It's all about the Glory of God!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
I GIVE YOU GLORY, GLORY!!
Great worship music from Klaus @ Christ For The Nations, Dallas, Texas!!
It's all about the Glory of God!
It's all about the Glory of God!
LORDSHIP SALVATION/ FREE GRACE- WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?
LORDSHIP SALVATION/ FREE GRACE- DEBATE
Part 1
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There has been some blowback over several things appearing in this newsletter in the past months and one of them involves the teaching of the great Paul Washer. Over the past three decades, there has been a most unchristian-like, one-sided debate from those who are called "Free Grace" believers and the rest of us whom they term "Lordship Salvation".
The perjorative "Lordship Salvation" actually depends on your view of the Lordship of Christ in the believer's life. I would rather be talking about the Transformation Project being launched all over town this Fall by us, than this. However, the eternal destiny of many in the church depend on whether there is real regeneration of the soul or just a 'warm fuzzy feeling' generated by reciting a prayer...and then no follow up, discipleship or pointing in the right direction.
The main targets of whose who are insulted as "L.S'ers" are Dr. John MacArthur, Nancy Lee Demoss, Paul Washer and Ray Comfort with Kurt Cameron and Todd Friel thrown in for good measure! Just briefly, here are the definitions of both beliefs.
LORDSHIP SALVATION is the belief that salvation involves both a belief and repentance of one's sins. Repentance is the "turning away" from all known sin, giving complete (not partial) "Lordship" of our lives to Christ. Without this full commitment, one is only a nominal Christian and has yet to experience true conversion*.
FREE GRACE is the belief that salvation involves a complete trust in Christ for salvation. Repentance is the changing of one's mind about who Christ is and their general attitudetoward sin (i.e. that sin is bad and we don't like it). This change of the mind will necessary bring forth the fruit of a change life, but one cannot determine what aspects must change or when the Holy Spirit will bring certain changes about*.
(* from "Parchment and Pen" by Mike Patton, Stonebriar Community Church. Lead Pastor - Chuck Swindoll)Next issue - "Christ is the LORD of my Life
Thursday, September 9, 2010
9/11 - NEVER, NEVER FORGET!
Tuesday September 11, 2001 - A day that will live not just in infamy but pain, suffering and outrage. The term 9/11 has been burned into the hearts and souls of a people.
We watched in horror LIVE on TV, as a jihadist demoniac flew the 2nd passenger plane into the office tower.
We watched in horror as our fellow citizens fell from smoking skyscrapers of glass and steel.
We watched in horror as the symbols of freedom and capitalism were slammed by a religion from the sands of Arabia, whose thirst for conquest has never been quenched, this side of Christ's return.
But we watched in amazement as Todd Beamer, praying and reciting Biblical passages, led a team of selfless heroes, as they stopped another attack on the US Capitol.
This September 11, 2010 somehow feels different. It has been marred by people of questionable backgrounds who somehow obtained an historic building in New York City to build an islamic center. This building is as unique as the waters of Pearl Harbor. Part of the engine of the first airplane to crash into the World Trade Center landed inside of this building, which the "developers" insensitively set to open on September 11, 2011! This is not a coincidence.
Nevertheless - never forget....never forget the stories of Sujo John, the hindu convert to Christ, who stayed behind and led many to safety and a few to Christ as the Twin Towers collapsed. Never forget the FDNY who lost so many firemen in the service of saving many. And never forget the grieving ones left behind, scared for life and who are now reliving this nightmare one more time.
Never lose a chance to tell them about a Gracious God - Abba Father, who sent His Own Son to die at the hands of merciless killers, that the world may be saved from the eternal fires of hell. Never fail to tell others about the Christ who was with many in the Pentagon, Flight 93 and the stairwells of the Twin Towers. Many died that day, who never met that Christ or accepted His Free Gift of Salvation. It is not too late to reach their loved ones, whose hearts are now tender and open to the REAL LOVE - AGAPE LOVE that only TRUE RELIGION - Christianity - can offer. It is not too late to reach ANYONE at ANYTIME!
Never lose an opportunity to share the Love, Peace, inner Joy and contentment which comes from knowing Christ as Lord and Savior, in Jesus' Name, amen.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
NO ONE IS LIKE YOU - KLAUS KUEHN
INSPIRED WORSHIP MUSIC FROM CHRIST FOR THE NATIONS!
THERE IS NO ONE LIKE JESUS - CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE!
Inspiration Devotional from Carla McDougal!
“Your relationship with Jesus works the same way. The more time you spend in His Word, prayer, praise, worship, and fellowship with other believers, the more immersed your walk with Christ becomes. As a result, the relationship’s condition strengthens on a daily basis. See where I am going? This is such an important concept to grasp! It frees you from bondage of thinking that your position depends upon your performance as a Christian. Praise God, it is all about Him and not about us!” - Carla MacDougal
“We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” – Isaiah 64:8
Courtesy our friend -Guest Blogger Nikki Hahn!
Courtesy our friend -Guest Blogger Nikki Hahn!
Read Daniel 3:8-30.
“I’m going to go and work in the soup kitchen to help the poor.” A believer said aloud with emphasis on the word poor as if he were better than them.
I once mentioned in our Fellowship Group about my objections to using the word poor. I feel it demeans a class of people and clumps them together as a helpless bunch of people victimized by their circumstances. I also feel poor infers unintentionally that we are somehow better than they because of our choices or the money we have (or don’t have) in our accounts. When I hear something like the above I almost hear the check list each Christian unintentionally keeps to confirm that they are a good person:
- Serve in Soup Kitchen. Check!
- Donate money and food. Check!
- Volunteer at every charitable event. Check!
- Do an act of kindness. Check!
I often question my motivations. Am I volunteering for the right reasons? Or am I trying to earn grace? Am I donating out of the love in my heart? Or am I trying to earn grace? Am I doing an act of kindness so I can seem that I have it altogether as a good Christian? Would our faith withstand a fiery furnace seven times hotter than normal? Or would we falter in fear and choose to worship a false god or do something that we know would not please our Lord to avoid possible death, humiliation or persecution?
“Evangelist Sammy Tippet recently spoke to Mission Network News about the persecution that is happening in the United Kingdom and coming here to the United States and all under the guise of hate crime laws. Under these hate crime laws it is dangerous for Christians because the actions and words of Christians are under attack, and these are the things that lead to arrests and persecution for devoted followers of Jesus Christ.” Persecution Blog continues to say, “Evangelist Sammy Tippit believes the manipulation of these laws is part of an alarming trend throughout the secular world. He said, “There’s a spirit (and it’s very difficult to understand) that has come with secularism that has really been against Christianity. It’s a darkness that has been growing, and it’s been very antagonistic towards Christianity. But the interesting thing and the thing that makes it so difficult to understand is that this does specifically target Christianity and not other religious groups.”Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were given a choice—worship Nebuchadnezzar’s god or get tied up and thrown into a furnace seven times hotter than normal to burn alive. They chose loyalty to our God and TRUSTED God in their situation. Several strong soldiers tied them up and threw them into the furnace. Nebuchadnezzar watched them through the flames. There were four men walking around in the flames. He threw only three men into the furnace! None of them were burning!
“I love that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked around in the fire. They didn’t sit or stand, but they kept moving as their hands were freed from their bindings. With excitement, I can say that they came out of the fire unharmed! Their clothes were not singed, nor did they smell of smoke. God received all the glory from their experience!” Says Carla MacDougal.I love what Stacy Harp over at Persecution Blog says, “I may experience a death in my family, I may deal with serious sickness, and I may go through financial hardship, but these are nothing when I hear what others are suffering right now for their faith: a sister in Pakistan abused by her employer, a brother in Egypt strung up by his ankles and tortured with an electric baton, a couple in Iran whipped with steel cables. That is true suffering. The apostle Paul went through many of these sufferings —shipwrecks, beatings, imprisonment — and yet in Romans 8:18 he writes, “…our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed…” Think about that. If Paul says that the hardest things we experience on earth are not even worth comparing to future glory of God’s fully-established kingdom, how great is that glory going to be?”
Most people serve with full hearts. I work and walk among these people. Some of their pasts are raw and messy. God has certainly put them through the firing process! He put me through the firing process, too. Maybe you might disagree with me about the word poor and maybe you might feel defensive about my Christian Checklist. It’s just an observation and a reminder that no matter what I do in my life it isn’t good enough. Only by my belief in Christ am I saved because He walked to the cross willingly and died a traitor’s death, for me—for you. He was sinless. Then, He rose again! And the rest as they say is history
Monday, August 30, 2010
What is New with Reflecting Him?
Carla McDougal is founder of and author/speaker for Reflective Life Ministries. Her true passion in life is her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As a result, God has taken her around the world to encourage women to live every day for Him.
Carla and her husband, Fred, have three sons and one daughter.
Her newest project, Reflecting Him, released May 20th to the public. This study is designed to motivate and inspire you to make Jesus a part of everything you do. Before you know it, you will be reflecting Him in ways you never dreamed possible!
Is An Entire Generation of over 20 year olds headed for Hell??!!
The saddest and most heartbreaking things are these two examples of the lost generation. Why would a really nice guy - a combat hardened United States Marine from Chicago land run from a guy sitting in a booth with a paperback bible??!! He and his daughter were the ones who came up to inquire about going to heaven! Then there was this 60 year old woman who obviously had a very hard life. My heart went out to her and broke as I kept preaching Christ and she hung on every word. She not only understood the Truth but was visibly shaken by it. But just like the Marine, just at the moment of approaching the Fountain of Life, she turn and fled without drinking.
The rich man was in agony in hell and asked Father Abraham to send Lazarus to bring him some cool water (Luke 16:19-31). While he was alive, the rich man refused to drink of the Word and Truth of God's Living Word. Abraham himself rejected the rich man's idea to send Lazarus back to warn others. Friends, we have the "True Truth"! We have the Source of Life in our little hands - the Gospel. Those who knowingly rejected face terrible judgment one day. If we can reach just one person for Jesus, even if this person is a teenager, it is worth your time. Never give up trying or preaching Christ and Him Crucified. Amen
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
GUEST BLOGGER NIKKI's REPOST ON "REFLECTING HIM"!
Read Verses: Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, and Luke 8:22-25
“I hope you realize that Jesus is “in the boat” with you in every situation. It is up to you to ask Him to lead you through your life’s voyage. He will not push Himself on anyone, but He waits for you to call out His name.” – Carla McDougal
(Originally posted on my friend Nikki Hahn's blog)
“I don’t want to get on the boat.” I shiver on the shore.
The Sea of Galilee is calm. But the sun is setting and Jesus is waiting for me to get into the boat. I don’t know why He wants to suddenly cross. A crowd stands nearby. They have just heard Him speak. But Jesus wants to go to the other side and it will soon get dark. When it gets dark warm air collides with the cooler mountain air and from it wild wind tunnels and night time storms make the sea dangerous to cross. All ready white caps are seen from the shore.
The disciples climb into the boat. They don’t know why He wants to cross either, but they go because He asked them. Jesus climbs into the stern of the boat. In another second or two, Peter will push the boat off of the sand. I have a choice. Jesus is looking at me.
Get into the boat.
I get into the boat. The disciples struggle to control the boat as the waves become rough. The storm builds. Our sail billows and flaps, snapping angrily at us. By now my robes are wet and sticking to my skin. My hair is sticking to my head and neck. The rain mixes with my tears. A disciple gently nudges Jesus who is sleeping through it all on a cushion.
“Don’t you care about us?” That disciple rants.
I can’t believe he just ranted at Jesus. I blink and wait. Will lightening strike this disciple? I shiver in fear. Jesus stretches and stands.
He faces the violent storm and raises his hands. “Quiet! Be still!”
The wind dies as if someone has struck a light switch. The clouds wither. The storm is gone. We are safe. I breathe slowly again. It is over, but why did Jesus allow us to struggle in the storm?
“Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Jesus frowns.
I can hear the other men whispering among themselves, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him?”
The boat continues across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. As the disciples and Jesus disembark someone is shaking me.
“Nikki! Wake up! NIKKI!”
I blink. My vision is blurry, but clears to see the concerned face of my husband. I tell him it is just a dream. The sky is dark. The clock reads 2 am. I spend the next thirty minutes mentally talking to Jesus. When my mind is active sleep evades me.
“Lord, I don’t know what to do.” I mouth to the ceiling.
Get into the boat.
“Why is it that I am so afraid now? I always take risks. Why am I second guessing myself now?” The fan whirrs above me.
Get into the boat.
“So just do it. Just get into the boat as you say and risk it. Easy for you to say! You can see all. You are holy and powerful. I am just a cracked pot. I seem to encounter tough hurdles and mess up all of the time. Why me?”
Get into the boat.
“Okay. I’ll get into the boat, but please help me. I can’t do this alone. I trust you to lead this boat wherever it may lead. Forgive me when I am scared though. I know you view fear as a sin. Forgive me. I do trust you. I guess I just don’t trust myself.” I close my eyes and pray for His calming hand in every storm and finally sleep.
“The Potter must maintain a firm and steady upward movement by locking his hands together. This allows him to form a lifting tool with his hands as he moves and thins the clay. On the Potter’s wheel, he can produce large numbers of handmade functional wares. Even though the wheel aids in establishing symmetry and precision, every piece produced is unique and never exactly the same as the previous one. All pottery creations are indeed individual creations.” – Cynthia Bonner
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