Not by feelings

Ok, since I obviously can't come up with something from my life to blog about every day, I'm going to do another one of my "preaching" posts.  I think I've mentioned before that I love our preacher!  Our pastor has had some medical issues recently so we have another preacher from our church filling in alot now.  No one can take the place of my pastor, but this preacher is great in his own way too.  He teaches during his message instead of just a bunch of inspirational stuff that some people do.  He uses references that the average person can relate to and uses visual aids to help get his point across.  Last Sunday was no exception.  It was a great message as usual and I want to share a little bit of it with you!

His text was
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the OLD PATHs, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
Jeremiah 6:16

He was talking about walking in the old paths, or studying the old ways.  We believe in using the King James Bible only, because it is the Holy Ghost inspired, completely error-free word of God himself.  You know that old saying "don't fix it if it ain't broke"?  Well, that's kind of what we are getting at.  If the KJV bible was enough for men 2000 years ago, then it should be enough for you and me today.  If we just read and study and pray for discernment, God will allow you to understand everything you need to know exactly when you need to know it.  He doesn't expect everyone to be able to pick up the Bible and pick a verse and know everything there is to know about it at that exact moment.  He wants us to read and pray and yearn for the wisdom to understand, because that ultimately brings us closer to him.  And everything we need to know about God and being a christian is in the bible. 

The thing is, times have changed SO MUCH and people think the bible needs to change too.  People are getting so concerned with being politically correct or not hurting anyones feelings.  It seems like everything today is based on how you feel.  As long as it feels good or right, it's ok.  If it makes you uncomfortable, then it can't be right.  People are using this excuse to do anything they want to do.  The bible is very clear on right and wrong, but due to the way some people choose to interpret it, they can make it seem like wrong is not that bad.  But that's just it.  It's a person's own interpretation that gets them in trouble.  If you pray and ask God, he will show you what something means and he will convict your spirit of what's right and wrong. 

One example that I see alot of
*drinking alcohol 
The bible says in Numbers 6:3 He shall separate himself from wine and STRONG DRINK, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of STRONG DRINK, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. 
Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, STRONG DRINK is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Too me, it's pretty clear that this means it is not biblically right to drink alcohol.  Period.  In today's society one might say "well, I don't think I'm going to hell if I have a drink once in a while.  It's ok in moderation." 

The bible says it's wrong to have sex outside of marriage.  Today's society says "well, we're engaged.  We'll be married soon, so it's ok.  We'll just do it now, and ask forgiveness later." 

The bible says everyone should tithe their 10% to the church.  I mean 10/90 where you get the 90 is not a bad deal.  Today's society says "I know what to do with my hard earned money.  And the church might do something with it I don't agree with.  With the economy like it is, I think God understands that I just can't afford it right now."

The bible says the only way to get to heaven is by believing with your heart that Jesus died and arose, and asking him forgive you of all your sins. Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt CONFESS with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  Today's society says "Just believe whatever feels right to you, and trust in a higher power and be a good person and surely you will make it to heaven."

The bible says there is a hell, and if you are not saved you will go there when you die.  Today's society says "hell is too ugly to be real.  It's just a way to scare people.  God couldn't be mean enough to send anyone to hell.  Only murderers and really bad people could ever go to hell."

The bible says homosexuality is an abomination.  It is not right, period.  Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.  Today's society says "God loves everyone.  Being gay is something you are born with.  You can't help it.  It's old-fashioned to believe that way."




I could go on and on about how the world has changed their view of things to suit how they feel rather than going by what the tried and true tested word of God says.  No one wants to feel like they are ever wrong or doing anything bad.  No one wants to get their toes stepped on at church. 

Well, let me just say that it doesn't feel too good in that moment when God convicts your heart and you realize that you are a sinner on your way to a real place called hell with real fire that burns.  But I will also say that it feels amazing when you learn that Jesus took your place and died so that you could be saved from an eternity in hell, and that God loves you enough to take care of you and teach you the right way to live and that you will one day go to a glorious place called heaven to live for all eternity. 

The point is that not everything about being a christian is happy and easy and comfortable.  Sometimes you have to make sacrifices and give up things that you like or do things that you may not like so much.  But Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us, so is it really that unfair to have to give up that glass of wine with dinner, or quit listening to certain music, or give 10% of the money that God helped you make by providing you with a job?  God never said he would make the road completely straight with no bumps, but he did promise to direct your path, which means he'll go before you and help you along the way.  That sounds like a pretty good deal to me!