The Challenge To Master
“But speaking the truth in love…” Ephesians 4:15
“…reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering…” 2 Timothy 4:2
No one would let a dentist fill their cavities, if they knew he was going to cause them as much pain as possible in the process. Doctors and dentists gain a reputation for their kindness and consideration, or, on the other hand, for their roughness and insensitivity.
We are not going to let others doctor us spiritually, if they sting us every time they get the opportunity. It is all important that we establish trust in our fellowship by establishing the right feelings in our hearts toward our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We all, as fellow members of the body of Christ, need the ministry that each can afford one another by God’s grace: “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.” 1 Corinthians 12:25 It is spite that withdraws and refuses to care for others. We owe it to the body of Christ, and we fulfill this sacred obligation, by establishing confidence in one another, as being kindly affectioned one to another in brotherly love, and in honor preferring one another: “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” Philippians 2:2-3
Christ taught His disciples that the blessedness and happy returns of Christian fellowship come back to us as we strive to wash one another’s feet, rather than become critical of one another for having dirt on our feet. (John 13:14-17)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 This is the level that God makes possible: “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16.
“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:31-32
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How Credible Is The Idea Of Global Warming?
“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22
One should note the origin of those sounding the doomsday alarm concerning global warming, as well as consider that there is a political agenda that is at work here. The political tactic, called “fear-mongering”, is to keep the populace alarmed about so-called situations, that require the people to look to and follow the dictates of political leaders in order to be led to safety. This allows for greater taxation and more government regulations, giving more power to politics.
In light of Bible teaching and prophecy, the global warming that the “experts” are crying about is one thing man will not face. Nowhere does God’s Word teach that global warming is an imminent threat to mankind, nor does it teach that man has the ability to control global climate, either to keep it as it is, or to change it for better or for worse.
A study of the prophecies of the book of Revelation reveal there are coming catastrophic events to occur in nature. But these events will all originate by Divine decrees that supersede the range of natural occurrences. They will supersede anything known by man, or that is possible through natural degeneration. Consider the plagues upon the land of Egypt in the book of Exodus as a foretaste, but even these are no comparison to the events to occur during the Great Tribulation.
Besides this, there are many climatologists who to not share the view that we are headed down the path of catastrophic global warming. Dr. Tim Ball, chairman of the Natural Resources Stewardship Project, and former climatology professor at The University of Winnipeg, Manitoba, wrote: “Global warming, as we think we know it, doesn’t exist.” The proposed conclusions: (1) Climate changes are well within the bounds of natural variability, in which the earth’s climate has warmed and cooled cyclically throughout its history; (2) These changes are largely natural in origin; (3) These changes are unlikely to be catastrophic to humanity or the biosphere; (4) These changes are not susceptible to significant reduction by any actions we take; (5) These changes are far from the most serious threat to humanity and the rest of our environment.
SHARINGThe Biblical Baptist Identity
“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. …he that sent me to baptize with water.” John 1:6,33
Baptist in the New Testament is the identity God gave to the agent by which He sent the New Testament (covenant) seal = baptism. “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea” Matthew 3:1. John was identified as a Baptist when he came preaching, not after he had baptized for a while.
John came as Christ’s forerunner, “…to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” Luke 1:17. From this prepared people, Jesus called and ordained His apostles, and set them first in the church that He built during His earthly ministry. Peter and the apostles, and the 120 first church members, had only the baptism of John, and they only administered the same baptism they had received. Jesus Christ, who went to John to be baptized of this heaven sent, New Testament Baptist baptism, declared it necessary to do so in order to fulfill all righteousness, Matthew 3:15. Before His ascension, Christ made the New Testament Church He had built the agent of this Baptist baptism, Matthew 28:19-20. All who rejected the baptism of John were declared to have rejected the counsel of God against themselves, Luke 7:30. Thus, there is but one Lord, one faith, one baptism – Ephesians 4:5.
There is no saving grace in the Baptist identity. But it is embraced due to following the operation of God in identifying the baptism of the New Testament, sent from heaven, which Christ set in His church. To accept the one baptism which God sent from heaven, gives us every reason to accept the God given identity of the agent of that baptism, which is no longer John, but now the New Testament Baptist Church.
The rejection of Baptist as being the identity of God’s agent of New Testament baptism, is first due to the rejection of the baptism itself. Those who reject the Baptist identity for the agent of New Testament baptism, first reject the truth that the baptism God sent from heaven by John, is really New Testament baptism. They throw things out like, “Well, John’s baptism belonged to the Old Testament, etc.” NOT SO, because all that belonged to the Old Testament was given to Moses on the mount! “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” Matthew 11:13
SHARINGWhy A Christian Should Be Encouraged In Days Of Difficulty
BECAUSE he has a Father in Heaven who loves him, cares for him, and has blessed him with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (John 16:27; Luke 12:22-28; Ephesians 1:3)
BECAUSE he has a Great High Priest in Heaven to sympathize with him, succor and support him, and to conduct him into the enjoyment of heavenly things (Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:14-16; 8:1-6)
BECAUSE he has a Great and Good Shepherd to lead him, care for him, protect him, and sustain him until the time when the Lord takes him Home to Glory (Psalm 23; Hebrews 13:20-21)
BECAUSE He has an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous, who pleads his cause and always prevails (1 John 1:8-10; 2:1)
BECAUSE he has a Divine Counsellor to go to for counsel or advice at all times who will give him understanding and lead him in the right path (Isaiah 9:6; Proverbs 3:5-6)
BECAUSE he has an Abiding Comforter (the Holy Spirit) to guide him in his understanding of the Word, to teach him spiritual truth and to take of the things of Christ and show them unto him (John 14:16-17; 16:13-14)
BECAUSE he has a Throne of Grace to go to at all times, for grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 John 5:14-15; Philippians 4:6-7)
BECAUSE he has the Holy Scriptures to search and study which testify of the sufferings of Christ and the glory to follow; they also empower and transform him into Christ’s likeness (1 Peter 1:6-11; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:4-8)
BECAUSE angels minister unto him in response to his Heavenly Father’s command, being an heir of salvation (Hebrews 1:14; Psalm 103:17-21)
BECAUSE he is an heir to an incorruptible inheritance, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven, and is kept by the power of God until he comes into possession (1 Peter 1:3-5)
BECAUSE he has before him the Blessed Hope of the Lord’s imminent return to catch away His saints to comfort him in times of difficulty (Titus 2:13; 1 John 3:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:9-11)
SHARINGGeorge Washington’s 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789. (signed) G. Washington. From Spark’s Washington, Vol. XII, p. 119.
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