Thursday, November 23, 2023

The Power of Thanksgiving

 The Power of Thanksgiving

A Word on Being Thankful




" Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."---Phil 4:6-7


Being thankful is something that wells up inside of us when we think of the great things God has done for us, and in us.

When we spend time thinking of what He has done it helps build our faith. We see that He is good. We see that he is faithful and we remember. Because the enemy wants to get us to think that God is out to hurt us, or that He doesn't listen. Remembrance and thankfulness is a defense against these attacks.

Thankfulness comes at two times. Before and After.

When we thank God before hand we are exercising our faith. We have prayed. We have asked, sought and knocked. We thank Him because we trust Him and we know that whatever he does is right and best. We know He will move. So, we thank Him for what He is about to do.

When we thank Him after the fact, we are praising Him for the great things he has done in our lives. When we tell people about God's greatness it is one of the most important things we can do. It is tied to the Gospel.

It says in Revelation that it is by the Blood of the Lamb, and our testimony that we overcome the enemy. That is our thankfulness to God. That is telling other people what great things He has done for us. That is being saved and running on the hills to shout the Good News of Peace. Just like Jesus told the Gadarene demoniac, "Go and tell the great things God has done for you"--Luke 8:35-39, Revelation 12:9-12

In Proverbs 3:5-6 is says to trust God and acknowledge Him in all your ways. That means that we pray to Him and thank Him. That means that we give Him credit for what He has done in our lives and we tell others. When we do this, He promises to direct our paths. So, if you are in confusion, try thanking God for the things He has done, and praise Him before others. He will direct your paths.

And as you can see in the very first verse. Thanksgiving is a necessary part of prayer. Phil 4:6-7

Understand, that God does not need our thanks. Our thanks to God, is a praise that comes from what He has done. It is a spiritual act of humbling ourselves and knowing that without Him we are nothing. Our thankfulness changes our hearts. It helps us to grow. It brings blessings into our lives, and fights against the enemy. 

Being thankful works to mold us into the likeness of Christ.

Be thankful in all things. Be thankful in the good and the bad. God is there and working.

Happy Thanksgiving.

---

Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming AddictionHis newest book is called "The Future is Coming" and is a collection of dystopian short stories.

Follow Him on Medium: https://chris-bunton.medium.com/

Buy a cup of Coffee

Support the work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=13514235&fan_landing=true&view_as=public

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Men Gather to Correct

 Men Gather to Correct

A Word on Chastening. 


 


There are false teachings that I would like to correct.  This one is based upon a loss of Salvation.

Jesus said "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. (John 15:1-8)

People will often use this passage to teach a loss of salvation. But, it is not.

The Lord calls us and if we turn to Him we are saved. God tries to work through us. But, if we are not bearing fruit he prunes us.

We are clean (saved) because we heard His Word and believed. We abide in Him.

If we are not bearing fruit we get pruned and we will not bear fruit. (This is not referring to sin. We are washed and dead to sin. This is service, and the fruits of the Spirit.) We can do nothing without Him. If we are not bearing fruit, it means we are not abiding, and we get pruned or cut off.

Now, we assume this is a loss of salvation. But, notice that it says MEN gather and cast into fire and the withered branches are burned.

MEN do not throw people into Hell. So this is not talking about hell or the lake of fire.

This is talking about chastening. God uses people to correct us. It can be persecution, or trials and tribulations, it can be any number of things that we fall into. 

Understand that when we turn to Christ we are saved. We are a new creation. Demons, and humans who are slaves to demons know this, and hate the spirit in us. So, God lets us go our own way. And these entities treat us terribly. Paul said, that he delivered some blasphemers unto Satan. (1 Timothy 1:20)  SO THAT THEY MAY LEARN. 

In Proverbs it says,

11 My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:

12 For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.---(Proverbs 3:11-12)

In Hebrews it says "

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Then, it goes on to say that those who do not get chastened or who do not grow in the Lord, were never saved.

Now, understand that God is with us when He chastens us. He separates us out (Prunes) and let's the fire of this life and those who hate our spirit consume us. God himself is a consuming fire.

Like a loving father who is right there as his child is corrected. God is with us in chastening

Look in Malachi.

".
But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness."---( Malachi 3:2-3)

A refiner sits as the silver or gold is boiled and he scrapes off the impurities. It purifies the silver and makes it usable. He does not abandon it. He controls the heat and the purification process. He is right there.  And he is with us when we fall and get chastened.

When we turn to Christ, He does not cast us out. He saves us, and grows us and molds us and shapes us and breaks us and chastens us and builds us up again.

He is with us always, even till the end of the World. Turn to Him. He is there.

Remember this in the Last Days. When things get worse and worse, and the pre-tribulation rapture has not come. Remember, this when persecution comes and things get worse, and deceit is everywhere, and destruction and death is all around you. Remember this when the Anti-Christ rises up and you are still here on Earth. Remember that God is with you and will protect you like He did the Israelites during the Plagues of the Exodus. Remember, that He is refining His church. He is weeding out the chaff and the goats, and the virgins, without oil.

You cannot lose your salvation. But, you best make sure you have it.  Do you know Him?

-----

Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming AddictionHis newest book is called "The Future is Coming" and is a collection of dystopian short stories.

Follow Him on Medium: https://chris-bunton.medium.com/

Buy a cup of Coffee

Support the work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=13514235&fan_landing=true&view_as=public




Monday, November 20, 2023

The Lord's Delay

 The Lord's Delay

A Word on Prophecy




Verse " But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."---Matthew 24:48-51



When Jesus ascended to heaven,  a promise was made that He would return and get us. ( Acts 1:9-11, John 14:3,)

When He returns, we who are saved will go to meet Him in the clouds. (1 Thess 4:17)

This is the rapture, which will occur when He returns. We do not know the time of His coming.( Matthew 24:36)

But, that has not stopped people from trying to figure it out.

One such view is the pre-tribulation rapture. This idea holds the belief that Jesus will return in secret, before anything bad happens and snatch away all the believers. But then He will come again, at His real return, And get another group of believers called the "Tribulation Saints" who happen to get saved without the Holy Spirit...

So, basically pre-tribbers believe in two second comings and two raptures. And that people are saved by obeying the Law without the Holy Spirit. Which scripture plainly rejects.

They believe the church will be taken out, because the Holy Spirit is allegedly taken out so we go with Him. They see the Holy Spirit as the Restrainer. So the restrainer must be removed and this removal happens at rapture because the Holy Spirit is in the Church..  (2 Thess. 2:1-12)

They believe that the Antichrist and all the destruction cannot come till the Holy Spirit and Christians are removed.

Ok?

Basically, this is like date setting without actually setting a date. 

Believers await His coming. But pre-tribbers expect it to occur before certain events.

So, when we look at this verse above in Matthew, we see that certain believers will say "my Lord hath delayed His coming."

If you read the whole verse in context. Matthew 24:29-51. You will see the words AFTER THE TRIBULATION.  Then, you will see a description of what seems to be the rapture. Then, Jesus takes a step back in time before the rapture description and warns about servants saying "my Lord hath delayed His coming."

It seems that these believers have witnessed something that makes them think Jesus has delayed His coming.

Only people who have date set, or believe in a pre-trib rapture would say this. All other believers are patiently waiting and expecting tribulation and persecution.

So what happens?  The Four Horsemen. They bring terrible destruction and the beginnings of what happens later.

Because of them and human behavior, things get worse and worse. Wars, crime, economic collapse, famine, disease, disasters and death because of these things.

Then, comes persecution. we see this in Revelation. (Rev. 6:1-11)

Believers probably get blamed for the destruction brought by the Four Horsemen and are persecuted. 

Then many pre-trib.believers who say"my Lord hath delayed His coming" will join in with the persecution. They beat the men servants and maid servants, because they were never saved. They bought into a false belief and a works based doctrine.

They cannot abide in Christ, to endure persecution. They have no oil (faith..). So, they attack and betray true believers.

Now we must clarify something. The church is full of unsaved people. They are believers in God, just like the demons of Hell believe, and tremble. But, they have never truly confessed Jesus as their Lord. They have not given themselves to Him and trust Him alone for salvation. They trust in works and self righteousness. But, they never knew Him. Yes, it splits hairs, but it is very important.

So, why do I call them believers?

Because they believe in A type of Christ, and go on to form the Apostate Church. An apostate, believes, but rejects.  Like the demons of hell. The demons of hell know God is real. But, they are in rebellion. They refuse to confess Him as Lord. People who have spent their entire faith on escaping the tribulation will not be able to stand against what's coming. They will be devastated that Jesus has not come to get them out. When they see friends being killed, and people losing jobs, and see the wars and famines, and the Anti-Christ rising up. They will think they were wrong, and were deceived. Many will fall away. This is the great falling away. (2 Thess 2:3) Falling away always occurs with persecution. They were never saved. But, they believed. See?  You can be a believer in wrong things.

The Apostate Church will call itself Christian. They will believe in God and follow rules. But, they will not truly believe that Jesus is God who saved them. This same thing can be seen in the Chinese church today. The government sanctioned church sees Jesus as a good moral teacher. The underground church confesses him as Lord and is persecuted.

Remember "Anti-" in "Anti-Christ" Does not mean against Christ. It means "Instead of" Christ. So the Apostate Church will be "Christian". But, they will worship the Anti-Christ. The Instead of Christ.

The false brethren who create the Apostate Church will call the true believers extremists and join in persecuting them. The world is already being prepared to go against "extremists".

The real believers will be persecuted and beat down and things will get so bad that even the elect will wonder, and almost fall away into deception.

Then, when the real church is at its weakest. The Anti-Christ will become public. Because the restrainer (The Holy Spirit in the Church) will have been effectively removed or made of no account, through persecution. As it says in Revelation and Daniel "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them." (Revelation 13:7, Dan 7:25)

Do not be deceived by the doctrines that set times and dates on the Lord's return. Put your total faith in Him. He will come when God sends Him, not when we think He should come. Just turn to Him and build a relationship and trust in Him. You'll need it.

Our faith will grow and the chaff will be removed. Confess Jesus as your Lord, and do not trust in Pre-Tribulation Raptures. Trust in Him to see us through, as he sees fit.  Just like He protected the Israelites in Goshen during the plagues of Exodus.

Now, understand that I have many friends who are pre-tribbers. I love them. I think they are saved. But, it is a dangerous place to put all your eggs in the basket of pre-tribulation doctrine. When the time comes, there will probably be a terrible temptation and spiritual attack of the devil to get people to fear and turn from Christ and say "My Lord delays His coming." Their mind will be darkened. Fear will take over.

The Bible says we are not afforded unto wrath. But, do not be deceived. God's wrath is poured out in ONE day. Not over seven years. Also, Gods wrath is the Lake of Fire. His wrath is eternal. He doesn't just kill the body, He kills the soul forever in hell.
 
Real Believers are not facing the Lake of Fire. Only Rebels. Only the devil, his angels, and human slaves who have rejected Christ. Understand, that those who "fall away", were never saved. They never knew Him, no matter how many good works they did at church. No matter how nice they are. They never trusted Him alone for salvation.

You cannot lose your salvation. Once you know him. You are known of Him. He has you. Forever.

-----

Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming AddictionHis newest book is called "The Future is Coming" and is a collection of dystopian short stories.

Follow Him on Medium: https://chris-bunton.medium.com/

Buy a cup of Coffee

Support the work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=13514235&fan_landing=true&view_as=public