April 26, 2011
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If you are a professing Christian and this is your first visit to our site, this is where you want to start…
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April 25, 2011
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Sound Crazy? Maybe even offensive? Don’t get angry just yet! Instead, read this challenging article
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April 24, 2011
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Great video! A “must watch” for all who go by the name Christian! Check it out…
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April 23, 2011
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Have you ever heard it said, “What’s true for you isn’t necessarily true for me”? This is a common belief in our day and age, but can it even be possible? Can absolute truth be relative to each person?
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January 17, 2012
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It’s that time again! It’s the time of year when many local churches start filling their front yards with little white crosses symbolizing all the children that have died in abortions. That’s good, right? Shouldn’t the church publicly denounce sin (murder)? Well….yes. And shouldn’t the church try to encourage those considering abortion to instead seek other options? Again, yes. Absolutely yes! So while I agree with these statements, let me perfectly clear about something else: We are only telling half the story, and to tell half the story is to tell the wrong story.
Let me explain what I’m saying by asking you to wear a different pair of shoes for a moment. For a moment pretend that you are the would-be mom that had her child aborted: You are driving down the street one morning on the way to work 6 years after your abortion and you pass a school. Seeing all the cute little boys and girls running from the bus and into the school with pony tails flopping and hearing shouts of excited children, you suddenly realize that your baby boy or girl would now be old enough to be running into that same school with them if you hadn’t terminated your pregnancy. And then the guilt hits, like it has so many times before. You know in the back of your mind that you didn’t just “terminate a pregnancy”, but rather, you killed a little baby. It seemed like a good move at the time, your career was taking off and the father really wasn’t the right guy, money was tight… but when the guilt came after the abortion, it never went away. You continue driving and are trying to push the guilt and tears back down inside where you keep them buried. That’s when you then drive up next to a church. In the front lawn are rows of white crosses and some banners explaining that each one represents an aborted child. The whole scene is carefully designed like a graveyard to remind you that abortion is murder, and murder is wrong! But the problem is that you already know it was wrong!! You have been living with the pain and guilt of it for six long years! Often you lash out in anger loudly declaring it is a woman’s right to do whatever she wants with her body, and her life, but often it is those very same nights that you cry yourself to sleep. And you wonder to yourself if God could ever forgive a person for killing a little boy or girl like those ones at the school… like the one you killed? But you think to yourself, “I don’t know what to do, all hope is lost… it’s too late. I can’t talk to anybody about this! My friends are all pro-choice and the people at that church think I am a monster and remind me of it every day. Maybe I am a monster?!? I must push this pain down, and try to get through another day…” Read more…
November 15, 2011
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THE FRUIT OF ADDRESSING PERSONAL SIN
As we think about how to determine if one is truly born again, we must continue to examine the biblical fruit which always accompanies authentic salvation. The Apostle John lists another fruit or evidence of biblical salvation as the acknowledgement of personal sin (1 John 1:5-2:2).
What do I mean by a personal acknowledgement of sin in one’s life? John indicates in (1 John 1:5-2:2) that a person who is saved will not continuously live in darkness (sin), but they will consistently seek to walk in the Light where God dwells (holiness, purity). But when a true believer does sin, they acknowledge their sin to God. Also, they do not deny that they have sinned, but confess their sin to the Lord, who forgives and cleanse the believer of all unrighteousness (1:9). The word confess in (1:9) means to fully agree with God concerning the nature and vileness of your sin, as well as, to take full responsibility for your sin. The man Job in the Old Testament is a good example of how a New Testament follower of Jesus Christ will seek to walk before the Lord (see Job 1:8).
The Apostle Paul exhorted people to examine themselves to see if they were truly in the faith. Paul stated, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you– unless indeed you fail the test?” 2 Corinthians 13:5
Other posts in this series:
October 18, 2011
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As a blogger/evangelist, I can’t help but wonder what you the first-time visitor is thinking right now. As you scan the articles and links posted here, what is going through your mind? I am sure there are probably as many different reactions to this website as there are visitors. Let me tell you my fear. I am not afraid that you the visitor will disapprove. I am not afraid of insulting comments or condescending remarks. What I am afraid of is your casual dismissal. Not of me, but of the biblical message presented in these posts. I am painfully aware that many, many visitors will give this site a once-over, and dismiss the teachings as legalistic, fanatical, or irrelevant without ever taking the time to look up the Scriptures mentioned and read them in context for themselves. In an age of consumerism where we only ingest the teachings we agree with and immediately dismiss anything foreign and uncomfortable, I fear that most visitors to this site will never take the time to read the articles, study the Scriptures, and examine their own faith. This scares me. It is frightening to think of somebody who may be my neighbor staring at the true biblical gospel on a screen mere inches from their face, and never taking the time to read it because they think they already “know all about that stuff.” You, casual dismissive Longview web-surfer, scare me more than any Halloween mask ever could! And the fear I feel is for you…
October 10, 2011
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“If the professed convert distinctly and deliberately declares that he knows the Lord’s will but does not mean to attend to it, you are not to pamper his presumption, but it is your duty to assure him that he is not saved. Do not suppose that the Gospel is magnified or God glorified by going to the worldlings and telling them that they may be saved at this moment by simply accepting Christ as their Savior, while they are wedded to their idols, and their hearts are still in love with sin. If I do so I tell them a lie, pervert the Gospel , insult Christ, and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness.”
- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
September 15, 2011
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As a pastor, I’ve been called upon numerous times to minister to families in times of physical death. In presiding over funerals, I have encountered many disturbing things, such as, shouting angry people, individuals coming close to physical blows, intoxicated individuals, feuding families, the deceased purposely buried in the wrong plot, and people objecting to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
However, the one thing, which is most disturbing, is one particular comment often expressed by Christians and lost people alike, which is to the effect, that every deceased individual, professing Christian or not, is in a better place (Heaven) or they are no longer hurting physically, again, because they are “in a better place”.
This alarming remark reveals an incorrect understanding of biblical salvation, and indicates that scores of people in our society have a latent belief in universalism. What does Read more…
September 6, 2011
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We would like to take a brief moment to offer our condolences to anybody who has lost friends, family or property in the recent outbreak of local fires. In past times like these I have heard teachers in various churches preaching that events like this are the judgment of God for insufficient tithing, or that if someone had taken spiritual command or “dominion” over the fire (or tornado, or hurricane), they could have stopped it. Please know that teachings like this are false, and are intended to bring about manipulation and control through guilt or false hopes. The simple fact is that we live in a world that is groaning under the weight of mankind’s sin, and disasters like this are a part of that groaning. Those who are soundly saved (having thrown themselves at the feet of Christ for mercy and are trusting in His work on the Cross to save them) are in no way exempt from experiencing trial or tribulation.
However, it is often times like this that make us reflect on our standing before the Holy and Sovereign Lord. If in reflection or self-examination (a healthy and biblical thing to practice, see 2 Corinthians 13:5) you find yourself convicted or concerned about your standing before God, please read on. There are many false teachers in this modern world delivering messages focusing on man rather than God. They claim to be Christ-centered, but deliver teachings that sound more like formulas or equations resulting in a blessed or successful life. After tragedy strikes, these teachings are often seen as what they truly are… shallow, self-centered doctrines with Scriptures references given only in an effort to add a religious flavor. The true Gospel is this… Adoption into the family of God through the work of Christ on the Cross. This comes about when we put all hope and trust concerning salvation in Christ alone and repent (change our view and intentions) of all sins, even our “little” or “favorite” sins. The Lord is able to take the most vile of sinners, and change them into new creatures through the blood of Jesus Christ. This is a miracle of God and becoming a new creature, or a Christian, is not something that can be done on your own, no matter how hard you try. Such is the love of God to shed His own blood to rescue us!
If you are currently sitting under a teacher who is using tragedy to control you or your dreams of success to mislead you, please take time to prayerfully examine the Word of God so as to distinguish what the good news of salvation really is. Remember, if what you are hearing is about what you have to go do, then it really isn’t good news (nor is the result a gift), is it?
For now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:22-23
August 8, 2011
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Please take a moment to review the following questions. Don’t try to answer them. For now, just read them:
Is there a God?
Which God preached on Earth is the real one (if any)?
Does God (if He exists) have Laws that I am to obey?
Are there consequence for breaking God’s laws (if He does exist and does indeed have laws)?
Is there an afterlife?
Was Jesus simply a man, or was He more than a man?
Did Jesus have a particular mission in mind when He lived and died on this planet?
Did Jesus arise from the dead?
Now let me ask you to reflect on how you viewed these question. Do you think they are in the world of the abstract and philosophical? Do you feel that these are all religious questions? They aren’t! Every single one of the above questions are questions concerning reality. Each one of them pertains to facts that you will someday verify. They are not at all abstract or subjective. The factual answers to these questions cannot be altered by our debates, beliefs and denials. They are not open to interpretation. If you were asked, “Was Abraham Lincoln an actual President of the United States, or is he a fictional character?” the answer would be either, “Yes, he was a real President” or “No, he is a fictional character. There is a fact-based answer that would be either right (if you answered “yes”) or wrong (if you answered “no”). The question concerning Lincoln is not of political nature, it is simply a factual and historical query.
The questions above pertain to present reality or historical fact, not experience or belief. Many, many people view these questions and the discussion of such things to be subjective. “What’s true for you might not be true for me” is the motto of many when discussing things of this nature. But this is a ridiculous and poorly reasoned. There are indeed subjective topics discussed in religion, but far fewer than most people think. Facts of reality are facts of reality. Some may disagree on the facts… we may argue the facts… some facts may not be verifiable this side of the grave, but facts (or truths) are not subjective or flexible. In this short post I am not discussing any of these topics themselves, I am merely asking you to consider how you view the claims of Christianity and other religions. I am asking you to consider how you read the Bible, when it lays out much of its’ content as historical fact. Do you think the these things are abstract and subjective? They most assuredly are not! And considering the nature of the facts being discussed, is there anything more important than coming to a correct knowledge of the true facts? Of course not! It is of the utmost importance that you take the time to search out these truths!
Please take the time to consider your views…
August 6, 2011
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No, this post isn’t about politics! But it is about how professing Christians view and respond to Scripture. Our Texas governor (and professing Christian) Rick Perry has recently been organizing and participating in various prayer events and rallies around the state (he is attending one today in Houston). The idea is to gather together people of faith in order to seek the Lord’s favor and ask Him to move on behalf of our state and nation. Those in the Christian faith are the ones primarily encouraged to come, but people of all faiths are welcome. But is this what Christians are supposed to do? Well… yes and no. Before going further, let’s see what Scripture has to say…
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 1 Timothy 2:1-2
We see here that praying for the citizens and leaders of our land isn’t just allowable according to Scripture, it is actually urged by the Apostle Paul. So the idea of gathering together and seeking the Lord to move on our nation and its’ leaders is a good one. But is it Scriptural to gather with people of all faiths? Let us first clarify our terminology… “people of all faiths” is a modern-day, polite and politically correct way of saying, “all religious people, even those who reject Jesus Christ as Lord”. But God’s Word is not written in soft and modern language, and it has a word for folks who reject Christ as Lord and instead bow to other “gods”. They are called “idolators”, meaning “those who worship idols”. In Scripture, do we see any urging to gather with idolators and pray together? No! Far from it! Those familiar with God’s Holy Word know that in the Old Testament, idolators in Israel were executed (sometimes by the Lord’s prophets themselves). In the New Testament we are told to flee from idols and their worship. In no way is it biblical or desirable for professing Christians to enter into joint religious gatherings with idol-worshipers! What fellowship does light have with darkness?
So what is Rick Perry (and many other professing Christians) doing when joining with idol worshipers in public religious ceremony? They are engaging in Read more…
July 28, 2011
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“These things I have written to you who believe
in the name of the Son of God,
so that you may know that you have eternal life”
- 1 John 5:13
Are you struggling with doubts as to whether or not you are genuinely born again (John 3)? If so, please know that it is indeed possible to determine your true spiritual state. The first article in this series began by asking the following questions: Can a person know that they possess saving faith? Is it possible for an individual to know that they belong to Jesus Christ? If so, is there an effective way to measure an individual’s profession of faith to determine its authenticity?
The answer to all these questions is a resounding “Yes!” The New Testament Book of 1st John lists several objective truths for correctly ascertaining the existence or absence of true saving faith. The first fruit or evidence of saving faith is…
THE FRUIT OF A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF JESUS CHRIST
Where biblical salvation is concerned, it is necessary for an individual to correctly comprehend the correct identity of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1-4). Why is this important? For one thing, it is imperative that you go to the right person for salvation. You must be sure that you are seeking the Jesus of the Bible. People believe all sorts of incorrect things about the person of Jesus Christ, and often times they teach other folks these same false notions. For example:
But those are groups that are known by most to be outside of the true Christian faith, right? But many who would appear to be inside mainstream Christianity have false ideas as well…
Because of these things, it is imperative for an individual seeking to obtain salvation to seek the real Jesus! The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is both 100% God (Col 1:19; 1John 4:15) and 100% Human without the sin nature (Hebrews 4:15; 1John 4:2-3), with which the rest of humanity is born into this world (Rom 3:10, 23). When Jesus Christ is erroneously identified, salvation becomes impossible. A fictional Jesus is not a savior simply because He shares a name with the Biblical Jesus! The Bible plainly teaches that Jesus is both Savior and Lord and you must go to Him for salvation as such (Romans 10:9-10, 13; 2Cor. 4:5). Yea, He is absolute and sovereign Lord and you must seek Him alone for salvation (Romans 10:9-13; 1Cor 12:3; 2Cor 4:5; Luke 6:46).
If you desire for Him to saved you, then you must approach Him in repentance and faith (Mark 1:15). Once more, salvation is only found in the person of the true Jesus Christ and in no other (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom 10:9-13). This is the first mark of a true Christian. Stay tuned for part 3!
Read Part 1 of this series by clicking HERE.
First Visit? Start Here!
10 Christians that are Headed to Hell
A Christian gets Saved
Nothing But The Truth
