This is the story of the man who met the Lord Jesus on his last day alive.
Salvation
All posts tagged Salvation
When I read about Bethel Church in Redding, CA I think of Acts 19:13-15 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
Well, the Coronavirus situation and ‘Bethel Church, the controversial megachurch in Redding, California, that also runs a school of supernatural ministry, suspended their “faith healing” ministry at local hospitals where they are known to lay hands on the sick, due to the new coronavirus.
A feature of the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry
is to help students learn how to heal the sick as well as cast out demons.’ https://www.christianpost.com/news/bethel-church-suspends-faith-healing-work-at-hospitals-amid-coronavirus-outbreak.html?uid=d3769f0ce2&utm_source=The+Christian+Post+List&utm_campaign=e8e412be75-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_11_04_16&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_dce2601630-e8e412be75-2218869
“I am sure the happiest days of my life have been when I have tried to do the will of God as far as I know it to do…”
— D.L. Moody in a letter to his son, William
‘For a long time professional contentment escaped me. Despite what others might consider to be a successful career, I always felt like an underachiever whose main talent was disappointing the people in my life. The choices I had made in the past, my lackadaisical approach to life, and, as one of my bosses told me, my propensity to get by on my “good looks and charm” plagued me. I couldn’t help but think that I had sabotaged my professional life to such an extent that there was no salvaging it.
After a lot of soul-searching, some great advice from my wife, my executive coach, and my friends, I came to realize that my discontentment with my career wasn’t rooted in the past, but the present. While decisions have consequences, I came to realize that I was not defined by missed experiences and bad choices. Perhaps the more profound realization was that I was not defined by my achievements, either.
Our successes and failures say surprisingly little about who we are. Much can be achieved apart from God. Whether we look at those who came together at the Tower of Babel to use their abilities to make a name for themselves, to the Pharaoh who knew not Joseph who built an empire on the backs of the bruised, or to modern-day success stories that have no place for God, it seems clear that not all we are capable of accomplishing is in line with the will of God.’
D.L. Moody
‘Our successes and failures also do surprisingly little to make us content. D.L. Moody understood that if we want to find contentment, we can’t simply focus on results. Instead, if we want to find contentment, we would do well to learn a lesson from D.L. Moody who wrote, “I am sure the happiest days of my life have been when I have tried to do the will of God as far as I know it to do….” While Moody had great success in ministry and grew to prominence, he seems not to have been obsessed with achievement or notoriety. He was not seeking after a career.
Moody understood that, left to his own agendas and wisdom, he would never be content. There would always be reason for self-doubt and second-guessing. He could never be sure, when seeking to forge a path apart from God, that he was not missing out on something greater that he could have imagined. In looking back on his ministry, it does not seem to me that Moody would prove its worth by pointing to the 1,000,000+ people he reached with the gospel, the numerous students he helped to train, or the pastors he encouraged. Rather, he would have looked back on a life lived doing “the will of God as far as I know it to do,” and been content even if he had not reached a single soul.
Lord, give us the courage to set our agendas and ambitions aside to do Your will as far as we know it to do that we might experience all that You have for us rather than settling for all that we can imagine. Amen.’ https://m.facebook.com/notes/moody-center/dl-moody-on-finding-contentment/1137664059907477/
Ecclesiastes 10:18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
‘The house at 513 N. Court was built in the early 1880s for W.R. Daum President of the Electric Street Railway Company. The house is a contributing structure to the Court Hill 
Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. The home is a unique example of brick Italianate style with segmented arches of cream-colored brick, cream-colored brick quoins and decorative cornice brackets.’
As the years pass. 
Then ‘As the result of fire damage and neglect, the property is currently placarded by the Health Department as unfit for human habitation. The property has been placarded by the Health Department numerous times in the past and the current case was opened following a fire in October 2018. Even before the fire, the property had been poorly 
converted from a single-family residence into an 8-unit multi-family building. Features of the most recent deficiency list include: damaged floors, ceilings, walls and windows; smoke and fire damage; deficient plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems; and broken windows, doors, soffit, fascia and deficient structural elements.’
Then many years later ‘As this property remains vacant, its condition continues to deteriorate and the owner has shown little interest in making repairs and maintaining the property. It has been a 
magnet for looters, squatters and vandals increasing the fire threat. Nuisance issues including tall grass and litter are persistent. In addition, in its present condition the property continues to have a negative catalytic effect on the rest of the historic district.’ https://ottumwapost.wordpress.com/2020/02/07/historic-ottumwa-house-included-among-2020-most-endangered-properties/
You know, houses and humans are much the same. Both MUST have maintenance! For the human it is more than physical it is also spiritual. The Lord Jesus said in Luke 12:23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
Yes, there is more to life than food and clothing for Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away James 4:14. How have you been in preparing for the day when the physical vanisheth away? Have you been diligent or slothful?
The answer is John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him and Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
There are LESSONS to be learned even from a house!
Boy, the Race2Dinner thing is simply one of many anti-racism and anti-hate groups speaking out against supposed patriarchy, white superiority, and white supremacy. If society is as bad as many of these people see it we are in a BIG mess. Now, I know there are people who dislike and even hate others who are not LIKE them! These people come from every corner of society, white, black, brown, yellow, red, poor, rich or middle class.
I believe if we desire for our children to be taught courtesy for others, to be truthful and not a liar, and many other necessities for living in a civilized society it all begins at HOME. The Bible, YES, the BIBLE says in Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Oh, I forgot you can’t have religion (especially Christianity) in the public school. However, that’s the very reason why we find ourselves in the situation we are in! God and His Word are out and lawlessness is in!
Searching the internet I came across this https://westseattleblog.com/2020/01/west-seattle-hs-families-discuss-racism-equity-at-workshop-before-no-place-for-hate-school-wide-launch/
photo by Jason Grotelueschen
West Seattle HS families discuss racism, equity at workshop before ‘No Place For Hate’ school-wide launch
Before I get to the article allow me to say that the Bible tells us that the FIRST MURDER ever committed was by a brother against his own brother. The first murder was NOT a racial thing but a hatred of one brother against his own brother! In reality, Cain was really mad at God but he couldn’t do anything to God so he took out his hatred on his brother! That’s really what is at stake today in this racial issue. People are angry at God.
Now, we read that ‘Members of the West Seattle High School community gathered to participate in an “Undoing Racism and Teaching Equity to Teens” educational workshop led by Families of Color Seattle (FOCS).’ Now, to begin with here we have a group formed on the color of their skin! Hmm. I digress, ‘The workshop, held in the WSHS library last Wednesday night as part of the WSHS PTSA general meeting, was part of the school’s No Place for Hate program by the Anti-Defamation League, with a goal to “help establish and maintain a school environment where all students can thrive.” It’s being launched three months after a “school-wide positive response” was promised following incidents in which students were disciplined for “racist language and symbols.”
After a brief WSHS PTSA meeting to start the evening, the program was introduced by WSHS principal Brian Vance, along with WSHS Racial Equity Team members Angela Ferda, Amber Donaldson, Jennifer Hall, and Annie Zhou.
Vance noted that due to snow cancellations the prior week, WSHS had to postpone its original January 15 kickoff of the No Place for Hate program — they will now be introducing it to students and families on February 5 (during Black Lives Matter in School Week from February 3-7).’https://westseattleblog.com/2020/01/west-seattle-hs-families-discuss-racism-equity-at-workshop-before-no-place-for-hate-school-wide-launch/ Here we now have a BLACK LIVES MATTER school week!?
I am not saying there might not be something good in all this BUT the point is still it all begins at home and with the parents. Unfortunately, many homes do not have both parents living in the house along with other sins occurring within the house and so often these children simply mimic what they see and hear at home. One parent commenting on the situation at this school rightly said ‘But parents, this starts at home and it’s your responsibility to dig deep on this with your kids.’ This parent is so right!
Then at https://westseattleblog.com/2019/10/students-disciplined-for-racist-language-and-symbols-at-west-seattle-high-school/ the parent is introduced to BEYOND THE GOLDEN RULE. On pages four and five this pdf speaks to, ‘Parents As Teachers
I have a child of my own now, and my mother’s words come back to me. And I know
this: Teaching tolerance must begin with the Golden Rule, but it certainly does not end
there. Too often, simply advising a child to “do unto others as you would have them do
unto you” is insufficient.
There are times when we as parents must explain things that are painful and unfair
— racism, sexism, stereotypes, hate. Times when we must comfort our children, times
I have had to help my 10-year-old son learn that what some would do unto him isn’t
always kind or fair.
Like the day we stopped at a local carnival and I was forced to explain to him why
he could not have the small photo he had won while shooting darts — a caricature of a
bulldog against an image of the Confederate flag.
Or the Christmas he wanted an Easy Bake Oven and couldn’t understand why family members and friends balked at the notion.
Or why his elementary school’s “Indian” mascot — a feather-toting, stereotypical
warrior — was offensive and unacceptable.
Such moments have provided learning opportunities for my son and for me. Here’s
what I’ve learned:
Speak openly. When we are honest with children about our country’s history of bigotry, sexism and stereotypes, we help prepare them to challenge these issues when they
arise. A child who knows the racial history of the Confederate flag, for example, is less
likely to brandish that symbol out of ignorance.
Model equity. As parents, we are our kids’ first teachers. When it comes to teaching tolerance, actions speak louder than words. When you say that boys and girls are
equal but refuse to buy your son an Easy Bake Oven because it’s a “girls’ toy,” what message do you send?’ http://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/general/beyond_golden_rule.pdf
Did you discern the agenda in the above? No wonder home schooling is becoming more popular!
Psalm 25:4 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
2Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
The world is at war with God and His Word.
‘A distasteful art installation at the University of Southern Maine has prompted a complaint from a member of a church that gathers in the building in which the piece is being displayed.
The shocking piece features a Bible with torn pages and Satanic images that obscure the
“Unholy Bible: Very Revised Standard Edition,” by USM student Riley Harris, includes drawings of Satan over Jesus’ face. A member of a church group that meets at USM saw the piece and brought his concerns to the university. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer
face of Christ. Riley Harris, the USM student behind the controversial piece, has insisted that it was created in accordance with an artwork assignment.
“I was thinking a lot about questioning authority in general,” Harris told Central Maine of the project, which is titled “Unholy Bible: Very Revised Standard Edition.”
“People question different types of authority, but for some reason religious authority seems too taboo to question, so I thought I would give it a shot.”
But that wasn’t good enough for Charlie Flynn, a member of The Casco Bay Church of Christ, which on the Portland Campus at USM. It was as the family was attending a service when Flynn’s young daughter noticed the shocking display and alerted her father.
“This is someone’s sacred text being desecrated, destroyed and displayed in a public place,” Flynn told the outlet. “I couldn’t help but feel no one’s sacred text should be treated that way. I think it’s very inappropriate and repugnant.”
After receiving a complaint from Flynn, the University’s vice president for enrollment management and marketing, Jared Cash, defended the student’s right to free speech.
The university “supports freedom of speech rights for all students, affirmed and upheld by Board of Trustee System Policy 212,” he said. The policy itself details that if the expression free speech does not “violate the law, defame specific individuals, genuinely threaten or harass others, or violate privacy or confidentiality requirements or interests,” it is duly permitted on campus.
While supporting the right to free expression, Flynn believes the artwork causes undue offense, and would not be allowed if it mocked other religions. 
“If I saw a Koran with pig blood on it I would certainly call someone, or a Torah with unclean foods on it,” he said. “This is a Bible with Satan’s image put over Jesus’ image and around Christmastime. I don’t understand why that would be viewable in an institution of higher learning. This is USM, a school that services the community.” https://www.faithwire.com/2020/01/09/no-ones-sacred-text-should-be-treated-that-way-universitys-shock-bible-display-prompts-free-speech-debate/?utm_source=FWNL
Psalm 144:15 …yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.
Zechariah 4:10 For who hath despised the day of small things?
1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice evermore. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
‘The sun is barely out these days and it is so cloudy here in Big Apple. Both Aaliyah and I were at Mrs. Bradley’s garden enjoying our first cup of coffee. They say that happiness is a state of mind. Indeed! Spending time with Mrs. Bradley reassured this statement once again. Seldom have I ever seen her without that spark in her eyes! It was the same that day as well!
“You look so happy Mrs. Bradley! What happened?” asked Aaliyah. “Oh, nothing special! I am so happy to see the January flowers blooming in my garden. They look so beautiful,” she expressed.
“Yes, they do!” I replied. “You know Bob, it doesn’t cost us a fortune to be and stay happy. We can find joy in the little things that encompass us. It can be as simple as waking up to the first ray of the sun or making myself coffee every morning. Not to forget, enjoying it with my favorite cookies,” she said.
“That is so true! I remember how solving Rubik’s cube during my school days gave me immense joy. Currently making Kong’s bed at night and cooking the Sunday brunch makes me delighted,” I expressed.
“What about you Aaliyah?” asked Mrs. Bradley. “I feel happy when I am appointed as the photographer in our intimate gatherings. Capturing moments and expressions is so priceless! I also love collecting fancy stationery for Bob,” she expressed. Listening to this, I gave Aaliyah a peck on her cheek. Then after finishing our hot beverages, we went inside to make some fancy Italian brunch for the day.
Our conversation made me reflect on the fact that how simple life is! We are often told to ‘think big’ or life will feel good only when we ‘achieve that dream’. It’s as if we were just born to relentlessly strive for something profound to be happy. That only makes us get exhausted and lifeless! How many times have we been asked to enjoy the daily flow of life? Not many times!
We are here to live and not merely exist. It’s time that we start appreciating the little pleasures in life and have gratitude. Let us learn and get into the habit of experiencing joy in the little things that we do or come across. Hey! How about enjoying an aimless banter with your friend or trying that new recipe or enjoying the cotton candies? Do it and see. ‘ https://nl.123greetings.com/finding-happiness-in-little-things-06012020?utm_source=img1&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=Jan20_nl_wk2
Some ‘new’ fundamentalists have surrendered to the new Calvinist conservative evangelical scholarship that is so prevalent today. Much of that scholarship is in the Southern Baptist camp. Therefore, many of those who think they are whatever a fundamentalist is supposed to be, have sought unity with Al Mohler, Mark Dever, T4G and TGC crowd.
Southern Baptist & New Calvinist Mark Dever
However, not all Bible believing Baptists have conceded Biblical truth for ‘scholarship’.
Southern Baptist & New Calvinist Al Mohler
‘Three or four times, I think, an anonymous person has posted a comment in which he writes a short paragraph to say that I’m not a scholar, except in a very small circle of KJVO churches. His evidence of this is the lack of acknowledgement received from evangelical scholarship. I’m not recognized in scholarly circles, he says, which proves I’m not a scholar. His point for these comments is to discredit what I write with hopes that no one takes what I write seriously.
Whether I’m a scholar or not had not occurred to me until this person had written these anonymous comments. I’d like to address this, because now it seems like an interesting subject to me. It brought back to memory an article written by Aaron Strouse, “What Is Biblical Scholarship?” Does it matter if someone is considered a scholar? What matters to me is if what I’m writing is true, hence the title of the blog, What Is Truth.
Obviously the idea behind anonymous’s comments is that recognition from certain association is what makes someone a scholar. This reminds me of how the religious leaders dealt with Jesus. To them, Jesus wasn’t a scholar, because He didn’t receive the imprimatur of the sacral society of the day. These men essentially quoted each other and received their endorsement by approved person. The Lord Jesus on the other hand spoke with direct authority, proving His doctrine from scripture. I call this making your cake from scratch versus making it out of the box. Jesus went directly to the source of authority.
A long time ago I knew that I would not get the acceptance of mainstream scholarship. It gives its approval to its own people, which must take “correct” positions. It’s very much like the accreditation of the state schools. Almost all of it relates to power and money. Darwinism is a prerequisite for inclusion in the scientific establishment. We all know that a establishment exists in Washington, DC that protects itself from outside competition.
The money factor in establishment scholarship relates especially to the schools and the publishers. Schools need a broad position to attract the most possible students for more tuition and money to pay for buildings and faculty. Accreditation relates to size. Publishers, as one might understand, need books that will sell enough to make money. The two are interrelated and scholarship means fitting into positions acceptable to a larger group of people. The power lies in positions that will bring the money that pays mortgages. Someone who does not toe the line will lose out. He should know that in advance as he makes his decision to elevate the truth above acceptance and power.
I’m saying that the truth trumps so-called scholarship. The real power is in heaven, and the approval should be Jesus Christ. Moses rejected the court of Pharoah for the people of God. When I go door to door, the people I talk to don’t ask me if I’m a scholar. I’ve got to stand and show them the truth from the Bible, where they believe it because it is God’s Word. I don’t quote and footnote and explain that so-and-so Dr. Scholar says. When someone does discipleship in the church, he doesn’t say, let’s do this because “most scholars say.” He opens his Bible and proves things straight from the Bible.
The Lord Jesus said, By their fruits ye shall know them. When He said that, He was saying that you judge someone by what kind of fruit is produced, the followers. Are the people following you obedient to the Word of God? As a result, are the people following you living obedient, holy lives in surrender to Jesus Christ? That’s also what builds a church.
My approach on this blog is to present a biblical and historical position. That will stand up to scrutiny. If I write something here that is true — it is biblical and historical — and someone says, “that’s not scholarly” or “you aren’t a scholar,” that doesn’t overturn what I’ve written. What should matter is whether what I’ve written is true.
I could point to at least five or ten different issues or matters where I have proven something from scripture to overturn a “scholar.” Daniel Wallace, who is considered a scholar in the mainstream, wrote an article that said that God did not in fact preserve every Word to be available for God’s people. I dealt with every one of his arguments in a biblical manner without getting an answer, except for personal attack. What I wrote stands, whether he is a scholar or not.
Many years ago, I unveiled the gender discord argument between Hebrew noun and pronoun that backs up the position of a masculine pronoun as antecedent of a feminine noun in Psalm 12:6-7. I sent a paper out by email that made its way all over the country. With clear proof of that gender discord position with numerous examples relating to the Word of God, I never received an answer from those who took the wrong view. Proximity of antecedent to the noun comes back into play. I debunked the argument of gender discord, but “scholars” would not rescind. This dishonesty is scholarship, I’ve found. What is more important? Being a scholar or telling the truth?
I’ve written many articles proving from scripture that unity is based upon all the teaching of scripture and not the “essentials.” There is no biblical proof of unity based on “essential doctrines.” This is very important if unity is very important, which it is.
I understand that I’m defending unpopular positions here, but that doesn’t mean that what I’m writing is false. The “scholars” should prove that what I’m writing is wrong, based upon scripture. They don’t do that. Are they really scholars? Is that what we want scholarship to be?
Even if I’m not a scholar, which I’m happy to agree, that I’m not one, I believe Thomas Ross, who posts here on Friday, is a scholar in a class of anyone who might be called a scholar. He has his personal devotions in Hebrew and Greek. I believe he has large portions of scripture memorized in the original language. I’ve read a lot of scholarship, and he is a scholar. He stands up easily to other so-called scholars, except actually being a scholar. Thomas Ross writes here, perhaps because he recognizes that I write the truth. Is in a regular, consistent way proving the truth, scholarship? That should be what matters.
In the end, we’re going to stand before God, and He’s going to judge. That’s the judgment I’m concerned about. Many, if not most of these scholars, will stand before God, but not at the bema seat judgment. They’ll stand before Him at the Great White Throne Judgment. They aren’t even saved, and this is evidenced by their elevation of “scholarship” ahead of truth. God is going to judge based upon the truth, not what men agree is scholarly.’ http://kentbrandenburg.blogspot.com/2020/01/does-it-matter-if-someone-is-scholar-or.html
Anmar was raised in a strict Muslim household and risked becoming an outcast, and worse, to turn from tradition and follow the faith he believed in his heart. Listen to his testimony of coming to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ on Unshackled.
whatyareckon 