​Dear brothers & sisters in Christ, 

This time of trial has caused some to be frightened while others may be bored, angry or depressed. But since it has been permitted by God, it is for our good. Trials build our faith and give us opportunity to be used as a testimony of God's grace. Keep praying and looking up! Our redemption draws near! 

I shared this with the men at our Bible study last year. I think it is appropriate for us today. 

"This sickness is not unto death." John 11:4 

"From our Lord's words we learn that there is a limit to sickness. Here is an "unto" within which its ultimate end is restrained, and beyond which it cannot go. Lazarus might pass through death, but death was not to be the ultimatum of his sickness. In all sickness, the Lord saith to the waves of pain, "Hitherto shall ye go, but no further." His fixed purpose is not the destruction, but the instruction of his people. Wisdom hangs up the thermometer at the furnace mouth, and regulates the heat.
1. The limit is encouragingly comprehensive. The God of providence has limited the time, manner, intensity, repetition, and effects of all our sicknesses; each throb is decreed, each sleepless hour predestinated, each relapse ordained, each depression of spirit foreknown, and each sanctifying result eternally purposed. Nothing great or small escapes the ordaining hand of him who numbers the hairs of our head.
2. This limit is wisely adjusted to our strength, to the end designed, and to the grace apportioned. Affliction comes not at haphazard-the weight of every stroke of the rod is accurately measured. He who made no mistakes in balancing the clouds and meting out the heavens, commits no errors in measuring out the ingredients which compose the medicine of souls. We cannot suffer too much nor be relieved too late.
3. The limit is tenderly appointed. The knife of the heavenly Surgeon never cuts deeper than is absolutely necessary. "He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men." A mother's heart cries, "Spare my child"; but no mother is more compassionate than our gracious God. When we consider how hard-mouthed we are, it is a wonder that we are not driven with a sharper bit. The thought is full of consolation, that he who has fixed the bounds of our habitation, has also fixed the bounds of our tribulations."
-Charles Spurgeon 

Five Reasons We Worry
1.     We don’t trust God Isaiah 26:3, 1Peter 5:7
2.     We look at our circumstances & lose sight of the Lord Matthew 14:30,
3.     We forget He is always with us Hebrews 13:5
4.     We try to figure things out in our own wisdom  Matthew 6:31-33, Philippians 4:6
5.     We look to human help Jeremiah 17:5, Hebrews 13:6
 
Look to others and be depressed
Look to self and be distressed
Look to Jesus and be blessed
 
"Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me"
Jesus, Savior, pilot me
Over life's tempestuous sea:
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rocks and treach'rous shoal;
Chart and compass come from Thee--
Jesus, Savior, pilot me!
—Edward Hooper

VIRGINIA – After over 30 years in Aurora, Grace & Truth Bible Church has moved to a new location on the north side of Virginia. There were several factors that led to this relocation, but the main reasons were the need for more space, the availability of the former Sacred Heart Church building, and the desire to expand ministries already in Virginia.
Grace & Truth Bible Church was incorporated in 1988 as a non-denominational Bible church to share the good news of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ and to teach the Word of God. GTBC purchased the West End Liquor store in Aurora, converted it into a church, and has met there for the past 30 years.
A few years ago, we started a sister church in Virginia called Laurentian Bible Church. This congregation was meeting in the Alice Nettell community room but was looking for a permanent location. At the same time, GTBC had been considering an addition to the building in Aurora because it lacked a fellowship hall and Sunday school space. It was suggested that perhaps it would be good to combine the two ministries and look for a building in Virginia. This made sense since many of the congregants were closer to Virginia than Aurora and because there were already many ministries of the church in the Virginia area.

So, the two congregations began looking at buildings in Virginia and considered two of them: the former Whole Foods Co-op building and the Sacred Heart Church. After many months of prayer and negotiations, the Sacred Heart building was purchased. It is a wonderful facility with a large auditorium, fellowship hall and commercial kitchen. It is exactly what was needed to continue current ministries and with room to grow.
Our beliefs: GTBC places a great emphasis on the clear teaching of Scripture. We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, an inerrant, infallible and sufficient source of truth. We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ apart from human merit, works or religious rituals. It is a gift offered to anyone who believes that Jesus paid for their sins through his death and resurrection.
Our ministries: In addition to our regular services on Sunday morning at 10 a.m., Sunday evening at 6 p.m., and Wednesday Bible study and prayer meeting at 6 p.m., we have many other outreaches.
For children, there is Sunday school at 10 a.m., Kids 4 Truth on Wednesday at 6 p.m., Vacation Bible School in June, and Summer Bible Camp for kids ages 8 – 12, and for ages 12 and up in July/August at Camp George E. Sigel on Lake Esquagama. There is also a youth group which meets on Saturdays.
For seniors, Grace & Truth has ministries at many senior care facilities in the area, including Edgewood Vista and Waterview Pines in Virginia. We also go to nursing home facilities in Aurora, Biwabik, and Eveleth.
For hurting people, 2B Free Addiction Ministry was started ten years ago to share the power of Christ to deliver people from addiction to drugs and alcohol. It has been a great joy to see people come to freedom by trusting in Jesus Christ and then following Him.
For those in other countries, GTBC believes in our responsibility to reach out to those without Christ everywhere. We help in the support of missionaries in Brazil, Mozambique, France, Canada, and the U.S.
We also host special events. Through the years we have held Bible and missionary conferences, biblical plays, sacred music concerts, prayer breakfasts, luncheons, and other special meetings.
The congregation of GTBC is excited to be in Virginia and hope to have a positive influence on the community and the surrounding area. For more information please check our website at gtbconline.com

No matter the outcome of the election on November 8th, we need to prepare our hearts and lives to share the reason for our hope for the future. It is not based on a political candidate or party, but upon the promises of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are our sure foundation amidst troublous times looking forward to the promise of eternal salvation in glory.
 
The future for believers in America may include suffering (1 Peter 3:14), but suffering righteously gives us an opportunity to share our faith. Remember what happened when Peter was asked about his faith during the trial of Jesus. He denied knowing the Lord! Peter did not want that to happen to His readers. They could be strong in the Lord - but they needed to be ready and not taken off guard like he was - bragged when he should have recognized his weakness, slept when he should have prayed, fought when he should have submitted, fled when he should have stood firm.
How many opportunities to witness for Christ have we missed, simply because we were not ready????!!!
 
Ready means sanctifying the Lord in our hearts first - we need to be abiding in the vine, walking with the Lord, being filled with the Spirit.
Ready means knowing how to defend our faith - we need to know what we believe and why we believe it - to know what a person needs to do to be saved and verses to back up our witness.
Ready means an attitude of meekness and fear - that we need to witness with humility toward men and fear toward the Lord.
 
Let us purpose in our hearts, right now, to be ready always to speak of Christ in these last days before He returns.
 
So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel...
(Romans 1:15)

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1 

If you haven’t noticed, the film “Son of God” is coming to a theater near you. It is the product of “new agers” Roma Downey and Mark Burnett devotees of false teacher Eckart Tolle. Tolle is also highly regarded and promoted by Oprah Winfrey. In his book, A New Earth (page 13), he writes: "You do not become good by trying to be good, but by finding the goodness that is already within you, and allowing that goodness to emerge." With this kind of belief system, there is no need for forgiveness of sin, the substitutionary death of Christ or the gospel to save sinners. Yet, this movie is being touted as evangelistic! By the way, Downey also appeared on the Sci-Fi channel with psychic John Edwards seeking to make contact with her dead mother (a demonic practice called “necromancy” and strongly condemned in the Bible). 

These are not credentials for producing a true to Scripture, God honoring and evangelistic film, but they are good enough for Hollywood and for the evangelical community today! This film seems to be endorsed by everyone, from Rick Warren, to Calvary Chapel, from the Catholic Church to Liberty University. 

One blogger wrote: “This is huge. It is Ecumenical. Interdenominational. It is drawing the Olsteens, the Catholic Archbishops, the Warren camp. T.D. Jakes, etc. So many BIG NAME religious leaders (and false teachers) are putting money into it, and probably making a lot money out of it.”

Why is it that Christians are so easily taken in by this error? I think the problem lies in our desire for acceptance by the world, the longing for an easy way to witness, a lack of discernment, ignorance of Scripture, wanting to feel good and be entertained, etc… We want people to be saved, but unfortunately, that is not going to happen without the truth of the gospel being given; truth that people do not want to hear and truth that Hollywood will never give out in clarity! 

Witnessing is the true believer’s responsibility (Matthew 28:18-20) and that is what we need to be doing because: “How shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard?” (Romans 10:14). 

…because of false brethren secretly brought in… to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 
Galatians 2:4-5

No, I’m not speaking of a procedure performed by a doctor or nurse in a clinic. This one is more likely to be carried out by a clergyman in a church. The gospel of Christ (through which we can know our sins are forgiven and that we can have, as a present possession, eternal life - 1John 5:13) is the most wonderful message in the world. Jesus paid the debt of sin by His sacrificial substitutionary death on the cross (2Corinthians 5:21) and because He has risen, is able to give eternal life to all who trust in Him (John 6:47). But that message is only effective if the person recognizes their need and receives it by faith. 
The “inoculated” person feels that they are safe, not sick and have no need of the gospel. They are like the person who has received a flu shot and who feels that they are protected from influenza. 

How does this work? Sometimes it is like this: an individual is born into a religious home and are brought to the church to be baptized as an infant (though this is not taught anywhere in Scripture, it has become the tradition in many ritualistic churches). This initial baptism supposedly forgives original sin and makes the baby a child of God. Later the vows given by the god-parents are repeated by the child at his/her confirmation. Confirmation, therefore, serves as kind of a “booster shot” to the original one given at their baptism. So now the confirmant feels they are safe and secure for their sins were washed away by the waters of baptism and they have made their vows to God through confirmation. Sadly, their security is based upon their religious works, rather than upon Christ and His work of salvation. They have been inoculated against the gospel; the gospel has become of “no effect” or ineffectual for them.

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. 1Corinthians 1:17 

Now, when this person hears someone say that they need to be saved from their sins, they do not understand. After all, they have been baptized and confirmed – they do not need Christ; they do not need to be born again; they have been there and done that! Jesus described them this way: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” (Matthew 9:12). Unfortunately, the inoculated person is usually farther away from salvation than a drug addict or prostitute because the outright sinner is more likely to admit his/her lost condition. To lead such a “gospel resistant” person to Christ requires convincing them that they are lost sinners despite their religion. They are much like Nicodemus in John three, a religious Pharisee who Jesus had to convince that he needed to be born again. Likewise, Paul in Philippians three had to exchange his religious works for the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Other inoculated people include many who have gone forward in a church service; those who have prayed the sinner’s prayer, or asked Jesus into their heart, or made a commitment to God but have no real understanding of the gospel. They have done something external, but they have never really understood their sinful condition before a holy God, their inability to save themselves, and the truth that Jesus died on the cross to provide forgiveness of sin and eternal life. Gospel presentations must include an explanation of man’s condition (Romans 3:10, 23, 6:23) and God’s provision through Christ  (Romans 5:8, 1Corinthians 15:3-4, 2Corinthians 5:21, 1Peter 2:24, 3:18, 1John 4:10). Finally, the sinner must understand that salvation is received by faith alone apart from works (Romans 4:5, Titus 3:5, Galatians 2:16). 

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 

Let me ask you this: Is your hope of eternal salvation based on your baptism, church membership and other religious works; or have you trusted Jesus Christ, His perfect work and His promise to save all who come to Him in simple faith? If so, you can claim this guarantee from God’s Word: 

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life 
(1John 5:13).

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Proverbs 20:1

Fundamentalist Snake Charming Especially for pastors and leaders...

Recently a good friend of mine, Bruce Oyen posted a warning about the use of alcohol.  It brought to mind the sad statistics I read last week regarding the use of alcohol among Christian pastors and leaders, much less their congregations. That, in turn, brought to mind the young men I have personally buried as a result of this scourge. This flashback evoked memories of the half naked and hungry children we shuttled into our Sunday School buses (when it was still socially acceptable to run bus routes) and the long trail of counseling and admonitions relating to the abuse, scandal, and destruction this scourge brings. That, in turn, evoked my last provocative thought:

Surely, any pastor who labors in the trenches must hate alcohol in his very soul. Notwithstanding all those debates about the wine at Cana, we all know that we are not comparing apples with apples when we use Cana to justify the modern use of alcohol. While we rightfully bemoan the effects of tobacco and second hand smoke, our duplicity is overwhelming and our silence is deafening.  And, those who insist that alcoholism is a disease must still admit that it is contracted on the lip of the glass, a glass we Christians complacently hand off to our children when they "come of age."  Alcohol is the scourge we refuse to see, exacting a horrific toll on the “church” and the world. It is another elephant in room, affecting a shocking number of families in our own Christian circles.

• We do not see the consequences of this scourge because we refuse to see it. We prefer to close our minds to the daily toll this substance takes right before our very eyes.

• We don’t see the danger, because we blithely think that our drinking in moderation will spare us (and our children for generations to come) from going down that same path. Yet the facts prove otherwise.  The flood waters may still be up river, but sooner or later they arrive and this dancing viper willstrike someone you love.  Pray to God that the first missteps of their downfall will not be at your hands.

• We don’t see the danger, because to stand against alcohol is to be labeled as a legalistic vestige of a bygone era. Perish the thought that our legalistic fathers could have been lovingly warning us against the things they saw, firsthand!

• Mostly, we choose to ignore this issue because we kowtow to a peer driven culture which professes tolerance to all (except those who would warn against evil). The thin veneer suggesting that our motives are evangelistic, is just that.  One can be as wise as a serpent without dancing with one.

The fear of man brings a snare (Proverbs 29:25), and few snares are as damning as alcohol.

It’s time we let our blood boil with a little more indignation instead of boiling with the inebriating bubbles that portend destruction. It’s time we stepped away from snake charming.

Pastor, when was the last time you warned your sheep about this scourge? Are you willing to face the truth about the use of alcohol among your sheep? 

The next time you think of those supposed snake charmers, ask yourself, “Who’s really charming whom?”

Take a few seconds and read Bruce Oyen’s blog on this vital subject.

For a good biblical treatment, read Bob Thompson’s paper on alcohol.
Wine and Strong Drink.pdf

See also:

Forty Percent of Evangelical Leaders Drink Alcohol


Moody Drops Alcohol Use Restriction for Faculty and Staff


Need an inexpensive and basic tract on this subject?


Posted at: http://mynewcovenantlife.blogspot.com/2013/10/fundamentalist-snake-charming.html
Composed by: James Steel