Trusting God, Hurt Feelings, & False Unity

Trusting God in Trying Times - Not too long ago, Pastor Don Green did a conference at Truth Community Church where he pastors in Ohio, and I heard the first two messages and part of the last while they were being live-streamed.  
I'm pleased that the messages are now online to be able to listen to!

If you are a Christian going through difficult times and wondering how you can trust God (though you know you should), this should be very helpful.
I'm looking forward to hearing the part I missed.  
The lectures are found HERE or HERE.

Love & the Hurt-Feelings Bookkeeper - Eric Davis wrote a blog article for The Cripplegate on not keeping a record of wrongs against us.  

It is very convicting. 

I do believe some of us are tender by nature, and because of this we need to work harder on putting the past of hurt feelings and the sins of others behind us. It is so hard to forget - not just about what others have done, but even my own wrongs. 

Even when I feel like I have forgiven someone, it is difficult to not have the hurt pop up once in awhile (or to not feel like there is a barrier).  Now, please don't all assume that I'm holding something against you!
You can read what Eric has to say HERE.

Together Against Ecumenism - Jeremiah Johnson wrote for the Grace To You Blog warning against a false kind of unity.  Christians need to be very careful not to compromise truth for the sake of what we might think is a common goal.   
Please see what he has to say HERE.

A Message That May Leave You Saying,"Wow!"

Not too long ago, I listened to a live-streaming message that John MacArthur gave at a conference in a neighboring state here in the U.S..
It was really good!

Nathan Busenitz, a professor at The Master's Seminary,  also recommended MacArthur's message, and explained how it was two messages blended into one.
If you can listen to it, please do.

Since I have a number of friends who also like to listen to live conferences and church services, it might not be your first time hearing it.
I may even listen again!

Before we can expect a nation to repent, the church has to repent..so that it can be used for His glory. (This is something I got from the following message.)

 
"Christ's Call to Reformation. Revelation 1-3." — John MacArthur (T4G 2016) from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.

Discernment Blogging, J.C. Ryle Tracts, & High Class Music

DISCERNMENT, LOVE, & CHURCH DISCIPLINE

It is difficult to know when church discipline applies when error is taught outside of the church.
I have been confused on this myself at times, because there are some people outside of my church who compromise truth.
I am very concerned about friends who are or may be influenced by them.

To read a blog post that I found helpful, please go HERE.

I believe that discernment blogs can be helpful, although sometimes people can go overboard.
Some do point out genuine problems, and people do need to be warned.
Sometimes pastors need to name names and confront, but they have a lot to do within their own congregations.   Some people are off of their radar screens, so to speak.

There are plenty of bad apple "discernment" blogs out there.
I've seen some that are absolutely poisonous.
Then there are some people who try to be Biblical, and they are unfairly attacked for calling the church to doctrinal purity by pointing out where people are drifting off.

My blog is not what I would call a discernment blog, though I have done some posts like that.
I have my own struggles, though I have been blessed with some sound Biblical teaching over the years.

Sometimes I feel like I'm falling apart, which keeps me more focused on my own spiritual and physical state.
I appreciate the prayers of Christian friends.

I believe that we need to remind ourselves to pray for the people who are in error or even outright heretics.   Love is to point out truth and avoid error (as well as to help others avoid it), and it's also to be concerned about the restoration of or salvation of those who teach things that are wrong.

Finding a balance is hard.

There are genuine Christians who get things wrong, and God really can change hearts.
It's easy to get discouraged.  If God doesn't give up working on me, then why do I give up hope for others?
 
In some cases, I am not sure whether someone is a fellow Christian or not.
Either way, I should pray.


TRACTS BY J.C. RYLE

I hadn't realized that J.C. Ryle wrote a bunch of tracts during his life.
Some of these tracts by J.C. Ryle can actually be downloaded HERE.  
The "Are You Ready" title jumped out at me.


HIGH CLASS MUSIC

Beautiful music for your day.
Part of this tune is similar to When Johnny Comes Marching Home.
I hope that doesn't ruin it for you!
The lyrics on this one are Biblically based. (Worthy Is The Lamb...put out by Ligonier Ministries.)

How To Love Your Pre-Born & Your Pregnant Neighbors

Speaking the truth about abortion and those who have their babies murdered doesn't negate love and the forgiveness found in Christ for truly repentant sinners.

Yet, at abortion clinics, women need to be confronted with the reality of the murder they are about to commit and the consequences of their sin.  They need to be called to turn from sin and to Christ.  

God is a God of justice as well as love and mercy.  
As Christians, we know that repentant sinners are made clean in God's sight.  We don't hate repentant sinners who have sorrowed over sin and been forgiven by Christ.  We love them.  Christians love unrepentant sinners too, and they show this by calling them to repentance. .   Christians have to be willing to warn unrepentant sinners that Hell awaits them unless they repent and turn to Christ.  Not every sinner is forgiven...only those who have repented and trusted Christ as Lord and Savior.   Please read the Gospel HERE. Only, as I've mentioned before, we mustn't sin presumptuously.

A huge problem is that abortion is treated as a lesser evil than any other murder, and some people want to act like mothers who willingly commit murder of their pre-born children are somehow not guilty or less guilty and deserving of punishment than those who murder (or hire someone to murder) them after they are born.

People also seem to think that God's forgiveness means no consequences.  David was repentant, and yet God took his child's life.  Sin is serious before God, and we can't just decide to pretend that women haven't made choices and have no or little responsibility as a rule

We shouldn't just be content to make abortion more sanitary or pain free.  We should love our pre-born neighbors by holding elected officials accountable.  We should stand strong to define abortion as murder, and we should let them know that it should be criminalized.

Listening to last night's End Abortion Now Live-Stream,  it was also pointed out how Roe vs. Wade is not really law.    Only Congress can make laws.  As a Christian, I know that even when man's law does allow for murder, it is wrong.   A country that approves sin is accountable to God, and He is judging our nation for rejecting and rebelling against Him.

This nation needs the Biblical Gospel (and faithful preachers and churches) foremost, but secondly, we should do what we can for the thousands slaughtered every day.  We can start by praying,  some should go proclaim the truth and the Gospel at abortion clinics and hold up signs if possible,  or help by supporting those who do.  People can help support those who do ultrasounds, and provide needs for mothers who choose to keep their babies.

Politically, we can start by not using the terminology of the abortion supporters, then also begin supporting those who want abortion actually outlawed, and also try to get lower branches of government to stand up against the overreach of the Supreme Court.  The  U.S. Supreme Court has been rejecting the Constitution it was meant to uphold when it denied pre-born babies the right to life and redefined marriage by completely distorting something to mean something that the writers didn't intend.

Our hope is not in our government, but we must be faithful to speak the truth and do what we can to save lives.  If we can't at least try to love our baby neighbors by sticking up for them,  who will we stand up for?

Let's stand for the Word of God and the Gospel, and then I hope that we can love our little neighbors as well as our big ones.

Spiritual Leaders & Discernment

Thoughts About Spiritual Leaders

I have been reading 1 Corinthians again, and I have looked at some of the commentary notes as well.
I'm not the best about real study at all, but things stand out to me at different times that provoke thought.
The following is the result of some of my reading and thoughts.
(Note: I'm a female, and thus not qualified to instruct men.  I hope that this can be edifying, and maybe it will encourage both my readers and myself to dig in further and meditate in a Biblical sense).

So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.
1 Corinthians 3:21-22

Roman Catholics try to place a supreme importance on Peter, but 1 Corinthians 3 demonstrates that this should not be.  Heresy often begins with a wrong interpretation of Scripture, or the placing of anything above or equal to Scripture.

The foundation of the church is Christ. He is the only foundation to be laid...not Peter (1 Corinthians 3:11).
We learn truth from the Word of God, and anything that contradicts should be avoided.

Church planters and waterers are servants with great responsibility, but it is God who is to be extolled rather than the workers
(1 Corinthians 3:7).
Paul laid the foundation (of Christ) for many churches, but it was all of God's grace.
The church belongs to Christ.

It's kind of fun to think of all the Biblical pastors & evangelists out there as belonging to me (1 Corinthians 3:22).  I guess that could mean ones from the past too!   I certainly have learned from a lot of  people.  
Pastors, teachers, and evangelists don't have a special "in" with God that I don't, though some have been a lot more diligent in their prayer and Bible study than I am.
Every Christian can have that kind of relationship with God, though many of us do not have the responsibility that leaders do.

While we can have affection for our teachers, we should not make idols out of them or boast in them.  One pastor who teaches the Word isn't to be considered higher than another teacher of the Word who may have a different way of speaking, and all true believers are one in Christ.  Men do disappoint us.  God will test their hearts and work as well as our own.  We can imitate them, but only insofar as they are Christlike and faithful.

It's good to think about that all things belong to Christians (and it will be even better in the future), and we are Christ's.  He is in us, because we are in Him.

Discernment:  The article HERE by Grace To You is superb (except the quoting of C.S. Lewis, which I know would have been better left out...especially considering the topic).

The following are just a couple of quotes of John MacArthur from a position article "Discernment: Spiritual Survival for a Church in Crisis.":

"Some say that doctrine divides.  That's true!  If you set aside biblical truth and remain silent for fear of offending people, opposition will disappear, but so will some other things like truth, holiness, and God Himself."

"Confronting sin effectively puts a wall of division between the world and the church by separating those who obey the Lord from those who don't.  It's essential that believers draw the line between right and wrong."