Post by Les Brewer on Apr 18, 2012 13:13:56 GMT
John Wolf
Calvary's Cross Ministries
Preaching Christ Crucified...I Cor.1:18-25
From the Pastor's desk...
Good day to all,in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.
Ecclesiastes 4:1-3 speaks of oppressors and the oppression they place upon others.It says this: " Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun:And look! The tears of the oppressed,but they have no comforter-- On the side of the oppressors there is power,but they have no comforter.Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead,more than the living who are still alive.Yet better than both is he who has never existed,who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun."(NKJV)
At first glance it may seem a tad bit gloomy,but let's look a little closer at what Solomon,the wisest man under Christ who ever lived is saying.
Oppression is a terrible thing when men become powerful.Most often we find ourselves in a battle trying to fight against the oppression heaped upon us by individuals who ascend to great power and prestige in life.I will speak as an American about America.I love this country.It is still the greatest country on the face of the earth,but not because of it's military prowess,or it's great inventors,or it's politics.America is still the greatest nation on earth for one very simple reason,that seems to escape the greatest of all thinkers in our nation.Our nation is great because of the Christians in this nation who still seek God on behalf of America.
I do not wish to turn this piece into a diatribe about all the problems in America today.I think anyone with enough common sense can see America is in serious trouble,and do not wish to be another voice vomiting out all of it's issues.But I would like to draw a spiritual comparison,if I may,about the oppression we experience living in a fallen world.
The Bible teaches us that in the very beginning,prior to sin entering the world,man was truly free from oppression.Adam and Eve existed in a perfect environment,free from oppressive things like poverty,war,sickness,disease,lack,corruption,death,sin,etc. etc.When God gave them the command to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,it was not to oppress them but to save them from untold heartache and misery that would follow their wrong choice.But God had to test man,in order for God to be vindicated of any wrong doing.God gives all men the freedom of choice.If He didn't He would be a dictator rather than a God of love and freedom.
The oppressor,according to the Bible is Satan,the deceiver,the arch-enemy of mankind.Man believes that true freedom should be the right of each individual to do as they please,without the restraints of any laws of any kind that would hinder them from doing as they wish,when ever they feel like it.Man believes that, then and only then, can man be free.This is basically the lie that Satan deceived Eve with.The Bible says that Adam was not deceived.What he did,he did with eyes wide open.Satan has always wanted to be God,he has always wanted to be in the position to be worshiped as God (for Scripture showing this read Isaiah 14:12-15;Ezekiel 28:11-19).
Jesus said "The thief does not come except to steal,kill and destroy.I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly"(John 10;10).If laws are ever passed in this nation that allows men to do as they please,complete and total anarchy will ensue.The consumption of alcohol in this nation is a perfect example of the point I'm trying to make.I can speak of it's use,because I once was bound by it's power to destroy.People in this nation have the freedom to purchase beer,wine,and liquor at an astounding rate in this nation.Billions are spent annually on the consumption of alcohol.Nearly every facet of life has been affected by it's use.Man wants the freedom to drink.Well,he's been granted the freedom to do so.However,along with this alleged freedom comes a hefty price tag.Broken homes,addiction,death on the highway,liver disease,crime,spousal abuse,child abuse,hunger,the list goes on.All of these things take place in our society,because we demand the freedom to drink.The obvious question must be asked:Do we really find ourselves free now that we have the right to drink? Not really.Men find themselves becoming the slaves
of drinking because of it's addictive power over them,and they loose their right of freedom,because it begins to dictate to them when they will drink and how they will drink.Children often times are the recipients of their parents right to drink by being abused or having to go hungry because of the parents addiction to alcohol.They will spend their money on drink rather than feeding their children.
This is just one example of many that could be made of all types of vices that we demand we have the right to choose from.How foolish we are to think that freedom to do as we please,will lead to true freedom.It doesn't lead to freedom,it leads to bondage of all types.Sin is the problem,and this is the reason Jesus came down from heaven.
The oppressors in this nation are those who want to take away the only voice that can bring true freedom.Whom the Son of God sets free is free indeed.He can set you free from the bondages of our choices to do as we please.We demand freedom from restraints but find ourselves in deeper slavery to our vices.This is not true freedom.If sin has been your oppressor,you can find real freedom from this oppression by surrendering your life to Christ.He can and will set the captives free.He offers new life in Him,if you will accept Him.
Oppression by men over other men is evil enough.But the oppression that Satan places upon us is deadly 100% of the time.There is only one way of escape from his oppressive hand and that's through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ.He will be your comforter through His Spirit,he has promised us this in John 15:26 thru 16:15.I pray that you will consider the words of our Lord and the true freedom that He offers......Love in Christ......JW
Calvary's Cross Ministries
Preaching Christ Crucified...I Cor.1:18-25
From the Pastor's desk...
Good day to all,in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.
Ecclesiastes 4:1-3 speaks of oppressors and the oppression they place upon others.It says this: " Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun:And look! The tears of the oppressed,but they have no comforter-- On the side of the oppressors there is power,but they have no comforter.Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead,more than the living who are still alive.Yet better than both is he who has never existed,who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun."(NKJV)
At first glance it may seem a tad bit gloomy,but let's look a little closer at what Solomon,the wisest man under Christ who ever lived is saying.
Oppression is a terrible thing when men become powerful.Most often we find ourselves in a battle trying to fight against the oppression heaped upon us by individuals who ascend to great power and prestige in life.I will speak as an American about America.I love this country.It is still the greatest country on the face of the earth,but not because of it's military prowess,or it's great inventors,or it's politics.America is still the greatest nation on earth for one very simple reason,that seems to escape the greatest of all thinkers in our nation.Our nation is great because of the Christians in this nation who still seek God on behalf of America.
I do not wish to turn this piece into a diatribe about all the problems in America today.I think anyone with enough common sense can see America is in serious trouble,and do not wish to be another voice vomiting out all of it's issues.But I would like to draw a spiritual comparison,if I may,about the oppression we experience living in a fallen world.
The Bible teaches us that in the very beginning,prior to sin entering the world,man was truly free from oppression.Adam and Eve existed in a perfect environment,free from oppressive things like poverty,war,sickness,disease,lack,corruption,death,sin,etc. etc.When God gave them the command to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,it was not to oppress them but to save them from untold heartache and misery that would follow their wrong choice.But God had to test man,in order for God to be vindicated of any wrong doing.God gives all men the freedom of choice.If He didn't He would be a dictator rather than a God of love and freedom.
The oppressor,according to the Bible is Satan,the deceiver,the arch-enemy of mankind.Man believes that true freedom should be the right of each individual to do as they please,without the restraints of any laws of any kind that would hinder them from doing as they wish,when ever they feel like it.Man believes that, then and only then, can man be free.This is basically the lie that Satan deceived Eve with.The Bible says that Adam was not deceived.What he did,he did with eyes wide open.Satan has always wanted to be God,he has always wanted to be in the position to be worshiped as God (for Scripture showing this read Isaiah 14:12-15;Ezekiel 28:11-19).
Jesus said "The thief does not come except to steal,kill and destroy.I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly"(John 10;10).If laws are ever passed in this nation that allows men to do as they please,complete and total anarchy will ensue.The consumption of alcohol in this nation is a perfect example of the point I'm trying to make.I can speak of it's use,because I once was bound by it's power to destroy.People in this nation have the freedom to purchase beer,wine,and liquor at an astounding rate in this nation.Billions are spent annually on the consumption of alcohol.Nearly every facet of life has been affected by it's use.Man wants the freedom to drink.Well,he's been granted the freedom to do so.However,along with this alleged freedom comes a hefty price tag.Broken homes,addiction,death on the highway,liver disease,crime,spousal abuse,child abuse,hunger,the list goes on.All of these things take place in our society,because we demand the freedom to drink.The obvious question must be asked:Do we really find ourselves free now that we have the right to drink? Not really.Men find themselves becoming the slaves
of drinking because of it's addictive power over them,and they loose their right of freedom,because it begins to dictate to them when they will drink and how they will drink.Children often times are the recipients of their parents right to drink by being abused or having to go hungry because of the parents addiction to alcohol.They will spend their money on drink rather than feeding their children.
This is just one example of many that could be made of all types of vices that we demand we have the right to choose from.How foolish we are to think that freedom to do as we please,will lead to true freedom.It doesn't lead to freedom,it leads to bondage of all types.Sin is the problem,and this is the reason Jesus came down from heaven.
The oppressors in this nation are those who want to take away the only voice that can bring true freedom.Whom the Son of God sets free is free indeed.He can set you free from the bondages of our choices to do as we please.We demand freedom from restraints but find ourselves in deeper slavery to our vices.This is not true freedom.If sin has been your oppressor,you can find real freedom from this oppression by surrendering your life to Christ.He can and will set the captives free.He offers new life in Him,if you will accept Him.
Oppression by men over other men is evil enough.But the oppression that Satan places upon us is deadly 100% of the time.There is only one way of escape from his oppressive hand and that's through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ.He will be your comforter through His Spirit,he has promised us this in John 15:26 thru 16:15.I pray that you will consider the words of our Lord and the true freedom that He offers......Love in Christ......JW
