Forgotten Elements

First, I want to thank everyone for their prayers, concern, and their notes to me.  There are three discs involved with the neck pain and I am scheduled to see a neuro-surgeon on the 28th.   I am doing better as far as pain. There are still some problems from holding my arms up to the keyboard, but I am going to get through it.  Also, this month has been a very busy month as well.  I am writing this from the SC Church of God Campmeeting where Melodie and I have been all week.  Perry Stone and Tommy Bates have been doing a great job in the evening services.  The morning services have also been very challenging as well.  


I want to share a few thoughts on some forgotten elements that you don't hear preached often.  It is apparent to anyone that the Apostle Peter was being mightily used by the Holy Ghost to preach after the events early in Acts 2.  If he was so anointed, then much of the preaching that is done today should contain some of the same thoughts,if not all of the thoughts, frequently since the Spirit is immutable and the message is the same as what is needed today.  Also, there should not be any teaching that denies these core concepts since this is more than a prepared sermon from a master speaker, but God, Himself, is using this man mightily in such a way that three thousand turn to Him after this single message.  There are many claiming to be speaking by God's anointing, but their words do not have the same important teaching as that which Peter and the other apostles shared throughout the Bible.  In essence, they are fulfilling the warnings of Christ and the scriptures that there would be deceivers and false prophets in the last days of the church age. 

First, like many others and our Lord Jesus Himself, Peter preached that there was only one acceptable means to heaven.  Look at a portion of Acts 2:22! It says, that He was, "Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God..."  Furthermore, he states, "that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:36b)  The idea is simple!  There is no salvation outside of Jesus Christ and the bloody cross of Calvary.  Anyone who shares a message that hails another prophet or religious path to God is nothing but a liar, deceiver, tool of Satan, and/or a heretic.  If, as some well known "Christian" preachers teach currently, that we are all God's children and we will someday all gleefully make it to heaven whether we accepted Christ or not, then why did the apostles and early martyrs of the Church shed their precious blood to preach a salvation all would someday attain anyways at some point in the future?  They endured terrible suffering for the gospel as many are still doing today.  These liars are making a mockery of those who commit and have committed wholly unto Jesus to the point of death.  The apostles could have shut up and kept their ideas about Jesus to themselves since we would all make it to Heaven in the sweet by and by.  No!  My friend, do not allow this delusion in your life.  As Peter would say later in a sermon in Acts 4, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)


Second, the Holy Ghost did not dance around sin for fear of hurting someones feelings.  We do need to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit and be kind and loving, but there is a time when we should speak clearly with harsh truth even as Peter did.  Look at this verse, "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain."  (Acts 2:23) Can you imagine this rough fisherman standing square footed in the very crowd that contained folks who just weeks ago shouted, "Crucify Him" and pointing his finger in their face as he said this?  Where was the political correctness here?  Where was the concern for their feelings?  Sometimes, we need to be more concerned about the lost than to hide behind demonically inspired excuses.  You need not go everywhere shouting at sinners but you had better learn that there are times when a strong, unyielding witness, directed by God, is needed.  The same Holy Ghost who told us to be loving also said that, "Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."  (Proverbs 27:5-6)  So what is the missing element at the core of this harshness?  Repent!  When was the last time you heard a message calling men and women to repent of their sin and accept Christ?


Finally, Peter discussed the unending reign of the Son of David and the Son of God found in one person, Jesus Christ.  He knew that there was coming a day when the Savior would return and restore all things.  It is coming!  Are you ready?