My Visit to Truth Community Church

 

This week I got to visit Truth Community Church in the Cincinnati, Ohio area.  My family has been watching the church from a distance for a long time, and it was always my desire to be able to go there.  I'm in such sad shape a lot of the time that I didn't know if it would ever happen.  Some family were kind enough to take me on a trip so I was able to go this past Tuesday night, and I got to hear Don Green preach in person and meet him and his wife & some others (including another friend from online).  Pastor Don is a really nice and genuinely caring person.  I was so thankful that he was very kind to me and that I was able to experience what it was like to be with the people there (and see what the church looked like inside where the camera doesn't show).  I only wish I was better at conversation to have said things of more value to the people I met that night.  I appreciated people talking to me - even if I'm not/wasn't a great conversationalist.

Pastor Don was preaching on Psalm 113 about praising the Lord and about God's care.  If you are ever in that area, I recommend the church!  

I also got to go to the Ark Encounter in Kentucky & saw some of the garden at the Creation Museum.

We saw some other interesting things on the trip as well (lakes, rivers, and stores).  I was struggling with physical problems some of the time (and still am having some problems), but I made it through.

这就是福音

朋友，神是圣洁的。天堂里有一位神创造了你和我，他是你我的权威。他是完全圣洁的。 "神就是光，在他毫无黑暗" （ 约壹 1: 5）。因此，如果我们想与神交通，我们必须是光明的，没 有黑暗。但问题是：我们是黑暗的。我们是有罪的。我们都违反了他的律法。我们都撒过谎，偷 过东西，我们都看见就动了淫念，我们心里都生过兄弟的气。我们都没有达到神所要求的荣耀而 完美的标准（罗 3:23）。对此我们无能为力。再多的善行，再多的忏悔，再多的的歉疚，再多的 教会出勤，再多的读经，再多的传福音也无法使我们的罪得赦免或是达到神所要求的义（多 3:5； 参赛 64:6）。 

然而神是慈爱的，他爱我们，并希望通过拯救我们来在我们，即他的受造物身上彰显他的 荣耀。于是，他差派他的儿子——道成肉身的神，主耶稣基督——作为一个无助的小婴孩降生于 世（约 1:14, 3:16; 西 2:9）。万有之主，万有的维系者，却在一个希伯来女孩的腹中被孕育。他用 大能的命令托住万有，同时却靠着母腹中的营养来维系生命（来 1:3）。这无可言喻！他极其谦卑 地生活在这个堕落的世界，随着年岁渐长，他的苦难也增多，但他本身从来没有犯过任何罪—— 完全没有（林后 5:21; 来 Heb 4:15, 7:26）。他过着完全圣洁的生活。而这样的生活，是你和我无 法在神面前活出来的——我们在思想、言语、行为上都亏缺了神的荣耀——基督从来没有这样做 过。甚至连一个这样的想法都没有。他完全地爱着神，他的父。他总是完美地行在义路上。他活 出了神所要求你活出的生活，神所要求我所活出的生活，但我们却没能活出。他活出了神有权要 求的完美生活。 

他不仅为我们而活，还为我们而死。他走上了十字架。我们的罪叫我们当死。我们的罪使 我们当承受永恒的刑罚。我们的罪当招致愤怒——就是神的愤怒永远地倾倒在我们身上（罗 6:23）。但因为基督位格的至高价值，他被钉在了十字架。在那个十字架上，神将他自己全部的 愤怒倾倒在耶稣身上（罗 3:24-26; 林后 5:21; 加 3:10-14）。这愤怒理应由我来承受，理应由你来 承受，并且如果你不转离你的罪，不信靠这位弥赛亚，你将会承受这样的愤怒。基督降生过、活 过、死了、又复活了（林前 15:3-4）。他死后从坟墓中复活，表明他战胜了罪与死亡。 

现在神承诺，如果你转离你的罪，如果你弃绝你的一切，过去的你和你所爱的，转离追求 罪恶的生活——如果你不仅弃绝你的恶行，并且弃绝你的善举， 如果你转离试图通过作为一个有 道德的人可能想做的所有善行来获得救赎——如果你转离这一切（徒 17:30-31），并且唯独相信 基督是你的义（腓 3:7-8; 参罗 3:28, 10:4），那么他会赦免你。他对待十字架上的基督，就好像基 督过了你的生活。然后，他会公正、合法并公义地对待你，就好像你活出了基督完美公义的生活 （林前 5:21）。你因此得蒙拯救，去认识那位你受造为要去爱和享受的神。在天父的右手中，你 会有满足的喜乐和永远的福乐（诗 16:11），甚至从现在就开始，因为认识神得永生（约 17:3） 

朋友，你要悔改吗？你要转离你的罪并信靠这位完全的救主已经在神面前帮助你，偿还了 你的罪价，并使你称义吗?

 

English Text Used by the Permission of Mike Riccardi, and it was kindly translated by a friend of an online friend.

The original English text is HERE.

Canada Jails a Church Building & Pastors Are Detained in Finland

GraceLife Church in Canada

Many people are aware of what's been happening to GraceLife Church in Alberta, Canada, and how authorities have had fences put around the church to try to keep people out.

That will not stop the church (and has not), but it is persecution despite those who don't seem to realize it.  When Costco is full, and the churches are told they can only have 15% (ignoring Scripture), something is wrong.  This is what I might say to someone who is arguing Romans 13 means the government can endlessly shut the churches (for more than a year).

If the government told you to lie, would you do it?  

Daniel prayed openly, the apostles kept on preaching, people would not bow to Baal.

This was from last Sunday that I listened to (when it was finally uploaded):

Sadly, many want to insult churches that are meeting, and call them a cult or lawbreakers.

These people are likely some of the most law-abiding, loving toward police, respectful people you would meet. 

(When it snows in Canada, do you want them freezing outside?)

GraceLife is a church with a godly pastor who attended The Master's Seminary.

He is standing up for truth, and do you want to be known for attacking some of God's people (especially those who claim to be Christians)?

Many also are aware that John MacArthur read a letter from Pastor James Coates this past Sunday at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, CA.

Grace Community has been experiencing it's own court battles (although yesterday I read that some restrictions on location and numbers of people are no longer being applied to churches due to a Supreme Court ruling).

They had already postponed the hearing for John / the church.

I have also been watching a guy named Devin Davis who attends GraceLife Church in Canada streaming online, and his patience, peace-making, and giving people the Gospel during these times has been admirable.

You can see God is working through him, James Coates, and others from the church during these hard times.

Devin is human (not sinless), but I really was glad to see his being such a great testimony there in Canada.  I hope he continues whenever he is able!

By the way, the person who moved the fence (or people) were not GraceLife people, but they got carried away in the moment I believe.  GraceLife was not a part of that.

Pastors Detained in Finland

Today, I watched this video about pastors who were detained in Finland.

Yes, these things are happening around the world, and people need to be made aware about it.

Please watch this and share it:

Christians, please be praying for & sharing about these situations.