Truth Inspires

Ezra 9:4  Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel assembled to me, because of the transgression of those who had been carried away captive, and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice . This passage, although not the most quoted by any means, is a very powerful picture of a society, culture, or nation ( ἔθνος- ethnos) that is inviting destruction if things are not set aright. Ezra the leader of Israel and priest and scribe of God (Ezra 7:11) is literally torn at the heart that his people could fall so quickly into the abominations of the past that had invited the destruction of foreign nations upon them. What abominations am I referring to but the intermarriage of one ethnic group with another. To most today that sounds so archaic. I mean what is wrong with a Japanese woman marrying a German? Or a Russian marrying a Scot? The biblical answer is nothing, really, unless the marriage involves something much greater than two ethnicities intermarry...

  Ronnie Floyd, Pres. SBC June 16th 2015 Columbus, OH         June 16th 2015 marked the beginning of a new era for SBC life in my estimation. As my readers know, a few weeks back my book " The Sifted Generation " was released and in that book I make a call for church leaders and Christians across America to wake up and take note of where they stand with Christ. Ronnie Floyd, President of the SBC, made a similar call. He stated, "We are on the battle ground, not a playground…the alarm clock is going off our in nation...Now is not the time to push the snooze button. Now is the time to lead." Times will certainly be getting rough for church leaders and churchgoers over the coming months. Evil will not back down without a fight. The question is how many believe it? How many are listening?  God, in His justice, is allowing a sweeping move of anti-Christian sentiment to infiltrate this land. He has warned us. He has told us that we...

Give glory to the LORD your God Before He causes darkness, And before your feet stumble On the dark mountains, And while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death And makes it dense darkness.  (Jeremiah 13:16) In God's economy, an economy which all are subject to whether they accept it or not, there comes a time when widespread rebellion will result in a thick darkness representing the judgment of God. This happened to the land of Judah as they fell captive to the Babylonian armies in the 6th Century B.C. God had commissioned Jeremiah to announce that while it was still twilight they needed to seek God in repentance . The phrase, "Give glory to God" is an idiom for confessing ones sin (See Josh. 7:19 and John 9:24). The land of Judah was given a time to turn to God. The brightness was fading and the twilight had fallen. Soon darkness would cover the land and the time of turning would be past. Jesus Himself validated this principle when He stat...

Many have asked, "why are some believers really excited about Jesus and others, not so much?" This ia a good question and one I am inclined to answer the following way. Some have been forgiven much and so they love much, Luke 7:47. The impact is heartfelt and the heavy burden of sin rolls off their backs like water off of a duck. For this they are eternally grateful and often desire to serve immediately. Like Zacchaeus (Luke 19:8), who promised to give one half his money to the poor and four times in taxes back to all he stole from, they with haste want to show their gratitude to God and man. But the deeper answer may be found in the amount of worth we place on being forgiven of sin as opposed to the value of continuing in it. Maybe some do not see the worth in being forgiven nor the power in sin to separate. Maybe too, they see eternity as something that they themselves have an eternity to wait before they need to reckon with it, so eternal things, like obeying God and se...

It has long been known that history repeats itself. The oft quoted quip of Santayana has been stated in many ways since, but it still stands that "Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it." The things of the past are our tutors. We lean and trust on those with silver crowns because it's by their wisdom and experience that we learn the lessons of life and good decision making. We also learn from histories how nations have stood and how nations have fallen by searching out their strengths and weaknesses—what their leaders stood for and what they stood against. Those who fail to do so throw caution to the wind and their leadership is marked out by the fickleness of emotionalism, narcissism, the lusts of the flesh, and a thirst for success and power rather than the discipline of the soul; moreover, whether in their day or in the days that follow, a lack of Godly leadership that models solid ethics and morality only brings despair and des...

Too long have Americans brushed the truths and principles of Scripture aside. Most have treated the Lord in the same way they treat a life insurance policy--He is only thought about when necessary. The Late Keith Green was known to be hard-lined when it came to the lyrics of his music aimed at his generation. In one of his songs he wrote the line "If you cannot come to me everyday then don't bother coming at all." * Harsh? Yes, to some. But to others the line induced them to take a closer look at their personal relationship to God. If the Lord were to speak to us all today His message would be the same as was brought to Israel of old around 2700 years ago. He would say" To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains. Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a s...

I'm Sorry Just recently a friend of mine introduced me to a couple that he had known for several years. After the introductions were over they were eager to share with me their reasons for not being faithful church-goers. There were many, but the main one being a lack of concern by the church for their welfare. That could mean several things but I did not have to speculate for they were quick to say that no one visited them which spurred their decision to not attend corporate worship. Again, circumstance at the time may have played a part in that churches decision to not communicate, so I will not speculate too much. But I will say there seems to be far too many excuses that people engineer to cover up their lack of personal responsibility and fervor in coming before the Lord to worship. In this case they could have pestered the church for financial gifts over-and-over till the church was overwhelmed. There could have been a word said that they took the wrong way, or even th...

We must kneel in humility confessing our need of Jesus Could the Church Today Survive Nero? The times in which we live are full of uncertainties. In America the church is quickly becoming the laughing stock of the nation. It’s no secret that in today's Christian America our influence is severely waning. Our focus has become discombobulated as we look to ourselves first instead of Christ and His concerns. The Presidential election of 2008 saw millions of so-called Christians voting for a man that is for the butchering of unborn children. Why? The ones I know say they are pro-life, yet when confronted they said money is a greater issue. What? Money is greater than life? Wow! But they are not alone. Instead of listening to Jesus’ message of life and the value of life, choices are made quite often supporting the values of the enemy of life, Satan, even if inadvertently through silence.  Truly in this, “ we hate the full message of the gospel” world but we love the “everythi...

We would be hard pressed to find a stronger confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ than that the Apostle Paul declares in Galations 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Jesus Christ is our life, not only now but also in the eternity to come! Because of this, we can proclaim boldly (Col. 3:4, Heb. 4:16) that our life, as believers is really His "risen from the dead" empowered life within us!! Because He lives --we to live!! Praise God!! Daily hallelujah's ring loudly round the world because of His life glorifying praise within us! Jesus stated so thoughtfully, that when He departed to heaven He would not leave His disciples as orphans but that He would send a helper and comforter to indwell within us; One who would guide us into all truth bringing back to our rememberance the aw...

I have a message that God has laid firmly upon my heart. After reading it you may think I am a harsh, unkind, unloving, and intolerant. So be it. I can only say what is on my heart. I have tried for years to simply tell the good news of the gospel, diligently working to spread the love of Christ. But the time has come that I can no longer be silent. I must speak my heart. God’s judgment is nearing and I have no recourse except to bring the message He has laid upon my heart. Every day I hear more and more stories of how Pastors and denominations are moving closer and closer to the dark side; how national leaders are embracing unholy lifestyles and sickening hurtful sin, all in the name of tolerance. It is not my desire to name names but the issue stems from the fundamental lie that we all (at one time or another) have adhered too. That lie being, “God is not going to condemn you if…” You …can finish the sentence. How many times have we been asked this question or asked it to ou...