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."
“Absolutely I’ve cast them out of a number of poor wretches worshiping their churchs...
Enslaved by strange dogma and indoctrination..”
LOL; OK, hp!
O.K... that was a little too cute.. true.. but too cute..
Just because you mean well doesn’t mean that you are thinking Christian thoughts. That’s why Jesus left us the Bible, and why the Catholic Church is so evil.
See, anybody can post hatred. Anybody can lie, anybody can confuse their own adgenda for piety.
I ask you, quit posting you OPINION as truth.
If you believe this to be the teaching of the Catholic Church than you are in grave error
Do you believe the Catholic Church is a human institution and has taught dogmatic error? If so, you don’t belong receiving Him in Eucharistic
AMEN, Dr. E.! And thanks for the spot on scripture. This dovetails with their idea that our inheritance can be lost or thrown away. I don't see that in scriptures:
Rom 8:16-17 : 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Gal 3:29 : 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
So, if we are children then we are heirs. I don't see anything about becoming an unchild or an unheir. :)
“Too cute” is OK.., really. I far prefer it to piosity! :)
OH DEAR!
Asking RC reps etc to quit posting opinion as truth?
Whyyyy, the magicsterical would have to disband! LOL.
Not likely in this matrix, multiverse!
Praise God!!!
Thank you so much for sharing your insights!
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: - John 10:27
Or even heirless :>)
Of a Truth, the best we can is to convey the words of God. If a person has "ears to hear" he will.
The term "Lord" does not exclusively mean God in the Bible. The Son of God is a title given to angels and kings. It does not have the Christian meaning.
The thief on the cross could have been pulling Pascal's wager, since he had nothing to lose.
Jesus did not go to paradise on that day, and what would he do in paadise?
This is also contrary to Luke's obvious belief in Hades/Sheol (Luke 16:19-31), rather than paradise. Then seven chapters later he believes in paradise!? And he is telling us that God went to paradise on that day? Yet they alos tell us Christ didn't even resurrect for three days.
No, they claim it. I don't claim ESP, divine or any other kind. My statement was based on how the NT presents Jesus, not on some divine instant messaging from above. I am not making any claims as to the veracity of any of that. I am simply stating what's in the biblical books.
I don't know. It is easy to see that they are not. Truth doe snot need harmonizing. The Church does two things: it leads us in prayer in liturgy and it tells us what the Gospels say about Christ's own life, so that we may imitate Him.
That's all that matters: worship Father, Son and Holy Spirit, accoridng to our faith once delievered, and imitate Christ.
He is not a hypothesis. He is not a demon.
My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father's hand. – John 10:29
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. – 2 Timothy 1:12
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7-8
That is the failure of all religions, save for Christianity. Because Christ took on also human nature, we can relate to Him in that way. Without Him, God is simply a distant and unimaginable entity.
Doe snot? DOE SNOT??? I am sorry, but I find this extremely funny. Thanks for the laugh, Kosta :>)
Jesus Christ alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He alone is the Mediator between men and God.
For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; - I Timothy 2:5
He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.
For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. – Mark 7:5-9
But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. – Luke 10:38-42
To God be the glory, not man, never man!
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