Doingit 4 Jesus Christ

God over good & evil

2010-10-31T18:47:00.000-07:00

It is easy for Christians to give God praise during the good times. However, we are not told to give God glory, praise and honour only in good times. We are to give God glory, praise and honour at all times.

It is not an option but it is something we have to learn. Paul said he had to learn contentment. We also must learn this.

How can a Christian be content in seemingly bad times? By recognizing that all things come from the Lord, whether we might perceive them as good or evil. Job 2:10

God works all things together for good. God does not just work the good things, but He also works the seemingly bad things for the good of those who love Him. He does this because He has called them according to His purpose, which is to conform them to the image of His Son Jesus Christ. Romans 8:28-30

Therefore, just as God the Father ordained seemingly bad things in the life of His Son, He also ordains and brings to pass seemingly bad things in the life of His children, to make them like His only begotten Son.

Take the most wicked sin that ever took place: the murder of Jesus Christ. This was done by wicked men, sinful men, doing evil. God ordained it and determined it and brought it to come to pass. Acts 2:23 (foreknowledge is not looking through time to see what would happen, but is actually determining ahead of time what would happen). Acts 4:28

God also predestines and determines what will take place in lives of His children. Ephesians 1:11

So then, the question isn't 'why did this happen', but 'will I trust that the Lord is working even this thing for my good?'

When we have this Biblical perspective of our trials we will find comfort in knowing that God meant even this for our good. This is why Christians have peace that transcends understanding. It is because their trust is in God the Father through Jesus the Son, by the working of the Holy Spirit in their hearts and minds.

The dangers of Ecumenicalism

2010-03-08T18:32:00.000-08:00

As a Christian and as a Pastor, I research movements, to seek to determine whether they are from God or whether they are from the devil for my own protection, and for the protection of those whom God has called me to shepherd. In researching Ecumenicalism, I came across the following document written by a former Catholic Nun.

The following document is a bit lengthy, but it will profit you to have knowledge of the deception that truly exists so that you are not mislead. If you find it too long to read in one sitting, read it in chunks over a few days. But please, do not be ignorant to the devices of the devil. Some of the language in the article is a bit difficult, but slog your way through it to glean those things that are abundantly clear.

A brief summary for those who might not read the article: The Catholic Church continues to stand against salvation by faith by grace and condemns those who believe this with an anathema. This condemns all Bible believing Christians who believe:
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

The movement is directed by Catholics to bring people back to the "true faith". (in quotes, because those who uphold the true catholic faith are working their way into heaven, which Paul calls "another gospel." Galatians 1:6-9 There, Paul pronounces an anathema upon those who teach this false gospel.

The motive and intention may seem good, but the deception behind the movement indicates that it is not for the good of Christians.

This is why it is so important for you and I to fully comprehend the true and only Gospel, the faith, the grace of our God.

---------------------

Ecumenism and the Council of Trent

Mary Ann Collins
(A Former Catholic Nun)
December 2001

There is a hidden agenda behind the ecumenical movement. Official Catholic documents from the Second Vatican Council show that the purpose behind ecumenism is to bring Christians who are not Catholics (i.e., Protestants and Orthodox) back into the Catholic Church.

The Council of Trent anathematized every Christian who disagrees with any detail of Catholic doctrine. These anathemas have never been cancelled. An anathema means that the Pope has ritually placed someone under a solemn ecclesiastical curse which is intended to send them to hell. (Anathemas will be explained more fully later in this paper.)

VATICAN II AND ECUMENISM

The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) wrote 16 official documents. It also gave some groups of experts the task of working out the details of how to apply the principles and directives of the Council. These groups of men wrote official "post conciliar" documents to more fully elaborate what had been written by the Council. The conciliar and post conciliar documents are published together in the same two-volume work.

The Council's "Decree on Ecumenism" states that ecumenical activity cannot result in changing any aspect of the Catholic faith. [Note 1] This foundational principle is reflected in the post conciliar documents dealing with ecumenism.

For example, Post Conciliar Document No. 42 says that the purpose of ecumenism is to transform the thinking and behavior of non-Catholics so that eventually all Christians will be united in one Church. It states, "This unity, we believe, dwells in the Catholic Church." [Note 2]

In other words, "unity" means that all Christians will become Roman Catholics.

As we will see later in this paper, reaching out in a friendly, respectful way to "separated brethren" seems inconsistent with the Council of Trent.

THE COUNCIL OF TRENT

The Council of Trent (1545-1564) was the Roman Catholic Church's response to the Protestant Reformation. It took every single doctrine that Protestants believe, one at a time, and declared that anybody who believes even one of them is "anathema" (officially and ritually cursed in an attempt to condemn them to hell). (The ritual will be described later in this paper.)

It also defined Catholic doctrines, detail by detail, and declared that anybody who denies even one of these details is anathema. These include the authority of the Pope, the practice of indulgences, veneration of Mary and the saints, and the use of statues. So the Council of Trent anathematizes all non-Catholic Christians, both Protestants and Orthodox.

Following is an example of one of these declarations: "If anyone says that Christ received in the Eucharist is received spiritually only and not also sacramentally and really, let him be anathema." ("Canons on the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist," Canon 8). What does "really" mean? Canon 1 declares that the communion bread is "truly, really and substantially" the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ. (And if you don't believe this, then you are anathema.) [Note 3 gives links to articles which have extensive quotations from the Council of Trent, including a web site that has the entire document.]

ANATHEMAS

According to "The Catholic Encyclopedia," the word "anathema" means "cursed and devoted to destruction". When the Roman Catholic Church anathematizes someone, it officially declares that the person is condemned to hell. [Note 4 gives a link to the article, which describes the ritual and gives quotations from it.]

There is a solemn written ritual for doing this. The Catholic Church believes that God has given it the power and the authority to keep people out of Heaven, and to condemn them to hell.

In pronouncing the anathema, the Pope wears special vestments. He is assisted by twelve priests holding lighted candles. Calling on the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Pope pronounces a solemn ecclesiastical curse. He ends by declaring, "We judge him condemned to eternal fire with Satan and his angels and all the reprobate". The priests reply, "Fiat! Fiat! Fiat!" and throw down their candles.

OFFICIAL MODERN ENDORSEMENT OF
THE COUNCIL OF TRENT

The declarations and anathemas of the Council of Trent have never been cancelled. On the contrary, the decrees of the Council of Trent are confirmed by both the Second Vatican Council and the official "Catechism of the Catholic Church".

The documents of the Second Vatican Council cite the Council of Trent as an authority for doctrinal statements, both in the text and in the notes. The "Dogmatic Constitution on the Church" states that the Second Vatican Council "proposes again the decrees of" three previous councils, one of which is the Council of Trent. [Note 5] The "Decree on the Training of Priests" says that the Second Vatican Council was "continuing the work begun by the Council of Trent". [Note 6]

"The Catechism of the Catholic Church" was written for the purpose of summarizing the essential and basic teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. It was approved by Pope John Paul II in 1992 and the English translation was released in 1994. Another English edition was printed in 2000. It has numbered paragraphs, and has been published in many languages.

The Council of Trent is mentioned in seventy-five paragraphs of the "Catechism" in a positive, authoritative way, and some paragraphs mention it two or three times. Paragraph 9 of the "Catechism" says that the Council of Trent was the origin of Catholic Catechisms. The other 74 paragraphs in the "Catechism" which mention it either cite the Council of Trent as an authoritative source which supports their doctrinal statements, or else use phrases such as, "We therefore, hold, with the Council of Trent, that...". [Note 7]

RELATED ISSUES

According to "The Catholic Encyclopedia," a person's religious belief is "outside the realm of free private judgment". This is consistent with the spirit behind the anathemas of the Council of Trent. [Note 8 gives a link to this article.]

In his opening speech to the Second Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII said that the Catholic Church has always opposed "errors" (disagreement with Roman Catholic doctrine). He said that the Catholic Church has often "condemned them with the greatest severity," but these days it "prefers to make use of the medicine of mercy rather than that of severity." The Pope said that the Catholic Church is presently dealing with "errors" by demonstrating the validity of Catholic teaching, rather than by "condemnations". [Note 9 has a link to this speech.]

The Catholic Church has never renounced its past practice of killing people that it considers to be heretics. On the contrary, the Office of the Inquisition still exists. It is part of the Vatican Curia. In 1965, its name was changed to "The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith". It is headed by Cardinal Ratzinger. [Note 10]

The present Pope (John Paul II) has issued a new edition of Roman Catholic Canon Law. According to Canon 752, whenever the Pope or the college of bishops makes a declaration concerning faith or morals, Catholics are required to give "a religious submission of the intellect and will" to it. Furthermore, they must "take care to avoid those things which do not agree with it". [Note 11]

According to Canon 1311, the Catholic Church has the right "to coerce members of the Christian faithful by means of penal sanctions". [Note 12]

On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. After defining the dogma, the Pope said that if any person dares to "think otherwise than as has been defined by us" they thereby shipwreck their faith, are cut off from the Church, and stand condemned because of it. The Pope went on to say that if any person says, or writes, or in any other way outwardly expresses "the errors he thinks in his heart," then they thereby "subject themselves to the penalties established by law". [Note 13 gives a link to this papal bull.]

The Pope's reference to legal penalties is significant because a man had been executed for heresy 28 years before this papal bull was issued. In 1826, a Spanish schoolmaster was hanged because he substituted the phrase "Praise be to God" in place of "Ave Maria" ("Hail Mary") during school prayers. [Note 14]

On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII issued a papal bull defining the dogma of the Assumption of Mary. He ended by saying, "It is forbidden to any man to change this, our declaration, pronouncement, and definition or, by rash attempt, to oppose and counter it." The Pope further declared that any person who attempts to do so thereby incurs the wrath of God and the wrath of the Apostles Peter and Paul. [Note 15 gives a link to this papal bull.]

According to "Webster's Dictionary," "forbidden" means "prohibited; interdicted." "Webster's Dictionary" defines "interdict" as used by the Roman Catholic Church as follows: "A punitive censure restraining certain persons or peoples from the sacraments, Christian burial, etc." The more general meaning of "interdict" is "a prohibitory decree". Although this papal bull doesn't openly threaten "penalties established by law," it still implies the possibility of some form of punishment.

CONCLUSION

The present preference for a gentler approach to people who disagree with Catholic doctrine may explain the apparent discrepancy between the Council of Trent and the ecumenical movement.

The Catholic Church is engaging in ecumenical dialog with Protestants and Orthodox, calling them "separated brethren," and speaking as if it respects their beliefs. But at the same time, behind the scenes, it still officially declares that they are damned to hell because of their beliefs. It still believes that the Roman Catholic Church has the power and the authority to damn people to hell, and it has an official written ritual for doing so.

USE OF THIS ARTICLE

I encourage you to link to this article and/or to put it on your own web site. You have my permission to copy this article, to quote from it, to translate it into other languages, and to incorporate into publications of your own. You have my permission to distribute copies of this article, including selling copies of it for profit. I do not want any royalties or financial remuneration of any kind. You can download this article from my web site (www.CatholicConcerns.com). Please give this information to anybody who might be interested in it.

NOTES

1. "Unitatis Redintegratio ("Decree on Ecumenism"), Paragraph 24. In Austin Flannery (Editor), "Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents," Volume 1, New Revised Edition, fourth printing. Northport, NY: Costello Publishing Company, 1998, page 470.

2. "Reflections and Suggestions Concerning Ecumenical Dialogue" (Post Conciliar Document No. 42). In Austin Flannery (Editor), "Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents," Volume 1, New Revised Edition, fourth printing. Northport, NY: Costello Publishing Company, 1998, pages 540-541. The quotation is on page 541.

3. This article from a Baptist web site gives general information about the Council of Trent. It quotes a number of decrees relating to Evangelical doctrines.
http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/trent.htm

This article is from a Catholic web site which is run by a Catholic priest. It has quotations from the Council of Trent on several subjects, including 11 decrees dealing with communion.
http://www.trosch.org/chu/trent 1.htm

The entire text of the Council of Trent is available on-line at http://history.hanover.edu/texts/trent/ctbull.html

4. "Anathema" in "The Catholic Encyclopedia" (1913 edition), Volume 1. This article is available on-line. The ritual is described in detail, with a lengthy quotation, on pages 2-3 of my print-out.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01455e.htm

5. "Lumen Gentium" ("Dogmatic Constitution on the Church"), paragraph 51. In Austin Flannery (Editor), "Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents," Volume 1, New Revised Edition, fourth printing. Northport, NY: Costello Publishing Company, 1998, page 412.

6. "Optatum Totius" ("Decree on Priestly Training"), Conclusion. In Austin Flannery (Editor), "Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents," Volume 1, New Revised Edition, fourth printing. Northport, NY: Costello Publishing Company, 1998, page 724.

7. You can check this out for yourself. Following are addresses for two web sites which have the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" with a search engine.
http://www.christusrex.org/www2/kerygma/ccc/searchcat.html
http://www.scborromeo.org [click under "Must Know" where it says "The Catechism of the Catholic Church"]

8. "Inquisition" in "The Catholic Encyclopedia" (1913 edition), Volume 8. This article is available on-line. The quotation is from the second paragraph of the article. The Office of the Inquisition is an ecclesiastical institution for suppressing heresy. It is a permanent office with headquarters in Rome (described on pages 1 and 23-24 of my print-out).
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08026a.htm

For a Protestant perspective on the Inquisition, you can go to the following article. It is on the web site of Bart Brewer, who is a former Catholic priest.
http://mtc.org/~bart/inquis.htm

9. The Opening Speech of Pope John XXIII to the Second Vatican Council is available on-line. See the section entitled "How to Repress Errors" (on pages 4-5 of my print-out).
http://www.rc.net/rcchurch/vatican2/j23open.txt

10. Following is a link to an article on the Vatican's web site. http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/index.htm [Click on "Profile".]

11. Canon 752 in "Code of Canon Law," Latin English edition, New English Translation (Washington, DC: Canon Law Society of America, 1988), page 247. This canon is in Book 3, "Teaching Function of the Church".

12. Canon 1311 in "Code of Canon Law," Latin English edition (Washington, DC: Canon Law Society of America, 1988), page 409. This canon is in Part 1 ("Delicts and Penalties in General"), Title 1 ("The Punishment of Delicts in General"). According to "Webster's Dictionary," a "delict" is "an offense against law".

13. "Ineffabilis Deus" ("Apostolic Constitution on the Immaculate Conception"). Encyclical of Pope Pius IX issued December 8, 1854. Near the end of this papal bull there is a section entitled "The Definition". The statements that I described are in the last paragraph of that section. Following are links to two web sites which quote this bull in its entirety.
http://www.newadvent.org/docs/pi09id.htm
http://www.geocities.com/papalencyclicals/Pius09/p9ineff.htm

14. Paul Johnson, "A History of Christianity" (New York: Simon & Schuster, a Touchstone Book, 1995), page 308. Paul Johnson is a prominent historian and a Catholic.

15."Munificentissimus Deus" ("Defining the Dogma of the Assumption"), paragraph 47. Encyclical of Pope Pius XII issued November 1, 1950. This papal bull is available on-line.
http://www.geocities.com/papalencyclicals/Pius12/P12MUNIF.HTM

Updated messages

2010-02-14T14:07:00.000-08:00

If you follow this blog and were interested in the messages at the bottom of the page, I recently updated the link to "broadcast" the messages from Rivers Baptist Church in Rivers Manitoba where I am now pastoring.

Follow up to "Managing Your Lusts & Desires"

2010-01-26T12:02:00.000-08:00

Lusts and desires are revelations of the heart. The heart loves, and that love is demonstrated in action. It is only by the gospel of God through Jesus Christ the Lord that the desires or love of the heart is changed.

The promise of the gospel is that a sinner shall be cleansed, given a new heart, and a new spirit, and thus caused to walk in the ways of God, not out of compulsion, but out of the desires of the heart. Ezek. 36:25-27 Thus, to the regenerated and converted soul, the commands of God are no longer grievous, but a joy. 1John 5:3

The process begins when the sinner is born again, born from above, and the process continues through the remainder of the saints life, looking forward to the day when they shall be thoroughly transformed, reformed, and conformed into the image of Jesus Christ their Lord. John 3:3, 5, Romans 12:1-2, 1Cor. 15:52-53

But, for us now, we must ask our self, "am I being transformed?" It is one thing to claim to be a Christian, but it is quite another to walk as Jesus walked. Matthew 7:21-23 versus 1John 2:6

Again, this does not mean we are thoroughly transformed or reformed, but it does mean that transformation and reformation are taking place. We cannot claim that we are being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ if we are continuing our life unchanged from before we professed faith in Jesus Christ.

True faith in Jesus Christ looks to Jesus Christ for salvation, justification, sanctification, and as Lord over the life. As true faith looks to Jesus, the person with true faith is changed into the same image from glory to glory (seeing afresh and anew the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ) by the Spirit of the Lord who was sent to reveal Jesus to His people. 2Corinthians 3:18, John 16:14

Change shall take place for those in Christ Jesus. It is so sure that past tense verbs are used in Romans 8:29-30.

So, the question you and I need to answer is: Is your faith in Jesus Christ a transforming faith? This is a critical question having eternal consequences, so ponder the answer deeply. May the Lord grant you eyes to examine yourself, whether you are in the faith. 2Corinthians 13:5 Because, there is only One faith. John 14:6

Managing your lusts or desires

2009-12-15T07:59:00.001-08:00

The word translated "lust" or "lusts" in Scripture (King James Version) usually is the same word that is translated desires. Paul has a desire to depart and be with Christ, and he warns and exhorts Christian saints to put off the old man and his lusts. The same Greek word is used.

Desires are not evil on their own. What marks them as evil is what they are set upon. John makes this clear in 1John 2:15 where he writes, "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world".

Our love and our desires are tied together, brought out by what John writes next: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Therefore we have a basis for evaluating and managing our lusts.

We are going to desire what we love. This is why John puts love before the desires of lusts. However, it would be wrong to begin with love. To evaluate our love we must first look at our desires. Why? Because you can say "I love the Lord" but your desires may be those of the dead nature. You can say I love the truth, but your desires may lead you to continue to lie or hold on to a lie in your beliefs so that you can continue in a certain sin.

Your desires reveal what you love. This is why we must first inspect our desires.

Next, we have to evaluate our desires and classify them as either those that are "of the Father" or those that are "of the world".

Here we may want to seek to identify "of the world" by some objective standard. It is easy to look out at the world and subjectively deny something as being "of the world" because it is something we crave. This must be avoided if we are to properly and objectively identify "of the world" so that we can root it out of our heart.

1John 3:4 is that objective standard. "of the world" is that which is against God, and sin is that which is against God. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Sin is against God, and it is the transgression of the law of God.

Now we have objective standards to evaluate our desires. Sin and the law.

Some here may make a point of saying that the law has changed. However, the clear teaching of Scripture is that the moral law given to Israel at Sinai (Exodus 20) is also the same law given to God's spiritual Israel, the Church.

I hope that I've not lost anyone by this point. I am not presenting the law and sin as a means of obtaining God's righteousness. They are a measure to identify the desires of our hearts. Are we continuing to walk in the ways of the old man, the old sinful nature, or are we walking in the ways of the new man, the ways of the new spiritual nature. Paul says the law is spiritual, and it is for sinners of which he says he is chief. It is not to crush us down under condemnation, but to help us to evaluate whether we are walking in the flesh or walking in the Spirit.

It in turn will help us to cry out to God in humility as we come to see once again that we cannot save ourself from the wretchedness of sin, but that we are completely saved by grace by faith.

Because of the length of this post, I will end here and continue at some point in the future.

Look at your desires against God's standard and identify in your own heart whether they are of the world or of the Father, and where you see they are of the world, cry out to God for mercy and forgiveness. Remember, John says in this same book that "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

We need not despair when we sin. We need to confess and cry out to God for mercy as we did in the beginning of our walk in faith.

Lord bless you in Christ Jesus.

Trust in God during your trials

2009-08-20T15:05:00.001-07:00

All that goes on in this life is to test our trust in God, and cause us to trust in God if we are a believer.

What especially will do that? Trials, afflictions, sorrows, persecutions. It is in the midst of these that our faith is challenged.

Our normal human response would be something like this:
"Why am I going through this? Has God forsaken me? Am I in the midst of terrible sin?"

The apostle Paul reveals that we ought to understand our sufferings in a very different way when he writes:
2 Corinthians 1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

The point of Paul's suffering was not that God had forsaken him or that he was being punished for sin, but so that he would trust in God and not in himself.

This is also what he means by these verses later in the same epistle:
2 Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

In his weakness, not trusting in himself, he found strength in grace, the power of Christ, that comes by trusting in God through Jesus Christ. So, once again, Paul's suffering was not due to God's forsaking of him or a punishment of sin, but a demonstration of the benefits of trusting in God through Jesus Christ.

The next time you are called to suffer, do not take it as a sign of God's departure from you, or that God is punishing you for your sins. If you believe, your sins were punished on the cross. God's purpose in this suffering is that you would learn to trust in Him even more than you do now or did before the suffering came.

By grace through faith

2009-08-09T06:41:00.000-07:00

The way God saves never changes: Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Salvation has a past component: 'the Lord saved me on such a such a date'
Salvation has a present component: you are being saved by the Lord
Salvation has a future component: those that confess Jesus and believe in their heart shall be saved
He that believes and is baptized shall be saved....

In all of this, salvation is by grace through faith. It is never due to our works at any time. As Christians, we shall have works, yet those works are never saving us, nor should they ever be purposed to obtain God's favour, but instead, in true faith, are and only should be because God is saving us as a gift, and because we already have and will forever have the favour of God.

A gift is never earned, and when a gift is received, you do not turn around to pay the person who gave it to you. Then it would no longer be a gift.

God gave the gift by grace because you and I could never do enough works to earn the gift, and because all we could do would only and ever earn eternal death and damnation.

Praise God for His wonderful gift of grace.

Bible giveaway

2009-08-04T07:46:00.000-07:00

Logos/Libronix, a great Bible software company, is giving away Bibles. For more information, go to http://bible.logos.com/content/giveaway#content=giveaway

Logos Bible Software is celebrating the launch of their new online Bible by giving away 72 ultra-premium print Bibles at a rate of 12 per month for six months. The Bible giveaway is being held at Bible.Logos.com and you can get up to five different entries each month! After you enter, be sure to check out Logos and see how it can revolutionize your Bible study.

Identifying with Christ in a world full of idolatry

2009-08-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

Is there something you could be threatened with that would cause you to recant (turn away from) your faith in Jesus Christ? Loss of job, home, ability to work and earn a living, health, friends, social standing, or your life? Where would you draw the line? Would you be willing to give up all these things rather than give up your faith in Jesus Christ?

This is the ultimate test isn't it. Yet, this is what Jesus Christ expects of His people should that test be presented to them. It was something the church at Smyrna would have to endure. Rev. 2:8-11 Yet, it was not only expected of them, but is expected of all God's people. Those of us in North America do not fully comprehend this. We may mouth the words, but I do not believe we can truly relate to what our brothers and sisters are enduring in other lands.

Sermon audio news reported that a woman was executed for distributing the Bible in North Korea. Would you be willing to die for passing the Bible out? Those who endure persecution to death for Christ's sake receive the crown of life rather than being faced with the second death.

Sometimes, to spur us on, God speaks about the worse punishment to help His people measure the punishment that this world threatens with. The punishment this world threatens with is the first death. The punishment God promises to those who do not confess Christ is the second death. Jesus Himself says He will deny those before His Father who denied Him before men.

Do not deny Him, but confess Him to the world regardless of the cost in this life. The prize of eternal life is worth more than anything that this world has to offer, including your own life.

Following Christ

2009-06-27T06:25:00.000-07:00

Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

The cross centered life is necessary to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. This means regularly putting our own will, our own desires to death.

Jesus says that to come after Him is to deny self: to follow Jesus is to put self to death.

Let the reader heed this thought and put it into practice and not be deceived by the many ways of "Christianity" in our day. There are always wolves in sheeps' clothing which want to have the world and claim Christ also. The daily pursuits are self centered rather than Christ centered. Christ is like the icing to their cake rather than the cake and the icing.

The cross is an instrument of death. Jesus says that if you are not putting yourself to death daily, you are not coming after Him and not following Him. Think about that for a while. Disciples put themselves to death daily to follow Jesus.

Taking up your own cross is the result of you coming to Jesus Christ's cross. Faith in Jesus Christ exhibits itself in this way of selfless love toward God and others. Genuine, sincere faith is busy thinking about the needs of others in relation to God.

Jesus lived a cross centered life demonstrated in love toward others because of His love for His Father. Those being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ shall also demonstrate loving faith in this way.

No Kingdom without THE Tribulation

2009-05-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

We are currently studying the book of Revelation in our evening study time. The messages are online at www.northwoodsbaptist.com

In Revelation 1:9 John writes:
I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The phrase "tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience" is very important in understanding what John is writing about in this book. Unfortunately many things are not evident in the English.

In the Greek, the article is before tribulation, and all of the nouns, tribulation, kingdom, and patience are in the same case as the article, indicating that this whole phrase functions as a unit. This means that the tribulation, kingdom and patience cannot be separated in John's (inspired by God) thought. Therefore, it is foreign to John and God Himself that the tribulation and the kingdom could be separated, along with the patience.

Those who separate the tribulation from the kingdom, therefore, twist the Scriptures.

It is also quite important to understand this if you are a professing Christian. If your aim is the kingdom, you should know that you are in the tribulation of which John writes.

John himself identifies himself as a partaker in the tribulation, kingdom and patience, and all those who are in Jesus Christ, are his brothers and companions in all three, tribulation, kingdom and patience.

Do not be deceived by those who separate the tribulation and kingdom. Do not be deceived by those who say the tribulation is yet future. It is now.

2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Matthew 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

The Spotless Bride being made Spotless

2009-05-11T19:31:00.000-07:00

Jesus Christ gave His life to bring to Himself a Spotless Bride, the Church. She is not spotless now, practically speaking, but she is spotless positionally, by justifying faith.

The Cross has a power in the life of those for whom it was planned and accomplished. The faith of God's elect in Jesus Christ, obtains God's righteousness imputed, and the same faith, continued until death or until He comes, obtains God's righteousness practically.

The faith that looks upon Jesus Christ on the Cross and receives salvation, is the same faith which beholds the face of Jesus Christ and is transformed from glory to glory. By beholding the Lord of glory in His Word, the saints of God are being conformed to His image, the image of the Son of God, and are being transformed by the renewing of their mind to approve of God's will, because they behold it in the life of Jesus Christ.

What a thrill to contemplate our position; perfect righteousness of God.
What a thrill to contemplate our transition; to a life filled with the perfect righteousness of God.

All to the praise & glory & honour of Him who gave His life, that we might be made spotless, without blemish, holy, to be presented to Him, the Great Bridegroom.

From hearers & doers to judges over God's Word

2009-05-03T15:25:00.001-07:00

I recently went away to a Bible Conference & heard great preaching. What made it great preaching? The Bible was preached. It made me think though, about all who talked during the conference, and those who talk in our own Churches.

Are we to judge the preachers, whether they were good, or are we to determine whether the word was preached, and then apply it to our own lives? Ezekiel 33:30-33 gives us an idea of which is our responsibility. If God's messenger brings God's Word, God's people are not to talk about the preacher but about how to live God's Word.

Talking about the preacher, people will quickly find fault and excuse themselves from living and practicing what they heard.

Changes the way preaching ought to be viewed.

The Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ

2009-03-31T05:04:00.001-07:00

Paul writes on the difficulty of the understanding the application of the Old Covenant in 2Corinthians 3 and explains how a right understanding of its application is found in the New Covenant through Jesus Christ.

We had a guest preacher bring a message on this text this past Lord's Day, and as he went through the text, some important things crystallized.

The problem was not with the covenant, but with the people. Jeremiah 31:31-34 highlights this. They were hardened & blinded, having a veil over their spiritual eyes, their heart, thus they could not rightly obey God in the Old Covenant. Thus, our God and Father through our Lord Jesus Christ, brought in the New Covenant in His blood, by which, all who are in the New Covenant, such as Abel, Enoch and Noah, have been able to see the same glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, as saints since the cross.

God's mercy & goodness shine forth through the Lord Jesus Christ, whereas, with a veil over the heart, man turns that which is by faith into a system of works. Those who have had the veil removed turn to the Lord and through His Spirit changing them from glory to glory are made into the same image of their Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, as you behold Christ in the New Covenant, beholding His glory, you are being made glorious, because you are being made like Him. What an amazing thought and not just a thought, but an actual reality for all those who behold the glory of Jesus Christ.

Holiness of Jesus Christ

2009-03-16T12:48:00.000-07:00

This week, considering the firstfruit and root which results in the lump and branches being made holy, I considered who this pictured, the Lord Jesus Christ, and what the Bible had to say about holiness.

Holiness is not just sinless righteousness. Two examples in Scripture demonstrate this clearly.

The first example is creation. God made all His creation and gave Adam & Eve sinless righteous tasks of dominion over the creation, filling it, caring for it, and caring for one another. This is before sin is introduced remember. Then the LORD God commands the sanctifying of the 7th day. It is to be set apart; but how? The 4th commandment in Exodus 20 says to keep the day holy, set apart from the other 6, which were to also be kept sinless & righteously. Holiness is higher, because holiness points to God, thus it is called the Lord's Day.

The second example makes this clear. In Isaiah 6, seraphim, majestic creatures, are before the throne of God crying Holy, holy, holy. These creatures are in the LORD's presence praising Him. From this, we deduce they are sinless and righteous, for they praise the LORD. Yet, they praise the LORD Jehovah as Holy, holy, holy, thereby identifying holiness as transcending the sinless righteousness of His creatures.

Can we comprehend His holiness? No. It is beyond what we can think and imagine. I cannot think of keeping 6 sinless days, let alone a day holy to the Lord. I cannot know nor understand what these majestic seraphim are like or look like, much less the LORD's holiness. Yet, that does not mean we should not ask for understanding nor keep His day holy. We must instead cry out to God for help.

By the way, the Lord & LORD in Isaiah 6 is the Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in John 12:41

The Holiness of Jesus Christ is beyond human comprehension - it will take an eternity to comprehend what we believe and confess by faith

Praying in detail

2009-03-05T07:03:00.000-08:00

Sometimes in our praying we pray in generalities. "Please help us & guide us in our decisions". When we pray, we need to be specific about what those generalities mean.

The reason is as we get specific, our God will answer specifics and display His glory and give you opportunity to glorify Him before others as you spell out how God answers the details.

My family and I have a family prayer time after our devotional time, and many of our prayer requests seem to be in generalities. I recently determined to take one of those line items and broaden it into the specifics so that as we prayed it, God knew and we knew what we meant, so that when the answers came, we would know that it was of God.

The answers came, and came in specific ways to address our specific requests, and beyond, because God goes beyond what we can think and ask.

Pray in detail

Grace beyond description

2009-03-02T09:09:00.000-08:00

As I grow in the faith, the grace of God, through His Son, sparkles more brightly, and dazzles my gaze more fully.

The reason for this is I come to know God's holiness, righteousness and justice more through prayer, the study of His Word and revelation of the Holy Spirit illuminating these things to my soul.

At the same time, my depravity, the inherent sin, living in my old nature still clinging to me in this life, also becomes clearer. My inability to please God remains the same, but sight into this inability becomes clearer, and therefore, the glory of God's grace shines brighter.

It is no wonder that after Paul has written "who shall deliver me from the body this of death" that He is able also to say: I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Praise our Father for His grace through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ

Worldliness: resisting the seduction of a fallen world

2009-02-27T05:53:00.000-08:00

This is a book review of Worldliness: resisting the seduction of a fallen world edited by C.J. Mahaney.

Do want to know how to keep yourself from worldliness? It is a must if you are a Christian, for the love of the world and the love of the Father (God) are polar opposites. You either love God or the world, therefore, your eternity is at stake.

This book helps you identify areas where you may be involved in worldliness which could ultimately lead to you falling away and turning to love this world and depart from the faith. Don't let that happen to you, read this book, and examine your life in prayer.

It excellently examines all areas of life, without getting into legalism, but points to love & devotion to God and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only true reason to do anything, including avoiding worldliness.

Book review

2009-02-19T06:21:00.000-08:00

I recently finished "Do Hard Things" by the Harris twins (Alex & Brett?). It is written for teens (no such category in the Bible) with a focus on prompting them not to waste their lives by dropping down to the standard of the North American society. Bible expectations are much higher than those of society, and this is brought out by only looking back at recent history.

15 year old girls were considered ready for marriage. 15 year old boys were considered ready for the army. An 11 year old girl started nursing and went on to form the Red Cross....

The book is excellent for young people, parents, pastors and Sunday school teachers, to ensure that we as a Church do not lower the standard/expectations we have on young people, but raise the bar to where they are in God's Word!

Book review

2009-02-19T06:18:00.000-08:00

I finished Unity of the Bible by Daniel Fuller a while ago. It is an excellent book that somehow all Christians should read to give them the proper perspective of the whole Bible and how God has always worked by faith (Hebrews 11). This seems to get missed when the reader gets to Exodus 20 to think that a system of works is introduced.

The last few verses of Romans 9 and first few of Romans 10 say that a system of works was NEVER introduced, but those in the flesh turn a system of faith into a system of works.

I would recommend this book to anyone who can get their hands on it.

Focus of this new year

2009-01-09T06:22:00.000-08:00

The focus of this year is to seek God diligently because He is and those who come to Him believe (faith) that He is and the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

May this be the focus and cry of all God's people through this year.

Bible Study Magazine

2009-01-01T12:37:00.000-08:00

I was recently sent a copy of the new Bible Study Magazine with the idea that I would review it and put this review online where it could be read.

Overall, the magazine is a high quality publication. I enjoyed all the articles, especially those which would help the average Christian to be strengthened, encouraged and helped in their walk with the Lord and equip them to better study and understand God's Word.

A negative was the presentation of a controversial topic, "Choosing a Bible Translation." The reason I believe it was a negative was that rather than have presentations from both sides to leave the reader to decide for themselves, there was only one side presented, indicating that the editor of the magazine made the decision for the reader. I would suggest that future articles that deal with controversial issues have articles from both sides of the issue to leave the reader to make the decision for themselves.

Other than this, I would highly recommend the magazine for those who seriously seek after God, to know Him and Jesus Christ whom He sent.

You can subscribe at http://www.biblestudymagazine.com

Pastor, Northwoods Baptist Church

God's focus is on His glory by saving His people

2008-12-04T18:46:00.000-08:00

God is working out His purpose of glorifying His name in this world and life by saving His people, causing them to turn to Him by giving them a new heart and spirit, and causing them to walk in His ways. Because it is God's work, He gets the glory.

It is amazing how God can combine so many things into one "package". While He is working all things to His glory, He is also saving His people revealing His grace.

Oh to know God more, which is eternal life...are you alive?

What God is doing

2008-11-04T05:23:00.000-08:00

Looking to God we see One who has all things in His hands. He has created all things, He sustains all things, and one day, He will culminate His redemption plan with the destruction of this world and the ushering in of a new heavens and earth where in dwells righteousness. No sin.

God's ways are not our ways, neither are His thoughts our thoughts. Oh, may the God who is doing, do in our heart to fully make our ways and thought His ways and thoughts.

At Christ's return and in heaven, this process will be completed, so that we shall be with Him in perfect harmony and fellowship.

What God is doing is marvelous.

Camp 2008

2008-09-11T19:30:00.001-07:00

Our camp was quite a blessing. The Lord used His Word to the edification of the saints as well as the preaching & conversations to the adding to the saints. During camp and directly after there were at least three young people who professed salvation by the Lord.

Our God is the God who delights in mercy. He gives mercy as He wills, which results in the salvation of sinners.

Fair Christianity

2008-08-22T05:10:00.000-07:00

Recently many from the Church went to the fair. We had a "booth" set up where we handed out books and had a video running on biblical evangelism.

There were some good conversations mentioned among those who went. May the Lord be pleased to use those conversations to the salvation of souls.

A good book in my library

2008-07-14T19:59:00.001-07:00

I have been reading "9 Marks of a healthy Church" by Mark Dever. I don't think any Churches in Rhinelander measure up to all the marks. My hope is that Lord would cause us to grow in the areas where we are currently lacking and become a healthy Church. We do not have that far to go, and the Lord is able.

The 1st Mark is expository preaching. The 2nd is Biblical Theology. The 3rd is the Gospel and the 4th is a proper view of conversion. The next mark is a Biblical understanding of evangelism.

The gospel & a proper view of conversion come from a proper Biblical Theology. Most Churches in Rhinelander do not have a proper Biblical Theology. God is the Creating, Holy, Faithful, Loving & Sovereign God. Most Churches fall short in one or more of these areas, especially the last one. They may use the term, but they usually mean something different by it.

The Church is made up of Christians. It is not the building but the people. These 9 Marks then are what identify a true Christian. Obviously the 1st Mark has to do with the preacher, but the others so far have to do with the beliefs of the Church, which means the beliefs of the members.

The point then is that a Christian should be working on these marks, if they are to be a healthy Christian. Do you listen to expository preaching? Do you have a biblical theology? Do you know the gospel? Do you have a biblical understanding of conversion and evangelism?

Are you a healthy Christian?

Lots of different opinions, only one has TRUE HOPE

2008-07-14T19:55:00.000-07:00

Talking to folks on the streets of Rhinelander about their souls the answer most often given to the question "Will you go to heaven when you die" is "I hope so." It is like people have no concern for their soul, and are going to take a gamble that their eternity is going to work out fine. It seems much like a lottery then. If I win I win, if I don't I don't and there is nothing I really can do about it.

This is the spiritual malaise that exists in the nation as a whole. "There are so many religions, how can I know which one is right?" This question is the basis for the hopelessness. As Christians we need to witness to the only way that does give hope, the only truth that exists, and the only "religion" that offers proof that it is the right way.

I say "religion" because it is about a relationship, with God through the person of Jesus Christ. Religion is so often about what you can & cannot do, and Christianity contains those, but their basis rests in the relationship with Jesus Christ. When that is held in high esteem, then the do's & don'ts fall into place (they are a result of the relationship). Religion puts the do's & don'ts first. Christianity puts Jesus Christ first.

Back to the issue of dealing with hopelessness: this nation needs Christians to witness more regularly, more boldly, more vocally to the hope that is found in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the only One who has not remained in the grave (Joseph Smith, Ellen G. Whyte, Mohammed, Budha, Confusios, etc...all remain dead in the grave.) Over 500 witnessed a resurrected Jesus. A harvard law professor has stated the Gospel's would be admissable in court. The witness to Christianity & its hope exists. There is much more that could be said!

Fruit from recent efforts & other all things

2008-07-07T09:10:00.000-07:00

A couple came on Sunday whom Ken & David had spoken to in the mobile home park. This stirs the hearts toward getting out more.

After going out with Justin and another young man, the other young man spent a couple of hours talking to me about his concern of some of NBC's beliefs. Fortunately the Lord gave me the answer in His Word to all of his questions. Hopefully this will result in belief of God's Word for this young man.

My glasses broke on Tuesday, so I took them along with my broken spare glasses to Express Eyeware at Triggs Mall and they repaired both for free. Another case of something that looks bad turning out to good.

2008-06-28T12:08:00.001-07:00

The Lord is working all things together for the good of His people always. Romans 8:28 Due to our limitations we do not always see it.

This Wednesday (June 25) the Lord revealed His working. It was getting very hot, 77F, when I checked at 1p.m. and so I decided to go home to install the window air conditioner so my family would not be too hot. When I went into the basement I found a puddle and found out that the pipe going out to the sewer was blocked. It wasn't there a couple of days before when I went down into the basement, so this was recent. Mr. Rooter came and got things unblocked.

Thanks to the Lord for increasing the temperature, which led me to go home to find the mess earlier. If it had of been a couple of days later, the mess would have been bigger and the damage greater.

Last week's fun

2008-06-23T18:56:00.000-07:00

Ken & David went out on Saturday June 14th, going through one of the mobile home parks in Rhinelander, knocking on doors and spreading the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Tuesday June 17th, Mike and I went out talking to folks in downtown Rhinelander. We had a couple of good discussions, and also a couple of discussions where people wanted to talk about religion in general. Those folks just want you to talk and talk and talk and talk....and they do not want the conversation to be concentrated on salvation through Jesus Christ but on many other things. They are like talkative in Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.

When you encounter someone like that, don't let them manipulate the conversation by steering you away from Christ. The best thing to do is to keep getting the conversation back to Jesus Christ and their need for Him.

Time for reaching out with the gospel

2008-06-23T16:57:00.000-07:00

Jesus Christ deserves to be made famous in Rhinelander. (Spelling is Canadian. ) Although we have lived in the USA for almost 5 years, my spelling has not changed.

The weather is no longer a hindrance. Health is no longer a hindrance. There are even some young folks interested in getting out and sowing the seeds of God's amazing grace. This gets me excited. When God's word is spoken, no matter where, I get excited.

Doingit 4 Jesus Christ

God over good & evil

The dangers of Ecumenicalism

Updated messages

Follow up to "Managing Your Lusts & Desires"

Managing your lusts or desires

Trust in God during your trials

By grace through faith

Bible giveaway

Identifying with Christ in a world full of idolatry

Following Christ

No Kingdom without THE Tribulation

The Spotless Bride being made Spotless

From hearers & doers to judges over God's Word

The Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ

Holiness of Jesus Christ

Praying in detail

Grace beyond description

Worldliness: resisting the seduction of a fallen world

Book review

Book review

Focus of this new year

Bible Study Magazine

God's focus is on His glory by saving His people

What God is doing

Camp 2008

Fair Christianity

More fruit of Gospel presentation

A good book in my library

Lots of different opinions, only one has TRUE HOPE

Fruit from recent efforts & other all things

Last week's fun

Time for reaching out with the gospel