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."
Oh, definitely do that!
In His love and peace, dear brother in Christ!
imho too, Quix! Evidently the Sandfords' testimony here is illuminated by the Holy Spirit.... Just beautiful. Thank you so much for posting it.
Now you are Curly too?
Therefore, whoever you're talking about is not us. Also, I assume that this verse does not apply to you, however, it does apply to us
Actually, FK, that's exactly what we would do. If someone comes and asks, we tell him and we tell him that it's not just the faith, but a life in faith. And we also tell them that it's not easy.
We don't go to places and bring gadgets and food and what not to attract attention and "buy" interest and then brainwash people with endless verse. We invite them to the Divine Lituery and explain ot them at the fellowship what and why we pray the wya we pray and what it is that we believe and how it is that our faith gioverns our life.
Despite persecutions and virtual imprisonment of orthodoxy for hundreds of years, it remains the second largest Christian Church. It didn't get to be that way by osmosis.
I am waaay behind on these threads, but this statement caught my eye and has my enthusiastic endorsement.
"No one...ought to be deemed a sound teacher, but he who speaks from God's mouth." -- John Calvin, Commentary, Jer. III:167,168
Who more so than Alamo-Girl?
Thank you, then there is no need for preaching and teaching or the bible. Neither the theif has heard any of His teaching, nor did the Roman guard, who being Roman also didn't know the Old Testament.
Since, accoding to Reformed theology, God determiend who will "recognize" Him and who won't, it's pointless for us to go and "find" them for Him. LOL!
“An Eastern Orthodox, an American Baptist (or a member of any other reformed confession), and a Roman Catholic are to my way of thinking and believing all members of the One Body of Christ. While we revere the particular traditions to which we belong, we are finally all united in Christ.”
Did you learn this in an American Roman Catholic Church?
I don't fuss at you. I don't even reply to your posts anymore. I thought you'd get the message.
“Neither the theif has heard any of His teaching, nor did the Roman guard, who being Roman also didn’t know the Old Testament.”
And how do you know that?
Luke 23:39-43, “ And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
Mark 15:39, “And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.”
Both knew who he was so they must have had some knowledge of the scriptures to know him as “Lord” his “kingdom” and “Son of God” and his message.
Really? As we've seen so often, when Alamo-Girl is questioned, she answers with rightly-divided Scripture.
Perhaps the problem lies in whether or not the interrogator has been given ears to hear the answer and a new heart with which to understand the answer.
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves." -– Cassius, "Julius Caesar."
Really? As I have noted before, and as StFA alluded to in his comments, I believe that you are deceived in your beliefs. That the piosities you have posted here are not of God but rather from this world. It may be that you are in your personal life, though living outside The Church(indeed living a life in knowing rejection of The Church)sincerely trying to imitate Christ. I have no way of knowing that. Assuming for the moment that you are trying to live such a life, then it appears to me that what is influencing you is not the HS but rather a demon. Sincere seekers after Christ often attract demons and in all honesty, to the extent that the seeker is estranged from God’s Holy Church, the “smaller” or “weaker” the demon, though the result of that demonic influence can be as destructive as that wrought by the most powerful of the Evil One’s fellow travelers.
Back in the 6th century there were two holy monastics who lived in the Palestinian desert called +Barsanuphius the Great and +John the Prophet. Their “sayings” were collected by their spiritual children, written down in question and answer form and have been passed down through the centuries to this day. They, being monastics who lived in the desolate wastes of the desert, had particular familiarity with all sorts of demons. Their advice regarding them is particularly prized among Christians. I offer you this one to think about:
Spiritual child: “Can the demons communicate anything good? And how does one discover that it is demonic? And what distinguishes it from something good from God?”
The saints answer: “To someone it might seem that he receives something good, but this is from the evil one for his deception. For every good thing which comes from the devil for the deception of a man, being precisely examined, turns out to be unreal; for the devil is a liar, and there is no truth in him (John 8:44), as is shown by the consequences of that (false good). His light ends in darkness, according to the Apostle’s word which speaks about diabolic heralds transformed into the servants of righteousness “whose end will be according to their deeds” (II Corinthians 11:15); and the Savior says: “From their fruit ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:16). If you investigate with understanding and judgment, you will find in the false good (which comes) from the devil, there was not even a trace of good, but either vainglory, or disturbance, or something similar; but the good which comes from God always increases enlightenment and humility of heart and gives a man quietness.
But when, out of ignorance, we suffer in something from the deception of the evil one, and later we recognize in this a temptation, then let us call ourselves and hasten to Him Who is powerful to do away with this temptation. One should know that to some the difference (between the good of the devil and that of God) is understandable from the very beginning; while to sinners, only at the end (of the temptation), just as a skilled master in gold work can take gold (in his hand) and tell before it is tested with fire of what sort it is, while an unskilled one does not find this out until it has been tested with fire.”
Catechumens today often are given one or more copies of the “words” of these monastic saints. There are many reasons for this, but among the primary ones is to forearm the catechumen for spiritual combat with demons. Westerners sometimes have a hard time with this. Of course, among the Evil One’s greatest accomplishments is convincing people tat he doesn’t exist.
Blue suits you...and you, probably you alone, Q, can pull it off. :)
+St Nilus of Mt Sinai had some advice you might want to consider before assuming that you are suffering for Christ’s sake (what a deliciously prideful Western spin on +John and +Paul...as if God needs you to suffer for His sake!)as opposed to being suckered by the Evil One.
“You should also know the following subterfuge of the demons: at times they divide themselves into groups. Some come with a temptation; and when you ask for help others come in the guise of angels and chase away the first, to make you believe that they are true angels, and fall into vainglory, through having been granted such a thing.”
When we put our trust into humans alone, we have a, well, bunch of humans alone.
Without guidance from the HS, we will always wander off the narrow path, seduced by the dark side, or intrigued by the glamour of the jungle, or curious about what happens just over that ridge.
Conservatives got the thing that corrupts most absolutely - power.
“Have you ever considered that some persecutions you face are because you’re NOT following the will of God?
Of course, don’t we all constantly check ourselves?
I am always taking my Spiritual “vitals:”
But you persist in remaining outside The Church. You persist in rejecting what God’s One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church teaches. This is pride, AG. If you are indeed as so singularly spiritual as you claim to be, then there is nothing other than pride which keeps you from embracing the Truth of The Faith as preserved in The Church since Pentecost.
The early centuries of The Church saw the rise of multiple, soul destroying heresies. The world today is seeing among people professing to be Christians but rejecting The Church, a resurgence of those heresies and some we have never seen before. Because we are marginally civilized and on account of our surrounding Anglo Saxon culture, we try to be polite and convince ourselves that one form of “Christianity” is as good as another because, as was posted earlier, “we are all united in Christ”. A-G, that’s simply untrue; its heresy. The Fathers understood the consequences of heresy and who heretics were. They called them “Enemies of God” and preached that those who are alive in Christ cannot hold communion with those who are spiritually dead.
Thank you for posting what they said.
It is of extreme importance to know the tactics of the enemy. It’s not the Hollywood version everyone seems to have been brainwashed to think. The devil is cunning!
Blessed Father John Hardon said this about the Demonic lie
“”The Basic Demonic Lie. The most fundamental untruth which the devil has sown in the minds of modern man is the denial of genuine freedom.
What the evil spirit does not want us to believe is that our freedom depends on the truth. Christ teaches us just the opposite. We are first to know with our minds what God expects of us. We must use our free will to direct the mind to seek and find the will of God. Then, and only then, are we truly free to use our liberty of choice in submitting our wills to the will of the Almighty. This is what the Savior meant when He told us, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”(John 8:32).
By these words, Our Lord means that He came into the world to teach us the truth. Once we know that, we are in a position to use our free will to choose. In other words, our wills can be enslaved if they do not know what God wants us to choose. But if we are duly enlightened by Christ in knowing what to choose, we have true freedom; we have the liberty to choose what we are expected to choose on the way to our eternal destiny.””
BTW,
Sorry I private messaged this to everyone by accident
“It takes enormous Spiritual discipline to turn the other cheek - it requires living the Great Commandment, loving God surpassing above all else, putting His will above our instinctive self-defense.”
Indeed it does. Do you think that’s what you are doing, A-G, or is that what you are being told you are doing, either interiorly or from your co-religionists here on this thread?
That martyr to the Mohammedans I quoted earlier, +Kosmas Aitolos, said this:
“The self-indulgent are distressed by criticism and hardship; those who love God by praise and luxury.”
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Tertullian meant well. So did Augstine, all those years in the wilderness.
Just because you mean well doesn’t mean that you are thinking Christian thoughts. That’s why Jesus left us the Church, and why the Reformation is so evil.
Our reaction to God is in all probability significantly less than an ant’s communication towards us.
We are finite and God is infinite. How can a human have a personal relationship with the infinite?
***NOW,
IF
someone will please step up with a
one size fits all; absolutely 100% accurate at all times in all contexts for all contingencies
sieve
to sort out
Contending for the faith vs sowing discord . . .
I’ll be greatly appreciative!***
Start with the Apostles and finish with the Catholic Church.
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