The link to my book - Destroy and Deliver (Autobiography)

Sunday 5 June 2016

The church at Pergamum

I’ve notice of late that if I fall asleep on my back with my arms up in the air when I wake up the second conscious thought is that something is amiss. I then realise that my hands have pins and needles because of the lack of blood flow; I instinctively shake them vigorously to get life back into my fingertips. They were never dead but dull to the touch and if left long enough without any action taken, in extreme cases, if and when neglected they would suffer damage. We’ve all seen movies of mountaineers somewhere along lives journey and how when left to the elements for long enough, particularly seen in Everest, climbers losing fingers and the like; frostbite has taken its toll.

Christianity and our call to holiness is a call from God, it is a requirement needed to enter His presence; “For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” (1Thessalonians 4:7-8) And “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14) – So again I stress the point we cannot nor should we make allowances for blatant sin to rule our lives; What is recognizable sin, some sins are obvious, whilst others not so apparent. But I like the way the Holy Spirit through the Apostle James instructs us on the subject of the regions of our lives that are so easily given a pass; So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. (James 4:17)

With that in mind lets us move on to the instruction to the churches as we examine ourselves in light of our Masters voice and if the shoe fits lets us be moved by the good graces of our God and Father to seek out His repentance before it is to late and His wrath arrives, for it is coming.

 “"And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: 'The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. "'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.'” (Revelations 2:12-17)

“There were some who taught that it was lawful to eat things sacrificed to idols, and that simple fornication was no sin; they, by an impure worship, drew men into impure practices, as Balaam did the Israelites. Observe, (1.) The filthiness of the spirit and the filthiness of the flesh often go together. Corrupt doctrines and a corrupt worship often lead to a corrupt conversation. (2.) It is very lawful to fix the name of the leaders of any heresy upon those who follow them. It is the shortest way of telling whom we mean. (3.) To continue in communion with persons of corrupt principles and practices is displeasing to God, draws a guilt and blemish upon the whole society: they become partakers of other men's sins. Though the church, as such, has no power to punish the persons of men, either for heresy or immorality, with corporal penalties, yet it has power to exclude them from its communion; and, if it do not so, Christ, the head and lawgiver of the church, will be displeased with it.” (Matthew Henry)

The Word of God exposes error in our lives; it brings us to a place of decision with the instruction of repentance as our answer, but if we ignore it, a warning follows; when we are actioned into service according to the instruction of God’s holiness we are promise a reward, praise God. This is the true test of faith! We cannot merely claim Christianity and ignore our Fathers instruction and expect a rosy future and if we hold to that sort of theology it is obvious we are either living in rebellion or we have been deceived.

However the beauty of God’s good graces is filled with second chances, mistake will be made but they cannot be ignored.

Signing off

Tyrone

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