"And you, being dead in your trespasses and uncircumsion of your flesh, HE has made alive together with HIM, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And HE has taken it out of the way having nailed it to the cross." Col. 2:13,14
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
This past week, my dear husband took Hannah Beth and me to a target range to brush up on our shooting skills-and i needed a lot of brushing up. After working through lunch at the restaurant, Johnny went to the store and finished getting what we needed in the way of ammo,(thankfully that is still available). When he got home he prepared the guns for us and had everything ready. Except for us helping him load up and carry everything to the truck, he did everything else to get ready. Johnny and Hannah Beth set up the targets that Johnny had brought along a big huge bank of red dirt. Those old political signs we've had lying around behind our garage came in handy for hanging targets on, and he and Hannah Beth clothes pinned the "human" paper target to the sign. We unloaded all the equipment, and Johnny and Hannah Beth began loading the cartridges the bullets go in. Hannah Beth showed me how to do that so i helped her while my husband was getting other gun things ready. We got on our ear protection, and i wore double, ear plugs and a head set, and it was still loud to me. Our pastor and his wife joined us and brought their guns and ammo and we had a "blast," literally. We started off shooting the handguns. I had been wanting to practice with one particular gun that i have claimed as mine. I liked it because it was lightweight and easy to carry, but Johnny knew when i actually ever shot it that i might not like it as well as i thought, and he was exactly right. I walked to the place to stand to shoot and Johnny had to remind me how to hold my gun-it had been a long time since i've taken a gun safety class. I held my gun the way Johnny showed me, and tried to pull the trigger. It was hard to pull. I scrunched up my face, and finally managed to get my nerve up to pull the trigger and shoot at the target. I don't think i got anywhere near where i was aiming. I did that a few more times, my finger reluctantly pulling the trigger each time, and i was humbled after that...i was a "winnie" when it came to shooting that gun, and i didn't want anything else to to do with it. The gun kicked everytime i shot it and hurt my hand and my arm, it was loud, and i missed terribly where i was aiming. Thankfully, Johnny didn't give up on me, though i did give up on that gun. He lovingly provided me, and the others with all kinds of guns to try, and i found a Glock, and another gun that was smooth and easy to shoot, and i was able to hit the target where i was aiming. Johnny spent most of his time helping Hannah Beth and me stay in guns and ammo, giving us pointers how to shoot, and reminding me not to walk in front of folks who are getting ready to shoot. I don't even recall him shooting while we were shooting the handguns for helping us do everything. When he and our pastor and HB went to shoot the "big guns," he did some shooting then. The rest of the time, it was "all about us."
Later on as i reflected on my husband's love to help his bride and my daughter learn to defend ourselves, I thought about how my husband really reminded me of CHRIST sacrificing HIS life for the Church, HIS bride. You see Johnny had already worked that day at the restaurant through lunch, and i know that every step he takes to provide for us, whether it be making a living, or teaching us to protect ourselves, is a step of pain, pain from arthritis in his joints, but he does that for us because he loves us.
A couple of weeks ago, at our ladies retreat our dear leader, Kathy Bond shared on the topic of "All About Me." I've always associated "All About Me," with a negative connotation, being focused on myself instead of CHRIST and others. When she shared, it made me think of "All About Me," in a whole different way than i ever had before. She started sharing, it really is all about me and you...how much CHRIST loves us and gave HIMself for us and gives and gives to us each and every day. I could see this in the way my husband lovingly gives and gives for our family each day as he lays down his life to provides spiritual leadership, love, protection, finances, wisdom, peace when termites invade our den like they did this week, and a myriad of other needs to me and our family. JESUS is our BRIDEGROOM, and the Church, those HE gave HIMself for to redeem from the bondage of sin, is HIS bride. HE shouts HIS love to us through all the blessings HE lavishes upon each and every moment of our lives...and most often our greatest blessings come from our greatest trials.
As i have been reflecting on the concept of "All About Me," since the retreat, and as i read through GOD's WORD, every page of the HIS WORD, shouts "I love you, I love you, I love you," from our Husband, JESUS. "For thy MAKER is thy HUSBAND." Isaiah 54:5
Would you match with a WISE HUSBAND? Haste then, sinners, come away to Jesus: He is the fountain of wisdom, and makes all that come unto him, wise unto salvation: "He is the wisdom of the Father: the Lord possessed him in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. When he prepared the heavens, he was there; when he appointed the foundations of the earth, then was he with him, as one brought up with him; he was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him." As he is wise, so is he HOLY; and therefore, in the words of our text, he is stiled, "The Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:" and by the angel Gabriel, "That holy Thing." The apostles, addressing God the Father, stile him his "holy child Jesus:" and the spirits of just men made perfect, and the angels in heaven, cease not day or night, saying, "Holy, holy, holy." Nor is his BEAUTY inferior to his wisdom or holiness; the seraphs veil their faces, when they appear before him: "He is the chiefest among ten thousand, nay, he is altogether lovely." And, as he is altogether lovely, so is he altogether LOVING: his name and his nature is Love. God, God in Christ is love: love in the abstract. And in this has he manifested his love, in that, whilst we were yet sinners, may open enemies, Jesus, in his own due time, died for the ungodly. He loved us so as to give himself for us. O what manner of love is this! What was Jacob's love to Rachel, in comparison of the love which Jesus bore to a perishing world! He became a curse for us. For it is written, "Cursed is every man that hangeth upon a tree." What Zipporah said to her husband improperly, Jesus may say properly to his spouse the church, "A bloody wife hast thou been to me, because of the crucifixion." For he has purchased her with his own blood. And having once loved his people, he loves them unto the end. His love, like himself, is from everlasting to everlasting. He hates putting away: though we change, yet he changeth not: he abideth faithful. When we are married here, there comes in that shocking clause, t use the words of holy Mr. Boston, "Till death us doth part:" but death itself shall not separate a true believer from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus his Lord: for he will never cease loving his Bride, till he has loved her to heaven, and presented her before his Father, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. Nay, his love will, as it were, but be beginning, through the endless ages of eternity.
-from the sermon CHRIST the Believer's Husband, George Whitefield (1714-1770), http://www.biblebb.com/files/whitefield/GW012.htm
It's amazing how you hear or read Scripture for years and then little by little it starts sinking in, as the HOLY SPIRIT reveals HIS TRUTH to us...that because HIS WORD is eternal, and alive. Then all of the sudden it's like a light bulb goes off in your head...that's sort of the way this concept has been as i reflect on the Oceanflowing LOVE of my JESUS for us. I've been reading in Deuteronomy the past few days and from those verses from my daily Bible reading JESUS has been whispering to my heart, "I love you, Mitzi, and it is all about how much I love you, and those I have chosen to set my affections upon to lavish MY love upon"-WOW!
"For you are a holy people to the LORD your GOD; the LORD your GOD has chosen you to be a people for HIMself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set HIS love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people (or smarter, or richer, or American, these were the Israelites), but because the LORD loves you..."Deut.7:6-8.(He loves me). This was written to GOD's chosen people, the Jews, but because of what CHRIST has done for us on the cross, we Gentiles who have repented of our sins, and believed in the LORD JESUS are engrafted into the family tree... Romans 11:11-21. "But GOD demonstrate HIS love for us in that while we were yet sinners, CHRIST died for us."(I love you) and in Romans 11:25 Paul says, "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery brothers, so that you may not be conceited:" Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in."(I love you) Those "Gentiles," are you and me, (anyone who is not a JEW) that GOD has set HIS love and affection upon...those HE has elected, vs. 28, to love us, save us, redeem us, bless us, and take us home to be with HIM and rule and reign with HIM. HE's preparing us right now for the position we are going to have with HIM to rule one day. II Tim.2:12, "If we suffer with HIM, we will reign with HIM: if we deny HIM, HE will deny us."
"Therefore know that the LORD your GOD, HE is GOD, the faithful GOD who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love HIM and keep HIS commandments; and HE repays those who hate HIM to their face, to destroy them." (I love you and I am a just GOD who repays those who reject MY gift of my SON to pay for their sins).
GOD is a GOD of justice who cannot look upon sin, and must punish sin. This is such a great and marvelous part of HIS dear love to you and me. As i began to understand more and more how very much GOD is holy,holy, holy, and we are born into sin, then i marvel at HIS dear love to me to send HIS perfect SON to pay the price for my sins, all of them. The past several weeks i have been reading about the sacrifices of the goats, bulls, pigeons, and grains in the Old Testament that were necessary for the priests to offer up in the Tabernacle so the sins of the Israelites would be forgiven. The Jewish religion was such a bloody religion as sacrifices from these animals were being made continuously for the sins of the people. Though i have realized for years now that this was a "picture" of the time that CHRIST would come and sacrifice HIMself for our sins once and for all on the Cross, this time as i read about all these sacrifices, it is dawning on me how very seriously that GOD takes our sin...sins like it states in 2 Timothy 3:2-5: "lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of GOD-having a form of godliness but denying its power....I'm guilty as charged, over and over, and that's only a partial list of multitude of sins I've committed, some even today, that CHRIST died to pay for for me.
I've been a CHRISTian for 27 years, but GOD is opening my eyes more and more that sin cannot dwell in HIS presence, and all those sacrifices in the Old Testament, pointed to the time when CHRIST would offer the perfect sacrifice and pay for all our sins. Over and over he warned Moses, to that "no outsider could come near to offer incense before the LORD." In other words, no one who was not a descendant of Aaron, the chosen line of priests, could come near and offer sacrifices. And we are told over and over in Scripture, that all those who are outside of CHRIST, will not be able to come to GOD. JESUS said in John 14:6, "I AM the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE, no man cometh to the FATHER, but by ME." In Matthew 22:1-14, JESUS tells the story of the wedding banquet and said,"
the kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who have been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. Then he sent some more servants and said, "Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet. But they paid no attention and went off-one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murders and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, "The wedding banquet is ready, but those i invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite anyone you find. So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing the wedding clothes. Friend, he asked, how did you get in here without wedding clothes? The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, "Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are invited, but few are chosen."
How do we get the wedding clothes to attend the KING's wedding banquet? GOD, in HIS great love for us, provides them to all who turn away from their self and repent of their sin, and trust in CHRIST 's sacrifice for our sin alone. "HE came to HIS own, and HIS own received HIM not. But as many as received HIM, to them HE gave power to become sons of GOD, even to them that believe on HIS name."John 1:11-12. JESUS clothes HIS bride in HIS robes of righteousness.
"I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my GOD. For HE has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." Isaiah 61:10
Our KING in HIS dear love for me and you, sent HIS precious SON JESUS to shed HIS blood and be the Atoning Sacrifice, once and for all for our sin, and to be our Great High Priest who is Perfect and Sinless. Hebrews 7:25-28 states: "Therefore HE is able to save completely those who come to GOD through HIM, because HE always live to intercede for them.(I love you) Such a high priest meets our need-one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.(I love you) Unlike the other high priests,he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificied for their sins once for all when HE offered HIMself.(I love you) For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law appointed the SON, who has been made perfect forever."(I love you)
1 Peter 2:9, " But you are a chosen people,(just as my husband chose me to be his bride 27 + years ago) a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to GOD,(I love you) that you may declare the praises of HIM who called you out of darkness into HIS wonderful light." GOD has "rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the SON HE loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgivness of sins." Col.1:13 (I love you, I love you, I love you!)...
It is "ALL about Me and You," and those GOD has called to be HIS children...HE loves us so very much! "How great is the love the FATHER has lavished on us, that we should be called children of GOD! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1 GOD sends us out as HIS love ambassadors, like the king at the wedding banquet above, to show and tell others about HIS great love for us through HIS SON JESUS CHRIST and invite them to CHRIST. "For GOD so loved the world , that HE gave HIS only begotten SON that whosoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life." (I love you!) GOD takes sin serious, dead serious, and it has to be paid for, atoned for...that's why GOD's love for us is so great...HE did it all for me and you to pay for our sins. For those reject HIS wonderful gift of HIS perfect SON who died for us...there is everlasting hell. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of GOD is eternal life through JESUS CHRIST our LORD."Romans 6:23 (I love you). Hebrew 2:3 says, "How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?"
In Ephesians 5:25-27 Paul shares, "Husbands, love your wives, just as CHRIST loves the church and gave HIMself up for her, to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to HIMself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." (I love you)
If we have been partakers with Jesus in His shame, we shall be sharers with Him in the lustre which shall surround Him when He appears again in glory. Art thou, beloved one, with Christ Jesus? Does a vital union knit thee to Him? Then thou art to-day with Him in His shame; thou hast taken up His cross, and gone with Him without the camp bearing His reproach; thou shalt doubtless be with Him when the cross is exchanged for the crown. But judge thyself this evening; for if thou art not with Him in the regeneration,(born again), neither shalt thou be with Him when He shall come in His glory. If thou start back from the black side of communion, thou shalt not understand its bright, its happy period, when the King shall come, and all His holy angels with Him. What! are angels with Him? And yet He took not up angels--He took up the seed of Abraham. Are the holy angels with Him? Come, my soul, if thou art indeed His own beloved, thou canst not be far from Him. If His friends and His neighbou rs are called together to see His glory, what thinkest thou if thou art married to Him? Shalt thou be distant?
Though it be a day of judgment, yet thou canst not be far from that heart which, having admitted angels into intimacy, has admitted thee into union. Has He not said to thee, O my soul, "I will betroth thee unto Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness"(Hosea 2:19)? Have not His own lips said it, "I am married unto thee, and My delight is in thee"( Jeremiah 3:14)? If the angels, who are but friends and neighbours, shall be with Him, it is abundantly certain that His own beloved Hephzibah, in whom is all His delight, shall be near to Him, and sit at His right hand. Here is a morning star of hope for thee, of such exceeding brilliance, that it may well light up the darkest and most desolate experience.
Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, March 26
My husband loves me, as CHRIST loves the church, and he has laid down HIS life for me and my kids for the past 26 years. When we got married, all i came into the marriage was myself, and a 1966 Mustang that my Dad restored while i was in high school. The engine in it blew up shortly after we got married, along with my health going south. GOD has used my husband to love me and provide for my many, many needs and wants through the years, ( kayaks, pets, bicycles, trips to see the Greene's, etc, drum set, campers, dulcimer, mandolin, etc) sacrificing his position as pastor, to care for me. My medical expenses made him feel the necessity of staying in the restaurant business with his family, instead of looking for another church. As much as my husband has done for me, he is still made of flesh and blood, and like me, he is a sinner. JESUS CHRIST, my ETERNAL HUSBAND, the SINLESS ONE, is the only one who can meet my deepest and most expensive needs- that of forgiveness for my sins. HE paid the price no one else could pay with HIS own life. "But GOD demonstrates HIS love for us in that while we were yet sinners, CHRIST died for us."(I love you) HE spends all of eternity lavishing HIS love upon HIS bride, the CHURCH.
The Greene's, (www.thegreenesgospel.com) sing a beautiful song called "All for Me," on their "Far Down the Road," CD that i've used before in my emails. The message of CHRIST's love, "All for Me," is so perfect for what i've been trying to share with you this morning...lessons that JESUS is continuing to lovingly teach me day by day, how very much HE loves me and you and HE really is "All About Me" and you.
"All For Me" by Jason Burton
A crown of thorns upon your head where one of gold should go instead
Pressing down until YOU bled, all for me, all for me.
Bruised and beaten by the crowd, Mocked and scorned they led YOU out
Grief and pain was all YOU found, all for me, all for me.
Chorus:
If i had been the only one, YOU would have done it still for love
What grace untold, what love indeed, all for me, all for me
Blood flowed down your wounded side, the people laughed your FATHER cried,
The SON of GOD laid down to die, All for me, all for me.
YOUR body weak and wracked with pain, the SINLESS ONE, the KING of KINGS
Hung on a cross between two thieves, All for me, all for me
YOU took the chains so i'd go free, All for me, all for me
The SPOTLESS LAMB became unclean, All for me, all for me.
With all HIS love,
mitzi
Please join me in praying for our President's salvation:
http://christianadc.org/resources (7 Reasons Why Barack Obama is Not a CHRISTIAN)
White House Correspondent Bill Koenig and Jan Markell go around the world in 120 minutes:
http://www.olivetreeviews.org/radio/mp3/
http://www.watch.org/ Great site for White House, World News, and Christian encouragement including, Charles Spurgeon, Oswald Chambers, Streams in the Desert, Daily Light, and more
Friday, March 27, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
"Time for TEA"
"For the grace of GOD that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldy lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great GOD and our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST; WHO gave HIMself for us, that HE might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto HIMself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Titus 2:11-14
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
What a blessing it has been to be able to spend some extra time together as a family this week of "Spring Break" after enjoying a wonderful weekend with my daughter and friends at our Excalibur Ladies Retreat...thank you my dear friends so much for all the hard work and prayer you put into making the retreat a special, special time for all of us. Earlier this week, I was blessed to plant blueberry bushes that my dear friend Catherine ordered for me and delivered to me...thank you so much, Catherine! Having blueberry bushes has been a heart's desire of mine for years, and GOD has brought it to pass! I pruned crepe myrtles bushes, and fertilized the yard (with Scott's natural fertilizer we buy at Lowe's, ) during this beautiful weather GOD has given us, and what a blessing it is to have the strength and health to do all those things. GOD sent us two "angels" from Johnny's work to cut the grass and rake and weed the flower beds...and i know that was a special blessing to the kids:). The kids and i got to go fishing together Tuesday afternoon at Elk River. HB caught two brim, while "Troy," our latest addition to our family, a Maltipoo, played around the river's edge and slept while we fished (he's not a waterdog at this point, but he'd better learn soon if he expects to go kayaking with me:). Although i had several bites, i caught zero fish, as usual. John Mac supervised us as he read in his chair behind us soaking in the sun. What a blessing it was just relaxing out in the sun with my kids, sitting and talking together while we fished. Wednesday evening we just "happened" to arrive at the same restaurant, at the same time, as my Mom and Dad, and we all got to eat and visit together. What a great blessing to have my nephew, Drew, from Texas, visit with us this week, over his Spring Break. I got to spend time with him and my dear brother, Ralph, last night. It's been a week of "special blessings" from the LORD and I thank HIM from the depths of my heart for HIS goodness and lovingkindness to me and our family.
I had not intended to write about what i'm sharing this week, but after some discussions our family has had about what's going on in our country, and an email i received earlier this week, i felt led to "reroute," and write about "tea parties." I'm sure many of you have been receiving the emails recently about the "tea parties," that they've been having to send Washington the message that we're not exactly happy with the way things have been going recently. Earlier this week we received, the one that Don Wildmon, head of American Family Association, sent out encouraging us to participate in a tea party on April 15.
Donald E. Wildmon
Founder and
Chairman
Please help us get this information into the hands of as many people as possible by forwarding it to your entire e-mail list of family and friends.
Please support TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party day, April 15
March 18, 2009
We currently have people in 600 cities organizing for the TEA Party Day Rally April 15. Help us grow that number to 1,000!
Dear John and Mitzi,
Our country faces a grave danger. Our elected officials in Washington are leading us down an unwise path. We need to act now to stop this situation.
I’m writing asking you to help us and also to motivate others to get involved. AFA and other groups have called for a day of TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party rallies across the U.S. on April 15, including one at noon in front of the city hall in your community. Get with a few friends and go to the rally.
Take Action!
I urge you to please support this movement. Please support, attend and/or help organize a TEA Party rally in your community. Please encourage others to do the same.
I ask one special favor. If a radio station in your community has a talk show, would you call the host and ask him or her to sponsor the TEA Party rally in your community. Thanks so very much.
Please forward this information to others.
Click here for information on TEA Party rallies.
Thank you for caring enough to get involved. If you feel our efforts are worthy of support, would you consider making a small tax-deductible contribution to help us continue?
Sincerely,
Donald E. Wildmon,
Founder and Chairman
American Family Association Donate with confidence to AFA
(gifts are tax-deductible)
Please take a few minutes and invite your friends to AFA ActionAlert.
My husband and i discussed at lunch earlier this week that Newt Gingrich had joined up with the "TEA Party" movement, and i thought his name recognition might help the ideas of these tea parties catching on. Johnny took time to explain to me some more events going on like the issues surrounding AIG as Hannah Beth listened while we ate. He explained to us the reprecussions that happen when government gets involved in private businesses. That same evening we received the letter from AFA encouraging us to get involved in the Tea Parties. For weeks i have been wanting to "do something" about all that is going on in but a part from praying, and trying to learn as much as i can, i haven't known exactly what to do. I asked Johnny if he minded if i contacted some of our friends about this "Tea Party," effort. He was supportive, and our family had a good discussion about the ramifications of getting involved with things like this...in other words the cost involved. Johnny had some good words of wisdom for me, and cautioned me in some areas, along with John Mac. My family knows i'm passionate, and well, they know that i don't know a lot about politics and i don't articulate, well the things i do know. I'm a lot like Moses, i stumble and stutter over my words. What i do know, i'm learning right now, and if in my writings you see that i'm in error about what i've shared, about politics, history or anything else, but particularly about Scripture, please let me know so that i can correct that. I do want to encourage you to invite some friends to join up with you and participate in one of these "Tea Parties," near you. This is something we can do to put "feet" to our prayers, and let Washington hear our voices in unision. You can find out more about the Tea Parties by clicking on the sites above.
After we discussed the "Tea Parties," across our nation, i decided to read about the Boston Tea Party. It's amazing how much more history is coming alive to me these days as i see how the events that used to seem so long ago have brought us to the point we are today...how the "dots are connecting." Wish i could have comprehended that in high school:). I read in Streams of Civilization about some of the issues leading up to the Boston Tea Party and they sounded very familiar to the events going on today:
"When peace came after the Seven Years' War, the English decided that the American colonies should make a greater contribution to the expense of the government. This last phase of the English-French struggle vastly increased Britain's national debt...
The economic changes which the British wished to make would affect the colonist's political freedom. In the colonial assemblies, the people, through their elected representatives, were able to have their way because the assemblies had the power to levy taxes. If British authorities, namely the Parliament in which Americans had no representation, could raise money directly from America, the colonists and their representatives would be powerless. Furthermore, the Americans were used to self-government and were determined to keep it. As events were to prove, they were even willing to lay down their lives for it...
Abeka's United States History adds to this:
In 1773, new trouble developed between England and the colonies when Parliament made a blundering attempt to help the nearly bankrupt East India Company. Up to this time, law required the East India Company to sell its tea through middlemen to England. Duties were levied both when the tea passed through the English ports and when it arrived in a colonial port. In May 1773, Parliament adopted legislation allowing the East India Company to ship its tea directly to the colonies, avoiding middlemen and the payment of duties in England. Even with the import duty at colonial ports, the company could sell its tea at a price below that of tea smuggled in from Holland. The East India Company would have a virtual monopoly on tea in the colonies. Despite the lower price of the British tea, the American colonists refused to buy it. They were infuriated that Parliament would grant a monopoly to the East India Company and insulted that Parliament would expect them to compromise on principle for the sake of their pocketbooks. In New York and Philadelphia, the tea-laden ships were ordered to turn around or return to England. But in Boston, Governor Hutchinson refused a citizen request to ship the tea back to England. Thus, on the night of December 16, 1773, a band of citizens disquised as Indians boarded the tea-laden shps in Boston Harbor and, under cover of darkness, dumped 340 chests of tea into the harbor. Although the men were careful to harm nothing but the tea itself, the Boston Tea Party, as it was called, outraged British authorities. In response to the Boston Tea Party, Parliament decided to punish Massachusetts and, by doing so, to set an example that would keep the other colonies in subjection. Parliament passed a series of acts called the Coercive Acts, the colonists called them the "Intolerable Acts," which further led to unite the colonists into a spirit of unity against Britain's unreasonable rules.
Wikipedia stated that the Boston Tea party became a major catalyst for the American Revolution.
A couple of nights ago our family discussed the ramifications that could result as a part of an effort like these organized "Tea Parties." Was it time for something like that...some in our circles said, "Yes," they had been hoping for something like this for years, others were more cautious...and me, i'm just passionate, wanting to "do something," and yet, held in check by my husband's and son's sensible and level headed thoughts.
In last week's writing, i shared about the cost involved in sharing the gospel of JESUS CHRIST with others that they might be freed from the chains of sin. What were we willing to endure to share CHRIST with those who aren't always easy to love? Some of the things i quoted were taken from a devotion that i read last year on March 19.
In the March 19, Springs in the Valley there was a very timely message about the cost of sharing JESUS CHRIST and freeing others from their chains of sinful bondage, and about the cost of preserving our freedoms as a country:
"From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the LORD JESUS." Galatians 6:17
Do we carry around wound marks? Have we sought the protected areas while others met clash on clash the onset of the evil one? Has compromise robbed us of our war trophies? Shall we not have done with such? Some day we shall see HIM face to face; shall see the nailprints in HIS hands. Shall we stand ashamed in HIS presence because we wear no scars of battle?
-Daily Communion
Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land,
I hear them hail thy birhgt ascendant star,
Hast thou no scar?
Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the archers, spent,
Leaned me against a tree to die; and rent
By ravening wolves that compassed me, I swooned;
Hast thou no wound?
No wound? No scar?
Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,
And pierced are the feet that follow Me;
But thine are whole; can he have followed far
Who hath no wound nor scar?
-Amy Carmichael
Garibaldi, the great Italian reformer of a past generation, in a fiery speech urged some thousands of Italy's young men to fight for the freedom of their homeland. One timid young fellow approached him, asking, "If I fight, Sir, what will be my reward?" Swift as a lightning flash came the uncompromising answer: "Wounds, scars, bruises, and perhaps death. but remember that through your burises Italy will be free."
The signers of the Declaration of Independence mutually pledged to each other "our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."
"The men who signed the Declaration of Independence had very few illusions about what they were risking. How much of what they pledged did they actually lose?" You can read about what our freedoms cost them by clicking on:
http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/1962/1/1962_1_36.shtml
Again i asked myself the question that i asked last week that came from that devotion ..."Are you not willing to endure scars in order to liberate souls?" Certainly our founding fathers were willing and did. What am i willing to endure to liberate souls for CHRIST, who gave HIS all for me and do my part to maintain the freedoms that JESUS CHRIST, our founding fathers and the best of our land have given their "lives, their Fortunes, and their sacred Honor," to secure those freedoms?
Most of our founding father's were motivated to "lay down their lives," by their love for CHRIST and the truths found in HIS WORD. There were many influences upon our founding father's political ideas and among them were the French Huegenots i wrote about a few weeks ago, the French Christians who were forced to flee France leading up to the French Revolution.
"Puritanism, (reformers of the Church of England) the religion of the early settlers and the rationale for their very arrival on American shores, left a lasting legacy which carried on into the late eighteenth century birth of our nation. Puritanism emphasized principles which can be seen in the Amercian political development-voluntary association, limits on power, a necessity for civic involvement by the saints, and a careful delineation of the realms of the church and state..."Streams of Civilization, p.109.
Most importantly the Puritans emphasized individual salvation initiated by GOD's great love for us and the creation of a people for society. GOD's heart and desire has always been to save the souls of men and women and children, and that theme is woven throughout the pages of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. "For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON that whosoever believeth in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16.
Between 1730 and 1760 GOD in HIS great love and perfect plan sent a great time of revival in America and England. I am amazed at GOD's great love for us in HIS divine providence of leading all these men and women together for "such a time as this." John and Charles Wesley were part of the "Methodist Revival," along with John Newton,and others i've shared with you in recent weeks. In America, this time of revival in men's hearts became known as the Great Awakening," where Jonathon Edwards and George Whitefield who was a member of John and Charles' Wesley's "Holy Club," were two of the leading evangelists preaching CHRIST's free offer of salvation.
"The Great Awakening preachers taught that men are depraved sinners, and can be saved only by the work of the Holy Spirit uniting them to CHRIST." Streams of Civilization p.109
GOD used these revivals to save the souls and shape the minds of the men and women whom HE raised up to be the founding fathers of our great country....men like George Washington, Patrick Henry, John Adams, and Dr. Benjamin Rush. What wondrous love HE has for you and me to redeem men and women and give them "hearts of flesh" to replace their "hearts of stone" and put HIS "law in their hearts" to shape the great country that we have been blessed to live in. HE did this because HE loves us so much, and loves the whole world. HE wanted us to be a lighthouse for the world to draw men to HIMself through HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for HIS own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of HIM who called you out of darkness into HIS marvelous light" I Peter 2:9. HE has used our country greatly to be missionaries to the world to spread the good news of JESUS CHRIST throughout the world. HE has raised up men and women, like Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, William Carey, Hudson Taylor, Lottie Moon and put in their hearts the call to go and live amongst those who have never heard of the salvation that is in CHRIST JESUS. HE has endowed men and women with wisdom and knowledge to be doctors and nurses to minister and share the good news of JESUS CHRIST. HE has given put in men the desire to learn agriculture skills and take those to foreign lands and help those learn to plant crops for themselves thus providing food for their families. He has blessed our men and women to develop wonderful technology to share the gospel through TV and radio and now computers to other lands.
What a wonderful heritage we have been blessed with by GOD. How it must grieve HIS heart deeply as our loving FATHER who blessed us with so much to see what we are experiencing in our country because of the cancer among us...the cancer of sin. JESUS CHRIST is the answer to that "cancer," and the same GOD who sent a "Great Awakening," to England and America back in the 1700's, can send a "Great Awakening," and heal our land...through our repentance of our sins and turning from our wicked ways. "If MY people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land." II Chronicles 7:14 Most of our problems we are experiencing are because of our lawlessness and gross sin as we have turned our backs upon GOD resulting in greed, hate, selfishness, anger, worshipping false gods, sexual immorality, disrespect of parents, etc. Sadly, much of this is going on inside of our churches. May GOD give me first of all the grace to search my own heart, and repent and confess the sin that dwells in me and then pray for my country.
At this time we still live in a country with freedoms where we can speak out against what our government is doing. If we don't take the windows of opportunity that GOD is giving us now to speak up, we may loose those freedoms sooner than we realize. CHRIST "gave HIMself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for HIMself a people for HIS own possession who are zealous for good works." Titus 2:13. I invite you to join with me in participating in one of these "good works," through the "Tea Parties being conducted throughout our nation and let our government hear your voice.
Isaac Watts, who lived amazingly lived around the same time period (1674-1748) as our founding fathers, wrote a powerful hymn called "Am I a Soldier of the Cross." The words to this song came to my mind as i wrote and challenged my heart with the penetrating question that CHRIST continues to ask of me and you "What are we willing to endure to liberate souls for CHRIST?" "Hast thou no scar?" By GOD's "Amazing Grace," HE will give us not only the strength and courage to endure the difficult days ahead, but HE will also give us the grace to be "more than conquerors through HIM who loved us" Romans 8:37.
With all HIS love,
mitzi
"Am I a Soldier of the Cross"
Am i a soldier of the cross, a foll'wer of the LAMB?
And shall I fear to own HIS cause, or blush to speak HIS name?
Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize, and sailed thro' bloody seas?
Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace, To help me on to GOD?
Sure I must fight if I would reign; Increase my courage, LORD!
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, Supported by Thy Word.
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
What a blessing it has been to be able to spend some extra time together as a family this week of "Spring Break" after enjoying a wonderful weekend with my daughter and friends at our Excalibur Ladies Retreat...thank you my dear friends so much for all the hard work and prayer you put into making the retreat a special, special time for all of us. Earlier this week, I was blessed to plant blueberry bushes that my dear friend Catherine ordered for me and delivered to me...thank you so much, Catherine! Having blueberry bushes has been a heart's desire of mine for years, and GOD has brought it to pass! I pruned crepe myrtles bushes, and fertilized the yard (with Scott's natural fertilizer we buy at Lowe's, ) during this beautiful weather GOD has given us, and what a blessing it is to have the strength and health to do all those things. GOD sent us two "angels" from Johnny's work to cut the grass and rake and weed the flower beds...and i know that was a special blessing to the kids:). The kids and i got to go fishing together Tuesday afternoon at Elk River. HB caught two brim, while "Troy," our latest addition to our family, a Maltipoo, played around the river's edge and slept while we fished (he's not a waterdog at this point, but he'd better learn soon if he expects to go kayaking with me:). Although i had several bites, i caught zero fish, as usual. John Mac supervised us as he read in his chair behind us soaking in the sun. What a blessing it was just relaxing out in the sun with my kids, sitting and talking together while we fished. Wednesday evening we just "happened" to arrive at the same restaurant, at the same time, as my Mom and Dad, and we all got to eat and visit together. What a great blessing to have my nephew, Drew, from Texas, visit with us this week, over his Spring Break. I got to spend time with him and my dear brother, Ralph, last night. It's been a week of "special blessings" from the LORD and I thank HIM from the depths of my heart for HIS goodness and lovingkindness to me and our family.
I had not intended to write about what i'm sharing this week, but after some discussions our family has had about what's going on in our country, and an email i received earlier this week, i felt led to "reroute," and write about "tea parties." I'm sure many of you have been receiving the emails recently about the "tea parties," that they've been having to send Washington the message that we're not exactly happy with the way things have been going recently. Earlier this week we received, the one that Don Wildmon, head of American Family Association, sent out encouraging us to participate in a tea party on April 15.
Donald E. Wildmon
Founder and
Chairman
Please help us get this information into the hands of as many people as possible by forwarding it to your entire e-mail list of family and friends.
Please support TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party day, April 15
March 18, 2009
We currently have people in 600 cities organizing for the TEA Party Day Rally April 15. Help us grow that number to 1,000!
Dear John and Mitzi,
Our country faces a grave danger. Our elected officials in Washington are leading us down an unwise path. We need to act now to stop this situation.
I’m writing asking you to help us and also to motivate others to get involved. AFA and other groups have called for a day of TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party rallies across the U.S. on April 15, including one at noon in front of the city hall in your community. Get with a few friends and go to the rally.
Take Action!
I urge you to please support this movement. Please support, attend and/or help organize a TEA Party rally in your community. Please encourage others to do the same.
I ask one special favor. If a radio station in your community has a talk show, would you call the host and ask him or her to sponsor the TEA Party rally in your community. Thanks so very much.
Please forward this information to others.
Click here for information on TEA Party rallies.
Thank you for caring enough to get involved. If you feel our efforts are worthy of support, would you consider making a small tax-deductible contribution to help us continue?
Sincerely,
Donald E. Wildmon,
Founder and Chairman
American Family Association Donate with confidence to AFA
(gifts are tax-deductible)
Please take a few minutes and invite your friends to AFA ActionAlert.
My husband and i discussed at lunch earlier this week that Newt Gingrich had joined up with the "TEA Party" movement, and i thought his name recognition might help the ideas of these tea parties catching on. Johnny took time to explain to me some more events going on like the issues surrounding AIG as Hannah Beth listened while we ate. He explained to us the reprecussions that happen when government gets involved in private businesses. That same evening we received the letter from AFA encouraging us to get involved in the Tea Parties. For weeks i have been wanting to "do something" about all that is going on in but a part from praying, and trying to learn as much as i can, i haven't known exactly what to do. I asked Johnny if he minded if i contacted some of our friends about this "Tea Party," effort. He was supportive, and our family had a good discussion about the ramifications of getting involved with things like this...in other words the cost involved. Johnny had some good words of wisdom for me, and cautioned me in some areas, along with John Mac. My family knows i'm passionate, and well, they know that i don't know a lot about politics and i don't articulate, well the things i do know. I'm a lot like Moses, i stumble and stutter over my words. What i do know, i'm learning right now, and if in my writings you see that i'm in error about what i've shared, about politics, history or anything else, but particularly about Scripture, please let me know so that i can correct that. I do want to encourage you to invite some friends to join up with you and participate in one of these "Tea Parties," near you. This is something we can do to put "feet" to our prayers, and let Washington hear our voices in unision. You can find out more about the Tea Parties by clicking on the sites above.
After we discussed the "Tea Parties," across our nation, i decided to read about the Boston Tea Party. It's amazing how much more history is coming alive to me these days as i see how the events that used to seem so long ago have brought us to the point we are today...how the "dots are connecting." Wish i could have comprehended that in high school:). I read in Streams of Civilization about some of the issues leading up to the Boston Tea Party and they sounded very familiar to the events going on today:
"When peace came after the Seven Years' War, the English decided that the American colonies should make a greater contribution to the expense of the government. This last phase of the English-French struggle vastly increased Britain's national debt...
The economic changes which the British wished to make would affect the colonist's political freedom. In the colonial assemblies, the people, through their elected representatives, were able to have their way because the assemblies had the power to levy taxes. If British authorities, namely the Parliament in which Americans had no representation, could raise money directly from America, the colonists and their representatives would be powerless. Furthermore, the Americans were used to self-government and were determined to keep it. As events were to prove, they were even willing to lay down their lives for it...
Abeka's United States History adds to this:
In 1773, new trouble developed between England and the colonies when Parliament made a blundering attempt to help the nearly bankrupt East India Company. Up to this time, law required the East India Company to sell its tea through middlemen to England. Duties were levied both when the tea passed through the English ports and when it arrived in a colonial port. In May 1773, Parliament adopted legislation allowing the East India Company to ship its tea directly to the colonies, avoiding middlemen and the payment of duties in England. Even with the import duty at colonial ports, the company could sell its tea at a price below that of tea smuggled in from Holland. The East India Company would have a virtual monopoly on tea in the colonies. Despite the lower price of the British tea, the American colonists refused to buy it. They were infuriated that Parliament would grant a monopoly to the East India Company and insulted that Parliament would expect them to compromise on principle for the sake of their pocketbooks. In New York and Philadelphia, the tea-laden ships were ordered to turn around or return to England. But in Boston, Governor Hutchinson refused a citizen request to ship the tea back to England. Thus, on the night of December 16, 1773, a band of citizens disquised as Indians boarded the tea-laden shps in Boston Harbor and, under cover of darkness, dumped 340 chests of tea into the harbor. Although the men were careful to harm nothing but the tea itself, the Boston Tea Party, as it was called, outraged British authorities. In response to the Boston Tea Party, Parliament decided to punish Massachusetts and, by doing so, to set an example that would keep the other colonies in subjection. Parliament passed a series of acts called the Coercive Acts, the colonists called them the "Intolerable Acts," which further led to unite the colonists into a spirit of unity against Britain's unreasonable rules.
Wikipedia stated that the Boston Tea party became a major catalyst for the American Revolution.
A couple of nights ago our family discussed the ramifications that could result as a part of an effort like these organized "Tea Parties." Was it time for something like that...some in our circles said, "Yes," they had been hoping for something like this for years, others were more cautious...and me, i'm just passionate, wanting to "do something," and yet, held in check by my husband's and son's sensible and level headed thoughts.
In last week's writing, i shared about the cost involved in sharing the gospel of JESUS CHRIST with others that they might be freed from the chains of sin. What were we willing to endure to share CHRIST with those who aren't always easy to love? Some of the things i quoted were taken from a devotion that i read last year on March 19.
In the March 19, Springs in the Valley there was a very timely message about the cost of sharing JESUS CHRIST and freeing others from their chains of sinful bondage, and about the cost of preserving our freedoms as a country:
"From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the LORD JESUS." Galatians 6:17
Do we carry around wound marks? Have we sought the protected areas while others met clash on clash the onset of the evil one? Has compromise robbed us of our war trophies? Shall we not have done with such? Some day we shall see HIM face to face; shall see the nailprints in HIS hands. Shall we stand ashamed in HIS presence because we wear no scars of battle?
-Daily Communion
Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land,
I hear them hail thy birhgt ascendant star,
Hast thou no scar?
Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the archers, spent,
Leaned me against a tree to die; and rent
By ravening wolves that compassed me, I swooned;
Hast thou no wound?
No wound? No scar?
Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,
And pierced are the feet that follow Me;
But thine are whole; can he have followed far
Who hath no wound nor scar?
-Amy Carmichael
Garibaldi, the great Italian reformer of a past generation, in a fiery speech urged some thousands of Italy's young men to fight for the freedom of their homeland. One timid young fellow approached him, asking, "If I fight, Sir, what will be my reward?" Swift as a lightning flash came the uncompromising answer: "Wounds, scars, bruises, and perhaps death. but remember that through your burises Italy will be free."
The signers of the Declaration of Independence mutually pledged to each other "our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."
"The men who signed the Declaration of Independence had very few illusions about what they were risking. How much of what they pledged did they actually lose?" You can read about what our freedoms cost them by clicking on:
http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/1962/1/1962_1_36.shtml
Again i asked myself the question that i asked last week that came from that devotion ..."Are you not willing to endure scars in order to liberate souls?" Certainly our founding fathers were willing and did. What am i willing to endure to liberate souls for CHRIST, who gave HIS all for me and do my part to maintain the freedoms that JESUS CHRIST, our founding fathers and the best of our land have given their "lives, their Fortunes, and their sacred Honor," to secure those freedoms?
Most of our founding father's were motivated to "lay down their lives," by their love for CHRIST and the truths found in HIS WORD. There were many influences upon our founding father's political ideas and among them were the French Huegenots i wrote about a few weeks ago, the French Christians who were forced to flee France leading up to the French Revolution.
"Puritanism, (reformers of the Church of England) the religion of the early settlers and the rationale for their very arrival on American shores, left a lasting legacy which carried on into the late eighteenth century birth of our nation. Puritanism emphasized principles which can be seen in the Amercian political development-voluntary association, limits on power, a necessity for civic involvement by the saints, and a careful delineation of the realms of the church and state..."Streams of Civilization, p.109.
Most importantly the Puritans emphasized individual salvation initiated by GOD's great love for us and the creation of a people for society. GOD's heart and desire has always been to save the souls of men and women and children, and that theme is woven throughout the pages of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. "For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON that whosoever believeth in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16.
Between 1730 and 1760 GOD in HIS great love and perfect plan sent a great time of revival in America and England. I am amazed at GOD's great love for us in HIS divine providence of leading all these men and women together for "such a time as this." John and Charles Wesley were part of the "Methodist Revival," along with John Newton,and others i've shared with you in recent weeks. In America, this time of revival in men's hearts became known as the Great Awakening," where Jonathon Edwards and George Whitefield who was a member of John and Charles' Wesley's "Holy Club," were two of the leading evangelists preaching CHRIST's free offer of salvation.
"The Great Awakening preachers taught that men are depraved sinners, and can be saved only by the work of the Holy Spirit uniting them to CHRIST." Streams of Civilization p.109
GOD used these revivals to save the souls and shape the minds of the men and women whom HE raised up to be the founding fathers of our great country....men like George Washington, Patrick Henry, John Adams, and Dr. Benjamin Rush. What wondrous love HE has for you and me to redeem men and women and give them "hearts of flesh" to replace their "hearts of stone" and put HIS "law in their hearts" to shape the great country that we have been blessed to live in. HE did this because HE loves us so much, and loves the whole world. HE wanted us to be a lighthouse for the world to draw men to HIMself through HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for HIS own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of HIM who called you out of darkness into HIS marvelous light" I Peter 2:9. HE has used our country greatly to be missionaries to the world to spread the good news of JESUS CHRIST throughout the world. HE has raised up men and women, like Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, William Carey, Hudson Taylor, Lottie Moon and put in their hearts the call to go and live amongst those who have never heard of the salvation that is in CHRIST JESUS. HE has endowed men and women with wisdom and knowledge to be doctors and nurses to minister and share the good news of JESUS CHRIST. HE has given put in men the desire to learn agriculture skills and take those to foreign lands and help those learn to plant crops for themselves thus providing food for their families. He has blessed our men and women to develop wonderful technology to share the gospel through TV and radio and now computers to other lands.
What a wonderful heritage we have been blessed with by GOD. How it must grieve HIS heart deeply as our loving FATHER who blessed us with so much to see what we are experiencing in our country because of the cancer among us...the cancer of sin. JESUS CHRIST is the answer to that "cancer," and the same GOD who sent a "Great Awakening," to England and America back in the 1700's, can send a "Great Awakening," and heal our land...through our repentance of our sins and turning from our wicked ways. "If MY people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land." II Chronicles 7:14 Most of our problems we are experiencing are because of our lawlessness and gross sin as we have turned our backs upon GOD resulting in greed, hate, selfishness, anger, worshipping false gods, sexual immorality, disrespect of parents, etc. Sadly, much of this is going on inside of our churches. May GOD give me first of all the grace to search my own heart, and repent and confess the sin that dwells in me and then pray for my country.
At this time we still live in a country with freedoms where we can speak out against what our government is doing. If we don't take the windows of opportunity that GOD is giving us now to speak up, we may loose those freedoms sooner than we realize. CHRIST "gave HIMself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for HIMself a people for HIS own possession who are zealous for good works." Titus 2:13. I invite you to join with me in participating in one of these "good works," through the "Tea Parties being conducted throughout our nation and let our government hear your voice.
Isaac Watts, who lived amazingly lived around the same time period (1674-1748) as our founding fathers, wrote a powerful hymn called "Am I a Soldier of the Cross." The words to this song came to my mind as i wrote and challenged my heart with the penetrating question that CHRIST continues to ask of me and you "What are we willing to endure to liberate souls for CHRIST?" "Hast thou no scar?" By GOD's "Amazing Grace," HE will give us not only the strength and courage to endure the difficult days ahead, but HE will also give us the grace to be "more than conquerors through HIM who loved us" Romans 8:37.
With all HIS love,
mitzi
"Am I a Soldier of the Cross"
Am i a soldier of the cross, a foll'wer of the LAMB?
And shall I fear to own HIS cause, or blush to speak HIS name?
Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize, and sailed thro' bloody seas?
Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace, To help me on to GOD?
Sure I must fight if I would reign; Increase my courage, LORD!
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, Supported by Thy Word.
Friday, March 13, 2009
"My Chains are Gone"
"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to GOD, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of GOD is eternal life in CHRIST JESUS our LORD." Romans 6:22-23
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
A few weeks ago, our family watched the video, "Amazing Grace," that Hannah Beth had received for CHRISTmas. It is an amazing story of perserverance, courage, and most of all GOD's grace at work in the lives of HIS people to bring freedom to the African slaves. William Willberforce, a member of Parliament, labored for a total of 46 years to lead the fight to abolish the African Slave trade throughout the British Empire . He served in Parliament from the age of 21 to 65 and though he never lost an election, the cause of abolishing the slave trade was defeated 11 times before it passed in 1807. "The Trade" was so woven into the financial interests of the nation, that it was was an extreme battle to change the hearts of men who had the power to abolish it. The defeats and setbacks would have caused the ordinary politician to give up this long and costly battle for freedom. When John Wesley, founder of the Methodist church and spiritual encourager to William Wilberforce, was 87 years old (in 1790) he wrote to Wilberforce and said,
"Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of man and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you..."
GOD gave William Willerforce the grace to endure persecution from friends and foes, setbacks, discouragements, chronic sickness, and family problems throughout his forty six year battle. The decisive victory for abolishing slavery itself didn't come until 1833, 3 days before he died.
Wilberforbce was brought up in an affluent home and his father died when he was 9. While living with his Aunt and Uncle he was influenced at an early age for CHRIST by the teachings of John Wesley. He was also greatly influenced by George Whitefield, the evangelist instrumental in founding the Methodist church, member of the "Holy Club" along with John and Charles Wesley, and preached in America during the "Great Awakening," a time of great revival across our land during the 1700's. John Newton, saved out of the African slave trade as a slave ship captain, and writer of the great hymn "Amazing Grace," was used by greatly by GOD to encourage and be a mentor to William Wilberforce. It was him who encouraged Wilberforce to continue in politics when he was converted to CHRIST and was struggling whether or not it was the right thing to continue in politics.
To resolve the anguish he felt over what to do with his life as a Christian he resolved to risk seeing John Newton on December 7, 1785 - a risk because Newton was an Evangelical and not admired or esteemed by his colleagues in Parliament. He said that he had "ten thousand doubts" about going to see him, and walked twice around the block before he could get up the courage to knock on his door. To his amazement the sixty year old Newton urged him not to cut himself off from public life and wrote him two years later: "It is hoped and believed that the Lord has raised you up for the good of His church and for the good of the nation."... Just imagine what hung in the balance in that moment of counsel in view of what Wilberforce would accomplish. John Piper http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Biographies/1492_Peculiar_Doctrines_Public_Morals_and_the_Political_Welfare/
Though Wilberforce was exposed to CHRIST and HIS teachings at a young age, his Mother pulled him away from his aunt and uncle and the boarding school he was attending where he was being taught about CHRIST. She was involved in "high church" of England, the Anglican church, and didn't like the evangelical Methodist influences Wilberforce was receiving. He eventually became involved in gambling and the likes as he grew older and turned away from those teachings. It wasn't until he was in his twenties that CHRIST saved William Wilberforce from his sin, and transformed his desires and passions to serve CHRIST instead of himself. He was " set free from the bondage of sin, to become a slave of righteousness," into which he poured his life into serving HIS Master and HIS LORD for the rest of his life. His goal was to bring glory to GOD and alleviate "the miseries of mankind," through politics.
John Piper (www.desiringgod.org), who wrote the book "Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce, said about him, "He was a radically God-centered Christian who was a politician. "You can read all about GOD's "Amazing Grace" in William Wilberforce's life by clicking on: http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/OnlineBooks/ByTitle/1944_Amazing_Grace_in_the_Life_of_William_Wilberforce/.
As i read about William Wilberforce's life this week, and thought about the tremendous grace GOD gave him to endure through opposition, sacrifices, and longsuffering to free the slaves from their chains, I am reminded of what CHRIST went through to redeem us from our sin and set us free from sin and death. In Philippians 2:5-11 Paul writes:
"Your attitude should be the same as that of CHRIST JESUS:
Who, being in very nature GOD,
did not consider equality with GOD something to be grasped,
but made HIMself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
HE humbled HIMself
And became obedient to death-
Even death on a cross!
Therefore GOD exalted him to the highest place
And gave him the name that is above every name
that at the name of JESUS every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that JESUS CHRIST is LORD,
to the glory of GOD the FATHER."
Phil.2:6-11
Isaiah 52:3 says about CHRIST hundreds of years before HE was crucified, "Just as there were many who were appalled at HIM-HIS appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man." "HE was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces HE was despised , and we esteemed HIM not...but He was pierced for our transgressions, HE was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon HIM, and by HIS wounds we are healed."Isaiah 53:3,5
CHRIST's death and resurrection made it possible for us to be released from our chains of sin and eternal death, and be made free in CHRIST JESUS, free to become HIS slaves of righteousness, for all those who will repent of their sins and believe in CHRIST.
" But thanks be to GOD that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." Romans 6:16,17
The Apostle Paul, the man who wrote the Words above after CHRIST had set him free from his sins, including false beliefs about CHRIST on the road to Damascus , suffered much to reach others for CHRIST. The LORD told Ananais in Acts 9:16 concerning Paul," I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." In 2 Cor. 11:23 Paul says, " ..I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without foo; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches."
Paul loved and labored, and suffered that men might come to know CHRIST, and be set free from their sin. When writing to the Corinthians concerned for their salvation Paul shared his heart with them:
"But I will most gladly spend and be utterly spent (myself) for your souls. If I love you exceedingly, am I to be love [by you] the less?" 2 Corinthians 12:15
Paul loved the Corinthians dearly and was willing to spend himself, to lay down his life for them, even though the more he loved them, the less they loved him...for them to come to know JESUS CHRIST as their LORD and SAVIOR. Only CHRIST can give us that kind of love for others, a love that is willing to exhaust itself, year after year, in prayer, in sacrifice, in love that others might be reached for CHRIST.
What am i willing to endure that others may be set free from their chains of sin which leads to eternal death and damnation forever and ever? Am i willing to endure ridicule, persecution, death? Just last Sunday, a pastor in Illinois was shot and killed as he was preaching in the First Baptist Church in his town. He used his Bible to try and deflect the bullets. Are we willing to lay down our lives, our reputations, our all, that others might come to know CHRIST? Am i willing to be a "fool for CHRIST," or "endure scars in order to liberate souls?" I must confess, i shrink back at times and don't have the courage that i should to boldly share CHRIST with those i love.
I do believe in these days of great trial in our country that GOD is going to give us many opportunities to share HIS redeeming love with others, who in normal circumstances of ease and pleasure would not be open to listen about CHRIST setting them free from their sins. May GOD give us the boldness and courage to stand for CHRIST and not be afraid to share HIM with those who are enslaved in sin. May HE grant us the love HE gave Paul for the Corinthians, and the endurance he gave William Wilberforce to continue to love and perservere with those who don't know HIM yet, to endure with them, until HE sets them free from their chains of sin.
Oswald Chambers writes in My Utmost for HIS Highest:
"GOD has nothing worth having that is easy. There are no cheap goods in the heavenly market. Our redemption cost all that GOD had to give and everything worth having is expensive."
Charles Spurgeon said about loving those who are difficult to love in his Morning and Evening devotion for March 12:
.
"Wouldst thou be a feather-bed warrior, instead of bearing the rough fight of love? He who dares the most, shall win the most; and if rough be thy path of love, tread it boldly, still loving thy neighbours through thick and thin. Heap coals of fire on their heads, and if they be hard to please, seek not to please them, but to please thy Master; and remember if they spurn thy love, thy Master hath not spurned it, and thy deed is as acceptable to Him as if it had been acceptable to them. Love thy neighbour, for in so doing thou art following the footsteps of CHRIST."
JESUS is the one who sets us free from the bondage of our sin, and sends us to be HIS ambassadors to tell others, "For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten Son that whosoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16. HE empowers us to be HIS ambassadors to go out and implore others to be "reconciled to GOD." "So we are CHRIST's ambassador's, GOD making HIS appeal as it were through us. We [as CHRIST's personal representatives] beg you for HIS sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to GOD." 2 Corinthians 5:20
William Wilberforce's life was dramatically changed when JESUS CHRIST sacrificial love set him free from his sins, and Wilberforce became "born again." Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:3 "Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of GOD." Wilberforce became an ambassador for CHRIST, and labored by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT for 46 years to free the slaves of Africa...because of the freedom and power that he had been given in CHRIST JESUS that radically changed his life. This "change," was not a result of Wilberforce making us his mind to become a different person, but from CHRIST who loved HIM and gave HIMself for him on the cross of Calvary. His whole life from that point on was focused on bringing glory to HIS GOD and "setting the captives" free.
As triumphantly as the first Christians did; we must learn, like them to repose our entire trust in him and to adopt the language of the apostle, 'God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of Jesus Christ' [Galatians 6:14], "who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" [1 Corinthians 1:30].
William Wilberforce
I used the song "Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone" sung by Chris Tomlin last week, with a video from the movie "Amazing Grace." I felt led to share it with you again since you know more know about God's "Amazing Grace" in William Wilberforce's life, and how he used John Newton, who wrote "Amazing Grace," to encourage Wilberforce. Praise the LORD, for HIS Amazing Grace in our lives..."My chains are gone, i've been set free, my GOD my Savior has ransomed me, and like a flood HIS mercy reigns, unending love, amazing grace."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXV6HJxUebg&feature=related
With all HIS love and gratefulness for my GOD's "Amazing Grace,"
Mitzi
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
A few weeks ago, our family watched the video, "Amazing Grace," that Hannah Beth had received for CHRISTmas. It is an amazing story of perserverance, courage, and most of all GOD's grace at work in the lives of HIS people to bring freedom to the African slaves. William Willberforce, a member of Parliament, labored for a total of 46 years to lead the fight to abolish the African Slave trade throughout the British Empire . He served in Parliament from the age of 21 to 65 and though he never lost an election, the cause of abolishing the slave trade was defeated 11 times before it passed in 1807. "The Trade" was so woven into the financial interests of the nation, that it was was an extreme battle to change the hearts of men who had the power to abolish it. The defeats and setbacks would have caused the ordinary politician to give up this long and costly battle for freedom. When John Wesley, founder of the Methodist church and spiritual encourager to William Wilberforce, was 87 years old (in 1790) he wrote to Wilberforce and said,
"Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of man and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you..."
GOD gave William Willerforce the grace to endure persecution from friends and foes, setbacks, discouragements, chronic sickness, and family problems throughout his forty six year battle. The decisive victory for abolishing slavery itself didn't come until 1833, 3 days before he died.
Wilberforbce was brought up in an affluent home and his father died when he was 9. While living with his Aunt and Uncle he was influenced at an early age for CHRIST by the teachings of John Wesley. He was also greatly influenced by George Whitefield, the evangelist instrumental in founding the Methodist church, member of the "Holy Club" along with John and Charles Wesley, and preached in America during the "Great Awakening," a time of great revival across our land during the 1700's. John Newton, saved out of the African slave trade as a slave ship captain, and writer of the great hymn "Amazing Grace," was used by greatly by GOD to encourage and be a mentor to William Wilberforce. It was him who encouraged Wilberforce to continue in politics when he was converted to CHRIST and was struggling whether or not it was the right thing to continue in politics.
To resolve the anguish he felt over what to do with his life as a Christian he resolved to risk seeing John Newton on December 7, 1785 - a risk because Newton was an Evangelical and not admired or esteemed by his colleagues in Parliament. He said that he had "ten thousand doubts" about going to see him, and walked twice around the block before he could get up the courage to knock on his door. To his amazement the sixty year old Newton urged him not to cut himself off from public life and wrote him two years later: "It is hoped and believed that the Lord has raised you up for the good of His church and for the good of the nation."... Just imagine what hung in the balance in that moment of counsel in view of what Wilberforce would accomplish. John Piper http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Biographies/1492_Peculiar_Doctrines_Public_Morals_and_the_Political_Welfare/
Though Wilberforce was exposed to CHRIST and HIS teachings at a young age, his Mother pulled him away from his aunt and uncle and the boarding school he was attending where he was being taught about CHRIST. She was involved in "high church" of England, the Anglican church, and didn't like the evangelical Methodist influences Wilberforce was receiving. He eventually became involved in gambling and the likes as he grew older and turned away from those teachings. It wasn't until he was in his twenties that CHRIST saved William Wilberforce from his sin, and transformed his desires and passions to serve CHRIST instead of himself. He was " set free from the bondage of sin, to become a slave of righteousness," into which he poured his life into serving HIS Master and HIS LORD for the rest of his life. His goal was to bring glory to GOD and alleviate "the miseries of mankind," through politics.
John Piper (www.desiringgod.org), who wrote the book "Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce, said about him, "He was a radically God-centered Christian who was a politician. "You can read all about GOD's "Amazing Grace" in William Wilberforce's life by clicking on: http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/OnlineBooks/ByTitle/1944_Amazing_Grace_in_the_Life_of_William_Wilberforce/.
As i read about William Wilberforce's life this week, and thought about the tremendous grace GOD gave him to endure through opposition, sacrifices, and longsuffering to free the slaves from their chains, I am reminded of what CHRIST went through to redeem us from our sin and set us free from sin and death. In Philippians 2:5-11 Paul writes:
"Your attitude should be the same as that of CHRIST JESUS:
Who, being in very nature GOD,
did not consider equality with GOD something to be grasped,
but made HIMself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
HE humbled HIMself
And became obedient to death-
Even death on a cross!
Therefore GOD exalted him to the highest place
And gave him the name that is above every name
that at the name of JESUS every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that JESUS CHRIST is LORD,
to the glory of GOD the FATHER."
Phil.2:6-11
Isaiah 52:3 says about CHRIST hundreds of years before HE was crucified, "Just as there were many who were appalled at HIM-HIS appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man." "HE was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces HE was despised , and we esteemed HIM not...but He was pierced for our transgressions, HE was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon HIM, and by HIS wounds we are healed."Isaiah 53:3,5
CHRIST's death and resurrection made it possible for us to be released from our chains of sin and eternal death, and be made free in CHRIST JESUS, free to become HIS slaves of righteousness, for all those who will repent of their sins and believe in CHRIST.
" But thanks be to GOD that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." Romans 6:16,17
The Apostle Paul, the man who wrote the Words above after CHRIST had set him free from his sins, including false beliefs about CHRIST on the road to Damascus , suffered much to reach others for CHRIST. The LORD told Ananais in Acts 9:16 concerning Paul," I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." In 2 Cor. 11:23 Paul says, " ..I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without foo; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches."
Paul loved and labored, and suffered that men might come to know CHRIST, and be set free from their sin. When writing to the Corinthians concerned for their salvation Paul shared his heart with them:
"But I will most gladly spend and be utterly spent (myself) for your souls. If I love you exceedingly, am I to be love [by you] the less?" 2 Corinthians 12:15
Paul loved the Corinthians dearly and was willing to spend himself, to lay down his life for them, even though the more he loved them, the less they loved him...for them to come to know JESUS CHRIST as their LORD and SAVIOR. Only CHRIST can give us that kind of love for others, a love that is willing to exhaust itself, year after year, in prayer, in sacrifice, in love that others might be reached for CHRIST.
What am i willing to endure that others may be set free from their chains of sin which leads to eternal death and damnation forever and ever? Am i willing to endure ridicule, persecution, death? Just last Sunday, a pastor in Illinois was shot and killed as he was preaching in the First Baptist Church in his town. He used his Bible to try and deflect the bullets. Are we willing to lay down our lives, our reputations, our all, that others might come to know CHRIST? Am i willing to be a "fool for CHRIST," or "endure scars in order to liberate souls?" I must confess, i shrink back at times and don't have the courage that i should to boldly share CHRIST with those i love.
I do believe in these days of great trial in our country that GOD is going to give us many opportunities to share HIS redeeming love with others, who in normal circumstances of ease and pleasure would not be open to listen about CHRIST setting them free from their sins. May GOD give us the boldness and courage to stand for CHRIST and not be afraid to share HIM with those who are enslaved in sin. May HE grant us the love HE gave Paul for the Corinthians, and the endurance he gave William Wilberforce to continue to love and perservere with those who don't know HIM yet, to endure with them, until HE sets them free from their chains of sin.
Oswald Chambers writes in My Utmost for HIS Highest:
"GOD has nothing worth having that is easy. There are no cheap goods in the heavenly market. Our redemption cost all that GOD had to give and everything worth having is expensive."
Charles Spurgeon said about loving those who are difficult to love in his Morning and Evening devotion for March 12:
.
"Wouldst thou be a feather-bed warrior, instead of bearing the rough fight of love? He who dares the most, shall win the most; and if rough be thy path of love, tread it boldly, still loving thy neighbours through thick and thin. Heap coals of fire on their heads, and if they be hard to please, seek not to please them, but to please thy Master; and remember if they spurn thy love, thy Master hath not spurned it, and thy deed is as acceptable to Him as if it had been acceptable to them. Love thy neighbour, for in so doing thou art following the footsteps of CHRIST."
JESUS is the one who sets us free from the bondage of our sin, and sends us to be HIS ambassadors to tell others, "For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten Son that whosoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16. HE empowers us to be HIS ambassadors to go out and implore others to be "reconciled to GOD." "So we are CHRIST's ambassador's, GOD making HIS appeal as it were through us. We [as CHRIST's personal representatives] beg you for HIS sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to GOD." 2 Corinthians 5:20
William Wilberforce's life was dramatically changed when JESUS CHRIST sacrificial love set him free from his sins, and Wilberforce became "born again." Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:3 "Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of GOD." Wilberforce became an ambassador for CHRIST, and labored by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT for 46 years to free the slaves of Africa...because of the freedom and power that he had been given in CHRIST JESUS that radically changed his life. This "change," was not a result of Wilberforce making us his mind to become a different person, but from CHRIST who loved HIM and gave HIMself for him on the cross of Calvary. His whole life from that point on was focused on bringing glory to HIS GOD and "setting the captives" free.
As triumphantly as the first Christians did; we must learn, like them to repose our entire trust in him and to adopt the language of the apostle, 'God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of Jesus Christ' [Galatians 6:14], "who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" [1 Corinthians 1:30].
William Wilberforce
I used the song "Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone" sung by Chris Tomlin last week, with a video from the movie "Amazing Grace." I felt led to share it with you again since you know more know about God's "Amazing Grace" in William Wilberforce's life, and how he used John Newton, who wrote "Amazing Grace," to encourage Wilberforce. Praise the LORD, for HIS Amazing Grace in our lives..."My chains are gone, i've been set free, my GOD my Savior has ransomed me, and like a flood HIS mercy reigns, unending love, amazing grace."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXV6HJxUebg&feature=related
With all HIS love and gratefulness for my GOD's "Amazing Grace,"
Mitzi
Friday, March 6, 2009
"The Most Dangerous Cult" and GOD's "Amazing Grace"
"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."2 Timothy 4:3-4
"But HE was wounded for our transgressions, HE was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon HIM; and with HIS stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on HIM the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:5,6
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
When my husband was enrolled in Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Ft. Worth, back in the mid to late 80's, he and i had the wonderful opportunity to travel with a group from there to take classes at Oxford University, in England. As we found out during that time, Oxford University is made up of many colleges, and the one he took classes at was Regent's College, the Baptist college. As Johnny's wife, i was welcome to attend the classes too, which i did some of them, and i got to go on all the "field trips" with them to inspiring places like John Newton's church, who wrote "Amazing Grace. Near the church where John Newton pastored was William Cowper's home, who suffered greatly from depression, and wrote the great hymn "There is A Fountain Filled with Blood." William Cowper(1731-1800) and John Newton (1725-1807) together wrote the "Olney Hymns" of which "Amazing Grace" was included. For some reason, i remember William Cowper ( i think pronounced Cooper) particularly liked rabbits. We also went to William Carey's tiny workshop where he made shoes, and Johnny stood in the pulpit of the church where he preached. William Carey was the first Baptist foreign missionary and he and his reluctant wife went to India, where he faithfully preached the gospel of JESUS CHRIST. We saw where C.S. Lewis would visit with his friends and discuss religion, politics, and other events in a pub there in Oxford. We visited where John Wesley (1703-1791) , the founder of the Methodist Church, met with the "Holy Club", for the mutual purpose of helping one another lead CHRISTian lives. We saw other many wonderful places of our CHRISTian heritage while we were in England and Scotland, like John Knox who was a Scottish clergyman, leader of the Protestant Reformation and considered the founder of the Presbyterian church. I could go on and on...but this is where the sadness of my heart sets in, as i also share the other side of our trip.
As our group was traveling on the bus to get to our destination after we had flown for several hours across the ocean, it became apparent to me that one of the professors on the trip from Southwestern did not hold to the inerrancy of the Scriptures. This was during the time when the Southern Baptist Convention was undergoing changes for more conservative leadership in the pulpits, churches, and teachers in the seminaries and colleges. In fact there was a split of the Southern Baptist Convention and a group of "moderates," formed their own association. I don't remember the specifics of the things the professor spoke of on the bus, but i do remember it sure made me angry and not like the guy. I guess i was naive and though i had heard of professors like this, I had never been around any. There is no telling how many students were led astray by this professor's false teachings through the years because he and his wife were such likeable people.. it would be easy to be deceived by them if you weren't grounded in your beliefs.
After we arrived in Oxford, it wasn't long before my simple faith was in for a rude awakening, and an all out assault on my beliefs was about to take place as we sat in classes where the professors there at the Baptist College, which had a bar in the "Common's Room," taught such things as the first five books of the Bible not being written by Moses... and were perhaps even a myth. It didn't take me long to get my fill of this teaching and others that thankfully i can't remember, and since i wasn't attending for credit as Johnny was, i started using that time for writing letters back in our room, instead of attending class. Johnny didn't condone this teaching at all, but he was familiar with some of these false teachings from attending Southwestern, where there were "wolves among sheep's clothing" on the faculty at the seminary, and he knew not to believe it. Thankfully, he was not deceived by these false teachers and held firm to the "infallibility of all the Scripture," and other false teaching that had crept into the seminary and the church.
During that time almost 25 years ago, England was a dark country spiritually and even darker now. Once rich in CHRISTian history, with the likes of preachers like Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the "Prince of Preachers," Martin Lloyd Jones, and John and Charles Wesley, only a remnant of true believers remained there. As we tried to find a place to worship on Sunday morning...we went to church after church where the pulpit was filled with women preachers...and most of those churches were empty. The culture, especially in London, was shocking, and i couldn't help but wonder if the things we saw out in public, on TV, and in the parks would be America in a few more years, and i am saddened to say, they are found here today.
This past week, as i listened to a podcast, called "The Most Dangerous Cult-Liberal Protestantism,"http://www.worldviewradio.com/episode.php/episodeid-10857/Brannon-Howse/Jan-Markell, i was reminded of our trip to England many years ago. Jan Markell, www.olivetreeviews.org was interviewing Eric Barger,http://www.ericbarger.com/ and he was talking about how churches in America, who were once solid in their teaching of the gospel of JESUS CHRIST, have become "The Most Dangerous Cult" http://www.ericbarger.com/mdcult.htm, very reminiscent of what happened in England. Men want to have their "ears tickled" instead of the hearing the truth of the gospel that sets them free from their sins. "And you shall know the TRUTH and the TRUTH shall make you free."John 8:32 We use to hear the terms "New Age Movement," ...today we hear "the emergent church", (http://www.crossroad.to/News/Church/emergent.html,), and "new spirituality," http://www.crossroad.to/charts/new-spirituality.htm- the same false teachings, packaged in new terms. These new terms for false teachings, "doctrines of demons," are abounding in once sound denominations that once were lighthouses for proclaiming the salvation of JESUS CHRIST to shipwrecked souls. In I Timothy 4:1, Paul warns his young disciple Timothy, "But the HOLY SPIRIT explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons." How did we in America, with such a godly heritage arrive at this point in our churches and society? The same way it happened in England...by the creeping in of false teaching among our higher education institutions which influenced what was being taught in our churches and inevitably our families and culture.
This week as i read in Hannah Beth's Abeka American History book, it reviewed some of the causes of the French Revolution that i wrote about a couple of weeks ago. In her book, it shared how the time building up to the French Revolution was the "Age of Enlightenment,"(1700-1789) where a number of French thinkers, especially Voltaire, the Father of the Enlightenment, and Jean -Jacques Rousseau, the Father of French Romanticism, were most influential in leading the people to reject the Bible, the sin nature of man, and the deity of CHRIST for the first time in modern history on a large scale. Voltaire openly attacked CHRISTianity, and declared that "chance," not GOD rules the world. Rousseau called for a new order of society, and believed that man is naturally good but society is bad, and men should not be allowed to own private property. These philosophies fueled the fire in 1789 when the French people rebelled against their established government and a blood revolution began (remember the Huguenots, the French CHRISTians had fled the country because of persecution by this time leaving a vast hole of spiritual darkness).
Many other countries followed France on the road to revolution. At a time when liberal philosophies were stirring up a desire for popular rule, they were also tearing away the religious foundation that makes popular rule possible...wow does that ever sound familiar. During this time of revolution, some extremely influential philosophers and theologians continued the destructive thought processes. These false teachings were especially prevalent in Germany, the land of Reformation. They soon turned the CHRISTianity that Martin Luther had worked so hard to reform from the false teachings of the Catholic church, into a cold, intellectual process through the state church. Rationalism and romanticism became firmly entrenched in the Germany universities, and students from Scandinavia, Great Britain, and the United States, flocked there to learn new German ideas about philosophy, literature, music, and religion. This "higher criticism," which was first developed in German universities, became an increasing challenge to Protestantism in the 19th century as it departed from a literal acceptance of the Bible. The false philosophies of modernism, religious liberalism which originated in German universities in the 19th century when German theologians began to exalt their own reason above GOD's WORD, taught that the Bible was a collection of myths, legends, and a few historical facts (reminiscent to me of what was being taught at the liberal Baptist college in Oxford 25 years ago). This led to denying the existence of Heaven, Hell, the sin nature of man, and the deity of JESUS CHRIST. These "modernists," false teachers of the gospel, insisted that JESUS was only a great man whose teachings could help men evolve into perfect beings. When American ministerial students attended these German schools, they were filled with doubt and disbelief about the Bible. Many brought these false teachings back to American seminaries and universities. These false teachings quickly took root in Europe with devastating consequences, and now we see the "fruit" of these false teachings in our churches, universities, and seminaries.
Along with modernism, came the false teachings of Darwinism, where Charles Darwin proposed that all life on earth, including man, evolved. Many people embraced evolution because believing man is basically an animal frees him from his responsibility to GOD. A natural result of Darwinism is materialism, which reduces man to a machine "whose personality is merely an interrelation of chemical and physical properties." Another natural consequence of Darwinism is socialism, the "materialistic view that all economic, political, and social life must be planned, controlled and regulated by the state to insure "the greatest good for the greatest number." As Darwinism grew in Europe, the focus shifted from the individual to society. The man most responsible for the rise of modern socialism was Karl Marx (1818-1883), the Father of Communism. He gladly embraced the false philosophies of Darwinism and socialism and believed the cause of all past conflicts in society was the struggle between the wealthy and the poor and blamed private property as the cause of the conflict. Marxist philosophy would have a tremendous impact on the world including the United States where Marxists infiltrated our universities and seminaries during World War II and taught their false teachings here. This greatly contributed to the false teachings we see infiltrating our churches today, deceiving sinners into thinking that they can obtain salvation by their good deeds and contributed to the moral collapse that we see abounding in our society today.
There is nothing new under the sun, as Solomon penned in Ecclesiastes 1:9.
9 What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
As the prophet, Elijah confronted the false prophets of Baal in the Old Testament, as Paul confronted the false teachers in the New Testament, as Martin Luther confronted the Roman Catholic leaders during the Protestant Reformation, we continue to live in a day and age when false teaching is everywhere, including the church, to lure men away from the pure gospel of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. In Jude we are warned, "In the last times will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires. These are men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the SPIRIT." Jude 18
It grieves me to say, "The Most Dangerous Cult" is not just one denomination...it is probably a part of most denominations, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, anywhere where liberal teaching, or false teaching has been allowed to take root and bring devastating consequences...consequences to the souls of men, women and children for all eternity.
John Wesley, Founder of the Methodist Church, and hymn writer was steeped in CHRISTianity as a son of an Anglican minister, and homeschooled by a very disciplined Mom. She was very committed to JESUS CHRIST and taught her children the Scriptures at home. http://wesley.nnu.edu/john_wesley/methodist/ch2.htm He was the grandson of two minister's, a student of CHRIST College, Oxford, and a member of the "Holy Club," a very close "Circle of Friends," that met several times a week for mutual encouragement in CHRIST. Though he was very self disciplined , rising early to spend time reading the Bible, pray, eat, and careful not to waste any time, it wasn't until John Wesley was 35, ten years after he became a deacon, that he came to know JESUS CHRIST as his LORD and SAVIOR. Until his conversion to CHRIST, John Wesley believed that:
the only way to avoid the flames and torment of Hell was to win God's approval
by doing good works in this life. He believed people had to earn Heaven and deserve God's
favor. He did believe that people struggling to do this would be helped by prayers, and grace coming through the church.
Although people saw John Wesley as a good man he was very
unhappy, feeling that whatever he did, sin was holding him back and he could never get away
from it.
John's own conversion did not come until May 24, 1738 at the age of 35 (about 13 years
after deciding to serve God as a deacon). As God promised in Deuteronomy, "But if from there
you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with
all your soul," so it came true in the life of John Wesley. Wesley had been somewhat depressed
for several days. Very unwillingly he went to a meeting of Christians in Aldersgate. There he
heard a reading of Martin Luther's preface to the book of Romans. Martin Luther was a great
German Christian from the 16th century who had led the Protestant Reformation. He was the
founder of the Lutheran Church of today. In his book, Luther was explaining the change which
God works in the heart through faith in Christ. Wesley wrote about his experience in this way, "I
felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt that I did trust Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an
assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law
of sin and death." For the first time in his life, Wesley felt free forever from the domination of
sin. He knew he would still struggle with sin but he also knew he would win. He became utterly
convinced that every man and woman who was aware of their own sin and misery who turned to
Christ and relied completely on his love would be saved from Hell and sin. He was filled with a
holy desire to spread this joyful news and became a great preacher, who carried the message of
hope throughout the land. Dr. Dorothy Marshall said about Wesley's conversion, "What happened
then released such a force of explosive Christianity in him that the Methodist movement, which
has brought hope and comfort to millions of people ever since, was born."
http://www.studentorg.umd.edu/ubf/msg/wesley.htm
GOD used John Wesley to began the Methodist church in England, and it was founded on the solid teaching of trusting in CHRIST alone to save men from their sins. As time marched on, into the 1920's and 30's and false teaching from the strands of modernism (religious liberalism), socialism, secular psychology and pragmatism (the belief that an idea or action should be judged solely by its results, regardless of any moral or Scriptural considerations) influenced more and more seminaries and universities in our country,the pure truth of the gospel of JESUS CHRIST saving us from our sins was taken out of the preaching of these once sound churches. Sadly, in a poll conducted in 1999, 51% of the Methodist church did not believe in the historical event of the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST in a poll conducted in 1999.
Methodism isn't the only church invaded by liberal teachings, as i have shared in my opening. American Baptists weren't far behind in the 1999 poll, followed by Presbyterians http://www.ericbarger.com/mdcult.htm. In a 2008 survey, 57% of evangelicals did not believe JESUS CHRIST is the only way to GOD, according to Brannon Howse, "Worldview Weekend Digest," vol. 6....wow.
I was raised in a United Methodist church and though parts of the Bible was taught there in Sunday School, through loving teachers, and we sang hymns about JESUS, I don't remember hearing the gospel of JESUS CHRIST preached from the pulpit. It may have been, i just don't remember it. I do remember GOD putting a longing in my heart as a child that i yearned for "Something More." That "Something More," was a personal relationship with JESUS CHRIST. It was from a dear neighbor who went to another church that taught me about "getting saved" and trusting in JESUS to forgive me for my sins. She loved me, fed me plenty of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at her house and reached out not just to me but my whole family. She invited us to go to VBS, youth camps, and church with them. I prayed the "sinners prayer" at 8 years old at their VBS, but it wasn't until i was 19 that CHRIST opened my blind eyes, made me "a new creature in CHRIST," and i became "born again." "If any man is in CHRIST he is a new creature, old things have passed away, behold new things have come," II Cor. 5:17. In John 3:3, JESUS, told Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council, who came seeking JESUS at night, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of GOD unless he is born again." I am amazed when i think of CHRIST saving me and my brothers and sisters one by one as we grew up. HE brought us to HIMself through lovingly convicting us of our sins, bringing us to repentance, and giving us the faith to believe that CHRIST died for our sins. I told my husband as i wrote this, and reflected on all that i've written here, the older i get in CHRIST, the more amazed i am that CHRIST saved me.
So what do you do if you're reading this and realize that you have been deceived by false teaching? The same thing i did when CHRIST drew me to HIMself with HIS HOLY SPIRIT, opened my eyes to who HE is, and made me a new creature in HIM. Confess your sins to HIM, repent, and believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST. "For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON that whosoever believeth on HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16. Ask the LORD to direct you to a BIBLE believing and teaching church to help you grow in the "grace and knowledge of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST." I am becoming more and more aware that churches that teach true doctrine are difficult to find these days. GOD is faithful and HE will direct you to one when you diligently seek and search...they are out there. Please feel free to contact me, and i will be more than happy to do what i can to help you find a Bible believing church home that teaches JESUS CHRIST as the only WAY to experience forgiveness and peace with GOD.
JESUS answered, "I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE. No one comes to the FATHER except through ME."
John 14:6
It was an amazing privilege to sit in John Newton's church, who I think was among John Wesley's "Circle of Friends," when we were in England and sing "Amazing Grace," with the group from the seminary. John Newton, a wanton sinner, left home at 11 to work on a ship, and was involved in the African Slave trade for 10 years... he was saved by GOD's amazing grace, and penned probably the most famous hymn in the our hymn books, "Amazing Grace."
That grace is amazing to me, and how i thank GOD for pursuing me with HIS unconditional love, convicting my heart of my sins, and setting me free from the bondage of my sins. He wouldn't let me go and I'll never forget that wonderful night at Central Baptist Church when at 19 years of age, HIS amazing grace reached down to save me and set me free from my chains of my sin. I was a wretched sinner that "once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see."
This week, I've included 2 videos of Chris Tomlin singing "Amazing Grace," (My Chains are Gone). In the first one, as he sings, scenes from the movie "Amazing Grace," is being shown. It depicts the battle that William Wilberforce (1759-1833), a recipient of GOD's amazing saving grace, and member of John Wesley's "Circle of Friends," fought for 20 years in the British Parliament to abolish the African slave trade throughout the British Empire. William Wilberforce was saved along the journey by GOD's "Amazing Grace," and GOD used him to set the African slaves free from their chains of slavery. The second one, is depicting our dear LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, whom GOD sent from heaven to set us free from our chains of bondage...sin. Praise the LORD," my chains are gone, I've been set free, my GOD, my SAVIOR, has ransomed me, and like a flood HIS mercy reigns, unending love, Amazing Grace!"
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of GOD; not as a result of works, that no one should boast." Ephesians 2:8,9
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXV6HJxUebg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyFxArMeRDI&NR=1
"Amazing Grace" by John Newton
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me,
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come.
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing GOD's praise
Than when we first begun.
With all HIS love,
mitzi
"But HE was wounded for our transgressions, HE was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon HIM; and with HIS stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on HIM the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:5,6
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
When my husband was enrolled in Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Ft. Worth, back in the mid to late 80's, he and i had the wonderful opportunity to travel with a group from there to take classes at Oxford University, in England. As we found out during that time, Oxford University is made up of many colleges, and the one he took classes at was Regent's College, the Baptist college. As Johnny's wife, i was welcome to attend the classes too, which i did some of them, and i got to go on all the "field trips" with them to inspiring places like John Newton's church, who wrote "Amazing Grace. Near the church where John Newton pastored was William Cowper's home, who suffered greatly from depression, and wrote the great hymn "There is A Fountain Filled with Blood." William Cowper(1731-1800) and John Newton (1725-1807) together wrote the "Olney Hymns" of which "Amazing Grace" was included. For some reason, i remember William Cowper ( i think pronounced Cooper) particularly liked rabbits. We also went to William Carey's tiny workshop where he made shoes, and Johnny stood in the pulpit of the church where he preached. William Carey was the first Baptist foreign missionary and he and his reluctant wife went to India, where he faithfully preached the gospel of JESUS CHRIST. We saw where C.S. Lewis would visit with his friends and discuss religion, politics, and other events in a pub there in Oxford. We visited where John Wesley (1703-1791) , the founder of the Methodist Church, met with the "Holy Club", for the mutual purpose of helping one another lead CHRISTian lives. We saw other many wonderful places of our CHRISTian heritage while we were in England and Scotland, like John Knox who was a Scottish clergyman, leader of the Protestant Reformation and considered the founder of the Presbyterian church. I could go on and on...but this is where the sadness of my heart sets in, as i also share the other side of our trip.
As our group was traveling on the bus to get to our destination after we had flown for several hours across the ocean, it became apparent to me that one of the professors on the trip from Southwestern did not hold to the inerrancy of the Scriptures. This was during the time when the Southern Baptist Convention was undergoing changes for more conservative leadership in the pulpits, churches, and teachers in the seminaries and colleges. In fact there was a split of the Southern Baptist Convention and a group of "moderates," formed their own association. I don't remember the specifics of the things the professor spoke of on the bus, but i do remember it sure made me angry and not like the guy. I guess i was naive and though i had heard of professors like this, I had never been around any. There is no telling how many students were led astray by this professor's false teachings through the years because he and his wife were such likeable people.. it would be easy to be deceived by them if you weren't grounded in your beliefs.
After we arrived in Oxford, it wasn't long before my simple faith was in for a rude awakening, and an all out assault on my beliefs was about to take place as we sat in classes where the professors there at the Baptist College, which had a bar in the "Common's Room," taught such things as the first five books of the Bible not being written by Moses... and were perhaps even a myth. It didn't take me long to get my fill of this teaching and others that thankfully i can't remember, and since i wasn't attending for credit as Johnny was, i started using that time for writing letters back in our room, instead of attending class. Johnny didn't condone this teaching at all, but he was familiar with some of these false teachings from attending Southwestern, where there were "wolves among sheep's clothing" on the faculty at the seminary, and he knew not to believe it. Thankfully, he was not deceived by these false teachers and held firm to the "infallibility of all the Scripture," and other false teaching that had crept into the seminary and the church.
During that time almost 25 years ago, England was a dark country spiritually and even darker now. Once rich in CHRISTian history, with the likes of preachers like Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the "Prince of Preachers," Martin Lloyd Jones, and John and Charles Wesley, only a remnant of true believers remained there. As we tried to find a place to worship on Sunday morning...we went to church after church where the pulpit was filled with women preachers...and most of those churches were empty. The culture, especially in London, was shocking, and i couldn't help but wonder if the things we saw out in public, on TV, and in the parks would be America in a few more years, and i am saddened to say, they are found here today.
This past week, as i listened to a podcast, called "The Most Dangerous Cult-Liberal Protestantism,"http://www.worldviewradio.com/episode.php/episodeid-10857/Brannon-Howse/Jan-Markell, i was reminded of our trip to England many years ago. Jan Markell, www.olivetreeviews.org was interviewing Eric Barger,http://www.ericbarger.com/ and he was talking about how churches in America, who were once solid in their teaching of the gospel of JESUS CHRIST, have become "The Most Dangerous Cult" http://www.ericbarger.com/mdcult.htm, very reminiscent of what happened in England. Men want to have their "ears tickled" instead of the hearing the truth of the gospel that sets them free from their sins. "And you shall know the TRUTH and the TRUTH shall make you free."John 8:32 We use to hear the terms "New Age Movement," ...today we hear "the emergent church", (http://www.crossroad.to/News/Church/emergent.html,), and "new spirituality," http://www.crossroad.to/charts/new-spirituality.htm- the same false teachings, packaged in new terms. These new terms for false teachings, "doctrines of demons," are abounding in once sound denominations that once were lighthouses for proclaiming the salvation of JESUS CHRIST to shipwrecked souls. In I Timothy 4:1, Paul warns his young disciple Timothy, "But the HOLY SPIRIT explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons." How did we in America, with such a godly heritage arrive at this point in our churches and society? The same way it happened in England...by the creeping in of false teaching among our higher education institutions which influenced what was being taught in our churches and inevitably our families and culture.
This week as i read in Hannah Beth's Abeka American History book, it reviewed some of the causes of the French Revolution that i wrote about a couple of weeks ago. In her book, it shared how the time building up to the French Revolution was the "Age of Enlightenment,"(1700-1789) where a number of French thinkers, especially Voltaire, the Father of the Enlightenment, and Jean -Jacques Rousseau, the Father of French Romanticism, were most influential in leading the people to reject the Bible, the sin nature of man, and the deity of CHRIST for the first time in modern history on a large scale. Voltaire openly attacked CHRISTianity, and declared that "chance," not GOD rules the world. Rousseau called for a new order of society, and believed that man is naturally good but society is bad, and men should not be allowed to own private property. These philosophies fueled the fire in 1789 when the French people rebelled against their established government and a blood revolution began (remember the Huguenots, the French CHRISTians had fled the country because of persecution by this time leaving a vast hole of spiritual darkness).
Many other countries followed France on the road to revolution. At a time when liberal philosophies were stirring up a desire for popular rule, they were also tearing away the religious foundation that makes popular rule possible...wow does that ever sound familiar. During this time of revolution, some extremely influential philosophers and theologians continued the destructive thought processes. These false teachings were especially prevalent in Germany, the land of Reformation. They soon turned the CHRISTianity that Martin Luther had worked so hard to reform from the false teachings of the Catholic church, into a cold, intellectual process through the state church. Rationalism and romanticism became firmly entrenched in the Germany universities, and students from Scandinavia, Great Britain, and the United States, flocked there to learn new German ideas about philosophy, literature, music, and religion. This "higher criticism," which was first developed in German universities, became an increasing challenge to Protestantism in the 19th century as it departed from a literal acceptance of the Bible. The false philosophies of modernism, religious liberalism which originated in German universities in the 19th century when German theologians began to exalt their own reason above GOD's WORD, taught that the Bible was a collection of myths, legends, and a few historical facts (reminiscent to me of what was being taught at the liberal Baptist college in Oxford 25 years ago). This led to denying the existence of Heaven, Hell, the sin nature of man, and the deity of JESUS CHRIST. These "modernists," false teachers of the gospel, insisted that JESUS was only a great man whose teachings could help men evolve into perfect beings. When American ministerial students attended these German schools, they were filled with doubt and disbelief about the Bible. Many brought these false teachings back to American seminaries and universities. These false teachings quickly took root in Europe with devastating consequences, and now we see the "fruit" of these false teachings in our churches, universities, and seminaries.
Along with modernism, came the false teachings of Darwinism, where Charles Darwin proposed that all life on earth, including man, evolved. Many people embraced evolution because believing man is basically an animal frees him from his responsibility to GOD. A natural result of Darwinism is materialism, which reduces man to a machine "whose personality is merely an interrelation of chemical and physical properties." Another natural consequence of Darwinism is socialism, the "materialistic view that all economic, political, and social life must be planned, controlled and regulated by the state to insure "the greatest good for the greatest number." As Darwinism grew in Europe, the focus shifted from the individual to society. The man most responsible for the rise of modern socialism was Karl Marx (1818-1883), the Father of Communism. He gladly embraced the false philosophies of Darwinism and socialism and believed the cause of all past conflicts in society was the struggle between the wealthy and the poor and blamed private property as the cause of the conflict. Marxist philosophy would have a tremendous impact on the world including the United States where Marxists infiltrated our universities and seminaries during World War II and taught their false teachings here. This greatly contributed to the false teachings we see infiltrating our churches today, deceiving sinners into thinking that they can obtain salvation by their good deeds and contributed to the moral collapse that we see abounding in our society today.
There is nothing new under the sun, as Solomon penned in Ecclesiastes 1:9.
9 What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
As the prophet, Elijah confronted the false prophets of Baal in the Old Testament, as Paul confronted the false teachers in the New Testament, as Martin Luther confronted the Roman Catholic leaders during the Protestant Reformation, we continue to live in a day and age when false teaching is everywhere, including the church, to lure men away from the pure gospel of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. In Jude we are warned, "In the last times will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires. These are men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the SPIRIT." Jude 18
It grieves me to say, "The Most Dangerous Cult" is not just one denomination...it is probably a part of most denominations, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, anywhere where liberal teaching, or false teaching has been allowed to take root and bring devastating consequences...consequences to the souls of men, women and children for all eternity.
John Wesley, Founder of the Methodist Church, and hymn writer was steeped in CHRISTianity as a son of an Anglican minister, and homeschooled by a very disciplined Mom. She was very committed to JESUS CHRIST and taught her children the Scriptures at home. http://wesley.nnu.edu/john_wesley/methodist/ch2.htm He was the grandson of two minister's, a student of CHRIST College, Oxford, and a member of the "Holy Club," a very close "Circle of Friends," that met several times a week for mutual encouragement in CHRIST. Though he was very self disciplined , rising early to spend time reading the Bible, pray, eat, and careful not to waste any time, it wasn't until John Wesley was 35, ten years after he became a deacon, that he came to know JESUS CHRIST as his LORD and SAVIOR. Until his conversion to CHRIST, John Wesley believed that:
the only way to avoid the flames and torment of Hell was to win God's approval
by doing good works in this life. He believed people had to earn Heaven and deserve God's
favor. He did believe that people struggling to do this would be helped by prayers, and grace coming through the church.
Although people saw John Wesley as a good man he was very
unhappy, feeling that whatever he did, sin was holding him back and he could never get away
from it.
John's own conversion did not come until May 24, 1738 at the age of 35 (about 13 years
after deciding to serve God as a deacon). As God promised in Deuteronomy, "But if from there
you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with
all your soul," so it came true in the life of John Wesley. Wesley had been somewhat depressed
for several days. Very unwillingly he went to a meeting of Christians in Aldersgate. There he
heard a reading of Martin Luther's preface to the book of Romans. Martin Luther was a great
German Christian from the 16th century who had led the Protestant Reformation. He was the
founder of the Lutheran Church of today. In his book, Luther was explaining the change which
God works in the heart through faith in Christ. Wesley wrote about his experience in this way, "I
felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt that I did trust Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an
assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law
of sin and death." For the first time in his life, Wesley felt free forever from the domination of
sin. He knew he would still struggle with sin but he also knew he would win. He became utterly
convinced that every man and woman who was aware of their own sin and misery who turned to
Christ and relied completely on his love would be saved from Hell and sin. He was filled with a
holy desire to spread this joyful news and became a great preacher, who carried the message of
hope throughout the land. Dr. Dorothy Marshall said about Wesley's conversion, "What happened
then released such a force of explosive Christianity in him that the Methodist movement, which
has brought hope and comfort to millions of people ever since, was born."
http://www.studentorg.umd.edu/ubf/msg/wesley.htm
GOD used John Wesley to began the Methodist church in England, and it was founded on the solid teaching of trusting in CHRIST alone to save men from their sins. As time marched on, into the 1920's and 30's and false teaching from the strands of modernism (religious liberalism), socialism, secular psychology and pragmatism (the belief that an idea or action should be judged solely by its results, regardless of any moral or Scriptural considerations) influenced more and more seminaries and universities in our country,the pure truth of the gospel of JESUS CHRIST saving us from our sins was taken out of the preaching of these once sound churches. Sadly, in a poll conducted in 1999, 51% of the Methodist church did not believe in the historical event of the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST in a poll conducted in 1999.
Methodism isn't the only church invaded by liberal teachings, as i have shared in my opening. American Baptists weren't far behind in the 1999 poll, followed by Presbyterians http://www.ericbarger.com/mdcult.htm. In a 2008 survey, 57% of evangelicals did not believe JESUS CHRIST is the only way to GOD, according to Brannon Howse, "Worldview Weekend Digest," vol. 6....wow.
I was raised in a United Methodist church and though parts of the Bible was taught there in Sunday School, through loving teachers, and we sang hymns about JESUS, I don't remember hearing the gospel of JESUS CHRIST preached from the pulpit. It may have been, i just don't remember it. I do remember GOD putting a longing in my heart as a child that i yearned for "Something More." That "Something More," was a personal relationship with JESUS CHRIST. It was from a dear neighbor who went to another church that taught me about "getting saved" and trusting in JESUS to forgive me for my sins. She loved me, fed me plenty of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at her house and reached out not just to me but my whole family. She invited us to go to VBS, youth camps, and church with them. I prayed the "sinners prayer" at 8 years old at their VBS, but it wasn't until i was 19 that CHRIST opened my blind eyes, made me "a new creature in CHRIST," and i became "born again." "If any man is in CHRIST he is a new creature, old things have passed away, behold new things have come," II Cor. 5:17. In John 3:3, JESUS, told Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council, who came seeking JESUS at night, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of GOD unless he is born again." I am amazed when i think of CHRIST saving me and my brothers and sisters one by one as we grew up. HE brought us to HIMself through lovingly convicting us of our sins, bringing us to repentance, and giving us the faith to believe that CHRIST died for our sins. I told my husband as i wrote this, and reflected on all that i've written here, the older i get in CHRIST, the more amazed i am that CHRIST saved me.
So what do you do if you're reading this and realize that you have been deceived by false teaching? The same thing i did when CHRIST drew me to HIMself with HIS HOLY SPIRIT, opened my eyes to who HE is, and made me a new creature in HIM. Confess your sins to HIM, repent, and believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST. "For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON that whosoever believeth on HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16. Ask the LORD to direct you to a BIBLE believing and teaching church to help you grow in the "grace and knowledge of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST." I am becoming more and more aware that churches that teach true doctrine are difficult to find these days. GOD is faithful and HE will direct you to one when you diligently seek and search...they are out there. Please feel free to contact me, and i will be more than happy to do what i can to help you find a Bible believing church home that teaches JESUS CHRIST as the only WAY to experience forgiveness and peace with GOD.
JESUS answered, "I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE. No one comes to the FATHER except through ME."
John 14:6
It was an amazing privilege to sit in John Newton's church, who I think was among John Wesley's "Circle of Friends," when we were in England and sing "Amazing Grace," with the group from the seminary. John Newton, a wanton sinner, left home at 11 to work on a ship, and was involved in the African Slave trade for 10 years... he was saved by GOD's amazing grace, and penned probably the most famous hymn in the our hymn books, "Amazing Grace."
That grace is amazing to me, and how i thank GOD for pursuing me with HIS unconditional love, convicting my heart of my sins, and setting me free from the bondage of my sins. He wouldn't let me go and I'll never forget that wonderful night at Central Baptist Church when at 19 years of age, HIS amazing grace reached down to save me and set me free from my chains of my sin. I was a wretched sinner that "once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see."
This week, I've included 2 videos of Chris Tomlin singing "Amazing Grace," (My Chains are Gone). In the first one, as he sings, scenes from the movie "Amazing Grace," is being shown. It depicts the battle that William Wilberforce (1759-1833), a recipient of GOD's amazing saving grace, and member of John Wesley's "Circle of Friends," fought for 20 years in the British Parliament to abolish the African slave trade throughout the British Empire. William Wilberforce was saved along the journey by GOD's "Amazing Grace," and GOD used him to set the African slaves free from their chains of slavery. The second one, is depicting our dear LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, whom GOD sent from heaven to set us free from our chains of bondage...sin. Praise the LORD," my chains are gone, I've been set free, my GOD, my SAVIOR, has ransomed me, and like a flood HIS mercy reigns, unending love, Amazing Grace!"
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of GOD; not as a result of works, that no one should boast." Ephesians 2:8,9
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXV6HJxUebg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyFxArMeRDI&NR=1
"Amazing Grace" by John Newton
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me,
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come.
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing GOD's praise
Than when we first begun.
With all HIS love,
mitzi
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