Bad News and Sharing the Good News

Last Monday was a very trying day for my husband.  A few years ago a friend whom he thinks highly of was diagnosed with cancer.   Previously the man had undergone surgery and continued on with his busy life. On Monday my husband received a phone call from his friend and learned that his cancer has spread into his lymph nodes and into his back.  He is about to undergo radiation and chemotherapy.  This was very bad news

Years ago my husband and this man worked together and my husband shared the gospel with him then.  But what to do now?  But then the next day something wonderful happened.

We have a new neighbour.  My husband always hopes for opportunities to share the gospel with neighbours but he thought that it might be difficult to share with this neighbour.  The day after hearing about my husband's friend, he was outside talking with the neighbour.  I saw them from the window and wondered what they could be talking about for so long.  As it turned out, my husband said that an opportunity presented itself from something the neighbour said, and so my husband shared the good news of the  gospel with him for about 10 minutes.  He was very happy for this opportunity.

The next day he wrote an email to his friend reminding him of the time he shared the gospel with him when they worked together, and reminded him what had been said before.  Today my husband heard back from him, and the friend thanked him for his email and for his friendship.

You never know what the day will bring.  It just takes a heart that desires to serve the Lord however they are led.

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vcg

Send Me!

I had heard of Kanye West's Sunday Services, but didn't know anything about them.  I just finished listening to a 12 minute impassioned gospel message by Pastor Adam Tyson at Kanye's Sunday Service in Detroit.   I haven't heard such a great salvation message in a long time and wanted to share it here.  Mr. Tyson's words at the end quoted Isaiah in response to who would spread the gospel "Send Me!"

Here is the link from YouTube:

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vcg

A Christian Birth Certificate?

Yesterday at church, before the meeting began, someone was handing out "Birth Certificates". 
As it turned out, this certificate stated what a Christian was, and had a few bible verses on it.  Then there was room for a signature and a date.  And therein lies the problem.  Just because a person signs something does definitely not make them a Christian.

For the past few weeks there has been a man attending our church and sometimes he brings his son who is about 20.  They are not Christians but the man is getting to know his bible and has a lot of interest.  He has yet to make a profession of faith.   I had great concern that he would sign this certificate and think that he was saved, as might his son.

This is similar to what happened to one of my granddaughters who attended bible camp.  One day the leader said to them "stand up if you want to say you are saved",  and so she stood up and now she thinks that she is saved.  But salvation is believing that you are a sinner, and that the Lord Jesus went to the cross, shed his precious blood and took upon himself the penalty for your sin.  It is putting your trust in him.  If you do not believe the gospel and trust in Christ, no matter how many "birth certificates" you sign, or how many "decision cards" you sign, you are still lost in your sins.

I asked my husband to speak to the man who has been attending and let him know that signing the certificate meant nothing, and thankfully, they had a good discussion.

Why do people do these things?  I do not know, but I pray that it doesn't happen again.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved"

Romans 5:6,8-9 "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."

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vcg

Do Not Delay..

This morning I am reading a sermon by Charles Spurgeon entitled The Lamb of God in Scripture.  There is a portion I just must share regarding people who have heard the gospel putting off receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, their own salvation, delaying for one reason or another.  I speak of my own brother who says that he will "think about these things over the summer".  Here is the portion:

"Now behold Him, each one of you for yourself.  I know what someone will say, 'I hope to do that by and by."  I hope you do not so deceive yourself.  I have heard that there was once a great meeting in the den of the arch-enemy and he was stirring up his myrmidons to seek the destruction of men.  One of them said 'I  have gone forth, and I have told men that there is no God, and no hereafter, and no difference between sin and righteousness and that they may live as they like"; and there was considerable approbation among the evil spirits.  But Satan himself said, "thou hast done small service, for man has a conscience, and his conscience teaches him better; he knows that there is a God, he knows that there is a difference between sin and righteousness he knows that there must be future punishment; you have done but little."  Then anther stood up, and said "I have done better, I think, most mighty chieftain, for I have told them that the Bible is a worn-out book, that it was a fable at the first, and that they need not believe it."  There was a round of cheers, for they said that he had done splendid service for the cause of darkness; but Satan said "It is in vain that you meddle with the old Book, it has taken care of itself, and it can still do so  There is no shaking, it is like a rock.  Thou hast done service for a time, but it will soon pass away."  And scarcely did anyone of the fallen spirits venture to bring forward his boasting in the presence of the terrible master who sat in the midst of them; but at last, one  said "I have told men that they have souls, and there is a God, and that the Bible is true.  I have left them to believe as they will, but I have whispered in their ear that there is plenty of time to consider all this."  Then there was a hush, and the great master of demons said "Thou hast done best of all.  This is my great net in which I take more souls that with any other, this net of procrastination or delay."  Therefore say I to you, my hearers, disappoint the fiend.  Fly to Jesus at once.  Behold not tomorrow, but tonight, behold the Lamb of God, each man for himself."

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.  Do not delay!

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Portion from The Lamb of God in Scripture. C.H. Spurgeon,
On Lord's-Day Evening, August 25, 1889

link to complete sermon:  The Lamb of God in Scripture

Different Meanings of a Rainbow

 

What does a rainbow bring to your mind?   My first thought is of Genesis 9:13-16, where the LORD God establishes his covenant between God and “every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth”  and what is this covenant?  V13-16 “I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.  And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.  And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.”


In this passage, the rainbow is the sign of God’s covenant that no more would the earth be destroyed by a flood as it was in the days of Noah and the ark.  How many of us since then have looked upon the rainbow and marveled at its beauty.

Then there is the old Sunday School song, Mr. Noah Built An Ark.  I wonder if children still sing this song in these days?  The latter part of the song says “whenever you see a rainbow, remember God is love.”  But of course, God is so much more than love.  When I shared this song with my granddaughter when she was little,  we used to sing “whenever you see a rainbow, remember God loves you.”  So the rainbow  had special meaning for me because my granddaughter still remembers that God loves her when she sees a rainbow.  Here is a rainbow as I like to think of it, the rainbow in the clouds, the sign of God’s covenant and his love.

But now there is a new meaning for the rainbow, and this saddens me.  The rainbow has become a symbol of the gay community.   I have no clue why they chose a rainbow and I wonder, as time passes, how many people will remember that the rainbow was originally a sign of the covenant God made, or may have heard the Sunday School song and remembered that God is love?  or will they more remember what it is a symbol for now?
It’s not my purpose in writing this piece to say anything more regarding the gay community,  except to say that  I am saddened that this beautiful rainbow has become a symbol of something which God does not approve of, enough said.

I would just like to quote the final verse from the song Mr. Noah Built an Ark..

Jesus died upon a tree
Jesus died for you and me
Go into the ark and you will be
Safe for all eternity.
Whenever you see a rainbow, whenever you see a rainbow, whenever you see a rainbow, remember God is love.

And what do these words mean?  The Lord Jesus was crucified upon a cross, shedding his precious blood and taking upon himself the punishment for sin, dying on the cross, being buried and then rising from the grave.  He is the one and only risen Saviour, the Son of God.  Go into the ark means this:  all have sinned, and you know in your heart that this means you too.  Believe that the Lord Jesus was crucified, that he shed his precious blood and took the punishment for your sins upon himself.  Trust in Jesus to save you, and you will be saved for all eternity.

So if you have followed the tag “gay community” and planned on berating me for making this post about the rainbow, I hope that instead, you have realized your need of the Saviour, and that you have trusted in him.

vcg/June 2016

Will We Know Each Other in Heaven? (Repreached)

2 Samuel 12:15-23

The picture that the bible paints of heaven is altogether wonderful.  And we who are believers more than likely can confess that we do not think about heaven enough, although there is something about it that makes us want to be there.  It awakens a deep emotion in the heart of every believer, a perfection or maybe a feeling of going home because we are pilgrims in this world and heaven is our home and that is where we are going.  But there is one question that bothers people, and that is this:  will we know one another in heaven.

I (Paul Dowling) believe that the bible tells us or at least very strongly hints to us that we will know one another in heaven.   Many of the great men in history believed that we will know one another in heaven.  But, one might say, can you give any evidence from the bible?  Here are several points:

-David's comfort is based upon knowing one another in heaven.  In 2 Sam 12 the passage is about David's sins, and a baby boy is born by adultery, and God in his perfect justice has determined that the child will not live.  The child becomes very sick and dies.  There is no profit from this sin for David.  David prays while the child is alive, weeps and fasts for 7 days and then the child dies.  And then David breaks his fast, washes himself, ceases to pray and the servants don't understand so he tells them why he is not broken more now than when the child was alive. V23  "But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."  There is no more  reason to pray, we don't pray for the dead.   But now he is dead, why should I fast any longer?  Can I bring him back again?  There is only comfort in those words for David if he would know his baby son in the next world.  I don't think there is much comfort in saying that he would go to him but he won't know him when he sees him, what comfort is there in that?  None at all.  David says I will go to him, its comforting to him to think that and say that because he believes that he will know his son when he says them.  David hoped to meet his child again in another world.  The separation would not be forever.  

-Because the apostle Paul expected to recognize the Thessalonian converts at Christ's second coming.  1 Thess 2:17-20  "But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.  Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.  For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?"    What does this mean?  Paul is saying that he wanted to come and meet the converts but he was hindered, he couldn't come.. separated in presence but not in heart.  Paul is hoping for and looking forward to seeing them at Christ's second coming.  Its not much comfort to think that we are separated now but at Christ's second coming you will be there but I won't know you.  What comfort is there in that? None.

What Does It Mean to be Saved - Repentance

What Does it Mean to be Saved
It Means Repenting of Your Sin

Matthew 21:28-32 "But what think ye? a certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard.  He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.  And he came to the second, and said likewise.  And he answered and said I go, sir: and went not.  Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto hm, The first.  Jesus saith unto them, Verily  I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you."
 
Repentance from sin, a most essential part of the gospel that Christians believe along with being born again, conviction and confession of sin.. the next message in this series called What Does it Mean to be Saved  is repentance from sin. After this will be the message on faith. If you put faith and trust alongside repentance, together those doctrines are the gospel.  The most basic and essential gospel doctrines are repentance and faith.  Without repentance no one can be saved.  Repentance is the most neglected doctrine today.

The parable of Matthew 21:28-32  is about repentance.  True repentance is not just talking about it like the second son, not a mere profession, it is an action,  a change of direction and there is not a teaching that is more central in the bible than the teaching of repentance.  John the Baptist taught it and the Lord Jesus himself, Mark 1:14-15 "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee,preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."   To preach repentance is to preach the gospel.  Repent and believe is the gospel of God.  If repentance is missing from any preacher or evangelist's preaching, than that preaching is not the gospel of God, but some other gospel.  When our Lord sent out the disciples to preach he commanded that they preach repentance from sin.  Peter always preached repentance, Paul preached the same; repentance.  Acts 17:29-30 "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men ever where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."   Repentance is the command of God to all men, its a universal command.  Repentance cannot be overestimated much less removed from the gospel like the purpose-driven church or the emergent church has done.  They do not mention sin so they do not mention repentance from sin because they do not preach the gospel.

Ask Jesus Into Your Heart?

The terms "ask Jesus into your heart" or "accept Jesus" are very bothersome to me because they are not biblical.

Here is a portion of a very good article on this subject, link to the whole article following the portion:

 ASK JESUS INTO YOUR HEART?

     Many unclear and unscriptural terms are being used today in presenting the gospel.  God's Word says, "Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech (II Corinthians 3:12)."

     I believe our effectiveness in presenting the gospel is directly related to our clarity.  If we are not clear, then how will anyone understand what we are saying?  The Scripture says, "For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?  So likewise you, except you utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken?  For you speak into the air (I Corinthians 14:8-9)."  There are many uncertain and unclear sounds being spoken today in the name of Jesus Christ, and the result of ten times is confusion.  We need to recognize that "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace (I Corinthians 14:33)."  Satan therefore is getting the victory and Satan is the author of confusion.

     One such term or expression is "Ask Jesus into your heart".  The same expression is sometimes phrased, "Ask Jesus into your life", or "Invite Jesus into your heart".  Nowhere does one find anything like this in the Bible.  The Bible says, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:31)."  Why don't we use Bible terms?  Why not drop the unclear ones?

     I was raised on the phrase "Ask Jesus into your heart", and yet I was never saved.  Every Sunday morning in the church that I was raised we sang a song called "Come Into My Heart, Lord Jesus".  The words were as follows: "Into my heart, into my heart; Come into my heart, Lord Jesus."  We sang this song every Sunday morning and were given the opportunity to "Invite Jesus into our hearts".  Well, I sincerely invited Jesus into my heart each Sunday and yet I was not saved.

please follow this link to read the remainder of this very important article:

 http://www.biblelineministries.org/articles/basearch.php3?action=full&mainkey=ASK+JESUS+INTO+YOUR+HEART%3F

What is the Gospel?

Yesterday came another reminder of the brevity of life, I heard of two deaths.  Therefore I am compelled to post this very important topic called What is the Gospel? and I pray that you will read it in its entirety

What is the Gospel - 15 points

Romans 1:14-18 “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise.  So as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;”

All your knowledge is divided into 3 categories:  1, things that are not important, 2 things that are important, 3 things that are absolutely essential.  You can live a happy life without knowing certain things.  Some things are interesting, some are useful, but they are not important that they are something  you must know.  Other things are very important that we may understanding, example: how to drive a car according to the rules of the road, how to use a chain saw's safety rules, electrical safety.. if you live a life without knowing important things, you might live a short life.

The gospel is absolutely essential not only for well being, but essential for your everlasting welfare.  If you are ignorant of the gospel for your whole life, you will be suffering the consequences one million years from now.  But if you understand the gospel but accept it and receive it and believe it, you will be receiving the benefits of the knowledge of the gospel in a million years time.

The gospel is the most important subject.  This is the knowledge that we most need..  this knowledge of the gospel is very lacking.  Not all of the gospel is preached, just the part about believing and you are forgiven.  What is the real gospel?  the biblical gospel.  You must know this because if we do not know the real gospel, how are we going to witness it to others?

Christ's Resurrection

The following piece on the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is of notes taken from a sermon preached by Rev. Paul Dowling of Whiteabbey Congregational.  Here is the link to the sermon at Sermon Audio:

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=41807143440

Luke 24:44-49 "And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.  Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,  and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  And ye are witnesses of these things.  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high."

Christ rose from the dead and faithful Mary Magdelene saw him first, and that evening two downhearted disciples met him on the road to Emmaus..  they did not recognize him until he broke the bread.  Later on the Lord appeared to 10 apostles in the upper room, and then to Thomas and then to other people.  Make no mistake, the resurrection of Jesus Christ bodily from the tomb is central and foundational to the Christian faith.  Over the centuries Christ's resurrection has been questioned, doubted and denied.  Mocker's and sceptics views are easy to refute, they are untenable, they do not explain the facts.   No unbeliever has ever come up with a logical explanation of the facts.  The resurrection is a fact.  

That Jesus would be raised from the dead was foretold:.

1.  King David wrote Psalm 16:10  "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."  David was not talking about himself but he was prophetically talking about Jesus Christ, the holy one, whose body would see no corruption.

2.  Acts 13:33-37 "God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.  And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.  For David after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep (died) and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

3. Christ himself,  Matthew 20:19  "And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again." Mark 9:9, "And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead."  Mark 14:28 "But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee."

The Lamb of God - Old Testament

The Lamb of God - Old Testament

Genesis 22: 8 "And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:....

Exodus 12: And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood,, I will pass over you..."


I used to like to watch a show called Lonely Planet.  The guide went to different countries around the world where the culture is much different than it is in North America.  Quite often there were lambs sacrificed, and one thing I noticed is that they never make a sound..they went to their death without struggle.  Often it moved the guide to tears to see this innocent animal killed.  This post is about the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ as he was foreshadowed in the Old Testament.

There are many references to lambs in our bible.  The first one is in Gen.3:21 "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them." Adam and his wife had tried to cover themselves with fig leaves after their disobedience to the command of God not to eat the fruit of the tree of life, but this covering was by their own works.  God covered them with the skins of animals, requiring the shedding of blood.   Nothing could cover the sins of Adam and Eve but that which God gave them, just as our sins are covered by the precious blood of Christ, Romans 4:6-8 "Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin."  1 Peter 1:18-19 "Foreasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things.........but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." Hebrews 8:12 "Neither by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."

C.H. Spurgeon: Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats

The devotion below by C.H. Spurgeon was written many years ago.  In this day of more and more compromising in the churches it is more important than ever.

FEEDING SHEEP OR AMUSING GOATS?

An evil is in the professed camp of the Lord, so gross in its impudence that even the most short-sighted can hardly fail to notice it.  During the past few years it has developed at an abnormal rate, even for evil.  It has worked like leaven until the whole lump ferments.  The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the Church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with the view to winning them.  From speaking out as the Puritans did, the Church has gradually toned down her testimony, then winked at and excused the frivolities of the day.  Then she tolerated them in her borders; and now she has adopted them under the plea of reaching the masses.

My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the Church.  If it is a Christian work, why did not Christ speak of it?  "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature".  That is clear enough!  So it would have been if He had added "...and provide amusement for those who do not relish the gospel."  No such words, however, are to be found.  It did not occur to Him?  Then again "He gave some apostles, some prophets, some pastors and teachers, for the work of the ministry."  Where do the entertainers come in?  The Holy Spirit is silent concerning them.  Were the prophets persecuted because they amused the people, or because they refused? The 'concert' has no martyr roll.

Again, providing amusement is in direct antagonism to the teaching and life of Christ and all His apostles.  What was the attitude of the Church to the world? "Ye are the salt"...not sugar candy, something the world will spit out, not swallow.  Short and sharp was the utterance "Let the dead bury their dead" ...He was in awful earnestness!

Had Christ introduced more of the bright and pleasant elements into His mission, would He have been more popular when they went back, because of the searching nature of His teaching?  I do not hear Him say "Run after these people, Peter, and tell them we will have a different style of service tomorrow, something short and attractive with little preaching.  We will have a pleasant evening for the people.  Tell them they will be sure to enjoy it...Be quick, Peter, we must get the people somehow!"

Jesus pitied sinners, sighed and wept over them, but never sought to amuse them.  In vain will the Epistles be searched to find any trace of the gospel amusement.  Their message is "Come out, keep out, keep clean out!"  Anything approaching fooling is conspicuous by its absence.

They had boundless confidence in the gospel and employed no other weapon.  After Peter and John were locked up for preaching, the Church had a prayer meeting, but they did not pray ..."Lord, grant unto Thy servants that by a wise and discriminating use of innocent recreation we may show these people how happy we are".  If they ceased not for preaching Christ, they had not time for arranging entertainments.  Scattered by persecution, they went everywhere preaching the gospel.  They "turned the world upside down."  That is the only difference!  Lord, clear the Church of all the rot and rubbish the devil has imposed upon her and brinig us back to apostolic methods.

Lastly, the mission of amusement fails to effect the end desired.  It works havoc among young converts.  Let the careless and scoffers, who thank God because the Church met them halfway, speak and testify.  Let the heavy laden, who found peace through the 'concert', not keep silent!  Let the drunkard, to whom the dramatic entertainment had been God's link in the chain of their conversion, stand up!  There are none to answer.

The mission of amusement produces no converts.  The need of the hour for today's ministry is believing scholarship joined with earnest spirituality, the one springing from the other, a fruit from the root.  The need is biblical doctrine, so understood and felt that it sets men on fire.