CHRISTmas Blessing 2008

Merry Christmas Family and Friends,



Every December as we consider our family Christmas letter, we scan the year for a resounding theme. Some years the theme is obscured. Some years the theme is obvious. Increasingly, we’ve become convicted that Christ’s birthday and His significance should be the theme of any Christmas letter we send out. This year, we have on our hearts to share with you some of the blessings brought about by that babe in a manger and how His is the cradle that continues to rock the world. With so much confusion about Who Christ is and what a Christian is, and with so much bias as of late concerning people who follow Christ, we believe sharing the blessing of Christ and His followers in the world is the one thing needful.

Most of the following material is from the book entitled What if Jesus Had Never Been Born? By D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe – a most worthy read. *We hope everyone can enjoy this account in the delightful spirit of CHRISTmas.

Impact on the Value of Human Life

• Women. In ancient cultures, a wife was the property of her husband. Aristotle said that a woman was somewhere between a free man and a slave. In India, widows were voluntarily or involuntarily burned on their husbands’ funeral pyres. Christian missionaries were a major influence in stopping these century-old practices and ideas.
• Children. In the ancient world, for example in classical Rome or Greece, infanticide was not only legal, it was applauded. Killing a Roman was murder, but it was commonly held in Rome that killing one’s own children could be an act of beauty. Through a higher view of life, it was the early Christian church that ultimately brought an end to infanctide.
• Slavery. While it is true that committed Christians have owned slaves in history, it is also true that slavery was ended in great measure by Christian activists. For example, historians credit the British evangelical William Wilberforce as the primary force behind the ending of the international slave trade (which happened prior to the American Civil War). Two-thirds of the members of the American abolition society in 1835 were Christian ministers.
• Gladiators. A 5^th century monk, Telemachus is credited as being the pivotal force ending the gladiator spectacles.
• Cannibalism. Missionary followers of Jesus are credited with stopping cannibalism in many primitive societies.

Compassion and Mercy

Kennedy and Newcombe in their book detail the rise of charity in the name of Jesus over the centuries. This is in stark contrast to history before Jesus. Historians record that prior to Jesus, the ancient world left little trace of any organized charitable effort.

An important aspect to Jesus’ ministry was his emphasis on helping the neediest and lowliest in society. For example, his Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) is a classic illustration that is still part of our language today. While there are good charitable efforts outside of the name of Jesus, Kennedy and Newcombe argue that Christian charities stand out. They point to Mother Theresa, the Salvation Army, religious hospitals, and church supported soup kitchens and thrift shops in every community. Jesus has had such an enormous impact on charity that one wonders how different things would be if he had never been born.

The mythical character of Santa Claus points back to Christ. St. Nick unquestionably arose within the Christian tradition.

Education

From the beginning of Judaism, from which Christianity is derived, there was an emphasis on the written word. But the phenomenon of education for the masses has its roots in the Protestant Reformation.

In order to promote Bible literacy, Christians have been leaders in education. This trend was accelerated with the advent of the printing press at about the same time as the Protestant Reformation. Many of the world’s languages were first set to writing by Christian missionaries in order for people to read the Bible.

In America, the first law to require education of the masses was passed by the Puritans. The law was called "THE OLD DELUDER SATAN ACT." This name was a reference to the devil, who Christians believe gets his foothold into people’s lives because of their ignorance of Scripture.

For the first 200 years in America, children’s reading texts emphasized biblical literacy. The emphasis on literacy was so intense in colonial America, that John Quincy Adams said in the early 1800’s that the illiteracy rate was only 4/10^th of 1 percent. By comparison, it has been estimated that in America today, 40 million people are functionally illiterate.

All but one of the first 123 colleges in colonial America were Christian institutions. While these universities have lost their Christian identities, it is interesting to read the founding statements of these schools. Harvard, for example, was founded on this statement: "Let every student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life. John 17: "

Government of the People

While America’s constitutional government is not specifically Christian, it can be argued that its roots are taken from biblical doctrines. Here are just a few possible arguments in this regard:

• America’s first constitution was the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. The Puritan framers of this document required that each aspect of it be grounded in Scripture. Other constitutions to follow contained many similarities to this one.
• At least 50 of the 55 signers of the U.S. Constitution were orthodox Christians.
• There is no doubt that the concept of our Constitutional checks and balances system is a direct result of the biblical doctrine of the sinfulness of mankind. All of our founders understood the importance of this doctrine to the social order.
• America’s foundational idea of The Rule of Law rather than the authority of man traces back to the Old Testament, beginning with the Ten Commandments.
• The idea that all men are created equal as enshrined in the Declaration of Independence is a biblical doctrine.
• The notion of the sovereign authority of God (as mentioned in the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, all 50 state constitutions, our currency, etc.)--rather than the sovereignty of the state--is certainly biblical.
• The existence of moral absolutes (a biblical concept) is an important idea in our Declaration of Independence--specifically, self-evident truths and unalienable rights from the Creator.
• Many other aspects of our laws come directly from the Bible--for example the judicial, legislative and executive branches trace to Isaiah 33:22. Fair trials with witnesses have numerous Old and New Testament support.
• Regarding civil liberty, founding father John Adams (and others) emphasized 2 Corinthians 3:17 as the basis for American civil liberty. The slogan on the Liberty Bell is "Proclaim Liberty throughout the land unto all the Inhabitants Thereof" is from Leviticus 15:10. Kennedy and Newcombe argue that Jesus himself was the greatest civil libertarian of all time.

Science

Kennedy and Newcombe also argue that science has it roots in Christianity. They point out that other world religions may express a worldview of fatalism (everything is fatalistically determined) or of illusion (that the physical world is an illusion). Science could not have arisen from these worldviews.

Christianity on the other hand, is based on the notion that there exists a rational God who is the source of rational truth. This, they argue, gave rise to the possibility of scientific laws.

Evidence for this view is that nearly all the founders of modern science were Christians. These include men such as Keppler, Boyle, Pascal, Pasteur, Newton, etc.

Free Enterprise and the Work Ethic

Private property rights can be traced to the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:15, 17 (Thou shalt not steal,”Thou shalt not covet.")--as well as to other passages from the Old and New Testaments. Interestingly, there are over 700 references to money in the Bible!

It is noteworthy that Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations was written in 1776, the same year as the birth of America. But many historians credit theologian John Calvin from 200 years earlier as the person who is most responsible for putting together the principles that were always in the Bible into a system adapted by the American founders. For example, the biblical doctrines of self-reliance and self-denial are the foundation of the famous "Protestant work ethic." These doctrines are at the heart of our economic (and political) way of life.

A distinction can be made between biblical capitalism and evolutionary capitalism. The emphasis on biblical capitalism is on the importance of servanthood--a key teaching of Jesus. Evolutionary capitalism on the other hand relies solely on the survival of the fittest. America’s anti-trust laws are evidence that American capitalism emphasizes the former over the latter.

Anyone who doubts the relationship of biblical ideas to free enterprise need only to note the stark contrast with communism. Communism is specifically an atheistic system that relies on the non-biblical notion that all men are good (thus will work for the common good). But communism has been an abject economic failure.

Art, Music, Literature

The influence of Jesus on art, music, and literature is enormous. For example, the Christian faith has influenced literature in such Christian writers such as Dante, Chaucer, Donne, Dostoevsky, Shakespeare, Dickens, Milton, etc.

Had Jesus never been born, music would likely sound very different from what we’re used to. There may never have developed the cantata, the concerto, or the symphony. Handel, Vivaldi, and Bach were Christians who worked to honor God with their work. Bach, for example, signed all his works with Soli Deo Gloria ("Solely to the glory of God").

Art has likewise been magnificently impacted by Jesus. While much modern art seems to debase the human spirit, classical Christian art tries to bring out the best of mankind--pointing us to a higher plane. This is certainly a tribute to Jesus.

And think of all the incredible architecture through the years. Especially noteworthy are the beautiful cathedrals in Europe.

Contrary Evidence

Kennedy and Newcombe address the criticism of some who point to atrocities in history committed in the name of Christianity--specifically the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Salem witch hunts, and anti-Semitism. The authors acknowledge the sinful nature of these events. But they argue that those who committed them were acting contrary to the teachings of Christ, who taught to love even your enemies! The blame for committing such acts should be placed on those who perverted Jesus’ teachings--not at the feet of the Prince of Peace!

However, it should also be mentioned that many historians say that Christians have gotten a bad rap from the above events. For example, it can be said that all of the Crusades were defensive in nature--in the same way that one can accurately say that America's current War on Terrorism is defensive in nature. America is responding to an unprovoked attack first made upon us. Our goal in this war is simply to protect our citizens and our property. This is the same thing that the Christian Crusaders were doing, acting in self-defense against aggressors.

And in the case of the Inquisition, Kennedy has stated that he is convinced that the people leading the Inquisition were not Christians at all. (Jesus Himself stated in Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven….”) In every case in which Christians are blamed for violence, a closer look largely exonerates Christians."

Further, they point out that when Christian restraints have been removed from a society, the atrocities are magnified many times over. For example, the regimes of Hitler, Mao, Stalin, and Pol Pot were essentially atheistic bloodbaths. These twentieth century despots alone account for well over 100 million murders. The evidence is strong that when the restraining influence of Christianity has been removed from a country or culture, unmitigated disaster will naturally follow. As admitted by existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, "[Without God] all activities are equivalent."*

We pray you were blessed by reading just some of the beautiful fruit and sweet aroma of the Body of Christ marching through time in His honor and His name. May we continue to look well to the interests of our King and continue loving our neighbor as ourselves.

Kurt, Jill, Dakota, Dylan, Nicholas, and Pippin-the-Pooper (dog)

*taken from - http://www.faithfacts.org/christ-and-the-culture/The-Impact-of-Christianity

© Charles and Cindy Meek

CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

Why Is It So Important to Understand Conversion?





The above clip is from a WordPictures series called: How God Converts The Human Soul

It is an incredible teaching on the sovereignty of God's electing, amazing grace.

"EVERY CHRISTIAN IS EITHER A MISSIONARY OR AN IMPOSTOR."

~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon ~

With Christmas coming up, we are in the throws of planning our annual Family Christmas Outreach party. This is a party we've had since our oldest was 2 years old...that's 13 years! WoW!

We started this party in order to include entire families in celebrating the real meaning of Christmas. We were new to Phoenix, and didn't know very many people. We invited anyone who had little kids and who would smile back at us! My parents flew to Arizona to help. We had 24 people that first year - mostly children under 5. My dad was a good sport and dressed up as Santa and when we returned home from neighborhood caroling 'Jesus songs', he bound down the stairway and gathered the children around him and explained Christmas is about Jesus. He read aloud The Legend of the Candy Cane. Beautiful memories....

Through the years, we've refined the party to be evangelistic both towards our guests (specifically invite Christians and non-Christians and give the gospel) and towards the neighbors we carol for. During the party, the children are read several Christmas stories like: The Tale of Three Trees, The Legend of the Candy Cane, and The Pine Tree Parable. They make a Christmas tree ornament comprised of three long nails bound with crimson raffia to place on the tree to remind everyone that Christmas means absolutely nothing without Easter. We have the children make extra tree ornaments so we have one to give each family who allows us to sing carols to them. They assemble 'gift bags' for the homes we sing for - a biblical gospel tract, the tree ornament, and a book (last year, it was Lee Strobel's The Case for Christmas).

Each party guest family was given a copy of Mark Cahill's book One Heartbeat Away last year. I was thrilled to be able to purchase an 18 book box of discounted books from Mark Cahill Ministries and they arrived in record time the day before our party. Christian was encouraged to read the book and promise to pass it on to someone who needed Jesus in the months to come. Non-Christian was encouraged to read it. A wonderful book.

This year, just two days ago actually, I got an e-newsletter from Mark Cahill Ministries. He stated he realized times were financially tight this year and wanted to let everyone know he had discounted his One Heartbeat Away box of 18 at an even greater discount. Also, he was offering a box of 42 books for only $200.00 and free shipping. Christmas is a perfect time to share the gift of Jesus! Oh, how I wanted to purchase that box of 42 books!

Had it been last year, I wouldn't have thought twice about making the purchase; but 2008 is different. Our economy is fragile. Our family portfolio is radically different than it was last year. We have two mortgages and have yet to sell our little house on Tee Time. We lost much with the stock market crash over the past months. As much as I wanted to be able to purchase these great evangelism tools, I knew I could not. Not this year.

I was sad. I really wanted to be able to give One Heartbeat Away to each of the homes on our culdesac this year as we carol. Last year it was The Case for Christmas; this year, I had hoped to give out something that presented answers to skeptics as well as a forthrightly biblical gospel. I was sad it looked like this was not to be... "the Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord." I asked God to help me think of something significant to give to our guests and to the homes in our neighborhood.

A few short hours later, our doorbell rang. I went to the door to see the delivery truck pull away. I looked down on the porch to see a large box of, what I assumed to be, medical supplies for our youngest son. I bent down to pick up what I expected to be a light box, and to my surprise, it was incredibly heavy. I turned it over to read the shipping label:

To - Jill Grier

From - Mark Cahill Ministries

"OH MY! THERE HAS BEEN A MISTAKE! I'VE NOT ORDERED ANYTHING FROM MARK CAHILL MINISTIRES! Shipping this box back will cost an arm and a leg. We can't keep this - we can't afford to pay for it."

I set the heavy box on our kitchen table and opened it up. Atop the supplies, was a folded piece of paper with 'My gift to you' printed on the top. I picked it up and set it aside to see what was in the box. It was the box of 42 books I had wanted to purchase earlier that morning. The 42 books plus two of his teaching DVD's valued at an additional $40.00. Lukewarm No More and Pride Goes Before Destruction. I didn't know what to think. I had not ordered this. I hadn't even known about it until that very morning....

I called the boys to the kitchen to show them the box of books and the two DVD's and ask them if they knew how it came to us. Nicholas suggested it might have been Dad who ordered it. I assured him Dad doesn't order books. Dakota suggested I read the folded paper I had set on the table. (Good idea!)

I read the note on the outside aloud: My Gift To You

I opened up the invoice and began to cry. It listed the materials included in the box and had a personal note at the bottom. It read:

"Hey Jill, Please take these as a gift from the ministry. Pray over them and get them into the right hands during the Christmas season.

Lost people all around you. Don't let them get away!

Mark"

You see, about 6 months ago, I woke with a pressing urgency to write Mark Cahill a letter of appreciation for his passion and his ministry. I felt led to share with him how we had used his One Heartbeat Away book for our Family Christmas party outreach last December. I felt like God wanted him to learn how a family was using his book and how much we appreciated his truth-filled writing. I told him I believed his book to be one of the best evangelistic tools I've seen because it combines apologetics and answers to the skeptics and uses the Law to prepare the soil of the heart to hear the good news of the gospel. I told him this book was a perfect blend of Ravi Zacharias, Josh McDowell, and Ray Comfort - all in one.

I mailed the letter with the US Postal service and didn't give it another thought. I didn't really expect him to read it. I just felt like it was a letter God wanted me to write and send.

I think Mark read my letter. I can't imagine why else he would have sent me a box of evangelism books free of charge.

I PRAISE GOD FOR PROMPTING ME TO WRITE THAT LETTER. I PRAISE GOD FOR MARK CAHILL AND FOR HIS OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S PROMPTING HIM TO SEND US BOOKS TO GIVE OUT THIS CHRISTMAS. I am humbled to know God had this in motion even before I knew about this special deal on this larger box of books. Humbled to know God cares about our little Family Christmas party outreach. Humbled He would orchestrate such a surprise to encourage me that He cares and He will provide even our wants. I love God's timing. I was so sad yesterday knowing this year we couldn't afford to do our Christmas party outreach like I wanted.

I am writing this down so I don't forget. So my children will know the praiseworthy deeds of my God. So the children yet to be born will know God's providential and faithful hand in my life.

I LOVE YOU JESUS!

I am so thankful You show yourself to Me. Please help me be faithful! Please help me to walk worthy. Please make sure these truth-filled books make it into the hands of those You want to read it - and be transformed by it. Please Lord, if I may ask, let my children see fruit of these books given as gifts this year. They so need to be encouraged. I so need to be encouraged. Even now, please be preparing the hearts and minds of those who get the gift of this book. Protect us from evil. Protect us from fear. Help us reflect your beauty this Christmastime. Help us love in word and in deed. Help me be winsome. Help me be a sweet aroma. Help me glorify you.

Thank You Jesus!

Thank you Mark Cahill!

Professing CHRISTian - Barak Obama?

The below link is to The Christian Anti-Defamation Commission.

There is a lot of confusion today about 'who is a Christian'...someone who says they believe in Jesus...someone who says they are a Christian? Jesus said you will know a tree by it's fruit. We must contend for the faith given once for all. (Jude 4)

https://secure.conservativedonations.com/cadc_woinac/?a=1845

What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? The Truth of the Blessings of Followers of Jesus Christ

"I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history."

~ H.G. Wells ~



PART 1 -





PART 2 -





One of my favorite vocal artists - from Kansas even - is Jennifer Knapp. This is a song that comes to mind when I begin to get discouraged about the state of the Church in America. The visible state of the Body of Christ. Oh, His great love for us! Glory!

Listen to the lyrics. Brings tears to my eyes even now....

HOLD ME NOW by Jennifer Knapp




From glass alabaster she poured out the depth of her soul
O foot of Christ would you wait if her harlotries known?
Falls a tear to darken the dirt
Of humblest offerings to forgive the hurt
She is strong enough to stand in your love
I can hear her say....

I'm weak
I'm poor
I'm broken, Lord
But I'm your's
Hold me now, hold me now

Let he without sin cast the first stone if you will
To say that my bride isn't worth half the blood that I've spilled
Point your finger and laugh if you choose
To say my beloved is borrowed and used
She is strong enough to stand in My love
I can hear her say.... (King Jesus)

I'm weak
I'm poor
I'm broken, Lord
But I'm your's
Hold me now, hold me now

*************

Isn't it humbling to be reminded of His great love for His bride? Isn't is encouraging to know that even with a bride who is broken, a bride who fails so often, a bride who is so often faithless - He can cause her to stand and walk in His ways and bring glory to Him - for the good of the world! We see evidence of this all around.

Read Ezekiel 36: 26-27

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. (God)


THANK YOU JESUS FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE A PART OF YOUR STORY! THANK YOU FOR ORDANINING ME TO BELIEVE, AND FOR APPOINTING ME TO THIS TIME AND TO THIS PARTICULAR PLACE. I LOVE YOU SO!

EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed DVD Releast Oct. 21

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed Trailer:




Beloved, Just to let you know - this important film will be released on DVD October 21st.

Right now, you can pre-buy it through either Answers in Genesis (www.answersingenesis.org) or through your local Family Christian Bookstore at a significant discount. I encourage that.

I believe this DVD should be in every Christian family library. It is so important to expose the agenda to squash any dissent that deviates from Darwinian Evolution. Dialogue is not acceptable. This is always a bad sign. Typically, when people don't want to engage in conversation - resorting to name-calling, yelling, firing, or 'shut-up'ing; it is because they are not confident in their preheld suppositions. We need not fear them. We need not retreat from the conversation. They are on shakey ground. Our Armor - which includes the breastplate of righteousness - doesn't indicate protection for our backside! Turning tail and running, isn't in the battleplan. Walking off the field isn't our calling....

After an intense battle to get EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed to release here in Wichita on opening day, we had a poor showing of people to demonstrate to the Warren management and to the NorthRock management it was worth it. (Our family attended the opening evening showing at the Warren East. I have no idea how many people attended at the Warren West or the Warren Downtown, or even at NorthRock.)

Now we have an opportunity to gather people to see this again. Let's be creative about this. Perhaps we could approach our local Pastor to see if he would be willing to set aside one Sunday evening for a full-length 'movie night'. Perhaps we could show this within our small groups. Perhaps we could invite families over to our homes to have a movie night complete with discussion and prayer for our nation.

LET'S DO SOMETHING TO ENCOURAGE CHRISTIANS TO SEE THIS FILM!

Let's not put it off. Let's not get discouraged when we meet rejection after rejection. Let's not be quitters. Let's pray and let's invite and let's discuss.

Here is a letter I wrote to our pastor to encourage him go see it on opening day and to encourage our congregation to see EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed when it was to be released in local theaters months ago.

(You know we can write letters of personal testimony and encouragement to our Pastors and elders, don't you?)


Here's the letter from this past Winter:


"If people think God is interesting, the onus is on them to show that there is anything to talk about. Otherwise, they should just shut up about it."~ Richard Dawkins ~Rabid Contemporary Atheist - Evolutionary Biologist, Oxford University



Dear Pastor,

I am thrilled, thrilled, thrilled you are teaching on Genesis on Sunday mornings! I believe the very foundations of credibility and integrity within the American church are in Genesis chapters 1-11.

How I could go on and on about my own confusion trying to reconcile what I was taught in Sunday school as a child and what I was taught for 12 years in Wichita Public Schools – not to mention State universities I attended.

Interestingly enough, I believe I represented the vast majority of professing Christians who desperately try to ‘believe both’ in that it wasn’t until a few years ago I came face to face with the need to research and make some conclusions as to the age of the earth and Creation. I was setting out to teach Ancient History and was told I needed to decide from which ‘angle’ I would be teaching – Old Earth or Young Earth. I had never heard of Young Earth…I had grown up believing God used the process of evolution and massive amounts of time to make what we know today. I didn’t agree with Carl Sagan who screamed volumes of ideology when he made his claim: “The Cosmos is all there ever was, all there ever is, and all there ever will be.” I believed God used the Big Bang to create and start the process, but that He ordained evolution to complete the process. Much assumption followed….

Then I was faced with teaching Ancient History. I had to make a decision… a thoughtful and informed decision. We set out to do some research on the subject. We drove from Flower Mound, TX to Glen Rose, TX to tour the Creation Evidence Museum. A road trip that changed my life!

http://www.creationevidence.org/

I remember clearly walking INTO that humble museum a Christian (my particular flavor of Theism) Evolutionist and walking OUT a confident and excited YE Creationist.

Glory!

We are living in an increasingly pagan America where people have no concept of God and why He matters and this drastically effects and limits our evangelism. Peter was talking to people who ‘knew’ and feared God. He told them to repent and be baptized. Paul, however, was talking with people who had no clue about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. On Mars Hill, he had to start at the BEGINNING! Sadly, that is where we are today, but most Christians don’t know it. We are usually Peter talking to the men of Athens! It is worthy to spend corporate time teaching on the essential doctrines of the Genesis Record.

Surely you are aware, but in case you are not, there is a wonderful movie coming out this Friday and it will be playing at the Warren East and Warren West Movie Theaters.

EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed is an important film and – believe me – it was a battle to get it to show here on Opening Day in the Box Offices.

I’ve attached a Leaders Guide and a Press Packet. Perhaps these will give you some added material to use in your sermons. PERHAPS YOU WILL GO SEE THE FILM ON OPENING DAY.



“If you meet somebody who claims not to believe in evolution, that person is ignorant, stupid or insane.”

~ Richard Dawkins ~



"I think religion is a deadly threat to the survival of the species and to the continued evolution of the brain."

~ Christopher Hitchens ~



"The fact that 40% of American scientists believe in God indicates that 60% of scientists aren't doing their jobs."

~ Sam Harris ~




The Warren Theaters East and West will be showing Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed this Friday (Opening Day in the Box Office)! Praise the Lord.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday, April 16th.

West side show times for Opening Day are: 1:45; 4:20; 6:50; and 9:20



"THE FOOL SAYS IN HIS HEART, 'THERE IS NO GOD.'"

~ Psalm 14:1 ~



Serving His Kingdom Here and Now ~

Truth Project Veritology - Lesson One

"What is truth" is the most important question we can ask - and many of us do.

What is the truth?

Last week, I taught our first session of the 13 week biblical world-and-life-view class The Truth Project for the interested women at our church. What a thrill! What a privilege!

So last Thursday, the first topic in the curriculum was the issue of Veritology. Veritas is Latin for 'Truth", and 'ology' indicates the study of something. Biology. Zoology. Embryology. Theology.

VERITOLOGY. What is Truth?

We scoured Old Testament and New Testament and I came away with two key points to ponder:

1.) In Jesus' own words, stating why it is He came to earth: "Jesus answered, 'You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." (John 18:37 niv)

I'd like to make a couple observations here in this seemingly simple statement.

a.) From Christ's lips Himself, He stated the reason He came to earth was to TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH.

Evidently, truth is critical. Evidently, truth is important. We, as Christians, should care what truth is; and as we, as Christians, are ultimately called to become Christ-like - shouldn't we be duty-bound and obligated to do the same - namely, to testify to the truth.

With so many different 'truth'-claims floating around professing Christian communities, shouldn't we be more concerned to flush them out, research them, and studiously investigate, and then articulate which ones are legitimate? I have come to the conviction that the answer to this question is a hearty YES!

I'm going to list a couple I tend to tangle with on a regular basis.

- "What's right for you may not be right for me."

- "God is sovereign, but man still has to choose to be 'saved'."

- "The Kingdom of God is in the near-but-not-yet future."

- "There is a difference between Israel and the Church."

- "God allows, but does not decree bad things to happen to good people."

- "Jesus died for all the sins of all men."

- "The lordship of Jesus Christ is optional, but not required for the Christian." (Put another way, "You can accept Jesus as your personal savior without bending knee to Him as LORD of all.")

- "God wills all people go to Heaven."

- "Our kids are salt and light in public schools."

- "We live under the New Covenant... Old Covenant law does not apply."

- "There is a difference between secular and sacred."

- "Times have changed, to be successful in this day and age, this (a college degree, a six-figure income, separate bedrooms for each child, etc...) is required."

b.) Further, and what I find to be most profound in this claim, Jesus adds, 'Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." This implies there are SIDES. A right side (Jesus'), and a wrong side (opposed to Jesus). Now that's quite a statement!

So I wonder, if we read the same Bible and come to different conclusions - for example, as in God's sovereignty + Man's 'free will' = heaven or hell destination - isn't at least one of the conclusions wrong? Both obviously can't be 'right'. Both can be wrong, but both cannot be right!
Arminians claim coming to Christ is a free-will choice; that God bids everyone 'come' and Jesus died for all the sins for all men - with the exception of unbelief and gospel rebelion. if one is intellectually honest and logical, they would see this claim as making man ultimately and finally sovereign - hence, negating the notion of 'the sovereignty of God.'

Calvinists claim coming to Christ is a spiritual-state resurrection. A 100% doing of God. As in the word-picture of Lazarus, when Christ bid him 'arise' and he appeared, after being stinky-dead all wrapped up in his burial cloths. Lazarus did not 'choose' to be brought back to life. He did not 'seek' Christ while in his state of corruption, death, and decay. HE WAS DEAD. DEAD MEN DON'T REFUSE OR CHOOSE LIFE. THEY ARE ... D-E-A-D! When the Holy Spirit resurrects our 'dead in transgressions' spirit and breathes life into it and quickens us unto spiritual life, we will come. We are only so thankful to come to life. Satan's truth-claim in the garden to Eve, 'You will not surely die', was a half-truth presented as a whole truth --- which is a lie! She did not die physically or cognitively, but indeed she and Adam partook of the forbidden fruit and did die spiritually. (Hence, regeneration is literally a spiritual resurrection.)

Isn't stake on truth-claims within the professing body of Christ worthy of a wrestle?!

Jesus, in His own words said 'Everyone on the side of truth listen to me.'

Do we second-guess or manipulate the Word of God to fit our presuppositional impressions and beliefs? Do we BELIEVE GOD, or just believe in God? There is a big difference! Do we fall into moral relativism when we come against a professing Sister or Brother who disagrees with biblical truth, and copout by saying 'what's right for you may not be right for me.'? I wonder....

The second key point to ponder after listening to the Truth Project lesson on Veritology is this:

2.) God equates lies with idols!

In the book of Isaiah, chapter 44 it states that work can be an idol (v.12), people can be an idol (v.13), and a lie can be an idol (v. 15-20). Let's focus on Isaiah 44:15-20.

"He cut down cedars,
or perhaps took a cypress or oak.
He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or he planted a pine, and the rain made it grow.

It is man's fuel for burning;
some of it he takes and warms himself,
he kindles a fire and bakes bread.

but he also fashions a god and worships it;
he makes an idol and bows down to it.

Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
over it he prepares his meal,
he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
'Ah! I am warm; I see the fire."
From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
he bows down to it and worships.

He prays to it and says,
"Save me; you are my god."
They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see,
and their minds are closed so they cannot understand.

No one stops to think,
no one has the knowledge or understanding to say,
"Half of it I used for fuel;
I even baked bread over its coals,
I roasted meat and I ate.

Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left?
Shall I bow down to a block of wood?"
He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him;
he cannot save himself, or say,
"It not this thing in my right hand a lie?"

Is this not remarkable! Scripture equates a lie with an idol! If we are living a lie - because we believe a lie, and we indeed live what we truly believe - we are idol worshippers. God has quite a judgement for idol worshippers! Read the book of Galatians!

"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealously, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:16-21 niv)

So here we can see: God equates idol worship with intentionally and naively living out lies - whether we are cognisant of the lie or not. Evidently, the issue of true Truth and salvation are connected. Truth has eternal consequences!

We ar wise to do the hard work to discover and bend knee to the truth of Scripture. Polar 'opinions' don't jive in the Body of Christ!

Whew! This is just the first week of study in the Truth Project!

Next week - philosophy and ethics. Can't wait!

The Truth Project

"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according too the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."

Did you know this caution is addressed to THE CHURCH! To the regenerate believers?! It is! Christians can be captivated by false ideology, empty and deceptive philosophies and practices. Christian!... see to it no one takes you captive.





The Truth Project is all about transformation...transformed living based on THINKING CHRISTIANLY.

We are commanded to be transformed BY the renewing of our mind.

British philosopher Bertrand Russell declared, "Most Christians would rather die than think, in fact they do."

I couldn't agree more. Only 9% of professing born-again Christians think as Christians. There is a huge difference between thinking Christianly and knowing bible stories. Paul's clarion call to believers is to 'demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.' However, our marching orders are full circle - - orders are to advance, not just demolish; Jesus commissions us to 'make disciples...teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.' This is how we are salt and light. The Truth Project is an effort to fortify Christian thinking - which will fortify Christian living - so we can be the blessing we are created to be.

I'm very excited to have the opportunity this Fall to take women through The Truth Project. My husband and I were one of the first in Kansas to travel for Truth Project training in Colorado Springs when this worldview course first came out. That was the summer of 2006. Since that time, we have led two family-integrated groups through this course in the comfort of our home. Last year, we had to step back from family ministry as we were neck-deep in the process of purchasing, demolishing, and restoring another home. We've had a year off of leading others through The Truth Project.

Beginning Thursday August 28th, I will have the privilege of teaching The Truth Project through the Women's Ministry at our church. We will offer a morning class for at-home mom's and an evening class for students and working mom's. I am so thankful for this opportunity. I never thought I'd be able to use my spiritual gifting to edify our local body. I am thankful and everso humbled by how God brought this about. THANK YOU JESUS! May God be glorified and magnified by this course.

PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!

Out of Africa

I Saw What I Saw
by Sarah Groves
Tell Me What You Know CD


Last week our family attended The Rebelution Conference in Dallas with our best friends from Texas (now living in New York) and my parents and my older brother and his sons. What a grand time of exhortation and learning!

We attended my brother's church in Keller on Sunday and went to his home to change clothes and grab a quick lunch before heading back to Wichita. There, I saw an interesting photograph on his living room table. It was a photo of children in Africa...I'll come back to this in a moment. Many of you probably don't know, but my heart has been drawn to Africa ever since a missionary from the UK serving in Sudan came to admonish our church in Phoenix. Actually, he was admonishing the enitre American Church for her lethargy, apathy, and lukewarm spirit. He told of families in Sudan being butchered because they met in the bush with other Saints to take Holy Communion. They are not ignorant of this risk, yet gathering together for fellowship and communion is worthy. They treasured Christ and His Bride to the point of death! He rebuked us for thinking it was a big deal to get to church on Sundays faithfully. He rebuked us for allowing garbage to enter into God's Holy temple by the music we listen to, the literature we read, and the way we spend our time, the amount of pointless leisure we assume is due us - how we squander the time. I've never been the same. This was before Nicholas was born. I believe it was even before I was pregnant with him. I repented that Sunday. I've not been the same. From that Sunday, I longed to go to Africa and serve in any way I could....

My heart is in Africa.

Not a year goes by that I don't long to go to Africa. Lately, I've been even more encouraged to go because of a man in South Africa named Dr. Peter Hammond of FrontLine Fellowship. His ministry is powerful! I also have friends from our Southern Baptist church in Lewisville, TX who served in Senegal, West Africa. They are home on furlough, but will be going back as soon as possible. Lastly, a dear friend (who used to be a sixth grade Littleton, Colorado student of mine when I was a public school teacher) is headed to Zimbabwe to be a chiropractor. She will be a missionary who happens to serve people by chiropractic medicine. Incarnational ministry - not just drop and run Jesus Film blip. Then there is the picture atop my brother's living room table. A picture of children from Uganda. My brother supports a missionary who serves in Uganda. She used to be the children's ministry director at his church in Keller, TX. He told me she could get me to Uganda....

I don't know how God is going to get me to Africa, but I believe He will. I believe God is working out the details even now. I should not be discouraged but have hopeful expectation for what He is going to do.

Our family makes it a habit to listen to conference CD's when we take a road trip anywhere. Redeem the time! During the trip to Dallas, we were working our way through American Vision's Worldview Training for the 21st Century. While listening to Putting Your Faith into Action by Janet Folger, I was rebuked, humbled, and inspired. (By the way, if you've not 'met' Janet Folger, I encourage you to get acquainted with her!)

In the Putting Your Faith into Action CD, she shared how we Christians think little thoughts and expect little things of God. CHRISTian, this should not be! We hold God in contempt and despise Him because we are fearful and defeated by the 'giants' in the land. So true! Do you know God equates unbelief and retreat and withdrawl with holding Him in contempt? With despising Him? He does! WoW!

I have been guilty lately of little thinking and little belief and little faith. I've been guilty of ungodly fear and unbelief. I've been guilty of retreat! God, forgive me! Beloved, forgive me!

Janet told of the account in Scripture where the spies were sent to Canaan in Numbers 13 and Numbers 14. The first account of spies being set to scope things out. How only Joshua and Caleb believed God and sought to ready the people for victorious battle. How the other spies were fearful of 'the giants' and prompted the people to retreat, to even want to go back to Egypt (bondage) rather than risk dying by the sword. Let me share with you a portion of this text:

14:1 "Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night.
2 And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
4 And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” 10 Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel. 11 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? (ESV)

The NIV puts it this way: The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?

The NASB puts it this way: The LORD said to Moses, "How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst?

The NKJV puts it this way: Then the LORD said to Moses: “How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them?

The KJV puts it this way: And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?

What a rebuke! What a charge! I am praying I will not be guilty any longer of holding God in contempt. I have seen, time and time again, His wonderous works and His faithfulness. His mighty hand. He has not kept me from seeing His glory! I should not fear!

GOD IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS!
GOD CAN DO WHAT HE SAYS HE CAN DO.
I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM.
I CAN DO ALL THINGS - THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME.
GOD'S WORD IS ALIVE AND LIVING IN ME.

I'M BELIEVING GOD!

Thanking God that He is faithful when I am faithless.

What If ... I'm Pretending?

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"

~ Matthew 7:21-23 ~
NIV



Beloved in Christ,

The boys and I just finished watching a new Ray Comfort DVD published by Vision Forum Ministries titled: We Cannot But Speak - How to gain a Passion for Evangelism. It is very good. If you've not 'met' Ray Comfort, I encourage you to 'introduce yourself to him' as soon as you can type in www.livingwaters.com I have become convinced tracts are an excellent witnessing tool (books are as well, just w-a-y more expensive). There is a great custom tract site where one can purchase Mark Cahill's tract based on his latest book: One Heartbeat Away. The book One Heartbeat Away is EXCELLENT and can be purchased from Mark Cahill Ministries at a bulk rate of $150.00 for a box of 18.

I was looking to purchase the One Heartbeat Away tract when I stumbled across a tract titled: What If... I'm Pretending. (There is also a tract titled: What If.... that is excellent as well, but targeted towards agnostics or those disinterested in Christ.) The tract What If... I'm Pretending speaks to my heart, as it is talking about me (my testimony) - and, according to Barna Research Group - between 49% and 51% of all professing born again Christians faithfully sitting in our pews each and every week - in Evangelical churches.

The tract concludes with a website: http://www.whatifimpretending.com/

Please visit it!

I LOVE how God works! How He orchestrates things in His perfect timing. The GodTube "Shocking Message" from Paul David Washer is something I stumbled across on Mother's Day Sunday after church. It is RIGHT ON! I pray you will take time to listen to it. I am delighted to see this same message on the What If... I'm Pretending website!

NOTE: The other GodTube message titled Revival - a Wake Up Call is long and at times, melodramatic...I haven't listened to the entire thing yet.

The resources listed on the Resources page include excellent video presentations from Ray Comfort/Kirk Cameron and the Living Waters Ministry. The best resource to impress on urgency of true and false conversions is available here, titled - you guessed it - True and False Conversions.

*You may purchase a copy of True and False Conversions from CrossTV. The free video presentation is from a series of programs called Word Pictures. www.crosstv.com

Do yourself a favor and review CrossTV's statement of faith! It will knock your socks off!!!!! Great stuff! (Can you tell I get excited about CrossTV and their Word Picture programs?!) NOTE: Satan hates CrossTV and some evil people have the domain name of crosstv.org - DO NOT GO TO IT! Often times we associate .com with commerce and .org with ministry, but the .org site is pornographic. Warfare!

I know this has been a lot of information, but digest it and may it bless your spirit and help to ignite a holy zeal for opening your mouth with a biblical gospel and a determination to set captives free!

Remember, there are sincere and deceived captives in our church! I used to be one!

I love you.

Serving His Kingdom Here and Now ~

Jilly

How Could I Ask For More?

This is the most powerful song by Cindy Morgan. I sang this song as a solo when our quartet was active in Phoenix. I could barely get through it - the lyrics are so right and true.

I sang it in Phoenix for the wedding anniversary for the parents of one of the gals in our quartet. I want it sung at my funeral....

********************

There's nothing like the warmth of a summer afternoon
Waking to the sunlight, and being cradled by the moon
Catching fireflies at night
Building castles in the sand
Kissing Mama's face goodnight
Holding Daddy's hand
Thank you Lord, how could I ask for more

Running barefoot through the grass
A little hide and go seek
Being so in love, that you can hardly eat
Dancing in the dark, when there's no one else around
Being bundled 'neath the covers, watching snow
Fall to the ground
Thank you Lord, how could I ask for more

So many things I thought would bring me happiness
Some dreams that are realities today
Such an irony the things that mean the most to me
Are the memories that I've made along the way

So if there's anything I've learned
From this journey I am on
Simple truths will keep you going
Simple love will keep you strong
Cause there are questions without answers
Flames that never die
Heartaches we go through are often blessings in disguise
So thank you Lord, oh thank you Lord
How could I ask for more

**********

I am brought to tears again. THANK YOU LORD - how could I ask for more.

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

"If people think God is interesting, the onus is on them to show that there is anything to talk about. Otherwise, they should just shut up about it."

~ Richard Dawkins ~
Rabid Contemporary Atheist - Evolutionary Biologist, Oxford University




"Education is a weapon whose effects depend on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed."

~ Joseph Stalin ~

Beloved,


Please continue to pray that either the Warren East, Warren West, and NorthRock Theaters will follow through with showing Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed which is to debut nationally this coming Friday, April 18th.


For those of you who haven't seen the promo of Expelled, do take time to watch it. This is a battleground topic! Darwinian Evolutionary Theory is bad science, plain and simple. Here in Kansas, it is the only truth-claim allowed in elementary and secondary public school curriculum. Statistics show that an astonishing percentage of professing Christian parents (85% in fact) send their children off to government schools. No wonder most professing Christians are Theistic Evolutionists and only 9% of graduating Teens believe in absolute truth! (Need I mention that between 75%-91% of these kids abandon the faith by the time they exit their Freshman year in college.)


http://www.expelledthemovie.com/video.php

"Contrary to what many Christians have been led to believe, there is no such thing as a 'neutral' education.... All education is religious and conveys a worldview."


~ Bruce Shortt Ph.D. ~
The Harsh Truth About Public Schools

For more on the importance of Christian parents thinking clearly on issues of child education, Douglas Wilson's book titled Excused Absence: Should Christian Kids Leave Public Schools is a mind-sobering resource.


http://www.amazon.com/Excused-Absence-Should-Christian-Schools/dp/0970224516


Present-Day Rabid Atheist Quotes:

“If you meet somebody who claims not to believe in evolution, that person is ignorant, stupid or insane.”

~ Richard Dawkins ~


"I think religion is a deadly threat to the survival of the species and to the continued evolution of the brain."

~ Christopher Hitchens ~


"The fact that 40% of American scientists believe in God indicates that 60% of scientists aren't doing their jobs."

~ Sam Harris ~

"THE FOOL SAYS IN HIS HEART, 'THERE IS NO GOD.'"

~ Psalm 14:1 ~

The Warren Theaters East and West will be showing Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed this Friday (Opening Day in the Box Office)! Praise the Lord. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, April 16th.

West side show times for Opening Day are: 1:45; 4:20; 6:50; and 9:20

Serving His Kingdom Here and Now ~

Jilly

GOOD FRIDAY

Originally written 04/06/07

FOR WHO DID CHRIST DIE?

John Owen

---

The Father imposed His wrath due unto, and the Son underwent punishment for, either:

1. All the sins of all men.
2. All the sins of some men, or
3. Some of the sins of all men.

In which case it may be said:

1. That if the last be true, all men have some sins to answer for, and so, none are saved.
2. That if the second be true, then Christ, in their stead suffered for all the sins of all the elect in the whole world, and this is the truth.
3. But if the first be the case, why are not all men free from the punishment due unto their sins?

You answer, "Because of unbelief."

I ask, Is this unbelief a sin, or is it not? If it be, then Christ suffered the punishment due unto it, or He did not. If He did, why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which He died? If He did not, He did not die for all their sins!"

I love this apologetic by the Puritan John Owen because it exposes the faulty thinking concerning the atoning death of Christ. Most people today assert (wrongly, I might add) that Christ died for all the sins of all men. IF this were the case, then certainly all people would be destined and secured of heavenly residence when they pass from this earthly life into the next. From Holy Writ itself, we know this is not the case. Consider the documentation of the wealthy man and the beggar Lazarus (not Jesus' friend who He raised from the dead, a different Lazarus) in Luke 16: 19-31:

"Now there was a certain rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, gaily living in splendor every day. And a certain poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.

Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.

And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.'

But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.'

And he (the wealthy man in Hell) said, 'Then I beg you, Father, that you send him to my father's house - for I have five brothers - that he may warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'

But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'

But he (the wealthy man in Hell) said, 'No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!'

But he (Abraham) said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.'" (NASB)

So you see, we have documentation from Scripture itself that there are people in Hell. The logical and reasonable conclusion is that Jesus did NOT die on the cross to pay the penalty of ALL the sins of ALL men - or else there would be no person in Hell - only Satan and his demons. But from Scripture, we see there are people in Hell. This means either Jesus did not pay the ransome for all men, or the King of kings and Lord of lords is less than capable. Heresy! There is no impotence in God. He is all-powerful, all-capable, all-mighty. He lacks nothing. His will WILL come about. No one whom He died for will slip through His sovereign hand! When Jesus declared 'It is finished' on the cross, He was affirming the definite redemption of His people. God forbid we keep mute while heresy is released on simple, ignorant, unsuspecting ears. We may not be 'born again' until we're 30, but our eternal salvation was secure at the cross! AMEN! GLORY HALLELUJAH!

Today is Good Friday. My favorite day of Holy Week. Yes, Easter is the glory of the Passion, but Easter is nothing without a right understanding of Good Friday.

Just who did Jesus die on the cross for? That's the most important question - I think - and one that must be investigated instead of merely assumed. Christ died the death due to those God gave Him. In short, Jesus Christ was smitten, tortured, humiliated, forsaken by the Father, and died for the Elect as opposed to the universal 'world'. The Elect are those sovereignly chosen from before the dawn of time to be favored by God. (Ephesians 1:4)

"As many as were ordained to eternal life believed." Acts 13:48

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you, that you should go forth and bring forth fruit...." John 15:16

"For the transgression of my people, He was stricken." Isaiah 53:8

"You are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

"The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28

"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come and has redeemed His people." Luke 1:68

"I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own." John 10:14

"It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of His love." John 13:1

"Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You. For You granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those You have given Him...I pray for them. I am not praying for the world." John 17:1-2, 9

J.I. Packer has pointed out that the statement "Christ died for you," which has become so common in today's evangelism, simply cannot be found in any of the sermons recorded for us in Scripture. Packer writes:

"The fact is that the New Testament never calls on any man to repent on the ground that Christ died specifically and particularly for him. The basis on which the New Testament invites sinners to put faith in Christ is simply that they need Him, and that He offers Himself to them, and that those who receive Him are promised all the benefits that His death secured for His people. What is universal and all-inclusive in the New Testament is the invitation to faith, and the promise of salvation to all who believe.... The gospel is not 'believe that Christ died for everybody's sins, and therefore for yours,' any more than it is, 'believe that Christ died only for certain people's sins, and so perhaps not for yours.' The gospel is: 'believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for sins, and now offers you Himself as your Saviour.' This is the message which we are to take to the world. We have no business to ask them to put faith in any view of the extent of the atonement; our job is to point them to the living Christ, and summon them to trust in Him."

Further, "a good example of the kind of preaching Packer describes is Charles Spurgeon. Spurgeon...believed in a definite atonement. But this did not stop him from becoming one of the most effective evangelists of his age. He did not lie to people. He did not say, 'I know you are elect; therefore, Christ died for you.' For Spurgeon, it was enough to say, 'You are a sinner, and Jesus died for sinners. If you would be saved, you must repent of your sin and believe the gospel.'" (The Doctrines of Grace by James M. Boice, pp.133)

There are merely two kinds of people - Elect and Reprobate. Children of God or children of the devil. "Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceed forth and come from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.'" (John 9:39-47 NKJV)

Powerful!

It is humanly impossible to know for certain who is which, but one day it will be known. That's why we are commanded to preach the whole truth of the Gospel in it's entirety to every tribe and tongue - the Elect are 'in there somewhere'!

"Do not say, 'But I do not know if Jesus died for me or not.' You cannot know the answer to that in the abstract. The only way you will ever know is if you will come to Jesus. If you do come, then you know that you are one for whom He died. Therefore, come to Jesus! And if you have not done so before, come now!" (The Doctrines of Grace by James M. Boice, pp.134)

Now that's a biblical alter call!

Why?

We rode into town the other day, just me and my Daddy.
He said I’d finally reached that age,
and I could ride next to him on a horse that of course was not quite as wide
We heard a crowd of people shouting and so we stopped to find out why
There was that man that my dad said he loved,
but today there was fear in his eyes

So I said Daddy why are they screaming?
Why are the faces of some of them beaming?
Why is he dressed in that bright purple robe?
I bet that crown hurts him more than he shows Daddy please can’t you do something?
He looks as though he’s going to cry
You said he is stronger than all of those guys-Daddy please tell me why,
why does everyone want him to die?

Later that day the sky grew cloudy and daddy said I should go inside
Some how he knew things would get stormy...boy was he right
But I could not keep from wondering if there was something that he had to hide
So after he left I had to find out, I was not afraid of getting lost
So I followed the crowds to a hill where I knew men had been killed
And I heard a voice come from a cross:

And it said :
Father why are they screaming.
Why are the faces of some of them beaming?
Why are they casting their lots for My robes??
This crown of thorn hurts Me more than it shows.
Father please can’t You do something?
I know that you must hear My cry.
I thought I could handle a cross of this size,
Father remind Me why,
why does everyone want Me to die.

When will I understand why....?

My precious Son, I hear them screaming.
I’m watching the face of the Enemy beaming.

But soon I will clothe you in robes of My own.
Jesus this hurts Me more than You know.
But this dark hour - I must do nothing.
I’ve heard Your unbearable cry —
the power in Your blood destroys all the lies,
soon You’ll see past their unmerciful eyes -

Look there below - see the child ... trembling by her father’s side.

Now I can tell You why...she is why You must die.

~ Nicole Nordeman ~

Thank You Jesus!

Bewitched American Evangelical Pastors - God Have Mercy on Us!

"And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, 'Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.'"

~ Nehemiah 4:14 ESV ~

Beloved,

Nehemiah is one of my favorite Old Testament books (actually, I have a lot of 'favorites'!). The major theme of Ezra and Nehemiah (originally one book, not two) is that God works sovereignly through responsible human agents to accomplish His redemptive purpose (RC Sproul). The specific task in Nehemiah was to rebuild the destroyed defensive walls around Jerusalem. Each family had the task of not only laboring to rebuild the wall, but while doing so, to fight to defend the work they had accomplished so far. A tool in one hand to advance and a sword in the other to defend. We would be wise to apply that ethic today! "Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built." (Neh. 4:17b-18 ESV)

My oh my, how the protective walls and hedges in America have crumbled; not because of outside aggression, but because of inside passivity, apathy, and willful ignorance - on the shoulders of the Remnant. "If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land." (II Chronicles 7:14 NIV)

I want to be sure to make you aware of a wonderful opportunity to hear David Barton of WallBuilders right here in Wichita! FREE!

A breakfast/conference titled:

Restoring Hope - Understanding Our Role in Civil Society
Saturday, March 29th - 9:00AM
Hyatt

It is a breakfast for Pastors and concerned citizens. You are a concerned citizen!

As you are aware, we live in mind-numbing obstinance concerning our Christian duty within the culture. More often than not, our own dear Pastors and Shepherds have been educated in secular-humanist school systems and have been taken captive by the lie of 'separation of church and state' and in bondage to revisionist history that denies a biblical and forthrightly Christian influence in the founding of this great nation. Even more tragic than that, there are very influential evangelical Pastors who scorn 'earthly' participation in the culture claiming we are only to live to spread the gospel (conversion) - at the exclusion of the actual living out our transformed lives as Christ's stewards of this culture and the people within it.

There is a massive disconnect between orthodoxy and orthopraxy in our day.

God requires both!

Two sides of the same coin!

Read the book of James.

This breakfast is free, seating is limited, and registration deadline is March 22nd. You are welcome to register online through the provided e-mail link.

http://www.kansasfpc.com/

"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

~ Micah 6:8 ESV ~


Please know you and your husband are welcome to attend this free and informative breakfast. Encourage your Pastor and his wife to come and learn along with you. We must pray for our Elders and our Pastors! We must pray for them and encourage them to ask themselves, "What sayeth the Lord?" and to take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ instead of merely parroting back some quippy answer they've heard from an articulate and influential church or seminary leader.

May God be pleased to open the eyes of His servants for the benefit of our nation and the people living in it and the generations to come. Amen and Amen.

Serving His Kingdom Here and Now ~


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For a more explicit article about the obstinance of American Pastors today, read: ...And The Pulpits Are Silent. Flies in the face of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book The Cost of Discipleship. Required reading for any intentional follower of Jesus Christ as Commander.

http://www.newswithviews.com/Daubenmire/dave106.htm