Posted on 01/27/2008 7:56:14 PM PST by Manfred the Wonder Dawg
January 25, 2008
ESV Romans 1:16 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.
In recent days I have spent time in Lima and Sullana Peru and Mexico City and I have discovered that people by nature are the same. Man has a heart that is inclined to selfishness and idolatry. Sin abounds in the remotest parts of the land because the heart is desperately wicked. Thousands bow before statues of Mary and pray to her hoping for answers. I have seen these people stare hopelessly at Mary icons, Jesus icons, and a host of dead saints who will do nothing for them. I have talked with people who pray to the pope and say that they love him. I talked with one lady who said that she knew that Jesus was the Savior, but she loved the pope. Thousands bow before Santa Muerte (holy death angel) in hopes that she will do whatever they ask her. I have seen people bring money, burning cigarettes, beer, whiskey, chocolate, plants, and flowers to Santa Muerte in hopes of her answers. I have seen these people bowing on their knees on the concrete in the middle of public places to worship their idol. Millions of people come into the Basilica in Mexico City and pay their money, confess their sins, and stare hopelessly at relics in hope that their sins will be pardoned. In America countless thousands are chained to baseball games, football games, material possessions, and whatever else their heart of idols can produce to worship.
My heart has broken in these last weeks because the God of heaven is not honored as he ought to be honored. People worship the things that are created rather than worshiping the Creator. God has been gracious to all mankind and yet mankind has hardened their hearts against a loving God. God brings the rain on the just and unjust. God brings the beautiful sunrises and sunsets upon the just and unjust. God gives good gifts unto all and above all things he has given his Son that those who would believe in him would be saved. However, man has taken the good things of God and perverted them unto idols and turned their attention away from God. I get a feel for Jesus as he overlooked Jerusalem or Paul as he beseeched for God to save Israel. When you accept the reality of the truth of the glory of God is breaks your heart that people would turn away from the great and awesome God of heaven to serve lesser things. Moses was outraged by the golden calf, the prophets passionately preached against idolatry, Jesus was angered that the temple was changed in an idolatrous business, and Paul preached to the idolaters of Mars Hill by telling them of the unknown God.
I arrived back at home wondering how I should respond to all the idolatry that I have beheld in these last three weeks. I wondered how our church here in the states should respond to all of the idolatry in the world. What are the options? First, I suppose we could sit around and hope that people chose to get their life together and stop being idolaters. However, I do not know how that could ever happen apart from them hearing the truth. Second, I suppose we could spend a lifetime studying cultural issues and customs in hope that we could somehow learn to relate to the people of other countries. However, the bible is quite clear that all men are the same. Men are dead in sin, shaped in iniquity, and by nature are the enemies of God. Thirdly, we could pay other people or other agencies to go and do a work for us while we remain comfortably in the states. However, there is no way to insure that there will be doctrinal accuracy or integrity. If we only pay other people to take the gospel we will miss out on all of the benefits of being obedient to the mission of God. Lastly, we could seek where God would have us to do a lasting work and then invest our lives there for the glory of God. The gospel has the power to raise the dead in any culture and we must be willing to take the gospel wherever God would have us take it. It is for sure that our church cannot go to every country and reach every people group, so we must determine where God would have us work and seek to be obedient wherever that is.
It seems that some doors are opening in the Spanish speaking countries below us and perhaps God is beginning to reveal where we are to work. There are some options for work to be partnered with in Peru and there could be a couple of options in Mexico. The need is greater than I can express upon this paper for a biblical gospel to be proclaimed in Peru and Mexico. Oh, that God would glorify his great name in Peru and Mexico by using a small little church in a town that does not exist to proclaim his great gospel amongst a people who desperately need the truth.
I give thanks to the LORD for allowing me the privilege of going to these countries and broadening my horizons. The things that I have seen will be forever engraved upon my heart. I will long remember the pastors that I spent time with in Peru and I will never forget Adolfo who translated for me in Mexico. I will relish the time that I spent with Paul Washer and the others. When I think of church I will forever remember being on top of that mountain in Sullana at that church which had no electricity and no roof. I am convinced that heaven was looking down on that little church on top of that mountain and very few people on earth even know that it exist. Oh, God I pray that the things of this world will continue to grow dim and that God’s people will be caught up in his glorious presence.
Because of the truth: Pastor: J. Randall Easter II Timothy 2:19 "Our God is in heaven and does whatever He pleases."(Ps. 115:3) "He predestined us according to the good pleasure of His will."(Eph. 1:5) Those who have been saved have been saved for His glory and they are being made holy for this is the will of God. Are you being made holy? Spurgeon says, "If your religion does not make you holy it will damn you to hell."
Why are their children starving?
So, who is backing Bush if not the Evangelicals?
We have had labor shortage during WWII as well. The American people bit their lip and forged on. They didn't open the borders and let everyone in; nor were the Americans in those days willing to break the law for the covenience of having someone do the dirty jobs. They cherrished what they had and they fought for it, at home and abroad.
Building a wall will stop the flow across the border, but it does not correct the underlying problem. We have so little regard for life we kill our own
Walls never stopped anyone except those martyred on them. We are going to make outselves into a foretress nation with hundreds of thousands of troops lined up against the wall. East Germany comes to mind!
Americans decided to accept everyting as norm. Now we don't have norms. You can't drive on the left AND on the right. A country has to have norms and limits. Otherwise you have chaos. We have created our standard of living (our of greed) and have sacrificed taking care of our kids. They come home from school and do whatever they want. They are raised by institutions, daycares and what not.
Our society has become so permissive in the name of "acceptance" that we dare not draw a line lest we offend some special interest group. The abortions are a symoptom of our sickness. Trouble is, we created the sickeness. Now, we are fixing one sickness with another: illegal aliens. And we want to export this success to others and teach them to be just like we are?
Why does that matter?
Are you going to tell me they children deserve to starve?
***the EO and RC Patriarchs side with the Muslims against the Jews on a daily basis***
You wouldn’t happen to have examples, would you? I am unaware of any such activities.
***They are coming for you, people. The former Catholic stronghold of Hamtramck in Detroit has a mosque blaring out prayers six times a day, even though church bells are forbidden because they are religious. They are coming. What you all going to do about it?
Just decide not to sell out like the Catholics of Hamtrammack.***
It was not the Catholics of Hamtramck. It was the Baptists and the Evangelical movement that runs the city of Detroit. It is exactly as kosta described. The Protestant movement has sold out Christianity.
***Catholic Charities in Hamtrammack probably sponsored them.***
Probably?
It is not indicative of your past responses that you would resort to this. The truth is that the Baptist and Evangelical influence within the City of Detroit has allowed this. Catholic Charities is, well, charitable. I know that it is Scriptural, but that doesn’t seem to matter to many.
Still no name for the preferred type of government/social/political/economic system.
Fascinating.
Still no normal description of said system.
Just persistent ranting about problems we all agree are serious problems that CONSERVATIVES are outraged over.
Nothing new here, folks. Move along.
Evidently the preferred social/political/economic system is not respected enough by the poster to be owned publically.
Or perhaps it’s too dangerous to honestly state in this context.
***On the last day He will say to those on His right, “whatever you did to the least of these, you did to Me, and He will also say to those on His left, whatever you neglected to do for the least of these, you neglected to do it for Me.”***
Have you not been paying attention? The Reformed God requires none of this from His creations. They are free to do as they see fit since nothing that they do matters.
***With God, we can ignore the base joys, the instant gratification, in exchange for the greater joy of following Christ. We don’t always do that, but with Christ we have the ability.***
But do you? And what happens if you don’t? Is there a consequence?
******“Sin is not wrong if you are of the elect, doncha know? It is merely a step along the way to one’s salvation and if it affects that majority bound for hell, it is of no consequence.”***
Not one of us has ever said anything of the like.***
What is the consequence?
***The Reformed claim an indwelling knowledge that others do not have.
The others would be non-Christians, not you guys. If one is a Christian then he has the same access to the Holy Spirit as any Reformer. There is no exclusivity. Of course with different Christian faiths, the mileage may tend to vary, but we don’t have anything that isn’t available to all other Christians.***
The Reformers are the only self described Christians posting here that claim that their actions and beliefs are guided, influenced and directed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
That is Gnosticism.
I interrupt this . . . charitable . . . thread . . . [I know, using the term loosely]
to avoid a vanity thread . . .
Am trying to find a good Christian blog hosting site.
What are the better ones? Especially free.
Trying to sort out the mass of info available seems like a nightmare with so many other things to do.
LUB, THX N ADVANCE.
Relax,Dear Brother.
The reformed view of God is that God has already saved them ,thus they have psychologically convinced themselves that they are guided by the Holy Spirit that even when they sin God has given them the grace to do so as being part of His plan.
I ask you to pray for them and say the rosary for them to cease in this horrible belief they hold.
I use blogspot.com, as does my pastor.
See my blog, um, spot below on my tag :>)
There can be residuals from sin. For instance, overendulging with wine, you can wake up with a hangover. Overeating, especially for a long period of time, (trust me, I know about this) can result in diabetes, heart trouble, and other assorted maladies.
Other sins will have their own consequences, I don’t need to get into them, I think you get the idea, but none of these sins will cause you to lose your salvation. Jesus said that he will not lose one of his own that his Father gave him. We do suffer consequences, but not loss of eternal life.
***Relax,Dear Brother.
The reformed view of God is that God has already saved them ,thus they have psychologically convinced themselves that they are guided by the Holy Spirit that even when they sin God has given them the grace to do so as being part of His plan. ***
A fitting description. I shall endeavour to relax, as you have so fittingly prescribed. With 5 little kids at home, I may not be able to fully acquaint myself with that state, however much I atempt it.
The consequence of what? Distorting our beliefs? I do believe that would be called lying in most places.
***There can be residuals from sin. For instance, overendulging with wine, you can wake up with a hangover.***
Forgive me for my incredulousness, but are you saying that the only penalty that the Reformed suffer for their sins is the moral equivalent of a hangover?
***I think you get the idea, but none of these sins will cause you to lose your salvation. ***
Are you further saying that there is no sin, no atrocity, no crime so heinous, no diabolical act, that will prevent you, the elect, from entering the Kingdom of Heaven?
No, what is the consequence of sin under the Reformed God?
If you believe that you cannot lose your salvation, then what is the result of sin? Can you, as Luther indicated, sin boldly? And without consequence?
THANKS THNKS. Will check it out.
Have a bit of a bias toward supporting Christian sites.
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