Warning Systems
Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people
Illustration:
Various technologies in place to warn of danger:
· Reversing sensors
· Smoke detectors
· EGPWS
I love to watch air crash investigations and other technology programmes; I heard about this:
To avoid air disasters, GPS was used; this alerted the pilot to some terrain, but the satellite system alone wasn’t enough. GPWS introduced: A major drop in crash incidents occurred when the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) was introduced in the early 1970s.
In simple terms GPWS just looks at your radio altimeter to determine if you are about to bump into anything solid, which is useless if you are flying into a vertical cliff sticking out of level ground.
The EGPWS (Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System) system incorporates a GPS so that the aircraft knows exactly where you are, it also knows the location of terrain all over the world, and so is able to work out if you are going to bump into anything on your route. A much safer system than simply relying on a radio altimeter!
Colour coding is used - green for terrain 500’ or so below the a/c, amber for terrain near a/c level and red for terrain above a/c level. On the newer updates we even have man made obstacles displayed such as towers. All in all, it’s an extremely positive addition to flight safety and terrain awareness. The GPWS monitors terrain proximity using an internal worldwide terrain database.
In the future, pilots won’t have to look out of the window because like a satnav, you will see the outside on a screen and the plane will follow the flight path set.
All data received is for the safety of the planes.
But, what if the data was incorrect?
The wrong information given? = Tragedy
The plane would go off course and lives would probably be lost
God has built into the Church warning signals too
Three things God is warning about:
1. The state of the individual
2. The state of the Church
3. The state of the nation
Where is the righteousness to hold back evil and corruption?
We sit back and allow it to happen!
The individual can be broken into:
· Unbeliever
· The believer of a god of some kind
The Church can be broken into:
· Nominal Christians
· Apostates
· Fired up Saints
What does a real Christian look like?
Not one who attends church, but one who fellowships with God and the body of Christ
Not one who prays without conviction, but wrestles with the Almighty for answers
Not one who comes when it’s convenient, out of duty or for socializing, but one who gives their all for the work and because they love their saviour = commitment, dedication, passion
The nation can be broken into:
· Moral decay
· Political confusion
· Spiritual apostasy
Do you remember the solidarity during the world wars?
People pulled together, helped one another, fought battles side by side, gave their lives for the nation
And now?
Our world is in chaos, our nation is in turmoil and people are in confusion
What is English? What does it look like?
Who are we has a people? Our identity?
The Scots have kilts and haggis, Welsh have leeks and Welsh costumes, the Irish have lepricorns, 4 leaf clovers, dances and national costume; what do we have?
It’s the same with the church
What does church look like????????????????????
Stuffy, boring people who go to a cold building, sing a few hymns, pray and live the rest of the week like everybody else
Most people only go to church for special occasions like, weddings, funerals and baptisms
Many of those in the pulpits have failed, it’s nothing more than an arena of entertainment and a place where people’s ears are tickled with what they want to hear
Not many want to stand up for the truth today in case they offend someone or something
In 1 Tim. 4:1 we are warned of a departure from the faith. That in the "Latter Times" (the Last Days of this Dispensation), some shall "depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils."
This is being fulfilled in the increasing number of those who are forsaking their Christian belief to become followers of Spiritualistic Mediums and to dabble in Psychical Research
Sensual indulgences where their ego is lifted
Many shall follow their "destructive ways," and sad to relate these "followers" are recruited from the orthodox church members, of whom the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy (2 Tim. 4:3-4). saying: "The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears: and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto FABLES."
This "turning away" is a "turning away" in doctrinal standards
Many churchgoers will not endure "sound doctrine."
They will not go to hear those who preach the "total depravity" of man, the necessity of the "New Birth," and the conscious and endless torment of those who reject Christ as a personal Saviour.
They demand teachers who will "itch" (tickle) their ears with pleasing, novel and sensational doctrines.
What should it look like?
Healthy, vibrant and winning souls into the Kingdom
What identity do we have in the community?
None
What should we have?
John 13:35 by this (love), will all men know that you are my disciples
Our warning today is not only against false teachers, prophets and doctrines but our identity as a Christian is threatened
We can’t pray anymore
Wear a cross to work
Share our faith
Why?
Britain ceased to be Great Britain when we allowed other faiths to penetrate our shores
When mosques and temples were opening weekly
When our government handed our money to fund false gods and build fantastic buildings
Allowing Islamic banks; who buy up property and land then rent it out to Muslims
The state church siding with aspects of foreign gods, even worshipping with them!
Illustration: The Archbishop of Canterbury says the adoption of certain aspects of Sharia law in the UK "seems unavoidable". Dr Rowan Williams told Radio 4’s World at One that the UK has to "face up to the fact" that some of its citizens do not relate to the British legal system.
Dr Williams argues that adopting parts of Islamic Sharia law would help maintain social cohesion. For example, Muslims could choose to have marital disputes or financial matters dealt with in a Sharia court. He says Muslims should not have to choose between "the stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty". (Thursday, 7 February 2008 BBC news)
Where political correctness means a court conviction for speaking the truth
Where children have more rights over their parents
Illustration: A child reported their mum for beating him when all she did was slap him; she was arrested
Where children are taught their rights in school from the age of 4 and theses same rights are displayed around the corridors
I’m not against protecting children, but who now protects the adults?
Where a group of Anglicans in Oxford stood up against the local mosque that wanted to broadcast the call to prayer over the city
One local vicar thought they should be allowed because the church had bells ringing out a call to prayer!
If the church side with these false doctrines, what will become of her?
Do you think God is going to bless this nation? No,
Sin is a reproach
What will you and I do?
Sad to say, most will do nothing
Pray, get on your knees and ask God to forgive the church, the government and yourself
So, what do we do then?
Neh 2:17 Then I said to them, "You see the distress that we [are] in, how Jerusalem [lies] waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach."
And Paul told Timothy. "This know also, that in the ’LAST DAYS’ Perilous Times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection (for their own offspring), truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those who are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a FORM of godliness, but denying the POWER thereof." 2 Tim. 3:1-5
It is time to start at the house of God, Judgment begins here
How do feel when you see the reproach?
Jesus will come again soon, what will he find when he comes?
Let’s begin with rebuilding righteousness into the Church, and then maybe it will overflow to the area outside church, then across this nation
God has done it before and can and will do it again
He loves the challenge, do you?
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