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."
Actually, my affections for you and even for kosta are probably higher than might have been.
But my sense of the beliefs held is less lauditory than had been. Interesting paradox.
I think we’ll find that divisions were not and were of God.
There’s a few examples in the NT.
Regardless, Certainly God has been able to work to The Good of The Kingdom
And His highest will is for unity of Spirit & purpose in Christ’s Blood.
Bell-wethers!
There are always some more "leaderly" sheep.
And always a few total wackos. "Crazy Judy", I can't remember her number, was a fine robust lincoln ewe. If all my sheep were going off to port, you could count on Judy to be going off to starboard.
But to get back to the clergy, there were a few who pretty much knew that, say, if I was running them down to that end of the paddock I probably wanted them to go through the gate, and they'd go, and most of the others would follow.
“Interesting paradox.”
Life is like that; actually,paradox is one of life’s pleasures. Those of us “of an age”, like you, Kosta and me appreciate these things! :)
“Interesting paradox.”
If a man tries to fail and succeeds, which did he do?
LOL.
The Chinese and other Orientals also have a great appreciation of paradox.
There are a lot in Scripture.
“If a man tries to fail and succeeds, which did he do?”
Something important enough to “roar” about and celebrate with a bottle of “Pinot Grand Fenwick”, I should think!
Our brother bd, as you can see, Q, is likewise “of an age”! :)
“There are a lot in Scripture.”
Chinese and other Orientals?
A lot of paradoxical things.
I C. I C.
It can be shown that what we breathe in and out is gas. You'd have a tougher job proving it's the "spirit."
None has been able to show me why I should believe their story. They have no proof.
However, the number of people you can look at who are changed is extraordinary in and of itself. That alone should indicate something has happened
Yes, by all means, I agree. The key word is something. That could be a whole buffet of things.
You know, I said "We only know that we can be, and hope that we will be," and 1 Peter 1:3 seconds that
Not assurance, but "living hope."
But, then, again, there are at leats a dozen different "salvational formulas" in the NT. Every Christian group will find one that suits their particular belief.
John was written at the end of the century. It is curious that the other three Gospels make no mention of this. After all, it is a such a powerful statement, that surely everyone whould have remembered it. However, that's not the case.
But, if God is life, then it doesn't matter what you theology is; what matters is how Christ-like you are.
Then the Bible cannot be God's words.
That's no different than what the Jews believe. I would say, more than important; obligatory is more like it, according to the verses you site. God must have assigned works, according to the Reformed theology, even to those who don't believe. And He uses, according to the same, those works of evil for the greater good. So, it seems like works are an integral part of God's plan as you'd call it, and not just "important," but rather essential!.
Comparing scientific laws to whether something is historically true makes no sense. By your standards believing that George Washington ever lived is solely by blind faith
In the real world, we know by examining evidence. Our fancy is not a proof. By my standards there is a greater likelihood that G. Washington lived then if there was not a historical trace of him anywhere.
Better yet, if your doctor "assured" you that he is qualified but had nothing to show for it, I doubt you would subject yourself or your love dones to his care.
Again, I will ask you want would it take for you to believe that a NY subway homeless person is Jesus Christ if he said he was and then told you to leave your wife, kids and job and follow him?
You better believe you'd ask for some proof!
Do you say that you cannot "detect" God simply from your human experience?
I can honestly answer that if God had not been mentioned from my earliest days, I would have never assumed there was God. Just as, when I was a child, I never wondered where things came from. I was too busy being in awe of them. They were there and they were fascinating. And some were good and others were not so good. Some dogs bite and some don't.
It took me a long time to realize that "nature" does not know mercy and that mercy is not of this world. From there follow a number other realizations that lead me to believe that there is something "beyond" this world.
I think most Christians would say that they CAN detect God this way.
It's deductive and it doesn't sow that it's necessarily God, but something "not of this world."
Demons detect God too, but they do not have faith. The eyes and ears are what confirm for believers that the words of scripture are true
But those who use different scriptures will tell you the same thing. What proof do you have that yours are true? The spiritual "eyes" and "ears?" Don't be ridiculous. Eyes and ears prove nothing.
They allow a believer to see what has been absolutely true all along
Unsubstantiated claim lacking any proof.
I think ALL of us have proved we have faith by the evidence of our postings here
Just because we all say we have faith doesn't prove it. Words prove nothing. They are just words.
Well some of them may be.. Come on give a little..
You can't show that any of that is true. You can continue your self-appointed role as "God's mouhtpiece," but I will continue to ask you for proof. So far you have not provded any.
If the words of God are incorurptible, then the Bible cannot show corruption and it does. If one word is corrupted then the whole bible is.
Who is more God-like: the one who can recite the bible and claims to be God's elect mouthpeiece, or someone who reflects Christ in love and humility but cannot quote a single verse?
Boy did YOU miss the point.. What is spirit or even Spirit?..
I mean what is it?.. Is it a substance, is it "thingly" ?..
Is "it" a personality, a him or her, or even an "it" ?...
Do you have a spirit?.. If so what is it?..
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