tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18406091391968192972024-02-07T19:52:23.816-06:00Christian Apologetics: Scientific Evidence for a Creator GodThe myth of evolution, lack of fossil evidence, mathematical impossibilities of molecules-to-man, fossil hoaxes, DNA/RNA evidence against evolution...read the many blogs that testify of the evidence of a Creator God via science, historical, archeology, manuscripts, paleontology that is empirical, verifiable, and quantifiable. Its not a hope-so but a know-so fact.Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-21282285706780179832022-12-13T15:58:00.002-06:002022-12-13T16:02:29.600-06:004 Technology Strategies to Help Grow Your Church<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Churches
can utilize technology today like never before, so here are 4 technology
strategies to help grow your church.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvvFNqyMCznXzk497d59RMQVVftgfHwpiw5S26v7Qs-RILjI2-wLtj18wxt5tid9Aa-J0QatbbE0l2sqeLGPL5ZW9d4nJ_2QCyywizHveFRRB5PbIXUrGDAFc4QT8KvIjb0WiwJ6KcjxwT5WOb5H1q5g5bSp6bxIN_SRe1tokXyIGv5-ffXwgpVj3eDw/s105/Heritage%20Church%20Sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="91" data-original-width="105" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvvFNqyMCznXzk497d59RMQVVftgfHwpiw5S26v7Qs-RILjI2-wLtj18wxt5tid9Aa-J0QatbbE0l2sqeLGPL5ZW9d4nJ_2QCyywizHveFRRB5PbIXUrGDAFc4QT8KvIjb0WiwJ6KcjxwT5WOb5H1q5g5bSp6bxIN_SRe1tokXyIGv5-ffXwgpVj3eDw/s1600/Heritage%20Church%20Sign.jpg" width="105" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial;">Social Media</span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;">Churches can utilize technology today like never
before, so here are 4 technology strategies to help grow your church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>To begin with, churches cannot to stay
in the pews, hoping the lost will come to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If people are not coming to the church, then the church should be coming
to the people, and one way to do that is through the use of social media.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our church has a website, but we also have a
Facebook page where we post or livestream our worship services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do this for those who cannot attend church
in person due to distance, illness or being shut in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since they can’t attend worship services, we
bring worship services to them through social medias.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This also allows other people who are
looking for a home church to sample what the services are like and if there is
biblical preaching there…or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
might be their first and most important impression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not using social media strictly limits
worship services to brick and mortar buildings, only for those who are able to
attend in person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a few pastors
or churches that listen to our messages overseas because they are hours away
from the nearest church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By posting our
sermons, those in parts of the world where it’s not even safe to openly
worship, can hear the gospel of repentance and faith (Mark 1:15), and then they
can be used by God to go into all the world (Matt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8), in
places that we cannot physically go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Sermon Clips</span></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uQt_tST2Wymqe5AB3JiJYi8d_ffMdbEHU_47fxcsznmT4qTdPgraw1nF_Zgi9J5FpRk3cKtTQCWJGLS-Wl8EVmsVVfTapw3f_KlpJtspYuDpe-uUuHsP9vcHIxSn2hWQoMRvoXXRuhxMheBDO3M2iVVRek8W8r8PlohzjrCFuxc9QE3DExXI26Wuwg/s3719/Preacher%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2091" data-original-width="3719" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uQt_tST2Wymqe5AB3JiJYi8d_ffMdbEHU_47fxcsznmT4qTdPgraw1nF_Zgi9J5FpRk3cKtTQCWJGLS-Wl8EVmsVVfTapw3f_KlpJtspYuDpe-uUuHsP9vcHIxSn2hWQoMRvoXXRuhxMheBDO3M2iVVRek8W8r8PlohzjrCFuxc9QE3DExXI26Wuwg/w242-h136/Preacher%20(2).jpg" width="242" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />A
great way to reach people of all ages with the gospel is by using technology
such as Sermon Shots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At <a href=" https://sermonshots.com/easiest-way-to-create-sermon-clips/" target="_blank">Sermon Shots</a>,
they help churches create professional looking, short-format video content from
their sermons and Bible studies. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And for
the technologically challenged people, there’s no need to worry because they
make it easy to create small sermon clips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have personally used this to make short video clips of our sermons and
then post them to show what the message was about in a short summary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also post these short “sermon shots” on our
church website, Facebook pages, TikTok and other social medias we use. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Technology like Sermon Shots require no
software to download, no added staff to do the editing and no outsourcing is
needed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This site allows you to create
your own video clips. Trying to edit
sermons can be very time consuming so resources like <a href="https://sermonshots.com/" target="_blank">Sermon Shots</a> have the
tools that can make is very simple and can be done in a very short amount of
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re flexible, allowing you to
create your own short sermon clips, sermon snippets, mini-sermons or sermon
recaps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s seems as though the world’s
attention span is getting shorter and why many sources of media thrive on their
use of sound-bites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any technology that
exists which makes it easy to produce short, precise gospel presentations, and
then share them on the many social media platforms, can be of good use .<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<h2 style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial;">TikTok</span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you took a sample of who uses TikTok, you’d
find that between the ages of 16 or 24 (even younger), most are already using
TikTok and doing so on a daily basis. This app set a world record for
downloads (over 315 million), and today there are well over one billion
users.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By posting sermon clips or video messages
on TikTok, you can reach an audience you might not otherwise reach any other
way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most Christians were saved before
they reached age twenty-one, so TikTok does is able to reach age groups for
Christ in the 16-24 age group (and younger) better than most platforms
can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of these young people almost
live on TikTok, visiting it every day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you want to reach your children, grandchildren, their friends, and other youth,
TikTok can be an effective outreach and branding tool for your church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>TikTok, like You Tube, allows you to upload
messages or do livestream, that is, if you are at least 16 and <span style="background: white; color: #202124;">you have at least 1,000 followers. That’s the only way to
unlock the capability to go live on TikTok.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We livestream our services on Facebook but we share them elsewhere too.
Of</span> all the social medias that can reach young people, there is nothing
quite like TikTok.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your church would be
well served by using this media as part of your outreach and posting sermons. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8U0CC91gcjeJpwGIgexwo3AYjuNnMLE95-J4ZI3b0CN4Km6dJZZDelxRCmjl7UNSOkjV5GtCxcJM3HQaCNiFRGZAkBVDYD0sd-lXk0fo6YUM-LTr3-UhQ3K50rcem3lZylTwY9MCmucLbk8sxzmg71yYO4HkBdmEoMEopzscKrINCekiwxl_Mwoc8Q/s500/Computer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8U0CC91gcjeJpwGIgexwo3AYjuNnMLE95-J4ZI3b0CN4Km6dJZZDelxRCmjl7UNSOkjV5GtCxcJM3HQaCNiFRGZAkBVDYD0sd-lXk0fo6YUM-LTr3-UhQ3K50rcem3lZylTwY9MCmucLbk8sxzmg71yYO4HkBdmEoMEopzscKrINCekiwxl_Mwoc8Q/w246-h164/Computer.jpg" width="246" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<h2 style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial;">Podcasts/MP3’s</span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: black;">Many
churches not only share their messages on social media, but in fact they create
their own podcasts or MP3 programs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Video sermons can be used as the source to create podcasts and MP3
programs that are easily downloaded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>And
the technology exists today to create your own podcasts and MP3 programs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are very popular with many age groups
today because you can take them with you, on the go, and listen to them on an
MP3 player, smartphone, or most electronic devices and on your personal PC at
home. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sermons are among the most popular
downloads at most ministry websites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is one website that specializes in MP3’s (oneplace.com).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That site allows you to download any of over 50
ministries programs, all completely free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Your church might benefit from creating podcasts or MP3’s from your
church’s sermons or Bible studies in case someone can’t attend services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These free downloads are very convenient for
those who live great distances from a church. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial;"><b>Conclusion</b></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By using social media, we can extend the gospel into areas
where people groups are and in that sense, go to places that we could not
otherwise go on foot or vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Depending on what part of the world a person lives in, they may only
have a few ways in which to hear the gospel preached.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They may be so far away from a church or in a
place where it’s even illegal to worship the Lord Jesus Christ, so for many, this
is the only way they can “be with the church.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even if it’s not in the body, it’s in the Spirit.</span> </span></p>Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-42285470749797970872019-02-19T17:52:00.001-06:002019-02-19T17:52:33.806-06:00Silence of the Lambs - Heartbreaking Facts About the Church<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">These facts about Christians today
and Americans will break your heart! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someday
“many” will remember Matthew 7:21-23.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgxgl09SghCpU8-Bn98ClPTdBI5ADXrGBuA7Tv1WVn8NQpSAxR3LNGmTe2_VUZR9pjLnRKsyhUyvbsfdn4VNsN0KSg8LT-Bgl52JDfiBsMzIunGM3Q9JnOUML_Y3VNxCR82PWzKnEWTEH/s1600/VLMSWshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgxgl09SghCpU8-Bn98ClPTdBI5ADXrGBuA7Tv1WVn8NQpSAxR3LNGmTe2_VUZR9pjLnRKsyhUyvbsfdn4VNsN0KSg8LT-Bgl52JDfiBsMzIunGM3Q9JnOUML_Y3VNxCR82PWzKnEWTEH/s200/VLMSWshot.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">69% of churchgoers believe that
everyone will go to heaven. [False!]<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">59% of Millennials believe that
pornography is morally acceptable. [Wrong!]<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Almost one-third of Evangelicals
attend church out of obligation. [True] <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Half of all Americans have never
read the Bible. [Sad, but true]<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">24 of 25 Millennials don’t have a
Biblical worldview. [Read your Bibles!] <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">70% of those attending church one
or more times a month never share their faith with a stranger. [Silence
of the Lambs…it is “The Great Omission”] <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">One in four Evangelicals are not
certain that the physical resurrection of Jesus was a real historical
event. [Then what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">other </i>parts
of the Bible don’t you believe!] <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">51% of U.S. churchgoers say
they’ve never heard of the term, “The Great Commission.” [Read
the Gospels, and Paul’s Epistles!]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">51% of Americans say the Bible
was written for each person to interpret as he or she
chooses. [The ways of a man seem right in his own eyes, but
they are not!]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">70% unchurched people have never
been invited to church in their whole lives. [Heartbreaking that we won’t
even invite them!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They might actually
come.]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">65% of American churches have a
weekly attendance of less than 100 people, including
children. [Is it the great falling away – 1 John 2:19]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">46% of Evangelicals agree that
God accepts the worship of all religions. 60% of churchgoers
don’t believe that sharing their faith is an essential obligation of their
Christian life. [No, no, no…there is only One Way and it
is thru Christ (Acts 4:21)!]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">77% of all Americans believe that
personal salvation is a result of good works. [Read Gal 3, Eph 2…our
works are filthy rags to God]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Nearly half of young Evangelicals
(ages 18-29) favor same-sex marriage. [Contrary to
biblical doctrine. (Read Rom 1, 2, etc.)]<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">44% of U.S. adults say that God
plays no role whatsoever in their life. [Many are called but few are
chosen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matt 22:14]<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">65% of all “Christians” believe
there are multiple paths to Heaven. [No one can come to the Father except thru
Christ – John 6:44]<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">One third of all Americans
believe after they die, God will give them a 2nd chance. [Nope,
after death comes the judgement – Heb 9:27; Today is the day of salvation - 2
Cor 6:2]</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rb1V3NCp0xcjmSzz9HPLwHRCH3WZFcdYoFxlCb2vUMh45hMS7_nO0eEnPi5MkZyL-V96pU8BlGtZpubExeiCeQj_L1yylpyYreegR4Sxl2gtPSudfjLxwKMh-eBVggZpLFrox0pcgMEo/s1600/AnotherBiblePic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="470" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rb1V3NCp0xcjmSzz9HPLwHRCH3WZFcdYoFxlCb2vUMh45hMS7_nO0eEnPi5MkZyL-V96pU8BlGtZpubExeiCeQj_L1yylpyYreegR4Sxl2gtPSudfjLxwKMh-eBVggZpLFrox0pcgMEo/s200/AnotherBiblePic.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">70% of those attending church one
or more times a month never share their faith with a stranger. [The Great
Omission – denying Christ means He denies us before the Father (Matt 10:33)].<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Two thirds of those who are 18-34
years of age, do not believe pre-marital sex is ever wrong. [Any sex
outside of marriage in sexual immorality]<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">62% of all churches in America
are having no growth or declines in their congregations. [Churches
must evangelize or they will fossilize]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">65% of all churches in America
have less than 100 people in their congregations including
children. [True]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">More than 2 million people have
left the church every year for the past 7 years. [1 John
2:19]<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In just 8 years, the percentage
of the U.S. population calling themselves Christians has decreased from 78% to
70%. <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">[Great persecution
is coming]<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">50% of those in church last
Sunday cannot remember a single spiritual insight from that sermon. [Does
anyone take notes anymore?]<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">55% of those attending church at
least once a month have not had a 'born again' experience. [You <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">must be </i>born again, or you are not
saved!]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxAblJI5aFxeAEwX6EBZplnX1OfMzFksOc20R3As5WeDA5XPkPZhQbCYIDvsZpc6bNBmeIKMj0mPnH1k5qvDXv_EavAKYwIZCmoRPGqe-yLS05KfONwZ8FcYXz5vpPKi6QE7X0kK3pZt3/s1600/TenCommandments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxAblJI5aFxeAEwX6EBZplnX1OfMzFksOc20R3As5WeDA5XPkPZhQbCYIDvsZpc6bNBmeIKMj0mPnH1k5qvDXv_EavAKYwIZCmoRPGqe-yLS05KfONwZ8FcYXz5vpPKi6QE7X0kK3pZt3/s200/TenCommandments.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">More than 50% of those 18-24
years of age are not certain they believe in God. [What a person
believes does not change what is true. God does exist]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">If you know people who fill this
way, and especially those professing to know Christ, plead with them. Tell them
Jesus is the One and Only Way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They must
be born again or they’ll die in their sins. Don’t worry about offending them…their
eternity is at stake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pray this
motivates you to pray for repentance for the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She needs to be holy as God is holy, and
needs revival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is my prayer and I
hope you will pray with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many believe
they are saved but are not (Matt 7:21-23).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In love, we must warn them that not everyone professing “Lord, Lord”
will be saved, but only those who do the will of the Father.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pastor, Jack Wellman<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mulvane Brethren Church<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">310 S. Central<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mulvane, KS 67013<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-44012065764814206422018-04-23T13:19:00.000-05:002018-04-23T13:19:28.868-05:00Shipwreck and a Road Called Grief<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-image: none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOacqI9xJ71uWKRqfELvL2yTrFVYGjt8wkjSRqufs9cKWvzeSvcC-HUER5dj82F6LXmU7c3kMu3i9IYS88AyfRuCw59hqE_2ZJaKKBVsNMF5QaVtGDGczSMCPi-4ZGMKZH6YUDFp3eiAaf/s1600/shipwreck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOacqI9xJ71uWKRqfELvL2yTrFVYGjt8wkjSRqufs9cKWvzeSvcC-HUER5dj82F6LXmU7c3kMu3i9IYS88AyfRuCw59hqE_2ZJaKKBVsNMF5QaVtGDGczSMCPi-4ZGMKZH6YUDFp3eiAaf/s1600/shipwreck.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The book, Shipwreck and a Road
Called “Grief” has been hailed as the next great Christian book, in line with
John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Shipwrecked</strong></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Shipwreck and a Road Called
“Grief” by J Alexander is a book that encourages the Christian in their walk
with Christ and that when there’s a great loss, such as the loss of a loved
one. In this classic Christian book, David McMaster, the main character, finds
himself knocked unconscious after surviving a shipwreck. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, he’s guided down a road that we all
travel at times…a road called “Grief.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He doesn’t travel alone though as he’s guided down this road by an
angel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His life story takes many a turn,
and as he does, he faces his demons from the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>The Enemy of Loneliness</strong></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Perhaps it’s best to use David as
an analogy who at times must have felt the struggle of being alone, and then
losing a beloved one, but what David and we should do is to learn from these
experiences and move past sadness into the joy that’s set before us, so this
book has an immediate application for every believer as we all journey through
this life as pilgrims, but we travel knowing we are at peace with God (Rom 5:1)
and there is no more condemnation before God (Rom 8:1).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Reviews</strong></span></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There have been some very good
book reviews of the book, Shipwreck and a Road Called “Grief.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One person who read the book said that it’s
about a successful business who man reluctantly agrees to go to Africa with his
beloved wife, however, a shipwreck took from him his greatest treasure - his
wife, Emily. On his search to find her, his journey took David to many
“Inspirational Gardens.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would he find
Emily and peace there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The read said, “My
faith was strengthened to realize we serve a “God of the Unexpected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An encouraging read!!!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even I added a comment where the book is
listed and wrote,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is “A must read
for believers, new or old, much like Pilgrim's Progress helps us through our
journey. Sound, biblically. Five star!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you want to read an instant Christian classic, then “Shipwreck and a
Road Called “Grief” by J Alexander is your book. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="border-image: none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>The Author</strong></span></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNRyhW8MrEDk5KC8u8fkAiuOas8yraKFvY4UzGpIMq3HcVcyc69B4lnJnI2wzsppoyq_kpmBdOjzM5KxotGz0JtntAB8dbDRX0bvZA2hWYQjTSlvRbAMT2_1xHKTb6OjQAlQdWRka56_i/s1600/sower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="474" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNRyhW8MrEDk5KC8u8fkAiuOas8yraKFvY4UzGpIMq3HcVcyc69B4lnJnI2wzsppoyq_kpmBdOjzM5KxotGz0JtntAB8dbDRX0bvZA2hWYQjTSlvRbAMT2_1xHKTb6OjQAlQdWRka56_i/s200/sower.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The author, J. Alexander, is
retired and lives in Ontario, Canada.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Right behind his home, he has a small shed called The Studio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is where he goes to bring his dreams to
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Alexander is determined to
walk through life with a godly attitude, and like salt, adding flavor
everywhere he goes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The author puts all
his trust in God to provide for him as he sows good sees and makes decisions
that will bless others.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="separator" style="border-image: none; clear: both; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</span>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>The Book</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you would like a copy of this book, please
email me at <a href="mailto:jackwellman55@yahoo.com"><span style="color: blue;">jackwellman55@yahoo.com</span></a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will provide details on how you can get
your book, and autographed by the author. This book will give you the
encouragement you need in your daily life to walk with Christ, do as Christ
would do, and use the storms of life as an experiential teacher, learning all
the way.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-3616410259089503622018-02-06T20:19:00.000-06:002018-02-06T20:19:29.533-06:00Bible Verses About God's Creation<div id="topquotespage">If you love nature, check out these top 16 Bible verses about nature from Scripture that give glory to God, the Creator.
<ol>
<li class="tqquotediv"><span class="tqnumber">16</span>
<p class="tqquote">The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<div class="authorsep">
<p class="tqauthor">Psalm 23:1-2<a href="http://twitter.com/home/?status=“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. " - Psalm 23:1-2 via www.ChristianQuotes.info" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://www.christianquotes.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/tweet-this.png" alt="Tweet this quote" /></a></p>
</div>
<img src="https://www.christianquotes.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/In-returning-and-rest-you-shall-be-saved-in-quietness-and-in-trust-shall-be-your-strength-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-13636" />
<ol>
<li class="tqquotediv"><span class="tqnumber">15</span>
<p class="tqquote">But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<div class="authorsep">
<p class="tqauthor">Job 12:7-10<a href="http://twitter.com/home/But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. " - Job 12:7-10 via www.ChristianQuotes.info" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://www.christianquotes.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/tweet-this.png" alt="Tweet this quote" /></a></p>
</div>
<ol>
<li class="tqquotediv"><span class="tqnumber">14</span>
<p class="tqquote">For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<div class="authorsep">
<p class="tqauthor">Romans 1:19-20<a href="http://twitter.com/home/?status=“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. " - Romans 1:19-20 via www.ChristianQuotes.info" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://www.christianquotes.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/tweet-this.png" alt="Tweet this quote" /></a></p>
</div>
<ol>
<li class="tqquotediv"><span class="tqnumber">13</span>
<p class="tqquote">When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?</p>
</li>
</ol>
<div class="authorsep">
<p class="tqauthor">Psalm 8:3-4<a href="http://twitter.com/home/?status=“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? " - Psalm 8:3-4 via www.ChristianQuotes.info" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://www.christianquotes.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/tweet-this.png" alt="Tweet this quote" /></a></p>
</div>
<ol>
<li class="tqquotediv"><span class="tqnumber">12</span>
<p class="tqquote">God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<div class="authorsep">
<p class="tqauthor">Genesis 1:10<a href="http://twitter.com/home/?status=“God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. ” - Genesis 1:10 via www.ChristianQuotes.info" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://www.christianquotes.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/tweet-this.png" alt="Tweet this quote" /></a></p>
</div>
<img src="https://www.christianquotes.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/God-created-man-in-his-own-image5-300x300.jpg" alt="God created man in his own image" width="300" height="300" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-12231" />
<ol>
<li class="tqquotediv"><span class="tqnumber">11</span>
<p class="tqquote">And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?</p>
</li>
</ol>
<div class="authorsep">
<p class="tqauthor">Matthew 6:28-30<a href="http://twitter.com/home/?status=“And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ” - Matthew 6:28-30 via www.ChristianQuotes.info" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://www.christianquotes.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/tweet-this.png" alt="Tweet this quote" /></a></p>
</div>
<ol>
<li class="tqquotediv"><span class="tqnumber">10</span>
<p class="tqquote">Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<div class="authorsep">
<p class="tqauthor">Psalm 102:25<a href="http://twitter.com/home/?status=“Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. ” - Psalm 102:25 via www.ChristianQuotes.info" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://www.christianquotes.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/tweet-this.png" alt="Tweet this quote" /></a></p>
</div>
<ol>
<li class="tqquotediv"><span class="tqnumber">9</span>
<p class="tqquote">For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<div class="authorsep">
<p class="tqauthor">Romans 8:19-22<a href="http://twitter.com/home/?status=“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. ” - Romans 8:19-22 via www.ChristianQuotes.info" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://www.christianquotes.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/tweet-this.png" alt="Tweet this quote" /></a></p>
</div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-67503936148969011212018-01-07T15:02:00.000-06:002018-01-07T15:02:45.998-06:00Spiritual Attacks: Who They Attack And How<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div id="eow-description" style="border-image: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBzwhyphenhyphenkIKHh4yIMEto9z0JHpKvUrcOLnGs0yZLoFfpZhPEevzP7XH3zKVPx44ZsuoP2VlfJsiPE5giZ5w22D9JYz87hZOOioH_0CshghYYqZvsQFOqTuJJX0T7fo5U-szoZ9gmIJpkDn2/s1600/Deoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="474" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBzwhyphenhyphenkIKHh4yIMEto9z0JHpKvUrcOLnGs0yZLoFfpZhPEevzP7XH3zKVPx44ZsuoP2VlfJsiPE5giZ5w22D9JYz87hZOOioH_0CshghYYqZvsQFOqTuJJX0T7fo5U-szoZ9gmIJpkDn2/s320/Deoon.jpg" width="320" /></a>Satan and his demons are busy with spiritual attacks on believers, but who do they go after the most and why? Here is a message about how the enemy attacks and who they do attack and who they leave alone: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua2K2WyLVmc" target="_blank">Click Here to Listen</a></div>
</div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-41519093316825000862017-12-05T17:34:00.000-06:002017-12-05T17:34:18.126-06:00What Is Apostasy? 8 Bible Verse Passages To Help Us Understand It<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmvbOBiSATGisopsTb14eDihZEYRFGk8EGd2uXzeUQczCO2Dd4a5e7jNHtgqkjS7_qSZ7-g_xkvk091y2WtoJqHy_NLTmlPLhw4v56yiqRpONwryfEh1gtZxTus9KquKkuml7L43h6OlU/s1600/black_wolf%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="800" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmvbOBiSATGisopsTb14eDihZEYRFGk8EGd2uXzeUQczCO2Dd4a5e7jNHtgqkjS7_qSZ7-g_xkvk091y2WtoJqHy_NLTmlPLhw4v56yiqRpONwryfEh1gtZxTus9KquKkuml7L43h6OlU/s320/black_wolf%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since apostasy seems to be on the
increase, and false teachers might even be more deceptive than ever before, what 8 Bible verse
passages can we find that help us to understand apostasy so that we might
recognize it when we see, hear, or read it and be able to warn others about false teachers? </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Galatians 2:4-5<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet because of false
brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have
in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the
truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Timothy
4:3-4<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><sup> </sup>For the time is
coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they
will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into
myths. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jude 1:3-4<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beloved, although I was very eager to write
to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to
you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For certain people have crept
in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly
people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only
Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Proverbs
17:15<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He who justifies the wicked
and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jeremiah
23:11<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both prophet and priest are
ungodly; even
in my house I have found their evil, declares the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isaiah 5:20<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Woe to those who call evil good and
good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter
for sweet and sweet for bitter!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Timothy 4:1-2 Now
the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith
by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Matthew 24:24-25<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For false christs and false
prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray,
if possible, even the elect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See, I have
told you beforehand. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Galatians
1:8-9<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But even
if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one
we preached to you, let him be accursed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone
is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be
accursed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Peter 2:1-2<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But false prophets also
arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who
will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought
them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And many will follow their sensuality, and
because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Apostasy can sometimes be hard to spot because
even Satan himself can appear to be an angel of light, so study these passages
and share them with a friend so it can help their understanding of what
apostasy is, and how to identify it.</span></span></span></span></div>
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Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-53910395188040208532017-08-04T13:46:00.001-05:002017-08-04T13:46:41.365-05:00Why Christians Must Love Muslims<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSYNeKWQaVDsCqw1pBLUisN3TgDlISoi5_Hd6P_1DtZMpkKTH4hvpMoZiPlAQozg4qBzCcy_5QEF8kbIiRcEOM62uZV0yx2msppvbxInFOGOOFF8b-gYRBI1pKsMTIuQbm0tYgVciz034/s1600/Muslim+Dreams+of+Jesus.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSYNeKWQaVDsCqw1pBLUisN3TgDlISoi5_Hd6P_1DtZMpkKTH4hvpMoZiPlAQozg4qBzCcy_5QEF8kbIiRcEOM62uZV0yx2msppvbxInFOGOOFF8b-gYRBI1pKsMTIuQbm0tYgVciz034/s320/Muslim+Dreams+of+Jesus.png" width="180" /></a>There are biblical reasons that believers should love Muslims, while there is no room for hate.<br />
<h2>
<span style="color: red;">Enemies of God</span></h2>
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The Apostle Paul never did try to tiptoe around the Word of God. He said,<em> “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly”</em> (Rom 5:6), and so, <em>“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”</em> (Rom 5:8). Even more incredibly,<em> “while we were <a class="ext-link" data-wpel-target="_blank" href="https://www.christianquotes.info/images/4-reasons-enemies-can-be-blessings/#axzz4oPn8sM00" rel="external nofollow" title="">enemies</a> we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life”</em> (Rom 5:10). Since God died for ungodly, wicked sinners who were His enemies, how can we not love others in a way that proves that we are Jesus’ disciples? Jesus said it is by our love for one another that people will know we are His disciples (John 13:34-35). Since Jesus died for us when we certainly didn’t deserve it, how can we ever call someone an enemy? We used to be one! We must look at people the way God looks at people, and we know from Scripture that <em>“desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”</em> (1st Tim 2:4), so we should pray that <em>“God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth”</em> (2nd Tim 2:25b). A person’s positon in life, skin color, religion, or national origin, should never matter to the believer in Christ. God is no respecter of persons and He doesn’t regard one over another, and neither should we.</div>
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If we are fearful or afraid to even talk to a Muslim, then we’re taking the wrong approach and we must be uneducated about Muslims, but we’re also having a memory lapse, because we too were once an enemy of God (Rom 5:10). Our true enemy is the one we should be concerned about. He’s a powerful and yet invisible enemy that truly is an enemy ours (Eph 6), but even he and his minions can’t keep us from God (Rom 8:37-39), and someday that enemy will face the judgment of God (Rev 20:10). Muslims are not our enemies, they are people that God wants to save and is saving and, and by our love and prayers for them, God might possibly use us as a means to save some.</div>
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For more on this, please <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2017/08/04/why-christians-must-love-muslims/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=socialnetwork" target="_blank">click here</a>.</div>
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Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-27548036826471309412017-07-21T12:50:00.000-05:002017-07-21T12:50:13.912-05:00Warning Signs Of A Controlling Pastor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjupdpBjCh5gjL77tRb-0giQs_ZA3NUmhqCBHxu0nFy7Ugfp8sVN-x0n9KOoYuC2TQVL5Xy-eKp22J5VbBWCEU-Vsi58gMpUjdlwY0U-Am4gYi25S5Prm-N-3q1uBFp5fL4GXGGoPbttM4j/s1600/Preacher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjupdpBjCh5gjL77tRb-0giQs_ZA3NUmhqCBHxu0nFy7Ugfp8sVN-x0n9KOoYuC2TQVL5Xy-eKp22J5VbBWCEU-Vsi58gMpUjdlwY0U-Am4gYi25S5Prm-N-3q1uBFp5fL4GXGGoPbttM4j/s320/Preacher.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here are some major warning signs of a pastor that is controlling the church too much.</div>
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
No Delegation
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Whenever a pastor begins to “do it all,” and refuses to delegate anything, then that pastor is far too controlling. Our church has a deacon, a deaconess, and an elder, so it would be a shame to not utilize these men and women’s gifts and ministry to the church. The church is composed of many members, and Jesus is the Head of the Church; not man (including the pastor), but all members must be allowed to minster in their particular place in the body. One man can’t do that!
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No Input
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I talked with a young couple who were afraid to bring up a serious sin issue in the church. There was an unmarried couple living together who also had children who attended. The young deacon thought this shouldn’t be allowed as living in sexual immorality is something that the New Testament church never allowed. The Bible strictly forbids any kind of sexual immorality, but every time the deacon approached the pastor about this he told him, “It’s none of your business. I’ll take care of it,” so obviously the pastor already knew. Later on, the pastor even baptized them in the church and they were still not married. If a pastor is so unapproachable and open to constructive concerns or criticisms, then he’s got too much control in my opinion. As you can imagine, the couple ended up leaving the church.
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
Building His Own Kingdom</h4>
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This is a real danger for pastors. When a ministry begins to flourish and becomes broader in scope, there is a danger that the pastor starts building his own kingdom instead of the kingdom of God. What happens is that slowly, over time, and almost unnoticed, the pastor becomes the center of attention and Jesus is replaced on the altar by the man. One thing’s for sure; this kingdom will not last because it is of man. It might flourish for a time, but so does a flower, and then it’s gone.</div>
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For more signs, please <a href="https://faithinthenews.com/5-warning-signs-of-a-controlling-pastor/" target="_blank">click here</a>.</div>
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Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-36110369995306784482017-06-16T16:10:00.000-05:002017-06-16T16:16:16.284-05:00Warning About Torben Sondergaard And The Last Reformation?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdnKDVbz1wlKaRvQ2Bak-QueZI8lYrd0EWbpS8Gx7F16OGdqeEiLSSP-4QADvdJGpP7nweGFJQgTX4tqLV1fLOXxh6ntDrB-nHatTFVGn_dfxhzLc1llDaf3jUzPcIwtC1Xu8FcxhBg9R/s1600/AnotherBiblePic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="470" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdnKDVbz1wlKaRvQ2Bak-QueZI8lYrd0EWbpS8Gx7F16OGdqeEiLSSP-4QADvdJGpP7nweGFJQgTX4tqLV1fLOXxh6ntDrB-nHatTFVGn_dfxhzLc1llDaf3jUzPcIwtC1Xu8FcxhBg9R/s320/AnotherBiblePic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Torben Sondergaard is a Danish Christian evangelist, author, public speaker, and faith healer who has claimed that God communicated with him directly, telling him “You shall write a book, and I will give you one chapter each day. But on Sundays, you shall not write. You shall have time off together with your family.” Sondergaard has claimed to cast demons out of children, claims a 90% healing rate, and if the person’s not healed, they attribute it person’s lack of faith. Danish Author Sekter Birger Langkjæer wrote in her book, Sects in Denmark, that “Many who have dared to criticize a charismatic leader have experienced threats and getting warned that God would let them drop dead like Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. This also happened to me when I dared to ask critical questions about the notorious Danish evangelist Torben Sondergaard.” [1.] Several Christian blog writers in Denmark, Norway, Canada, USA, and in other countries have come out to warn against following the teachings of Torben Sondergaard and his ministry, referring to it as a cult and criticizing Sondergaard’s teaching on the gospel and his view on baptism. Is this man’s teaching a threat to Christianity? It is based upon the <a class="ext-link" data-wpel-target="_blank" href="https://www.christianquotes.info/images/5-facts-about-your-salvation/#axzz4jncuaI5x" rel="external nofollow" title="">teachings</a> of Jesus and the Apostles? Should we be cautious about the Last Reformation?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIF2ogdjzvfneaAaa3kU1A_BOj0b4ZeLbemsd2F_FUfxwRwdS_A7MBsQV0dhf1Sh_v6Kvlnyq32d__nVwjOyO92I9u-gGyHPR0shrPkfetsf8Atrd8UHtK9fzOycOvonFr_xNnCJ0cNssu/s1600/I-found-it-necessary-to-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="650" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIF2ogdjzvfneaAaa3kU1A_BOj0b4ZeLbemsd2F_FUfxwRwdS_A7MBsQV0dhf1Sh_v6Kvlnyq32d__nVwjOyO92I9u-gGyHPR0shrPkfetsf8Atrd8UHtK9fzOycOvonFr_xNnCJ0cNssu/s320/I-found-it-necessary-to-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My question to Mr. Sondergaard is why call it the “Last Reformation?” Who determined whether we need a Last Reformation or even another one? And who is to say that this will be the last reformation? Do you know something we don’t know? He believes that God spoken to him outside of His Word, so why did God tell him something that He didn’t tell the rest of us? How can we discern if this is from God if the source is a man? Who gave this man the authority to speak for God and in behalf of God and for Jesus’ church? Why doesn’t he teach about sanctification, holiness (Matt 5:20), the need for repentance (Mark 1:14-15), glorifying God (Psalm115:1; 1st Cor 4:7), and most of all, focusing on the Person and work of Christ, and glorifying Him by teaching how we can follow Him (Matt 7:15-23; 25:34-40; 28:18-20)? Does God still speak with authority through others outside of Scripture? If we trust those voices outside of Scripture, then we’ll lean less upon the Word of God, and if we lean upon the words of man, we’ll fall into error, and if we place personal experiences over truth, we’re headed for error. If we trust human experiences or dreams or visions over God’s Word, we’ll exchange subjective truth (“I believe”) for objective truth (“I know,” e.g. the Bible), and follow what others say rather than doing what the Bible teaches. So many have already <em>“exchanged the truth about God for a lie”</em> (Rom 1:25). What we do know is that whatever a man believes, teaches, or experienced, doesn’t change what is true, and God’s Word is always true (Psalm 119:160; John 17:17), so the question comes down to this; who is a more reliable source; Torben Sondergaard or the Word of God? Need I say more?</div>
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To read more about this false teaching and teacher, <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2017/06/16/9916/" target="_blank">click here</a>:<br />
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1. <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1.
Birger Langkjæer, Sekter i Danmark - Hizb ut-Tahrir, Faderhuset, Scientology,
InJiva-behandling, 2006 p. 83.</span></div>
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Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-75747685063107948822017-05-26T11:38:00.001-05:002017-05-26T11:38:06.142-05:00Memorial Day and Miracles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMd0vfJ4D-8Akkpw5-LpJ8AkrWKDiXFNnksjeX6zrZPsJSHdkZDSaKUZPM4mI_y3TiGmolGwzj97OXUqCBzPcAYcS3_lZL5odSVABVq_MmcZYqCxIvfW0A4GuhHUG9g5rcM3LXVUqtKM7/s1600/AmerFlag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="470" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMd0vfJ4D-8Akkpw5-LpJ8AkrWKDiXFNnksjeX6zrZPsJSHdkZDSaKUZPM4mI_y3TiGmolGwzj97OXUqCBzPcAYcS3_lZL5odSVABVq_MmcZYqCxIvfW0A4GuhHUG9g5rcM3LXVUqtKM7/s200/AmerFlag.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Whether you believe in miracles or not, there are multiple thousands that have been documented. The fact is there are too many to document and to cover in one article. Many men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces have reported hundreds of miracles during America’s many wars fought during her history. Space does not permit me to publish all of these, but other nations and people have experienced miracles during times of war and in times of peace. Here are just a few that are highly documented with incontrovertible evidence. The Bible records numerous miracles in God’s dealings with the nation of Israel. There are also miracles that have occurred during the modern era. One of the greatest miracles is from Israel, God’s own chosen nation.<br /><strong><br />The 1967 Six-Day War Miracle in Israel</strong><br /><br />Four nations armed to the teeth had an immense force of nearly half a million men. In comparison, Israel only had 275,000 men. On one side stood massive armies of Iraqi, the Egyptians, Syrians, and Jordanians. On the other side lied the tiny nation of Israel. Israel’s enemies had four times the number of combat aircraft, double the number of tanks, plus they had the decided edge in military equipment and technology. The Soviet Union had poured $2 billion worth of arms into the Arab nations, Israel's enemies.<br /><br />The two and a half million Jews, packed into a tiny territory had already designated National Parks as cemeteries-designate, as they expected mass casualties.<br /><br />By the time the war had ended, Israel had not only routed the superior forces, but they had tripled their territory; and against all odds.<br /><br />From their own news accounts they said that “Jews across the globe thanked G-d for the great miracles that happened. An incredible sense of pride and spiritual awakening gripped the Jewish people worldwide”.<br /> <br /><strong>The World War II Miracle of Malta *</strong><br /><br />At about 430 PM on April 9th, 1942, up to 500 Christians were gathered in a church to hear Mass when a Luftwaffe bomb, well over a thousand pounds, pierced the dome and landed directly in the middle isle of the church.. Landing directly onto the concrete reinforced floor, it failed to explode. The shocked parishioners were ushered out of the Church to safety and no one was hurt. The UXB removed the 1,100 pound German high explosive bomb.</div>
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The disposal of the unexploded bomb at Mosta, on the island of Malta, is logged in the official War Diary of the Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal Sections. For them, arriving after people had been led out of the church by their priests, there was no sense of a miracle at the time, but it was just another routine occurrence. A thorough investigation of all aspects of the event was carried out by the late Anthony Camilleri, published in his 1992 book ‘Il-Hbit mill-Ajru fuq ir-Rotunda tal-Mosta’.<br /><br />The disarmed bomb on display in the church represents something beyond the ‘miracle of Mosta’. It stands for just one of over 7000 unexploded bombs dealt with by the RE Bomb Disposal Sections in two years. The real story of the men who dealt with the Mosta bomb is uncovered in the book ‘UXB Malta’ available from 1st May 2010.</div>
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<br /><strong>The Medical Miracle</strong><br /><br />In Miami, Florida, the audience of 120 doctors from 50 countries sat in stunned silence as a renowned heart doctor, Dr. Chauncey W. Crandall IV, who serves as the Palm Beach Florida Cardiovascular Clinic, produced incontrovertible evidence of how, after he had prayed for a patient who had died and was being prepared for the morgue, was brought back to life after prayer.<br /><br />Dr. Crandall made his dramatic presentation on Friday, July 13th, 2007, at the 4th Annual World Christian Doctors Network Conference in Miami, Florida. "There was no life in the man. He had been dead for nearly an hour, with no pulse, no heartbeat or brain activity. When brain activity ceases, a person is declared legally dead and he was being prepared to be sent to the morgue. His face and feet and arms were completely black with death and as Dr. Crandall sat next to his body and he prayed, 'Lord, Father; how am I going to pray for this man? He's dead. What can I do?' All of a sudden, these words came out of my mouth, 'Father, God, I cry out for the soul of this man if he does not know You as his Lord and Savior, please raise him from the dead right now in Jesus name.<br /><br />Suddenly the patient came back to life and the nurse, a non-believer, screamed, “Dr. Crandall, what have you done to this patient?' "It was amazing as a couple minutes later, we were looking at the monitor and all of a sudden a heart beat showed up. It was a perfect beat; a normal beat; and then after a couple more minutes, he started moving and then his fingers were moving and then his toes began moving and then he started mumbling words.<br /><br /><br /><strong> A Memorial Day Tribute to the Red, White, and Blue</strong><br /> <br />Memorial Day a day to think,<br />of all the lives we’ve lost,<br />and men and women here have proved,<br />paid price that without cost.<br /> <br />Foundation laid of Southern women,<br />Confederates honored slain,<br />1868 first thought,<br />women mourned their pain.<br /> <br />What price so steep yet paid in full,<br />they give up life and all,<br />no freedoms free that‘s bought by them,<br />an untold host did fall.<br /> <br />Fly oh flag with stripes of white,<br />this tells of nation’s purity.<br />it proudly hails, and boldly sails,<br />Without a doubt, its surety.<br /> <br />Red symbolize of U.S. valor,<br />to which our nation speaks,<br />and blood be spilled for sacrifice,<br />and lies on countless peaks. <br /> <br />Blue tells sure of vigilance,<br />and perseverance strong,<br />heroes proved, and heroines,<br />this day to them belongs.<br /> <br />Greater love no service of,<br />than to lay down lives for friends,<br />and to this end have women and men,<br />given lives of theirs to end (John 15:13).</div>
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*<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Reported by Dan Wooding, Tennessee, Associated Press on July 13th, 2007.</span><br /> </div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-68739200586701314352017-04-23T14:22:00.001-05:002017-04-23T14:22:44.902-05:00Suffer The Children<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbMj44nf14tHT3pZ4BnocrKfBO9qMcc7LBcUtdQIBOVTy3HIng0ygewqPTmr86SQ8aVmr2KoTTChqGJEgGzYiUEalhQSiU4tAvMOfDpTYUl-Fgo-3jIBfxa96eXuStYsp2YQSEIOdTA1A/s1600/CHildren+A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbMj44nf14tHT3pZ4BnocrKfBO9qMcc7LBcUtdQIBOVTy3HIng0ygewqPTmr86SQ8aVmr2KoTTChqGJEgGzYiUEalhQSiU4tAvMOfDpTYUl-Fgo-3jIBfxa96eXuStYsp2YQSEIOdTA1A/s320/CHildren+A.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Out of the Mouth of Babes<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I came into the office, I saw
the young girl lying on the office</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> couch on her overstuffed
lion-pillow, clutching an old, ragged doll. At her feet was a large tattered
trash sack that had all of her earthly belongings like her clothing, socks, and
jeans. The trash sack had several holes in it and some of her clothing was
hanging out of them. I introduced myself to her and as I spoke with her case
manager, she wiped the sleep out of her eyes. She was going to another home…a
foster home…and leaving her old home behind. Her father had abandoned her and
her mother when she was born and now the mother confessed that she could not
even take care of herself and so how could she take care of a child? This is
just another story that happens just about every day at the foster care agency
that I work for. As a bi-vocational pastor of a small church, I am forced to
work to support myself and so I work with children in foster care. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the most heartbreaking experiences I
have ever seen in my life have to do with the children that I work with. Here
are a few examples of what I have seen in my encounters with these little ones
that are so precious to our Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>The Least of These<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A seven year old girl once asked
me if I could be her daddy since her father was gone. She also asked me if she
could tell me "I love you." I told her of course you can. As a father
and grandfather, I understand that Jesus loves these little ones and rebuked
His disciples once for trying to prevent them from coming to Him. In Matthew
19:14 He told the disciples, <i>"Let the little children come to me and do
not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven</i>." One thing
about children is that they have such tender hearts. They are very trusting and
this why they are often taken advantage of. The importance of being able to
witness to these children is so important. They have not yet hardened their
hearts, they have not had time to become cynical to the ways of the world, they
remain open and pliable to the teachings of the Bible, and they are so trusting
that it makes me ashamed of my own disbelief at times. This may be why Jesus
said; "<i>Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God
like a little child will never enter it</i>" (Mark 10:15).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Suffer the Children</strong> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">T</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">hese foster <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Children-Gospel-Raise-Godly/dp/1449996388/ref=la_B004GBK7XE_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492975082&sr=1-1" target="_blank">children</a> have often
been through more pain and suffering than adults will experience in a lifetime.
One child was in 5 different foster homes in one year. One child had said his
father had committed suicide. Another little boy who I took to visit his father
found out that he was a no-show. One girl I took to visit her mom found out
that she had been thrown in jail. Other children came from physically and
sometimes sexually abusive homes, others came from alcoholic homes and homes
where drug abuse had occurred. One little child witnessed his mother being
beaten time and again. Sadly, these children often blame themselves even though
they are not responsible. It is a dangerous thing to abuse or hurt children in
any way as Jesus warned in Luke 17:2 "<i>It would be better for them to be
thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one
of these little ones to stumble</i>." The sea is a picture or image of
death and to have a millstone tied around a person's neck is to mean that they
will not come back from such an offense as this, provided they have not
repented from it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>God’s Gift</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We know that children are a gift
of God and a blessing from the Lord as we can see from Scripture, "<i>Behold,
children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like
arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the
man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks
with his enemies in the gate</i>" (Psalm 127:3-5). After the disciples had
been arguing about who is the greatest, "<i>the disciples came to Jesus,
saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And calling
to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, "Truly, I say to
you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom
of heaven</i>" (Matt 18:1-3).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Broken Hearts</strong></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The young girl I wrote about in
the beginning of this story is who Jesus is speaking about. As I picked up her
trash bag full of clothing, I noticed that her clothes were soiled, were too
big for her and they had holes in them as well. She clung tightly to that
little doll holding her close to her chest and tenderly spoke with in
reassuring tones that "We're going to a new home. It'll be okay." My
heart ached for her and I had to admit that I cried while trying not to let her
see me so as to not upset her. Oh these little ones, so young, tender, and
innocent. It is so hard to see them suffer. I wonder if it’s God's providence
that I get to work with them for I myself had a father abandon me and when I
was young and my own mother didn't want me, so I can understand the pain that
these children go through. I have Bible story books that I carry with me so
that they can read during our travels to their new homes. The books I carry
provide examples of God's love in different stories in the Bible. I even have 5
talking books that actually read the stories to them, page by page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Conclusion</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I cannot solve these children's problems. I can
only offer them the hope of a brighter future. Sometimes these children address
me as "pa pa" (grandpa) or "daddy." I tell them that Jesus
loves children. I once sang to a little girl who effectively had no father the
song, "Jesus Loves the Little Children." Someday some of these
children will behold the face of the Lord. I pray that I can plant a seed that
will later emerge into a child of God. I pray that the Word of God, given by a
man of God, can mix with the Spirit of God…and produce more children of God,
"<i>for such is the kingdom of heaven</i>."</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you are interested in raising godly children or how to share the gospel with children, please read the book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Children-Gospel-Raise-Godly/dp/1449996388/ref=la_B004GBK7XE_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492975082&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Teaching Children the Gospel.</a></div>
</span></div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-10196000064317292522017-03-01T09:22:00.000-06:002017-03-01T11:57:51.155-06:00Are You Ready For Some Spiritual Fitness Training?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2CIm1uDDhsxgR01g-PVkKEuBH5VHZELbqVUABoDRd08twGaZ1IQem4VMMPCYP-epuTzZ_ebis0as2u5cexajRD9WZ1uP5JAGVuFh7qINy-bjVPwoNtsVvcwUgbbuS0kVMw2G5VGXAFZe/s1600/Train-yourself-for+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2CIm1uDDhsxgR01g-PVkKEuBH5VHZELbqVUABoDRd08twGaZ1IQem4VMMPCYP-epuTzZ_ebis0as2u5cexajRD9WZ1uP5JAGVuFh7qINy-bjVPwoNtsVvcwUgbbuS0kVMw2G5VGXAFZe/s320/Train-yourself-for+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a>What is Spiritual Fitness with Pastor Jack?</div>
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We are a community of Christians led by pastor Jack Wellman. Jack will constantly be in the community chatting with people, answering questions, and guiding discussions to help everyone become a little more spiritually fit. </div>
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<em><strong>Access to Pastor Jack</strong></em> </div>
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Ask him a question or get his opinion on something. You can send him a private message or make it public so anyone can join in on the discussion. Think of him as the private and group trainer.</div>
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<em><strong>Bible Study</strong></em></div>
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<em></em> </div>
<div class="description text-color-light" style="text-align: justify;">
Pastor Jack will curate a daily devotional from Bible-centered sources that he feels led to share that day. He will also provide some additional commentary that will help guide a discussion for that day. Stay in the habit of being in the Bible daily and it's impossible not to be spiritually fit.</div>
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<em><strong>Community</strong></em></div>
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We have a diverse group of people that have many different life experiences, backgrounds, and strengths. </div>
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<em><strong>Book of the Month Club</strong></em></div>
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Each month we will provide a free eBook to everyone in the community. We will provide a group within the community to discuss. You are welcome to join in on the discussion or just take the book and read on your own.<br />
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<em><strong>Support to Our Ministry</strong></em></div>
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The monthly fee supports our online ministry (Telling Ministries.org).</div>
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To sign up, please click on this link to join us for <a href="http://spiritualfitness.tellingministries.org/" target="_blank">Spiritual Fitness</a>.</div>
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Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-47262969165889070252017-01-02T17:07:00.000-06:002017-01-02T17:07:05.021-06:00Thanking God For The Mulvane Brethren Church<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuKak3znwN1UZuwKQXgMd-t2U5-F_yziJh9f8mvsTBVcz13c87gyjW1Cq-_6l7EKkF5dByPwyMbf9Q4717oc5s2hm3jRHmbYjQJezWVF7vxp-QPzKYP9RAKJJFFJmRud2hH_lUdQBjmtZ/s1600/passoverBible+Reading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuKak3znwN1UZuwKQXgMd-t2U5-F_yziJh9f8mvsTBVcz13c87gyjW1Cq-_6l7EKkF5dByPwyMbf9Q4717oc5s2hm3jRHmbYjQJezWVF7vxp-QPzKYP9RAKJJFFJmRud2hH_lUdQBjmtZ/s320/passoverBible+Reading.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">In thinking of my mentor, who may soon pass into
glory, Pastor Dave, I think: None of us know if we’ll see one another tomorrow
or next week, so while it’s still called today, tell your family, friends and
members of the body of Christ, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your </i>brothers
and sisters, “I love you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I appreciate
all you do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are such a blessing to
me and this church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do thank God for
you, so ‘Thank you.’” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we don’t tell
someone today, they may never hear it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t wait until the funeral when they are not with us to hear it….tell
them <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">today</i>, while they are still here
and alive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The Bible teaches, what First Thessalonians 5:11 says;
“</span>Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you
are doing” and as Ephesians 4:29 records; “Let no unwholesome talk come out of
your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing
grace to those who listen,” so as the Apostle Paul names those he wanted to
give recognition too because he wanted to give them credit for their
faithfulness, Paul mentions several by name and so that is what I will do about
our church members.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong>What The Mulvane Brethren Church Is Like</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Our church, the Mulvane (KS) Brethren Church is
amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just the other day our
deaconess contacted me to tell me that she called the Thomas Nelson Bible
Publishing Company to inquire about the Super Giant Print Bible for one of our
members who is almost blind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted
to find a Bible with big enough print so that he could read along during Sunday
school and during sermons. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is always
going to a lot of trouble (not trouble to her) for others, never thinking of
herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And her husband, our church
elder, makes this all possible because of his extraordinarily long days and
hard work and a leader at work and in the church. Our Deaconess name is of
Latin origin, and the meaning of Cons</span>tance is "constant,
steadfast."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may originally come
from the Egyptian word for “creative” but in the Native American name it is
“thinker” (creative thinker).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is a constant, steadfast, creative thinker
and a great blessing to this church.<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Our Worship Leader name, which is my name too,</span><span lang="EN"> </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">is from the Old
English and is Hebrew in origin, and the meaning of Jack is "God</span> is
gracious; he who supplants.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is very
closely related to “Jacob” in the Old Testament.<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"> <span lang="EN">This man seeks out people and brings them to Christ like “</span></span>Philip
found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law
and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">(John 1:45), so no wonder the Greeks “</span>came
to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to
see Jesus.”(John 12:20).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was always
bringing people to Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">.Our worship music leader is one of a kind. He has
the joy of the Lord spilling out all over the place and it is very
contagious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is also a very generous
man who is always giving rides to people, bringing people to church, and
helping other financially.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He even
bought me a set of tires for my car which had bald tires!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is a giver. He is a God-send to me and to
this church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this man has single-handedly
created his own prison ministry at his own expense and mentoring prisoners
before they are released. I thank God for him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">There is a man (Alfredo) who is nearly blind but
he is helping us to see things in a different way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This man’s name means “sage” or “wise” or
“counselor” and he has humbly taught our Sunday school classes in ways we would
never have imagined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One way this man
does this is to ask questions…and they are good questions too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They make the class think and dive into the
Bible for answers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His humility is wise
in God’s eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though he is going blind,
he gives us great inside into God’s Word.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Our Deacon</span>’s name <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">is of Aramaic origin, and the meaning of Thomas is
"twin." <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He does twice as much
as other men and is twice as dependable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No one, besides our elder John and Donnie have a more physically
demanding job, but also an emotionally demanding job.</span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Our deacon is as rock-solid as they come but he’s
also as trustworthy as they come too because he has proven himself over the
years to do what he said he would do. He takes care of the church’s bills,
offerings, and other things that most people never think of. He does things
that no one else notices….well, almost no one, I do!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And a few others too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is also one of the hardest working men
that I have ever met in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is
no doubt about this man’s character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
is altogether faithful, dependable, and trustworthy.</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Our Elder’s name is of Hebrew origin, and the
meaning of John is “God is gracious,” and is very close to the meaning of “Jack.”
John was the name of the longest-lived of the 12 apostles, who</span> was
especially loved by Christ, and our elder, giant of a man, yet is a man of
great and deep love, and a hugger to beat all, even giving the “holy kiss” to
the men on the cheek, as did the earliest of the Brethren Church did, but also
as the primitive church of the first century found in the New Testament.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Our elder happens to be married to our deaconess
and our deaconess could never do all the things she does without his spiritual
and financial support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like our deacon,
this man works hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of his days
stretch into the 10-14 hour days, frequently, but he never complains, plus his
faithful in coming to church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t
remember the last time he missed church, and it was probably because he was out
of town with his family on a holiday.</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">There are three Jacks in our church, and this Jack
is special too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His name is what he is
to us as a church; “God is gracious.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
has taught me a lot and been very gracious to me and to those in the church. This
Jack takes care of the church building. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
mows the lawn, does the edging, takes out trash, cleans the kitchen and
bathrooms, and makes repairs where they’re needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is a real blessing to this church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Paul the Faithful One and his name in Latin is “</span>Paulus”
which meant “small” or “humble” and we<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"> also have a man who is as faithful as they come and Paul is there with me
every single time when we provide church services for the local nursing
home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He alone has been there with me at
every one of our church services for the elderly, and he’s on a fixed income,
but recently, he bought a man lunch, even though he has precious little money
of his own. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is faithful in
little…someday, Jesus will know he will be faithful in much (Luke 16:10).
That’s what comes to mind when I think of Paul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span>Our Paul the one who has been the most faithful in helping me
with our ministry in the nursing home, and even though he might seem “small” in
the world’s eyes, its only important what he is in God’s eyes, and He is
faithful, no doubt about it (Matt 25:40). <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then, there’s a lady named Billie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think of her as having unlimited
generosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her name is the feminine for
William, and this name means “resolute protector” or “helmet of protection,”
and she has given me so many things as if protecting my health and my
emotions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What an encouragement she is.
She has done much for the church. This lady is truly a blessing to the church.
They decorate for Christmas and Easter, she helps in sprucing up the place, and
she has remade my pastoral study into a beautiful place to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She too doesn’t have money, but she is always
sharing with us her things and her own money, even though she has little.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Our “Mee Maw”
has a name that <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">is of Hebrew origin,
and the meaning of Sharon is “a fertile plane” which means a true blessing
because Israel was also an agriculturally-dependent nation and fertile fields
were crucial to her physical sustenance (of course, God is her true Provider).</span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">What
I mean by “Mee Maw” is “grandma” as she is our senior member in our local body
of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is such a gentle soul and
she speaks almost in a hush and I have not heard her raise her voice…and she is
like John, a hugger and a most beloved part of our body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
would not be the same without her. <span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Angie <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">has its root in Greek, and the meaning of
the name Angie is “messessenge</span>r” or “angel,” or “messenger of God”</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">and Donnie Donnie
is of English origin. The meaning of Donnie is "world ruler". It is
the anglicized form of the Gaelic Domhnall (world ruler).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">David, Hebrew
in origin, is our newest addition to our local body, (thank you Jack C.) and
David has a name that I hope speaks for the entire church, and that he is
“beloved” as we are all beloved in God through Christ, and like David, be a man
or woman after God’s own heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Amanda <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">It is of Latin origin, and the meaning of
Amanda is "fit to be loved, lovable” and having the job of being a single
mother, she sometimes must feel overwhelmed, but her parents, the elder and
deaconess help her very much.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Conclusion</strong></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong><o:p></o:p></strong></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">I can’t think of a church with this many strengths in
the people of God at any other church I’ve ever been at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s amazing what God has brought together in
this Mulvane (KS) Brethren Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why
they wanted me there, well that’s another question and only they can answer
that…but I do thank God for this church and the members who are being an active
part of the Body of Christ and doing what He has commanded for us to do (Matt
25:34-40; James 1:27).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’re ever in
the neighborhood, just south of Wichita, Kansas, you’d be most welcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Mulvane Brethren Church is one unique
part of the Body of Christ and it is a great privilege to serve these saints.</span></div>
</div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-4258649684563318822016-12-12T11:47:00.000-06:002016-12-12T11:49:46.239-06:00The Uniqueness Of The Brethren Church<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Want to know the history of my church, the Mulvane Kansas Brethren Church? Before I came
to the Brethren Church in Mulvane, Kansas, I was teaching Sunday school at the
local Southern Baptist Church in the city in which I lived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found that most of the Baptist churches
were similar to one another, but also that the Baptist Church itself was
similar to other denominations, at least in regards to the way that they
worship and some of the traditions they hold too like baptism and the Lord’s
Supper, but when I joined the Mulvane Brethren Church, I found a church that
was devoted to the Word of God and not the traditions of men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I discovered a church that was totally
devoted to Christ or was “Christocentric” in their thinking, and a church that
upheld the Bible as their standard for worship and practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their only creed was the Bible itself, and
the primitive church of the first century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their commitment to the Word of
God and the Spirit of God makes them unique from most of the churches in the
world (Barnhart, Jason and Bill Ludwig, p. 70).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Controversy
Avoidant</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Almost twenty years
ago I remember reading about a huge Baptist church in Dallas that divided over
the color of the carpet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine how
grieved Christ would be to see how divided this church was over something that
was utterly non-essential.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How tragic to
see a church split over something that in eternity, it does not matter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is not concerned with the church’s carpet
compared to His concern for unity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
also seeks a close, intimate relationship with us but desires we have one with
one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To divide over the color of
a church’s carpet is about as ridiculous as it gets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is what attracted me to the Brethren
Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Brethren Church is not
interested in the speculative aspects of Christianity that divide some, but in
following in Christ’s footsteps of sacrifice and self-denial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, some of the Brethren were
influenced by liberalism in the 20<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> century, like many other
churches were, but even from early on, Peter Need didn’t want the Brethren
Church to enter into these types of controversies (Barnhart, Jason and Bill
Ludwig, p. 135).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I went
through the intensives for licensing, I noticed that there were many things
that were unique to this church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
sure, their (our) own history is highly unique, but one of the things that
impressed me the most was that the Brethren are a people of peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They seek to compromise or seek a “middle
way” or a middle ground on difficult theological issues, in order to avoid
division in the body of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things
like transubstantiation, human responsibility and God’s sovereignty, eschatology,
the celestial flesh controversy, and other non-essentials such as these
(Stoffer, p. 312) could do much harm to the unity of the Brethren.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Possibly because the Brethren frequently sought
to distance themselves from issues that other churches would debate. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These were the hot button subjects that
divided other churches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Terry Hofecker mentioned
that this is one of the common core beliefs of the Brethren, and said in the
cohort class, that the substance of eschatology does not interfere with the
details of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the 20<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
century, the controversy of the “celestial flesh” entered the Brethren
discussion. This was brought in on a wave of liberalism that was sweeping
across the churches (and the nation) at that time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “celestial flesh” is how they tried to
describe Jesus Christ's two natures and how they came to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They believed that Jesus Christ brought His
human flesh with Him from heaven and that Mary was only an incubator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Brethren rejected this belief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">No Creed but
the Bible<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Another factor
in declaring the uniqueness of the Brethren Church was the way that the
Brethren approached Scripture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
learned it and then applied it to their lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They didn’t need a creed because the Bible was their creed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alexander Mack, the Brethren Church’s first
pastor, said that “the Holy Spirit teaches us inwardly, just as the Scriptures
teach us outwardly,” as the outer Word, the Bible and the inner Word, the Holy
Spirit, testifies of the Living Word, Jesus Christ (Barnhart, Jason and Bill
Ludwig, p. 68).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Brethren used
Scripture as their rule of faith and believed (and still do believe) that we
must apply Scripture to our own lives and that each generation must do the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Brethren have a “commitment to Word and
Spirit” and that “makes us different from other groups”<span class="text"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>(Barnhart,
Jason and Bill Ludwig, p. 70), or I would say, unique. They call this a
“generational mandate” where we are commanded, for example in Psalm 78:5-7, to
teach our children, even those children not yet born, and then they in turn
would teach their children (Barnhart, Jason and Bill Ludwig, p. 122).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some saw that this “living out the Word” was
pietism itself, which is an attempt to focus on individual holiness and a
consistent life of obedience that is fully Christocentric.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is what a Christian is according to
Scripture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Brethren lived this out
in the flesh, being a people of peace, and as a result of it, they suffered
much during the early wars in America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
stood their ground and would not fight in a war because they (and we) saw Jesus’
command to seek peace and pursue it. That is a non-negotiable for the Brethren,
and since Jesus came as a Man of peace, we too should live a life of
peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means we are to love our
enemies and pray for them (Matt 5:44) and not try to kill them (Barnhart, Jason
and Bill Ludwig, p. 167) or seek revenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus never took up arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Non-Resistant,
Non-Conforming, Non-Swearing<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As I touched
on earlier, the Brethren Church is unique in the sense that they are
non-resistant, such as not sending men off to fight in a war, even if it’s
meant to protect the nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Brethren
trusted the sovereignty of God that much, but the Brethren were also
non-swearing, meaning that they couldn’t take up any oaths or swear any
allegiances to anyone but Christ. They couldn’t be sworn in to defend the
United States, or swear, certainly not on a Bible, in a court of law. They
simply affirmed that they were telling the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, the Brethren were also
non-conformists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the church was unlike
most of the other churches of that time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These churches thought nothing of sending off their men into the war (Barnhart,
Jason and Bill Ludwig, p. 167), but the Brethren were men of peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They could not hurt anyone, but rather, they
were to pray for their enemies. This belief was solidly biblical because they
understood Jesus’ teachings to mean all of His disciples are to obey His
commands, like when He said, “’You shall love your neighbor and hate your
enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his
sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the
unjust” (Matt 5:43-44).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Brethren
also understood that vengeance is not theirs but is God’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Apostle Paul wrote; “Live in harmony with
one another” (Rom 12:16a) and “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to
do what is honorable in the sight of all” (Rom 12:17), but also “never avenge
yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is
mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Rom 12:19). Since the Brethren lived out
the Word of God, they could not go against the Word of God and Jesus’ being the
Word (John 1:1, 14) has the authority to tell us how we ought to live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus said “do good to those who hate
you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” <span class="woj"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Luke
6:27-28)</span></span>, just as Paul taught (Rom 12:14), and that’s just what
the Brethren have done over their existence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Although other
denominations have taken a stance of non-resistance, non-conforming, and
non-swearing, the Brethren were resolved to remain true to God’s Word, despite
severe penalties (some by taxation) and abuse by the armies who were defending
our nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the Brethren
suffered greatly during the early American wars, often losing all they had, and
some even being murdered for their uncompromising non-resistant stand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the greatest examples of suffering and
remaining humble is Christopher Sauer II (Barnhart, Jason and Bill Ludwig, p.
147).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He showed great faith through
sever adversity and deep sorrow, and having lost nearly everything at one point,
but he must have believed that if Christ is all you have, Christ is all you
need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Brethren knew what they had to
do and that was to turn the other cheek, and never resort to force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are non-resistant, sometimes at great
cost, because we are called to live in peace with all men<span class="text"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>(Barnhart,
Jason and Bill Ludwig, p. 172); we are non-swearing because we’re told not to
swear by anything, and besides, we cannot swear an oath to fight our enemies as
we’re supposed to love them and pray for them<span class="text"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>(Barnhart,
Jason and Bill Ludwig, p. 173), and we are called to live in peace with all
people as we follow the Prince of Peace (Barnhart, Jason and Bill Ludwig, p. 167),
and the Brethren are also non-conformists as we do not follow the world’s
system but a live a life of self-denial and sacrificial service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly, this led to a list of “do’s” and
“don’ts” which made some of the Brethren fall into legalism and judge others by
what they wore, and not by what they did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The
Peoplehood Formula<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">This might be
one of the most unique things about the Brethren Church that I know of, and
amazingly, it’s found throughout Scripture. I’m not sure why I never saw!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Brethren have certainly focused on a
close, intimate, and personal relationship with Jesus Christ, but never have
others so focused on what is was called the Peoplehood Formula.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is what Paul and dozens of other authors
in the Bible have long ago stated that “<span class="text"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Those who were
not my people I will call ‘my people’” (Rom 9:25) and where “God first visited
the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name” (Acts 15:14) </span></span><span class="text"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">so that a </span></span>“remnant
of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my
name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old <span class="text"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and her who was not beloved I
will call ‘beloved’” (Acts 15:17). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
who were once not a people of God, but in reality, children of the Devil, held
captive and blinded by the “god of this world” (2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Cor 4:3-4).<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span class="text"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why has this
focus on God seeking a people for Himself been so overlooked by most
denominations?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t say, precisely,
but a people of the Word, such as the Brethren are, understand that God loved
them first (1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> John 4:19) before they ever loved Him, which means,
God had to make the first move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is
the initiator of our salvation, He is the One Who called and brought Israel out
of Egypt, very much like Jesus is the Captain and originator of our salvation.
Through Himself, He is bringing many sons and daughters into glory (Heb 2:10).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is something that we ourselves could
never do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like asking Lazarus to
resurrect Himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only Jesus has the power
to resurrect and I believe that if Jesus had not been specific and mentioned
Lazarus specifically by name, all who were in their graves would have come
forth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only God can bring to life those
of us who were at one time, dead in our sins (Eph 2:1-2).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took the power of God through the gospel of
salvation to bring us to Christ (Rom 1:16; 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Cor 1:18).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When God led Israel out of their Egyptian
bondage, God told them</span></span> “I will take you to be my people, and I
will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has
brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” (Ex 6:7), but even
now, God is seeking to be our God, if we will be His people, however, God is
not finished with Israel, as the author of Hebrews writes, “For this is the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares
the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Heb 8:10).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God has been moving through time and history
to purchase a people for Himself by the Son of God Who gave His life as a
ransom for many (Mark 10:45).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
secures a people for Himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the
only way (Acts 4:12).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span class="text"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The “Peoplehood
Formula” has been found even in the Book of Genesis. God called Abram out of
land to another, and to be the father of a nation that would be His own
possession. That’s because God is relational and is seeking an intimate
relationship with a people of His own. For the people who are His God, they know
that it’s all about relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
that relationship includes is becoming like Him Whom we worship </span></span>(Barnhart,
Jason and Bill Ludwig, p. 144)<span class="text"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be “Christ-like”
is not just speaking Christianese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
means to follow Christ. </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Scriptural
Interpretation<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Another highly
unique thing about the Brethren is they had no room for individual
interpretation because individualistic interpretations were not accepted by the
Brethren congregations and were considered illegitimate and dangerous, as noted
by Stuart Murray in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Naked Anabaptist</i>
(Barnhart, Jason and Bill Ludwig, p. 93).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unless the Scripture interpretation was accepted by the whole church, it
was not even considered believable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
this way, the Brethren made the membership accountable to one another and this
tended to keep out anyone who brought a different teaching into the church and
contrary to biblical doctrine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
served to protect the church from itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The corporate body can identify and reject false teachings and heresy by
a “corporate discernment.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consensus
making also discouraged behaviors that would permit a strong personality (Barnhart,
Jason and Bill Ludwig, p. 93)<span class="text"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. The Brethren had the right balance
between the Lutheran Orthodoxy of sacramentalism or the Word of God is enough
and Radical Pietism, which focused on the immediate working of the Holy Spirit,
but taking precedence over the Word of God</span></span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The balance between “all Word” and “all
Spirit” is the Pietism of the Word and the Spirit practiced by the Brethren
Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Spirit applied transforms
our life but that transformation doesn’t happen without both the Word and the
Spirit. <span class="text"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Concerning
corporate worship, the Brethren would have been very uncomfortable in most, if
not all, of the charismatic churches (if they had existed then) because they
didn’t like stirring up of the emotions in order to make a decision for Christ.
Anyone having a strong personality in the church or community was not seen unfavorably,
because it seemed to lack humility. That’s why the Brethren would not accept a
leader or community member with a domineering, strong-willed disposition. That
was greatly discouraged by the early Brethren (Barnhart, Jason and Bill Ludwig,
p. 93).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This may have helped the
Brethren Church stay out of a lot of the liberal or controversial teachings
that were sweeping across the nation in the 20<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a barricade to individualistic
teachings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unless the entire congregation
agreed on an interpretation, it was not allowed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this way, the Brethren’s fundamentalism
helped the Brethren keep their identity as a unique people of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Three Tenses
of Salvation<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Brethren’s
view of Soteriology is also very unique in the sense that they see three tenses
of salvation and the three tenses of salvation are:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Past tense; we were once saved and are
staying saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Stoffer said that we
can have assurance in our salvation as we remain faithful to God and it is also
something that we can know (1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> John 5:13). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Present tense; we are to be growing into
“Christ-likeness,” but this takes time, however the Brethren do not see
justification and sanctification as being the same thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Future tense; this is where God’s work in us
and our cooperation with Him and the Spirit of God will come to fruition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That work will be completed on that Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This doesn’t mean we still won’t be learning
more about the knowledge of God, but because God is infinite, and we are finite,
we can never know all there is to know about God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Five Sources
of Mennonite Authority<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">There are
certainly more than five unique things specific to the Brethren Church, but
there are no less than these five sources of Mennonite authority that they
church has used. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">God:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is above all and over all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Christ:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is over all, and is the Head of the
church, and thus, He is our Head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Scripture:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Brethren have always valued the priority
of the Word of God in striving to live as the primitive church did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scripture trumps tradition, and certainly the
beliefs of man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Holy Spirit;
As Dr. Stoffer noted, Scripture and the Holy Spirit could trade places because
Scripture is the Spirit of God moving men to write “Thus says the Lord” and
never the word of man<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Primitive
Church: I believe the primitive church is best displayed in the Book of Acts,
and specifically in Acts 2:24-47 where Luke wrote, “And they devoted themselves
to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the
prayers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And awe came upon every soul,
and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And all who believed were together and had
all things in common.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they were
selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all,
as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and
breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous
hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord
added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This fits into the Peoplehood Formula in the
sense that the church was relational.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were devoted to the Word of God, showing a devotion for God; there
was fellowship and the breaking of bread (Communion, Love Feast); they had
Christ in common, they shared all they had, gave to those in need; those
outside of the church were pleased with the church, and as a result, God “added
to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Stoffer, p. 161).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clearly, God is still seeking more people for
Himself so that He can be their God and they can be His people. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God uses the church as a means to do that. He
also uses us as a means of His saving some<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Seven Core Convictions
of the Anabaptists<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Stuart
Murray’s “Seven Core Convictions of the Anabaptists” is also unique to the
Brethren, but not so unique to the Mennonites and the early Dunkards or
Anabaptists. In the general sense, these are certainly unique to the Brethren
Church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is the supreme example for
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are to be “Christocentric” but
you cannot follow Him unless you fix your eyes on Him.<span style="font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Church is one of the primary communities in
which this “gazing upon Christ” is done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The State; the church has never been part of
the state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Radical Pietisms sought to
build the New Jerusalem itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Brethren were not persuaded of this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Brethren were committed to being there
for the powerless, the poor, and the persecuted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were a committed community of believers that
practiced communal discernment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No new
doctrine or belief could be introduced without corporate consent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They saw spirituality and economics as being
interrelated, as if coming from the promises of blessings and cursing’s from
obedience or disobedience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Non-violent alternatives are always available
and the Brethren always pursued peace, even when being treated with
violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under all circumstances, they
would remain non-conforming, non-swearing, and non-resistant. That is the
Brethren way, and to a large extent, it still is today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">There are so
many other unique things about the Brethren Church that are unique, but space
does not allow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the most
beautiful, and yes, unique things about the church is the love kiss (men on
men, women to women); the Love (Agape) Feast; the Anointing Service; the
footwashing, which takes such deep humility to both wash other’s feet and have
our own feet washed; and the triune baptism, which is always forward, as part
of our worship of God, practiced only by the Brethren and the Eastern Orthodox
Church. God has given us His outer Word, the Bible, but also His inner Word,
the Holy Spirit, and these two cooperatively work together to point to the
Living Word, Jesus Christ (John 1:1, 14).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God uses His Word and Spirit as a means to continue to draw men, women,
and children to Himself (John 6:44).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
is still in the “peoplehood business,” and some great day it will all finally be
fulfilled, where “the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with
them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their
God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no
more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the
former things have passed away” (Rev 21:3-4). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that time, we will finally be in God’s
presence, but today, that’s in the future tense. There has always been the
tension of “now” and “not yet” of the kingdom, but someday it be in the present
tense, and in the presence of His glory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There will be nothing more unique than that in all of human
history. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Mulvane Brethren Church is at 310 S. Central, in Mulvane, Kansas and you are always welcome here..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 8pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bibliography<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Barnhart, Jason and Bill Ludwig.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A
Brethren Witness for the 21<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Century</i>. 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Ed. Ashland:
The Brethren Church, Inc. 2014.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Durnbaugh, Donald F. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fruit of the Vine: A History of the Brethren
1708-1995. </i>Elgin, ILL: Brethren Press. 1997.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Ronk, Dr. Albert T. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">History
of the Brethren Church.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ashland:
Brethren Publishing Company. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1968. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Stoffer, Dr. Dale R.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lectures of the History of the Brethren Church, Ashland, Ohio. 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Stoffer, Dr. Dale R. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Background and Development of Thought and Practice in the German Baptist
Brethren Churches. </i>Diss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fuller
Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>University Microfilms International, Ann Arbor, MI; 1980.<sup><o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
</div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0Sumner County, KS, USA37.4787379250511 -97.2372436523437537.3778969250511 -97.398605152343748 37.5795789250511 -97.075882152343752tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-7968225185611101452016-11-15T18:12:00.000-06:002016-11-15T18:12:00.349-06:005 Tips to Help Eliminate Gossip in Your Church<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO52Q4wypxYx56rBXWQ_4TT7h5JOxbERM-u2VTKSA0Py7h-1odEZ8zrbQeRNL2DI0CQWsuMg2WO4sK9URlPzDcoLVm1e9va1Vv6r0E1_Y8ncCKb_hAX_KghqY1W_ajInfaSlpPcjBsZr7l/s1600/IMG_20150620_133057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO52Q4wypxYx56rBXWQ_4TT7h5JOxbERM-u2VTKSA0Py7h-1odEZ8zrbQeRNL2DI0CQWsuMg2WO4sK9URlPzDcoLVm1e9va1Vv6r0E1_Y8ncCKb_hAX_KghqY1W_ajInfaSlpPcjBsZr7l/s320/IMG_20150620_133057.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Gossip does more to destroy a church than just about anything else that I
can think of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What five ways can you use
to help stop gossip in its track in your church?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Defining Gossip</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The first thing pastors should do is to remind people and define for people
just what gossip is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the world’s
standpoint, gossip is just as normal as surfing the Internet, having a cup of
coffee in the morning, or sitting down to watch TV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It happens in the break room, in the
restaurant, and just about anywhere that there are people and this includes
church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The world sees no problem with
gossip but God does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most people might
think it’s “normal” but it is one of the worst things that can come out of a
believer’s mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To those who don’t
know </span>Christ they see nothing really wrong with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just idle talk or rumor, especially
about the personal or private affairs of others and they believe it’s just what
everybody does, however listen<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"> to
this serious and very frightening warning given by Jesus about idle words in
Matthew 12:36-37 “</span>I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give
account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be
justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notice that Jesus wasn’t speaking only to
believers but He insinuated that all “people will give an account” and it is not
just those who aren’t Christian…he means Christians too!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That includes me and you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is every single word, carefully or
carelessly spoken that we will be judged by or justified by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one’s off the hook on this one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The world might think it’s just idle talk but
that is certainly not what God thinks about it, so what are some other ways
that you can stop gossip before it starts or it its already been happening, how
do you eliminate it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are four other
ideas on how to stop gossip, hopefully, dead in its tracks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Speak about the Damage of Gossip</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I remember hearing some gossip in
high school locker room about a girl that was “easy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was not promiscuous like the other boys of
my age so when I heard this gossip about a girl that I liked, I was angry and disappointed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know if I was angrier at the guys or
at the girl that I liked (if indeed it was true).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I later found out that she heard about this
rumor and she ended up quitting school and I never heard from her again. I
always wondered what happened to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Gossip hurt her deeply and it changed her entire future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also remember hearing about someone who
committed suicide over something that started as gossip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t remember if it was true or not but
the point is gossip can destroy people’s reputations, it can destroy people’s
self-image, it can separate the best of friends, and it can destroy lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your church publishes a weekly or monthly
newsletter, I would certainly include something about gossip at least once in a
while and how it wrecks people’s lives and how God feels about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>James spoke about the tongue when he wrote
that the “the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How
great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a
fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining
the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by
hell”(James 3:5-6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes only a tiny
spark to burn an entire forest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe
that’s what James was saying when he wrote that it can set “on fire the entire
course of life” which it did to the girl I wrote about earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes only one little word to create an
enormous forest fire and it “is set ablaze by such a small fire!” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>The Destructiveness of
Gossip<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The pastor may be the last one to
hear about gossip so I believe it is his job to preach a sermon about just how
deadly gossip can be. If you don’t think gossip is serious, just see how Paul
includes it in a group of detestable sins in 2 Corinthians 12:20 “quarreling,
jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.” Even in
the Old Testament there were warnings from God to “not go around as a slanderer
among your people” (Lev 19:16).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you
catch that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gossip is nothing less than
slander and people are sued every day for that!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is serious enough to be convicted of a crime in the courts of the world.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much more serious then is it in the
church? Does it really matter if it’s true or not because if it hurts or
destroys someone’s reputation (or worse, their life).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If someone finds out you gossiped about them
then they won’t trust you ever again and maybe the one you gossip too has even
gossiped about you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Proverbs 20:19 says
“<span class="text">Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets” will not be
held guiltless by God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only reason
gossip is gossip is because there is someone that listens to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gossip needs at least one person for it to
survive, so stop it in its tracks when you hear it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put your hand up and say, “Hey, this sounds
like it’s none of my business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t
think I want to hear this.” That truly pleases God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The proverb says, “</span>For lack of wood
the fire goes out and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases”
(Prov 26:20).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is, if there’s no one
to throw any more wood on it, it goes out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The analogy of fire is used once more because gossip, like fire, can
destroy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stop feeding it and “it will
eventually go out.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Confirm the Source</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Before I came into the ministry,
I heard of a great way to stop gossip in its tracks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone had heard something about someone and
this is how the conversation went:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Gossiper:<em> “Hey, did you hear
about so and so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They did this and
that….”<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Recipient:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <em> </em></span><em>“No, I had not heard that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Say, let’s go over right now and talk to them
about that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe we can help them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell them what you heard and let’s see if we
can talk to them about it to see if we can help.”<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Gossiper:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>“No, no, I don’t think I’d like to do that at
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want to embarrass them. It
might not even be true.”<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Recipient:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>“Well, that’s a good point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who did you hear this from?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it’s not true we need to talk to your
source.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s go talk to them and see if
all three of us can go together to the one who’s having the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who was it that told you that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you tell me their name?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then all three of us can go together and talk
to them about this because it sound’s serious.”</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Gossiper:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>“Well, I can’t remember who it was that told
me that now” </em>(convenient amnesia?).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Recipient:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>“Really!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You can’t remember who told you but you can remember everything
else?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we should go to the pastor
(or elder or a deacon) and talk to them about this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This sounds like this person is spreading
gossip about someone who they believe is doing some pretty bad things and I
think they need to know about it.”<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Gossiper:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>“No, maybe it’s not true anyway and I think
it’s none of our business anyway”</em> (exactly!).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Recipient:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>“Well, if I hear any more about this, I’ll
come to you and maybe you can remember by then exactly who it was that told you
and we can all get together and talk about this to the church
leaders/pastors/deacon/elder</em>.<em>”</em> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Gulp!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By now, I think the gossiper is sweating
profusely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s amazing how this stopped
the gossip right at the source.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Making Prayer Requests “Unspoken
Needs”<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">O</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ur church elder suggested once
that we finally start making more of our prayer requests as “unspoken needs” if
they were more of a personal nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
had a prayer chain once and it was amazing that by the time the prayer request
went to the last person on the chain, it was more like gossip and the problem
that they sought prayer for had worsened exponentially.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like how we do it at our church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right after announcements, we have a “Praise
and Prayers” for those who want to praise God for answered prayer and also we
take prayer requests so that the whole congregation can pray for whoever is
requesting the prayer and what they are requesting it for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This lets everyone know about it all at
once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no worry that it will get
blown out of proportion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I encourage
them to just say it as an “unspoken need” if they are concerned that it will be
misconstrued by others and might increase the risk for it becoming gossip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Conclusion<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If gossip is a problem in your church, address
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every believer should “Let no
corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building
up” (Eph 4:29). One of the six things that are an abomination to God is “a
false witness who breathes out lies” (Prov 6:19) and it is breaking the Ninth Commandment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God promises that “Whoever slanders his
neighbor secretly I will destroy” (Psalm 101:5) but the listener is not
guiltless either as God declares that “An evildoer listens to wicked lips”
(Prov 17:4).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gossip is not gossip
without someone to listen to it so the person who listens to it is just as
guilty as the one who is doing the gossip. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stopping gossip is not easy but it is
necessary to preserve the peace, unity, and holiness of the flock that you
shepherd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
</div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-25229067699255259492016-11-04T18:03:00.000-06:002016-11-04T18:03:12.578-06:00Why Suffering Is Good For Christians<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3zgQZowuDEneIWEAfABf_4lnH96DXrG8n_BlROQMJQKEz0UulMQfencIGxilYzRL6odZxoTdrh_wHd2g5iF4l4MgwGgKKBN1mi6z1zDTEUTyhdnZuvBD2SktN9PTmooaGYjZZ9rDax0Q/s1600/Praying-in-Church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3zgQZowuDEneIWEAfABf_4lnH96DXrG8n_BlROQMJQKEz0UulMQfencIGxilYzRL6odZxoTdrh_wHd2g5iF4l4MgwGgKKBN1mi6z1zDTEUTyhdnZuvBD2SktN9PTmooaGYjZZ9rDax0Q/s320/Praying-in-Church.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">God cannot use anyone greatly
until He has first wounded them deeply. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A man once told me that he
suffered so much and so did his parents that he left the church and forsook
anything about God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was this man saved?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Parable of the Sower</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jesus explains how suffering can
cause some of the seed sown to wither and die. Jesus explained the Parable of
the Sower by saying,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> “When anyone hears
the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and
snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the
path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the
word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself,
but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account
of the word, immediately he falls away”</i> (Matt 13:19-21).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Ways God May Use Suffering</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A man who was very aggressive
about his atheistic beliefs once asked me, “Why does God allow all this
suffering in the world if He is God?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For one thing, God gave us the freewill to choose what to do, and if He
stopped evil, He would be destroying freewill in most cases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Remember, mankind rejected God’s
rule over them, and they decided to choose for themselves the knowledge of good
and evil (Gen 3), so God is not the reason for suffering in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I say to my atheist friend: </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Okay, you believe there is no God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since there is no God, then it is humans who
are responsible for suffering in the world, right?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Who else is there to blame but
mankind, and in fact, mankind is the very reason there is suffering in the
world, so even though mankind is responsible for all of the suffering in the
world, God can use evil for good (Gen 50:20), so even suffering can bring about
much good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They Humble Us</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One thing that suffering does is
that it humbles us, or at least it should.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God may use a trial to allow us to suffer so that we might humble
ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Apostle Peter wrote, “Humble
yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time
he may exalt you” (1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Pet 5:5).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If we don’t humble ourselves, God may have to do it for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus said “Whoever exalts himself will be
humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matt 23:12). </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Why don’t we humble ourselves
voluntarily so that we might grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That will give us an opportunity to grow in
the faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Paul’s Humility</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Paul suffered like no one else in
the Bible with the exception of Jesus Who suffered more than any person in
human history, but God allowed a “messenger of Satan” to harass him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It “to keep me from becoming
conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was
given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from
becoming conceited.” (2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Cor 12:7).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Suffering will do that to a person. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t you find it hard to imagine someone
being puffed up when they’re suffering?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God shouldn’t have to humble us,
but He does in His perfect love in trying to draw us close to Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He seeks an intimate relationship with us,
but if we get full of ourselves, then He’s directly opposed to us (James 4:6).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Suffering Causes Reflection</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are so many storms in life
that all of us must face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some are
storms of perfection, storms of direction, storms of correction, and sometimes,
storms of reflection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That is they make us look at our
lives to see if we have any unconfessed sin or look at what we’re doing for the
Lord so He might redirected our steps to walk in His will. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t we all want that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe He is just shaping us into the image of
His Son.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A person who is broken by
suffering has a heart that is open to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In our prison ministry, many of
these men are crushed by the consequences of their actions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have come to the end of themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their backs are now against the wall, but
that’s good, because that is when God can finally step in and penetrate the
stony heart, and by His Spirit, create in them a new heart and desire for God
(2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Cor 5:17-20).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Feeling crushed lately?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider this; “The LORD is near to the
brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18), so if that’s you,
you’re nearer to God than most of us are, and isn’t that a good thing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What if suffering brought us
closer to God in order to become more holy like God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems that afflictions can create in us a
renewed desire to live in obedience to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By the way, how can we compare the gift of eternal life to a few years
in prison?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is that against eternity
(Rom 8:18)? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What is the price of a human soul compared to
the world’s possessions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
infinitely more valuable than anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u>You can use your suffering
experience as an evangelistic tool to help other people see their need for the
Savior</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God will use your sins and
consequences to help others see that God gives His grace only to the humble
(James 4:6), so this may be why God allowed you to suffer. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>They Refine Us</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Gold is made more valuable when
it passes through the fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fire burns
away all of the impurities (dross) and makes it closer to the pure gold that
refiners seek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This makes it more precious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When we pass through a fiery
trial, God may be using it to burn away the impurities in our life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fire is a symbol of God’s judgment but it
also does a lot of good, as in our case, it can refine us and make us more like
Christ. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u>Pinecone’s can only sprout of
they’ve been exposed to fire!</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When does the refiner know when
the gold’s refined?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s when the
refiner can see his own reflection in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">t’s the very same process God
uses because He is in the refining business. As the Apostle Peter wrote, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“the tested genuineness of your faith—more
precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to
result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ”</i> (1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup>
Pet 1:7).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Leads some to Repentance</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Paul wrote that “godly grief
produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly
grief produces death” (2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Cor 12:7) and so Paul actually rejoiced
but “not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting.
For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us” (2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup>
Cor 12:9). </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sometimes I pray for the lost
that “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth”
(2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Tim 2:25).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At other
times, I have known people who were in such big trouble that they were
desperate and came to faith because their impossible situation brought them to
an end of themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I try not to solve all the
problems of the unsaved because I don’t want to get between the rock and the
hammer (God and His working on them).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>God’s Will to Suffer</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There is suffering that comes as
a result of our own causes, but then there is suffering we and others go
through that is no fault of our own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And then there is suffering for
being a Christ-follower as the Apostle Peter wrote, “For it is better to suffer
for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil” (1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup>
Pet 3:17).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Also, suffering allows us to give
comfort to others the very comfort we received from God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is God <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“who
comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who
are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted
by God”</i> (2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Cor 1:4).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Isn’t that a good reason to
suffer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can “pass on” this same
comfort to those around us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u>Suffering is never wasted </u>and
always has a purpose, just as the Apostle Paul wrote, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for
good, for those who are called according to his purpose”</i> (Rom 8:28). </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">All things means everything that
happens, suffering included, works out for the purposes of God, and that always
means it is what is best for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Peter knew a lot about suffering
which might be why he wrote in his first letter that “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>if necessary</u></b>, you have been grieved by various
trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than
gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise
and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Pet
1:6-7).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God may see that it’s necessary
so that we (not He) will know how strong (or weak) our faith is. God isn’t
learning anything in our suffering…but we are! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The suffering by fire that we go
through in our being tested makes our faith more precious than gold and when
Jesus appears, it might, hopefully, be found to be a cause of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“praise and glory and honor” </i>and reveals
our true character at Christ’s return. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s actually God’s will for us
to suffer for doing good, otherwise He wouldn’t have inspired the Apostle Peter
to write,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> “if when you do good and suffer
for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God” </i>(1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup>
Pet 2:20), because<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> “it is better to
suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil</i>”
(1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Pet 3:17). Clearly, Peter says suffering for good is God’s
will. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fires are hot…and they hurt, but
they purify. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Preparation for Glory</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally, Paul says that “Though
our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day…this
light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond
all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things
that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things
that are unseen are eternal” (2 Cor 4:16-18). </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He means that even though our
bodies are decaying, its but for a moment compared to eternity and this
affliction is preparing us for “an eternal weight of glory beyond comparison”
which is what Paul also says in Romans 8:18 that “the sufferings of this
present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to
us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Apostle Paul actually saw
suffering for Christ with knowing Christ better, and isn’t that a worthy goal? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Paul’s deep desire was “that I
may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings,
becoming like him in his death” (Phil 3:10).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We’ll never be nailed to a cross
and suffer like Christ did, but we can share in His sufferings with the intent
of “becoming like him in his death” by dying to self and being a new creation
in Christ (2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Cor 5:17). A lot of people want to walk where Jesus
walked in Judea; few want to share in the sufferings He suffered.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Peter wrote, “insofar as you
share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory
is revealed” (1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Pet 4:13) and “as we share abundantly in Christ’s
sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too” (2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup>
Cor 1:5). </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“If we are afflicted, it is for
your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort,
which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we
suffer” (2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Cor 1:6).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Praise Him in the Storm</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I remember the account of Jesus
sending out His disciples in a boat, and that was with Jesus likely knowing
that they were heading into a storm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus not only sent them into the storm, He met them in the storm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He even rebuked the storm,
because He is the Creator of the storm, and everything else (John 1:1-3). Jesus
sent them into the storm but He sovereignly brought them out of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He may not bring you around a
storm, over one, or even under a storm, but He will be with you in the storm,
whether you feel like He’s there or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">During great times of suffering,
many of the greatest ministries are birthed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Great pain causes great passion, and this often translates into great
things for the kingdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">God cannot use a man greatly
until He has first wounded him deeply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course, the same thing applies to a woman of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Amazingly, George Mueller built a
series of orphanages and never once asked for money to help provide for the
children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He trusted God, even on one
night, when at supper time, there was nothing there on the table…until that
knock on the door, and someone who felt moved to bring them some food said,
“they had more than enough.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That phrase kept being repeated;
“more than enough,” meaning there was always more than enough for the
children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like George Mueller’s
cup was running over (Psalm 23:5) being poured out by God’s sovereign hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And He uses others as a means to
do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is most pleased when we
praise Him in the storm or seasons of doubt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Perhaps we could ask Him in our
suffering: “God, how can I most glorify You in this suffering I’m going
through, because You are most worthy to be glorified in all things, good and
bad.” </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The pastor who missed church from
a flat tire would have never had the chance to witness to the police officer
that pulled over to assist him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That momentary suffering,
although not that bad, was still used by God, as He used the pastor as a means
to share the gospel to the Highway Patrol officer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Isn’t the potential of a new
child of God worth that momentary affliction like a flat tire?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course it is!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Blessed from Persecution</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jesus reminded His disciples (and
us) that “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated
you” (John 15:18) so “you will be hated by all for my name’s sake” (Matt
10:22a), but “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:10).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And “Blessed are you when others
revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on
my account. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rejoice and be glad, for
your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were
before you” (Matt 5:11-12).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s great
company to be in!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Bearing Other’s Burdens</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We are often called by God to
bear one another’s burdens, just as we’re to rejoice with them when something
great happens to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Apostle Paul
reminds the church in Galatia to “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill
the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is God “who comforts us in all
our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any
affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup>
Cor 1:4), so we are to give comfort to others and bear one another’s burdens
because God comforted us and carried our burdens.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Conclusion </strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When someone asks you, “Where was
God when all of this suffering took place in that earthquake” (or whatever else
it was), say, He was in the same place when His One and only Son, Jesus Christ,
took upon Himself the sins of the world, and died for the guilty (Rom 5:6-7), </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">although He was perfectly
innocent and sinless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There He suffered
the most excruciatingly painful and most humiliating death there was, and that
was the shame of the death on the cross. Jesus suffered and died for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This was the greatest example of
why God allows suffering. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God never wastes suffering and
has a purpose for everything that happens to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Suffering might help us to know
Christ better; in suffering we might receive a blessing; </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">in suffering we might be humbled
before God; in suffering we might bear other’s burdens and comfort others; </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">and that suffering is actually God’s will,
especially when you suffer for doing good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus was perfect and still suffered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We are imperfect, but He is trying to perfect us through suffering.</span></div>
</div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-10030776932544928482016-09-23T14:44:00.000-05:002016-09-23T14:44:10.860-05:00A Letter To A Prisoner<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuLc20C8k2w_BjX_jvkmBVFV2vfgz5uFZB8ribi1IYH3kzg7phDObWStrQWoc61x2987NVN00SGo5E0zEeKdWiT32npkZ5BPMXXcgDOj-2oFWYPfjgq6j3sXweMJpQhq9LKk-jCvN17uj/s1600/PrayingInPrison.nacmimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuLc20C8k2w_BjX_jvkmBVFV2vfgz5uFZB8ribi1IYH3kzg7phDObWStrQWoc61x2987NVN00SGo5E0zEeKdWiT32npkZ5BPMXXcgDOj-2oFWYPfjgq6j3sXweMJpQhq9LKk-jCvN17uj/s1600/PrayingInPrison.nacmimage.jpg" /></span><br />
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Steven (not his real name)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don’t pass out…I actually wrote a letter and I don’t write
too many, except those prisoners I’m not able to visit. I am so very sorry I
haven’t been to see you for a while now. I got sick and am just about broke
now, so hopefully, God willing, I can get by there on a Monday and bring a
meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am in school and working full
time, but also the prison ministry and the nursing home ministry, so I will
have more time as my last class (hopefully forever!) on Nov 29<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t wait for that day as right now, I put
in 10-14 hour days with homework and with work and the church (etc.).<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How are you doing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
know that I have let you down. I have had a few church members and some friends
end up in the hospital and some having emergency surgery (more than once), so I
end up in the hospital several times in these last 2 months. I jokingly said, “You
people stay out of the hospital or I’ll end up there too!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, I still love to do things differently in our
church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re going to have our Sunday
school class moved to the local park in Mulvane, Kansas someday soon, so we can reach
those parents who bring their children to the park on Sunday mornings, meaning
they are unchurched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The statistic I
read that amazed me is that 76% of people who do not attend church <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">have never been asked!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>That means that we need to be inviting
people to church, whether we know them or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s crucial for out to reach out to the lost, and since they aren’t coming
to church, the church must be coming to them. I have made a determination to
invite at least one person each week to church and I urge the other church
members to do the same. What do we have to lose?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do these lost souls have to lose!?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very much!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t want to give up on Outreach and the thing about that
word that is important is “out.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
not called In-reach but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Out</i>-reach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Does that make sense?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We continue
to pray for you at Bible study. The members ask about you and how you are
doing. I don’t ever share why a person is in jail or prison. That’s not my
call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they want to say why they’re
there, they’ll say so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t care
about the background…and we don’t trip over what’s behind us, and neither
should we force people to do the same thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Does that make sense?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are
pressing forward to the high calling….and not going backward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t drive cares using our rearview
mirror, so neither should we operate our life like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Praise God that many have been saved in
prison, so ironically, many are being set free while in prison, while those
outside the prison walls are blinded, held captive by the god of this world (2<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>nd</sup>
Cor 4:4). Jesus tells us to do the same thing that He did, as He came to seek
those who are lost so that they might be saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I close now as I want to get this out today and hope to see you soon, perhaps Monday, God willing. My love to you my precious brother in Christ and again, please forgive me for not visiting you for a while now, and even longer in writing you. May God richly bless you.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pastor Jack</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is an actual letter to a real prisoner and is part of our church's Outreach to prisoners (as well as the poor and those in the nursing home). This is what Jesus wants the church to do as He says to us who do His work; "I was in prison and you came to me" (Matt 25:36), and Jesus says to us, "T</span>ruly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-24045BG" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24045BG" title="See cross-reference BG">BG</a>)"></sup>my brothers, you did it to me" (Matt 25:40). If you are interested in a prison ministry, please click on this link to find our </span><a href="http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/how-to-start-a-prison-ministry/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"How to Start a Prison Ministry."</span></a></div>
</div>
</div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0Mulvane, KS 67110, USA37.474464 -97.24393250000002837.4240655 -97.324613500000027 37.5248625 -97.16325150000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-65550238410526629882016-07-09T15:38:00.000-05:002016-07-09T21:06:59.284-05:00And The Earth Was Filled With Violence<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ldJY1xFrDT6FELrzLrzR7aMRyWDIqG_39Qwg6AbB1bSHkTNwtEDIEMqrw7RX4AKLjBALLX1OJ9-dRC5h32Tp5A0C7nZETQ2Gh4zoONvicHTpVYUXivIVmoomZuD8_PWHUmCDW-8pfR1A/s1600/Stop+the+Violence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ldJY1xFrDT6FELrzLrzR7aMRyWDIqG_39Qwg6AbB1bSHkTNwtEDIEMqrw7RX4AKLjBALLX1OJ9-dRC5h32Tp5A0C7nZETQ2Gh4zoONvicHTpVYUXivIVmoomZuD8_PWHUmCDW-8pfR1A/s1600/Stop+the+Violence.jpg" /></a>Violence
is a sign of the end of the age and I’m must tell you that I cannot remember a
time in my 60+ years of life when protests, violence, looting, and murder rates
have been this high. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong>In Noah’s Day<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Genesis 6:5-6 “</span>The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in
the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually. And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it
grieved him to his heart.”<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Genesis 6:11-13 “</span>Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the
earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was
corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And God said to Noah, “I have determined to
make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them.
Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<strong>Our
Day<o:p></o:p></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
Dallas police, mercilessly and
shamelessly shot down in cold blood…protests nation-wide and escalating
violence in the U.S. (but in other parts of the world too!) and protests
continue to spread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<br />
Protesters shut down interstates,
business districts, government offices, and even entire cities! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
It’s becoming more violent than
even the late 1960’s.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">In Chicago…enough people die that the entire population of our town would
be gone in one year!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>461 were killed in
one year (not the highest figure). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About
two thousand, three hundred people were shot in one year alone in the city of Chicago!
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Detroit is very close to the same and Milwaukee’s violent crimes have
jumped by 73% over the previous couple of years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">In Oakland, Calif., for example, homicides are on the rise after two years
of decline just as in DC.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">In Milwaukee, 104 people were killed before summer was even over in 2015 — after 86
homicides in all of 2014.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">In New York, killings have increased by about 9 percent, to 208 through
mid-August from 190 a year earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The Justice Department have given weight to the loudest criticisms of
police behavior and not listened as much to police.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The </span>F.B.I. <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">director,
James B. Comey recently said that the additional scrutiny and criticism of
police officers in the wake of highly publicized episodes of police brutality
may have led to an increase in violent crime in some cities as officers have
become less aggressive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Some law enforcement personnel have backed away a bit in the wake of all of
the police protests. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The increased attention on the police has made officers less aggressive and
emboldened criminals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Protesters who shoot police
are no longer protesters….they are terrorists!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Protesters who loot and rob
and destroy are criminals!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
Jesus warned us that near the end
of the age, it will be<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> “</b><span class="text">because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold”
(Matt 24:12) and to believers, “</span>you will be hated by all for my name’s
sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt 10:22).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Apostle Paul puts the latter days like
this:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span>"But
understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant,
abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless,
unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
treacherous<span class="text">, </span>reckless, swollen with conceit,
lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of
godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people” (2<sup>nd</sup> Tim
3:1-5).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
Christians are supposed to be
making a difference in this world…but protesting isn’t one of them because
we’re to be content in all things!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
psalmist wrote, “The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked
and the one who loves violence” (Psalm 11:5). <o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
God says to the proud or
prideful, “pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment’ (Psalm
73:6) so “Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways, for
the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his
confidence<span class="text">” </span>(Prov 3:31-32). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<br />
We can see that it is by “the
fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good, but the desire of the treacherous
is for violence” (Prov 13:2).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
treachery is cosmic treason against God because <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all </i>sin is against God and all sin hurts both the sinner and those
around them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span>Violence is a sign of the end of
the age and I cannot remember a time when protests, violence, and murder rates
have spiked and risen to such levels as to not remember in my 60+ years of
life. I think it will grow worse...much worse, before Christ returns. We're supposed to be salt but not it's not meant to be thrown through a car or storefront window. We're to be light but not doing works of darkness.</div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<strong>The
Lord’s Coming<o:p></o:p></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span><o:p> </o:p><br />
Christians of every age should seek
to “Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor
him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the
fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place” (Jer 22:3)
but not by protests but through change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have no idea how close Jesus is to returning and neither do you or anyone else,
as Jesus said, “concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels
of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of
Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matt 24:36-37).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Noah’s day, it was business as usual and
dying in a flood was the last thing on their mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had never rained yet…so that made it even
more impossible looking but God does the impossible and Jesus will come when no
one expects Him to (Matt 24:44).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<strong></strong> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<strong>Conclusion<o:p></o:p></strong></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do these violent protests begin?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There have no contentment with their lives
because they’ve not learned contentment like Paul did, through experience and
with no contentment there is no godliness.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
discontented man or woman join forces, just as Solomon wrote, the “man of
violence entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good” (Prov
16:29).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others continue to join.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span>The problem is not gun control…or
more police officers….it is a new heart they need; it is a matter of the heart.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They need the Spirit of God to become
more like the Son of God but they cannot be a child of God until the repent and
trust in Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have not yet put
your trust in Christ, Jesus speaks to you this warning; “the master of that
servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does
not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that place there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth” (Matt 24:50-51). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you have not yet put your
trust in Christ, Jesus speaks to you this warning; “the master of that servant
will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know
and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that place there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth” (Matt 24:50-51). <o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></span><br /></div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-11836819296045684742016-06-22T15:09:00.000-05:002016-06-22T15:19:30.919-05:00What Does The Bible Say About Christians Cursing and Swearing?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">This seems to be obvious but not every Christian agrees that we should not
be cursing, swearing, and using profanities but we lose our tempers from time
to time and everyone one of us will have an occasional slip of the tongue every
now and then because, as James writes, “</span>We all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2) <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">but does the 3<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup>
(Third) Commandment still apply today?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The only time you hear Jesus’
name pronounced in public is as a form of disgust, like “Jesus Christ!” and
that’s very serious to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Bible is very clear that there is one curse word that is worse than all
of the others. When you take the Lord’s name in vain you are sinning
against the 3<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup> </span></span><a href="http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/what-are-the-ten-commandments-complete-list-from-the-bible-and-life-application/" target="_blank"><span lang="EN" style="color: #0072c6; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Commandment</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"> which says, <i><span style="color: blue;">“you
shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not
hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.”</span></i><span style="color: blue;"> </span>(Exodus 20:7) This is the first tier of using
His name as a profanity (i.e. Jesus!), but what about when people use
euphemisms? A euphemism "is a generally innocuous word or expression used
in place of one that may be found offensive or suggest something
unpleasant" and where one word is substituted for another. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Jews were terrified to even say His name for fear of
mispronouncing it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What respect! <br />
<br />
The second tier is any other filth that we may speak. A few verses that
touch on this are the following:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><i><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk
nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be
thanksgiving.” </span></i><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Ephesians
5:4)</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, including
euphemisms. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><i><span lang="EN" style="color: maroon; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“But now you must put them all away: anger,
wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.” </span></i><span lang="EN" style="color: maroon; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Colossians 3:8)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="color: maroon; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ephesians 4:29 says “</span>Do not let any unwholesome
talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up
according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><i><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“From the same mouth come blessing and
cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.”</span></i><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(James 3:10)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Jesus said, “The good person out
of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his
evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth
speaks” (Luke 6:45).<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">What about when others hear you use filthy language or
swear words, particularly when children are present? How can we justify
that?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Why would we use such language, and maybe use it in their presence, and
then invite our unsaved friend or neighbor to church?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What would an unsaved neighbor, family member, child, friend, or co-worker
think of your faith or your church if you put forth words that are
offensive? What might that do for the church’s reputation? <br />
<br />
Even if it's offensive to you, would it not possibly cause your brother or
sister to stumble?<br />
<br />
What does Paul mean by writing "Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to
the church of God" (1 Cor 10:32)?</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Euphemisms <o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">What about the often heard, “Oh my God!” Is that using God’s name in
vain? Now it’s OMFG and I won’t bother to spell it out because it’s just too
disgusting. <br />
<br />
The definition of euphemisms “is a generally innocuous word or expression used
in place of one that may be found offensive or suggest something unpleasant” or
where one word (non-offensive) is substituted for another (offensive one).
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">A euphemism is substituting one word for another or actually, the
substitution of a mild, inoffensive word for one that is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example someone might say “Fudge!” in
place of a much more evil word that begins with “F,” or they might say “Gosh
darn it” which is simply substituting “Gosh” for “God” and the “darn it” is in
place of “damn it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Euphemisms cannot be considered justified alternatives.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Even the phrase “Jeez” is the use
of Jesus’ name and since Jesus is God, that is also using God’s name in vain
and it is sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are reminded in the
Third Commandment that “the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name
in vain” (Ex 20:7b).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those who argue
that using euphemisms in place of God or Jesus’ name is not taking His name in
vain but when someone uses these slangs, aren’t they using it meaninglessly or
in an empty way?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s just what this
commandment forbids and yet, it is the most language of the day, even from
young children and God’s name is too holy to be used so carelessly. <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">the often used “Oh my God!” is obvious taking God‘s name
in vain, even if people don’t think so. Even further, the use of “Oh my
gosh!” is a euphemism for “Oh my God!”<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Those who argue that using
euphemisms in place of God or Jesus’ name is not taking His name in vain but
when someone uses these slangs, aren’t they using it meaninglessly or in an
empty way?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s just what this
commandment forbids and yet, it is the most common language of the day, even
from young children and God’s name is too holy to be used so carelessly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>The Ten Commandments<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Jesus Christ says that it shows we love Him as He said, “</span>If you love
me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How important is obedience to God’s commands
to Jesus?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">He states, “Whoever has my
commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be
loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him” (John
14:21).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Once again, Jesus equates keeping
His commandments to proving to Him that you love Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the motivation behind the Ten
Commandments, but of course they also make us run to the cross since we cannot
possibly keep them and thus, we need a Savior, but just because we can’t keep
them, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t strive to do so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Taking God’s Name in Vain<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">God has said He will not hold them guiltless who take His name in
vain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t matter to Him whether
they do it accidentally or not. The Third Commandment is “</span><span class="text">Y</span>ou shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for
the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain” (Ex 20:7).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The word “vain” in Hebrew (shav')
is precisely the same Hebrew word used in Exodus 20:7 and means “emptiness,
vanity,” or sometimes in their vernacular, “falsehood,” so using God’s name in
a careless or meaningless way is taking God’s Most Holy Name and using it as a
curse word, swear word, or as an expression of anger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Jews never dared break this
commandment and were so careful that they didn’t even mention His old covenantal
name for fear they might mispronounce it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even today, I have Jewish friends who spell God’s name as “G_d” because
they know how sacred God’s name is. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Penalty for Law Breaking<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Since we know that the
commandments are just, holy, and good, since they reflect the character of God,
breaking them is equal to cosmic treason against the Most High.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you think a king would like it if his
subjects broke his law in a casual, customary fashion?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know he’d be incensed so how much more is
God angered by the way His name is used in slang and profanity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Using the Tongue Rightly<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Here’s how God would have us use
our tongues:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Psalm 35:28 My tongue will speak
of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Psalm 119:171-172 Let praise flow
from my lips, for you have taught me your decrees. Let my tongue sing about
your word, for all your commands are right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Proverbs 8:13 “To fear the LORD
is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">”</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The truth is, Christians “are
called to be set apart for holy use by God and be different from the world as
we’re supposed to be new creations in Christ” (2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Cor 5:17).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">There are so many wonderful words in the English
dictionary to get a point across other than using profanity to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a choice we must make. We can bless the
Lord and edify others or we can betray what’s in our hearts by the words that
come out of our mouth.</span></div>
</div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-9678669647179146252016-05-19T19:14:00.001-05:002016-12-21T12:53:49.775-06:00How To Know If Its God's Will For Your Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwTeh28Fq8W8QZNM_AmWpXRi3EVjdcEK0biXdpD8_34QEEBEguybezMCieSFpLiXFuFaZeJaVC2NCc9Fm-aNW2yonJftMd7lttGsNFhDWKjzhxSj2sRDzSBXMFT8KK-1zzPTTdMYtGOY1/s1600/QUestionMark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwTeh28Fq8W8QZNM_AmWpXRi3EVjdcEK0biXdpD8_34QEEBEguybezMCieSFpLiXFuFaZeJaVC2NCc9Fm-aNW2yonJftMd7lttGsNFhDWKjzhxSj2sRDzSBXMFT8KK-1zzPTTdMYtGOY1/s200/QUestionMark.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I have a very good friend who is
so passionate about preaching the gospel to the lost that he’s considering quitting
his job and do it full time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told me
that something’s been burning in his heart to do so badly that he thinks he
can’t help himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I hoped to help
him by telling him how we might know if doing something is God’s will for our
life, even if it involves a great risk. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it’s God’s will for our life, then God will
make things happen to make it possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The other day in the local
variety store, I went up to a friend that I hadn’t seen for a long time and I
asked him how he was doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I focused on
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, I said, “You know, the story
of your struggle would help a lot of us at church who are struggling in life
over besetting sins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems that
there are as many struggles as they are people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everyone’s struggle it seems is different, but the truth is, we all have
them!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, my friend said, "You
know, I'm coming to your church. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
one's ever asked me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to share my
testimony with them."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How tragic
that is; 76% of people that don't attend church have never been asked!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a sin of omission on us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I fast on Sundays, at least before the sermon,
because I am fearful and I tremble at holding the very Word of the Living God
in my hands and which I speak from my mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am a man of unclean lips, just as Isaiah was…and we all are (Isaiah 6:5).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot separate the Word of God from the
God of the Word!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am at times nervous
to the point of being sick to my stomach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s part of the reason I fast on Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fear God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don't want food on my stomach before preaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So here I will try to help my beloved and
most precious brother and try to provide a few ways that we might know if doing
something is God's will for our life or not: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Does it glorify God?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Is it lawful?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Is it like a fire in your heart
if you don't do it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Will you explode inside if you
can't do it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">If you could have enough money to
do what you want, would this be the thing that you'd want to do the most?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Does it align with Scripture?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Is it so overwhelming that you'd
take a great risk to do it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Do you believe that great risks
bring great rewards?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Will it be costly for you to do
it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Another possibility is that God
may be using you to preach the gospel, right where you are, in the workplace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul, being a tentmaker, had lots of
interaction with the unsaved public, but he also knew that “necessity is laid
upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Cor 9:16).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul confidently went to Troas and “When I
came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ [and] even…a door was opened for
me in the Lord, (2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Cor 2:12).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Wherever Paul went, he brought the gospel with him. In the synagogue or
temple, in the public square, in the market place, to the Greeks on Mar’s Hill,
and even into the prisons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There, he had
a rotating captive audience being chained to Roman guards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I cannot tell my friend what he
should do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God knows his heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God knows what is best for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God alone knows all of His will for that man’s
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think he’s wise to pray and fast
and seek counsel because there’s safety in a multitude of counselors (Prov
11:14).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing is certain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God will never reveal any more of His will
for our lives until we obey the revealed will in His Word and we know that “this
is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual
immorality” (1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Thess 4:3), “Therefore do not be foolish, but
understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph 5:17) and the way you do that is
to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your
mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and
acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:3). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-65068485148016124712016-04-24T15:42:00.000-05:002016-04-27T17:37:09.462-05:00Signs You Are Under Spiritual, Demonic Attacks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">How do demons or Satan attack God’s people?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What are their specific tactics?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Why they Attack</strong></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Why do demons attack?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What does the
Bible say is the reason?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For one thing,
we’re not battling an enemy that we can see with our eyes since “</span>we do
not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the
spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">These demons of darkness are
opposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ and will do anything that can to prevent
people from being saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In one case,
Daniel had prayed to God but it took three weeks for the angel of God to
deliver the message.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The angel told Daniel that “The prince of
the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the
chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia”
(Dan 10:13).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Michael, as one of the chief
princes or angels, had to come to ensure the message got through to Daniel as
they were fighting the “prince of Persia,” most likely a very powerful demon
angel (SATAN?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Demons are simply fallen
angels who choose to follow Lucifer’s rebellion and have joined with the prince
of darkness to interfere in any way possible with the plan of salvation and
that includes attacking Christians. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Is it Satan or a Demon?</strong></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">If I hear someone say that “Satan is attacking them or harassing them” and
then about a dozen others say the same thing, I have to think that they are
probably going through spiritual attacks but not by Satan but by demons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s because Satan is not omnipresent, like
God is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s NOT an arm-wrestling match between Jesus and Satan!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NO. He’s done! </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">As a created being, he can only be in one place at a time; therefore they
are likely dealing with demons and not Satan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He most likely spends his time on the most effective evangelists,
teachers, preachers, missionaries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>DON’T
think so?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Paul writes that “</span>you were <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">dead
</b>in the trespasses and sins<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"> </span>in
which you once<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> walked,</b> following the
course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit
that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">(Eph 2:1-2)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>BLIND, DEAD MAN/WOMAN WALKING<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Look OUT!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So who do these demons focus on?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who
are their prime targets?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We’re the ground forces deployed behind enemy lines, infiltrating the
enemy’s territory.</span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">But….we are fighting forces more powerful than WE!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The demons focus on those who are entering
enemy territory. That is, they are bringing the gospel into the community, the
town square, on the streets, into prisons, into the nursing homes, and just
about any place that there are people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The demons hate anything about God and will focus on those who are actively
sharing their faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why would they
waste their time on silent, underground, private-eye Christians who might look
more like “pew potatoes” than believers who are living out the Great Commission
(Matt 28:19-20; Acts 1:8)?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Like the demons prevented Daniel’s message from arriving for three weeks,
demons will try to disrupt our lives as much as possible…and USE US to disrupt
others!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NO Humility! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">While the Bolsheviks planned how they might over throw the Czar, the local
“bishops” were angrily debating…over whether to use 18 inch candles or 22 inch
candles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Russians ended up living
under a godless, atheistic, religion-hostile government where millions were
exterminated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Is the Roe v Wade carnage
any different with 67 million lives destroyed?).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>How they Attack</strong></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Demons will attack your belief in your own salvation by filling you full of
doubts it, but for everyone who’s repented and put their trust in Christ, their
doubts are groundless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Demons will also try to persecute you, even using others to bring about
railing accusations, false rumors, profanity-laced tirades, insults, name
calling and flat out lies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Devil’s
name means slanderer and that’s what he’ll try to do with your good name. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Apostle John writes that Satan, “the
accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night
before our God” (Rev 12:10b) so he is constantly accusing us of sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">But, demons by use other
professing Christians to persecute you over non-essential doctrines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">By the way, Satan is right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are ALL guilty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The difference for us is when “we confess our
sins, God forgives us and then cleanses us from all of our unrighteousness (1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup>
John 1:9) so Christians are untouchable in this respect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John 3:16 leaves no room for an abortive
eternal life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s either eternal or
you’ve not got it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When Satan reminds you of your
past, remind him of his future (Rev 20:11) because you and I “have conquered
him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved
not their lives even unto death” (Rev 12:11).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Demons will also try to make you
feel hopeless, lost, depressed, without purpose, stressed, and
short-fused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will try to destroy
your faith, because if they can, they will silence your testimony for Christ. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Satan or his demons have no problems with unbelievers because they’re
already headed down the broad path of destruction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember they are the “blind, dead, walking”
(Eph 2:1-2).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Don't Doubt the Path</em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Jesus says that there are only two possible paths that we can take and He
urges us to </span>“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way
is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many” (Matt
7:13) and “the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those
who find it are few” (Matt 7:14) for “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal
life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God
remains on him” (John 3:36). Trust this; believe God. Get that settled in your heart.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Signs of</strong> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Spiritual Attacks On Your
Marriage or Relationship</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">There are a lot more than four signs of a spiritual attack on your marriage
but here are four that I’ve either experienced or have seen other couples go
through.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>When Tempers Flare</em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Every marriage is a miracle relationship of sorts because men and women
have vast differences so when tempers begin to flare, even over the tiniest of
things, then the couple might be under spiritual attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even “</span>though we walk in the flesh, we
are not waging war according to the flesh” (2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Cor 10:3) because
our enemy is invisible to the human eye (Eph 6:12).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember to be patient with one another
because God is with us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Weak Prayer Life</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When the enemy can get us off our
knees, he is helping us to cut off our only source of help and hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When coupes refuse to pray individually and
together, the Devil can get a foothold in a marriage or a relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">At the times when prayer seems
the most difficult is the very time we need prayer the very most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When a couple’s under spiritual attacks, they
enemy can make us feel too busy to pray, too hopeless to pray, and too
pointless to pray so a weakening of a couples prayer life could be a sign of
their being under spiritual attack.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Self-Focused</em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">When couples begin to care only for themselves, they being to serve their
mate less and less until, over time, they are only interested in doing for
themselves but marriage is about serving one another and not drawing a line in
the sand and saying “50% of yours is there, 50% of my duties are over
here.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">That’s not the way relationships work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s not what you can get out of a marriage but what you can put into
one so when one of the mates begins to focus only on themselves, the enemy
might be trying to make sure they “take care of number one” first rather than
caring for their mate above their own self-interests. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Nitpicking</em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">When we start to become irritated about the little things that our marriage
partner is doing then we are not remembering how much we’ve been forgiven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we start to keep count, then we are
allowing the Devil a foothold in our marriage, because we can feel shortchanged
and then resentment starts to build.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Relationships
are not a 50/50 proposition…it is an unlimited serving of one another and not
keeping track of who did what and who didn’t do what.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The enemy would love nothing more than to have us start keeping score and
then use it against our partner for not holding up their end of the marriage. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Most Christians realize that they have a bull’s eye on their back and that
the enemy and his demons will try to bring us down and even though he can’t, he
still can sling spiritual fiery darts at us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is because “</span>For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,
but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over
this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
places” (Eph 6:12). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">A strong marriage needs a
threefold cord as God being that third cord that holds it all together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Couples, we’re in a war…a spiritual war and
the enemy wants to bring us down so couples, we need to pray together, serve
together, study the Word together to be able to stay together. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Feelings of Worthlessness</em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Some the most frequent causes of spiritual attacks come when you have
overcome a major sin, you have had a time of great success, and you are
consistently sharing the gospel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Enemy hates all of these things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
when you might experience feelings of worthlessness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">You might feel you are too unworthy to be saved, even though not are
worthy, but then you might question your salvation, you might think of yourself
as a hypocrite and since you are such a sinner the Devil or his demons might
influence you to think “Who do you think you are?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can you share the gospel with someone
when you’re such a wretch?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The truth is, we’re no better than the lost; only positionally and
relationally are we better off…but not because we’re better people (Rom 3:10-12).
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Times of Prayerlessness</em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Again, when we feel overly guilty with sin, we must learn to confess it
immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t let unconfessed sin
linger because the longer you put off prayer, the harder it is to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">When we experience times of prayerlessness, we are taking away our greatest
source of power and that is God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
seems that when I try to pray the phone rings, someone knocks at the door, the
washing machine decides to do its dance and all kinds of things come into my
mind which are anything but godly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s likely the Devil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The only time that Satan really fears is when we are praying in Jesus’ name
and pleading the blood of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prayer
is not easy…it’s hard work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, for
some it seems to come easy, but when you are under spiritual attack, that is
the last thing that you feel like doing. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We only make progress in our spiritual life when we are moving forward on
our knees. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes it’s really hard to
do so start of by giving thanks to God and reading Scriptures about His awesome
attributes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">That may discourage the enemy from trying to interfere with your prayers
and stop Him from putting thoughts into your mind.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Feelings of Condemnation</em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">This is close to the first sign of feeling worthless but this one is
different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We might feel that we are not
a Christian because we see how far we fall short of God’s holiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>True!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">This is where we need to be in the Word of God and start by reading Romans
8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This chapter is so encouraging and
may be my favorite chapter in the entire Bible. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Romans 8:37-39 says “</span>in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor
angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor
height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate
us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Now does that sound like a
condemned man writing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t believe your feelings….believe what
God’s Word says.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Famine of the Word</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">This might be the hardest thing
to do when you are under spiritual attack but it is the best possible thing you
can do along with prayer because we know that there is real, living, active power
in the Word of God, so why not unleash it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">At the very time that you feel
that you least want to read the Bible, that is the exact time that you need it
the most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tap the power of God. Stay in
the Word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make a daily Bible reading
plan and stick to it. It’s a great weapon to use in spiritual warfare.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Drastic Changes at Home, Work or Health</em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We know that Satan is the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2) and he
can make life hard for those who are believers in Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Job is an example of Satan buffeting those
who trust in God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I remember a pastor teaching about spiritual attacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The week that he was preparing his sermon,
his washer suddenly broke down, his heating and air conditioning system burned
up, his wife became very ill and one of his children was beaten up at
school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Were these things simply
coincidence?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I know of many other pastors who had similar experiences, although not
quite as drastic as these.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Satan doesn’t
want the church to know about him. He is good with most people believing he is
a myth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Satan and his minions are more
dangerous when they appear to not exist.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Increasing Patterns of Fear</em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I believe there is a reason that the most frequent thing that Jesus
mentioned and is recorded in the Bible is “fear not” is because He knows our
tendency to do just that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are 365
mentions of “fear not” or something very similar to this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means that we have at least one “fear
not” for every day of the year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Sometimes even deacons, elders, experienced Christians and yes, even pastors
have times of fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They might fear
whether they are truly saved or not or maybe if they’ll fall into debt or (the
list is endless). </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They might fear that they are a false convert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only fear however that is beneficial is a
fear of the Lord for that is the beginning of wisdom but this fear is a fear
that means we have a holy, deep and abiding reverence for God and that we
strive to obey Him in all things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">If you are having bouts with fear, you might be under spiritual
attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The way to thwart these finery
darts is to get into the Word of God and fall on your knees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Believe God’s Word and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">don’t trust your feelings</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Human feelings are highly unreliable but
God’s Word is always true and why Jesus repeatedly said “fear not.” </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Family Conflict</em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Since we know that Satan wants to destroy the Christian family, he will
often try to create friction between husbands and wives and between children
and parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This could also include
in-laws, cousins, uncles and aunts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">There is no better way for the enemy to try and discourage the Christian
than to drive a wedge between the members of the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be aware that Satan seeks to destroy the
foundation of nations…the family and what better place for him to focus his
attacks on than the Christian family.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Falling Away</em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Many that I counsel feel that God has let them down and they fall away from
church or their belief in God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also
stop reading their Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They might
even pull away from their Christian friends but that is exactly what Satan wants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">That’s where Satan is most
dangerous</span></b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">. He would love
nothing more than to try and isolate you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Satan is described as a roaring lion who is roaming about, seeking whom he
might devour (1 Pet 5:8) and just like in the wild, a lion will most likely
attack the straggler, the one who becomes separated from the herd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">If you feel like separating from other believers, take warning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are more vulnerable when you are walking
the Christian life as a solo act. There truly is safety in numbers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>4 Bible Promises To Lean On
During A Spiritual Attack<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>Greater is He that is Within You</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">First John 4:4 is an awesome
promise as it says “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them,
for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Who is this “them” that we have
overcome which John is writing about?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
comes just before 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> John 4:4 where John wrote “This is the spirit
of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in
the world” (1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> John 4:3).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">He (the enemy) is now in the
world but John promises he who is in you, that is the Spirit of God, “is
greater than he (the anti-Christ and every wicked spirit) that is in the
world.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>God is Greater than our Hearts</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Once again I turn to the Apostle
John to help those who are going through spiritual attacks as he writes “If our
hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows
everything” (1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> John 3:20).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><em>You Will Prevail</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Isaiah, in writing to Israel, writes;
“no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue
that accuses you” (54:17a).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">There is no weapon that the enemy
can forge against you that will prevail against you for God is for you and will
never leave you (Rom 8:31) or forsake you (Heb 13:5b).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember Job’s life was safe. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Armored Up<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Paul commands us to “Put on the whole armor of
God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Eph 6:11)
and this includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the
shoes of the readiness of the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of
salvation, and sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:14-17) and in this way God promises “you
may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm”
(Eph 6:13b).</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">For more on this in a sermon, please <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75n-v1d7wXY" target="_blank">click here</a>. </span></div>
</div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-10219643755936482402016-04-13T17:45:00.001-05:002016-04-13T17:45:14.462-05:00Why Every Christian Should Share The Gospel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXTy3jGG8LpXYY4_shuF_sNdpzkefxHUeOs81dwvp_X3CUCDiixdaV7E6qLN4bYSkVoxoxO5X1OTSkS8TYkX0WFrHAa6D6qxtBkap0BM4LA38zLijXa-mywK99tf4iqM49sRdjXJmTgYN/s1600/Bibles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXTy3jGG8LpXYY4_shuF_sNdpzkefxHUeOs81dwvp_X3CUCDiixdaV7E6qLN4bYSkVoxoxO5X1OTSkS8TYkX0WFrHAa6D6qxtBkap0BM4LA38zLijXa-mywK99tf4iqM49sRdjXJmTgYN/s320/Bibles.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Why every Christian should
actively share their faith.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>A Christ-Centered Church<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">I heard
an old pastor once say; “We can never bring people into the church unless we
bring Christ into the church” and I would add, we can never bring people to
Christ if we don’t talk about Christ. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
the Apostle Paul observed, “</span>How then will they call on him in whom they
have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never
heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching” (Rom 10:14) but Paul
wasn’t talking about an ordained minister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was writing this letter to the Romans and telling them that they will
never call upon Him to be saved if they never hear about Whom they are to call
upon!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want to have a person reach
the point where they ask “Who is he [Jesus], sir?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“the man asked. “Tell me so that I may
believe in him” (John 9:36)." <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
man told us what we need to do; “tell [them] so that [they] may believe in
him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Invite Someone to Church</strong> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Every Christian ought to invite
at least one person in their life. The last statistic I heard was that 76% of
people that don’t attend church have never been asked!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not a good thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It indicates that the local believer’s in their
churches are not taking seriously the “Great Commission” (Matt 28:19-20) but
instead are living the “great omission.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All we are doing in our church is simply inviting at someone to
church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have recently been committed
to inviting at least one new person to church every week and the result has
been a surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God knows when a person
has been humbled enough in live to be invite to church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is sovereign over everything that
happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have heard many professions
of faith where the person was in serious trouble or in financial debt or even
had a serious health problem (or all three!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When we fail to invite someone to church, we may be missing a special
time when God’s softened their heart due to circumstances and they are probably
more open to the gospel then than at any time before. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why not try it this week?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Start with one person and see what happens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Trust God’s Power<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Did you know the gospel doesn’t
depend on us?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, you are
not the one responsible for saving anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s God’s job (John 6:44).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s not our responsibility to save anyone; it is their response to His
ability but it is still our responsibility to tell others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe this will help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isaiah the Prophet, in writing about God’s
Word (the Bible), “so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall
not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall
succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). There’s more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Apostle Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed
of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who
believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom 1:16).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we
ashamed of it before others?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul also wrote
“the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are
being saved it is the power of God” (1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Cor 1:18).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To sum up; <span style="color: black;">God's
Word has power and never returns without doing what He set it out to do; the
gospel is the very power of God that leads to salvation; and it is the awesome
power of God that saves us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>What we
bring to Heaven<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
very last thing I heard was that today, only one in twenty Christians will ever
lead at least one other person to Christ. That means that 95% of Christians
keep their Christianity to themselves. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes,
we can let our light shine and be salt to the world, but salt and light needs
to penetrate into the darkness and decaying world. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It must be spoken and not just shown. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those who don't know you or those who are
strangers that don't know Christ must be told.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God doesn't want anyone to perish and neither should we (2 Pet. 3:9).No
one knows when Christ will return so we must tell others about him today or
tomorrow, at work next week, whenever we see them. Take a risk, be courageous, and
be bold. Why hold back? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are commanded
to love God but also to love your neighbor as ourselves and that means warning
our neighbor about the coming wrath of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Someone loved you enough to tell you about Christ and was willing to
risk their relationship with you but a temporary human relationship is nothing
compared to eternal separation from God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The only thing we can take with us to heaven is not our house, our bank
account, or our cars, but only the souls of men and women who don't know the
Savior. Time is running out. None are guaranteed tomorrow...so share this Good
News today, right away, right now, because now counts forever.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Conclusion <o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;">Why not invite someone to church? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must face down our fears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Men and women around the world are currently
endangering their lives in closed nations in sharing Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are willing to take any risk. Look how
much Jesus risked!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Final points to ponder; the gospel is the
power of God and the Word of God will accomplish what God intends for it to do</span>,
but this doesn’t mean we won’t face rejection, ridicule, scorn, humiliation,
and even broken relationships, but that’s where the real blessings are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Apostle Peter wrote that “</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you
are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1<sup>st</sup>
Pet 4:14).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t you want that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember, if they hated Jesus (even murdering
Him), what makes us think they won’t hate us but it’s not you that they really
hate; it is God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It isn’t the messenger
but the message that cuts them to the bone (Heb 4:12).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Word cuts, but it cuts in order to heal,
and ultimately, it can bring a person to trust in Jesus Christ become their
Savior and to eternal life (John 3:16; Acts 4:12).</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-76540291022800132342016-03-29T16:36:00.000-06:002016-04-07T22:45:41.116-05:00What Will Hell Be Like?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbirCZWbv_KXTd02JuOdWN-Su-0nOgE3M8HTgzeHkUIDcXSlLvMrpZWaF4naqkrMzWgadnZCeo-i3Yc0_U9jaEWpkU3FJNt8P_zZpHY7yePPXttXwczaxq3mZ5hAseYsa2UXFxl9YO_ih/s1600/hellfire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbirCZWbv_KXTd02JuOdWN-Su-0nOgE3M8HTgzeHkUIDcXSlLvMrpZWaF4naqkrMzWgadnZCeo-i3Yc0_U9jaEWpkU3FJNt8P_zZpHY7yePPXttXwczaxq3mZ5hAseYsa2UXFxl9YO_ih/s320/hellfire.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">An ancient Chinese proverb says,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“After the game,
the pawn and the king go into the same box.” </span></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">There are no atheists in hell but what is hell like? Will it last forever? One p</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">rosperity gospel preacher recently said “<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">I am </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">not cheating people by not talking about hell</span></span>" but the truth is, p</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">eople who don't understand the fear of the Lord, the severity of their
lifestyle decisions or the intensity and nearness of eternity need to know that hell is real and all who refuse to repent and trust in Christ are going to go there for a certainty and we must warn them to flee the coming wrath of God.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">If someone says that "warning people of hell might offend them" then that's like saying, "Well, a 'Bridge Out' sign might upset driver." When the Bible speaks of hell, does it mean forever?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can we be sure according to biblical
texts and the words Jesus used?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Romans 2:5-6 says, “</span><span class="text">But because of your hard and impenitent
heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's
righteous judgment will be revealed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
will render to each one according to his works.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>The Place of Hell<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Jesus gave so many warnings about
hell that we often see this as harsh but if you knew someone who was blind and
saw them walking toward a giant cliff, wouldn’t you try and stop them? </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The greatest act of love you can show someone
is to warn them of the wrath of God being on all who reject Jesus (John 3:18,
36b) and that’s what Jesus was trying to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Jesus didn’t want anyone to go to
such an extreme place of torment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
hell wasn’t a real place, they why all the warnings from Jesus?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus said, “It is a fearful thing to fall into
the hands of the living God” (Heb 10:31) and “if your hand causes you to sin,
cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to
go to hell, to the unquenchable fire” (Mark 9:43).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Jesus speaks about hell that has
an unquenchable fire, a place you can be thrown into (Mark 9:45) or cast into
(Mark 9:47).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hell is real, heal is a
place, and finally, hell is also a place of regret. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Greek word Jesus used for “in that PLACE” is
taros…which means an actual, physical location (body & soul =joined).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>A Place of Regret<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Jesus says something that makes
hell seem to be a place of regret; “<span style="color: black;">And if your eye
causes you to stumble, cast it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom
of God with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into hell, where their
worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched</span>” (Mark 9:47-48).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notice again; not “a worm” but “their worm
does not die.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The word “their” as in “their
worm does not die” makes it different from “a” worm but it is their own
personal worm that turns and like a worm that turns, it keeps turning upon
itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The story Jesus gave of the Rich
Man and Lazarus shows that the man was in torment (Luke 16:23), felt regret
(Luke 16:24a), in anguish from the flames (Luke 16:24b), and even wanted to
warn the rest of his family (Luke 16:28) but it was an impassable, unbridgeable
gap between heaven and hell (Luke 16:26).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The phrase “the worm never turns”
means that the worm will turn on its attacker, in the sense of
counterattacking, fighting back, but this worm Jesus spoke about may be the
inner conscience whereby unbelievers “suppress the truth” (Rom 1:18) and they
live with that regret (ever turning) forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>The worm that Turns<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Every one of us has a
conscience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know what is right and
what is wrong from a very early age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Few
people have no regrets in their life but that’s also part of how we grow as
individuals</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The greatest mistake
is when people deny the existence of God as Paul wrote, “what can be known
about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them” (Rom 1:19) since
“his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have
been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things
that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Rom 1:20).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>The Reality of Hell<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Jesus actually spoke more about
hell than heaven because He desires that none go there as Peter wrote “</span>The
Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient
toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach
repentance” (2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Pet 3:9) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">But the time is coming when “</span>The
Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all
causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In
that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. So it will be at
the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the
righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:41-42, 49-50). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">That is not His will for their
life since “God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance” (Rom 2:4b)
and again Paul proves that God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a
knowledge of the truth” (1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Tim 2:4) so NOW is the time to repent
and believe, according to Jesus (Mark 1:15), because after death, the judgment
comes, when it is too late to repent (Heb 9:27).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>The Darkness of Hell<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We know that God is light and
overcomes the darkness (John 1) and where God is, there is light!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those who have been reconciled to God
through Christ have access to the Light of the World.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Those who are going to be
separated from God, you would think, would be separate from light. </span>The
religious leaders and self-righteous who believed in their own righteousness
said they were Abraham’s sons….sons of the promise but Jesus says, “I say to
you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places
at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown
outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”
(Matt 8:11-12).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Jesus knew they were still in
darkness and so gave the Parable of the Wedding Banquet and said, “<span class="red">when</span> the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man
there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here
without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless” (Matt 22:11-12) so “the
king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into
the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt
22:13).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The children of Abraham thought
they were going to be in the kingdom but tragically they will be cast out and
tied up and then thrown into the darkness. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The words “outside, into the darkness, where
there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt 25:30) are frequently used
as references for hell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">PRISON’S have: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Hole</b> (Dark, Cold, No Room= Hell!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong></strong></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Fire and Judgment<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Jesus speaks the fiery judgment
of hell so much (Matt 13:41-42) that it makes us ask, “Is there literal fire in
hell?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">This fire is said to be “the
unquenchable fire” not “an unquenchable fire” perhaps indicating that each
person’s hell is different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus shows
us that there are different degrees of punishment in hell when He said “that
servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to
his will, will receive a severe beating” (Luke 12:47). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Ghenna “hell” is dump outside
walls of Jerusalem where even dead bodies of criminals dumped….fire never went
out; always more being added to fuel the fire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Luke 16:19-31 <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the story of the Rich Man and
Lazarus, there was memory of the rich man’s former life and family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">there was a fire that could not
be quenched, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">there was thirst so we’ll have
all of our senses, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we’ll have regret meaning that our conscience
will still be active and we’ll have all of our memories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We’ll also be separated from God
for time without end but it a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">literal
fire of</b> intense mental anguish and regret? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That “weeping and gnashing” indicate utter
despair and eternal regret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">You could always tell when my
cousin was anxious; he would be grinding his teeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did it more when we had to waiting or when
he was mad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The harder it got, the more he would clinch
his teeth and jaw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">He was simply “gnashing” his
teeth…waiting, hoping, longing, and forever regretting…but unlike on earth,
those in wait in hell shall wait forever. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">All who enter here, it was said of hell,
abandon all hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So we must WARN them of the wrath
to come that’s being stored up for them (Rom 2:5) <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jude 1:22-23</b><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>“Are There Good People in Hell?”<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Imagine those who think they are
good enough to go to heaven because they’re a good person. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Hell will be full of
self-proclaimed “good people” and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“</span>There
will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown
out” (Luke 13:28).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When you see your friends,
family, neighbors in heaven but not you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">ISOLATION:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are no parties in hell. Totally alone;
no one but your own conscience and eternal regret.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Weeping and gnashing (grinding)
are often mentioned with “the outer darkness.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Is hell the total absence of light?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Will the lost see other people
they know are Christian being seated at the Wedding Banquet in the kingdom
while they are not?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Will the saved see others who
only professed Christ but were not saved?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We don’t know about that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Is Hell Annihilation?<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Many of the modern preachers and pastors as well as some cults today are
doing away with hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others are making
the doctrine of hell more like annihilation (Rob Bell). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">That is, they are burned up and gone forever once they are judged and cast
into the lake of fire but doesn’t this mean that Hitler and the nice lady who
lived next door who rejected Christ both end up with the very same fate?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that justice?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Jesus said, “</span>do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the
soul? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather fear him who can destroy
both soul and body in hell” (Matt 10:28) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Why would the author of Hebrews
warn “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb
10:31) if they are simply burned up or there is no hell?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Why would Jesus say to “fear Him
who can destroy both soul and body in hell?” That statement would be pointless
if hell were simply <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">annihilation or
if hell didn’t exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The fact is Jesus spoke twice as much about hell as He did heaven but
why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because He surely didn’t want
anyone to go there because God “</span>desires all people to be saved and to
come to the knowledge of the truth” (1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Tim 2:4) and “he is patient
with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup>
Pet 3:9). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God takes no pleasure in the
death of the wicked (Ezk 18:23, 32).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When Jesus gave the account of
Lazarus and the Rich Man, the rich man was not annihilated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He continued to exist and had a memory of his
life and about his family (Luke 16) but also had pain, suffering, and thirst
meaning that he has all his senses in tack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No annihilation here!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">For those who see hell as
annihilation, then why did the rich man have any concerns about crossing over
to the “bosom of Abraham” which is clearly understood to be permanent? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he had simply ceased to exist or had been
annihilated or was about to then why did it say that the rich man “in Hades,
being in torment…lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his
side?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And he called out, ‘Father
Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in
water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame” (Luke 16:23-24). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Greek Meaning for “Eternal”<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">In one of the most famous and widely known Bible chapters, Jesus is
speaking about His judging the world when He returns and in Matthew 25:46 He
says “</span>And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous
into eternal life.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The very same Greek word Jesus
uses for “eternal” as in eternal life and for “eternal” punishment is the word “aiōnios”
and this Greek word means “without end” and “that which has always been and
always will be” so it is a mystery to me to see how some can conclude that the eternal
punishment is not eternal but eternal life is because they both use the VERY
SAME WORD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In other words they believe that
you can receive eternal life but not eternal punishment if they reject
Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the punishment is not eternal
though and doesn’t last forever and has an end, then so does eternal life <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and then it’s not even eternal life anymore
and Jesus lied (John 3:16).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">They accept the belief of eternal
life but they reject the idea of eternal punishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their conclusion in effect “Sorry, Jesus, You
got half of it right.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Examining the Old Testament Hebrew<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">When Daniel writes about the end of the age and the judgment of mankind in
Daniel 12:2 he writes “And </span>many of those who sleep in the dust of the
earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting
contempt<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The word for “everlasting “ is from the Hebrew word </span>“`owlam” which
means “forever,” “everlasting,” “perpetual,” and “ever”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>so those who awake to everlasting life have
this life lasting forever, perpetually, without end just as those who awake to
everlasting shame and contempt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Same
word…same outcome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">How someone can still believe
that this judgment or this eternal life can be only temporary for those who are
condemned and the other eternal life is forever is a mystery to me since the
same word used for contempt and life is the exact same word used. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">You cannot have the same word
mean “temporary” or be “annihilation” and the other is “perpetual.” They love
the idea of eternal life but they don’t accept what the Greek and the Hebrew words
say for “eternal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Paul’s Warning<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Paul gave frequent warnings to
the unrepentant like in 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Thessalonians 1:9 where he wrote “They
will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of
the Lord and from the glory of his might.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here Paul uses the very same Greek word Jesus did for eternal “aiōnios”
for those who are going to be forever removed from the presence of the
Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same word is also used in
Revelation 20:10 for when the Devil is “thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur
where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and
night forever and ever” and the word “ever” is the Greek word “aiōn” which
means “forever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity” and is the same
place where the unrepentant go as it says in Revelation 20:15 “if anyone's name
was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
There is only one lake of fire, not one for the Devil and his demons and
another for the unrepentant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Think about their Eternity<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">If you really stop and think
about it, it is the greatest act of love you can show anyone…to snatch them out
of the coming fire of God’s wrath, to save them from the eternal se<span style="font-family: inherit;">p</span>aration
from God, to keep them from eternal torment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wouldn’t want my worst enemy to face the fires of hell forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jude pleads with us to “have mercy on those
who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show
mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh” (Jude 1:22-23). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The next time you are hesitating
on telling someone about God’s grace and mercy, think about their eternity,
where the power to save comes from, how you can be blessed, and that it is God
Who grants salvation. He does use us but He is the One Who saves but Paul asks
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are
they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear
without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are
sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the
good news” (Rom 10:14-15).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Conclusion<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Don’t be deceived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All who refuse to repent and trust in Christ
go to this place of eternal torment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regardless
of what many of the false teachers and cults say, hell is forever just as
heaven is forever because you can’t have one “forever” be temporary and the
other last for all time because it is using the same word for both in the Old
and in the New Testament.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many will
eventually find this out but it will be far too late.</span></span></div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0United States35.053019462214678 -98.43759.5309849622146778 -139.746094 60.575053962214682 -57.128906tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-66516401606334807042016-01-24T14:36:00.000-06:002016-01-24T14:36:14.281-06:00Wolves in Sheep's Clothing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There is "another" gospel out there. They look like sheep and sound like sheep but there's a huge difference. See if you agree or not about how the prosperity gospel is poisoning the church in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fkwaoEjU1I&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">Wolves in Sheep's Clothing</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fkwaoEjU1I&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fkwaoEjU1I&feature=youtu.be" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjGBXDheHqRaKzfN-4XnbJYpqBfukdwvmnlJM9WUTl0w5mdRBY1blXlUDZQwfWEUXU4yBPgyvzdNTdx0wOZusnm5WlBWArbEwcSYIZUlipEYz9jeqfJIi3ESa7VUc9WGbCyjUe2Z3yrFR/s1600/Wolf.jpg" /></a></div>
</div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840609139196819297.post-39667221837336677452015-08-31T08:17:00.001-05:002015-08-31T08:19:13.120-05:00Lazarus and Me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFnJEbI0BwThn_QOYvRBv002QOSwQca2PlZAru6kkNXbB-ypy-gfDxeDGvc0ZHLaJfoQJTqOBeApdvacBa9Of_cUpVFIQZ73XJ9qwB92nbxOl_C_fz4J2fSXefR4sDQQWVqpt4IvxP5Hc/s1600/RaisingofLazarus+Carl+Heinrich+Bloch+1875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFnJEbI0BwThn_QOYvRBv002QOSwQca2PlZAru6kkNXbB-ypy-gfDxeDGvc0ZHLaJfoQJTqOBeApdvacBa9Of_cUpVFIQZ73XJ9qwB92nbxOl_C_fz4J2fSXefR4sDQQWVqpt4IvxP5Hc/s1600/RaisingofLazarus+Carl+Heinrich+Bloch+1875.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What do you and I have in common
with Lazarus?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had more in common with
him than you might first think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See what
Lazarus and we had in common.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Dead as Dead can Be</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My wife’s car wouldn’t start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The battery was completely dead. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though this was aggravating, this made me
reflect on how dead I was before I placed my trust in Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus’ raising of Lazarus from the dead is
one of the most dramatic stories in the Bible. It is found in John chapter
eleven. It is seen as proof positive that Jesus is God and that He has
effectual power over mankind and as God, the power to raise the dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact that Lazarus' resurrection is so
amazing is that in the Jewish culture, a person was not actually accepted as
being fully dead and with no chance of coming back to life until after three
days. This is what is called "sit shiva" or a three day period of
time that was intended for grieving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus had already resurrected two others:
Jarius's daughter (Luke 8:40-56) and the widow's son in Nain (Luke 7:11-16) but
these two were resurrected almost immediately after they had died. The Jewish
religious leaders would not accept this as conclusive evidence for Jesus
actually raising them from the dead so this may be why Jesus may have waited a
full four days to resurrect Lazarus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jesus cried out "Lazarus,
come out" (John 11:43). He must have nearly shouted it since "cried
out" is indicative of speaking at the top of His lungs, so that everyone
there could hear His command and His voice and there would be no doubt.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was dead too…dead in my
trespasses. I could not resurrect myself from the wages of sin any more than
Lazarus could make himself come to life (Rom 6:23). I had earned the death
penalty and just like my wife's battery could not start her car, I could not
bring life to my own self. I needed something outside of myself.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There is effectual power in
Jesus' commands to rise and live again. As He told them, "I am the
resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though
they die" (John 11:25). In fact, if Jesus had not mentioned Lazarus by
name and specifically call out "Lazarus", all who were in their
graves would have come out and been raised to life because Jesus has that power
as God. Someday He will shout "come forth" and all who are in their
graves and are asleep in the Lord will rise again…some to eternal life and some
to eternal judgment (Dan 12:22). At that time, Jesus will even defeat death
itself (Rev. 20:14). For believer's, the grave is not our final resting place
but it is resurrection ground.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">"And you, who were dead in
your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together
with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses" ( Col 2:13). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Jack Wellmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06606703371851333824noreply@blogger.com0