A time will come

A time will come
The apostle Paul writes,
"For the time will come when men will 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 their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." 2Timothy 4:3,4.
Evangelist Charles H. Spurgeon
"A time will come when instead of the shepherds feeding the sheep. The church will have clowns entertaining the goats." Charles H. Spurgeon.
This is happening today both in the media and in the pulpit. Many people calling themselves Christians are going to church to be entertained as Spurgeon put it by clowns. Church congregations in many cases have become social clubs.
Men and women as the apostle Paul put it,
“... gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”
This should not be so. As St. Augustin said,
“If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.” St Augustine.
Here in North America with have complete freedom of speech. Such a thing can be a blessing and a curse at the same time. This is especially true when it comes to Christians.
Such freedoms allow charlatans who claim to be Christians to preach false doctrine. Doctrine that on the surface sounds good, but upon looking deeper are wrong.
Most Christians sitting in the pew or watching an evangelist in the media don’t question what is being said. They take the pastor or evangelist at face value and thus are easily led astray.
We as Christians. As believers in Christ Jesus I believe have an obligation to question those who claim to be preaching the word of God.
To study the scriptures and see for ourselves what is right and what is wrong.
So my question to you the reader is.
If you claim to be a Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus are you studying the Bible for yourself?
Are you questioning what the pastors and evangelist you listen to are saying?
Are the pastors and evangelist you listen to truly teaching the word of God?
Please think about it.

The Biggest Idiot

The Biggest Idiot
The apostle Peter states,
“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  
Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.” 2Peter2:1,2  
In my previous blog I quoted evangelist Charles H. Spurgeon as saying,
"A time will come when instead of the shepherds feeding the sheep. The church will have clowns entertaining the goats." Charles H. Spurgeon.
Strange as it seems I understand what Spurgeon is talking about. You see before I retired I was a professional clown and magician. I always said it was my job to make people believe I was the biggest idiot in the room. I use a carefully scripted combination of words and movement to make people think things came out of thin air.
Every sentence I used every move I made was there to fool my audience. Like any good magician I used just enough truth to make things plausible. The rest was pure deception.
Sadly it is the same with many pastors and evangelist. Particularly those in the media.
While there are some very honest men and women in the media. There are also a lot of charlatans. Their only purpose to build themselves up and line their pockets.
These are the people that the apostle Peter was talking about in 2 Peter 2:1.2.
Unfortunately as someone pointed out to me in church many of these false teachers have become the face of Christianity here in North America. They have done exactly what Peter said, brought “the way of truth into disrepute”.
As Christians. True believers in Christ Jesus, we must be on our guard. We must make sure not to support such ministries.
I feel if we support any ministry we have the right to ask questions. Especially financial questions. We need to ask where every penny is spent. Even to the point of asking the salary and benefits the pastor or evangelist gets.
I know the church I attend every year gives account to its membership where the money goes and that includes the pastors salary.
Finances aside we also should be asking basic questions as to what the doctrinal statement of the ministry is and examine what the pastor or evangelist is saying.
If things don’t add up or there is any doubt in your mind you shouldn’t be supporting them.
There are many good ministries out there who are speaking the truth. Who are financially responsible. Taking care to spend every penny prayerfully. Ensuring what is spoken from the pulpit is doctrinally correct. These are the ministries we need to support.
Please think about it. 

Clowns

Clowns
The apostle Paul wrote,
“For the time will come when men will 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 their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2Timothy 4:3,4
Evangelist Charles H. Spurgeon said,
“A time will come when instead of the shepherds feeding the sheep. The church will have clowns entertaining the goats.” Charles H. Spurgeon.
From what I see as a Christian a believer in Christ Jesus living in North America. I firmly believe that what the apostle Paul and Spurgeon said is coming true.
There are many churches who have turned away from sound doctrine.
Sadly many pastors and evangelist are gathering people around them that are yes men who tell them what they want to hear. Men and women who are not willing to correct the pastor or evangelist when they say or do something that is not doctrinally correct.
Likewise there are many pastors and Evangelist who are simply entertaining the church. Carefully constructing their church services to attract people with music and other things that make them feel good. Even catering their sermons to attract people. Choosing not to emphasize the reason Jesus came to this earth.
Some pastors even refusing to quote the apostle John who said,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 1John 1:9-10.
Thus my question. What kind of church congregation are you in? It is a congregation that always agrees with the pastor. That even when they know he’s wrong will not tell him so?
Are you in a congregation that is simply entertaining. A congregation where the pastor is always preaching a “feel good” sermon?
Or are you in a congregation that truly does preach sound doctrine.
Please think about it.