The Cross

God tells us that His Word is all that we need to be equipped for life and godliness.  Yet we are so quick to turn to books written by man.  And often, instead of asking the Lord to guide us in His Scripture, we go straight to the scholarly footnotes in our study bibles or commentaries.  Let's get back to the eternal wellspring of God's Word - turning to it and relying upon it in all things.

Salvation by works is sweeping the globe right now.  It is not contained to the Christian Church.  Everyone these days seems to think that if we all roll our sleeves up and contribute to the common good of humanity that all things will work out in the end.  Jesus is the only good in this world and he is common only to those who have surrendered their lives and livelihood to him.  The Church has fallen captive to this deception of a global 'common good' that supersedes our Lord Jesus and sadly, is on the front line of this movement.  God calls His Church to go into the world with good news that He himself has saved us.  Since there is no other way by which we can be saved, our work is unique from all other religions or brands of humanism.  This document examines how God's Word reveals that the focus of our commission is the bringing of the gospel to the world which is dying in sin and will continue to do so for all eternity unless they call upon the name of Jesus.

For generations, the Word of God has been twisted up to say that God neither causes nor allows human suffering.  Further, we have been taught that faith in God leads to a life of ease and pleasure in this world.  God's Word reveals quite the opposite.  Those who place their faith and hope in Christ are exhorted to brace for times of difficulty.  Check it out here.

Anything that we do that we believe has power to save or benefit us is the work of religion that neither benefits us in this life nor preserves us for the next.  All human action that is performed outside of obedience to Jesus will profit us and the world nothing.  All human efforts to 'change the world' or 'make a difference in the community' will yield nothing of value to God.  God only takes an interest in His work. Thus, we can safely say that all religious endeavors are not only a waste of time (neutral) but quite destructive as they entice us onto a path that leads to death while numbing us to reality as we saunter along.  This document explores what God has to say about religion as well as His own saving grace.

All human endeavors to achieve 'unity' will profit nothing.  The Church tries to 'build unity' or 'build community' by forming friendships and collaborating on projects with one another.  The Bible makes it very clear that this thing called 'unity' or 'community' is not a commodity that comes in all shapes and sizes.  Significant relationship (friendship) and collaboration (work) is found only in obedience to Jesus.  If we seek 'unity' and not Christ then we are seeking an illusion.  This document looks at the beauty and grace of God as revealed to us in John 17.

In 2009 we began a study on Revelation.  It seems that churches either avoid this book altogether or they abuse it.  In my experience, this abuse happens due to two reasons.  One, the rest of Scripture is not taken into account and two, people rely on the titillating and shallow ideas of 'theologians' instead of simply looking at God's Word and asking for the leadership and assistance of the Holy Spirit in order to understand what God has given to them (See 1 Corinthians 2). The first verse of this book simply reads, "The revelation of Jesus Christ".  Everything in this wonderful book points to Jesus, the work He has yet to complete and the called-for response on our part.  As is the case for all Scripture, we must read God's Word carefully and not compulsively.  We must read it looking for Jesus; not for confirmation of our pre-existing ideas about the rapture or the millennium.  I have attached a couple documents that I hope will cause you to go look again at this book and to see it with fresh eyes. Please don't rely on these.  What I have written is simply intended for you to go search the entirety of God's Word - rely on HIS Word.