GOOD PEOPLE

                                                              GOOD PEOPLE

This is a futuristic message: it is a message for all good people, whether Christian, other faith or any combination. There are so many people who are not committed to Christianity or mistakenly believe they are Christians, that you need to understand "good people." In the course of business, handling regular tasks associated with family life and required services, we meet good people. If you are a real Christian, you pray they will be "touched" by the hand of God and receive salvation. They are usually believers in God or a Supreme Power, but hesitate or oppose a Christian commitment. They are easily offended by an attempt to convert them. Christ did not overwhelm people and exhibit any show of force to spread the saving message He brought. Christians should not think they are special and above anyone of any other faith. That is especially true because God can and does "touch" people as He chooses.

If you know the four gospels that outline Christ's teaching, you will understand that He taught togetherness AND separation. Now you think I'm a bit "untouched." Scripture is true, and He says this very same thing, if you take the time to understand why He taught this double reasoning. I'll write this now, and you can check out the validity through scripture: God determines the entry to Heaven, and some people will gain entrance as explained in John 6:44. "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day." Because someone has not prayed the sinner's prayer or become a named Christian is no reason to think someone will not enter Heaven. God makes that choice, and He has the last word. Christ tells us in Matt. 24:36 that ONLY the Father knows the time Jesus will return, and only the Father knows when our future "mansions" will be ready. Christ is the Gatekeeper, but God owns the gate and what's behind it.

How about a real life story about "touched" before we go to  scripture about separation and togetherness? This man came from a background of believers in God, but their belief was based on the natural blessings of God through nature. God was their Great White Father who provided everything. Later in a solid life, he began attending church. Because he had a wonderful voice and was an experienced singer, he was asked to sing at church. At this point, he had become saved through a commitment to Christ. When he came to church this particular morning to deliver a solo, he had selected "He Touched Me." When he began to sing, the atmosphere in that church changed. He conveyed the spiritual experience he had when he accepted Christ's offer. People began to cry and come\ to the altar. This was in a Methodist Church, where emotional displays are not common. He had led a "Christian" life, but had not understood "religion." I knew him well; he was my father-in-law.

I hear some of the challenges to this non religious message, and I'll deal with them before continuing. You do not become a Christian through good works, and that may be your claim against what I've written. God's "touch" will not be based on any works by anyone. He will examine the persons' adherence to His rules...you know, the Ten Commandments plus the important addition by Christ to love thy neighbor. If you have done your best to follow these simple rules, you are a "good person." It is His option to select those spirits He wants in Heaven. There are billions of people who lived before Christ came to earth, and billions in the world today who have never heard the words of scripture. Do you really think God is not fair, and will simply
junk all those people He created?

Well look at the aspects of division brought by Christ as given us in Matt. 10:34. "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword." The concept of peace on earth is conveyed by a number of faiths without understanding the accompanying verses in Matt. 10:35-39. Christians talk about peace, but fare little better than any other faiths who have their own version of peace. There is squabbling within all Christian denominations, as evidenced by some Catholics and Protestants who think their people are the only saved people. There are continuing battles with the many Protestant denominations. Some are even rewriting scripture so it agrees with man's interpretation. We have a glaring example of the false teaching we are repeatedly warned about in scripture by many leaders--both political and church--who are attempting to influence the United States.

When a "supposed" Christian tells us to hate ANYONE, that person is of the Devil. Christ taught us to love our neighbor. I've heard the rants and fear of others who are different. That is not only Muslims, but other religions and races. Christ's teaching of separation above is talking about believers in God as the separation point. You obviously can't exhibit love towards someone who is trying to kill you. God tells us we can defend ourselves. We can have an army--He has His army. But, He doesn't give us the right to claim fear has led us to murder anyone. There are a substantial number of people who call themselves Christians who live in fear, and condone elimination of others who are "different" by race or religion. I'm a military man, so I know a soldier's second best friend is his gun (pistol, rife, whatever). Note I said second best. The best is the Holy Spirit, but you must have at least the faith of a grain of mustard seed. (Matt. 17:20) This is a tall order for anyone, but we see opponents defeated several times in scripture without the use of weapons. God uses anything He chooses to rout the enemy. I know of situations where a Christian was threatened, and called on God (Jesus). The antagonists fled because of the power of the Holy Spirit. You do remember in Acts we're told people were struck dead for lying.

All the hate talk about immigrants clearly shows God that America is not a Christian nation. The hate talk about other races is worse yet, if that is possible, because these people are already part of our nation. Then there is the hate talk about other religions. There is the movement by some Christians to force people perceived to be non Christians to convert or else (just like the extremist Muslims). There is the refusal to provide universal health care, which other developed nations already have. There is the refusal to provide adequate health care for women, using the excuse of abortion. There are more women suffering and dying from lack of medically needed abortion than from actual abortion. It seems many leaders concentrate on money rather than compassion. Christ warned us about money in Matt. 6:21, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." The politicians have no pressing need for money--most can call up millions and can afford most anything. Church leaders should be preaching about compassion and exposing these greedy leaders. A Presbyterian minister disgusted me by preaching that instead of welfare, he would teach the recipient to fish. Nobody questioned him about crippled veterans or civilians, ill people, disadvantaged people, or anyone physically unable to work. He was on the verge of retirement with a wonderful pension as well as social security. He apparently wasn't familiar with the gospels. Are you? Read Matt. 12:25 and tremble. "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand." If we continue to listen to leaders who repeatedly break the Ninth (IX) Commandment---false witness (lying), you just read our future as a nation and as a family and person.

Jesus seeks to bring believers together through the simple acts of following His directions in the gospels. Salvation is open to anyone willing to be obedient. Being obedient is primary with God as you can see in 1 Sam. 15:22, "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams." That means, folks, that we need to concentrate on the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, where Christ carefully spells out our requirement for obedience. Note with the utmost care that there is no mention of hating anyone. Hate only appears in scripture written by other writers. No one is qualified to put words in Christ's mouth. Any political candidate, church or spokesperson who encourages hate is of Satan. You cannot call yourself a Christian if you speak or write hate. If you preach fear, you are also violating Christ's teaching. Matt. 8:26 tells us what Jesus told the disciples when they 'feared for their life.' "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?"

This final question is something to ponder. Our military people must take an oath to protect not just us (the people), but our Constitution. And, that includes with their life. Do you realize our armed forces include a large number of non Christians? Each one must rely on faith of some kind to face possible death. There are soldiers of many faiths other than Christian, atheists, people who rely on being a good person, several races and people of varying sexual preferences. Their lives are just as precious to God as yours. Or do you think you belong to an elitist group favored by God? If you believe you are a Christian and have salvation's eternal life, think about God's examination of your obedience to Christ's teaching in the gospels. Could it be your acceptance of His offer did not come from your heart? Was that acceptance as phony as your adherence to Christ's teaching? To real Christians, you are as phony as a three dollar bill. Listen to all the hate ranting on television, or read the newspapers and books. If you agree with all the hatred filling the air, you are in spiritual trouble. God touches good people wherever they are when they realize who Jesus was and why God sent Him.

These are people who actually show compassion, sometimes at great cost, financial or otherwise. These were people who lived a Godly life because of personal values. They walked the talk, even though they weren't guided by scriptural teaching. These are people who reason and use common sense. They value God's riches, not money and material things. They don't brag about their credentials as a good Christian, such as large donations, especially in another human's honor. God will give them an opportunity to enter Heaven at the final day.

Rev. Walbear

CHRISTMAS SYMBOLS

                   

 CHRISTMAS SYMBOLS   

    There are many Christmas symbols, but the one true symbol of
Christmas is hidden in history and scripture. To be sure, Christmas is the recognition of Christ's birth. It is a time of celebration, and we have many symbols dealing with the aspects of Christianity, Israel, culture, geography, politics, traitors, and many more issues. God wrapped all this up in a single package for us, but like a Christmas gift, we have to remove the wrapping to discover the identity of the gift.

    When I was younger, I accepted what appeared to be answers to problems or mysteries. I didn't realize the depth of meaning in Matt. 7:7-12. We are told to seek, to knock and it will be opened. It is the remainder of those verses that give us the real thrust of the reason Christ was born in Bethlehem. I accepted the reason given us in Luke 2:1-7, that tells us Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem because of a census. People had to register in their home precinct--city or town. Joseph and Mary were  of David's lineage, and their precinct was Bethlehem. That was enough for
me in my early years. Then, I became aware that God put  together several important things in a more complicated message that told a much broader story. His messages are like Christmas gifts--don't overlook any small packages because you've seen what's in the big package.

    At the time, I was getting up at  3am. so I could work on ministry
needs before beginning farm chores at 5am. On this particular day,
when I went to the downstairs office, I smelled the distinct odor of
fresh baking bread. I knew it well because it was one of the favorite
things I liked to do when I had the time: homemade bread. It has
always been a favorite food. We had not baked the previous day, nor
early that evening. The answer came, and it involved brief passages
from Exodus through the New Testament. God knows we have a
terrible time trying to understand His instructions, and He finally
gave us His Son to try and make things clear. Wannabe Christians
are continuing to change or add to Christ's directions. Nothing needs
to change, because we don't have the capacity to understand what
is already there for us.

    When Israel was delivered from bondage in Egypt, they began their
desert journey in the wilderness. Although they left Egypt burdened
with all kinds of plunder, they became dissatisfied soon after they
were on the way. God prepared them for the journey by telling them
to take supplies, cattle, and even slaves with them. They grumbled
because they didn't have some fresh vegetables or fruit to eat. They
missed the succulent melons, among other things. This did not please
God, who had told them He would take care of their needs. But, He
showed His merciful patience by giving them "manna from Heaven."
This was the bread of physical life. 

    Christians follow in the footsteps of Israel in that we are never
satisfied. We have God's guarantee, but we keep doubting things
will be okay. The last words Christ gave us before going to His Father's
house was "lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
(Matt. 28:20) God blessed Israel over and over, but they always forgot
where the blessings came from. Christians are making the same
mistakes, believing man can solve complex problems. We ignore
the repeated teaching that we will be okay as long as we have God
(Christ) as our guide.

    We had no fresh baked bread, which made me dissatisfied. I knew
there was more to the story, so I did some scripture checking. The
first thing I understood was that God always came through. When
man makes a mistake, God comes along and applies a band aide.
The New Testament takes us through the trip to Bethlehem and the
birth of Christ. The odor of fresh baked bread just wouldn't go away.
Matt. 4:3-4 tells of Satan's temptation of Jesus, when Satan tells
Jesus to turn stones into bread. We're back on the subject of food
and provision. Jesus gives us the epic answer we should be living
by. "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matt. 4:4)

     God is making it clear here that without spiritual food, we will
never be satisfied. Wealthy business people, rock stars, entertainers,
politicians and common people are frequently unhappy with their
lives, even with terrific perks. There are early deaths and tragedy
among those lacking spiritual food. Now, God's details concerning
the odor of bread becomes understandable. He sent His Son to tell
us in simple language how to be sustained with the bread of life.

    He could have announced the spiritual need of food with blinking
neon lights, but He instead made the revelation interesting by using
Christ's birthplace as the billboard. You see, the meaning of His
birthplace is simply BREAD. Christ came to give us the condensed
word of God through His example and teaching. The word of God is
like fresh baked bread. It has a marvelous odor, it sustains life and
is not expensive. While bread nourishes the physical body, Christ
brought us The Way to have spiritual nourishment. Christ told Satan
physical gain could not replace spiritual gain. 

    To receive physical nourishment, we must have ingredients and
directions to bake bread. Of course, there are many other foods 
that sustain physical life. There are many actions that sustain your
spiritual life. Your spiritual life has much to do with your physical
well being. Prayer enters in when your spiritual life is alive and real.
Christians frequently believe they are the only believers who receive
answers to prayer. Scripture tells us God does things for all people.
Matt. 5:45 tells us God has the sun shine and the rain fall on the just
and unjust. 

    Christ came to sacrifice Himself to give us eternal life. We have to
make a commitment to Him and follow His teaching. That teaching is
the food we need. To make our own rules is like taking up a diet that
is unhealthy for us. To do this is to make ourselves spiritually ill. It
can mean we never committed in our heart to follow Him. It can mean
we only THINK we are saved and have eternal life. What we eat
physically has a direct effect on our physical  AND spiritual health.
There are natural and formulated medicines to help us physically
and mentally. The only medicine to help us spiritually is the word of
God given us in scripture through the teaching of Jesus Christ. There
is only one way for spiritual growth, and it comes through the symbol
of the Christmas setting---Bethlehem, the location of the bread of life.

Rev. Walbear

SANTA AND JESUS

                                             SANTA AND JESUS  

    In keeping with a personal tradition, this Christmas message is an original I've never delivered previously. Some Christians have a difficult time relating Christ to Santa Claus, and most of the world has been sand bagged by Satan to use Santa negatively. Actually, Santa Claus was given us by God to use as a type of model to teach children (and some adults) about the Holy Spirit and all the Godly wonders available to us. Of course Satan got hold of the idea and  saw a golden opportunity to turn good into bad. His way was to lead Christians to false teaching through religious leaders who didn't understand the story's intent by God, and the human lust for greed. Herewith is the real story of Christmas, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and Santa Claus. (I haven't forgotten the Elves!)   

     This message is directed at Christians, but the WHOLE story is for everyone. God knew the best way to reach children was basically the same as for adults, but needed to be brief and plainly illustrate the rewards. First, you needed to have something better than anything else anyone could think of. That something was SOMEONE, and he  had to be so good there was nothing better. God was the model for Santa Claus. Children (and many adults) have trouble believing some thing they can't see. They can better identify through sight. Santa didn't have to be pretty, because what he brings is gifts, just like our Creator. He is portrayed as old and wise, much like the wise men of the Orient. 

    The wise men knew God's Son would be born, and God placed a special star in the sky to show them the way across an entire continent to the place of Christ's birth. God had chosen a baby to be His beloved child who represents every baby girl and boy. The child was born to common parents who were neither wealthy nor poor. The baby Christ had to begin life with an animal manger as His crib. His position in the world did not matter because He had loving parents. There are two values parents must give children. They are love and instruction in God's worship. 

    Although the wise men had traveled a long way, they knew that the
wicked king was afraid this expected special baby would replace him.
The king had ordered all Jewish boy babies to be killed, and the wise men knew this. They kept Christ's birth location secret, and after  presenting their gifts, departed for home a different way to avoid the king. They gave the baby and His parents gifts of things God told them the family would need. They would have to leave that country and go to Egypt for the safety of Jesus. We don't want to forget that star that led the wise men to Bethlehem. The star has become a symbol for special events and people. The most special representative of the star is Jesus.

    As the boy Jesus grew, He soon was lecturing in the temple, a very
unusual thing for a mere boy untrained in Jewish Law. This is an example for us as parents, to begin a child's education as early as possible. God desires all His children to receive an education about His church, society and fields of study and work. Jesus spent His life here on earth giving us our directions. They are found in just four books of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. His directions are very concise and complete. They are clear and easy enough for Christians to understand. The books of Acts and the  Epistles require accompanying study because they give instructions to correct cultural conditions at the newly founded churches. They cannot be accepted and properly used by themselves. As with most other subjects, study is necessary.

     Christ represents all the qualities of goodness, and Santa is a  symbol children can see and understand. He doesn't represent salvation, but gives us a teaching tool to emphasize the difference in being good or bad. We also can liken his "list" of good and bad children to God's Book of Life. God keeps track of our behavior, and we are judged for our actions. This begins the training to emphasize good behavior and respect for God and others. It can also teach us about generosity towards others and not to expect more than we deserve. It is better to give than receive. Christ gave His life that we may have everlasting life.

    Christ resides in Heaven, which children can't see. To help them
understand we have Santa living at the North Pole. We can point out that place on the map, but it is not a friendly environment, and children are usually satisfied by understanding it is only the workplace for Santa and the Elves. Children are told Santa reads their letters of requests and hears their needs and wants. This relates to prayer, and is the method to contact God/Christ. They should be encouraged to pray and communicate with God. As they become older, they can associate their communication with Santa with their communication with God.

    Santa brings them gifts when they are obedient and good. When they learn about salvation, they will understand that God gives them gifts of the Spirit when they receive the presence of the Holy Spirit upon acceptance of Christ's offer. Every believer receives at least one gift, and no one is left out. Our gifts as children are both useful and educational. Our gifts of the Spirit are also for our personal maturity and service to God. We are expected to use gifts--both as children and adults--in a responsible way. They are given to us for a purpose, and we are expected to use them.

    The elves are Santa's workers, and can be compared both to angels and the Holy Spirit. The Old Testament stories are excellent for demonstrating God's work. They are also wonderful for teaching 
youngsters, because they lend themselves the same way fairy tales tell stories. Parents can add explanations as the stories unfold, making them more colorful and interesting. 

    The Christmas tree is the powerful symbol of Christ's sacrifice to   sweep away our mistakes--our sins. He set the example of how we
should shape our life to help others. We have excellent examples in our soldiers, firemen and workers who put their lives on the line to help others. Candles and lights represent Christ, who is the symbol as Light of the World, the embodiment of truth and honesty.

    Santa's sleigh that flies through the air is easier for youngsters to
understand today because of the advances in aviation and space. Being able to circle the earth us not such a big deal because Santa is a high tech guy. Christ's message is also designed to circle the world through radio, television, printed material and personal  contact. We have an obligation from Christ's Great Commission to be certain His teaching is made available to everyone. 

    Rudolph and the other reindeer point out the importance and usefulness of the animal kingdom and the environment. There were animals present at Christ's birth. Animals carried out important tasks throughout both Testaments. God made it clear that Christ was a king without the trappings of wealth and position. He rode a donkey, as did His mother. God sent Christ as a perfect example for us. We need to teach children the important things in life, and warn them about Satan's attempt to turn us astray at Christmas. What is his plan? Turning Christ's birthday season into a choice for Christians and others between material and spiritual 
observation. The observance of Christmas has become a  commercial event beginning at Halloween and lasting two months. That is our choice, and it's far removed from the peace and joy experienced at Christ's birth.

Rev. Walbear 

GENESIS & REVELATION

                                                  GENESIS & REVELATION

Do you believe God is in control? Do you believe the story of Noah from the Old Testament, and the prophecy of Revelation in the New Testament? Do you harbor fear? Do you understand that scripture assures us that God IS in control? There is not one leader or official in the world who rules without God's approval, even though that may appear to be wrong in human judgment. In 1 Sam. chapter 8, Israel wanted a human king, and God gave them one. He warned what human rule would be like, and it's been that bad ever since. We get what we ask for without bothering to check the facts. Many Christians don't believe the story of Noah and the Great Flood. Except for Noah's family, the people of Noah's day thought he was foolish, and ignored God's warning.

This message is about how we get what we ask for, and why few people understand the different meanings about the same word. We have an excellent example from the recent mass murders in San Bernardino. The female shooter had great faith and devotion to her god, and was following her faith's teaching. The teaching she followed is not the original teaching of Islam, but a radicalized revision of the original, peaceful version. She believed in god, who for her was Allah. Americans---Christians or others---tell us they BELIEVE and have FAITH. Consider the Muslim woman believed in her god and had faith. Unless a Christian believes in the God of Abraham and the resurrected Jesus Christ, there is no difference in belief. There are many  gods to many different people. Saying you are a believer may just mean you are trading in word definitions.

A Christian believer must believe in the virgin birth, Christ's denial of Satan's temptations, the concise teaching of Christ in the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and the resurrection. If your belief doesn't include these qualifications, you are among the huge number of failed Christians in America. You may interchange the word belief with the word faith, according to the dictionary. I refer to the dictionary frequently to examine how someone has managed to cleverly subvert truth. Belief and faith are words that sound churchy and religious. You really don't know how the individual interprets the words unless you carefully examine the person's statements and actions. The shooter in the mass murders had both belief and faith. Her actions clearly indicate her god is one of Satan's leaders. This is not to condemn Islam, but to point out Muslims are being misled by apostate teachers. The problem is lack of understanding and failure to research their own religion.

American Christians and wannabes have the same problem with Christianity. Just reading the bible or attending church will not make you a genuine Christian. Do you really listen to what politicians and preachers say? If you do, and you do just a small bit of scripture study, you must realize most of their drivel is apostate. The failure of Americans to require truth will eventually result in the loss of freedom of speech. Christians should understand that scripture warnings about the spiritual power of Satan is gaining ground at a rapid pace. Satan has patterned his forces after God's own forces, that is to confirm that Satan's army is led by brilliant, corrupt leaders who have loyal followers ranging from foot soldiers to high tech operators. If you paid attention to Joshua's leadership of Israel's army, you would have understood that a mere human could not defeat Satan's forces without God's help. God sent the commander in chief of His army to bring victory.

The only decision easier to make than following the God of Abraham and Jesus Christ is to accept the temptations offered by Satan's excellent marketing demons. Resisting temptation is beyond the commitment of many Christians---not just occasionally, but often. Leaders express their Christianity through spreading hatred against other people because of any difference in race, religion or opinion. Of course this is the opposite of Christ's teaching. Their leadership is bringing together many failed Christians as well as much of the population with no "religion." The failed Christian example makes it almost impossible to defend Christianity. How do you explain this hatred away?

People do not want to read, study or research. Christians prefer to watch a speaker, especially if there is some kind of entertainment. It is easy to become a member of a religious "lynch mob." This is any group of religious people who want to employ force to require others to do and act as they do. They are the clone clowns. They are Satan's foot soldiers, wearing the uniform of Christians. They are filled with fear that other people will usurp their control. They fear physical harm. They fear people who do not agree with every rule they have added to Christ's teaching. They fear they will go to Hell if they aren't better than other people. They fear losing their pensions and money. They fear losing health benefits. They fear losing their guns. They fear losing their white Christian superiority. THEIR FEAR IS PROOF THEY ARE OR WILL BE FAILED CHRISTIANS.

Doesn't everybody have some kind of fear? Of course. It's human nature. It may not be easy when the problem is actually life threatening because of illness or injury. Soldiers and truthful followers of Christ overcome this fear and face the possibility
head on. That is belief and faith. Any Christian has the same choice to overcome fear. Scripture guarantees it. If you really believe in the God of Abraham and David, and the Son of God, you will find that guarantee in both Testaments. You will also find that God created us for service to Him. People of faith frequently say they will pray for someone with a problem. God hears all prayers, including those of non Christians. Prayer is an easy answer for someone who needs help. True faith lends power to a prayer. Many Americans today quickly issue words of prayer, but show no evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit or service to God.

If fear is leading you to follow a leader or preacher to disobey the teaching of Christ, you should seriously question your commitment to Christ. Scripture tells us that God values obedience over sacrifice. When you think it is a good idea to force people to follow rules not given by Christ, you are on the slippery slope of damnation. God and Christ developed all the rules you must follow. The basics are simple: love your God, and love your neighbor. God knows our limitations, and He also knows our potential. We can't be perfect, but we must at least try. Christians have already permitted the two differing dictionary explanations of one word to cancel out one third of the Trinity.

That word, friends, is PERSON. Business leaders and sharp lawyers saw a way to permit money laundering for political gain and control of the economy. Christians are still sitting by and doing little to keep Jesus Christ defined as a person in the likeness of God and man. The Supreme Court ruled that corporations are entitled to the same rights (privileges) as humans (except to be sent home in body bags). That made it legal for unlimited political spending. We could eliminate the national debt with money wasted on political ads and expenses. Many of these ads by "Christian" candidates seek to inflame us to act in direct opposition to any Christian teaching.

The result is a huge growth in fear and separation by race, religion, money and education. Political leaders flaunt these issues, and many church leaders don't preach the truth in church to point out the lies to congregations. Truth becomes an unknown quantity, and we will tend to choose leaders we deserve, as God warned in Samuel. It will all come down to the execution of God's plan as given us in Revelation. Those seven churches had a higher rate of approval than American Christian churches are earning. It won't be pretty.

Rev. Walbear

(You can watch about the Japanese Internment from someone who lived it, the well known George Takei. Just click on the link below.)

https://www.ted.com/…/george_takei_why_i_love_a_country_tha…

MEANS TO AN END

                                                                  MEANS TO AN END

    The admonition by Jesus Christ in Matthew, chapter 7, is being ignored by a large part of the Christian Church, and is causing the tailspin of Christianity both in the world and United States. All you have to understand are the first two short verses. "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." Too many Christians are trying to establish "standards" for Christian behavior. If Christ didn't give us instructions while He was on earth, we shouldn't try to put words in His mouth. That is, unless you think you are more perfect than He. How dare you claim to expound on your directions as if Christ gave you special teaching not included in the inspired bible?

    Are you unable to understand the two verses above? Christ gave us the truth and light in as simple language and understandable as possible. We don't need to add or subtract anything. Christians have fallen into the trap of legalism, just as Israel did. This ploy by Satan is the means used to split believers and weaken the thrust of what then becomes "religion" instead of faith. What Satan introduced into Christ's organization of the Christian Church was the human idea that more rules needed to be established to be a "better" Christian. That evolved into denominations that took on the name of a teacher. This is not to fault all denominations, because that would mean throwing all believers under the bus. The problem is the gradual drift of denominational teaching to actually place the words of Christ SECOND to His actual words.

    This has evolved into a sort of competition among denominational
members to place their denomination "better" than others. We talk about brotherhood, but that emotional desire to be Number One transcends sports and becomes a religious goal. If all Christians just followed Christ's teaching in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, we would not have the multiple divisions of the church. I repeat over and over that following His teaching should be our goal if we really are committed Christians. When you add rules or standards Christ did not preach, you change the faith to your "brand" just like a commercial advertiser. You claim your brand is better than the original. You have not one scriptural word from Christ to support your brand of Christianity. Man does not control Christian brands; God makes that decision. Read Matt. 7:1,2. You are not sitting in judgment as God's appointed associate. Christ is the only associate judge.

    I was asked the tricky question about personal judgment soon upon by entrance to the ministry. How can a believer, especially a pastor, not make personal judgment? Sometimes the nature of an action by an individual "screams" that they be harshly judged. Would I permit someone to speak to my congregation if I knew I disagreed with his comments? This is a tough situation for a pastor, and requires help through prayer and calm consideration. We must remember we will be judged by Christ according to how we judge. This is where emotion and calm consideration must rule the day. Free speech is necessary, and our Constitution is correct in guaranteeing that privilege. It is indeed a privilege, not a right.

    Free speech is not free speech when it departs from the basic  premise of truth. A person may speak on Satan's behalf, but only if it is as a statement and presented calmly. There is no room for ranting or emotional display. That is the action of a lynch mob, and is the method Satan employs almost at will. Satan's spokesperson should have the opportunity to speak, but he/she must adhere to the rules given us in scripture. Again, go to Matt. 4:1-11. Satan tempted Christ, but Christ had the foundation for answers. When Satan saw that the truth, according to scripture, could not be shaken, he left Christ in defeat. The pastor or individual who is responsible for the control of a group or congregation MUST remain in control for the calm and opportunity to speak in a like manner. For the speaker or Christian leader, there must be scriptural verification of the speech.


    Obviously, Satan can be limited in speech because he would have  to rely on his personal reasoning. He respects God and Christ because he knows scripture and God. When presented with truth as Christ gave him, Satan has to depart. If you don't know enough scripture to be able to defuse Satan's attempts, don't ever become involved in any religious discourse. Satan will have much more knowledge than you. The church and political fields today are permitting people to preach and rant without any proof of truth. As a result we have people with loud mouths and personal agendas becoming leaders. Christians don't make an effort to learn the facts and truth. That means they are living in darkness. They are actually traveling under false colors and allowing Satan to be their leader. 

    When you're meeting people, you usually get some kind of  impression relating to their character. Most of us decide to like or maybe not like the individual. What they have to say gives us a clue to character. We make a snap judgment. That is the human method of judgment. It should be a temporary decision, and really not a judgment---go back to Matt. 7:1,2. We should decide if the person has our values and belief. Is there scriptural backing for their reasoning? If they differ from our life pattern and practice, they still have the freedom of choice. Christ always gave everyone the freedom of choice. But, we have the freedom to continue our
choice and disregard their viewpoint.

    The fervor over religious issues has brought to the forefront of 
American Christianity the need to understand "the end justifies  the means." There is only one situation where this statement is not true. Unfortunately, too many Christians have decided they can take actions that are scripturally wrong to achieve a goal they believe in. This includes murder. Christ never preached the use of murder nor the use of force by man-made laws. Christ gave us ALL the laws to follow as Christians. There is no justification to take any action not taught by Christ. To kill innocent people to support a cause or belief is SATANIC. To persecute people because they don't agree with your belief or faith is SATANIC.

    There is no justification in violating Christ's teaching, nor any
justification in changing or adding to His teaching. Any attempt to expand His teaching is a ploy by Satan to create division and water down Christianity. As one devoted member of a congregation told me, "I'm tired of the personal agendas of some (congregational) members who have issues that split the membership. This has happened twice in my church." These issues are almost always issues not mentioned by Christ. You'd think we have enough trouble just trying to follow His teaching, let alone adding other rules.

    If you support killing people at an abortion clinic, at a movie theater, rock concert or political gathering, you are a tool of Satan, and not a Christian. Your status may be in question (not by me or any human) if you oppose Christ's teaching to help others in need,  including immigrants. If you think your sins are forgivable while different sins by others are not, you don't know scripture. Look at Matt. 12:31,32. There is only one unpardonable sin. All others
have the same value.

    There is absolutely no justification for claiming the end is justified
because of the means. Any means utilized to accomplish or achieve
an end must be something Christ taught us to be a Christian. That
includes not only killing (murder), but false testimony. We have allowed influential people to get away with false testimony far too long. I hear Christian radio repeat popular false testimony with no effort to provide the truth. Some stations are bending the rules for donations. Christ did not teach it was okay to lie or bend the rules if you felt that was the way to success. This is especially troubling when the person claims it was done in the name of Christianity.

    We are not the final judge, and we do not have Christ's permission to ignore or break His rules to achieve any personal goal. If we break His confidence, we are no better than ISIS or any group claiming to be God's chosen people. This attempt to divide people on the issues of fear, such as Islam, or abortion and lifestyle, is part of Satan's plan. Don't believe me---read your Christian instructions in the four gospels from which I quote. We are on trial, and so is the United States.

Rev. Walbear

BLOOD ON THE CROSS

                                                           BLOOD ON THE CROSS   

    God has presented us with the most marvelous opportunity in the history of the world. Although He knows all, He is giving the entire

world a clear picture of His word as given us by His Son, Jesus Christ.

More about this a bit later, after we've examined the meaning and proof of Christian faith. Christ shed His innocent blood for us on the cross to provide salvation, cleansing of sins, and eternal life. While on earth, He was the perfect example for us and gave us directions on how to be a Christian. He taught faith in Him, which we loosely call "Christian faith." People who claim to be Christians don't recall Christ did not reject any faith in God. All faiths believe in some spiritual power, even in themselves. The difference is eternal life.

    Some of us American Christians have already had our faith tested, and many non Christians have similarly passed the test of faith, although not as Christians. The test was the pledge a military person makes upon entering service. We pledge our life, if necessary, to protect our Constitution, the nation, and all people in America. Some service people die to fulfill that pledge. Others suffer debilitating physical or mental wounds. It is a pledge to give shed blood to serve the nation. Those service people not Christians have given the same sacrifice. These people include, whites, blacks, American Indians, Jews, other religious faiths and atheists. All blood represents life, and all are precious to God and Christ. If you harbor any prejudice against any of these people, you are a failed Christian. Sorry, folks, but Jesus didn't close the door to anyone. You still have a chance to change your ways until He returns. Better not tarry.

    If you know any scripture at all, you should be familiar with the final words of Christ before He went to Heaven. They are found in Matt. 28, verses 19 and 20. This is a simple directive. There are no new laws, no restrictions, no use of force. Memorize them and don't fall prey to the babbling horde who are false teachers, windy politicians, and those who claim membership in any political party. "Go therefore and make disciples of ALL THE NATIONS, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always,  even to the end of the age." If you don't find directions in the four  gospels about abortion, same sex marriage, gays or other subjects, don't think for one second you are qualified to put words in Christ's mouth.

    Christ commanded them to preach His words to all nations, and that

means all nations, not a select few. He offered salvation to all people, with no restrictions. Most people of the world have not had the opportunity to hear Christ's words. God wants ALL PEOPLE to hear the words of His Son. The Christian church has sent missionaries to carry out His directive, but there are many places where His word has never been heard. 

     GOD HAS SEEN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH TRY TO CARRY OUT HIS

GREAT COMMISSION, BUT HAS ALSO SEEN IT HAS BEEN TOO MUCH OF

A BURDEN TO COMPLETE. IN HIS WISDOM, HE IS ATTEMPTING TO BRING

THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD TO CHRISTIANS TO ENABLE THESE LOST

PEOPLE TO HEAR THE WORD AND RECEIVE SALVATION. GOD'S PLAN IS THE MIGRATION OF IMMIGRANTS FROM SATAN'S GOVERNMENTS TO THE CHRISTIANS IN COUNTRIES WHERE CHRIST'S TEACHING CAN TAKE PLACE. THIS IS A COMPLICATED SITUATION, BUT IT CAN BE SOLVED THROUGH CHRISTIAN FAITH, NOT THE FAILED FAITH OF MEN. 

    When Christ died on the cross, even the disciples were failed Christians. They kept their distance, and to their shame, weren't as faithful as the women. These men later realized their shaky contract with Christ made them a fraud. Christ delivered with His death, while they cowed and hid in fear. When they became HONEST Christians, they "manned up." They realized their fear demonstrated their lack of  FAITH. At least they weren't motivated by greed. They became the preachers of Christ's words, and didn't add their own directions, except to point out cosmetic problems of culture. These corrections were not to alleviate sins, but to make acceptance of the word easier. Their conscientious preaching of the word frequently landed them in jail and sometimes brought about torturous death. These early Christians, once they followed the Holy Spirit's leading, conquered fear.

     Today's CINO "Christians" are worse than the early disciples, because they have TWO major sins driving them---GREED and FEAR. Except for military personnel and a few missionaries, no other  American citizens have OFFERED their life for the nation. They speak loudly of patriotism, but don't hesitate to violate our Constitution. There are two kinds of CINOs: greedy wannabe leaders in politics AND the church, and those people who refuse to become educated and actually understand issues such as the Constitution. The CINOs base part of their campaigns on eliminating the national education program. They are replacing textbooks with their personal version of history, just as the Muslims revise history. This is the method used to bring about a theocracy. 

    By limiting and corrupting education, a large number of our citizens are unable to detect the shameless lies of political and church leaders. By limiting the ability to vote, major segments of the citizens are  unable to change the trend toward a theocracy that always turns into a DICTATORSHIP. German Christians idly watched while Hitler crushed the Jews. Some conservatives are ignoring this, and instead blaming President Roosevelt for the United States refusing to accept a  boatload of Jewish immigrants. The truth is he did refuse to accept those people BECAUSE the American CONGRESS did not want to accept Jews. If you lived in the United States before the 1960s, you would  know Jews could not be elected to national office because they were of a "different" religion. Does that ring any bells for some of you,  especially using the pulpit? By not calling out religious discrimination by Christians as well as against Christians, you are encouraging use of force and unconstitutional laws. The KKK claims Christianity, but it has become more dangerous today than in the past, because it is a pathway for intimidating voters and encouraging police to become personal judges and eliminators of unwanted people. The justice systems are increasingly becoming CINO strongholds.

    Many governors, mostly conservatives, are defying the Constitution by instituting laws to please their agenda. They are joined by their fellow conservatives in Congress to pass legislation directly opposed to the freedom given their ancestors who were originally immigrants. These CINOs are already exhibiting advanced greed by violating Christ's teaching of compassion as practiced in Acts 2:44-47. If you read these

passages, you could have an understanding of Christian socialism. It is taught by Christian leaders. They are instructed today to teach that  socialism forbids personal property ownership. That is completely  false. Socialism is the compassionate sharing of necessities. You may go to Acts 4:32-37, and say personal ownership was lost because some people gave everything away. Did you note they gave it to the fledgling church--the disciples? How do you suppose those donors survived after giving away their earthly possessions? They believed God would take care of them through FAITH. Matt. 6:21 tells us, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Does your faith tell you these people who gave away their possessions, or even the  widow and her two mites (Luke 21:2-3) were then beggars? It is senseless to give for the wrong reason, or to impress fellow Christians. See Acts, chapter 5. The couple lied about their money to the Holy Spirit, and were struck dead. Your material possessions count for absolutely nothing in your journey to Heaven. Just giving anything away is not an act of faith without a compassionate reason.

    So much for money and greed; what are lives worth? Three fourths of the immigrants are women and children. You don't care if the babies starve to death or die of disease? Then you must love abortion. Or are you like the couple in Acts 5--two faced? Now let's move on to FEAR. To examine your status as either a bona fide, genuine Christian or a CINO, who do you fear, God, thugs, suicide bombers, ISIS, Arabs, or all of the preceding? A true Christian's answer is God. That means you trust Christ's word (as He said in the Great Commission). Before Christ came people were warned, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever," (Psalms 111:10) A soldier has fear, but he/she overcomes it to do the RIGHT THING. The right thing is to obey God's and Christ's commandments. If you fear for your life (as so many rogue cops do so they can safely murder some selected people) and don't trust in God, you are on your own. It's a wonderful thing, that our military people fear God more. Consider many of them aren't even Christians. If you don't trust God's plan for your Christian life, quit claiming you're a Christian. Our firemen, many of whom are volunteers, place their life in peril and face fear head on. The medical people who work with victims of deadly communicable disease face fear head on. 

    Shame on the governors and politicians and CINOs who use fear to deny the opportunity to lead millions of lost people to Christ. The only thing they fear is losing votes, a fat pension and elective office. Shame on CINOs who refuse to share the burden of helping these people. Your money and possessions are more important to  you than lives. Most of these uncaring governors already have placed greed and position over compassion for the health and welfare of large segments of the people. They promote fear and greed because it works. Satan is loving every minute. He has to use a computer to  keep a tally on the CINOs who are joining his people. You can delete this message and ignore the words of Jesus Christ. But, I find it difficult to explain the word of God to unbelievers and people of other faiths because of the hypocrisy CINOs exhibit. God has given us a golden opportunity to explain and exhibit the Christian WAY as taught by Christ. America is on TRIAL.

Rev. Walbear