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Hello everyone!

I’m writing you because I again feel like the Lord has directed me to send out a timely message of great importance concerning eternity. My grandpa recently passed away. I was fortunate to be there with him holding his hand when he breathed his final breath. I saw the moment in his eyes when he started seeing a different reality other than the one we know and I was there when he left his body to enter eternity. Somehow seeing that happen made the idea of eternity and earth being only our temporal home more real to me than it’s ever been. Moments after grandpa passed and we were all gathered around his bed mom said, “Let this be a reminder to all of us to always live our lives wholly committed to the Lord. Because once you get to this point that is the only thing that matters.”

And that is so true. Someday we will be the ones leaving this earth to enter our eternal homes. And at that moment the only thing that will matter is whether or not you lived your life for Jesus Christ. You can’t take your success with you, you can’t take your popularity with you, you can’t take your possessions with you, all of your fighting for fame, fortune, and earthly success will be null and void with no eternal value. And the reason this is stirring so hotly on the inside of me is because so many people wrongly believe that their eternal home will be heaven just because once as a child they went down to the front to say the salvation prayer. But I’ve got news for you – that isn’t enough.

So many people have formulated their ideas about eternity and heaven and their belonging there off of assumptions, human traditions, emotions, or off of what their deceived grandma, family, or preacher told them.  But the Bible says, “the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” (John 12:48) This makes it clear that the standards that God laid out for us in the Bible will be what judges us in the last day. What you believe is irrelevant, what is the truth is what matters. And the truth has been spelled out very plainly for us in the Bible. When we get to judgment day we will not be able to say, “Well God that’s not what my preacher (brother, grandma, friend, etc) told me. They said all I had to do was say a prayer and believe and I’d be unconditionally eternally saved!” God would then respond, “Well why did you allow yourself to be deceived? I made the truth very plain for you in my book. There is no excuse.” And that is the purpose of this message. To help you rightly prepare for eternity so that you don’t enter judgment day unprepared. I’m going to use the Bible to dispel a lot of the myths and man made theology that has been responsible for leading so many people astray without them even knowing it.

In high school I had a friend that used to brag, ‘Yeah I party on Friday and Saturday nights and then go to church on Sunday. It’s awesome! I get the best of both worlds.” This person sincerely believed that they were saved and going to Heaven. People think that if they go to church, believe God is real, put “Christian” on their religious views on FB, and tell people that they’re Christian that they are going to Heaven regardless of the lifestyle they live. And this is due to the twisted predominant western theology that teaches all you have to do is say a magical prayer and you’ve got fire insurance. Don’t get me wrong, that IS how we get saved. By believing in our hearts that Jesus rose from the dead and by confessing with our mouths that Jesus is our Lord. HOWEVER, that is the STARTING point, not the ENDING point like so many in our society believe it to be. That is simply the launching pad to launch us into our lifestyle of intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Many of these people that have never left the starting point are going to be in for the shock of their life when they get to the judgment seat and realize that they failed to do the will of the Father in Heaven. Matthew 7:22-23 says:

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’”

Notice in this passage that these are church going folk Jesus is denying admittance into Heaven. They’ve gone on the missions trips, helped out with the outreaches, taught in Sunday school, even “Cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.” These people know how to talk the talk! They probably grew up in church and their parents were probably deacons. YET STILL Jesus says, “Get away from me.” And why does He say that? Because they lived a lifestyle of breaking God’s laws. Another translation says, “Depart from me, you who PRACTICE lawlessness.” (emphasis mine) Notice they were PRACTICING lawlessness. Indicating that they purposefully and willfully maintained habitual lifestyles of breaking God’s laws. These people knew how to talk the talk while they were in church, however when they weren’t in religious settings it was party hardy. If you keep reading in that passage it goes on to say,

“But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.” (vs 26-27)

Again we see from this that just knowing how to speak Christianese or even leading cell groups and Bible studies at the church isn’t enough to get you into Heaven if you’re not applying His words into your daily life. It says you’re just like a stupid carpenter building a house on a sandy beach that is incapable of protecting you from the storm. Not a good situation. So what DOES it take to be a Christian then? How DO we be sure that we are saved and going to Heaven. Titus 1:16 says “Such people claim they know God, but they deny Him by the way they live.” You can tell from this that being a Christian is about a lot more than just talking good talk. You’ve got to live it out everyday with your actions. Lets look at James 2:14, 17-20:

Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, “Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I’ll handle the works department.” Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove. Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That’s just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them? Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands?

This passage makes it clear that Christian is as Christian does. This scripture shows how some people think it’s enough just to believe that God exist. But James points out that even the demons do that! And it’s definitely not doing them any good! You won’t fare any better than the demons if you just simply believe that God exists and yet do nothing about it with your actions. Hey, the Bible said it, not me.

Maybe you’re a person that used to be very close to the Lord yet disappointments and hardships have managed to pull you away from your love for Christ. I’m begging you, PLEASE return to the love you once knew! Remember how your heart used to burn, the passion that would overtake you, how you used to feel when you were right with God and how wonderful it was. Don’t allow a false comfort in unconditional security put you into a numb stupor! It is possible to walk away from our salvation. The Bible says:

2 Peter 2:20-21 “And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life.”

Notice the part that says, “It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life.” If it is impossible to walk away from your salvation than how could a person be worse off after returning to sin then they were before they were saved? If salvation can’t be lost than how are people worse off than before? The answer is because a person can choose to walk away from salvation. There is nothing that can pluck us out of God’s hand, but we can personally choose to walk away from Him. The Bible says that it is the ones that “Stand firm to the end” that will be saved. Lets look at Matthew 24:10-13:

“At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

It says the one that stand firms to the end will be saved, thus implying that those that do not endure to the end will not be saved. It is the ones that endure all the way to the judgment that are victorious. Here is a scripture passage that I think greatly describes the current state of the American church. It also describes what is to come of those that stood till the end, the victorious ones:

Revelations 3:1-5 “…I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God.  Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief. Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk  with me in white, for they are worthy. All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.”

Notice that it says that those who are victorious will not have their names erased from the Book of Life, again implying that those who are not victorious will have their names erased. (It also blatantly says this much in revelations 21) It also points out that the ones whose clothes are soiled with evil are the ones who walked away from what they first heard and believed. If God took time to specifically point out that He would not erase their name from the book than that means it can be erased. And we again see this truth in:

Hebrews 10:26-27, “Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.”

This scripture use to scare me because I knew that I had still chosen to sin at times after being saved. So I’d get scared that I was doomed to Hell because there was “no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.” But after studying this scripture in the original Greek I found that it is referring to purposely making the choice to walk away from following God, and it’s NOT referring to sins committed inconsiderately, and from ignorance or from weakness. So don’t panic. You can still be forgiven.  But this scripture does make it blatantly clear that it is possible to walk away from God. Again showing that while there is nothing that can pluck us from God’s hand, we can choose to walk away from Him. And another scripture shows the same thing:

Hebrews 6:4-6 “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,  who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.”

I am including these scriptures in order dispel the popular and deceiving man made theology of  “once saved always saved.” Scriptures like these show it is indeed possible to walk away and forfeit your  salvation. That scares some people. However, I want you to rest assured that if as you are reading this and you are having a desire to get your life right with God than you have not committed the sin talked about in the above verse. The Bible teaches that it is the Holy Spirit that draws the hearts of men to Himself. So if you are being drawn gladly accept because that means God wants you! There are a lot of requirements to even be able to commit the above listed sin and it is not one that is made accidentally! So don’t worry! You’re good. And to FINALLY answer the question I asked earlier, “How can we make sure we are going to Heaven?” Let’s look at 1 John 2 3-6 for the answer:

“We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”

That is how we can be sure we are going to Heaven. If we OBEY GOD’S COMMANDS. Jesus clearly said, “Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.” (Matthew 7:22) We are to live as Jesus lived. So I urge right now to take a few minutes and to search your heart and sincerely ask God, “Are there any areas of my life that are in contradiction to your word?” We must rid ourselves of compromise and realize that Christianity is not a game. Not a trendy addition or accessory to our life. Rather it is to BE our life. The bible says “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:14) Take some time to do some introspection and be sure that you are on that narrow path that leads to life. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me, my inbox is always open and I’m happy talk with you if you’d like someone to talk to. God loves you! He’s not trying to keep you out of Heaven, He’s trying to get you into Heaven! That’s why He sent me to tell you the truth. To be sure that you make it in! God bless you guys!

Living to touch God’s heart,
Chris Ulery
http://www.ChrisUlery.com

Not long ago I made a status on my personal fb page that said, “Pornography, masturbation and fornication are stripping young people of the authority and power to lead this generation in holiness. And it’s partially due to the lie that it’s just expected of young people to deal with those issues. I don’t care what people expect of you. God expects you to live holy and He paid a high price to empower you to do it. His grace (empowerment) is enough!” That status led to a discussion (if you go to my page and scroll down a couple pages you can read it for yourself) and that discussion led to emails being sent to my inbox. Some people were for what I was saying, some against. But one person expressed gratitude to me for addressing the issues of pornography and masturbation because they said no one else was willing to address it even though it was so needed in the church. That person asked me to put a message together for a mass mail out so that they could copy and paste it and send it to others. And anytime someone else gets inspired to start preaching the word to others I’m going to help if I can. So here is the mass mail out that was requested. I hope that all of you will carry the message of holiness to your personal circles of influence.

This issue came up when I was reading a supposed “Christian” book by a “Christian” psychologist on “understanding the men in your life.” I was just curious what this doctor was gonna say about my gender. So I picked it up and started to read. I was enraged when I began to read that everything this man was saying completely focused on nothing but the fallen nature of mankind while completely ignoring the regeneration to God’s nature that we have received by the grace of God! He said that out of men polled that 97% of all men masturbated, and that he believed that the other 3% were lying. He encouraged all women reading the book to just accept that fact and not be bothered by it or make it an issue with their husbands or sons because that would just make the problem worse. He said that it was no big deal and just a part of being a man. That is the VERY attitude that is keeping so many people enslaved to their addicting behaviors! I was enraged by the gall of this man to announce to his audience as a “Christian” author that sin is no big deal and should just be accepted as normal! “No big deal”?!? “Normal”?!? Since when is living a life enslaved to habitual sins considered “normal” in the Christian lifestyle?! So what happened to Christ’s command that even just looking at a woman lustfully was committing adultery with her in your heart? Is that ok now? Why didn’t I get the memo? That’s part of the very reason that sins such as pornography, masturbation, and fornication have so enslaved the Christian community. Because subconsciously people have mentally assented to the idea that those issues are a part of “normal” life for this day and age. And if you are one of the people that believes that then the devil has already won in your life. He has already squelched the desire in you to fight. He’s deceived you into believing that it’s ok. Well, I’ve got news for you. SIN IS NEVER OK!!!! Pornography is not ok, masturbation is not ok, fornication is not ok. It will rob you of your destiny if you fail to deal with these issues. Which is exactly why satan has worked so hard to convince you that it’s no big deal.

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:20-21 “In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” Notice the “Those who cleanse themselves.” Do not be deceived by the false prophets out there teaching that your lifestyle doesn’t matter! If you have been called into the ministry or have a desire to be used for extraordinary purposes or want to do ANYTHING other that just be normal than you are going to have to kick it up a notch! If you’re not cool with just being a clay pot for common purposes than it is time to cut off all the sins in your life. At least start fighting it! Stop accepting that it’s normal. If we want to do extraordinary things for God it starts with living in extraordinary godliness and purity. So what if everyone else lives in compromise? What did God command YOU to do? God cannot place a weighty mantle on your life that your foundation of character is not strong enough to support. If your foundation of character has major cracks in it than God is limited by the weight he can give to you because He knows anything to heavy would crush you. There is POWER and AUTHORITY in purity that God wants and that our world NEEDS for us to walk in. We can’t be tearing down satan’s kingdom while at the same time having a love affair with him!

I have paid a price to be able to preach this message, and fought long and hard with my body and for years in order to defeat these things in my life in order to gain the power and authority to come against these giants that mock God‘s kingdom. But just like David that marched up to the giant Goliath that had the gall to mock God’s chosen people I too am slinging stones of truth at the modern day giants of lust that have held the bride of Christ at bay through fear and intimidation. And I believe that we are going to live to see the fall and death of those giants!! And that the army of God is going to rise up and become a pure and holy force to be reckoned with! Rise up army of God! I’m here to cut off some giants heads. Rally together with me and help me spread this message of love, purity and holiness to our beloved generation. There is victory waiting for us if we will just have the courage to step out and fight. It has already been assured through the power of grace! Let me assure you, God is not mad at you, He is not disappointed in you, but He has better for you than living enslaved to addictive behaviors! He wants you to walk in victory! Holiness is not a work of the flesh, it is a product of His grace! So if you are ready to live free of those sins we’ve been discussing here are some scriptures on grace below that explain practically how to live in freedom!

The main problem I was trying to fight with this message is the ideology of, “Oh, people just deal with that. Everyone does. It’s normal. Just part of being a human and living in this weak flesh.” That’s garbage. I’ll tell you what you are.  You’re a child of God that has been made ONE with Him (1 Cor. 6:17) destined to rule WITH Him in this life and the next! (Romans 5:17) His power flows through your veins because it is the spirit of Christ that lives in you! (Galatians 2:20). Temptations no longer have a hold on you because your flesh has been crucified and now you are dead to sin. (Romans 6:11) The Bible says, “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:24. Sin has lost it’s attraction. And even your mortal body has been restored to life according to Romans 8:10-11.

One of the main definitions for grace is “God’s divine empowerment.” And it is that divine empowerment that enables us to live Godly lives and keep Christ’s commands. It is IMPOSSIBLE without it. And that grace (or empowerment) is accessed into our lives through faith. (Ephesians 2:8) That is why it says in Hebrews 11:6 “Without Faith it is impossible to please God.” Because without faith we can’t access grace, and without grace we can’t successfully live the Christian life! So how do we put that to work practically? Simply BELIEVE what the Word says! I know I’m free, so I live free. That’s not  arrogance or pride, that’s FAITH in what God’s word says, which is “So Christ has really set us free.” Galatiain 5:1. I believe the Word! I’ve been set free! And it’s that belief in God’s word that unlocks the grace to flow in my life to empower me to do what I’m incapable of doing in my own strength. It’s God’s free gift that is given to us all who simply believe what He has said.

Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as a man believes in his heart so is he.“ To paraphrase that I would say, “However you see yourself living is what’s going to become the reality in your life.” People really are self-fulfilling prophecies. That’s why it is SO important to view yourself and think of yourself as God views and thinks of you. Because however we see ourselves determines the actions and decisions we make. If you believe that you are a guy or girl that struggles with pornography, or that you’re “once an alcoholic always an alcoholic” than you are going to keep living that way. BUT if you believe and have faith in what God says about you, that you have been set free and are now ONE with God than you will live that out. The God of the entire universe is now joined with us empowering us to live lives of righteousness and complete freedom. This fact MUST become more real to us than the ground we walk on or the water we drink. Not just mental assent, but truly believing it at the core of our being. To not believe that God has set you free and empowered you to live a holy life is to call God a liar and it’s prideful, because it assumes that you know better than God does. If we believe our flesh is dominant, overbearing, powerful, and we’re at its mercy, then we will reap accordingly. However, if we believe God’s Word, that His Spirit infuses life into our flesh and we’re not subject to it any longer, then it will be done according to our faith!

To anyone reading this be free in Jesus’ name! Accept the gift of grace that is freely offered to you. His grace is sufficient for you, and where sin abounds grace much more abounds! No matter how much sin is abounding in your life, I promise that the grace of God is abounding even more empowering you to live free of everything that has held you captive! Purity is a direction, not a line. People want to walk up to the edge of the line of compromise and try not to cross over it. That doesn’t work. If we as Christians choose to do things like watch inappropriate movies with sex scenes, nudity, lustful images, etc, or tell perverted jokes, or go parking with our girlfriend, etc, than we are not pursuing the direction of purity. This is not just about pornography, masturbation, and fornication. It’s about pursuing the direction of purity and ridding ourselves of ALL compromise, which seeks to trap us back into the old ways of the fallen flesh. If you play with fire you’ll get burned, if you keep walking up to the line of compromise eventually you’ll trip and fall over it. Flee temptation! Run the opposite direction towards purity! God’s grace will empower you to do that!

Living to touch God’s heart,
Chris Ulery
http://www.ChrisUlery.com

It’s been a while since I messaged all of you. I hope everyone is doing well! And welcome to those of you that are new here! I have a HUGE (but easy) favor to ask of all of you. For the past two years I’ve been touring full time with two CCM pop groups called NewFire and FFH (Far From Home). You may recognize the band from songs like “One Of These Days“, “You Found Me“, “Fly Away“, “Big Fish“, or the current single out “Undone“.  (hear the new single at http://www.myspace.com/FFHWorship) It has been a whirlwind two years for me of TV performances, radio, and traveling coast to coast to perform live for audiences of thousands. (see a video of me performing with them here: http://www.youtube.com/ffhmusic#p/u/3/BbyymIhqpBg) I’ve made a lot of friends and it has been an amazing season in my life that fulfilled a childhood dream of mine to be a professional musician. However, my life’s passion to raise up a generation of true God-lovers that live to destroy His loneliness is again tugging on my heart in a big way. I believe God is leading me to pursue a full time speaking ministry and I want to come to YOUR church to preach.

Before I started playing music professionally I served as the outreach director for my church in Arkansas after graduating from a ministry school in Nashville, TN. In that position I would lead teams to the streets, nursing homes, prisons, and care centers serving the people in need and conducting services. I was also often given the pulpit to preach and began to develop a love for it, accepting invitations to minister at my church and abroad. Out of those opportunities to begin ministering God birthed the vision in me for a ministry I started called Clean Hands & Pure Hearts Ministries (http://www.CHPHMinistries.com). I was making plans to further pursue the ministry full-time when I got an unexpected call to go on the “Worth Fighting For Tour” with NewFire and Warren Barfield. (the artist who wrote the song “Love Is Not A Fight” from the movie Fireproof) I felt like God was in the opportunity so I went on the tour and through that experience made the connections that eventually led to joining the groups NewFire and FFH full time. And God was in it and He did amazing things during that season. However, I know that it is now time to put my focus back onto the ministry and pursue the vision for Clean Hands & Pure Hearts Ministries that God birthed in my heart 3 years ago. God gave me a message to share, and I feel like I may explode if I don’t get it out.

So here’s where you come in – I need you to talk to your pastors, young adult pastors, event coordinators, etc, about inviting me to come to your church, event, revival, conference, etc, to speak. I can provide you with all the promotional materials to give them and put into their hands. For starters you can send them a link to my website which is http://www.ChrisUlery.com. And if you are a pastor that’s reading this, or you are going to talk to your pastor here is some information right off the bat that they’ll probably want to know:

How much is it going to cost?
I come on a love offering basis only and require no honorarium. I’m not trying to get rich I just simply want the opportunity to share the paradigm shifting message that the Lord has given me!

Lodging?
I love home stays and it saves everyone money and gives you a chance to really connect with the people you’re ministering to. Some of my fondest memories of touring with the bands were the times when we would have home stays and stay up late playing games and hanging out with everyone after the concerts. I’ve even slept on pews of the church before and I wouldn’t mind doing it again.

Denominational background?
I come from a non denominational background and I would love to speak at any church regardless of the denomination. We’re all brothers and sisters in Christ and I love working in unity with all the denominations! I would be happy to send you a statement of faith if you’re interested so that you can see more specifically my core beliefs.

Where am I located?
I currently live in Tulsa, OK but would love the opportunity to travel wherever you are to minister. No location is too close or far away.

Home church?
I grew up in a pastor’s home and began first serving in my dad’s (Ray Ulery) church at the early age of 12. I am now an active member of Victory Christian Center in Tulsa, OK pastored by Sharon Daugherty where I serve on the leadership team for the young adult ministry.

What age group do I speak to?
I’ve ministered to many youth and young adult groups and always love it, but I also feel just as called to share my message with adult congregations and have had overwhelming response while doing it. (read about one of those experiences here http://wp.me/peoLV-2h) I’m ready and willing to serve wherever your church or organization has a need. I’m also a worship leader for the The Burn 24-7 and have thoroughly enjoyed leading worship for different congregations.

You can visit my website to hear sermons online and get an idea of what the ministry time is like and to see the heart of my message at http://www.ChrisUlery.com or http://www.CHPHMinistries.com.

Thank you for taking the time to read this! I really do sincerely appreciate it! I hope to hear back from you soon!

To contact me email me at chris_r_ulery@yahoo.com.

Living to touch God’s heart,
Chris Ulery
http://www.CHPHMinistries.com
http://www.ChrisUlery.com

P.S. I feel like I need to say something: I think that sometimes money, fame, fortune, prosperity and worldly success turn into prisons for some people rather than blessings. Whenever people acquire power they are almost always scared to lose it. But sometimes you have to be willing to lose it in order to fulfill the purpose you were born to fulfill. And that’s where true happiness is. If the Lord has called you to do something than don’t let fear of losing your comforts and securities hold you back from launching out on the God ordained adventures He has for you. You will NEVER regret obeying and trusting Jesus. His future for you may look uncertain but I promise you that His future for you is far better and more fulfilling than anything you could dream up. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11.

“and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:38. People in Jesus’ day that took up a cross were on their way to be crucified. What Jesus is saying here is that you have to be willing to die to your own dreams and plans and be willing to take up His dreams and plans for you…Or else you’re not worthy of Him. Hey, Jesus said it, not me. He knows what will satisfy you and bring you joy better than you do. He’s not trying to keep you from being happy, He’s trying to give you what will truly make you happy and fulfill you. Don’t miss out on your destiny. Walk away from the things you need to walk away from. Normal is safe, but it’s also boring and unfulfilling. Dare to be extraordinary.

I think someone needed to read that.

And CM Spin magazine did a full article on NewFire joining the Summer Block Party Tour that you can view here.

That really made me start thinking. So many of us as Christians send contradictory messages to those around us with the way we live our lives. We’ll say preachy things every once in a while, some of us even lead worship or speak at our churches, or have our own cell groups or Bible studies that we lead. But we’ll leave church and go to the movies to watch films filled with sex, nudity, and all sorts of other evils. Or one day we’ll make a status update about how great God is, and then the next day we’ll make a post about how drunk we got at the party we were at. I’ve attended several Bible studies for men that ended with guys making perverted jokes and having competitions to see who can come up with the funniest “That’s what she said.” I even had one friend that used to brag about how he’d party on the weekends but still managed to make it to church every Sunday morning. And he proudly called himself a Christian. Surely you can see how all those things send contradictory messages to those around us. I even started thinking about comments I make to my roommate when it’s just him and I at home thinking, “Oh it’s no big deal. He knows my heart.” But the Bible says, “for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” (Luke 6:45) The Bible also says “Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?” (James 3:11)

We need to decide what we want our lives to represent, and then we need to align everything in our lives to that. We can’t afford to be walking contradictions. We can’t preach about modesty and then run around the pool half naked in our bikini, or preach about purity and then get groups together to go watch the latest movie filled with sexual innuendos and lustful images. I could keep going but I think you get my point. Those types of things just make us look like a joke, and in some ways we are when we live that contradictory. If we’re going to talk about devoting our entire lives to God but then can’t even manage to stay out of inappropriate movies, to dress ourselves in God honoring ways in public, or to keep our conversations clean when hanging with our friends then how can we be taken seriously? Think about what kind of message that is sending to unbelievers. It’s very mixed signals. Do you think the enemy is really scared of that kind of an “army.“ If I was the enemy I wouldn’t be. I’d just laugh. If we really want to be a threat to the dark kingdom than we’ve got to quit playing games. There is a price to pay, and that price is everything.

Why do you think that with a church on every corner that our nation still continues to morally digress at an exponential rate? It’s because many of the self proclaiming Christians in this nation are no threat to satan. If we can’t even say “no” to compromising situations because we don’t want to be left out of the group or thought of as uncool than how are we going to go against the grain to lead reform? If a pretty girl is so enslaved to human opinion that she has to dress like all the other girls to fit in even when she knows it’s not God honoring than how is she ever going to step out from the crowd to lead the reform this generation so badly needs? What is more important to you, your spiritual life or your social life? I travel around the country going from church to church spending time with a different congregation every week. And unfortunately I generally don’t encounter anything more than a social club that meets together on Sundays and Wednesdays. Most of the time nothing that satan needs to worry about. Being a Christian is supposed to be about a lot more than just being part of a social club. We are in a spiritual war! And people are going to Hell everyday and there are millions of people suffering from all sorts of injustice on the earth now. And what do we do about it? Well we meet together in our pretty suits and dresses on Sundays and hang out and watch movies with each other on the weekends. . . ? Am I wrong?

I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with any of that. It’s important to have Godly friends that you can have fun with. We all SHOULD have that. It’s healthy. I’m just saying there’s a lot more that should be happening than JUST that. What this generation needs is reformists! What the church needs is reform! And when I say “church” I’m not talking about a specific building or congregation. I’m talking about US. WE need reform. We’ve got to come out of this compromising powerless selfish lukewarm stupor that has come to define the western church. We are an ARMY with a MISSION! We need to start living like it. I believe that God is going to raise up reformists in this generation. Men and women that refuse to blend in, that are willing to go against the grain, and even when all of society says it should be one way or that there’s no hope of ever changing, that they refuse to accept that and lead by example as pioneers into a new “normal.” And I believe several of those reformists are reading this right now. Is your heart stirred? Then I’m talking to you. Never under estimate what God can do with even just 1 life fully submitted to him. As the song says it, “Don’t be afraid to stand out, that’s how the lost get found.”

So what about you? Are you blending in with society? Are you singing “Jesus take the wheel” one day and “cowboy Casanova” the next? We must decide what message we want our lives to send to those watching us, and then we have to work fearlessly and tirelessly to remove anything that would contradict that message. Because that is when our message will truly become effective.

This message was originally sent to my “Represent Christ With Your Facebook” FB group. View or join the group here.

You can also read an article about it that was in the Quad City Times by going here: http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_126f1fd6-4062-11df-a771-001cc4c03286.html

Before we left we went to the WGN/CW studios and recorded a couple songs for the WGN Morning show!  While I was there I saw the Dr. from “The Biggest Loser.” At least that’s what they said. I don’t watch the show so I didn’t recognize him. It was a pretty relaxed really fun experience.  And if you want to see some pictures of the experience you can see them by clicking here.

And here’s a video.

As they entered the restaurant a waitress wearing a name tag that said “Glenda” walked up to them and said, “I’m sorry, this isn’t…I mean, there’s a restaurant with a colored window down the way. It’s called Dottie’s. On your left just before you leave town.” Glenda hadn’t said, “No coloreds here,” or “Whites only here.” What she did say meant the same, of course, but she would sleep better having said it that way. Clarence said he remembers it seemed as if Glenda choked a bit, to hesitate. Showing her guilty conscious. Glenda would never have defended burning crosses, lynching black men, riding horses with bed sheets flying in the wind. Glenda wasn’t the one who invented the status quo. . . She was simply one who maintained it. She may have been a good woman when it came to working hard and teaching her children to do right. But she was a coward or ignorant or both when it came to resisting a degrading system so long in place it was assumed to be right.

Clarence also tells the story of a golf course owner named Mr. Spelling where Clarence and his brother tried to get jobs as caddies but were turned down because, well, because of why they were always turned down. Mr. Spelling had said, “Now, I’m no racist, those are just the rules.” Mr. Spelling had been very apologetic, I guess to make himself feel better and not as guilty. Again, Mr. Spelling was not a man that invented the status quo, but he still chose to enforce it.

Glenda and Mr. Spelling were what Clarence’s pastor had called, “little racists.” Big racists were the KKK types, the cross burners, the ones that would spit on and kick those not like themselves. But his pastor had always said that the “big racists” weren’t the dangerous ones. He said, “Bad as they are, the devil only has so many big racists. But it is the little racists, the nice people, the church goers, school teachers, police officers, businessmen, mayors, milkmen, and mail carriers. They make the community what it is. They make the wheels turn. The wheels of commerce, the wheels of benevolence. . . The wheels of oppression and injustice. They are the little racists.”

The minister had once gave a sermon on the Holocaust. He said that it wasn’t Hitler and the Nazi insiders who slaughtered the Jews. Dozens of the “big racists,” even hundreds or thousands of them, couldn’t pull off the murders of all those millions. The key was “normal” people. Those who thought of themselves as decent people. Those who wouldn’t kick a Jew to death, but would look the other way when someone else did. It was the normal people who made the Holocaust happen. . . The “good people” who tolerated unspeakable evil. The tragedy wasn’t so much the brutality of bad people as the silence of good people.

As I type this, our nation and world is facing yet another unspeakable evil. Right now the second largest abortion facility in the world, next to China, is being built in Houston, Texas. A six-story, 78,000 sq. ft., Planned Parenthood abortion “Super Center” (of which the third floor is dedicated to performing late-term abortions). While at the same time our lawmakers are fighting to pass a bill that forces us all to fund abortions under the guise of health care. I used to be in shock when I would read in the Bible of times when civilizations would openly sacrifice their children as an acceptable part of the culture. Now those ancient death temples are once again becoming a reality in our very own day and age!

In every generation and with every case of injustice God has raised up heroes to combat that injustice. When Pharaoh had enslaved the Hebrews God sent Moses to deliver His people, during the days of the slave trade God empowered William Wilberforce to confront the English establishment, during the civil rights movement God raised up Martin Luther King Jr. to be a voice of justice and equality, when sin had ravaged mankind. . . . God sent Jesus.

Now it’s our turn. In our generation I believe we face a greater darkness than any that has come before in the form of abortion, sex trafficking, and hate motivated prejudice religions. A holocaust on steroids (with approximately 115,000 abortions happening EVERY DAY worldwide, and 42 million abortions happening EVERY YEAR) But we have been the ones chosen “for such a time as this.” We can either be the “Glenda’s” and “Mr. Spellings” that turn our heads from unspeakable evil for things as trivial as “affordable health care” (which is trivial when compared to murdering millions of innocent lives) or we can raise a holy revolt.

You may be asking, “But how can I make a difference? What am I supposed to do?” And the answer is whatever it takes. Right now many of these things don’t directly affect us so it is easy to ignore and go on with our lives pretending everything is ok. But I believe that very soon the face of our nation is going to change drastically, directly affecting our lives in a very large way. But if we wait till then to act it will be too late. DON’T BE LULLED TO SLEEP. War has been waged on God’s will, innocent lives have been targeted! Where are the heroes of this generation? Where are the ones that will stand against the deepest darkness of our time to reap the greatest harvest in history?

Ask the Lord what your place in this battle is. I don’t want to be so presumptuous as to assume to know that for you. His ways are much higher than mine. But I do know that if you will seek Him than He will show you the battle plan for your own personal life. And when He shows you, obey – no matter how large the plan, how uncomfortable it makes you, or how great the sacrifice. Every hero that changed the course of history paid a great price to do so. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (read John 15:9-17 to read how God instructs us to do the same) It is important that we all take our post in this critical hour in history.

Either you are a “little racist” empowering evil to further it’s agenda through your silence and lack of action, or you are a hero wholeheartedly fighting for those that can‘t fight for themselves. There is no middle ground. Dare to become a hero. I sense that soon we are going to need them.

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“In a surprise move after hours of tumultuous negotiations, the House Rules Committee, very early Saturday morning, approved rules for debate on the pro-abortion health care bill. Although it appeared Speaker Nancy Pelosi would deny one, it allows a vote on an amendment to remove abortion funding.

Pelosi’s hand appeared to have been forced when pro-abortion House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced earlier in the day that she did not have enough votes to pass the bill because of objections from pro-life Democrats.

The committee okayed a Rule that allows the House to vote on the Stupak amendment, offered by pro-life Rep. Bart Stupak, a Michigan Democrat, to the health care reform legislation.”
Read the full article here – http://www.lifenews.com/nat5629.html

Hey everyone,
As you can see from above there is now going to be a vote on the Stupak-pitts amendment. An amendment that will actually stop abortion funding in the health care bill. It is important you call your member of the house and ask him/her for a “yes” vote on the Stupak amendment. You can find out who your representatives are by going here – http://www3.capwiz.com/afanet/dbq/officials/ Just type in your zip code and it will give you their numbers.

I just called mine today. I actually tried calling my representative and my senators this morning at both their local and Washington offices. When I first tried 5 of the mailboxes were full and the sixth one wouldn’t go through. I tried again this afternoon and finally got through to my representative at his Washington office. If you’re nervous about calling and have never done anything like that before, or maybe you don’t really understand all the political talk DON’T LET THAT STOP YOU FROM CALLING!! It’s really easy, I’ll explain everything you need to know. It’s your representative’s job to represent you before congress!! How can they represent you if they don’t know what your opinions are? All you do is this – after you call the number you’ll get a message telling you that you’ve reached so in so’s office. The message will ask you to leave your name and number and a message. When it beeps just leave a message saying, “I would like to ask representative __________ to vote “yes” on the Stupak-pitts amendment, and that they would use the full weight of their influence and position to ensure that federal dollars are NEVER used to fund abortions.” OR whatever you want to say. If a live person answers they’ll say, “__________’s office how can I help you?” And just tell them that you want to leave a message for your representative requesting a yes vote on the Stupak amendment, and that they would do everything in their power to protect the sanctity of life and keep abortion funding out of the health care bill. And then they’ll tell you thank you for calling and let you know that they’ll pass the message along.

That’s it. Simple as calling your best friend and leaving a message. No debating, no complicated questions, just leaving a message. Super simple. No reason every single one of you can’t call. And you pronounce Stupak “Stew pack” in case you were worried about that. Lol. Cuz I know some of you probably were, cuz I was. I didn’t want to sound like an ignorant kid that didn’t know how to pronounce the man’s name. And if you have any other questions I would be more than happy to answer them.

Also, I have to vent for a minute and say that it REALLY bothers me when people my age, young adults (I‘m 23), ignore events like this and just assume the older generation will deal with it. 1 Timothy 4:12 says “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” We’re supposed to be LEADING this fight! Don’t just tune out every time you hear something political. Be involved in your world. God gave you a voice! Don’t squander that gift by refusing to use it for His glory! Don’t you remember the parable of the talents? Matthew 25:29 “For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.“ God is a VERY wise investor, and those who yield a high return and use the “talents” that he has given them He will give more too. If you use your voice and influence for Him than He will be sure to give you more influence and a more impactful voice. People have said to me, “but really, what difference is my one phone call going to make?” But I say to that Matthew 25:21 “He who is faithful with little will be faithful with much.” If you will use your voice even when you think it’s unimportant and won’t make a difference, than God will bring you to a place where your voice does make a difference. When He sees that you will be faithful with what you currently have He will give you more. Every person really does count and make a difference.

And even if the bill still passes with abortion funding in it at least we will know that the blood of the innocent is not on our hands. That we did everything in our power to stop it, that we raised our voices in opposition. That we refused to let those babies die without a fight. I would rather fail while daring greatly than join those with “cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory or defeat.”

“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly…who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory or defeat.”
-Teddy Roosevelt

Which group will you be in? The critic or the one in the arena?

Living to destroy God’s loneliness,
Chris Ulery

http://www.CHPHMinistries.com

http://www.ChrisUlery.com