Are you a Christian Because YouDon’t Want to Burn in Hell?
Christianity is NOT for “Later” – It’s for Now!
Learning to Trust God – One Day at a Time
Lorraine Day, M.D
Let’s face it, the majority of Christians become Christians so they won’t have to burn in hell. The Christian churches teach that if you join the church, behave by certain rules, work diligently for the church, and do good deeds for others, then you will be saved from burning in everlasting hell fire!
So, most join the church to obtain “Fire Insurance.”
“Joining the church, working for the church, obeying the church rules, and doing good deeds are all that is necessary now.” This is the real message of the churches. But these “good works” are also done by secular fraternal organizations like the Kiwanis club, Toastmasters, even the Freemasons.
Doing good deeds does not make one holy. A perfect example is the Shriners, an organization of high level Masons who sponsor the system of Shriners’ Hospitals throughout the U.S. to provide orthopedic care for severely disabled children, children with muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, and many other serious disabilities.
Yet investigations have revealed that the Shriners’ organization has been involved in financial corruption as well as prostitution. (See references below) (http://www.fourwinds10.com/siterun_data/religion_cults/news.php?q=1216665792)
(http://postmanpatel.blogspot.com/2008/04/masonsshrinersroyal-order-of-jesters.html)
Do Christians live their life differently from non-Christians?
There’s really not much difference between the life of a “Christian” and an Unbeliever. The Christian church does not prohibit smoking, drinking, taking of drug medications, or eating any type of processed food, huge amounts of fat and protein from animal products, huge amounts of sugar – all of which severely harm the body by contributing to cancer, cardiovascular disease, and every other kind of disease – leading to a slow suicide, even though the Bible clearly states:
“Your body is the temple of God’s spirit. He who destroys God’s temple, him will God destroy.” 1 Cor 3:17
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor 10:31
“Thou shalt not kill.” Exodus 20:13
Whether one kills himself rapidly with a gunshot to the head or an overdose of drugs, or slowly by destroying his immune system by the way he lives, thinks, acts, eats and handles stress, the result is the same. It is Death by one’s own hand and is a transgression of God’s law.
And most Christian churches have no prohibition against watching any and every degenerate television program, violent and trashy movies, Satanic, voodoo-inspired Rock music, and the playing of violent video games.
So how is a “Christian’s” life different from that of a non-Christian? Certainly there isn’t much difference in this life. The only real difference is that those who attend Christian churches have the idea that they will escape eternal burning hellfire!
The church’s brand of Christianity is really for “Later”– to avoid eternal burning hellfire - not for now in this life, even though most Christians would never admit it.
Without the threat of hellfire, what public relations campaign could ever attract people to join the church – the business of religion – when it would be just as easy to join one of the other secular fraternal organizations?
A youth pastor acquaintance of mine is right up front with his motives. He told the members of his youth group that he is a Christian and belongs to the church – “so I won’t have to burn in hellfire.” At least one can applaud his honesty. The majority of other Christians often delude themselves into thinking that their motives are higher.
Christians live their life by their own Common Sense – just like non-Christians – rather than living by Faith in God.
This is the way it goes:
1. When you’re sick, it’s Common Sense to go to the doctor – rather than believing God’s promise to “heal ALL your diseases” (Psalm 103:3) IF you “follow God’s laws, commandments and decrees.” Deut 7:11-15
More than once I have heard Christians say, “Sure, God heals ALL our diseases – except the LAST one!” That is a perfect illustration of the lack of faith on the part of the average Christian.
2. When the life of a Christian or his family is threatened, it’s Common Sense to kill the assaulter before the assaulter kills you – rather than trust in God and His Word for your protection, accepting what happens as God’s will, even though the Bible says,
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” Luke 6:27
Christians much prefer the idea of “self-defense” – taking their safety into their own hands - rather than entrusting their life and the lives of their family to God.
3. When you don’t have enough to eat, then it’s Common Sense to do whatever you need to do to feed your family – even lying, stealing, and compromising your integrity in other ways - rather than believing God when He says, “Be anxious for nothing” (Phil 4:6) and when He promises to “supply all your needs” if you trust Him (Phil 4:9).
Pragmatism runs high in the Christian church. How often Christians say, “Well, God gave us a brain to figure it out” or “God works through doctors.”
In a large study done in America almost twenty years ago, it was found that Christians lie every day, just as much as non-Christians. (The Day America Told the Truth, by James Patterson and Peter Kim)
4. When you have planned ahead and have a cache of stored food for your family when the famine comes, it’s Common Sense to combat with force anyone who comes after your cache of food stored for your children – rather than believing God when He says,
“Take no thought saying, What shall we eat? Or What shall we drink? Or wherewith shall we be clothed? (for after all these things do the Unbelievers seek) for your heavenly Father knows ye have need of these.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you.”(Matt 6:31)
Frequently the excuse is given, “Well, God expects me to take care of my family.”
5. When your finances collapse, it’s Common Sense to declare bankruptcy and “stiff” all your creditors – rather than believing that,
“God will supply all your needs.” Phil 4:19
Somehow Christian morality, integrity, and justice go flying out the window when a crisis arises.
Common Sense is as far from Faith as this earth is from heaven!
Common Sense is man’s way.
Faith is God’s way.
Christianity is not for Later – it’s for Now.
Christians say they have faith in God. But God will test that faith severely. Peter was adamant that he was willing to die for the Lord, but Jesus knew Peter’s heart better than Peter did.
“Before the cock crows, you will deny Me three times,” Jesus said to Peter. Matt 26:34
And how right Jesus was. When Peter’s faith was tested, he failed completely.
Our faith must be tested through trials and tribulations, thus perfecting our character.
“We glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, expectation: and expectation does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (God’s breath of holiness) which is given to us.” Romans 5:3-5
The Exodus was to teach the Israelites to Trust God One Day at a Time!
Food: During the forty years in the wilderness, the Israelites had to learn to trust the Lord day by day. God gave them food for only ONE day at a time, except for Friday, the preparation day for the Sabbath. On Friday morning they collected manna for two days so they would not have to forage for food on the Sabbath – Saturday. The Israelites had no way of getting food for themselves. They had to learn to trust God, one day at a time, every day.
Water: The Israelites were totally dependent on God for water for the forty years they wandered and camped in the desert. They had no way of getting water for themselves. They had to learn to trust God, one day at a time.
Clothing: The Israelites were totally dependent on God for their shoes and clothing. There was no place to obtain any of these items. The Israelites had to learn to trust God – who miraculously kept their shoes and clothes from wearing out for forty years.
Heating: The Israelites would have frozen to death during the cold winter nights in the desert had God not provided the pillar of fire by night to keep them warm. The Israelites had to learn to trust God, one day at a time, for their survival during the cold winter nights.
Air Conditioning: The harsh desert was unbearably hot during the day. The only way the Israelites could survive was by the shielding from the cloud cover God provided. They could not provide it themselves. They had to trust God daily to provide it.
Health – freedom from Disease: There were between 1 million and 3 million Israelites living in close quarters during the forty years of the Exodus, a perfect set-up for the transmission of diseases. But God’s health laws, His laws for sanitation and waste management, and his laws for handling of the dead, plus his provision of perfect food – Manna – allowed the Israelites to remain healthy.
Marching Orders: The Israelites had to look up – every day – at the cloud cover provided by God – to see if it was moving, as a signal to them to move to the next location where God would lead them.
Did the Israelites Trust God?
The hardest thing for the Israelites to do was to learn to trust God – one day at a time. It was so hard that of all those in the first generation that left Egypt, the only ones who survived to enter the Promised Land were Caleb and Joshua. Everyone else, including Moses, died in the wilderness.
It was the Second generation of Israelites, who grew up in the wilderness, knowing nothing else but “trust in God” that entered the Promised Land.
Elijah at the Brook Cherith
After Elijah, at the command of God, told Ahab, the wicked king of Israel, that there would be a drought and a famine, God told Elijah to go to the Brook Cherith where he would find water. There was no place for Elijah to obtain food, but he trusted God, who fed Elijah by the Ravens bringing him food.
But after a time, the Brook Cherith began to dry up. Instead of looking elsewhere for water on his own, Elijah stayed right where he was, even with the prospect of having no water – until God told Elijah where to go. Even then, the journey on foot through the desert to a location outside of Israel, where God told Elijah to go, called on Elijah’s faith to depend on God for food and water – every day - during that trip.
Daniel in the Lions’ Den
Daniel was one of the most righteous saints in the Bible. He is possibly the only one about whom God had nothing bad to say.
Daniel was not a murderer like Moses who slaughtered the Egyptian.
Daniel was not a liar like Abraham who said his wife was his sister just to save his own skin in Egypt.
Daniel was not a coward like Elijah, who, when he was being chased by the thugs of Queen Jezebel, ran and hid in a cave and asked God to let him die.
Daniel was not an accomplice to murder as Paul (Saul) was when he held the coats for those who stoned Stephen to death.
Daniel was not a bigot like Peter who refused to sit with the “Gentiles” when James, from Jerusalem, arrived.
Daniel was not a murderer and an adulterer like David when He had Uriah, the Hittite, killed and took Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba for himself.
Daniel was not an adulterer like Abraham who slept with his wife’s servant, Hagar, and produced a son, Ishmael, because Abraham didn’t have enough faith in God’s way for elderly Abraham to have a son by his wife Sarah who was long past her child-bearing years.
Daniel was not a liar and a thief like Jacob, who lied to his father, Isaac, and stole the birthright from his brother, Esau.
Daniel was an honest, righteous man, who worshiped God openly even though he was forbidden to do so by the King’s command, under penalty of a horrible death in the Lion’s den. But even Daniel’s faith was severely tested. He did not escape the Lion’s den. Instead, he had to trust God through the trouble – and God shut the Lions’ mouths so Daniel was not harmed.
Rather than Daniel formulating a plan to deliver himself from going into the Lion’s den – to certain death - either by killing his enemies who plotted his death, or somehow trying to kill the lions before they killed him, Daniel chose to leave everything in God’s hands.
Upright, righteous Daniel had to have his faith severely tested by God – to the point of death, just as must happen to us.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
These young men had stood up for God during their captivity in Babylon, having been taken as slaves from Egypt. When they were ordered to bow down to the golden image as the King commanded under penalty of death in the fiery furnace, they refused. The King was angry and ordered the fire to be made seven times hotter. The three young men were given another chance by the King to obey his orders and bow down to the statue.
But they refused, knowing very well they could die. Their response was:
“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
“But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Daniel 3:16-18
Jesus had Nothing when He was on this earth
When Jesus was on earth, He owned nothing. He had to depend on His heavenly Father for everything – every day.
“And a certain scribe came and said to Jesus, Master, I will follow Thee hithersoever Thou goest.
“And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath nowhere to lay His head.” Matt 8:18-20
We, as Christians, are to be followers of Christ. We are to learn to have the faith of Jesus – not just faith IN Jesus – but the faith OF Jesus, the faith that Jesus had in His heavenly Father, the faith that Jesus demonstrated every day He was on earth.
“Here is the patience (steadfastness) of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith OF Jesus.” Revelation 14:12
The Bible tells us:
“Be anxious for nothing.” Phil 4:6
“Being fully persuaded that what He had promised, He was able to perform.” Romans 4:21
“He is faithful that promised.” Hebrews 10:23
“I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass: I have purposed it, I will also do it. Isaiah 46:11
“Can a woman forget her nursing child and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet I will NOT forget Thee. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands. . .” Isaiah 49:15,16
“Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on.” Matt 6:25
“But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what you shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what you shall speak.” Matt 10:19
“Take therefore no thought for tomorrow: for tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.” Matt 6:34
“Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Genesis 18:14
“He forgives all our sins, and heals all our diseases” (Psalm 103:3) IF we “follow His laws, commandments and decrees.” Deut 7:11-15
The only reason we are on this earth is to learn to trust God – completely, one day at a time, with everything in our life.
“Without faith (belief that God will do what He has already promised to do) it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is (he must believe that God exists) and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
One must believe that God hears and responds to the prayers of those who diligently seek God.
End times are fast upon us:
coming famines,
persecution of Christians,
the elitists buying up all the water supplies,
the elitists destroying by weather control the farming land and the crops,
the elitists controlling the food supply of the world,
the coming financial collapse,
the coming cashless society where bartering will be a crime punishable by imprisonment or death,
the raising of property taxes up to 60% above present levels
the elimination of jobs in America
weather control with severe cold, severe heat, crop damage, resulting in sky-high food prices,
the tracking, by the government, of every move and transaction in each person’s life
the ability of the government – from a distance - to put voices in your head, to control your mind and actions
the ability of the government – from a distance – to raise your body temperature by microwaves to uncomfortable, or even lethal levels
the ability of the government - from a distance – to cause your heart to suddenly stop beating resulting in your immediate death
the ability of the government to use a specially developed vehicle to find out what is in your house or car just by driving by,
the ability of a person, just by walking by you, to steal your credit card number while your card is still in your wallet,
the ability of the government to drive you crazy with buzzing or hissing sounds projected into your head that no one else can hear,
the ability to kill Christians “legally” with laws that are already on the books in the U.S.
the continuing and escalating home foreclosure crisis
the ability of the government, with the use of scalar waves and the technology of Nikola Tesla, to cause earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, severe droughts, and tidal waves, wherever they choose.
Antidepressant use in the U.S. doubled from 1996 to 2005, according to a 2009 report in Archives of General Psychiatry. Its future “doubling time” will probably be much faster. Antidepressants are the most commonly prescribed class of drug medication in the U.S.
Men’s hearts will truly be failing them for fear.
“Men’s heart failing them for fear, and expectation of those things which are coming on the earth. . . There shall be signs in the sun, and n the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity: the sea and the waves roaring.” Luke 21:25,26
We must learn to trust God NOW. Waiting until the crises get worse will only make it harder. What a privilege to know that God will be with us through all the trouble with His goal in view of saving everyone He has ever created.
The only way to learn to trust God, or any human being, with everything, including one’s own life and the lives of his or her family, is to spend time with the Lord every day in Bible study and prayer. In order to trust someone with your life, you must learn to know him or her very well. Learning to know God that well is no exception.