July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Judgement is sure to come (09/07/07)
Letter to the Editor
To the editor:
We are a nation under judgment, and where is the church? For the most part it is asleep. She is complacent and at ease, polluted with the desire and materialism of the world (Revelation 3:15-17).
In a recent poll, most Christians in America have lost their sense of a holy God. Vast numbers of church members do not know that He is present, active, available and knowable to them.
Fifty percent of the 100 million who attend church each Sunday have no assurance of their salvation. Ninety five percent are not familiar with the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit. The reality of God seems far removed from everyday life and for many people, God is a mental concept to consider on Sunday mornings.
What has caused this condition in the church? One of the greatest reasons is that the truth is no longer preached behind the pulpits in America. Francis Shaffer said more than 30 years ago that the pulpits in America are not speaking the truth (God's word) into our churches and into our culture.
America is under siege. Tens of millions of Americans seem ensnared by an evil mindset. The evidence is everywhere we look. Crime, abortion, divorce, violence, suicide, drug addiction, alcoholism, teen pregnancy, lust, pornography, adultery, sodomy and homosexuality run rampant. Airwaves carry sex into the living room and condoms are distributed to our children in the public schools. America is slaughtering tens of millions of unborn babies in the womb.
Officials and powerful forces within our country are fighting vigorously to expel God from our schools, the Ten Commandments from our courts, and want to make it illegal to mention the name of Jesus in our government meetings.
It is amazing how that name moves the universe and makes people uncomfortable. So what does a loving God say to a nation going astray? I love you and return back to Me, but I am removing my hand slowly from you and you will reap the consequences. This was spoken of in II Timothy 4:2-4, that the church would not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
They will turn away from the truth - they speak about God's love, mercy and forgiveness. He is all of that, but they leave out hell, judgment, wrath and the message of repentance. And because of a weak pulpit, we have weak churches and a weak nation that is only a mirrored reflection of a weak, sick church.
We have millions of people that go to church every Sunday that are religious, but have never been saved. Read John 3:1-26. You can go to hell with baptism waters dripping off of your face; you can go to hell with a communion wafer in your hand; you can go to hell with a choir robe on your back. Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23: "Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. Many will say that to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in Your name and in Your name drive out demons and perform miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers."
We here in America have been brought up to believe just say this little prayer and then you are OK with God; live the way you want. Sorry! God is looking for some serious obedience. He's the one who came up with the idea in Matthew 7:13-14 about narrow gates and narrow roads, not me.
So what is God saying to America and the pastors and churches? There is no fear of God before your eyes in this nation and in my church. Therefore, in His great love for the nation and His church, he will allow chastisement and in His church He said I will bring chastisement and a harsher sentence on these shepherds ... pastors that are leading people astray because of the compromise of God's word.
We need to turn back to God. We have only a short time to repent.
Pastor Terry Bye
New Covenant
Fellowship Church
Rural Portland[[In-content Ad]]
We are a nation under judgment, and where is the church? For the most part it is asleep. She is complacent and at ease, polluted with the desire and materialism of the world (Revelation 3:15-17).
In a recent poll, most Christians in America have lost their sense of a holy God. Vast numbers of church members do not know that He is present, active, available and knowable to them.
Fifty percent of the 100 million who attend church each Sunday have no assurance of their salvation. Ninety five percent are not familiar with the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit. The reality of God seems far removed from everyday life and for many people, God is a mental concept to consider on Sunday mornings.
What has caused this condition in the church? One of the greatest reasons is that the truth is no longer preached behind the pulpits in America. Francis Shaffer said more than 30 years ago that the pulpits in America are not speaking the truth (God's word) into our churches and into our culture.
America is under siege. Tens of millions of Americans seem ensnared by an evil mindset. The evidence is everywhere we look. Crime, abortion, divorce, violence, suicide, drug addiction, alcoholism, teen pregnancy, lust, pornography, adultery, sodomy and homosexuality run rampant. Airwaves carry sex into the living room and condoms are distributed to our children in the public schools. America is slaughtering tens of millions of unborn babies in the womb.
Officials and powerful forces within our country are fighting vigorously to expel God from our schools, the Ten Commandments from our courts, and want to make it illegal to mention the name of Jesus in our government meetings.
It is amazing how that name moves the universe and makes people uncomfortable. So what does a loving God say to a nation going astray? I love you and return back to Me, but I am removing my hand slowly from you and you will reap the consequences. This was spoken of in II Timothy 4:2-4, that the church would not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
They will turn away from the truth - they speak about God's love, mercy and forgiveness. He is all of that, but they leave out hell, judgment, wrath and the message of repentance. And because of a weak pulpit, we have weak churches and a weak nation that is only a mirrored reflection of a weak, sick church.
We have millions of people that go to church every Sunday that are religious, but have never been saved. Read John 3:1-26. You can go to hell with baptism waters dripping off of your face; you can go to hell with a communion wafer in your hand; you can go to hell with a choir robe on your back. Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23: "Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. Many will say that to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in Your name and in Your name drive out demons and perform miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers."
We here in America have been brought up to believe just say this little prayer and then you are OK with God; live the way you want. Sorry! God is looking for some serious obedience. He's the one who came up with the idea in Matthew 7:13-14 about narrow gates and narrow roads, not me.
So what is God saying to America and the pastors and churches? There is no fear of God before your eyes in this nation and in my church. Therefore, in His great love for the nation and His church, he will allow chastisement and in His church He said I will bring chastisement and a harsher sentence on these shepherds ... pastors that are leading people astray because of the compromise of God's word.
We need to turn back to God. We have only a short time to repent.
Pastor Terry Bye
New Covenant
Fellowship Church
Rural Portland[[In-content Ad]]
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