Middle East Chaos:

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Rick Batchelor

I have been watching with much interest these last few days the revolution by the people of Egypt against their government.  Other countries in the area are presently going through the same degree of unrest.  There is a powder keg about to explode and we have already been warned about it in God’s Word.

The implications of an unpleasant change in our world seem obvious, as the possibility of a more radical Middle East would threaten the nation of Israel…and thereby threatening the peace he of all the world.

The Bible tells us that, in the last days, Israel will be found all alone to fight her enemies.  Their closest ally for many years, the United States, has already taken steps away from these two countries close friendship.  The new administration, under President Obama, has caused Israel to question the friendship and loyalty of the United States.  So….where are today?  What can we do?  How should we react?

It’s apparent to me that Bible prophecy is rapidly being fulfilled before our very eyes…and many seem unaware of it.  I am convinced that God will take care of His children and that we will have nothing to fear of the coming atrocities.  Christians will be spared the wrath to come, as he will rapture the church and take them unto Himself.

I have no fear, for I have my faith in God! I pray everyone who reads this post is prepared for the coming of the Lord!  It’s never to late to get your life right with God.  When you do, you can have the peace that I have.

Posted in Politics | 4 Comments

Born To Die !

Posted on April 1, 2010 by Rick Batchelor

In this Easter season, we are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is, indeed, a time to celebrate (for the Christian), because if Jesus could not defeat death, then neither could we. We would all be destined to “living and dying, with no hope of everlasting life.”

To me, Easter is the greatest day on the Christian calendar, for we all we born, as he was, but not of us ever defeated the grave until Jesus did. The wonderful thing about that is…if we share in his death, we also will share in His resurrection!

Why did Jesus come to this earth? Why was He born?….to die. It was His plan all along…to be born in this world, to live for 33 years, THEN…to offer Himself as a sacraficial lamb for all of mankind.

Sadly, He died in vain if you, the reader of this post, do not accept that loving death on the cross as the price for your soul. He gave His life, but each one of us must RECEIVE it as “payment in full” for all our sins. What a shame it would be if such a great price was paid for you, and you never did claim it!

“Jesus…born to die!”

If you haven’t received Christ in your life as Lord and Saviour, please…do it today!

Posted in Religous Issues, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

ObamaCare: Whatcha' think?

Posted on March 22, 2010 by Rick Batchelor

The PROCESS:
I could rant and rave for hours on this, but I’ll try to keep it short and sweet. I am in shock to see our Constitution “burned to an ash” and the Legislative process in Congress stoop to an all-time low. (Now this is just about the process…I haven’t touched on the content yet). Our founding fathers would absolutely be ashamed and appalled at the disregard of the people’s liberty and freedom.

The federalistic,centralized government attack on the individual State’s rights and their Constitutional soverignty is just the opposite of the original intent of small government. Big government take-over of individual freedom and states’ rights simply should  not just go by un-noticed by the average citizen.   It will tremendously affect the way you and your children LIVE from now on!

American citizens have already revolted for less- intrusive reasons than this ; e.g.(taxation without representation= the Revolutionary War).  I believe the American people will put up with just “so much” injustice before they react in a very noticeable way.  Americans have a history of protecting their individual freedom! We are proud and don’t like being pushed around and told what to do! (This is not a Republican issue or Democrat issue…friends. its an AMERICAN issue!).

We elect officials from our state to represent us (they are called the House of Represenatives). The voice of the people (majority) has been ignored and the recent health- care vote ignored the will of the people. They are not there to vote their “conscious” but to vote  the WILL of the PEOPLE they are there representing. This didn’t happen. Do they feel the American process belongs to them?  If I remember right, its “ Of the PEOPLE, For the PEOPLE, and BY THE PEOPLE!”

We are being forced here in the “land of the free” to purchase a product (health insurance) whether to want it or not!… AND if we don’t… we will be levied a FINE. Does this sound like American freedom to you?   I would not be surprised to see this kind of law in Russia, or Korea, or China, but in the good ole’  USA?  This process was arragant, brazen, shameless, and un-American!

God…Help us!

Are you pleased with this process OR are you furious about the way the American people (you) are being treated?

Let me know…I am very curious. Thanks! Rick

Posted in Politics, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

"The Politics in Religion:" How much is too much?

Posted on March 17, 2010 by Rick Batchelor

We have all heard the old adage:  “Never mix politics and religion.” Well…for the most part, I would say that would be a good idea; however, it is inevitable that these two entities will “spill over” upon one another , and this is not necessarily a bad thing.  In fact, I believe, if taken in good measure, politics and religion should mingle together.  Proper balance, of course, is the key, for politics must remain mostly “political” and religion should remain “religious.”

In the Middle East, their religion IS their politics.  The religion of Islam is the engine that drives entire countries and their governments.  Our own Unites States of America was originally founded by God-fearing patriots who were so tired of oppressive, government interference in their religious pursuits .  They created a representative, democratic republic whose founding principles and basic rules of law were predicated on solid Biblical ideals.  Unfortunately, we have strayed far from these noble bedrocks.  (The so-called Constitutional notion of separation of church and state can be discussed in another post).

Let me get to my point (I could go on forever on this),:  To what extent should preachers (and Christians as a whole) involve themselves in politics? Recently, we heard a Rev. Wright, (preaching hard from the left), blasting from the pulpit a hard message; it wasn’t a hard gospel message, but a very strong political spew. I just had to wonder to myself:  “Where is the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Is he a preacher or a politician? I’ve always been under the impression that folks went to church to hear the Gospel, not to witness some political pep rally!  How do you feel?

There’s the Jesse Jackson’s and Al Sharptons (“Reverends”)…and we must include Rev. Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority, a right-wing politically-active giant.  (Now I have heard some sound gospel messages from Rev. Falwell…but many political speeches outside the church).  Should the two be mutually exclusive, i.e., be either a Preacher OR a Politician….BUT NOT BOTH?    Can a preacher voice his political opinion “in passing” during a message?  How political do you want your Pastor to be in his message Sunday morning? Just wondering….tell me what you think!  Thanks, Rick

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Sunday Night service….A Dinosaur??

Posted on March 9, 2010 by Rick Batchelor

I was surprised the other day when a pastor friend of mine was simply “amazed” that we still have church services on Sunday nights.  How do you feel?  Are Sunday Night church services still relevant and needed….or…like the dinosaur, have they become 0ut-of-date and should be declared extinct?  I really would like to hear all of your truthful opinions…thanks!  Rick

Posted in Religous Issues | 15 Comments

False Prophets in the Pulpits!

Posted on February 26, 2010 by Rick Batchelor

Hi,

Okay Bro. Rick I will do my best to post what I have been studying about false prophets. I’m not a teach, preacher, but I do do a lot of studying on my own. I think first off that it is very important to worship God as you have been saying but it is also so very important to study the Word for ourselves and not just accept everything that is taught us. Not only are the false teachers and preachers to blame for the lazy, lukewarm ways of the members in the pews but we are responsible for ourselves and should take what is taught us each week and prove it with the Scripture. In my opinion if you don’t do that then you are not effectively growing as a Christian and you are going to be deceived and easily swayed. Now with that said here I go and I hope not to offend but to just simply state what is my personal interpretation of what I have learned in this study.

In Matthew 24:11 Many False Prophets Shall Rise. We are talking of the last days here which I firmly believe we are living in. As the last days begin to close, false teachers and preachers will be exceedingly prevalent. Much of the Christian world will be in a backsliden condition. Loyalty and total commitment to the truth of God’s Word and Biblical righteousness will be in the minority, which as we can see is happening even today.

1. Professing believers will accept “new revelation” even though it conflicts with the revealed Word of God. This will lead to opposition to Biblical truth within churches. Those who preach a distorted gospel may even gain strategic leadership positions in denominations and theological schools in the Christian world enabling them to deceive and mislead many within the church.

2. Throughout the world millions will be involved in the occult, astrology, witchcraft, spiritism, and Satanism. The influence of demons and evil spirits will multiply greatly. I know many who practice some of these things and it is accepted by a lot of people that claim to be Spirit filled Christians. Especially the spiritism. It is said by a lot of people today they are not religious they are spiritual. I tell them if you are a Christian you are not religious and they are using that term not knowing what it means and that I am not religious either. That is a study in itself..lol

3 Protection against being deceived is found in an enduring faith and love for Christ, in a commitment to the absolute authority of His Word, and in a thorough knowledge of that Word.

Mark 13:22 “For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.”

Believers today should be aware that in the churches there may be preachers, pastors, ministers of God’s Word who are of the same spirit and life as the corrupt teachers of God’s law in Jesus’ day (Mat. 24:11,24) Jesus warns that not everyone who professes Christ is a true believer, nor are all Christian writers, missionaries, pastors, evangelists, teachers, deacons, and workers what they claim to be.

1. Theses ministers will “outwardly appear righteous unto men” (Mat. 23:28). They come “in sheep’s clothing” ( Mat. 7:15). They may base their message solidly on God’s Word, claiming high righteous standards. They may appear sincerely concerned for God’s work and kingdom and show great interest in the salvation of the lost, professing love for all people. They may appear to be great ministers of God, commendable spiritual leaders, anointed by His Holy Spirit. They may perform great miracles and have great success, and multitudes may follow them. ( Mat. &:21, 24:11,24; 2 Cor. 11:13-15).

2. Although, these people find their spiritual ancestors in the false prophets of the O.T. and in the Pharisees of the N.T. Away from the crowds and their private lives, the Pharisees were given over to “blackmail and cheating and excess” (Mat. 23:25), “full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness” (Mat. 23:27), :full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Mat. 23:28). Their lives behind closed doors involved such things as lust, immorality, adultery, greed, and self centered indulgence.

I still have a lot more on this subject but I think I will stop here for fear of boring everyone. I didn’t realize I was getting so long winded.. lol sorry I could go on with how to test these people to help us to know if they are for real or not. Basically it has to be understood that in spite of all that a faithful believer can do in evaluating a person’s life and message, there will still be false teachers within the churches who, with the help of Satan, remain undetected until God determines to expose those persons for what they are.

God forbid should I stand before Jesus and be told to depart. I will stick with the Bible and it’s teachings and anyone that teaches me anything different or new will be throughly examined by the scripture. And if those teachings can’t be proven true I simply will no longer sit under someone that has no intentions for feeding me the Word and isn’t concerned for my soul. We have been out of pastoring several times in our walk with Christ and let me tell ya it is very very hard to find a man that will not water down the gospel, as Bro. Rick has put it, but give it to me directly from the Word without worrying if they are gonna lose me as a member. I totally admire a man of God that will stand for God’s pure unadulterated Word and not change it’s interpretation to satisfy what people want to hear to make it easier to draw crowds instead of what is going to save my soul and cause me to grow as a Christian. WE NEED MORE MEN OF GOD Not “men of the people” today but they are the minority

Love and Blessings to everyone,

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Where is the Power in the Church!

Posted on February 22, 2010 by Rick Batchelor

I preached both messages today on the Power of the Holy Ghost and the fact that the church is found lacking in the power!  Nothing in this world can change our country around, our churches around, or our personal lives around…except a soverign “move of the Holy Ghost.”  Even the churches labelled “Pentecostal” seem to be anemic when it comes to experiencing manesfestions of God’s power in their church services.

I believe people today are looking for the “signs and wonders” in the church.  Where are they?  Didn’t God say we should see them in the church when the Word of God is preached?  Wouldn’t such signs of God’s Power persuade even the unbeliever of the reality of God?  Yes to all theses questions…but where is the Power of God in our churches today?

I am convinced that God desires to manifest Himself in awesome power and might today in the various houses of worship across our land.  I believe when we get serious with God and begin to seek His face….and offer to God true worship and praise, we WILL SEE the manifestation of great exploits by Almighty God once again in our churches!  True worshipers….for the Father seeketh such!

Posted in Religous Issues | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments