Archive for the ‘Teaching’ Category
Cling to the Lord Your God by Rodney Howard Browne
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NKJV
God has a wonderful plan for you – His most valued and precious creation. He has good plans; plans full of hope; plans for a great future. Man was created with the ability and the right to choose his destiny. Since man was created, the Father has been declaring the truth. To every generation, the Lord makes this clear: there are two choices and two destinies for every man and woman; there is a choice to be made for life and blessing, or a choice to be made for death and cursing. His plan is the good one! God is always truthful with us; we can believe everything He says; He is not capricious; He is not deceptive; He does not play games with us. He means what He says and He says what He means.
Adam had the opportunity to choose life or death, blessing or cursing, just as every one of us has. Through disobedience, Adam made a choice for cursing and death. God only has good plans for us, but because of the fact that Adam sold out to the devil and gave him access into the earth, the devil also has plans for us – bad plans. The devil hates the truth – he doesn’t want us to know his terrible plans for us, because if we really understood what his plans were, we would run away from him and stay away from him. The devil’s main weapon is deception – as long as he can deceive us and keep us in the dark, he can succeed in his evil endeavors. God is always truthful – He is not afraid of the truth. When the truth is revealed, God is always proved right. The truth brings Him glory and honor.
Most people think that life just happens to them; that they have no choice or control over how they end up. While it is true that there are many things that come our way initially that we can’t predict; we can directly positively affect the outcome by making a good choice. By making good choices, we can head off or prevent many of the devil’s evil plans. By choosing the good, we can actually positively influence our future and the future of our children. Choosing life and blessing means actually earning the reward of life and blessing!
Verse 20 says that we can have life and blessing IF we love the Lord, obey His voice and CLING to Him!
The Hebrew word, dabaq (daw-bak’), translated “cling” or “cleave” means: to cling or adhere; to catch by pursuit. It is variously translated as abide fast; cleave (fast together); follow close (hard after); be joined (together); keep (fast); overtake; pursue hard; stick; take. The dictionary says that “cling” or “cleave” means: to adhere closely; to stick to; to hold tight, as by grasping or embracing; to be or remain close; to remain attached; to cohere; to remain emotionally attached; to hold on; to resist separation; to remain faithful. That means – get close, hold on and NEVER let go!
It’s not about receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior and then just coasting along, expecting Him to take full responsibility for your relationship. Even in human relationships, you will fail if you do not work on the relationship and if you leave everything up to the other person. Many Christians go along expecting God to hold onto them; to cling to them; to do everything for them. That is not how it works. WE are the ones who must cling to the Lord! By God’s design, just as it is instinctual for babies – human and animal – to cling to their mother and to stick close by her for provision and safety – so God has designed that we be the ones to chase after Him; to pull in close to Him; to cling to Him and never let go.
Joshua 23:8 AMP – But cling to the Lord your God as you have done to this day.
Joshua 22:5 AMP – But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you: to love the Lord your God and to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and to cling to and unite with Him and to serve Him with all your heart and soul [your very life].
Psalms 119:30-31a NKJV – I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me. I cling to Your testimonies.
Deuteronomy 10:20-21 AMP – You shall [reverently] fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and by His name and presence you shall swear. 21 He is your praise; He is your God, Who has done for you these great and terrible things which your eyes have seen.
Take responsibility for your life and your blessing; do not be lazy, lackadaisical, or sloppy in your walk with the Father; don’t ever take Him for granted. If you want God’s best in your life, if you want His blessings, you must press in to Him and cling to Him and His word as if your life depends on it – because it does!
New Rodney Howard Browne Video and Testimony
I started watching your live service on Oct 13 6pm and Mac Hammond answered some questions I had for a long while in his sermon, then on thurs I watched Fire of God series I watched mon,tues,wed,thurs all at once, and each time the event was over Pastor Rodney would pray for people who were watching, so I just kept watching and getting prayed for at the end of each service’s have a had a deep depression and was very sad which I was use too and just lived with it. I have decided this past week to make this my home church and watch every week and you know my friend said to me there was a darkness over you it is now gone that was just after sun service. Now I am starting to feel joy in my heart, every time Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne prayed I cried and cried all that sadness away. I still feel sad but it’s a little sadness now, not a big sadness’ know have hope. I believe it’s going to all go away and I am going to keep watching and praying. And things will just get better and better. Thank you for having this internet thing I am is happy for this, it saved my life. You have no idea such a blessing. Amen Charlene Arnault
charlene a
saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada
Jesus Saves
I was watching your program when you were in St. Louis MO, and WOW, the power of God was in that place. I was just speaking to my wife and our best friend of how on the TV you don’t have too many powerful, anointed Men and Women of God. We have been pacified by good messages and “pick your chin up” proclamations, but no Signs, Miracles and Wonders. Then I walk into my bedroom and turn on the GOD network and you are saying exactly what we were just talking about. May God continue to Bless you Both, for gone is the day of lukewarm messages, we need TRUE anointed people on TV to destroy the yokes. God Bless you. Elder Edmond J. Bergeron
Edmond B
Pace Florida United States
New Rodney Howard Browne Video and Testimony
I am currently on staff at Abba’s House and also a single mom. It seems that I have been under a financial curse lately and also with my health. During the meeting Tuesday night Pastor Ron Phillips got up and said that if we would plant a seed that God would break financial curses and depression off the seed bearer. My spirit heard that and the Holy Spirit began to deal with me about sowing a seed. I told God that there was no way I could do that because I just couldn’t afford it. My truck was tore up and I just couldn’t give $100. The Lord simply said, just trust me. I told the Lord, I will give it tomorrow and He said the anointing is for now. So I went back to my office and started writing the check for the amount God had given for me to give. I came back out to the Auditorium and the young ladies were singing so I was just going to put the money in one of the buckets. The Holy Spirit said, no, lay it on the altar so I did. The moment I laid my seed on the altar I felt the power of God come over me like never before. The Holy Spirit began speaking through me to my seed, prophesying over it. The devil started saying to me, you stupid idiot, that was your truck money. Well, this morning I found out that God has provided the part I needed for my truck labor included! This instance has helped me to see that God just wants me to trust Him. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to sow into your ministry! God Bless Mary Beth Barnes Worship Admin Asst. Abba’s House
Mary Beth B
Hixson Tennessee United States
The Gift of Faith

1 Corinthians 12 verse 7
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are as He will’s not as we will – however He will’s more than we will.
The Gift of Faith is a supernatural Gift from God of His Faith given to you at a specific time at a specific place for a specific purpose.
It is the ability from God the divine grace to receive a miracle
Miracles of Salvation, deliverance, healing, protection, provision etc involving all of our needs down here on the earth.
We see passages of scripture that these are showcased in.
1. The Red Sea parted making a way for them to pass and burying their enemies.
2. Water provided from the Rock, Manna and Quail from Heaven.
3. The Pillar of Cloud by Day and the Pillar of Fire by night.
4. God brought the Children of Israel forth with Silver and Gold and there was not one sick or feeble one among their tribes.
5. The Son and the Moon stood still.
6. The Axe Head Swam
7. The ravens fed the prophet.
8. The Oil and the meal did not Fail.
9. The Rain that came to break the drought.
10. Water into wine.
11. Feeding the Five thousand with 5 loaves and 2 fishes.
12. Tax money from the Fish’s mouth
The List goes on and on I have only sighted a few examples from the Scripture.
The Gift of Faith will propel you supernaturally – the Lord will sustain you in the most adverse circumstances – He will make away where there is no way and He will furnish a table in the wilderness and make the crooked path’s straight.
If the Gift of Faith is as He will’s and not as we will then how do we access the gift – we can use our Faith to receive the gift of Faith
Just lift your hands right now and pray this prayer and Say
Father in Jesus name I thank you for the gifts of the Spirit and especially the gift of Faith - we receive by Faith this gift right now to help me in my situation and I receive by Faith
Divine Grace so as to move mountains. I receive this in the wonderful name of Jesus and by the power of the Blood of Jesus.
Thank you in Jesus Name
Amen.
PS Love and blessings to you as you read this I am in Tulsa Oklahoma and it is Friday 17th April pm 6.30 and I am preaching on the gift of Faith tonight and felt to post my notes on this blog – looking forward to the Sunday am and pm at the River
Love and Blessings
Pastor Rodney Howard Browne
LIVING IN THE FAMILY OF GOD

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. Colossians 3:5-25 NIV
1. In the Family, we have been raised to a new life through Jesus Christ—He was raised to new life therefore we have been raised up with Him.
We are to seek the rich eternal treasures that are above—in the Heavenlies.
Set your mind on the higher things.
You died with Him, you were buried with Him and you have been raised to new life with Him.
Putting off the old—verses 5-9
Putting on the new—verses 10-12
2. Your conduct in the Family of God.
Forgiving one another—verse 13
Put on love—verse 14
Let peace rule—verse 15
Be thankful—verse 15
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord—verse 16
Whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him—verse 17
3. Christian family conduct.
Verses 18-25
Husbands; wives; children; parents; fathers; servants.
The Word of God must be the foundation for our lives.
4. Foundational things you must do in order to live your life prosperously and effectively in the Family of God.
Decide to obey God’s Word and take it as the written, spoken, God-breathed pattern for your life in the Family.
Don’t be conformed to the world—its ways and ideologies.
Don’t be persuaded by outside influences—be controlled by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the One who has been sent to help you live your life in the Family.
He will constrain and restrain you and also release, empower and enable you to live by the grace of God to handle any situation that might come your way.
NB You are part of the Family of God in Heaven and Earth!
Jesus born of a virgin

Jesus came to earth as a human being. He was born of a
virgin and lived a sinless life. He went to the cross of Calvary
and paid the price for our sin. Then He rose from the dead, sat
down at the right hand of the Father, and sent the Holy Ghost
to live in the hearts of those who believe. So now you and I can
come and simply surrender our lives to Him, and the Holy
Ghost can come into our hearts and give us a new life.
I thank God for the reality of the risen, resurrected Lord Jesus Christ.
If you want to see Jesus clearly, take your Bible or go
to the back of this book and read through the gospels of
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Underline everything He did and
everything He said. Put yourself in every verse. I’ve been at the
pool of Bethesda. “When did you go there?” you might ask. I
went there in the pages of the Word of God!
Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool,
which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having
five porches.
In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind,
halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
JOHN 5:2-3
I’ve been there. I’ve seen it in the Spirit! When you walk
through the pages of the Word of God, Jesus will walk right off
the pages of the Gospel and into your heart. The living reality of
the resurrected Lord will walk up and down in your heart. The
Bible says, Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have
believed (John 20:29). I haven’t seen, but I believe. I haven’t
seen with my natural eye, but I’ve seen Him with the eye of my
spirit in the pages of the Word of God.
The Word says, Lo, I come in the volume of the book
(Hebrews 10:7). We must see Him as He really is — not through
the eyes of religious tradition, but through the eyes of the Holy
Spirit and God’s Word.
Jesus was not a barefoot, scrawny, weak-kneed individual with a
lamb under His arm who spoke in Elizabethan English, “For yea, as
thou hast gathered here this day.” That’s not Jesus, that is religion
and tradition. If you read the Bible, you’ll see that the reputation Jesus
had among the religious people was that of a gluttonous man and
a winebibber, because He hung around with the sinners. Religious
people don’t want to be around sinners, and they didn’t like Jesus
because He convicted them of their hard-heartedness.
Don’t Touch Your Hair

And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast
mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou
mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou
weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.
Judges 16:13
I want you to see that Samson had begun to touch
the very key to his anointing. He had played the other
three times but now he was starting to touch the covering
of the anointing of God on his life. He even mentioned
part of the secret which was his hair.
He didn’t tell them to shave him, but he told them
to make seven locks of his hair and then to bind it up and
fasten it. This is what Delilah did.
There were a lot of weavers in those days. They
would weave carpets and clothing and all kinds of things.
That’s what Samson was saying. “Weave all my seven
locks into the weaver’s beam. Then I’ll be weak.” He
didn’t give the secret, but he was touching the very source
of the anointing on his life.
And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him,
The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked
out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the
beam, and with the web.
And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love
thee, when thine heart is not with me? Thou hast
mocked me these three times, and hast not told me
wherein thy great strength lieth.
And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with
her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed
unto death.
Judges 16:14-16
She did what only a woman could do. It must
have been hell on earth. Nag, nag, nag, nag, nag.
Morning, noon, and night. “You don’t love me.”
It was so bad that his soul was vexed unto death.
Samson wanted to die. That’s how bad it was. This
woman went on and on and on so that he wanted to die.
He said, “My soul is vexed to death.” Some women have
that ability. She bugged him and bugged him, until he
told her all his heart.
That’s what the enemy wants to do. He wants to
get you to a place where you open your heart and
compromise the very deep things of God and lose your
effectiveness for the Lord Jesus Christ.
A Lifestyle of Prayer

Every believer needs to develop a lifestyle of
prayer. The Word says, “Pray without ceasing” (First
Thessalonians 5:17). We need to realize that we can live
in the spirit of prayer, whereby we pray all the time. Our
heart can always be crying out to Him. Our thought life is
never far away from God.
I asked the Lord why some people never feel or
sense His touch in their lives. It’s because most of their
waking moments are caught up in the affairs of this life.
Their hearts are far from God.
Jude 20 says, “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves
on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy
Ghost.” It is important to pray in the Spirit and keep
yourself built up spiritually. Some would say; “I need to
get prayed up.” Don’t just get prayed up; stay prayed up.
Stay in the Spirit.
Different Rules for Different Prayers
We know that just as different sports have
different rules, so there are different kinds of prayer and
not all prayer has the same rules. For the believer who
would be used of God, there are two prayers especially
among all the others that need to be prayed.
The first is the prayer of consecration. Jesus
prayed this prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was a
prayer of consecrating His will to do the will of His
Father.
The second prayer is the prayer of repentance,
always keeping our hearts right with God. This is not on
the basis of sin consciousness, but out of our love for
Jesus. We would not want to do anything to hurt Him in
any way, shape, or fashion.
These two prayers are lacking in many lives. For
those who desire to have the anointing, a consecrated,
yielded, repentant heart will be used of God.
Is God a Captive in His Own Heavens?
There are those in the Church who think that to
see revival our prayer life must be directed towards the
devil in a warfare attitude. They believe we must wage
war on the devil in the heavens to release God so that He
can move freely. They act as if God is bound in the
heavenly realm, waiting desperately for a believer to
loose Him so that the plan and purpose of God can be
done on earth.
Honey, I Blew up the Devil and other Nintendo Games
This game of spiritual warfare is nothing more
than a spiritual Nintendo game played by baby Christians
who have no understanding that Jesus defeated the devil
two thousand years ago. He has sent the Holy Ghost to
empower the believer and to flow through that
individual’s life to enforce the devil’s defeat.
In this game, the devil is seen through the eyes of
the believer as very big and in control. God is having a
problem containing him. Believers, instead of preaching
the gospel, are in their closets waging war on the devil.
Many live in a fantasy world of spiritual warfare. It’s
probably the result of a bad dream and an overdose of
pizza with too much cheese.
This has permeated the Church, infiltrated the
worship, prayer, and study of the Word to such an extent
that when you go to some churches, you wonder who are
you going to worship. All they ever seem to do is talk
about the devil and pray about what he is doing. Even the
sermon and their heavenly language is directed toward
the devil.
By the end of the service, all the believers are
stamping their feet, binding and loosing in a frightened
frenzy. It reminds me of a bunch of kids who have been
told they are going to have to walk home in the dark past
a graveyard after they’ve just seen a horror movie.
Pulling Down Strongholds in the Mind or Heavenlies?
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,
but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong
holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing
that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of
Christ (Second Corinthians 10:4,5). This speaks of a warfare
in the mind of man rather than in the heavenlies.
We have no account of Paul or anyone else -
including Jesus – indulging in these so-called warfare
practices. This practice is based on Daniel’s 21-day fast
while the angel was trying to get through. This, of course,
is Old Covenant. The Holy Ghost is here on earth now.
He came on the day of Pentecost and never left.
So rather than indulging in religious practices that
do not produce any fruit, let us turn to the proclamation
of the gospel linked to the demonstration of the power of
the Holy Ghost resulting in the establishment of the
kingdom of God. “The kingdom is not meat and drink;
but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost”
(Romans 14:17).
It is interesting to note that the greatest soul
winners in the world have never indulged in such
practices. They have spent their time in prayer,
fellowshipping with the Lord on a daily basis, and
ministering out of an overflow of that communion with
Him.
The New Birth Brings Change

There was a man of the Pharisees,
named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
The same came to Jesus by night,
and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that
thou art a teacher come from God: for no
man can do these miracles that thou
doest, except God be with him.
Jesus answered and said unto him,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a
man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How
can a man be born when his is old? Can
he enter a second time into his mother’s
womb and be born?
John 3:1-4
People who try to understand the new birth
intellectually, are reasoning with their minds. Like
Nicodemus, they are trying to understand how we can be
born a second time. Some would say this born-again
experience is something new. No, it’s not. Jesus spoke
about it long ago.
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I
say unto thee, Except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is
flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit
is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee,
Ye must be born again.
The wind bloweth where it listeth,
and thou hearest the sound thereof, but
canst tell whence it cometh, and whither it
goeth: so is every one that is born of the
Spirit.
Nicodemus answered and said
unto him, How can these things be?
Jesus answered and said unto him,
Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest
not these things?
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We
speak that we do know, and testify that
we have seen; and ye receive not our
witness.
If I have told you earthly things,
and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if
I tell you of heavenly things?
And no man hath ascended up to
heaven, but he that came down from
heaven, even the Son of man which is in
heaven.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, even so must the Son of
man be lifted up:
That whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that
he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the
world to condemn the world; but that the
world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him in not
condemned: but he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not
believed in the name of the only begotten
Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that
light is come into the world, and men
loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil.
For every one that doeth evil
hateth the light, neither cometh to the
light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to
the light, that his deeds may be made
manifest, that they are wrought in God.
John 3:5-21
When you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and
Savior, something takes place. There’s a literal change
made in you. That’s why I have difficulty believing that
some people are truly born again. I don’t see a change.
The scripture 1 Peter 1:23 says, “Being born again, not of
corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God,
which liveth and abideth for ever.”
When you come into contact with God, something
is going to happen in your life. There’s going to be a
radical change. Everyone will be able to look at you and
see the change, not because you wear a T-shirt saying,
“Honk if you love Jesus.” Not because you have a fish on
your forehead or you carry a big Bible. But they should
see, just by your presence, that something about you is
different. In other words, when you meet up with God, you
change. The new birth means change.
When you have an encounter with God your life is
going to change. Don’t tell me you’ve had an encounter
with God if you’re suing your Christian brother. I won’t
believe you. The Bible says that we know that we have
passed from death unto life because we love the brethren
(First Jon 3:14).
If someone is born again, you’re going to see it.
You’re going to hear it. Everything about that person will
be different. When they’re involved in sin, they’ll dress
like the world, they’ll talk like the world, they’ll hang out
with the world, they’ll mix with sinners and feel
comfortable there and the sinners will feel comfortable with
them too.
But when Jesus comes inside, He cleans the house
out. Your lifestyle will be affected. You start loving
people. Your marriage gets turned around. Your finances
get healed. Your sick bodies get healed. That’s what the
new birth does.
Was it just a mental prayer that you prayed and
said, “Jesus come into my life and forgive me of my sins”?
You did it because you didn’t want to go to hell. Or do you
know the time and the place when you had an encounter
with God and your life changed radically? Can you say, “I
was going in the wrong direction? I was heading for a lost
eternity and the Lord Jesus Christ came to me and I
accepted Him. I turned my back on sin in the world. I
repented and I chose to go the other way.”
If I stood on the interstate in the middle of the road
and a Mack truck came down the road at 65 miles an hour
and hit me head on, my friends and family would peel me
off the front grill of that truck. The first thing they’re going
to say to me is “Rodney, you’ve changed. You look
different, Rodney. You talk different. You walk different.
You’re not the same person we’ve known. What happened
to you?”
I had an encounter. I’m changed. I’m different.
Have you had a “Mack truck” experience that
revolutionized your life? Do you know the day the hour
that you crossed over from death unto life?
The Bible says we’ve been delivered out of the
kingdom of darkness and translated into the kingdom of
His dear Son (Colossians 1:13). There’s an actual
transition. Something takes place. And everyone can see
it. There’s something different about you.
But we have people in the church who say, “I’m a
born again bank robber, Brother Rodney. I rob banks part
time. Brother, I’m a born again Mafia hit man. I’m born
again and I deal cocaine on the side. I really feel I need to
support the church. I’m born again, Brother Rodney, and I
race horses on the side.”
I used to think every Christian had angels’ wings
and halos. One day I looked and saw the halo wasn’t there.
It was two little horns coming out of their head. Some
Christians have the symbol of the fish, but they should put
a shark on their car, not a fish. Just when you thought it
was safe to go back to church!
Christians are ripping each other off. Sometimes
I’d rather go to a sinner in business because at least I know
I can shout at him if he does a bad job. If you go to the
Christian and he does a bad job, you are expected to pay the
money and walk in love. At lease with the sinner you can
say, “You Philistine, thou hast not done the job correctly.”
When sinners can come to church and feel like it’s a
great place and sit there week after week and never give
their lives to Jesus, you know that church is a compromise.
When sinners walk in the door, they should be affected
immediately. They should sense the presence of God and
they should be convicted – not condemned – and should
want to repent.