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We all live in a world that is filled with confusion, debate, crime, violence, hate, evil, killings, insurrections, abject poverty in certain areas of our society, hunger, the spread of pestilences or different diseases and all types of maladies that plague mankind. With all of the problems that we face as the human race, and the seemingly total despair that is on our doorsteps, and the ever increasing possibility of man totally destroying every human being on earth with nuclear power, it brings to one's mind this question; Will there ever be a chance for world long lasting or even short termed peace? And the other question that is on most rational and serious people's mind is, will life here on planet earth get better or worse? Where will we be in a few years from now? Will the world have to witness another drastic change, politically or economically? Are we headed towards a time of global prosperity, or a one world currency system? What about all these natural disasters that in the last few years, floods, torrential rains, just like in recent times this year in the y2k, the devastation of the flood waters in Zimbabwe? Any body in their right mind woud have to wonder why all of these things are happening. Well, first of all, let's go back to the beginning of time. In the book of Genesis chapter 6 KJV, veres 1-8. And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. Yes, as we all should know, that the world has not changed much since the beginning of time, when it comes to the wickedness and evil that is in the hearts of men. Let me take you to a very timely passage of scripture in the book of Romans 8:22, For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. See how that the whole world is suffering and is toiling and is in "Pain" continuing right now in this present day, just as it was in the days of Paul, the great Apostle's day. (He wrote that passage in Romans) If you also noticed that in the previous scripture, how that God, the great creator of this universe, repented that he had made man because of his sins and wicked lifestyles and always thinking about and or doing something evil. Why is man the way he is? Can we link it back to his upbringing, or his level of intelligence, or the circumstances surrounding him? Is it something in his DNA or the capacity of the mind or his genes? The answer to all of those questions is resoundingly, no. The heart of man, after the fall in the garden of Eden is the answer to the demise and ruin of our society. (See Genesis 3rd chapter KJV) When Adam ad Eve fell and disobeyed God, this is the beginning of all of man's woes. Let's go to 1 Corin. 15:21-22
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Jesus Christ is the hope for all mankind. Since the beginning of time, man has been full of hate, evil, predjudice, arrogance, extortion, always trying to excel at the downfall and stepping over and pushing out of the way his own fellow man. Even our youth today, with the incident at Columbine and the destruction of those young people for no apparent reason, and just the mere fact that man is not getting any more kinder or loving, but rather wiser and more wicked, is a just cause why a holy God after centuries of murder and mass bloodshed and no regards for human life, it brings us to know that unless the Lord steps in and deals with this wicked and adulterous generation, he will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah. He is not asleep to what is going on in the world today, but, because of his great love, mercy, kindness, concern for the creation that he made to rule over his vast and enormous universe, he is giving all mankind an equal chance and time and opportunity to repent, turn to him, change his lifestyle and be saved Biblically. What I mean by biblically is to get a bible salvation, which consists of; Repentance, water baptism by immersion in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and receiving the holy ghost as recorded in the second chapter of the book of the Acts of the Apostles. ( Please also view my last sermon on: "A Call For World Repentance" HREF="http://community-2.webtv.net/rbacts238/ACALLFORWORLD/>click
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Look at this powerful statement by Paul, he states that he owes it to mankind to relay the message that our great God has given him to all mankind irregardless to their standing, status, or whoever you are, this is God's power for salvation to anyone and everyone who believes! What an awesome statement, to anyone who believes this great gospel message. Let's look at what our Lord also said to us in the book of Revelation KJV ( Rev. 21:6) And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Jesus is giving to all this great water of life at no
monetary cost at all. This is contrary to what man and his organized Religion has put man under bondage to his own distorted views of the "tithing" system that is used by almost all of Christendom today! ( That's a future subject to be discussed in either my site or the church's later.) Salvation does not consist of what man would try to tell you about God for his own personal gain, the truth of the matter is, that organized religion does not have the answers to man's woes, nor can it solve the world's problems that I mentioned on the onset, neither will it change man's views and opinions or his ideas or anything, because since we are all in this world together, and are all descendants of Adam and Eve, thus the sin curse put on us back in the garden yet is prevailing, no, Iam not offering you a quick fix, there is none, and no, Iam not telling you about some "Alice-In -wonderland salvation and God is going to bless you, super-church, prosperity message that men have conjured up, like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat type of God, which the scripture doesn't give any account of. However, I am giving you a dynamic, liberating, life changing, supernatural, awesome plan of salvation that is predicated on what the Apostle Peter, full of the holy ghost on the day of Pentecost stood up with those eleven men who received the same experience, after waiting in the upper room, fifty days after the passover, or God's great "Jubilee", he said this, "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.."Acts 2:38 KJV . Oh yes my friends, this is free to all that would partake of it, but, you must be willing to repent ( have a change of mind,life,heart ) God can do nothing for man if he doesn't believe the gospel. Why certainly he lets it rain on the righteous as well as the wicked, he feeds us, clothes us, we have our very existance comes from him, everything has been given to man by God, but, man still has his own will to believe, practice, teach, embrace any type of belief that he wants to, or not any if he so desires, that's why there are so many, and the world is so confused about God, and denominationalism is so rampant in this country of ours, and not only in the USA, but all over the world. Yet, my friends, the choice is yours, who and what you will serve, if you chose to serve the Lord Jesus Christ you must serve him the bible way, not man's way for the scripture says this, There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12) And in closing, the answer to all of the above questions will be discussed in a later site. Time would fail me to put all the information necessary on this page, nevertheless I did scratch the surface, figuratively speaking. But please, I invite you to go to the word of the Lord with me and see what he has to say about all things! Man has many problems, and there is so much in the world to get caught up in, and true salvation is not going to cure them all, because the scripture also says this, Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Galatians 6:7-9 KJV.) The last part of this scripture is to the believer who has met the criteria of repentance, water baptism in Jesus' name, received the holy ghost and is continually stedfastly in the Apostles' doctrine according to the word, for those are the ones that the writer here is writing to. Amen.
By Rodney Brooks |
