Daily Devotional for Monday July 11, 2011

A Nation facing God's Wrath and Punishment - Part I of II

(Ezekiel 13;1-16)

"A Nation facing God's Wrath and Punishment" Part One of Two

Last week, the Board of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, tens of millions of dollars in debt, fired founding pastor Robert Schuller, Sr. It is a sad ending to the ministry of a man who has spent 50 years of his life, not preaching the true Gospel, but a watered-down positive mental attitude messages inspired by his mentor Norman Vincent Peale. I have warned people for years about Schuller, a 33rd degree member of the Masonic cult as was Peale, for mixing his motivational messages into his embracement of new age philosophies.

However, Schuller's legacy will be as the father of the modern era of "church marketing." His prot?g? Rick Warren is the founder of the "purpose driven" marketing strategy, along with Bill Hybels who founded the "seeker" marketing strategy, heretic Rob Bell who founded the "emerging church" marketing strategy, and the plethora of ministers in the 80s who introduced the "prosperity gospel" marketing strategy that has been the hallmark of Christian television the past 30 years.

The problem with all of these marketing strategies is that they are NOT Biblically based, since they use the cleverness of man to fill pews with warm bodies as opposed to converts through the preaching of the Gospel. They preach a perversion of the Scriptures, making promises that don't exist. The key however, is that you will very rarely ever find any of these marketing strategies preaching against sin of any kind, since that might offend people. Their watered down preaching is designed to attract the masses, and in order to keep them, they end up embracing ecumenicalism and the some form of the lie from hell that everyone will make it to heaven regardless what you believe.

Only eternity will show the millions, tens of millions of souls, who will burn in hell for all etenrity that were at some point reached by or part of one of these churches embracing these modern day marketing strategies. It was not their soul these "preachers" cared about, but their body count and bank account! Do some people really get saved in these types of churches? Absolutely. In spite of the fact saving souls is never their ultimate goal regardless what they may say, some people do get saved in these churches. Sadly however, a large percentage don't since they may never be told how to get saved or given the opportunity!

Listen, it is no accident that our nation is in spritual freefall. That the vast majority of the last two generations have never even been to church. There are more churches than ever in the history of this nation, yet they have virtually zero impact on our culture. That is because the old mainline denominations have turned into liberal institutions embracing every kind of sin imaginable, and the vast percentage of the largest churches are those who have embraced these modern day marketing plans in order to fill the pews.

Case in point. The largest church in America is Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston. I have railed against this cotton-candy, gutless, motivational speaker who masquerades as a preacher. When you put cotton-candy in your mouth it tastes sweet for a minute and then it is gone. That is what Osteen's messages are like. No substance, no Biblical Truth, no Gospel! TBN is the largest Christian network, having amassed BILLIONS over the last few decades by promising people they will be rich and prosperous if they just send them or any of the "prosperity pimps" they have on their airwaves money.

Is it any wonder why the lost have no intrest in what Christians have to say? Is it any wonder why we are mocked and marginalized in the mainstream media and marketplace? They have seen the so-called leaders compromise to make money, and see our faith as nothing but a financial hustle. Sadly, in most cases they are 100% correct. It reminds me of the Old Testament as the prophet, not part of the religious establishment, railed against the priests of the day for using God for nothing more than an avenue to make money and live a comfortable life. All the while, the nation of Israel was lost in gross sin and the wrath and judgment of God imminent.

So it is today. For the past 12 years, I have labored each day to bring the masses the raw truth of the Bible regardless the personal consequences. I fully understand why pastors and those in the ministry water-down their message, since the truth of the Bible is offensive to people and when people are offended, they leave...and take their money with them. I can assure you, telling the truth is NO WAY to build a church or minsitry if your goal is to live well, build new buildings, and have a large following of people who adore you and give you their money every week.

But those were never my goals. When I take my last breath, there is only ONE who I will stand before. It is HIM that I must answer to. It is HIM I must please. God isn't going to be impressed with how much money I raised, or how many buildings I built, or that I lived a life of luxury. No my friend, God is only going to be interested in one thing...was I faithful! Was I faithful to tell the whole truth of the Bible no matter the price? Was I faithful to not compromise the Gospel no matter the price? Was I faithful to tell people that without Jesus they will die and burn in hell for all eternity no matter the price? Was I faithful to tell the lost masses that Jesus is their only hope and their only answer no matter the price?

I love you and care about you so much. Sadly, as it has been since the church was first established in Jerusalem right after the Lord's death and resurrection, men who claim to love the Lord have divided themselves. In studying church history, it is interesting that the only time Christians ever came together as one was in a time of great crisis when the very faith itself was in jeopardy of being wiped out. I submit to you today that we are not far from seeing that happen right before our eyes. There are already many places on this earth where you can't preach the Gospel, and I have told you for years that the United States may be the next place in our lifetime if we don't act now.

God will not be mocked. We have engaged in every type of sin imaginable and bow down and worship every false god and idol man has created in his evil imagination. People wonder why I rail against satanic cult member Glenn Beck often. How far in the spiritual gutter is this nation when a man who worships in a polytheistic cult that denies the very deity of Christ, founded just 200 years ago by a racist, polygamist, pedophile, con artist, murderer is seen by many as a spiritual guide? Worse yet, by many who claim to be Bible-believing Christians? New Age tool of satan Deepak Chopra has a following of millions. Tens of millions more have received their "religious views" for many years from New Age witch Oprah Winfrey!

DOES ANYONE HAVE EYES TO SEE OR EARS TO HEAR THAT GOD'S JUDGMENT ON THIS WICKED LAND IS IMMINENT WHEN TOOLS OF SATAN LIKE THESE ARE BEING FOLLOWED INTO HELL BY TENS OF MILLIONS???

I have fought the last two years as the economy has taken such a hard turn for so many of our friends, affecting greatly the ability for Liveprayer to simply operate each day. I have become weary asking people to help me, of praying daily for the Lord to send the right people who are able to support His work here. I hear the whispers of satan often to just give it up, reminding that when I die I will be in heaven, and quit worrying about others and start looking after my own needs. After all, I am now 53 and have spent the last 20 years of my life, some of my most productive years, giving 100% of everything I have in every way to serving the Lord and have not even begun to think about the needs of me and my family as I get older.

However, I rebuke satan and his lies. God has always provided what I need and will continue to. He has given me one last job to fulfill, and that is to use all of the ministry tools He has helped us develop over these 20 yrs, all of my talents and gifts He has blessed me with, to stand in the town square as Jonah did in Nineveh and warn the people that unless they repent and turn back to God and His Truth this nation is finished. As much as I want to run as Jonah did, I can't. I will remain faithful. I will finish my race. I will keep my eye on the prize.

My frustration is that I don't need much help. I need and covet everyone's prayers. I need those who are able to make the sacrifice as you are able to help Liveprayer financially. We only need $40,000 a month for our monthly operations. I have worked out a budget that for 1/3 what many ministries pay for their private jet, $10 million dollars, we have the pieces in place to secure a platform in the secular media on a daily basis to lead people to Biblical truth and see millions of souls won to Christ.

Our time is short. Our time is now. While most are out each day building their own fiefdoms in the name of God, my only desire is to see this nation turn back to the Almighty and His Truth. I have no desire to have a large following or amass millions of dollars. My goals are not of this world but they are heavenly. I pray that you hear my heart today and understand I only want to do what God has called me to do, which is to sound the trump of warning to this lost nation and world to turn back to God and His Truth and that Jesus is their only hope and answer.

I don't need the clever marketing strategies of men to accomplish this, only the power of the Holy Spirit and the prayers and support of like-minded followers of our Lord who want to see a season of God being exhaled and a mighty harvest of souls in this land before this world as we know it ends, just as the Bible says it will very soon. That will be our only eternal legacy. Will you pray for me and help me as you are able?

*Don't miss Part Two tomorrow!!!

***As we go into the last 3 weeks of July, please be in prayer with me for the operational finances we need to bring in right away. We have received $120,000 of the $150,000 in donations and pledges I asked the Lord to deliver by the end of April. I am still walking by faith that we will bring in the final $30,000 before the end of this month, along with the $40,000 we need for our July operational budget.

Also, we ended June $10,000 short of covering our operational budget, and it is critical that we bring in those funds by tomorrow. If you are able to overnight or wire $5,000, or the entire $10,000, please contact me and I will get you our FedEx or bank wire info. I am praying for one or two friends to answer the call and help me with this immediate need.

As we prepare to take advantage of new doors the Lord is opening for us to have a highly visible place in the marketplace to help lead this nation back to God and His Truth, I'm simply asking you to pray today and seek the Lord what He is calling you to do to help me to cover this $10,000 we need immediately, and the $70,000 balance to insure all of our basic operational needs are met. Never forget that God will honor your heart as you obey His voice. Will you help me today? Will you please take a minute today, and pray, seek the Lord what He is asking you to sacrifce.

TO GIVE A GIFT TO LIVEPRAYER, you can use your major credit card on our secure server at: www.liveprayer.com under the "Donation" link, you can give using your PayPal account using my email address: bkeller@liveprayer.com,or you can mail your gift to: Liveprayer, 6660 46th Ave. North, St.Petersburg, FL 33709. All gifts to Liveprayer are 100% tax deductible.

Know that you and your family are in my prayers each day. Thank you for your love, prayers, and support as we take our stand in these last days. The time is very short, our time is now!

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller