Posted in revelation, stars, wrath

The stars will fall from the sky as figs from a tree

Posted on by elizabethprata

Some of the prophecies to come are so beyond imagining that they defy bringing into illustration. Chris Koelle did an amazing and in my opinion, supernaturally spooky job of making the book of Revelation into a graphic book. His art did manage to bring to two dimensions what is nearly incomprehensible to imagine in three.

In the photo below, it has nothing to do with the bible or prophecies or anything religious. A photographer, Lincoln Harrison, simply photographed stars with a long exposure, and …well, let these guys at My Modern Met, (where I found Harrison’s photography) explain.

“Photographer Lincoln Harrison continues to amaze us with his extensive collection of surreal Startrails. …Recently, he produced a series in which each composition is filled with streaks of gorgeous light bursting across the atmosphere. Harrison documents the majestic night sky by using long exposures combined with a creative zoom technique, and then layering two images together in post-production.“

The photograph immediately reminded me of the scene in Revelation where the stars fall from the sky. Here it is, with parallel verses:

“When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. (Revelation 6:12-14)

“All the stars in the sky will be dissolved and the heavens rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree.” (Isaiah 34:4)

“The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.” (Joel 2:31)

The scene will be utterly terrifying. Men will drop dead on the spot. “People fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” (Luke 21:26). Imagine standing next to the tree and seeing this happen!

 Repent of your sins and escape all these things.

Here is a true fact: “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31).

If you are saved, you are free from the chains of death! Made possible by the ONE MAN who lived a sinless life, and laid it down in voluntary submission to His Father’s will, on behalf of His bride to be. Us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Further reading:

Sermon: The Wrath To Come 

Chris Koelle’s Revelation art

Essay: God’s wrath

Video: (2-min) Death Swallowed

Posted in evolution, social justice, survival of the fittest

How social justice and evolution are incompatible

Posted on by elizabethprata

A liberal friend put up something on her Facebook page today that made me think. It was of a hand-written sign posted in a person’s window. The sign said:

The 99% refers in large part to a movement called Occupy Wall Street. Wikipedia explains the Occupy movement:

“The main issues raised by Occupy Wall Street were social and economic inequality, greed, corruption and the perceived undue influence of corporations on government—particularly from the financial services sector. The OWS slogan, We are the 99%, refers to income inequality and wealth distribution in the U.S. between the wealthiest 1% and the rest of the population.”

So the Occupy people are hot for taking from the rich to give to the poor so the poor will survive.

Next thought:

Evolution is one thing when applied to animals…

Many liberals also believe in the theory of evolution, in which the survival of the fittest is an important element. In this theory, it can be summed up using the Online Free Dictionary that “Natural selection conceived of as a struggle for life in which only those organisms best adapted to existing conditions are able to survive and reproduce.”

Now here is my question. The Occupy Movement is consumed with rendering ‘economic equality’ for all citizens, so that they all have an equal chance at survival, and no one has a benefit or a leg up on another guy. However, as liberals are almost uniformly believers in evolution also, doesn’t social justice contradict evolution’s survival of the fittest?

In other words, why aren’t liberals making signs on their Facebook page that say to the medicare guy of the 99% “Die, old man, so the species can survive! Yay species! Only the fittest survive! There’ll be more for the rest of us!”

But when evolution is applied to modern humans,
it’s a different story altogether

Of course I am being facetious. I personally do not subscribe to any of the above positions (Occupy Wall Street, Evolution, or forced charity.) I am simply pointing out the inherent foolishness of the worldly philosophies and the fact that anyone can see that they contradict each other. They are illogical singly and in total.

Colossians 2:8 says “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.” (NLT)

Why not let let anyone capture you with empty philosophies? For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.” (1 Corinthians 3:19)

As Paul put it, “Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.” (Ephesians 4:17).

We’re so grateful that the Light has come into our minds, so we can see the truth of God and the beauty of Christ. Praise Jesus that our thoughts are not futile, but fruitful.

Posted in praise

Worthy is the Lamb!

Posted on by elizabethprata

You remember the father of the sick child who said to Jesus, “Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

I think about the rapture a lot. In church today we sang about rising to meet Christ in the air.

I am waiting patiently for Him to call us. But sometimes I get so impatient for the rapture, I cry “Lord! I am patient! Help my impatience!”

Worthy is the Lamb!

Worthy is the Lamb! To receive His bride!

Worthy is the Lamb! To open the scroll!

Worthy is the Lamb! To render judgment!

“and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.” (Revelation 1:13-16).

Worthy is the Lamb!

Posted in felicitas, martyr, perpetua

Sunday Martyr moment: Perpetua and Felicitas

Posted on by elizabethprata

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. According to this summary from Christian Book Summaries,

Writing in the mid-1500s, John Foxe was living in the midst of intense religious persecution at the hands of the dominant Roman Catholic Church. In graphic detail, he offers accounts of Christians being martyred for their belief in Jesus Christ, describing how God gave them extraordinary courage and stamina to endure unthinkable torture.

From the same link, the book’s purpose was fourfold:

  • Showcase the courage of true believers who have willingly taken a stand for Jesus Christ throughout the ages, even if it meant death,
  • Demonstrate the grace of God in the lives of those martyred for their faith,
  • Expose the ruthlessness of religious and political leaders as they sought to suppress those with differing beliefs,
  • Celebrate the courage of those who risked their lives to translate the Bible into the common language of the people.

Text from Foxe’s Book of Martyrs

The persecutions now extending to Northern Africa, which was a Roman province. Many were martyred in that quarter of the globe; here are but a few.

Perpetua, a married lady, of about twenty-two years who was still nursing a child. Those who suffered with her were, Felicitas, her slave, big with child at the time of her being apprehended, and Revocatus, a slave who was being taught the principles of Christianity. The names of the other prisoners, destined to suffer upon this occasion, were Saturninus, Secundulus, and Satur.

On the day appointed for their execution, they were led to the amphitheater. Satur, Saturninus, and Revocatus were ordered to run the gauntlet between the hunters, or such as had the care of the wild beasts. The hunters being drawn up in two ranks, they ran between, and were severely lashed as they passed.

Perpetua 

After an appearance before the proconsul Minutius in which she was offered freedom if she sacrificed to the idols, Perpetua had her still-nursing baby taken from her and was thrown into prison. Describing her faith and life in prison, she told her father, “The dungeon is to me a palace.” Later she and the other prisoners appeared before Hilarianus, the judge. He, also, offered to set her free if she sacrificed. Her father was there with her baby and he begged her to do so. She replied “I will not sacrifice.”

“Are you a Christian?” asked Hilarianus.
“I am a Christian,” Perpetua answered.

All of the Christians with her stood fast for Christ, and they were ordered to be killed by wild beasts for the enjoyment of the crowd on the next pagan holiday. The men were to be torn apart by lions and the women set upon by bulls.

“It will all happen in the prisoner’s dock as God wills, for you may be sure that we are not left to ourselves but are all in his power.”
On the day of their execution, Perpetua and Felicitas were first stripped naked and hung in nets, but were removed and clothed when the crowd objected. Upon returning to the arena Perpetua was tossed about by a mad bull and was stunned but not seriously hurt. Felicitas, however, was badly gored. Perpetua hurried to her side and held her while they waited for the bull to charge them again, but it refused to do so.They were dragged from the arena much to the crowd’s disappointment.

After a short time, they were brought back to be killed by gladiators. Felicitas was killed quickly, but the young, inexperienced gladiator assigned to kill Perpetua trembled violently and could only stab her weakly several times. Perpetua held his sword blade and guided it to a vital part of her body.

The fate of the men were similar. Satur and Revocatus were killed by the wild beasts, Saturninus was beheaded, and Secundulus died of his wounds in prison.

These executions were in 205, on the eighth day of March.

Painting showing the martyrdom of Perpetua,
Felicitas, Revocatus, Saturninus and Secundulus,
from the Menologion of Basil II (c. 1000 AD)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Perpetua kept a diary of the time she was arrested and imprisoned. It ends prior to her being led to the arena. Thanks to her diary, and that of another prisoner’s we have a picture of the persecuted life of early Christians. Perpetua was a disciple, new to the faith and un-baptized. However, her faith remained so strong during trial and persecution, and her eventual martyrdom so impressed Augustine that he preached four sermons about her.

From Perpetua’s diary, we read

“Her father immediately came to her in prison. He was a pagan, and he saw an easy way for Perpetua to save herself. He entreated her simply to deny she was a Christian.

“Father do you see this vase here?” she replied. “Could it be called by any other name than what it is?”
“No,” he replied.
“Well, neither can I be called anything other than what I am, a Christian.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Are you a Christian? The name means something very powerful and important. It means we are ambassadors of His message, receptacles of His Spirit, children of the Most High.

In school we tell the fifth graders, “Act like somebody.” Christians have an even higher calling- act like a Christian. We are “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works’ (Ephesians 2:10). Let us always declare His praises, (1 Peter 2:9) and live lives that are “holy and pleasing to God.” (Romans 12:1). When or if we are called upon to death by martydom, let us die a death that is pleasing to God also.

Posted in evangelism, glorify, holy spirit

When they reject the Gospel…God is also glorified. Evangelism part 3/3

Posted on by elizabethprata
photo credit: Chris Yarzab
via photopin cc

We are commanded to share the Good News, make disciples, and teach (Matthew 28:19-20). We love Jesus so much that when we share Him and His unique and magnificent work on the cross, we think, why doesn’t everyone just see how clearly He loves us? Why don’t they see how great of a sinner we really are?” But we also know that minds are blinded and hearts are dead. (2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 4:18). Not all will accept the truth.

Jesus was very popular, with all His miracles and feedings and casting out demons. But after He’d fed the five thousand, He shared some hard truths.

When many of his followers heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this?” (John 6:60-61)

They did.

photo credit: AlicePopkorn via photopin cc

“After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.” (John 6:66)

Was Jesus doing it wrong? They wanted to stone Him, throw Him off a cliff, and eventually they did kill Him. Many left His ministry after teaching them God’s standards and His words. Did Jesus do it wrong? Should He have been less oft-putting? Watered it down so they would listen?

Jesus would have failed personal evangelism class in almost every Bible college and seminary I know. Matthew 19:16-22 describes a young man who looked like the hottest evangelistic prospect the Lord had encountered so far. He was ripe. He was eager. There was no way he would get away without receiving eternal life. But he did. Instead of getting him to make a decision, in a sense Jesus chased him off. He failed to draw the net. He failed to sign the young man up. Should we allow our ideas of evangelism to indict Jesus? I think we need to allow His example to critique contemporary evangelism. Christ’s confrontation of this young man gives us much-needed insight into reaching the lost. (source)

His truths and the reaction to them should not be alien to you if you’ve been sharing the Gospel at all. One where the Holy Spirit is present, anyway! The truth of the Gospel always divides or angers. Paul’s truths caused riots. Stephen’s sermon caused him to be killed by stoning. They tried to kill Jesus many times. Christians today in Muslim nations are killed outright for their preaching. Jesus said that even families will be divided. (Matthew 10:34-36).

photo credit: daveblume via photopin cc

When there is a reaction, it is because people don’t like their sin exposed and don’t like even a discussion about it. Everyone wants to think they are good, and have a solid “moral compass.” The truth of it though is that we are all evil, rotten, and bad. Only God is good. And He is SO good He sent His Son to bring us evil bad rotten people iniquity to heaven under the covering of His blood. I wish the reaction would be over that fact, where people would shout for joy.

Back to evangelism. The word of God upsets.

When we evangelize the full Gospel, beginning with sin, wrath, and Law, and ending with the Good News of Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected, it will seem to cause some to reject. I say seem because we don’t know what is in store for that person and what work the Holy Spirit will do.

In one case of a street preacher baldly and honestly sharing the truth, one man who had heard the Gospel several times before was suddenly convicted on that day. He repented and was saved.

In other cases, like the Rich Young Ruler, he heard and rejected, and went away sorrowful because he wanted to keep his possessions (and was oblivious to his sins). (Mark 10:17-22)

God is magnified in both cases. How?

Wikimedia Commons

In the former, His Spirit drew the man to God and one sinner was rejoiced over by all of heaven (Luke 15:7). God is magnified immediately by His magnificent act of redemption.

In the second case, and in all cases where a person hears the Gospel and rejects it, God is also glorified, in the future. Here is a template of future glory onto God: God called Ezekiel to proclaim His word and go to where there was rebellion and stubbornness.

“And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them.” (Ezekiel 2:3-5)

When they stand before Holy God they will know He was faithful and true to His promises. He offered redemption, and in stubbornness and sin, they rejected it. His is still glorified, because He is true to His Holy name.

“Salvation is always attributed to God. A sinner’s judgment is always attributed to sinner’s unwillingness to believe.” (source)

My job is to deliver the truth and to pray the Holy Spirit applies it to your heart. Many will not believe and will reject. Some may come to faith. It is in the hands of the Spirit. But the message that is watered down to make you feel comfortable and wonderful is not the message of the Great Commission nor is it the whole counsel of God. We deliver the message that Jesus told us to deliver, how the receiver feels about it is up to them.

Jonathan Edwards wrote of God glorifying Himself,

“But it was his design to make a true manifestation of his glory, such as should represent every attribute. If God glorified one attribute, and not another, such manifestation of his glory would be defective; and the representation would not be complete. If all God’s attributes are not manifested, the glory of none of them is manifested as it is: for the divine attributes reflect glory on one another.”

“Thus if God’s wisdom be manifested, and not his holiness, the glory of his wisdom would not be manifested as it is; for one part of the glory of the attribute of divine wisdom is, that it is a holy wisdom. So if his holiness were manifested, and not his wisdom, the glory of his holiness would not be manifested as it is; for one thing which belongs to the glory of God’s holiness is, that it is a wise holiness. So it is with respect to the attributes of mercy and justice.”

God is sovereign in salvation, and whether they listen or they do not listen, God is always glorified because His attributes of justice, holiness, and mercy, and all His other attributes, are plainly manifested.

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Evangelism part 1
Evangelism part 2

Posted in creation, God, octopus

Where’s the octopus? Science and God

Posted on by elizabethprata

So, let me get this straight, octopi see a visual cue, match it exactly by changing color and *skin texture*, do it while being color blind, not a reflexively but via but brain analysis, and fool humans by accomplishing all this in 2 seconds. Wow!

Four minutes of delicious science whereupon we learn we humans:

–are less skilled than an octopus at seeing the world

and

–God is amazing!


By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Hebrews 11:3)

Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created. (Revelation 4:11)

Posted in evangelism, share the love of jesus, witnessing, wrath

Don’t share the love of Christ … Evangelism part 2/3

Posted on by elizabethprata

I’m thinking a lot about evangelism. I feel the times are getting closer and closer to the end. Whether you are a student of eschatology or not (eschatology = last things) the fact is that today we are one day closer to the end than yesterday. Urgency is a must, because today anyone could die. If they are without the Lord, they will go to hell. We must be about the Father’s business, and urgently, with purpose and intent.

And correctly.

More on that in a minute.

Stoning of St.Stephen – Paolo Uccello, c.1435

We have many reasons to evangelize. It is an order from Jesus to go about making disciples. (Matthew 28:16-20). The lost world is becoming ever more corrupt and depraved. Or another way to look at it is, human-kind has always been corrupt and depraved, but they used to be able to hide it better. Now, they can’t. It is rising in hearts of men and therefore they need the Light more each day. (Genesis 6:1-5, Matthew 24:37).

And yet into this cauldron of depravity and evil, many Christians take the approach to evangelism by saying “Jesus loves you.” Then they go home and say “I shared the love of Christ today.”

And you know what the lost think in response to the old chestnut approach “Jesus loves you”? “Big deal. I already knew that.” So they look smilingly at the evangelizer and the evangelizer looks smilingly back and all is kumbayah.

The lost believe they are good. They believe that because they are pretty good people, of course Jesus already loves them. They’re comfortable with hearing that. As a matter of fact, a Christian has just confirmed what they already knew all along, “Phew, I’m all set,” they think. So the Christian’s evangelism efforts get a polite response and no conviction.

I say, don’t share the love of Jesus.

I plead, let’s get that worn out phrase out of our pantheon of trite phrases.

Rev. Matt Slick continues by explaining how to present the Gospel:

 “The Last Angel” Artist: Nicholas Roerich, 1912

“How do you tell people that they need Jesus? Do you tell them that Jesus loves them and that He wants to make their lives better? Do you tell people that Jesus can forgive them of their sins? Do you tell them that Jesus has a wonderful plan for their lives and that they should believe in Him and ask Jesus into their hearts? If so, you may be doing a harm to their spiritual health. That’s right, harm.”

Because in order to share the Good News, we have to share the bad news first. Sin. Judgment. Wrath. We have to tell people they are separated from God due to their sin. Speak clearly of where their default destiny lies, after death. That there is nothing they can do to earn holiness or please God. Law first.

John the Baptist and Jesus both opened their ministries with the message “Repent and believe, the kingdom of God is at hand.” Peter opened with sin, judgment and wrath in his sermon at Pentecost. (Acts 2:14-41). Paul told the Athenians at the Areopagus that they were worshiping wrong, and used their error as a starting point to tell them the main point: and that they needed to repent because the day of judgment is coming (Acts 17:30-31).

Not that we go in with guns blazing. We are mindful of our audience and tailor the message to them. Paul used the Jewish scriptures to teach the Jews of Jesus and to the Pagans he used creation as a starting point. But we get to the point quickly: sin, wrath, judgment, then the Good News, Jesus crucified, died, resurrected. But far from today’s comfy evangelizing schema, it is necessary to tell the bad news so they know why they have no hope in themselves, to show Jesus is the hope and the Good News.

The point here is to relate the holiness of God. And the best way to do that it to tell them they are unholy.

 “High”, Artist: Morris Louis, 1959

“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isaiah 57:15)

You will receive a variety of reactions, most of them negative. You might be rejected, spit at, mocked, arrested, ignored, or beheaded. In today’s western Christianity, people tend to think that a person has evangelized wrong if they receive reactions like that. However you’re doing it wrong if you don’t receive mainly negative reactions. No one likes to be told they are a sinner. No one. Speaking of absolute truth (Jesus as the only way) engenders harsh condemnation in this post-modern world. And speaking of wrath and judgment garners condemnation from fellow ‘Christians’ more often than not, never mind lost people.

If you’re “sharing the love of Jesus” you are sinning, because you are making it comfortable for yourself.

Never underestimate the power of the full Gospel. Occasionally someone has been prepared by the Holy Spirit to hear the message God had sent us to tell. It is the Spirit who prepares hearts and convicts of sin! We share the full message and the Spirit applies it to the heart and mind. The full message is both, wrath and hope. See Got Questions on the subject:

Question: “What is the biblical method of evangelism?”
Answer: When trying to decide how to share Christ with someone, the starting point should be the same as that of John the Baptist and Jesus Himself. Matthew 3:2 tells us that John began his ministry with the words “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Repentance refers to a “change of mind,” which implies sorrow for past offences (2 Corinthians 7:10), a deep sense of the evil of sin as committed against God (Psalm 51:4), and a conscious decision to turn from sin to God. The first words Jesus spoke when He began His public ministry were identical to John’s (Matthew 4:17).

 Biblical evangelism – The good news and the bad news

The word “gospel” means “good news.” While many well-meaning Christians begin their evangelistic efforts with the good news of God’s love for mankind, that message is lost on unbelievers who must first come to grips with the extent of the bad news. First, man is separated from a holy, righteous God by sin. Second, God hates sin and is “angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11). Third, death and judgment are inevitable (Hebrews 9:27). Fourth, man is wholly incapable of doing anything about the situation. Until the full extent of this bad news is presented, the good news cannot be effectively communicated.

Read more here, it’s good.

I’ll close with something profound Jerry Bridges said in his book Fearing God. He wrote,

“Some years ago, I prayed that God would show me more of His love. He answered that prayer by showing me more of my sin- not just specific sins I’d committed, but the sinfulness of my heart. Then I began to appreciate more His love to me.”

People, preach the full Gospel, bad news first. Yes, tell of the love of Jesus,

“So long as the Christian makes it clear to unbelievers that they have sinned against God and will stand before Him to give an account…”

“So long as the Christian explains to unbelievers the just punishment and consequences for sin (and yes, we must talk about Hell as a place of torment, not merely eternal separation from God)…”

“So long as the Christian doesn’t merely name the name of Jesus, but assures unbelievers of which Jesus he is talking about (not the Jesus of Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witness, Islam, Oprah-ism, or any other kind of “ism”)…” (source)

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

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The End Time: Evangelism Part 1 
The End Time: Evangelism Part 3

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Further reading:

Biblical Evangelism

Making Disciples

Watch On-the-Street-Witnessing

Personal Evangelism 101

Posted in God, holy

Holy, holy, holy is God! Evangelism part 1/3

Posted on by elizabethprata

I’m writing two more parts in a series regarding how to evangelize and what to say and not to say, and reactions to true evangelism efforts. To begin, we always remember that God is holy!

“There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.” (1 Samuel 2:2)

“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory’” (Isaiah 6:1-3).

Holy is God!
Holy is Jesus!
Holy is the Spirit!

We serve a thrice-holy God!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Evangelism Part 2
Evangelism Part 3

Posted in joel osteen, pentecost, peter, truth

If Joel Osteen gave the sermon at Pentecost…

Posted on by elizabethprata

Joel Osteen: “Removing negative labels” speech was delivered to 43,500 attendees at Lakewood Arena on March 2013.

“I want to talk to you today about removing negative labels. Throughout life, people are constantly sticking labels on us, telling us what we can and cannot become. Sometimes this is good, people speak faith into us, they encourage us. But then there are times that people put negative labels on us. You cannot stop the negative comments. You can’t prevent the negative labels but you can choose to remove them.”

“As a teenager, Walt Disney was told by an art instructor that he wasn’t creative. That he didn’t have any imagination. Disney was smart enough to remove that label. He went on to do pretty good. Lucille Ball was told that she didn’t have any acting skills. She should try a different profession. She removed that label, and starred in I Love Lucy for many years.
…
“The common denominator of the success of these people is that they chose to remove negative labels. It’s the same way today. People put labels on us. My father went to be with the Lord in 1999, and I stepped up to pastor the church. I had never ministered before. One Sunday after the service, I overheard two ladies talking in the lobby. One said, ‘He’s not as good as his father. The other answered back, ‘Yes, I don’t think the church is going to last.’ I was already insecure, I already felt unqualified. And boom, another negative label. Not good enough…not up to par…inferior. That’s the way the enemy works. He would love to put labels on you to keep you from reaching your highest potential… He’ll try to intimidate you, fight you, make you feel inferior.”

“Words are like seeds. If you dwell on them long enough, they will take root and become what was said. I tried to remove that negative label, but it wasn’t easy. Those thoughts would play in my mind again and again. It was like trying to peel a bumper sticker off of a car that’s been there a long time…you peel it and it tears, and you got to work and work… If I had made the mistake of wearing that wrong label, I don’t believe I’d be standing here today. Wrong labels can keep you from your destiny.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now here is Peter preaching the first sermon of the first day of the Church, at Pentecost, 2000 years ago. It was given in Jerusalem, and the crowds were enormous. It may have reached the same size as Osteen’s stadium attendance. We know that 3000 were saved that day.

“But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who

Masolino da Panicale,
Peter Preaching at Pentecost, fresco,
Cappella Brancacci, Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence

dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” (Acts 2:14-24, 34-35)

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I transcribed the first 375 words of the Osteen speech, and of that first portion, it is about 95% complete. I posted the first 377 words of Peter’s sermon and it is about 95% complete.

You see the difference, I hope. In Joel Osteen’s sermon, Osteen talked about reaching career success and personal potential by our own works. Osteen lifted up himself as an example. He used two (in the sermon, three) cultural icons as successful examples of the career tips he was giving. He reiterated that it is by own own steam we achieve earthly success. He warned that our destiny is in our own hands. And last but not least, Jesus is not mentioned (except for one verse where he said that removing negative labels is hard but we can do all things by Christ who strengthens us). It is a speech filled with prosperity, legalism and blasphemy.

Peter opened with wrath. He referred to the Old Testament prophet Joel. He named Christ, Christ’s work, God and God’s work, the resurrection, and salvation. And that is a sermon full of conviction, glory, and truth.

Christ did not live on earth for 33 years and die an agonizing death on the cross, enduring all of God’s wrath, so that we could remove a negative label from our psyche like a worn out old bumper sticker.

John MacArthur said in his sermon this week, “Testimony to the Deity of Christ“,

“They were unwilling to glorify Christ. It’s about Christ. I wish the evangelical church would get this right, and quit selling the benefits and start selling the benefactor. It is so important that the issue is Christ. I was telling some seminary students last week, how many preachers I listen to who have all kinds of things to say, but never talk about Christ. They use His name…but it’s almost in vain.”

In the fresco above, it is reported that the “The scene refers to Peter’s sermon, as recounted in the Act of the Apostles, which he preaches in Jerusalem after the descent of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost. The fresco actually illustrates the final part of the sermon, when Peter says: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Remove the negative label and be something or other; or repent, be saved, and receive the gift of God’s Spirit. It is the broad way or the narrow way. (Matthew 7:13-14).