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.

Haiti Quake Relief, Legacy Standard Bible Update, & Puddleglum Song

Haiti Earthquake Relief

I've read that 2,200 or so people died in the earthquake in Haiti that happened recently.  Yes, so many other crazy things are happening around the world and in our country (and even some flooding in the state that I live in) that this major quake has gotten pushed into the background in many of our minds.

Yes, we as Christians need to pray for those in Afghanistan (Christians and also Americans), for those (especially Christians) in China being persecuted, and the myriad of things going on in the U.S. and Canada, etc..  There are a lot of things to focus on, but this circumstance is urgent as well.

There are Christians in Haiti, and people who have basic needs besides buildings that need replacing.  One church that is facilitating aid through those they know in the vicinity affected is Grace Community Church.

They have it set up so that a person can give by choosing "Haiti Disaster Relief" amongst their choices on their giving page.

HAITI DISASTER RELIEF

Legacy Standard Bible

The full Legacy Standard Bible is available for pre-order...at least the small print handy sized version.  I read that the larger sized print (well, I don't consider it large...more normal) should be available next year.  It's still exciting though!

Legacy Standard Bible (Pre-Order Site)

Puddleglum's Anthem

Some family members shared about a singer recently, and this was the first song by her that I listened to.  I know C.S. Lewis was off some (confused in thinking the ransom was paid more to the evil one rather than God saving us from His own just wrath).  At least that is the impression I've gotten about him.  Anyway, I still appreciate the fiction Narnia stories over all.  This song is more of a take off from it, because she jumps from the story to Peter's denial of Christ, etc.  I don't know the singer, so of course, I don't vouch for her on the whole.

This song is interesting though.

Nearer To My Final Destination

 Life isn't all cake and cappuccino, and it isn't all sorrow and stress.

Sometimes it may seem like the latter, but even in this crazy world there can be reasons to laugh or an encouraging word.  The best encouragement comes from reminders of God's lovingkindness and His ultimately good purposes.  

Sometimes sunshine, rabbits, and flowers are a reminder of God's blessings in this life.  Even the rain and thunder can remind a person of God's power.  He rules over the weather...not the weatherman or anything we do.

I recently finished the Biblical Doctrine book, and I listened to and watched other things about future times.  Knowing of the final outcome...Christ's future reign here and into eternity with a new heaven and earth...it really is like a true happily ever after for those who belong to the Lord.  Some of what is now and in between seems fearsome, but I know it is only temporary.

Daily a reminder is needed to trust God through the difficulties and suffering and uncertainty.  The world truly seems to have gone insane, and often we seem helpless.

God is our helper though, even if sometimes we seem to be about to drown without care.  Even when I don't know what to do, I know that only in Him is my hope.  I must trust Him not to let go of us, and it doesn't depend on me.  Even in the tossing waves, God is bringing us nearer to our final destination.  May God cause the waves to grow me closer to Him.  The fires that destroy wood also purifies gold.  The waves that can topple a sandcastle or cause a bird to run can cleanse a wound with the salt though it stings.  I may not know all of God's purposes, so I must remind myself of the truth about Him and pray that He will work in me and through all of the insanity going on in the world.

There are so many little things to remind myself of that God has given me to enjoy, and He's given me His Word to learn from.  I just need to remember to look and find there is something to be thankful for.

Are You Modest?

Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.
1 Timothy 2:9-10 NASB

Are you dressing in pride to get attention to you and your body?
Are you tempting someone to have sinful lust and thoughts after you...even in church?

Sometimes people do this without realizing it, and some do it on purpose.

Some women intentionally seek after men to flirt with them and to tempt them, and they know exactly what they are doing.

And behold, a woman comes to meet him,
Dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart.
Proverbs 7:10 NASB

Do you want to be known for your godly character as a Christian woman, or do you arrogantly dress with tight and revealing clothing and judge men for having a problem?
Is it not you, perhaps, who also has a problem with being arrogant and being a temptress?

Does your shirt dip down (even a little) or ride high?  

I've been told that even a little can make it difficult for even a Christian man not to look (and of course, many non-Christians will have no qualms about lusting after you).

Do you wear strappy shirts or two piece or high or low cut swimsuits?

Do you leave little to the imagination, or have lines ending and beginning in places that draw attention to areas that should really only be seen by a husband?

Does what you wear cause men to focus on God or to be distracted by looking at you?

I'm not saying having a naturally pretty face is wrong, or that your clothing needs to draw attention by looking like you live in the 1800s or whatever the Amish wear.

Do you serve the Lord in a way that honors God with your behavior and dress (as well as your spouse if you have one)?

Do you love God, or do you seek to be a show off no matter that you are dishonoring God and causing your brothers to either struggle with sin or to look away from you?

People will respect a woman who draws less attention to herself, and displays her love for God by chaste and respectful behavior and a gentle and quiet spirit (see 1 Peter 3).

I realize that men can also dress immodestly in various ways, and that is something they should consider. 

I realize I've addressed the topic of modesty and discreet clothing in the past, but I have seen the subject mentioned, and it is summer.

How we dress and act can reveal our hearts.  

Being attractive is not being an attraction.

Don't think that you are above being tempted or a temptation to someone else.

What are you known for?

What do you want to be known for?

Are you modest in behavior and discreet both in church and out of church?

Are you a careless Christian who couldn't care less, or are you motivated by wanting to love and serve God as well as your brothers?