It is God’s desire for ALL men( and yes, women) to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim2:4) 

 Throughout the inception of the church, it would appear that we have tried every which way to ‘get folks saved’ while ‘helping God out’ in ushering lost folks into the Kingdom. 

 When you look back over ‘church’ history, we see somewhat of a pendulum effect where we go from one extreme to another. Now I’m not suggesting that everything labeled ‘church’ is or was The church, but you get the idea. We’ve tried scaring folks into the kingdom. 

 We’ve tried ‘loving’ them into the kingdom. We’ve tried singing/entertaining them in...and for goodness sakes...the ‘supposed church’ tried forcing them in to the kingdom with swords. (The Crusades) 

 We seem to forget at times (or maybe most of the time) that it was Jesus who said: “I will build My church...” (Matt. 16:18) 

 Granted, Paul does remind us that we are indeed ‘co-laborers’ with Christ ( 1 Cor. 3:9) but He is still the Head. It’s His Church. And in the same way God sent Jesus into this world to be a light and to proclaim the good news of His Kingdom, Jesus tells us that as He was sent by the Father, so now does He send us. (John 20:21) 

 Where we get tripped up is thinking we have better ideas on how to build a church than God does. Go figure. We saw that back in Genesis 11 where men began to build a tower into heaven with brick and mortar wanting to make a name for themselves. Seems I’ve often heard that quote about how history tends to repeat itself. 

 Paul warns us, as does Jesus, how over time, many would come in His name...preaching ‘another gospel’ and people would follow another Jesus while receiving ‘another spirit’. (2 Cor. 11:3-4;; Matt. 24:11,24) 

 We read where a time would come when people would no longer ‘endure sound doctrine’ but would flock to preachers who would ‘tickle ears’. (2 Tim. 4:1-4) 

 Yet, over and over the church was admonished to ‘preach the word’ and the ‘whole counsel of God’. We were also instructed to ‘speak the truth in love’ being ‘gentle to all and patient’ with the hopes that God would grant those who oppose the message, repentance, so they may know the truth and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” (2 Tim. 2:24-26) 

 It's no secret that over the years, the gospel message has been hijacked repeatedly by ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’. (Matt. 7:15; Acts 20:29). It doesn’t take much to alter the gospel any more than it does to ruin a good recipe for cake or bread or whatever meal you are fond of. Just ‘add a little more of this’ and ‘omit some of that’ while ‘diluting more with water’ and before you know it, you are serving up something entirely different than what the ‘recipe’ called for. And there was only ‘one recipe’. Yet look at the abundance of different churches and doctrines that exist today. I would merely suggest you read through the Book of Acts and see how closely the modern church resembles that early group of believers. 

 I have heard over the years how little ‘word’ people seem to get from the pulpits today. Who am I to assess that ...I just have heard that over and over. Maybe we get film snippets for visual enlightenment from movies or excerpts from ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’. Maybe it is lyrics from popular songs or cute antidotes someone read on the internet. What is often a popular avenue is to open up a message with a couple of verses and then spin a lengthy sermon with all kinds of opinions and illustrations that tell another tale other than what the Gospel was intended to deliver. And that was a message of repentance. 

 Jesus began His ministry proclaiming “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”...and ‘Follow Me’. (Matt. 4:17,19). Today, we fear ‘offending folks’. We can easily become ensnared in that web of wanting more -the approval and praise of men rather than the approval and praise from God. (John 12:43). Hence the rise of ‘seeker friendly’ churches that are popular today. We have indeed done just the opposite of what Paul did and we have sadly ‘shrunk back from declaring the whole counsel of God’. (Acts 20:27) 

 Many would probably agree with the writings of old that sin and darkness has caused us to drift in such a direction that ‘the way of peace they have not known and there is no fear of God before their eyes.’. (Rom. 3:17-18) 

 There is no shortage of ‘words’ today. But it is only the Word of God that can wash us, cleanse us, and work effectively In us. (Eph. 5:26; 1 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:23) 

 I’m telling my age here now, but there was an old TV show called Dragnet and Sgt. Joe Friday was the beloved star who was a no-nonsense detective. When gathering information at a crime scene, ‘witnesses’ would begin to ramble in sharing with him what they had ‘seen’. Joe’s well known response wanting to get them back on track was simply: “Just the facts, Ma’am.” 

 We need more ‘facts’ from God’s word today. People don’t need to hear a diluted or abbreviated gospel. There is an urgency for multitudes to hear, once again the whole counsel of God. We need not stir them emotionally or manipulate them with an assortment of spins and alternative messages. Just the facts, ma’am. Just the facts. 

 We live in a world that is controlled by unseen forces of evil, a.k.a. The wicked one- Satan. (1 John 5:19) 

 We were dead in our sins and operated in the fleshly, sinful nature...that spirit of wickedness working in us...pulling levers and such to keep us blinded. (Eph. 2:1-4) 

 Because sin and death passed down from Adam to all mankind, we were under the wrath of God. ( Rom. 5:12; John 3:36). It was on every one of us born in to this world. 

 God had set a law in place centuries ago because of sin and transgressions. (Gal.4:19) 

 We all were under this curse of death and condemnation and judgement. Yet, God in His love for a fallen away people sent Jesus in to this world to save them...Not to condemn them. (John 3:17-21; Rom. 5:9). Sadly, many would choose to remain in darkness loving their wicked sinful ways instead of coming to the light. 

 But to whosoever would believe in, and trust and call on His name, He gave them the power to become the sons of God. (John 1:12). And it was those who would turn, and follow and be led by His Spirit that were indeed the children of God. (Rom. 8:14) 

 And the very first thing He begins to do in us is to deal with this old sinful nature by leading us to die to it. (Rom 8:13). There is no other way or shortcut. We either take up our cross and die with Him or we can join the multitudes on that wide path that leads to eternal destruction. (Matt. 7:13-14) 

 God’s wrath and judgments are already on the earth today. (Rom. 1:18). If we are not abiding in Him in complete surrender, we risk becoming fruitless trees and are subject to being ‘cut down’. (John 15:1-8). It is only through abiding in Him and obeying Him that we can be saved from the destruction that the ‘thief’ comes to bring. (Heb. 5:9; John 10:10) 

 This is not a ‘scare tactic’. It is simply the facts straight out of God’s word. Paul warns the CHURCH to let no one deceive you with empty words...that indeed God’s wrath will come on those who are not obeying Him. (Eph. 5:3-7). But please understand this one truth – God is not sitting up in heaven waiting and watching to ‘get anyone who sins’. On the contrary, it is the powers of darkness that have been unleashed to ‘devour’ anyone and everyone who is not abiding in Him. (1 Pet. 5:8). God’s wrath are the destroying angels that go about like a roaring lion. (Ps. 78:49-50; 2 Thess. 1:7-8) 

 Jesus came to rescue us and it is Only by His mercy and grace that can equip and enable you and I to walk in a way that is pleasing to Him...where we can be ‘saved from the wrath of God’. (Rom 5:9). Why else, would Jesus instruct us to ‘go and sin no more lest something worse come upon us’? (John 5:14). All I can ask is that you do like those who did centuries ago...and search the scriptures daily to see if these things are so. (Acts 17:11)