Reforming Evangelicalism Conference Links & Praying for the Persecuted

Reforming Evangelicalism (A Conference)

 Last weekend there was a conference at Grace Church in Colorado called "Reforming Evangelicalism."  I watched a couple of individual sessions and both Q & A sessions (all good).  I've started one of the earlier sessions, and so far I recommend it.  Phil Johnson and Don Green I have listened to plenty before.  I still haven't listened to Travis Allen, but perhaps I will get to his sessions later.  If you missed the conference and are interested to hear it, I am sharing the links to each session with you.

Session 1 (Travis Allen)  Session 2 ( Phil Johnson)  Session 3 (Don Green)  Session 4 (Travis Allen)

Session 5 (Don Green...this one was encouraging to me)  Session 6 (Phil Johnson)  

Speaker Panel (Q & A)   Speaker Q & A    

Church Service (Don Green)

Praying for the Persecuted

There are Christians being persecuted around the world.  Some are in danger of their freedom or even their lives.  Persecution comes in different forms.  It can be an outright attack due to someone being a Christian. or it can come as a subtler attack on the freedom of Christians and others.  The latter is increasing around the world under the guise of safety from an illness or politically correct thinking.  The former is happening in Communist and Islamic countries.  There are also countries where unrest and warring goes on which puts a lot of people in danger.  

As Christians, we can sympathize with persecution for political and other reasons and support people because of it, but there is a deeper connection and affection for those who are Christians who are under attack (spiritual brothers and sisters).  When Christians are persecuted (fined or imprisoned), physically harmed, or even murdered for their faith in Christ and obeying their conscience, we as believers should rally around and support and encourage them when we can and how we can.  If we cannot do anything else, we can at least pray.  In these dark times, the persecution is likely to increase.  I would like to once again encourage Christians to pray for situations they hear about where people are being persecuted...especially Christian brothers and sisters...no matter what level of persecution it is.  All true Christians need encouragement and prayer.  An encouraging Scripture verse or letting someone know you prayed for them...well, perhaps you are someone God will use to remind the person of God's love, presence, and continuing care in their most difficult times.

I was reading Acts 12 today where the church was praying for Peter, and an angel of the Lord led him out of the prison.  He went to a house where they were praying, and they were astounded.  God doesn't always choose to rescue people from harm, but sometimes it is within His will.  When you pray for something, and you see the answer like they did...  Wow!  I also heard another message about Acts 16 where in verse 25 Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns when they were in jail.  That is when an earthquake happened...well, you can read the rest for yourself.  Sometimes God does rescue people, and sometimes He uses the death of martyrs for other purposes, but I do think that these passages in Scripture should encourage us (or me at least) to pray whichever the case!  

Truth Matters Conference 2022, New Shepherds' Conference Music CD, & a Song for Your Day

Truth Matters Conference 2022 

This conference (scheduled for May 18th-20th) of next year already has a full registration and waiting list, and some of my relatives are registered (not me).  I was pleased to see that they still plan to stream the conference for those of us who are not going (see HERE), as I love the speaker lineup.  It's something like a dream conference lineup, but watching from a distance will be great!  I won't have to be concerned about how my health is.  I've met Don Green (and heard him live which was something I really enjoyed and wanted to do so much).  I saw (sort of met) John MacArthur in person when I was young quite a bit (and live-stream Grace Community Church regularly on Sunday afternoons), and I saw Phil Johnson at least once at Word of Grace/Grace to You (though I remember the occasion rather than what he looked like).  I haven't met the others in person, but I've seen Justin Peters so many times online that I feel I practically know him.  Darrell Harrison was a great friend on a social media site I used to be on, and I've listened to him some online.  I've seen Jeff Williams streaming online 2 or 3 times (really great presentations).  I've seen Owen Strachan's comments online (not sure if I've ever heard him), and I've heard just a little of Ken Ham.  Well, if all goes well, I hope to stream the conference, and I'm sure I will get to hear about what it was like secondhand...maybe see photos of anybody I might know that my family members meet?  Pretty please?  

Live at Shepherds' Conference, Volume 2

I have the first Volume CD from a previous Shepherds' Conference, and I would love to have this second one.  The conference this new one is from happened just before everything shut down in 2020, and the music is terrific!  You can find out more HERE.  

Song for Your Day

With everything that's going on, it's always good to focus our minds back on Christ.  Here is an uplifting song that is also found in Hymns of Grace.

20 Years Later from 9/11/2001: Have We Learned Anything?

I have little to say about today. 20 years later from the 9/11 attacks. 

Bin Laden is gone, but the person in the White House left weapons, gave names away to terrorists, and is likely letting terrorists slip in our borders (and perhaps bringing a few in on planes unintentionally?). 

Oh, the hypocrisy of 20 years ago of people singing patriotic songs that included God, and yet they've rebelled against Him in loving evil behavior and ignored all sound wisdom. 

I believe it was right to go after the terrorists, but now whatever we had gained was thrown out the window. 

Only God can bring victory, and when people abandon and rebel against God...will He be on their side?

Deliverance by man is vain.  This country needs to turn to the God of the 66 books of the Bible, repent of loving sin, and trust in Him for forgiveness.

I have no doubt that God will judge the wicked and all terrorists who do not repent and turn to Christ,  but He also judges peoples who are at ease and also do not truly worship Him.

I remember September 11, 2001.  I was listening to the radio in bed in California when I heard the news.  I heard some of the names read today....many, many people.  

Sadly, this could happen again.  

Consider this:  Are you ready to face God?  None of us are good.  We all sin and fall short of the glory of God.  Will you meet God as your Savior or Judge?  Are you sure?

Please watch this:

Ini Adalah Injil (Indonesian)

Teman, Tuhan itu kudus. Ada Allah di surga yang telah menciptakan engkau dan aku, dan Dia adalah otoritas atas kita berdua. Dia sangat suci. "Di dalam Dia ada Terang, dan tidak ada kegelapan sama sekali" Dan masalahnya adalah bahwa jika kita ingin bersekutu dengan Allah, kita harus terang dan tidak ada kegelapan sama sekali. Namun inilah masalahnya: kita adalah kegelapan. Kita berdosa. Kita semua telah melanggar hukum-Nya. Kita semua telah berbohong, mencuri, kita semua telah melihat dengan nafsu, kita semua marah dengan saudara-saudara kita di hati kita. Kita semua telah gagal memenuhi standar kesempurnaan yang mulia yang Allah tuntut (Rom 3:23) Dan tidak ada yang bisa kita lakukan tentang hal itu. Tidak ada jumlah pekerjaan, tidak ada jumlah penyesalan, tidak ada jumlah perasaan buruk, tidak ada jumlah kehadiran gereja, tidak ada jumlah membaca Alkitab, tidak ada jumlah penginjilan yang dapat memperoleh pengampunan atas dosa-dosa kita dan kebenaran yang Allah tuntut Titus 3:5 Isa 64:6

Namun Allah maha pengasih, dan Dia mengasihi kita, dan sebagai makhluk-Nya Dia ingin menampilkan kemuliaan-Nya di dalam kita dengan menyelamatkan kita dari itu. Jadi Dia mengutus Putra-Nya—Allah dalam daging, Tuhan Yesus Kristus—untuk dilahirkan sebagai bayi kecil yang tak berdaya (Yohanes 1:14 3:16; 2:9 Allah alam semesta, Penopang alam semesta, diri-Nya ditopang di dalam rahim seorang gadis remaja Ibrani, dan menegakkan dunia dengan firman kuasa-Nya (Ibr 1:3O sementara Dia ditegakkan oleh nutrisi dari tubuhnya sendiri! Tak terkatakan! Dan dengan kerendahan hati yang besar, Dia tumbuh dengan rasa sakit hidup yang semakin besar di dunia yang jatuh, meskipun Dia sendiri tidak pernah bersama dosa apa pun — tanpa dosa sepenuhnya (2 Kor 5:21; Heb 4:15 7:26 Dan Dia menjalani kehidupan yang benar. Cara Anda dan saya gagal hidup di hadapan Allah — cara kita gagal dalam pikiran, firman, dan perbuatan, dan gagal dari kemuliaan Allah — Kristus tidak pernah melakukannya. Bahkan tidak ada pikiran. Dia mengasihi Allah, Bapa-Nya, dengan sempurna. Dia selalu berjalan dalam kebenaran yang sempurna. Dia menjalani kehidupan yang diperintahkan kepadamu untuk hidup, bahwa aku diperintahkan untuk hidup, bahwa kita gagal untuk hidup. Dia menjalani kehidupan yang sempurna yang layak untuk Allah.

Dan Dia tidak hanya hidup untuk kita, Dia mati untuk kita. Dia pergi ke salib. Dosa kita menuntut kematian. Dosa kita menuntut hukuman kekal. Dosa kita menuntut murka—hanya murka yang dilakukan pada kita untuk selama-lamanya (Rom 6:23). Tetapi karena nilai yang tak terbatas dari pribadi Kristus, Dia berada di kayu salib itu. Dan di kayu salib itu, Allah melatih kepada-Nya kemarahan penuh kemarahan-Nya sendiri (Rom 3:24); 2 Kor 5:21 Gal 3:10-14, itu benar karena saya dan benar karena Anda, dan bahwa Anda akan mengalami jika Anda tidak berpaling dari dosa Anda dan percaya pada Mesias ini. Kristus lahir, hidup, mati, dan dibangkitkan (1 Kor 15:3-4. Dan Dia bangkit dari kubur setelah mati, menunjukkan kemenangan-Nya atas dosa dan kematian.

Dan sekarang Tuhan berjanji bahwa jika Anda berpaling dari dosa Anda, dan Anda berpaling dari kehidupan mengejar dosa - dan jika Anda menolak tidak hanya perbuatan buruk Anda tetapi perbuatan baik Anda, jika Anda berbalik dari mencoba untuk mendapatkan keselamatan Anda dengan semua perbuatan baik yang mungkin ingin Anda lakukan sebagai orang bermoral — jika Anda berpaling dari semua itu Kisah Para Rasul 17:30–31 dan Anda percaya kepada Kristus saja untuk kebenaran (Phil 3:7–8 Rom 3:28 10:4, Tuhan berjanji bahwa Dia akan mengampuni Anda. Dia akan memperlakukan Kristus di kayu salib seolah-olah Kristus menjalani hidup Anda. Dan Dia kemudian akan memperlakukan Anda, secara adil dan hukum dan benar, seolah-olah Anda menjalani kehidupan kebenaran Kristus yang sempurna 2 Kor 5:21 Dan Anda dapat diselamatkan untuk mengenal Tuhan yang diciptakan untuk Anda cintai dan nikmati. Anda dapat memiliki kepenuhan sukacita, kesenangan kekal yang ada di tangan kanan Bapa di surga (Mzm 16:11), dan mulai bahkan sekarang, karena hidup kekal adalah mengenal Allah (Yohanes 17:3). 

Teman, maukah kau bertobat? Maukah Anda berpaling dari dosa Anda dan percaya kepada Juruselamat yang sempurna ini untuk memanfaatkan Anda di hadapan Allah, untuk membayar dosa Anda dan untuk memberikan kebenaran Anda?

English Text Used by the Permission of Mike Riccardi & Translation Assistance by J. E.
The original text is HERE.