehow deserving whatever happens to them being punishment from God.

Again and again, holy people, as desperate as many of us are to end injustices in the world, always noting that the Bible never teaches passivity nor tolerance in the face of evil in the world, God commands us to understand that according to the word of God,  the world despite various actions to change things even through liberation wars etc, will never be “fixed” to make a world where all people will cease being evil, but instead love one another and thus bring peace to the whole world, and a cessation to all of its injustices.

Governments, we know can become or be corrupt, cruel, oppressive and so depraved, that human life is of little or no value and people, all or certain among them are treated  even worse than animals and suffer great harm and injustices under this type of rule.  The Bible again and again, speaks against injustices and oppression, nevertheless, as bad and wicked as Caesar and his successors were we find this:  Phl 4:22

All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household.

Dearly beloveds, we see the power of the gospel to save, and that the power of the gospel can never be bound, here we see by household it means not the servant quarters, but the family residing in the home. We do not know the names of these saints (G40 hagios), or whether Caesar himself was among them, but certainly some of his family members were converted from worshipping Caesar to becoming worshippers of the true God, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus neither speaks of feeling sorry for these victims, nor does he rage against Caesar, the vicious perpetrator or call for a revolution against him or his successors:  Mar 12:17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.

We know that Lord Jesus cares about His creations and has great compassion for all those who suffer, but He is teaching something here very fundamental that ultimately the Adamic sin nature only has one cure, and that this cure is not automatic but available to all who believe in and on Him. Furthermore, there is a strict, eternal division, better eternal insurmountable chasm fixed by God, that separates the kingdom of God from the kingdom of men forever, and whatever belongs to the kingdom of God is absolutely never to be given or conferred upon nor to the kingdom of men. Obviously, brethren, this means that those who belong to Christ are absolutely commanded to understand, and know that He absolutely forbids the temporal world to be commingled with His eternal kingdom. Only one king and one kingdom will stand forever and that is the kingdom of God alone.

God does not prettify the gospel, it is irrelevant that some think it harsh, there is no syrupy sentimentality, there is no political correctness, there is absolutely no compromises, multiple choices, or plan Bs to the gospel message. God guarantees His curse and everlasting destruction, to any who unrepentantly dares to pervert His eternal message of salvation.

love

serola 

Tue, Jun 2nd - 9:26PM

CHILD DEVELOPMENT

(Strong’s KJV) Lke 13: 1<1161> There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Brothers and sisters, we don’t know why these people told Jesus about these horrific incidents, or even if they knew that Jesus’ ministry first began there in Galilee. However, Jesus explicitly warns them not to judge people who suffer these horrific things as being due to the retribution or punishment of God because they were more sinful than other people.

Dearly beloveds, we know that God is in no wise callused regarding the deaths of His creations, but He wanted His hearers to get the big picture-God’s big picture painted bluntly, explicitly. Yes people are doing horrible, evil things to other people in the world, yes people are dying in shocking accidents, but there is a death far, far worse than any other, to die in sin having rejected the Saviour Jesus Christ, the only source of forgiveness and escape from eternal damnation.

I want to give a shout out to the ministries who for years have been going out into the community preaching the gospel message, non- stop. Praise God, when your buildings were filled with over flowing you did not buy a bigger building but raised up and ordained ministers to go out to start other churches so that many more would hear the gospel and be saved. I know, brethren, the media will not call on you to comment when something terrible happens, because they know you are going to preach the gospel, instead of giving worldly explanations for why bad things happen to good people, or why there is evil in the world. Nevertheless, the only one who matters, God knows you and your names are written in His book of life forever.  Thank God also for you brothers and sisters who tirelessly stand on corners, visit restaurants, stores, libraries, near transit entrances preaching the gospel, and handing out tracts you have copied from scripture. God will never forget your good work.

It might appear that Lord Jesus went off topic here when He responded that anyone who does not repent will likewise perish. One might ask what could be more horrible or worse than to die as these people had died?

Brothers and sisters, Jesus never condones evil done by the lowly nor by those who are highly exalted among men . We know that in due season God will render complete justice once and for all upon the face of the whole earth to those who do evil. The Bible does not teach passivity in the face of evil and injustice, nor does it teach that the Bible is to be perverted from God’s plan of salvation to one limited to social justice only, although social justice is contained within the teaching of scripture, holy people we are never to lose sight of God’s big picture for the whole world. love, serola