Looking Unto Jesus

The Just Shall Live by Faith Not by Feelings - Don Johnson

2012-01-23T10:46:00.000-08:00

Claiming to Be Wise, the Atheists Become Fools - Tim Conway

2012-01-01T18:19:00.001-08:00

Richard Dawkins is one big fool.

Spurgeon on Believing Evolutionary Fables

2011-12-26T22:17:00.000-08:00

"The monstrous credulity of unbelief amazes me! I meet with persons who consider themselves to be bold thinkers and philosophers, and they express their astonishment that I can really believe the things which I preach: but no sooner do I learn from them what their positive creed is, than the astonishment comes to be on my side, and is a thousand times greater than theirs could be. The faith which accepts Christ has but a small throat indeed compared with that credulity which believes for instance in the development of man from a protoplasm—that creed requires the swallow of the great fish which swallowed Jonah entire. A lie ye will believe, but because the Gospel is true ye do not believe it."

-Charles Spurgeon, A Solemn Impeachment of Unbelievers

The Story Behind the Hymn "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name"

2011-12-18T16:37:00.000-08:00

MEET AN ABORTED CRACK BABY

2011-12-14T12:53:00.001-08:00

WATCH YOUR WORDS!

2011-12-09T13:40:00.000-08:00

When I was evangelizing in Centro the other day, I ran into a very kind and sincere brother in the Lord. During our conversation, I mentioned that, although I regularly proclaimed the Gospel publicly in the open air, people didn’t want to believe. He didn’t approve of that statement, however, asserting that our words have power. As evidence of this, he quoted Proverbs 18:21: “death and life are in the power of the tongue”. In a very well-meaning and tenderhearted way, he warned me to be careful to not say negative things, as fallen angels could use those negative confessions against us, and thus we could be responsible for bringing bad circumstances upon ourselves…and could therefore miss God’s blessings for our lives. He suggested that I take that negative statement that came out of my mouth and replace it with a positive one—such as the emphatic declaration, “Many people will be saved!”

But does that line up with Scripture? Do our words really have power, and will they really create for us negative and positive circumstances?

What about the occasion when that young, zealous disciple of Jesus adamantly confessed, “Lord, I will NEVER deny you!” Peter unwaveringly declared that he would never fall away, and that he would go with Him to prison…and even to death (Mat.26:33-35; Mark 14:27-31; Luke 22:31-34). Did his positive confession reap great blessings upon his life?

What of the time when the Lord Jesus affirmed the truth that the Jewish people did not believe, that they did not have the love of God within them, and that they refused to come to Him that they may have life? (John 5:38-47). Should the King of glory have been rebuked for stating such negative words?

And what of Paul’s confession that he left Trophimus ill at Miletus (2 Tim.4:20)? Didn’t Paul know better that to actually declare a sickness upon his own friend and brother? Shouldn’t he have instead confessed that Trophimus would recover?

In comparison with Scripture, this relatively new doctrine of our words having life and death-creating power (invented by false teacher Kenneth Copeland in the mid-20th Century) doesn’t stand. Proverbs 18:21 is not referring to some mystical, demon-influencing or hindering ability we have in our tongues. It’s simply saying that your tongue can get you and others in world of trouble—so be careful with what you say. The tongue is a fire that can set an entire forest ablaze (see James 3); out of your mouth can flow deceit, gossip, cursing, vain and haughty words, indiscretion, and many other sins. Not bridling your tongue can get you, or others, killed. Bridling your tongue, and using it wisely, can save your life, and help you to gain great favor with men.

Notwithstanding, as I explained to the amiable brother I spoke with, there is a grain of truth in that “positive confession” doctrine. Granted, most of that teaching is false, but believers are exhorted in the Scriptures to exhort one another daily with the TRUTH (Heb.3:13)—admonishing each other with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs in all wisdom—and we are to let the Word of God dwell richly in our hearts (Eph.5:19; Col.3:16). Rather than believe the lies of Satan and the world, and the deception of sin, we are to hold fast to the truth, to the commands and promises of God found in His Word, and we are to wield those promises and commands in the face of any and all temptations and trials (Mat.4:1-11; Eph.6:17).

So in a sense, yes, we are to “declare” those truths and promises to the Lord in prayer (Acts 4:24-30), wrestling with Him until we’ve obtained the blessing (Gen.32:24-32 ). What He has promised to do He will do (1 Thes.5:24). Of that we can be sure. Hebrews 10:23 exhorts us to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” We need to believe that He will fulfill His Word, and also that He rewards those who seek Him (Heb.11:6).

And as it is legitimate to verbally SPEAK the truth to God, to the brethren, and even to the enemy, it is likewise legitimate to speak the truth to oneself. We are to TALK to ourselves, as David did in times of adversity. In Psalm 42:5-6 and 11, he rebukes and encourages himself:

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

It is also valid to replace a negative, ungodly thought that comes into our minds and hold it captive to the obedience of Christ—that is, to reject it and replace it with a promise or truth of Scripture (2 Cor.10:5). Philippians 4:8 tells us, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

But as a final note, allow me to add that in doing all of the above, we must be careful to not presume upon God. We are not to claim for ourselves healing, or a miracle, or a blessing, when He has not explicitly said so in the Scriptures, or revealed so by some other divine or providential means. Presumption is unfortunately the sin of many of our “charismatic” brethren. May it not be so with us.

Recent Guadalajara Slayings

2011-11-26T09:36:00.000-08:00

Brethren, please pray for this city, and for us.

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/25/142766230/26-bodies-dumped-in-mass-slaying-in-guadalajara

http://www.news24.com/World/News/Bodies-identified-in-Mexico-slaying-20111126

The Pan American Games Meet Mary, the Pope and Death

2011-11-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

The Pan American Games are now officially over. We preached in our usual spots in Centro throughout the whole two weeks of this event. Things were pretty much the same as usual as far as evangelism goes. Though I did see many tourists walking around with Pan American name tags/identification cards hanging around their necks, the majority of the people in the streets were Guadalajarans. The streets were crowded with them; as anticipated and hoped for by Guadalajaran authorities, the locals used the Games as an excuse to party, vacation, shop and walk around the town. There were many festivities, events and live music shows Downtown.

They also closed down almost an entire major street, only a block from where we live. There they set up many booths with touristic information about other countries and parts of Mexico, PAG merchandise, souveniers, and food. This street meets a huge roundabout, also a block away from where we live; they closed half of it off and set up a giant stage where they had live bands play every day of the Games, from the afternoon until about 11pm. Our neighborhood was very noisy, crowded and filled with traffic (as a result of the nearby street and roundabout being closed off).

It's been about three weeks of back-to-back festivities here in Guadalajara, as five different events occurred at around the same time. First, Wednesday the 12 was the annual idolatrous celebration of the Virgen de Zapopan; then, two days later the PAG commenced; and while that was going on last week, the late Pope John Paul II's relics payed a visit to different parts of the city, attracting multitides of devoted followers; yesterday was Halloween; and finally, tomorrow is Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Three weeks of idolatry (of Mary, the Pope, sports and dead loved ones), drunkenness, revelry, national pride, sensuality, death-worship, occultism and many other sins which I would rather not mention.

Please pray for Guadalajara, and for me, as Lord permitting, I will continue to preach the Gospel almost daily this week.

Above: an example of the syncretization of recent events. Skeleton mannequins adorn the streets of downtown Guadalajara (for Día de los Muertos), this year with a Pan American sports theme.

Forsake Everything and Preach Christ to the Arabic World

2011-10-23T14:48:00.001-07:00

ONLY A WEEK UNTIL THE GAMES BEGIN!

2011-10-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

The Pan American Games in Guadalajara will commence on October 14. It's estimated that 1.5 million spectators from all over the world will attend. Our plan is to hit the streets all throughout the two weeks of the Games, proclaiming the Good News to all the mexicans and visitors. This means that potentially hundreds of thousands of people will hear the Gospel! Brethren, please pray for us, we need the Holy Spirit to work in power through us for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation of souls.

PLEASE Take the Time to Watch This!

2011-09-25T14:58:00.000-07:00

180 is a powerful short film by Ray Comfort. Please spare 33 minutes of your time to watch it.

What is the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?

2011-09-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

Tim Conway addresses this notorious and difficult topic. A great sermon.

What You Must Do to Be a Radical Christian.... REALLY???

2011-09-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

I first watched this video a long, long time ago, only several years after truly being converted. Admittedly, when I watched it I thought it was great, and shared it with others. But fast forward to Saturday, September 10, 2011...after years of trials, discipline from the Lord, brokenness, realizing how un-Christ-like I am, the Lord ripping away much of the fleshly zeal I used to have that literally wore me out...fast forward to that day. Though I still have a LONG way to go as far as maturity and sanctification, the Lord by His grace and providence has lifted the veil from my old ways of looking at the Christian life. And now, watching this video again after so long, I must frankly admit that, well, IT MAKES ME SICK.

It's revolting...and unbelievable. Is this really what "radical Christianity" is about? The message of the video is essentially this: "So you want to be a radical Christian? This is what you have to do to be one..."

"You must... you must... you must..."

Everything about this video is man-centered. Everything is focused on YOU and YOUR performance as a Christian. There's absolutely no mention of the Gospel; there's no mention of the depths of the cross and the glory and majesty and beauty of the living Christ; there's no admonishment to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, to behold and meditate on Him and as a result be transformed from glory to glory.

No, instead, this video makes you look inwardly rather than upward and outwardly. It's a recipe for condemnation. I would solemnly warn any professing believer who goes around sharing this kind of message to be careful lest they cause one of these "little ones" to stumble by casting heavy yokes upon them that they themselves cannot bear.

And, "You have to weep tears of blood". --Excuse me, but what??? Where's that in Scripture? I must have missed that essential command. The closest thing we can find in the Bible to this astonishing statement is the Lord sweating drops of blood...but apart from Him there is no record of anyone sweating blood for God, let alone weeping drops of blood. I would sincerely like to know if the maker of this video has ever wept drops of blood.

"Every thought, every breath, must be returned unto Him with gratitude and praise... Every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year of your life must constantly be spent on thinking about Him."

Again, these kind of unreasonable demands go way beyond Scripture, and are a setup for a great FALL. What's going to happen when you fail to do this? What's going to happen when, many times, you find yourself not thinking about Christ?

The answer this video seems to imply is, "Well, then you're not a 'radical Christian'. You're in sin." It offers no grace, no mercy. It leaves a professing believer wallowing in condemnation.

This is not radical Christianity.

Radical Christianity is beholding the glorious and risen Christ and falling in love with Him. Radical Christianity is Cross-centered and not "radical Christianity"-centered. Radical Christianity passionately desires to worship and adore Jesus Christ because of such a great salvation He's given you, and fervently longs for the whole world to know about such a great Savior. Radical Christianity is desperately clinging to the Lord with all you have because you realize that you'd be utterly sinful and weak and frail apart from Him. Radical Christianity is full of joy, praise and thankfulness for what God has done for you. Radical Christianity basks and rests in the grace of God, and allows it to produce holy living your life. Radical Christianity seeks to live daily in 1 Corinthians 13. Radical Christianity seeks to be like Christ--He is our life.

There are many other things I can say about this video, but I think I'll leave it there; I don't want to keep rambling. I understand that the person who made this video was coming against the lukewarm "churchianity" of contemporary Western culture, attempting to show professing believers that radical Christianity has nothing to do with wearing Christian T-shirts, going to concerts, calling yourself a "Jesus Freak", etc. But I'm afraid the solution for this problem that he presents goes so far the other extreme that it becomes equally harmful...and just as potentially damning.

And to be honest, the video makes me tired. It makes me tired because I've been there; I used to have the same man-centered and performance-based perspective on the Christian life. I used to have the same unbiblical overemphasis on holiness, being radical, and the responsibility of man. I used to be heavily influenced by certain Arminian preachers, and by Pelagian heretics like Charles Finney, who impressed these exact ideas into my mind. And the end result was only condemnation, pride, resentment at other Christians for not being like I was, a critical spirit, and due to the heavy burdens imposed on me, physically and spiritually wearing myself out.

But glory to God, He's delivered me from all of that! I'm free from the chains and bondage of a legalistic and false Christianity. I'm accepted in the Beloved; I'm free to just live for Him. I can go one inch to the left or to the right, and He won't love me any less. My being accepted by God is not dependent on what I do or have done for the Lord, its dependent on what Jesus has already done for ME. How liberating that is! I now longer want to be some superstar for the Kingdom, I no longer want to attain the stature of one of the apostles, I don't want to be known as a great intercessor or preacher of the Word. I'm content being the least of all the saints. My only goal is to be like Christ.

R.I.P. Tarantula

2011-09-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

Our pet tarantula died no too long ago. We found it in the house, "pregnant" with many little tiny babies on its back. At first I didn't know what they were; it looked like the spider with the strangest abdomen I had ever seen...until it started giving "birth" and the little spiders started coming alive, and little by little started coming off its back. It was a good thing it was found and captured before the babied hatched--the last thing we need is a swarm of tarantulas around the house. The kids and I would catch flies and moths and other bugs to feed it and its babies. They all ended up dying, though, and eventually, since I was busy and forgot to feed it, the mother tarantula died as well.

ALL I HAVE IS CHRIST

2011-08-29T22:07:00.000-07:00

GREAT animated video I first saw a few months ago. It's been getting a lot of views lately...

Meditate on Christ!

2011-08-25T12:52:00.001-07:00

BEWARE THE LEECHES!

2011-08-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

They may be kind folk, they may be courteous, they may be patient—and they almost always have much time on their hands.

They may come in packs, or by themselves. They may have sharply distinct cultural and social backgrounds. They may espouse vastly opposite religious, philosophical and spiritual points of view. But one thing can be certain: these individuals will waste your time.

I’m referring to demonic leeches, a term I’ve coined to describe the type of people I generally encounter while preaching the Gospel on the streets. They’re demonic, quite obviously, because they come straight from the prince of this world. They’re leeches because they will suck up your time, energy, resources, patience and joy in the Lord (should you persist in trying to convince them of the truth). They may even cause you to sin.

Yes, you’ve correctly read the above assertion. Demonic leeches are extremely dangerous, and should be dealt with using the utmost caution and wisdom.

So what exactly does a “demonic leech” do, and why the solemn warning?

A demonic leech appears to be sincere. He approaches you as you’re evangelizing, wanting to talk to you about spiritual things. Many times he will commend you for what you’re doing, claiming to also know the truth. He may additionally claim to be serving the Lord. But then he will drop you a question or a statement in such a way that, if you’re quick, you will realize that he’s not sincerely looking for any answers—he’s trying to teach you. He may dogmatically try to let you in on entirely extra-biblical truths, based on the person’s own reason, feelings and philosophies…but generally a leech will use proof-texts from the Bible to back up his points. He will take an isolated, out of context verse as proof positive of his personal convictions and/or doctrines. It may be a denial of a fundamental doctrine like the Trinity; it may be an emotional appeal like an affirmation that we are all God’s children and that therefore He can’t send us to hell; it may be an issue regarding the validity of a particular cult or false religion. Should you carefully take him through the Bible verses he uses to prove his case, showing him the context of the verses, and explaining to him how he’s wrong, one of two things will occur:

He will agree with you. That’s right; he will appear to be meditative, carefully thinking through the issue at hand, and will actually consent to your argument. Later, however, he will go back to his original belief, and present another verse as proof of his point of view. His short term memory seems to be, well, short-lived. By this time you will have been talking about a different subject, and so you will have to drop the current point you were making and once again attempt to reason with him concerning the first point. When you finish he may again agree about the first point but disagree about the second, so you will probably have to start all over with what you were saying about your second point before you were interrupted. Then, if you succeed in convincing him of your second point, he will inevitably bring up a third and a fourth issue, and while discussing these he will regress once again to trying to prove to you that his point of view on the second and first issues is correct. Picture being lost in a forest and trying to find your way out—but somehow always ending up in the same place where you started. Such is the way of these leeches. It’s an endless cycle; it’s a cross section of roads that all lead you into a dead end.
He will disagree with you. He will not receive anything you’re saying. He may mock the conclusion of your careful argument, claiming, foundationless, that it is incorrect and not reasonable. When you present clear biblical support for a doctrine you’re trying to defend, he will look at you with glazed eyes and a blank stare, pause for a few seconds, and simply throw another Bible verse at you to try to prove you wrong. He will ignore your argument entirely, not even address it. If you’re not prudent you will take the bait and jump all around the Bible addressing every single passage of Scripture that he gives you. If you catch him in his game, firmly demanding that he respond to the initial argument and Bible verse you gave him, his retort will likely only be (once again) a baseless dismissal of what you just said, and a quick attempt to change the subject. He may then proceed to attack your personally, or your “religion”, or he may bring up another passage or issue and try to debate you about that…beginning the cycle all over again. Another term appropriate for this type of leech is “Bible grasshopper”—they jump around from place to place, from scripture to scripture, from topic to topic, and you never succeed in getting anywhere except frustration lane.

Something important to note about leeches is that they will rarely want to talk about salvation and the Gospel. They thrive on majoring on minors. They take non-essentials from Scripture, distort them, and turn them into essentials, and the marks that differentiate their “true” belief system from that of others. Your trying to point out the error of their ways will produce no visible change. Some of them will be friendly, appearing to have a genuine desire to converse with you and get to know you. Others will also seem friendly but their prideful arrogance and unreasonableness will eventually manifest itself. These will hardly raise their voices, though; the entire time they will seem calm, cool and collected. They will play with your emotions—some will do so intentionally. Once they have succeeded in exasperating you, they will gently reprimand you for your anger and lack of love and patience. Their methods of manipulation are effective. BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL WITH THEM (Matthew 10:16). If you find yourself becoming irate at their anti-biblical folly, please do not sin (Ephesians 4:26).

Some examples of leeches?

A demonic leech is a middle-aged “apostolic” (Oneness Pentecostal) who approached me as I was witnessing to a sincere and confused young man who had been receiving “Bible” studies by Jehovah’s Witnesses. When I had open air preached minutes before, the apostolic man had stood a few yards in front of me, listening to every word I was saying, with a pleased expression on his face. When I finished and entered into deep conversation with the young man, this gentleman approached us and tried to “help” me witness to him. He would repeatedly interrupt us, bringing up subjects we were not talking about, and trying to instruct the young man that he had to be baptized “in the name of Jesus” to be saved. I let him finish his spiel and afterward told the young man that I didn’t agree with what he had said, and tried to get the subject back to the Gospel. Thankfully, the young man didn’t for a minute buy or care to pay attention to the apostolic. After he left I spent some considerable time talking with the middle-aged man. He was friendly and claimed to be a believer, and called me “brother”. I explained to him that salvation is by faith and not of works, and he seemed to agree with me, though later he turned right around and said we need to do good works in order to be saved in the end. I explained that baptism doesn’t save and he also agreed with me, but then went around in circles trying to explain to me something unintelligible about salvation. I looked to my right and saw several interested people standing in front of our open air sign and preaching box, so I excused myself and went over to where they were. The older man then started a long conversation with Joshua, another brother who was with us, trying to adamantly prove to him that women should cover their heads and wear long skirts. Even that brother came to the realization that he had wasted a lot of time debating with a man about clothing when there were so many people around us that needed the Gospel.

A demonic leech is a Marcos, who took brother Alex on many giant roller coaster spins while evangelizing two Saturdays ago. He outright denied the Trinity, and claimed that Jesus was not God, and then that He was, but then denied the deity of the Holy Spirit. He also claimed to simply be a sinner and not saved, though he also claimed to be saved…but then again asserted that he hadn’t attained salvation. He clearly had no understanding of biblical salvation. I saw him and Alex talking and invited myself into the conversation. I had ended a long chat with another leech only a few minutes before (a bizarre experience with a man who said he was God's messenger and had gone to heaven, among many other things), and, though my conversation with that leech did not end badly by any means, I admittedly was ready to pounce on the next heretic I came across. And that life-sucker ended up being Marcos. It was only by God’s grace that, though I did become angry with him, I maintained self-control. By the time I approached him and Alex, my brother was already on his edge. I tried to reason with Marcos, but he reeked of pride, trying to show off his distorted Bible knowledge by means of repeatedly misquoting passages. The more intelligent he tried to appear the more foolish he sounded. When asked if he had ever lusted, he refused to give us a straight answer. He also obstinately refused to tell us what religious group he was with (my guess is none). The best words I can use to explain his condition are “utterly blind and dead.” Alex finally had it with him and told him he was a monster of pride. We both gave up and simply urged him to repent of his foolishness and believe the Gospel.

A demonic leech is also a backslidden Jehovah’s Witness who approached a sister one Saturday after hearing us preach in the open air. The sister didn’t know how to respond to the arguments he presented her so she called me over and had me talk with him. This was last year, and I hadn’t yet taken the time to formulate good responses to give Watchtowerites. I had some “stumpers” that I tried to use on him but he simply dismissed all of them as wrong, countering them with nonsensical answers that he made up on the spot. He was extremely irrational and would change the subject whenever I would try to reason with him. He also arrogantly scoffed at my pleas for him to turn from his sins and flee the wrath to come. He didn’t even believe that he could be freed from the power of sin through Christ, as I was urging him to believe, and arrogantly dismissed that as well. I have to admit that I committed a grave error with him: I was trying to “stump” him in order to win an argument, and I in my own power was trying to convince him of the Truth. When this did not work I became really angry at his complete irrationality…and, shamefully, I did sin. By my demeanor and tone of voice, he sensed that I was angry, and like the devil he was he “tenderly” began trying to teach me about the fruits of the Holy Spirit…which made me even madder. Sadly, that battle was a win for the evil one.

So how to prevent that from happening? How should we deal with demonic leeches?

Arm yourself with wisdom and discretion. If you don’t have any, ask the Lord for some (James 1:5-8). Ask for the Lord’s help and strength. If you’re like me, resist the temptation to challenge his erroneous points of view with the Bible. Before anything, stick to the Gospel. Understand that the main thing he needs is not to correct his false doctrines—his most urgent need is salvation. If he insists in bringing up other subjects, tell him that you can talk about that later, and bring the focus back to the Gospel.
Arm yourself with patience (2 Timothy 2:23-26). Don’t play into the hands of the enemy by becoming needlessly angry. Comprehend that you can’t convince him of the Truth anymore than you could convince a dead man to awaken. The power rests in Christ, and in the Holy Spirit’s ability to open hearts and regenerate them. As our Lord did while on this earth, just present the truth to him; he doesn’t need an answer to every objection he has. Don’t spend much time trying to reason with him, either, as he will not likely be genuinely interested in hearing the truth. Simply tell him how to be saved, excuse yourself, and go somewhere else. There are plenty of other people that will more gladly receive the Gospel (Matthew 11:25; Mark 12:37).
Arm yourself with humility (1 Peter 3:15-16; 5:5-7). Remember that you yourself were once dead and blind like he is (Titus 3:3), and ask the Lord to give you compassion for the person. If he needs to be rebuked, rebuke him, but make sure that your harsh words come from love and a jealousy for Christ’s glory, and not from a fleshly anger.

So there are your directives for dealing with demonic leeches. May you be prepared the next time you come across one.

Jesus Thank You

2011-07-29T13:58:00.001-07:00

FREE WILL vs. ROBOT

2011-07-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

A good video that answers the question of whether we have a free will or not.

Gospel Assault- 7/21

2011-07-24T20:54:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday a group of us invaded one of the squares in Downtown Guadalajara for the Gospel. Brothers Artemio, Juan and I preach regularly in this particular square, but this day we were joined by Giancarlo and Joshua (a brother visiting from the States). We had a fireteam of armed-and-ready soldiers of Christ, and we took advantage of it.


Juan began by open air preaching in one side of the square.

Then, at the same time, Josh began to preach on the opposite side.

And as Josh and Juan were preaching, Giancarlo went to a busline nearby and began preaching to them.

After Juan, Artemio stepped up to the plate. Here he is just after the amp he was using ran out of juice. He kept on proclaiming the Gospel with that booming, thunderous voice of his. I don't know why he uses an amp, I don't really notice a difference when he preaches with one and when he doesn't.


He even got so bold as to get up right in front of the statue of Pope John Paul II and preach against idolatry! The Catholic temple was only a few yards in front of this statue, and had its doors open. As soon as the people in the temple heard him, they closed the doors!

We had several great conversations that day. As the three brothers mentioned above were preaching, a lady came up to me who had been having serious problems with her drug addict/acoholic husband who claims to be a Christian and saved despite his practicing sin. She was disgusted with his hypocrisy but really open and receptive to the Gospel.

Later, as I began to open air, Giancarlo sat down and spoke with Jose Angel, a man sitting on a bench who likewise saw his need to repent and trust in Christ. He had realized on his own that no money, material posessions or sins could ever satisfy this great emptiness and longing he had in his heart, and was looking something real and true that would. Giancarlo sat down with him and shared the Gospel. They talked for about two hours! When I finished preaching I went over to where they were and was also able to minister to him. As Giancarlo was reasoning with him, a Catholic man sitting next to them heard what they were talking about and jumped in on the conversation. He began trying to "help" Jose Angel find the truth by giving him unbiblical and contradictory advice. On the one hand, he argued that Mary was the "Mother of God" and humanity's mediatrix, and that the Catholic church is the only true church...but on the other, he encouraged Jose Angel to go with our "group" of "separated brethren" because we were okay, that he should follow what "feels" right and gives him peace, and that God is in all of us and we are all His children. I asked the Catholic if he knew where he was going when he died. After the Catholic replied that he didn't, Jose Angel retorted, "Then why should I even listen to you? You're trying to give me advice, but you're not even sure where you're going! On the other hand, these two guys right here know where they're going when they die!" By God's grace he got it! And he understood that we weren't preaching "religion" to him, we were preaching Christ!

Fortunately, the Catholic promptly left, but a little while later another man who claimed to want to hear the truth walked up to us and asked us for help. It turned out, however, that he was an addict who didn't want to let go of his sins; all he wanted was money. It seemed that the devil was throwing these people at us to distract us from talking to Jose Angel, and to confuse him. But God be thanked none of it worked. He left telling us that he was going to get right with God that very night.

Please keep him, the lady, and everyone else that heard the Gospel that day in your prayers.

Wierd Creatures at Home

2011-07-21T13:37:00.000-07:00

The following are only some of the many interesting and rare specimens of God's creation that live in and outside our home. In addition to this, bats seem to like to fly outside my room (I live on the roof), and there are other strange things I haven't been able to get a picture of. There's never a dull day here...

A wierd cocoon I found in the garage...

Which turned into a big moth like this one.

They tell me these secrete some kind of liquid that stings you.

A gecko right outside the doorway of my room.

A cocoon the kids found in the backyard one day. Nothing's come out of it yet, so we don't know what it is.

An ant-looking winged insect.

One day we found this huge moth in the garage. It's twice as big as the other one.

It camouflages quite nicely.

Freed from Pornography by Being Satisfied in Christ

2011-07-07T16:02:00.001-07:00

God's Wrath is Against the Sinner

2011-07-02T13:51:00.001-07:00

Today Could Be Your Last.

2011-06-24T15:34:00.000-07:00

It could. Today could be your last day on this earth. Today could be the last time you hear the Gospel. This moment could be the last opportunity you have to surrender before your Lord and King. This very second could be the last time the offer of mercy and eternal life is extended to you.

Today could be your last.

It was Miguel's. Not this very day, but "today" more than a month ago when the Gospel message was proclaimed to him for the last time in his life. I remember coming down from my room and seeing him sitting at the table in the dining room. I didn't know who he was. I simply greeted him and went about my business; I was too busy with my own affairs to be getting into the Urban's affairs. After all, he was there to see them, not me. I was in the house with him and his relatives but didn't witness to them.

But Lina did. Through a series of providential circumstances, he had met Josef and Lina once before, and they had preached the Gospel to him. He was really open. This day Lina sat down with them and again shared with him the hope of salvation in Christ. He received the Word and had an apparent desire to surrender his life to Christ...whatever the cost. And there would be a cost. He was a federal police officer, and like the majority of police in this country, he was crooked. And not only that--he was also buddy-buddy with the Mafia. But he seemed willing to pay the price, to repent and do what was right as a police officer, to glorify the infinitely worthy Christ with his life. He left the house hungry for the Lord and for His Word, assuring Lina that he would get right with God.

Facing death was nothing foreign to Miguel; he had already been shot at in the past--being severely wounded--due to his Mafia ties and dealings; he had already stared at death in the face, and by God's grace he had survived.

But, tragically, only a few weeks after seeing him the Lord would have him come near the door of death again...and this time he would not emerge victorious. It was a shock for me to hear it when Lina first told me. It was all over the news, she said...two gunmen murdered him in cold blood. Walking along the sidewalk, right outside a government building in the city where he lived, he was met by the hired killers. He tried to flee, but they managed to trap him, do him in, and get away. That it was a hit job was obvious; that he was the main target was undeniable.

Reading the online news reports was utterly sad. But alas! A glimmer of hope: some of the news reports stated that he had retired from his police job only some weeks earlier! Talking with Lina, she told me that the last time they spoke he mentioned that he was going to be transfered to another city soon. He was going to continue working. There was no reason whatsoever for him to quit the force.

UNLESS...well...here's hoping that he actually repented and trusted in the Savior, and had had enough of his life of corruption and crime. Here's hoping that he left behind what he knew didn't please the Lord. Here's hoping that he indeed did come to know the living God.

Will we see him in heaven? I truly hope we do. I may never know, this side of eternity. I may not know many things in this life, but there is one thing I'm certain of--

Today could be your last. Are you ready?

NEW BLOG LAUNCHED!

2011-06-20T14:37:00.000-07:00

I've just started a new blog in SPANISH, "No Me Avergüenzo" (I Am Not Ashamed). It's designed to encourage and equip believers to step out in faith and boldness and proclaim the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that it will be a helpful tool for my Spanish-speaking brethren, and as a result the Good News will be proclaimed far and wide across Spain and Latin America, especially in those areas that have never heard it before. Please pray with me that the Church would be equipped and edified by this new endeavor.

And if you speak Spanish, please SUBSCRIBE to the blog! Click on the link below to go to it.

NO ME AVERGÜENZO

Thanks and God bless,
Aaron

Saturday Night in the Summer Rain

2011-06-14T22:07:00.000-07:00

So the rain season has commenced. In Guadalajara, it starts to pour in summer...and boy does it really POUR. The showers here are similar to that of the jungle; the climate is hot and humid, and it can suddenly and unexpectedly start to rain at any time of the day...heavy rainstorms that tend to flood the city with water. But showers only typically last a few hours at the most. They are almost always accompanied by booming thunder and stark flashes of lighting in the distance. One doesn't have to live here very long to realize that there's a good reason why a world famous Mariachi song describing this city includes in its lyrics:

"Guadalajara, Guadalajara, hueles a pura tierra mojada" ("Guadalajara, Guadalajara, you smell like pure wet dirt").

Well, we kicked off the summer rain season with some evangelism on Saturday. Just as brother Alex picked up Giancarlo and I to go to Centro a thunderstrom began. It didn't last very long.

When we got there the rain had stopped, but many people had either gone home or were still hiding under a shelter somewhere. Still, there were a few people in the area where we normally preach that did stick around to listen to us.

No...I'm not singing here. I'm just very unphotogenic.

Alex preaching while Giancarlo (red shirt, center) talks to a street photographer (on his left with the light brown hat). He turned out to be a very stubborn, unreasonable Jehovah's Witness. Giancarlo promptly called me over to help him, and I brought along my JW tracts. I offered him a brand new one I had recently printed about the Watchtower's false prophecies. He refused to take it, giving the excuse, "I don't want it, I already have that one." I couldn't help but smile and insist, "Sir, what do you mean you already have that one? This is a brand new tract!" Even an unbeliever who was listening in on us recognized the man's phoniness during the entire conversation and called his bluff. As he was unwilling to listen I didn't try to stump him or anything, I just begged him in love to please turn to Christ and leave his false organization and religion. Our earnest pleas to him to find refuge solely in Jesus apparently only hardened him more in pride...so he left.

Alex passionately explaining the Gospel to this interested gentleman. He sat through Alex's entire open air message and then through mine, and afterwards just sat there reading a tract one of us had given him. Alex then approached him. He seemed very open to Christ and His Gospel, and quietly and intently listened as Alex expounded the way of salvation to him.

Please pray for both men. The Lord can just as easily save one as the other; nothing is impossible with Him (Luke 1:37).

Paul Washer Recommends New Ravenhill Book

2011-06-11T06:58:00.000-07:00

In Light of Eternity - The Life of Leonard Ravenhill book from HeartCry Missionary Society on Vimeo.

Trip to San Antonio, TX

2011-06-06T14:19:00.000-07:00

A little late posting it, but last month I visited Grace Community Church. Had a great time of fellowship with the brethren there; it was a blessing to see them again, and to be able to catch some of their zeal for the Lord and His Gospel.

With the bros at Fatty's.

I hadn't eaten these incredibly good burgers in almost a year.

The Lord is opening up many doors for this church to take the Gospel to the criminal infested, sin-ridden areas of San Antonio, to establish and strengthen several church plants in nearby cities, and to support missionaries from all over the world. Please pray that the Lord continues to use them, to bless them, and to give them the strength, direction and power to labor hard for the Gospel! (And that He raises up brethren from there to come here and help us, that would be awesome!)

DON'T LOOK TO YOUR FEELINGS--LOOK TO CHRIST!

2011-06-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

EVANGELISTIC ESCAPADES: The Watchtower Strikes Back

2011-05-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

I don’t mean to keep playing the same one-string fiddle…but I had yet another encounter with Jehovah’s Witnesses last week. The Lord just keeps bringing them to me.

It was Monday, one day before Joe would have to return to the States, and he wanted to go for one last open air excursion in Centro. So we took the subway and headed to our usual fishing spot in Plaza Tapatía. As I was ready to get up on my box—microphone and Bible in hand—two girls in their twenties, and a young man who wasn’t at all dressed like a Watchtowerite, approached us. One of the young ladies asked me if I knew any deaf and mute people around the area, because they were looking to give assistance to any they could find, and share with them about “Jehovah’s Kingdom”. “Even if I did know any,” I thought to myself, “you would just about be the last person I would refer one to for spiritual advice.” I told her that I could not help her, but offered both of them a Gospel tract. The girl who had asked me accepted it, but the other refused. I asked the other why she didn’t want the tract—after all it was based on the Word of God. She said she already knew the Word of God and the JWs believed and taught what the Bible teaches. I told them I disagreed with that assertion, and added that we could spend the whole afternoon debating the subjects on which we disagreed—but the most important one, which I would like to discuss with them, concerned salvation. How is one saved? So I let that be the topic of debate. Though my mouth got really dry again and I had to be sipping water during our conversation, the atmosphere was not one of contention at all; it was actually very calm, and the girls even ended up listening to what I had to say. The Lord poured out His grace, wisdom and compassion on me during the entire conversation.

They basically explained to me that we are saved by our works, pointing to Matthew 24:13 as proof positive that we must persevere in good works in order to eventually be saved in the end. I shared with them Ephesians 2:8-9 about salvation by grace through faith, and asked them to please explain the passage to me, in the light of Watchtower doctrine. They could not, and began to instead point me to other passages that seemed to them to imply salvation by works. Not wanting them to use that opportunity to change the subject, I stayed on point and began teaching them how one is saved according to the Bible (particularly, the book of Romans). They surprisingly listened to me; they didn’t seem to have much knowledge of the Word and I had to correct them several times when they misquoted passages and biblical references, and took verses out of context. I then asked them if they had ever read the whole book of Romans, and if so, would they kindly give me a summary of what it was about. One of them said she read the Bible once, but could not tell me the general theme behind the epistle. However, both of them quietly allowed me to explain it to them. I shared that there is a common thread in the entire Bible—namely, salvation by faith apart from any works…faith in Jesus’ sacrifice entirely and once and for all purchased for us on the cross. I explained that Paul’s epistle to the Romans could be summed up in one word: justification. I then went on to explain this glorious doctrine to them, and even shared my testimony of how the Lord had saved me. I told them that now I do good works not to be saved, but because I am already saved and want to follow Christ. While I was explaining the nature of salvation and the new birth to them and how we can come to really know Christ in a personal, saving relationship, one of the girls objected by telling me that “John 3:16 says that ‘This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God…’” I immediately corrected her, “I think you mean John 17:3,” and showed them the difference between this verse in my version of the Bible and in theirs. I read out loud that passage from my Bible: “this is eternal life, that they may know You the only true God…” I explained that there is a world of difference between “taking in knowledge” of someone and actually knowing them: “If I’m your doctor, I can know all about your body’s anatomy and how your ears, eyes, mouth, etc. work…but that doesn’t mean that I actually know you.” To know someone is to have a personal relationship with them, I argued, explaining that one can “take in knowledge” of God and His Word all they want, but that doesn’t mean they actually know Christ in a saving way. After all, reasoned I, the devil has vast knowledge of the Scriptures, and yet we know that he will never experience salvation. They actually agreed with me, and one of the girls, contemplating my words, commended me for giving them a very good illustration. The Lord gave me more Scriptures to quote to them about assurance of salvation and the guarantee of eternal life right now to those who trust in Christ. What I said seemed to make them both think.

I pleaded with them to read the Bible for themselves to see if what I was saying was true. They insisted that they had, and that the Watchtower organization encouraged them to do so. I disagreed, and pulling out my little tract, quoted to them from their own literature the warnings and admonishments to JWs not to read the Bible for themselves, and to avoid independent thinking. As I cited the exact sources of the quotes and their dates, one of the girls asked me to repeat them and hurriedly wrote them down on a piece of paper, saying she would look them up. I told them that if anything was wrong in the tract they could come back another day and let me know. They seemed genuinely interested in verifying if those quotes were true, so I offered the girl that had initially rejected the Gospel tract my JW tract, if she wanted it. I did so hesitantly, knowing that they are discouraged from taking “apostate literature” (reading any literature that critiques the Watchtower organization is equated to looking at pornography). But she actually took it! She said she would research the quotes, and the other girl said she would read the book of Romans by herself. I encouraged her to do so all by herself without the filters of the Watchtower explaining to her what the Bible is supposedly saying. They had to leave so we ended the conversation with a friendly farewell. The Lord gave me the grace not to be contentious that day, praise the Lord. Please keep the two young ladies and the young man in prayer.

Visitor from the States

2011-05-18T19:51:00.000-07:00

We were very blessed to have Joe, a brother from PA, visit us last Tuesday. He stayed for a week. He has a burden for Latin America and is considering serving the Lord somewhere in this part of the world in the near future. He is currently learning Spanish. We took him out for some evangelism, and also visited the Josiah and Bethany Children's Home.

Joe (center) with brother Artemio and I.

Brother Juan preached first...

And even Joe got up the courage to do so...in Spanish and without a translator.

These are some of the kids from the orphanage. They're a wild bunch.

Working with kids is a lot of work, and leaves you dead tired at the end of the day. But I love it.

Pretty soon we're going to have a children's home of our own. Lord willing, we will be taking some of those kids. You can read more about it HERE.

EVANGELISTIC ESCAPADES: Another J-Dub Encounter

2011-05-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

A few days ago there was a malfunction in Blogger, and unfortunately this post got deleted as a result. Here it is again. Enjoy.
_________________________________________________________

I was able to use my new Jehovah's Witnesses tract against some JWs on Easter Sunday, when a brother and I ran into a pack of them while preaching the Gospel. It was an interesting encounter, to say the least. I'll recount a little bit of what happened that day in order to demonstrate that the questions in the last Cult Chronicles post really do work.

It was Easter, and brother Giancarlo and I did our best not to squander the excellent opportunity to share the Good News with the masses of people who were going to crowd the squares in Downtown Guadalajara. We headed for Plaza Tapatía and started to open air preach. As I was standing on my stool and had just about finished preaching, I saw a group of well-dressed folk walk by me, and then approach Giancarlo, who was sitting on a bench just a couple yards in front of me, witnessing to a young man. As soon as I saw this group of people, I smelled trouble...so I got off the stool and walked up to all of them. A heavyset middle-aged man, who was the "spokesman" for the group, had interrupted Giancarlo as he was witnessing to this young Catholic man. When I found out that they were JWs I really did not desire to debate them--but for the sake of the young unbeliever who they were trying to confuse (it's just like Satan to interrupt the preaching of the Gospel), I jumped in on the fight. The old man was trying to convince us that Jesus did not die on a cross, but on a "torture stake". We didn't take the bait, however, trying to stick mainly to the topic of salvation by grace through faith. But as is standard procedure for JWs, he repeatedly kept trying to change the subject, jumping from topic to topic, so it was hard to corner him. He had a supremely arrogant air about him, and even disdainfully referred to Giancarlo and I as "little boy". The JWs surprisingly had no Bibles with them, and I had made the dumb mistake of forgetting mine, so we had to all pass around Giancarlo's Bible from person to person the whole time we were there. The old man even went as far as to angrily snatch the Bible from our hands and would refuse to give it back (!!!). Apalled at his shocking and immature behavior, we demanded Giancarlo's Bible from him and eventually gave it back. This occurred repeatedly. On one ocassion he even asked us for the Bible to allow his little son to read a verse...so we gave it to him--but he kept it and read out of it himself! The man was a malicious, conniving liar. And not only that, but he would frequently taunt us, and even call Giancarlo "stupid"! (And mind you, as far as JW doctrine goes, he was the most knowledgeable of the whole bunch, their leader). I've come across many mean-spirited Jehovah's Witnesses throughout my life...but none who even comes close to this guy.

But anyway, I pulled out my new little JW tract and started to read aloud some quotes from Watchtower literature; namely the ones about utilizing "Theocratic War Strategy" on your opponents, about avoiding independent thinking, and about not studying the Bible for yourself. I told the young Catholic that Satan is the father of lies; only children of the devil will try to justify lying. He seemed a bit shocked to hear that the Watchtower actually taught that. I didn't look at the old man's face, but Giancarlo later told me that as I read from my tract his eyes just about bulged out in anger. He of course denied those quotes and accused me of lying, so I immediately cited my sources and told him that he himself could look them up and verify that what I was saying was true. Having been discovered, he then accused me of taking those quotes out of context and not understanding what they really mean...though he didn't even attempt to explain what they "really" meant. I said that they were in their proper context, and asked him to show me from the Bible where it condones lying and hiding the truth from someone. He couldn't, of course, and as I pressed him hard for an answer, he even admitted so, but immediately tried to change the subject.

A young JW lady then started talking to me, so now the group split into two. Giancarlo kept debating with the man and trying to help the young Catholic, while I took on this girl and some of her pals. She was also beaming with arrogance, and had a prideful, demonic smile on her face that made me uneasy. We debated different subjects. She claimed to have read the Bible 12 times, but when asked to explain to me what the book of Romans was about she angrily and dismissingly told me that she knew very well what it was about and changed the subject. Like the older man she was a liar, "bending" the truth several times during our conversation. But one of the old man's sons was quietly listening in on our discussion, as was a newly indoctrinated Jehovah's Witness, so it was worth it to keep debating. Near the end of our conversation I told her that I am righteous because Christ had justified me. Upon hearing this she went into a fit and accused me of being prideful for daring to claim that I was righteous (they have a works-righteousness mentality so they don't understand grace). I tried to explain the doctrine of justification to her to no avail, she would even dismiss the Bible verses from the book of Romans that I read to her. She told me that not even Jesus claimed this about Himself when He was here--when the rich young ruler ran up to Him and asked Him, "Good Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus told him that none is good but God. Of course, she was completely twisting Scripture, and besides, Christ claimed to be the "good Shepherd", and even said worse things like, "I and the Father are One"...but instead of pointing this out I cornered her with the question:

"So then, was Jesus good?"

No answer, she just kept telling me how disgusted she was at my lack of humilty for claiming to be righteous.

"Answer the question. Was Jesus good?"

She continued to ignore my question and kept on rambling.

"Was Jesus good?" I asked this question many times, and she refused to give me a straight answer.

I turned to the rookie JW next to her and asked him the same question, but he had a confused look on his face and did not want to answer, either.

I said, "If Jesus wasn't good, then we're all lost, because He wasn't the perfect sacrifice for our sins. But if He IS good, then He's GOD--because only God is good."

I didn't really receive a reply...she didn't know how to respond, other than continue to accuse me of being prideful.

Suddenly, a professing Christian who I had met earlier called me over to where he was to introduce me to a friend of his. So I parted from the group and the debate ended there. The JW wolves promptly left and the young Catholic man told Giancarlo that he would read the Bible for himself, and the tracts we gave him, and contact us. It was a great spiritual battle—in the beggining of the ordeal my mouth became so dry that I could not even talk; I had to be sipping my water bottle the whole time of the debate, something that has never happened to me before. Satan must have really wanted the soul of that young man.

Well, not everything turned out the best, but at the very least we were able to scare off the Watchtowerites and prevent the young man from being deceived. Hopefully the questions in the last Cult Chronicles will prove to be useful tools for engaging Jehovah's Witnesses in meaningful debate, and getting them to actually consider the error of their false doctrine...and the claims of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.

THE CULT CHRONICLES: HOW TO STUMP A JEHOVAH'S WITNESS

2011-05-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

That's right...if you ever come across Jehovah's Witnesses, there are certain questions you can give them that they will ABSOLUTELY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER.

BUT--please keep in mind that the purpose behind these questions is not to "stump them" for the sake of winning an argument. The purpose of these questions is to get Jehovah's Witnesses to question their own beliefs, to doubt the validity, veracity, and credibility of their own organization and its claims, and--more importantly--to open up a door for the Gospel to be proclaimed to them. Jehovah's Witnesses know nothing about the grace and mercy of God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

If the people your are speaking to have an iota of honesty, they will admit that they don't have an answer to the following arguments and will tell you that they will research the matter (ask their JW elders and/or consult Watchtower publications on the topic) and get back with you (they likely will not come back). When asked these questions they may also try to quickly change the subject, and even present ad hominem attacks against you and your "religion"--but stick to your guns and demand and answer from them. Don't allow for sneakiness, it's one of their prime tactics.

1) LYING AND AVOIDING INDEPENDENT THINKING

I have recently written a short tract exposing the fact that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society encourages their members to lie to those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses, especially those who oppose them. They call it "Theocratic War Strategy". Of course, they don't call it "lying", they simply refer to it as "withholding truth" from those who are not "entitled" to know it. Worse, the Watchtower uses the Bible to try to justify deceit. They give examples like Abraham, Rahab, and even Jesus, in support of this perversion.

My tract doesn't get into the topic at great depth, but it does cite clear, shocking quotes from Watchtower literature on the subject. (Fore more info on the topic google "Theocratic War Strategy" and many pages will come up exposing this false teaching). The tract also gives Watchtower quotes in which they admonish their members not to think independently, and warn them not to read the Bible by itself, without the assistance and aid of their literature.

CLICK HERE to read the tract in English.
CLICK HERE to read the tract in Spanish.

While conversing with Jehovah's Witnesses, you can read verbatim those quotes from their own literature, and ask them to explain them to you. If they try to justify lying with Scripture, show them the verses (found in the tract) that show that the apostle Paul clearly did not endorse lying, not even "hiding the truth". You can then tell them that no liar will inherit God's kingdom, and from there go directly to their conscience, asking them if they've commited any other specific sins ("good person test")...and then explain the Cross and the way of salvation.

The same thing can be done with the quotes about not thinking independently and not reading the Bible by itself. Ask them if their organization recommends that one think independently and read the Bible. Their claim is usually that they want you to think for yourself and study the Bible (by this they mean the Bible plus their literature)...so when you read those WT quotes to them and they see an obvious contradiction between their own words and the words of the WT organization, their mouths will be stopped. Once again, just compare those quotes with what the Scripture says, then go for their conscience, and finally, present the Gospel.

The same pattern is also to be followed with the below arguments--get them to see that the teachings they've learned are contrary to the Bible, and therefore their organization cannot be trusted, and then present the Law and the Gospel to them.

2) IS JESUS THE CREATOR OR JEHOVAH?

You can show them verses like John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16-17, which clearly state that Jesus Christ is the creator of everything. They will agree with you; the Watchtower teaches that Jesus was the first created being of Jehovah, and Jehovah used him to create everything else. Then take them to Isaiah 44:24, which says:

"Thus says the LORD [Jehovah], your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself..."

And Isaiah 45:11-12:

"Thus says the LORD [Jehovah], the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: 'Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands? I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.'"

In the JW [per]version of the Bible, the New World Translation, these pasages are not very different. Clearly, Jehovah is said to have created the universe by Himself, with His own hands. Ask the JW how Jehovah can say He created everything all by Himself--without any help--if, according to JW doctrine, God first created Jesus, and then used Jesus to create the everything else. If Jesus is not Jehovah, then there is a glaring contradiction in Scripture. To this day I have not received an adequate response from any Jehovah's Witness for this argument.

3) IS JESUS MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL?

The Watchtower teaches that before coming to earth, Jesus existed as Michael the Archangel in heaven. Ask them to show you where this is found in Scripture. They will likely point you to 1 Thes. 4:16, which says that Jesus will descend from heaven with a shout, with "the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God." This prooftext doesn't really help make their case. Ask them to show you where it clearly says that Jesus is Michael the Archangel. They will not be able to, because there is not a single verse in the entire Bible that says so. Show them how Michael, when disputing with the devil, "did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, 'The Lord rebuke you.' (Jude 9). He did not dare to condemn the devil directly. And yet we see that Jesus did directly reubke Satan (Mat. 4:10; 16:23).

4) ONLY GOD IS GOOD

One of the Bible passages that Jehovah's Witnesses use to show that Jesus is not God is Mark 10:17-22, the account of the rich young ruler who runs up to Jesus and asks Him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus responds by saying, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone." The Jehovah's Witness commentary to this passage is something to the effect of, "See, Jesus himself claimed to NOT be God! He didn't even claim personal goodness, he said that only GOD is good." My response to such an answer is, "Was Jesus good? He undoubtedly had to be good to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. And yet Jesus Himself said that only God is good...so if Jesus was good, then He's God." The very passage they try to use against the deity of Christ works against them. This is a good stumper to use on them, since it's not likely that they ever logically thought this through. The reality is that in the passage Jesus was not discouraging the rich young ruler from calling Him "good"--He didn't say, "Don't call me good! Only God is good!" He simply asked him a question, "Why do you call me good?" He asked this in the same manner that God asked Adam in the Garden, "Where are you?" and Saul of Tarsus, "Why are you persecuting Me?" Obviously, He already knew the answer to these questions; the purpose behind them was to get those He was questioning to realize something important. And Jesus in the passage wanted the young man to realize that he did not at all understand what "good" meant. He wanted him to realize the implications of what he was saying--namely, that this "good teacher" was God, standing right in front of him. Far from being a denial of His deity, Jesus' statement in this passage was in reality an affirmation of it.

5) WHO HAS GREATER LOVE--JESUS OR JEHOVAH?

Take them to John 15:13: "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." Clearly, the greatest act of love a person can perform is to sacrifice his life for his friends. So, then, this begs the question-- If Jehovah never gave His life for us but Jesus did, does that mean that Jesus' love for us is greater than Jehovah's? Ask them if the god of the Jehovah's Witnesses has performed the greatest act of love. The obvious reality is that he hasn't; rather than sacrifice himself, he sent someone else to die in our place (not very loving, if you ask me...). In the light of this verse of Scripture, the Watchtower seems to be teaching that Jehovah didn't love us as much as one of his creatures. Ask them how it's possible that the love of a created being can be greater than God's love. This will probably leave them baffled and hard-pressed for an answer. Explain to them that if Jesus is God, this verse makes perfect sense. God the Son came to earth, took on a human nature, and laid down His life for us, thus performing the greatest act of love on our behalf.

There are other good arguments you could use; Lord willing I will post them at a later time. But for now, using one, some, or all five of these can really help you the next time you encounter a Watchtowerite. It's good to also keep in mind that while the above are excellent objections to give them, ultimately the power and ability to convince and save rests on the Holy Spirit. May you trust in the Lord alone, and may He give you grace, patience and humility in dealing with these poor, blinded souls.

WRESTLE IN PRAYER!

2011-05-07T21:21:00.001-07:00

Answering the Critics: Oneness Pentecostals

2011-05-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

A while ago I recieved a comment by a disgruntled Oneness Pentecostal because of my earlier post about this cult and their denial of the Trinity. I thought it profitable to openly respond, because it's representative of the faulty and illogical reasoning behind those who defend this false doctrine. I will reply to each individual assertion of the person who posted (who will remain anonymous). The person's comments are in red.

He begins by saying:

The scriptures you used when looked at from a monotheistic view seems to establist Oneness. Gods people "The Jews" believed in One God. Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

[Before anything, notice that the person does not give a response to the arguments I presented in my blog post refuting the heresy of Modalism. At best, the person will take some of the verses that I used, give his own explanation of them, and challenge me with those explanations. Whenever you refute a cult member's assertions with a solid biblical response, normally what the person will do is completely ignore your arguments and either change the subject, or present to you a preprogrammed reply that doesn't at all deal with what you have just said. It can be really frustrating at times, as it may feel that you are talking to a wall. Cult members are usually taught not to think through important issues, only to repeat what they've been taught.]

Ok, so first of all, Deuteronomy 6:4 is used to somehow prove that God is only one person. Yet this verse does not at all contradict the argument for the Trinity, but actually supports it. The doctrine of the Trinity is that there is ONE God who exists in three Persons, and each Person is fully God. Deuteronomy 6:4 states that there is ONE God. No contradiction there--this passage just doesn't go on to explain further the nature of God with respect to His personhood. It can be argued that the word for "one" in Hebrew is echad, which denotes a composite unity (e.g.: Gen.2:24, a man and his wife will become one [echad] flesh), but even if we discount that argument, many other passages in the Old Testament do give us a glimpse into the plurality of Persons in the Godhead, such as:

-Genesis 1:26, where God says, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." This is a verse that has puzzled Jewish scholars for centuries. Some have suggested that God was using a form of "majestic" speech, using the third person to adress Himself, the way some ancient kings have done in history (e.g., "We have decided to grant your petition"). However, there is no precedent for this, either in Israel's history, or in the Bible. Others have suggested that God was speaking to angels. However, this argument is quickly ruled out when one realizes that man was not created in the image of angels, and that angels had no part in the creation of the world, or in the creation of man (Isaiah 44:24).

-Genesis 3:22: "Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil."

-Genesis 11:7: "Come, let us go down and there confuse their language..."

-Isaiah 6:8: "...Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" (Notice that in this passage the plural, "us", and the singular, "I", are combined).

-Psalm 45:6-7: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions..." This is clearly speaking of God, and yet two seperate Persons are referred to as God. This passage is quoted in Hebrews 1:8, and applied to Christ.

-Psalm 110:1: "A Psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.'" Again, this passage is also quoted in the New Testament (Mat. 22:24-26) and refers to Jesus. David is calling two different Persons "Lord".

John 1:1 the word ("logos")
does not mean Jesus, it does mean reason, idea or words that became Jesus.

Quoting the explanation of this verse from my previous blog post on Modalism, which the person did not even address:
"Some Oneness Pentecostals maintain that this Word was a mere idea or thought that existed in the Father’s mind. However, the Word was with God from the beginning (Jn.1:2), created everything (Jn.1:3), was life and light itself (Jn.1:4-5, 9), and was made flesh and came to its own creation (Jn.1:10-14). Far from being only an “idea”, this passage clearly describes Jesus Christ as a person, existing for all eternity with the Father. Moreover, you cannot be with another person and be that person at the same time. The clear and logical explanation is that Jesus was with God and was God simultaneously because there are three Persons that make up the Godhead."

Collossians 1:16-17 only makes sense if God and Jesus are one because in Genesis the bible says in the beginning "GOD" created the heavens and the earth, but in Colossians 1:16-17, Corinthians 8:6 and Hebrews 1:2-10 says "JESUS" was the creator, so they are one in the same or are you saying the bible is in error.

Again, this Oneness Pentecostal throws out an argument for monotheism to somehow prove that there are not three distinct Persons in the Godhead. It appears to me that this person does not even know what the doctrine of the Trinity is. No one ever said that Jesus is not God; the Trinitarian argument is that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, while being ONE God, are THREE distinct Persons. Furthermore, the verses quoted above completely refute the heresy of Modalism, as Modalism teaches that Jesus was a mere idea in the Father's mind before the foundations of the earth. How can a mere idea create the universe? If the Son is the creator of everything, then He has to be more than a concept, He has to be a Person...a Person who existed alongside the Father in eternity past. And if the Son and Father existed at the same time, this flagrantly contradicts Oneness Pentecostal doctrine, which states that two "modes" of God cannot coexist simultaneously.

John 17, Matthew 11:25, Luke 5:16Jesus was God and a man, as a man He was tempted grew in wisdom, aged and had a different will than God. In the garden He said Gods will not my will even though the bible says He had all power (a kingdom divided will fall, Gods words not mine) but yet of the increase of His kingdon there will be no end.

This, of course, refers to the Oneness Pentecostal argument that God had two different wills, not because the Son is a different Person than the Father, but because God, one Person, became flesh--and the will of His flesh was different than the will of His spirit. In other words, the physical nature of God spoke to His spiritual nature. So in passages like Matthew 26:39, when Jesus said "not as I will, but as You will", it was merely the body of Jesus speaking to God. God's body spoke to Himself. I fail to see how this is not blasphemously making out God to be a schizophrenic.

For further info on the nonsensical nature of this whacky doctrine, click HERE to read a conversation between Matt Slick from Carm.org and a Oneness Pentecostal.

As God He healed, forgave sin, raised folks from the dead etc. Just one question did GOD die on the cross) or a sinless man that was the tabernacle of GOD.

Finally, the last argument that this Oneness Pentecostal puts forth...and, really, the cherry on top of the deadly, heretical sundae. I am bewildered and schocked by the insinuation behind the question in the latter sentence. Is this person implying that Christ was merely a "sinless man"? Is he denying the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ? Is he saying that God did not really become a man and dwell among us, and we did not behold His glory (John 1:14)? Whether he meant this or not, this is the logical conclusion of Modalism, which teaches that Jesus was just God's flesh that spoke to His spirit that was in a different location. To say that Christ was and is not 100% man and 100% God at the same time is unbiblical and outright heresy.

But to respond to this question, it's an "either/or" logical fallacy. The answer is neither. God the Son became a man so He could "taste death for everyone" (Heb.2:9). God the Son died on the cross. The Father did not become a man and die on the cross, and neither did the Holy Spirit. It was only the Son...and He died physically. And while it’s true that He “tasted” spiritual death for us also, in the sense of Him dying under the wrath and abandonment of God (Mat.27:46), it is clear that His “spirit” could NOT have died in the sense of ceasing to exist, since God is eternal, immortal and infinite and thus cannot die.

Well, I hope that was of blessing and edification for all those reading. May we always earnestly "contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3).

In Honor of David Wilkerson

2011-05-01T21:05:00.000-07:00

I pray the Lord raises up more men like him. He will definately be missed.

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ (According to Eusebius)

2011-04-20T12:38:00.000-07:00

Rob Bell’s Bad News for Jews by Ray Comfort

2011-04-11T13:43:00.000-07:00

From: Living Waters.com

I watched a lot of holocaust footage while researching for, Hitler, God, and the Bible and its accompanying “Hitler’s Religion” DVD. I read eye-witness accounts of families of Jews being shot, and some of them buried while still alive. I stared through tear-filled eyes at photos of innocent Jewish women (some in their teens) being paraded through the streets, and then hung publically. They weren’t given the mercy of a quick drop to break the neck. Instead, thin rope was deliberately used to make the hanging last longer. The photos show other Jews being made to watch, and German soldiers smiling as they dangled by the rope.

Jews were made to pull teeth from the dead bodies of their fellow countrymen that had been gassed, and extract gold. The corpses were then thrown into ovens for cremation. If gold was missed, those doing the extracting were thrown alive into the ovens.

Adolf Hitler systematically and cruelty slaughtered six million men, women, and children in the horror we call the “holocaust.” After the war, Hitler shot himself, and many Nazis fled to the haven of Argentina to happily live out the rest of their days without being brought to justice.

In Love Wins, Rob Bell informs us that the Bible’s references to a place called "Hell"--are speaking of nothing more than Gehenna, the burning trash heap outside Jerusalem, during the time of Christ. Instead of justice, loves wins, and Hitler will be in Heaven along with every evil unrepentant Nazi who threw Jews alive into ovens, buried them while still alive in mass graves, tortured, raped, and murdered so many. Enjoying the pleasures of Heaven with the Nazis we will find every throat-cutting rapist, Joseph Stalin, Idi Amin, Mao Tse-tung, Uganda’s machete-wielding murderers, the man who cut the head off Michael Pearl, Osama Bin Laden, Pol Pot, Charles Manson, all 19 of the al-Qaeda 911 terrorists, and every child-molester that ever lived. They may all make it to Heaven.

Rob Bell goes as far as to suggest that people will have an opportunity to change their mind about God and make their way into Heaven, after they die. What's clear in his book is that the god in whom Bell believes will not exercise a just and holy wrath against anyone. He says that no one will be eternally punished.

I didn’t write, The Defender’s Guide for Life’s Tough Questions—to counter Bell’s twisted theology—but it thankfully does. It lists all the references to Hell in the Old Testament. It addresses the “Hitler is in Heaven” issue, and it deals with why God allows suffering, why He allows evil, His ‘sanctioning’ of slavery, why He lets children get cancer, and His merciless judgments.

This is one good thing that is coming from Love Wins. It’s making people think about this issue, question men like Bell, and ask how he managed to make it into a pulpit. They are rethinking the Bible’s warning about ear-tickling preachers and how Jesus warned “Woe to you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” God is love, but He is also just and holy. Hitler will get his dues, and that is good news for those who lost loved ones in the holocaust and want desperately to see that justice is done.

God showed both His great love and His perfect righteousness, through the cross. He provided a Savior to save us from His just wrath and, in His great mercy, give us everlasting life. Those who refuse to repent and trust in Him will find that God keeps His Word. There is good news for Jews. There is a Hell. Justice wins.

John Newton on Dealing with Opposers of Calvinism

2011-04-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

The18th Century preacher John Newton--most famous for writing the hymn Amazing Grace--held to the Reformed faith by strong conviction. His attitude toward those of the Arminian persuasion, however, was very different than that of some of the Reformed brethren in his day...and especially different than that of many of the purported Calvinists of our day. The following is an excerpt from the sermon, John Newton: The Tough Roots of His Habitual Tenderness by John Piper:

Newton had a strong, clear Calvinistic theology. He loved the vision of God in true Biblical Calvinism: In the preface to the Olney hymns, he wrote, "The views I have received of the doctrines of grace are essential to my peace; I could not live comfortably a day, or an hour, without them. I likewise believe . . . them to be friendly to holiness, and to have a direct influence in producing and maintaining a gospel conversation; and therefore I must not be ashamed of them."[49] But he believed "that the cause of truth itself may be discredited by an improper management." Therefore, he says, "The Scripture, which . . . teaches us what we are to say, is equally explicit as to the temper and Spirit in which we are to speak. Though I had knowledge of all mysteries, and the tongue of an angel to declare them, I could hope for little acceptance or usefulness, unless I was to speak 'in love.'"[50]

Of all people who engage in controversy, we, who are called Calvinists, are most expressly bound by our own principles to the exercise of gentleness and moderation. . . . The Scriptural maximum, that "The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God," is verified by daily observation. If our zeal is embittered by expressions of anger, invective, or scorn, we may think we are doing service to the cause of truth, when in reality we shall only bring it into discredit.[51]

He had noticed that one of the most "Calvinistic" texts in the New Testament called for tenderness and patience with opponents, because the decisive work was God's:

And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to every one, an apt teacher, forbearing, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will." (2 Timothy 2:24, rsv)

So, for the sake of repentance and knowledge of truth, Newton's pattern of tenderness in doctrinal matters was to shun controversy.

Why does the Bible Mention Unicorns?

2011-04-07T13:49:00.000-07:00

Santa Maria del Oro

2011-04-03T19:36:00.000-07:00

Last month a couple brothers and I visited the volcanic crater lake of Santa Maria del Oro, in the state of Nayarit. The serene, tranquil location provided an ideal escape from the clatter and busyness of life in the big city.

I would love to live in a place like this.

Papaya tree

The lake changes colors every so often due to volcanic gases. It was a reddish shade when we went.

A friendly neighborhood cat.

Nice doggy...

View from above the lake.

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR YOUNG CHRISTIANS--PLEASE WATCH!!!

2011-04-01T19:10:00.000-07:00

O the Deep, Deep Love

2011-03-27T20:28:00.000-07:00

The phone lines have been out at home for more than 3 weeks, so there's been no internet since then (hence the lack of blog posts). I can honestly say that it's been a tremendous blessing to go offline for a while. No hassle of having to constantly check emails and update blogs; no time wasted on Facebook reading people's endless updates and watching the videos they post; no instantaneous access to world news and other facts and information you would not otherwise need to know about. But only gaining the incredible privilege and blessing of more time spent at the throne of Grace, learning the Word at the Savior's feet, and contemplating His glory and majesty in worship and adoration. Whoever's reading this should try it sometime. You just might get closer to God.

Completely changing the subject, here's a hymn that I absolutely love:

Tehuchitlan

2011-03-01T09:51:00.000-08:00

I traveled with Juan again yesterday, this time to the town of Tehuchitlan (the name's a tongue-twister), which is about a 2 hour bus-ride away. It is known for its pre-hispanic pyramid ruins located somewhere in the town. We didn't visit them, however; maybe next time. Tehuchitlan is also next to a lake and known for its seafood.

Upon arriving, we headed to the town's main square and started preaching.

Many people heard the Gospel, and we distributed tracts to nearly everyone there. While preaching, brother Juan got chased around by a young heckler who was listening to music on his cell phone, and wanted to put it on the mouth of Juan's bull horn so that everyone could hear. But other than that, our time of preaching was uneventful, with apathy being the predominant sentiment among the people who listened.

Jesus Died for Me

2011-02-26T11:31:00.000-08:00

Speaking about brother Juan...

2011-02-24T17:42:00.000-08:00

Josef wrote a very touching and encouraging post about him on his blog: Missions, Evangelism and Theology. I recommend you read it. Click on the link to go to it.

Cocula with Juan

2011-02-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

Brother Juan is a faithful evangelist who preaches in Centro. In spite of being elderly and frail (he's well into his 70's), and suffering from vision and hearing problems, he travels to different pueblos outside the city to preach the Gospel. Last Monday Josef and I accompanied him to the small town of Cocula, which is about 2 hours away from Guadalajara. It was a tremendous privilege and blessing to join this dear brother. His zeal for the Lord and the Gospel should put many of us to shame.

Just about every town in Latin America is built according to the same pattern. Each one has a main plaza (town square) in its center, next to the town's main Catholic cathedral and government building. People usually go there just to sit and hang out. It's the perfect place to preach.

Brother Juan having finished preaching with his little megaphone.

Josef open-airing.

Look Who Stopped By!

2011-02-17T15:00:00.000-08:00

Brother Jorge from Calvary Bible Church went to a nearby city in Mexico to visit relatives, and hopped on over to Guadalajara for a visit. He stayed with us all day yesterday. Had a good time of fellowship and evangelism with him. It was a real blessing having him here.

Evangelism Escapades: Downtown Craziness Part 2

2011-02-15T10:01:00.000-08:00

Guadalajara is celebrating its 467th anniversary this month, and as a result the city is holding many recreational activities in the Historic Downtown district, such as:

Free live concerts with well-known musical groups every night in one of the plazas.

A free ice-skating rink in another plaza...

Reactivated water fountains that had long been off, a live orchestra show in another square, and many other things. Small fast food booths have been set up in Plaza Tapatía where we normally preach; apart from that there are innumerable food vendors all over the place.

The number of street performers has doubled as a result of all this activity. The Downtown district has been filled up with huge-crowd-drawing clowns, statue men, breakdancers, Native American musicians, lasso-twirling cowgirls, mariachis, an Edward Scissorhands impersonator, and a whole lot of other unashamed whackos. I got a picture of a few statue people; the green guy below is on a toilet! His outrageous antics gained him a big crowd of people.

Sunday after the church meeting we went out to preach. Just look at how crowded it was that day!

It was an open air preacher's dream.

Only a few minutes after Giancarlo began preaching...

...a fight broke out! Notice the people suddenly looking to their left. Several yards in front of Giancarlo, two men began to beat each other to a bloody pulp, and what appeared to be their girlfriends later joined in to help, pulling on and wrestling each other to the ground. As soon as this happened, the crowd of people walking by began to hurredly walk toward the fight so as not to miss it. It was sheer chaos for a couple minutes. Below are at least a hundred people gathered around the live crime scene as the men continue to duel it out.

I don't know how it ended; I didn't get close enough to the altercation to see the outcome, and neither did I want to. It's sad and shameful that people would rather watch a fight than listen to the Word of God. Giancarlo just kept on preaching through all of it, and while it was ocurring he even denounced the anger and hatred of these men as serious sins before a holy God.

A good-sized crowd of people stopped to intently listen when I preached later.

We stayed in Centro until night.

As Giancarlo proclaimed the Gospel in another plaza, a lady listened to him for a while and then came up to me to ask me where we congregate. As we conversed she told me she wanted to leave the Catholic church because she was dissapointed with their hipocrisy and corruption. She seemed like a kind, sincere lady...up until she began to tell me about her "experiences". She was into praying Catholic prayers and praying to the dead, and other occultic practices. She said she had taken many trips into the spirit world via astral projection, and had had many visions while praying. In one of these visions, she had seen souls suffering in "purgatory". She had seen many angels, the spirits of indigenous people walking around, and even the "virgin Mary." When I warned her about Satan masquerading as an angel of light, she responded that she was well aware of this fact, for she had seen an "angel of light" herself one day in a park--a being full of light similar to an angel, but when she drew closer to it she realized that it was a demonic spirit. The lady hardly let me get a word in, instead she just continued to describe her bizarre experiences that supposedly confirmed the validity of her Catholic beliefs. With her were her daughters and an intoxicated man who knew a lot of Scripture. She apparently had helped get him get off the street. But he was a devil, quoting the Bible left and right, all while drunk. He spoke nothing but utter foolishness, and became angry at us for refusing to acknowledge him as a brother in the Lord and pointing out his obvious sin. He eventually stormed off steaming mad, the lady and her daughters following him. She and this man were full of demons.

Well, we've had an interesting time in Centro this week, to say the least. Please pray that the many people we witnessed to in these past few days might be saved.

Evangelism Escapades: Downtown Craziness Part 1

2011-02-14T00:11:00.000-08:00

By the grace of God I was able to go out preaching to el Centro 4 times last week, and also today, Sunday.

Tuesday secret black ops mission with Giancarlo. Juan Manuel joined us as well (second picture below, on the right). He's been recently coming to our Sunday meetings and Bible studies. In the photo directly below, you can also see Adrian (center) approaching me. He has also been coming to our meetings.

Before open air preaching the above drunk man came up to me. We had talked with him before, several times. He came in the exact same manner that he comes to us everytime we see him: intoxicated, not remembering us in the least bit, babbling incoherencies, and asking for prayer. Voy a morir, he told me once again. And once again, I answered that what he said was very true, he surely would die...one day. I tried to share the Gospel with him but he looked at me with a blank stare and seemed not to register anything I was saying. When I offered to give him a free Gospel of John, holding it out in front of him, he reacted the way a vampire would upon seeing a cross. Very frightened, he dropped his backpack and started to cautiously walk backwards, away from us. I told him to come back, and he eventually did. Upon his request, we prayed for him, but he would not let us lay hands on him. He took out a 50 Peso bill and tried to give it to me several times, for no reason whatsoever, but I refused to accept it. He left a little while later, but when I started to open-air preach he came back and stood right in front of me. By all outward appearances, he still seemed to not understand anything that was being said. He would repeatedly stand in front of me, then walk away, and then come back again to listen. After I finished preaching he approached me again, and I pleaded with him to get right with the Lord and for the second time offered to give him the Gospel of John. This time he reacted in a more horrified manner--he started to cry, begging me not to "kill" him. He even raised his fists in the air and came towards me, trying to beat me up! I gave up trying to reason with this demonized man. Shortly after that he left.

The above is a picture from Saturday. From left, an unconverted man who often listens to us preach, and brothers Artemio, Juan, Josef, Giancarlo and Maurilio. Artemio, Juan and Maurilio are regular evangelists in Centro.

It was a usual night for us, with many people stopping to hear the Gospel as it was being preached. Before we left an inebriated man approached Josef, and like the drunkard from the Tuesday he began to speak incoherent babble. He was unreasonable and refused to leave. In the end we left him and went home.

CNN: 6 Killed in Guadalajara Shooting

2011-02-12T15:16:00.000-08:00

Brethren, please pray that the people of this city might be saved, and that the Church may be strong and a bold witness for Christ amidst the great darkness here.

_______________________________________________________________________

(CNN) -- Gunmen opened fire Saturday in a downtown bar in the tourist district of Guadalajara, Mexico, killing six people and wounding another 37, the Jalisco state prosecutor said.

The suspects also threw a grenade into the bar after the shooting, state news agency Notimex reported. A Colombian and a Venezuelan are among the possible victims of the attack. Their nationalities were under investigation Saturday, Notimex reported.

Violence has escalated in Guadalajara, an economic and tourist hub in Mexico, which in recent weeks has seen a spate of killings and road blockades by organized criminals.

The wave of violence may be related to the dispute between drug cartels after the death of alleged cartel member Ignacio Nacho Coronel, who was killed last July in military operation. It has cast a pall on Guadalajara, picked to host the Pan American Games in October.

http://us.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/americas/02/12/mexico.bar.shooting/index.html?hpt=T2

To Die in Christ is Gain

2011-02-10T23:26:00.000-08:00

Brother Bob Jennings is an elder at Highway M Chapel in Sedalia, MO (http://hwymchapel.org/). He is fighting pancreatic cancer. Please pray for him.

IDOL WORSHIP

2011-02-06T17:50:00.000-08:00

A sobering look at the mindless fanaticism of pagan, heathen cultures. Idolatry is ridiculous, isn't it?

THE CULT CHRONICLES: ANNIHILATIONISM

2011-01-30T12:07:00.000-08:00

There are many cults today that deny the doctrine of the eternality of hell. Some of these groups (such as Jehovah’s Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventists) instead claim that God will merely annihilate those have not turned from their sins.

However, the Scriptures describe hell as a place of conscious torment, where sinners will undergo “eternal punishment” (Mat.25:46), being “tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev.20:10). Hell is a place of “eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thes.1:9), “unquenchable fire” (Mat.3:12; Mark 9:43), a place of “utter darkness” (Jude 13) where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth (Luke 13:28).

For more information on the biblical evidence of an eternal hell, please see:

Christian Apologetics Research Ministry: Is Hell Eternal?

http://carm.org/hell-eternal

A common objection by those who deny the eternality of hell—or the existence of a place called hell altogether—is that it doesn’t seem logical or fair that God would punish sinners for all eternity for having sinned against Him in time. If we have committed a finite number of sins, they ask, how can we deserve an infinite punishment?

The answer, once again, can be found in the Scriptures. God is holy (Isa.6:3), perfectly righteous and just (Psa.7:11) and therefore cannot look upon sin (Hab.1:13). In fact, the Bible says he abhors those who practice evil (Psa.5:5). He is eternal and everlasting (Isa.40:28) and infinite in power and might (Job 37:23; 1 Tim.6:15-16). We have sinned against this infinite, eternal, omnipotent God, and therefore we deserve eternal punishment for our crimes.

See, it’s not the quantity, but the quality of the crime that determines the extent of the punishment of a criminal. And the quality of the crime is determined by the quality of whom we commit the crime against.

This can be seen in our own criminal justice system. If I step on an ant, I’m not likely to face any legal consequences. If I needlessly kill a domestic cat, however, I could be sued by the owner of the animal, and even prosecuted for cruelty to animals. If I take the life of another human being without a just cause, I will most certainly end up receiving life imprisonment and/or the death penalty. The greater the worth of an individual, the greater the crime and the more severe the punishment.

And the fact of the matter is that we, utterly depraved and wicked sinners that we are, have offended a God who is infinite in power and glory and purity, and infinite in worth. We have dared to raise our fists to the heavens and rebel against our very Lord and King. We have dared to curse and blaspheme this Almighty Creator, and pronounce ourselves as lords and gods of our own lives. If we’ve not done these things outright and externally, we do them indirectly every time we choose to willingly sin. As the Puritans would rightfully declare, sin is absolute lunacy! How dare we even think about rebelling against this great and terrible God?

But the greatest sin of all, the one that will absolutely seal our damnation in hell for all eternity, is to despise the kindness and mercy of God demonstrated at the cross of Calvary…to reject the only hope sinners have of salvation, to spurn the glorious sacrifice of Christ on the cross and trample on His precious blood, counting the greatest act of love the world has ever seen as an unclean thing. Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, died on a cross bearing the punishment of His people. He then rose again and once and for all defeated the power of sin, death and hell. For all eternity those who have repented and believed in His name will be singing, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" (Rev.5:12). It truly is insanity to reject such an infinitely worthy Savior who gave us life, and who was even willing to come to earth and die on a cross to save us from the wrath of God that we justly deserved.

"How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, 'Vengeance is mine; I will repay.' And again, 'The Lord will judge his people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
Hebrews 10:29-31

Cased closed, methinks. But I’ll just end with one final observation. The fires of hell are for torment, and not for purification. The eternal flames can never cleanse a man of his sins; only the blood of Christ has the power to wash away our filthiness, and only the Holy Spirit can regenerate our hearts and make us love Him. Therefore those who died in their sins will still be vile and abominable and unrepentant and God-hating in hell. (See Revelation 9:20 and 16:8-11. Even after experiencing God’s very wrath and judgments, they did not repent of their evil deeds nor give Him glory; they continued to curse and blaspheme God.)

And worse still, God’s common grace will be removed from them, thus eliminating any external appearance of goodness or loveliness from their being. All the saints and angels and creatures made for the glory of God will then behold these rebels for what they really are—utterly horrid and grotesque monsters of iniquity. As one preacher put it, the day they are thrown into hell, all of creation will rejoice and sing because the Lord has finally rid the earth of them.

Sinners in hell will continue to hate God in hell, and will continue to receive the just punishment they deserve—for all eternity.

______________________________________________________________

A good video on hell by John Piper:

Is Your Preaching Full of Christ?

2011-01-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

Sixthly, I believe that: those sermons which are fullest of Christ are the most likely to be blessed to the conversion of the hearers. Let your sermons be full of Christ, from beginning to end crammed full of the gospel. As for myself, brethren, I cannot preach anything else but Christ and His cross, for I know nothing else, and long ago, like the apostle Paul, I determined not to know anything else save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. People have often asked me, "What is the secret of your success?" I always answer that I have no other secret but this, that I have preached the gospel, not about the gospel, but the gospel, the full, free, glorious gospel of the living Christ who is the incarnation of the good news. Preach Jesus Christ, brethren, always and everywhere; and every time you preach be sure to have much of Jesus Christ in the sermon. You remember the story of the old minister who heard a sermon by a young man, and when he was asked by the preacher what he thought of it he was rather slow to answer, but at last he said, "If I must tell you, I did not like it at all; there was no Christ in your sermon." "No," answered the young man, "because I did not see that Christ was in the text." "Oh!" said the old minister, "but do you not know that from every little town and village and tiny hamlet in England there is a road leading to London? Whenever I get hold of a text, I say to myself, 'There is a road from here to Jesus Christ, and I mean to keep on His track till I get to Him.'" "Well," said the young man, "but suppose you are preaching from a text that says nothing about Christ?" "Then I will go over hedge and ditch but what I will get at Him." So must we do, brethren; we must have Christ in all our discourses, whatever else is in or not in them. There ought to be enough of the gospel in every sermon to save a soul. Take care that it is so when you are called to preach before Her Majesty the Queen, and if you have to preach to charwomen or chairmen, still always take care that there is the real gospel in every sermon.

- Charles Spurgeon, Soul Winner

God's Extraordinary Provision for Heartcry

2011-01-26T13:17:00.000-08:00

Yet another exhortation from brother Paul to believe the promises of God. Brethren, missionary friends, the Lord will provide for your needs--just trust in Him!

BELIEVE THE PROMISES OF GOD

2011-01-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

Jonathan's Battle as a Picture of New Testament Missionaries

2011-01-16T20:42:00.000-08:00

This is a VERY ENCOURAGING sermon. May this stir us up to be like Jonathan and his armor-bearer, valiantly charging into the enemy's terrirory, full of faith in the LIVING GOD. If God can use two men to defeat an entire garrison of Philistines, He can use you to further the Gospel and accomplish His purposes. A minority is a majority if the LORD of Hosts is on your side! Trust in Christ, cling to His promises, and charge!

"Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God."
-William Carey

Jonathan's Battle as a Picture of New Testament Missionaries by Matt Haney

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=1411222631

THE CULT CHRONICLES: ONENESS PENTECOSTALS AND THE TRINITY

2011-01-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

Oneness Pentecostalism is very prevalent in this city, although here they are known as the Apostolics. The Oneness Pentecostal movement embraces the ancient heresy of Modalism—namely, a denial of the biblical doctrine of the Trinity. Modalism maintains that God is not three distinct Persons in one God, but instead one person manifested in three different modes throughout history. In the Old Testament God manifested Himself as the Father; in the incarnation, God manifested Himself as the Son; and after the ascension of Christ God manifested Himself as the Holy Spirit. But the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit never existed simultaneously. In other words, God, being only one person, merely put on different masks throughout history. This heresy originated in the 3^rd Century A.D. and, sadly, continues on to this day.

The Modalist heresy is so preposterous that a simple reading of the New Testament will reveal its error. There are a multitude of passages that easily refute this false teaching, such as:

- John 1:1, which states that the Word was with God and God at the same time. Some Oneness Pentecostals maintain that this Word was a mere idea or thought that existed in the Father’s mind. However, the Word was with God from the beginning (Jn.1:2), created everything (Jn.1:3), was life and light itself (Jn.1:4-5, 9), and was made flesh and came to its own creation (Jn.1:10-14). Far from being only an “idea”, this passage clearly describes Jesus Christ as a person, existing for all eternity with the Father. Moreover, you cannot be with another person and be that person at the same time. The clear and logical explanation is that Jesus was with God and was God simultaneously because there are three Persons that make up the Godhead.

-Colossians 1:16-17, 1 Corinthians 8:6, and Hebrews 1:2–10, which also make it clear that Jesus the Son created the universe. These are extremely difficult verses for Oneness Pentecostals.

-John 17, Matthew 11:25, Luke 5:16, etc. in which Christ prays to the Father. To get around this, Oneness Pentecostals say that Jesus’ humanity was praying to the divine nature of who He was. Though they will deny this, they in essence are saying that Jesus was praying to Himself. However, we see in Scripture that Christ had a will that was distinct from that of the Father. This is especially evident when in Gethsemane He prays, “not as I will, but as You will” (Mat.26:39; see also: Mark 14:36, Luk.22:42). The above passages undoubtedly speak of two persons with two wills.

Furthermore, if God is only one person and Jesus was praying to the Father, then two modes of God are manifested at the same time, which is impossible according to Modalists. This is a flagrant contradiction in their theology.

-Matthew 3:16-17, John 12:28-30, Matthew 17:5, etc., which further reinforce the above point, as the Father in these passages speaks to the Son. Again, that there are two Persons here is clear. Matthew 3:16-17 is especially great because it shows all three members of Trinity together at the same time.

___________________________________________________________________

When talking to Apostolics here, they will hardly admit straight away that they are Modalists. If you ask them if they believe in the Trinity they will likely give you an unclear, long-worded reply that will include, “I believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”, or something to that effect. But you really have to press them in order to get them to outright deny that God is a Trinity. Most of those I have talked with have called me brother, and have wanted me to recognize them as brothers in the faith.

But are they really brethren in the Lord? Can you really deny the essential nature of God and still be saved? The below video answers this very question:

Receiving a Copy of the New Testament for the First Time

2011-01-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Christians in Indonesia rejoice and weep as they finally receive a copy of God's Word in their own language. A MUST WATCH!

Kimyal New Testament launch in Indonesia from United Bible Societies on Vimeo.

IS THERE SOMETHING MISSING?

2011-01-10T07:58:00.000-08:00

I praise the Lord for His blessings, and His discipline. Lately I have been very blessed to have two brothers, Alex and Giancarlo, accompanying me for evangelism in the city. We have been preaching about three times a week, and by His grace we have been seeing much fruit from our efforts. Many convicted and interested souls have been approaching us; everything from drug addicts, to alcoholics, to nominal churchgoers, to Catholics, to demoniacs, to a man contemplating adultery. We’ve witnessed to these people, counseled them, and prayed for many. A number of them have even been attending our Sunday church meetings. God has been faithful to glorify His name through our efforts.

In fact, up until a couple of weeks ago, things had been going so good that brother Alex, who was new at all this, was expecting things to always be this good. He admittedly was growing comfortable and confident with this evangelism thing, thinking it to be a breeze. That was a mistake on his part, but we all made another crucial mistake—and one day the consequences of this mistake came crashing down on us. I had been really busy one week and had not been spending as much time with the Lord as I know I should have. In fact, all of us had been lacking in this area. When we got to Centro and prayed, I felt convicted about this and repented, and my brethren did as well. And then I got up on the box...

And that’s when I felt it.

I didn’t preach anything heretical. I didn’t fumble over my words and ruin my Gospel presentation. I didn’t even feel nervous. My message was clear, concise and to the point. In as much detail as I could, given the short amount of time that I had, I described the nature of God’s holiness, justice and omnipotence, man’s radical depravity and total inability to save himself, the reasonableness of an eternal hell, the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and repentance and faith as the means of salvation. I even drew on the Hebrew to explain the meaning of the word "holy", and in that language pronounced our Lord’s cry on the cross as He was being forsaken by the Father. I would later ask brother Alex for his opinion of how I did, and he would reply that the presentation was really clear and understandable.

However, getting off the box, I knew something was drastically wrong.

I didn’t get a crowd of people, and only a few stopped to listen for a few minutes—but that wasn’t the problem. The problem was that I felt cold, empty, like my mouth had just spewed forth steel bricks. There was little anointing, hardly any power accompanying my words. Alex preached after me, and later that evening so did Giancarlo. And they felt the same way as I did. Something was missing. And it certainly showed: the people, for the most part, were unresponsive, apathetic, merely walking by as they heard the preaching of the Word of God. As if we were merely a trio of lousy, untalented street performers.

We certainly learned our lesson that evening. Afterwards we all agreed that our priority in evangelism needs to be spending time with the Lord in prayer.

Our greatest need as heralds of the glorious Gospel of our Lord is to be clothed with power from on high. To be men marked with the presence of the living God. Oh, you may feign many things; you can appear before men to have a great intellect, you can feign to possess a vast knowledge of the Word of God, you may even deceive men with an external form of piety. But there’s one thing you absolutely cannot feign: the presence and power of the Holy Spirit upon your life. The more time you spend at the feet of Christ, the more you will be transformed and conformed to is image. The more genuine, Spirit-wrought fruit you will bear, in secret and in public. And the more unction will accompany and clothe your Gospel preaching.

The apostle Paul told the Thessalonian church that his proclamation of the Gospel came to them “not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (1 Thes.1:5). We cannot and must not be content to share the most majestic and glorious salvation message of all time with mere words.

Brethren, I am not advocating that you decide whether or not to proclaim the Gospel based on how you “feel”. Neither am I saying that you have to get crowd of people while open air preaching in order to have been “successful”. But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you in power, you do “feel” it, and you do get people to stop and notice. The majority of the time, the power and presence of the God will be evident to the preacher and to those who listen.

I urge you, brethren, SEEK GOD. Seek Him with all your heart. Run to His feet and stay there as long as you can. Praise Him, walk with Him, talk with Him, intercede for your brethren and for the lost, read your Bible on your knees, praying through His promises. Whatever you do, DO NOT NEGLECT THIS VITAL MEANS OF GRACE. Your spiritual life depends on it.

Evangelists: powerless preaching can bring death. Christ is the life, and his life is the light of men. Only with His life, His light, and His fire upon your soul can you ever hope to be used of God to win souls for Him. Pray, pray, pray!

I end with the following quotes from a worthy man of God:

"Oh brother pray; in spite of Satan, pray; spend hours in prayer, rather neglect friends than not pray, rather fast, and lose breakfast, dinner, supper and sleep too - than not pray. And we must not talk about prayer –we must pray in right earnest. The Lord is near. He comes softly while The Virgins Slumber."

"I have learned by experience that it is not much labor but much prayer that is the only means to success."

-Andrew Bonar

Some Pics from Christmas Evangelism

2011-01-08T12:50:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I've been so busy lately and haven't been able to post much on here. I've finally made the time to share a little about the ministry. Here are some pictures of our Christmas evangelism campaign in el Centro Historico de Guadalajara (Guadalajara's historic center, aka: Downtown). I and two brothers assaulted the enemy's ranks before, during and after Christmas. And also on New Year's Day.

Christmas decorations in the city:

This is not a statue...it's a wierd looking indigenous guy.

We're not on Hollywood Blvd...but it sure does remind one of it. There are various costumed "statue" people like this all throughout Centro.

Getting ready to preach by the big Christmas tree.

One of the various signs we made. Since it's not currently possible to make a cross with the above question on it, I figured the next best thing would be to just print out a picture of one.

My brothers in arms: Alex and Giancarlo. They've just started open-air preaching.

Johnny Mac on Fantasy Books, Movies, and Entertainment

2011-01-02T00:25:00.000-08:00

In a GCC Question and Answer session last year John MacArthur was asked if he thought werewolves and vampires are satanic. His reply:

"So do I think it’s satanic? Sure, absolutely. I wouldn’t allow any child at all to get anywhere near that kind of stuff because what it does...they’ve got enough evil in the real world and what it does is create a horrifying unreal world, a fantasy world where you can get away with even worst things.

You know, there are certain confines in the real world? You know what I mean?

...In the real world, certain behaviors are acceptable and unacceptable. In the real world, there’s a level of outrage. But in the world of vampires and werewolves, from what I understand, you can fly through the air and bite off somebody’s head and spit it out, or you can morph yourself into some kind of a horrible ghastly creature that can wreak havoc and massacre cities and people. That is evil the way Satan would want it to be in an unrestrained world. But he can’t pull it off in this world because he is restrained. But in the fantasy world, Satan is unrestrained. And I think that’s all that is, that is a fantasy world in which Satan runs unrestrained. And I...I mean, this comes down to video games, this comes down to books, this comes down to movies, anything that takes people into a fantasy world takes them to a place of danger because there are no boundaries there are no limits for behavior in the fantasy world. And that is why we have the kind of behavior in the real world that goes beyond these bounds to a degree that we’ve never had in human....in our lifetime in the past because people finally obliterate the line between the fantasy world and the real world and they turn in to monsters that do horrendous things that even appalls the criminal element in society.

So I think everything needs to be done by a parent to keep your children out of the fantasy world, keep them out of the unreal world."

A good New Year's Resolution: WAKE UP!

2011-01-01T14:45:00.000-08:00

"And that, knowing the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires."
Romans 13:11-14

New Leonard Ravenhill Biography

2010-12-28T10:17:00.001-08:00

Are YOU Clothed with Power?

2010-12-24T12:45:00.000-08:00

The Atonement: Real or Potential? -John MacArthur

2010-12-21T13:45:00.000-08:00

ALL Christians believe in a limited atonement. The question is, Who limits it--us or God?

The Judgment Seat of Christ

2010-12-18T12:54:00.000-08:00

When I stand at the judgment seat of Christ

And He shows me His plan for me;

The plan of my life as it might have been

Had He had His way, and I see

How I blocked Him here and I checked Him there

And I would not yield my will,

Shall I see grief in my Savior’s eyes;

Grief though He loves me still?

Oh, He’d have me rich, and I stand there poor,

Stripped of all but His grace,

While my memory runs like a hunted thing

Down the paths I can’t retrace.

Then my desolate heart will well-nigh break

With tears that I cannot shed.

I’ll cover my face with my empty hands

And bow my uncrowned head.

Lord of the years that are left to me

I yield them to Thy hand.

Take me, make me, mold me

To the pattern Thou hast planned.

YOUR BEST LIFE NOW?

2010-12-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

What our brothers and sisters had to endure in 1st Century Rome under Nero.

From the Polish film Quo Vadis (2001). I don't at all recommend or endorse the movie, but the below videos are very powerful.

WARNING: The following videos contain VERY GRAPHIC scenes and are not for the faint of heart.

We're Losing It

2010-12-14T15:32:00.000-08:00

The audio segment was taken from the sermon How Much Has Christianity Cost You?. I highly recommend you listen to the whole message. I first heard it in 2008 and have had to listen to it again and again over the years.

SUFFERING AND THE CHRISTIAN

2010-12-12T20:35:00.000-08:00

Last year I came across an excerpt from a wonderful work by John Bunyan called Seasonable Counsels: Advice to Sufferers. Bunyan's words were brought to me at a time in my life when I most needed them. I came across this excerpt again because lately I've been studying the subject of suffering and the Christian. The Urbans have been in the States for two weeks, so I had been given the privilege of teaching in our last two Sunday meetings. In two parts, I exposited 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, about God's grace being sufficient and His power being perfected in weakness. It's a subject I know about only too well, from nearly a lifetime of struggling with chronic, degenerative ailments and many other hardships. Out of a myriad number of topics to choose from, I felt a strange leading of the Lord to preach on that one. Last Sunday one of the brothers that preaches the Gospel with us and attends the meetings had just been fighting a strong stomach-flu that had him out of commission for more than a week (he seems to still be sick, as he didn't show up today). And this last week I myself have been sick; I caught a cold which, as the days have passed, has intensified in strength and severity...forcing me to immediately practice what I have preached. And in today's meeting, after giving the second part of the teaching, an eldelry professing Christian who visited us for the first time told me that it was a word he really needed to hear. So it seems that what I shared was timely and guided by the providential hand of God.

But without further ado, here is the excerpt. This is actually taken from a sermon by John Piper on the life of John Bunyan. Piper adds the biblical references, and in the second paragraph he gives us a summary of one part of the book by putting together some of the main points in that particular section.

It is not what enemies will, nor what they are resolved upon, but what God will, and what God appoints; that shall be done. . . . No enemy can bring suffering upon a man when the will of God is otherwise, so no man can save himself out of their hands when God will deliver him up for his glory. . . [just as Jesus showed Peter "by what death he would glorify God"]. We shall or shall not suffer, even as it pleaseth him.

God has appointed who shall suffer [Rev. 6:11 – the full number of martyrs]. . . . God has appointed . . . when they shall suffer [Acts 18:9-10 Paul's time of suffering was not yet come; so with Jesus in John 7:30]. . . . God has appointed where this, that or the other good man shall suffer ["it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem" Luke 13:33; 9:30f]. . . . God has appointed . . . what kind of sufferings this or that saint shall undergo [Acts 9:16 "how great things he must suffer;" John 21:19 "by what death he would glorify God"]. . . . Our sufferings, as to the nature of them, are all writ down in God's book; and though the writing seem as unknown characters to us, yet God understands them very well [Mark 9:13; Acts 13:29]. . . . It is appointed who of them should die of hunger, who with the sword, who should go into captivity, and who should be eaten up of beasts. Jeremiah 15:2,3.

To listen to the sermon and read a transcript of it, click HERE.

You can read Bunyan's work HERE.

HE DIED FOR ME!

2010-12-04T14:26:00.000-08:00

HE really did! And He loves me! Praise Him for all eternity!

PROOF that the Bible is the Word of God

2010-12-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

Watch this video first:

And then this one:

I'm Back!

2010-11-30T22:41:00.000-08:00

Made it home safely, thanks to God.

College Evangelism

2010-11-27T15:12:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday brother Dean and I payed a visit to Living Waters, the ministry where I used to work at. It was a great blessing to be able to spend some time (albeit only a few minutes) with my brothers and sisters there, most of whom I had not seen in years. We didn't stay too long because Tony Miano (who heads up the Ambassadors Alliance for the ministry) invited us to go with him, Chad Williams and Ray Comfort to do some evangelism...and he was very anxious to go preach. So off we went. This turned out to be a great blessing as well.

We first tried Fullerton College, only to find it nearly empty due to Thanksgiving week. So we changed plans and went to Cerritos College instead. Here are some pictures:

Setting up.

Chad starts out by asking trivia questions for money.

"YOU are the man!..."

"...who wins a dollar!"

This young man thinks he can win $20 for being a "good person"...

...so in comes Ray to take him through the "Good Person Test".

Ray deals with a few hecklers.

The crowd gets bigger...

And bigger...

Now, I don't know how things normally go for these brothers when they open-air in colleges...but I'd say they hit the jackpot that day, as far as crowds and hecklers go. There had to be about a hundred people intently listening to what was being preached. We had more than a dozen hecklers get up on the "heckler's box" to give their questions and comments. Their objections ranged from good, to goofy, to outright ridiculous.

Ray and Chad proclaimed the Gospel that day, while Tony and Dean mostly recorded everything on video.

And me? I was content to stand by and simply watch and listen, taking some pictures. I took note of many interesting ideas for open air preaching, some of which I just may use when I go back to Mexico.

Dean (above) and I with Ray Comfort.


Heading back to headquarters after the battle.

WANT TO RECEIVE MY EMAIL UPDATES?

2010-11-26T13:43:00.000-08:00

It has come to my attention that many of you who check this blog are not on my email list. I send out an email newsletter about every month, which goes into more detail about the goings-on in ministry, our needs, and prayer requests. If you would like to sign up to receive my monthly updates, you can let me know here. Just place a comment below with your email address. Your comment and email will NOT be seen by anyone by me. I have comments on moderator mode now, which means I have to approve them before they can be published (I will NOT publish them ).

Thanks and God bless!
Aaron

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

2010-11-25T11:11:00.000-08:00

"But THANKS be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Corinthians 15:57

But THANKS be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

2 Corinthians 2:14

"THANKS be to God for His indescribable gift!"

2 Corinthians 9:15

" ...always giving THANKS for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father"
Ephesians 5:20

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving THANKS to God the Father through him."
Colossians 3:17

May we never cease to give thanks to God EVERY DAY for His many blessings, and for the infinite, matchless grace and love He has shed abroad in our hearts--namely by sending His precious Son to die on the cross for our sins, and by regenerating and renewing us with His Holy Spirit. Thank You, Lord Jesus!

Shut down in Hollywood...again.

2010-11-22T00:44:00.000-08:00

I've been really blessed to be able to preach the Gospel with my brothers in arms from CBC and from the Burbank and surrounding areas. To be honest this is one of the things I most looked forward to about my visit here. On Thursday we went to the NoHo Metro station (the usual fishing spot). Friday it was mostly NoHo again...but we also went to Hollywood Blvd. I hadn't been there for about 6 months; the last time I was in Hollywood was when brothers Dave (who heads up the CBC team) and Nathan were both cited for open air preaching. The cops were cracking down on street performers and costumed characters on the Boulevard--as a result of complaints from business owners--and of course we ended up being lumped in the same category as them. The charges: "loitering" and "obstructing the sidewalk". I remember that afternoon seeing a golden statue man in handcuffs, and various costumed superheroes being rounded up and taken into police cars. By God's grace I didn't caught preaching that day.

The case against Dave ended up being dropped, and several months ago I read a news report about the superheroes and their fans protesting their ill-treatment by the police. (This news report mentions their recent victory in court.) So I thought to myself, surely by now things have cooled down in Hollywood, and everything is back to normal.

Though it certainly appeared that way when we got off the Metro and set foot on the famous star-lined sidewalk last Saturday evening, my hopes were short-lived. Yes, there were street performers dancing, playing loud music, and doing their thing on the Boulevard. And yes, we did get to preach--with amplification, I may add; brother Tony Miano joined us that day and had the honors of going first. But as soon as I started getting comfortable there, and believing that maybe even I would get the opportunity to preach in Hollywood again, I found myself surrounded by several police officers. By this time Dave had been open airing without amplification or a box, and not many people were stopping to listen to him. Never mind that street dancers had drawn a large crowd on the very block we were on. Never mind that Hare Krishnas were dancing to loud music only several yards away. We were the targets of police harassment. Apparently someone had called to complain about us, only us. And the cops just about ignored everyone else, and went only for us. Tony and Dave spent a considerable amount of time reasoning with them, to no avail. They threatened to write us up for the phoniest of charges (Tony describes it in more detail in his blog). Our First Amendment rights were most definitely compromised. One police officer remarked that while we certainly had free-speech rights, she believed that people have a right to not be "offended". I remember thinking, What? Not only will you not find that in any written law anywhere, but your opinions mean squat in the court of law. Since when is violating a police officer's personal beliefs equivalent to breaking the law?

Despite the grave injustice done to us, Dave and Tony complied with the officers and we eventually left Hollywood Blvd.

I write this post with the hopes of reminding all who read this that, even though this may seem like a tiny, insignificant case in comparison to the sufferings of our brethren in other parts of the world, persecution is already here. This is only the beginning. If by the grace of God we live in a "free" country, may we learn to appreciate our freedom and boldly proclaim the Gospel on the streets while we still have the time. The day is coming (real soon) when the cops will do a whole lot more than politely ask us to leave.

THE FATHER'S BARGAIN

2010-11-19T12:04:00.000-08:00

So I'm in California for two weeks. Got here on Tuesday. Two days prior to my coming here, I found out that on Monday and Wednesday brother Paul Washer would be preaching in the chapel services at the Master's College, which is not too far away from where I am staying. A friend and I drove down there to see him on Wednesday...and I'm so glad we did. The service was short; he only preached for about 30 minutes. He read an excerpt from the Puritan John Flavel, called "The Father's Bargain". It's a conversation between the Father and the Son that takes place in eternity past. Here it is below, please read it carefully.

“Here you may suppose the Father to say when driving His bargain with Christ for you:

The Father speaks. My Son, here is a company of poor, miserable souls that have utterly undone themselves and now lay open to my justice. Justice demands satisfaction for them, or will satisfy itself in the eternal ruin of them.

The Son responds. O my Father. Such is my love to and pity for them, that rather then they shall perish eternally I will be responsible for them as their guarantee. Bring in all thy bills, that I may see what they owe thee. Bring them all in, that there be no after-reckonings with them. At my hands shall thou require it. I would rather choose to suffer the wrath that is theirs than they should suffer it. Upon me, my Father, upon me be all their debt.

The Father responds. But my Son, if thou undertake for them, thou must reckon to pay the last mite. Expect no abatement. Son, if I spare them… I will not spare you.

The Son responds. Content Father. Let it be so. Charge it all upon me. I am able to discharge it. And though it prove a kind of undoing to me, though it impoverish all my riches, empty all my treasures… I am content to take it.”

Brother Paul rightfully told us that we have no idea what those words mean--for if we did, we would not have still been in our seats. We would have gone wild.

It's true. It deeply grieves me how little I really understand the Gospel. If only I had a greater glimpse of Christ crucified for me, my life would be SO DIFFERENT. If only I had a greater understanding of everything that took place that terrible day on Calvary, IT WOULD CHANGE EVERYTHING. My Lord, my Savior--the KING OF GLORY--crucified for ME! Bearing upon Himself my own SINS and the very WRATH that I deserved!

How can I be anything other than a SLAVE OF CHRIST??? The Gospel ends my rights, my self-esteem, my desires...my LIFE!

Oh, the Gospel is truly enough! It is truly sufficient to transform us, to encourage us, to empower us, to keep us from sin for the rest of our lives! Look to Christ and be saved, all the ends of the earth! Brothers and sisters, turn your eyes upon Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith!

Brother Paul shed many tears as he describe the Cross, and all Christ did to save us. A great solemnity fell upon the entire auditorium. I'll never forget the last words that came out of his mouth, before he unexpectedly turned around and headed for the back door:

"And He slaughters Him there."

As he was about to leave, several people in the audience started to clap. He quickly turned around, held out his hand to point at them and warned, "DON'T".

Having said that, he walked out the door.

There was dead silence in the auditorium. You could hear a pin drop. We all just sat there for several minutes until, one by one, people began to leave.

______________________________________________________________________

Here are the two sermons he preached at the Master's College:

The Depth of the Gospel, Part 1
The Depth of the Gospel, Part 2

Crazy Day! Part 2

2010-11-15T12:20:00.000-08:00

So yesterday's run-in with the gangs was a little out of the ordinary. But the day didn't end there, however...

The crowd died down shortly after the street rumble and the preaching of the Gospel. The Urbans, brother Giancarlo and I then walked to a shopping center in Centro to do some errands. We ended up splitting up, with Giancarlo and I going to another shopping center many blocks away. About forty minutes later we left this other shopping center and approached the nearby Plaza Universidad to look for a place to have lunch...and something strange caught our attention:

Colorful carriages parked in the square. As we drew closer, we noticed pictures of what looked like Vishnu, Krishna and other Hindu deities decorated on the bottom of them. I started to worry a little.

Directly behind the carriages was a stage with an audience of people seated before it and other spectators standing around. It was then that I noticed many Hare Krishnas walking around the plaza. As we walked toward the stage we saw:

That lady was fanning a realistic-looking figure of a man of great importance, though I don't know who he was (pardon my ignorance of the Hindu religion). Another man was repeatedly bowing before some other graven images. There was a man on the microphone spewing forth blasphemous nonsense, telling the audience that Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth and the Life...but the only way to get to Jesus is through Krishna, as he is a superior being...or something to that effect. My spirit was stirred again. Food would have to wait--I was going to preach.

We walked past the stage and some booths that had been set up to sell food and other Hindu goods. I was really grieved by all this idolatry, as was Giancarlo. We found a good spot and I took out my amp, mike and a little foldable stool I had in my backpack. As I preached many people stopped to listen, even some Krishnas. I read to them the part in Acts 17 where Paul preaches in Mars Hill. I stressed the fact that God does not dwell in temples made with hands, and that He is not served by human hands. And that religion, man's effort to gain his own salvation, will not save anybody. Neither Kirshna nor any other religious figure could save them, I told them, only Jesus. I asked those listening and passing by to consider their eternal soul and reasoned with them about sin and judgment to come...and as I explained the cross the Lord broke me right in front of everyone. I begged them to realize everything Christ did to save us. Giancarlo told me afterwards that I started to weep just as a Hindu band on stage began to play loud music. I didn't really notice at the time. I kept right on preaching and desperately pleading with sinners to repent and trust in the Savior. As I was preaching Giancarlo was able to get into some good conversations with people.

I lamented the fact that we had hardly brought any tracts with us yesterday (!!!). But the Gospel still went forth. Again. I praise the Lord that He allowed Satan to round 'em up just so they could hear the Gospel. What the enemy meant for evil God meant for good.

Crazy Day! Part 1

2010-11-14T22:56:00.000-08:00

Today was full of unexpected surprises...and great witnessing opportunities.

It was our second Sunday meeting today at our new location--the conference room in the Guadalajara Inn, Downtown. El Centro de Guadalajara is usually very crowded on Sundays, and I did not want to miss out on a great evangelism opportunity. So I brought along my amp and mike to preach on the streets afterwards. After our service was over (we had a whopping 3 people show up), all of us left the hotel and walked to a nearby pharmacy. As I was waiting for the Urbans to get what they needed to buy, I stood up on a bench and did a quick open-air to the multitudes of people walking by. By the time I was done I had managed to pretty much clear out most of the people from that area. :-|

But then we all walked a little further down the street...and saw many people gathered around what appeared to be a street brawl. A gang of punk rockers (all of them having the stereotypical punk look: excessively long, spiked up hair/mohawks, black leather jackets with patches, pins and studs) were taking on "normally" dressed gangbangers. This was a serious street-fight; they were beating each other with belts and rods. The stronger and more numerous "normals" gained the upper-hand in the fight, and began to repeatedly punch several punks in the face. Some of the punks ran away, others just stayed behind and did not even fight back. They allowed themselves to be mercilessly beat up by the "normies". It reminded me a little of a recent video put out showing Christians getting beat to death in Orissa, India. The brawl lasted only a few minutes, but it seemed a lot longer watching it. By the end of the fight the punks were severely injured and the faces of some were full of blood...and the police were nowhere to be found. Typical of the Mexican authorities.

As a former punk/skinhead in my B.C. days, I have to admit it was a very sad sight. As sinfully depraved as they were, I sympathized a little with them and their plight. My spirit was stirred and angered by all of this hatred, and as they were fighting I felt like getting up to preach right in front of them. But then I remembered Proverbs 26:17: "Like one who takes a dog by the ears is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him." So I waited a little until the fight was over and all the gangbangers began to run away. And then, at the urging of Lina, I got up on a concrete bench in the middle of this little plaza where the altercation took place. All that came to my mind at the moment was the seven things the Lord hates in Proverbs 6:16-19, so I started by reading that. I had the people's attention. I told them how the Lord abhors those who are full of hate and whose feet are swift to shed blood. Then I explained that hatred is murder in the eyes of God, and told the people listening that if they were looking down on those wicked gangbangers, they should examine their own hearts in the light of the Word, because in reality they are no better than them. After preaching sin and judgment I proclaimed the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many heard. I pray the Lord touches their hearts.

THE IDOLATRY OF STREET PREACHING - Pat Necerato

2010-11-10T19:29:00.000-08:00

I posted the audio of this a while ago...here's the video version. Open air preachers, watch this several times!

The Idolatry of Street Preaching from pat necerato on Vimeo.

Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Nov. 2

2010-11-04T19:52:00.000-07:00

Here in Mexico, Halloween is not nearly as big as El Día de los Muertos. On this holiday people commemorate their dead loved ones and pray for them to get out of "Purgatory". For some it's a day to venerate death; for others it's just another opportunity to party and get drunk. In any case I didn't want to miss this great opportunity to preach the Gospel. So on Tuesday we went to el Centro de Guadalajara to be light among all this wickedness and darkness. I remembered to get some pictures:

They set up booths in one of the plazas were they sold sweets and baked goods, especially pan de muerto, bread of the dead. This bread is eaten, but also offered up in shrines to departed loved ones.

Chocolate skulls...the horror!

People like to stop and listen to clowns and their foolishness, but not the foolishness of the preaching of the Gospel.

Here are some shrines of dead people in another plaza. They appear to be celebrity shrines. Notice the drinks, bread and candles. The whole area smelled of incense. Hmm...what does the Word of God say about making altars and offering up incense to strange gods?

These skeletons got a lot of people's attention.

Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of us sharing the Gospel (Lina did, hopefully I'll put some of those up soon). But we went to our usual fishing spot, Plaza Tapatía. While open air preaching I was ruthlessly heckled by a militant Catholic. When he heard me preaching the Gospel and say that salvation is through Christ only and not any man or religion, he started to loudly yell that we were a cult that began in the 1900s in Kansas (I think he confused me with a Pentecostal) and gave some of the usual erroneous Catholic arguments. He stood a few feet in front of me and was trying to preach over me. He actually managed to gather a good-sized crowd. I tried to reason with the guy, and even challenged him to a debate right there on the spot but he didn't want to let me get a word in, he just kept loudly and angrily "preaching". It remained like this for several minutes. I just kept preaching the Gospel, and refuted some of his erroneous arguments, but the crowd's attention seemed to be focused on this man (and mind you I was talking through an amp!).

Because of this some of my brothers and sisters stood right next to where he was (as he was shouting) and started to preach to the crowd--at the very same time that I was preaching.

And the tummult got worse: some professing Christians who had been listening to me share the Gospel came over to "help" us and tried to scare the guy off. One Christian street preacher that we met right then and there, who was holding up a large sign about salvation through Christ, even got angry with the Catholic, went up to his face, and just about pushed him, telling him to go away.

It was sheer chaos for a couple minutes.

Finally he left, and the crowd shortly dissipated. They had probably only stopped to listen to the crazy Catholic because it looked like he was angry and looking for a fight. The people here seem to love to be spectators of such commotions. But the Gospel went forth, many people heard, and that's what's important. Please pray for those who heard the Gospel and for the angry Catholic heckler.

HAPPY REFORMATION DAY!

2010-10-31T22:15:00.000-07:00

May we not forget our brothers and sisters who gave their lives for Christ and the Truth of His Word.

Violent and Getting Worse...

2010-10-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

There was a triple homicide yesterday at a car wash not very far from our house. Though authorities haven't yet confirmed it, it appears to be a mafia execution. The men had left one of their cars in the wash, and as they returned to pick it up the assassins pulled up in a red Nissan and fired more than 30 rounds at the three, instantly killing two and fatally injuring the other, who died on the way to the hospital.

The murder was actually right by the building where the church where we used to fellowship at meets. Lina attended their Tuesday Bible study and heard about it there, so afterwards she and a sister walked over there to preach the Gospel to the many curious and stunned onlookers. They had closed off the street and their bodies were lying there, bullet-riddled, bloody and uncovered. Lina used that as a springboard to preach the Gospel to the crowd (yes in this case I think it would be okay). She told me some people were really shaken up, and intently listened to what she was saying. But most of them, SURPRISINGLY, seemed completely cold and unaffected...as if they somehow believed that DEATH WOULD NEVER COME TO THEM! EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE STANDING IN FRONT OF TWO DEAD CORPSES! THE MADNESS!!!

People truly are dead in their trespasses and sins (Eph.2:1,5), they really do have hearts of stone (Eze.36:26), and they really cannot come to Christ unless the Father draws Him (John 6:44). Apart from the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we would all be as wicked and heartless...if not worse.

Please pray that the Holy Spirit sovereignly moves and works in the hearts of these people! We desperately need revival! Jesus Christ and His Gospel must be glorified in this city!

I Was a Slave of Drugs and Hated God, Yet He Saved Me

2010-10-23T13:24:00.001-07:00

Gabriel gives his testimony of being saved out of the hatred anger that consumed his wicked heart. There was no way Gabriel was ever going to break the power of the drugs and addictions that reigned on his life without looking to Jesus Christ alone for hope. Many people are slaves of drugs and get morality and change outwardly but only Christ can change a man inwardly.

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Seek New Manifestations of the Presence and Power of God- Spurgeon

2010-10-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

That's right.

Like many biblically sound, theologically minded, worthy men of God throughout the history of the Church, Spurgeon wasn't afraid to use words like "experiences", "visitations" and "manifestations" ...and neither should we.

"No matter what level of spiritual maturity we are on, we need renewed appearances, fresh manifestations, new visitations from on high. While it is right to thank God for the past and look back with joy to His visits to you in your early days as a believer, I encourage you to seek God for special visitations of His presence. I do not mean to minimize our daily walk in the light of His countenance, but consider that though the ocean has its high tides twice every day, yet it also has its spring tides. The sun shines whether we see it or not, even through our winter's fog, and yet it has its summer brightness. If we walk with God constantly, there are special seasons when He opens the very secret of His heart to us and manifests Himself to us - not only as He does not to the world but also as He does not at all times to His own favored ones. Not every day in a palace is a banqueting day, and not all days with God are so clear and glorious as certain special sabbaths of the soul in which the Lord unveils His glory. Happy are we if we have once beheld His face, but happier still if He comes to us again in the fullness of favor.

"I commend you to be seeking God's second appearances. We should be crying to God most pleadingly that He would speak to us a second time. We do not need a reconversion, as some assert. If the Lord has kept us steadfast in His fear, we are already possessors of what some call the higher life. This we are privileged to enjoy from the first hour of our spiritual life. We do not need to be converted again, but we do need the windows of heaven to be opened again and again over our heads. We need the Holy Spirit to be given again as at Pentecost and that we should renew our youth like the eagles, to run without weariness and walk without fainting. May the Lord fulfill to His people His blessing upon Solomon! 'That the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.'"

- C.H. Spurgeon, Essential Points in Prayer, The Power of Prayer in a Believer's Life ed. Robert Hall, Emerald Books.

Johnny Mac on the Ds of G...

2010-10-16T22:32:00.000-07:00

Part 1 of 3 on the perseverance of the saints. This is actually part of a 10 message series on the Doctrines of Grace. I highly recommend you listen to these!

The Perseverance of the Saints, Part 1, preached on August 29, 2004

To hear the rest, click HERE.

Ray Comfort meets Richard Dawkins ...almost

2010-10-12T21:55:00.000-07:00

Ray Comfort was at Caltech in Pasadena, CA handing out freely Charles Darwin's Origin of Species book. Richard Dawkins was promoting his latest book. This is a video recapping the night.

Thank you Mr. Dawkins for pulling all those atheists together for us!

WATCH THIS!

2010-10-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

GUIDELINES FOR OPEN AIR PREACHING

Remember the Battle!

2010-10-05T23:46:00.000-07:00

"Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle"

Psalm 144:1

In the midst of the daily routines of life,

The mundane cares and everyday strife,

While thoughts, lists and numbers run laps through your mind

Look to heaven--

And remember the battle.

When the waves and the billows have gone over your head

In the fires of affliction and in moments of dread,

When trials and temptations have lowered your gaze

Look to heaven--

And remember the battle.

In the joy, in the pain,

During sorrow or gain

'Till God's glory is revealed and the Enemy slain

Look to heaven--

And remember the battle.

Look to heaven--

And remember the battle.

Look to Christ--

And remember the battle.

May we never forget that we are in a war. The spiritual battle we fight doesn't begin the moment we hit the streets--tracts and Bible in hand. It begins every time we wake up, and continues on in every part of the day, in every circumstance. Often the battle rages most intensely while we least realize it is occurring.

The victory is already ours, Christ has purchased it for us with His precious blood. May we never forget this blessed truth, either! In the light of this wonderful reality, let us boldly take up the armor of God and withstand the daily attacks of the flesh, the world and the devil. Let us storm the gates of hell in triumph, counting any casualty of war as a "momentary light affliction", looking only to the joy set before us. Let us valiantly fight the good fight of faith and take hold of eternal life. We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Blessed be the LORD, who trains our hands for war, and our fingers for battle!

Is Christ or Apologetics your Focus in Open-Air Preaching?

2010-10-03T10:36:00.001-07:00

A Little R&R in the Woods

2010-10-02T10:50:00.000-07:00

We went to Bosque Los Colomos on Monday to get away from it all. Was blessed to be able to read and relax, and enjoy the Lord and His creation.

THE CULT CHRONICLES: Does God Kill?

2010-09-27T12:16:00.000-07:00

On our evangelistic outings to downtown Guadalajara we come across people from all walks of life, religions and beliefs. In the course of our conversations with such people many raise interesting questions and objections, especially those in cult groups. This new section of my blog will tackle some of these issues. May it be of blessing and edification.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The above issue came up two Saturdays ago. After I open air preached, a "prosperity" pastor and his family, and some members of his congregation, came up to talk to us. Now, many things can be said about the Prosperity/Word of Faith movement...hopefully I will get to some of the main tenets of their false doctrine another day. But in the course of a discussion that I had with the pastor's wife and two other girls, one of the main problems that they seemed to have with what I believed, and with the message that I had just preached, was my absolute declaration that God not only kills, but sends people to hell. One of the girls displayed utter shock after I told them that God kills people. They told me that God is good, and therefore would never kill anyone. According to them, Satan is the only one who steals, kills and destroys. God only brings good things, and only desires to bless His people. Death is simply a "curse" that we brought upon ourselves, God had nothing to do with that. Sickness, suffering, and short life-spans are a result of our "negative affirmations"; and as far as future punishment goes, we send ourselves to hell by choosing to reject Christ.

Well, what saith the Scriptures? Is God so loving that He would never kill anyone? Do we send ourselves to hell, or does God? Let's let the Lord speak through His Word:

"See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand."
Deuteronomy 32:29

"I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear Him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!"
Luke 12:4-5

The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
1 Samuel 2:6

In addition to the above clear verses, there are many other passages, including:

-The parable in Luke 12:16-21, where God kills a rich man;

-Acts 5:1-11, where Ananias and Sapphira are struck down dead by the Lord for having lied;

-2 Thessalonians 1:7-8, which says that Christ will return "in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel";

-And, of course, the book of Revelation which from beginning to end is filled with descriptions of the Lord pouring His terrible judgments over the earth and casting sinners into eternal hellfire (see Rev. 2:16, 22-23; 19:11-16; 14:9-11; 15:7; 20:11-15; 21:8, etc.).

The god of the Prosperity Movement is appealing to fallen man because he is presented as a well-meaning Santa Clause figure who leaves salvation, prosperity, sickness, and death in our hands. Apart from our cooperation and positive declarations, he can do nothing--not even counter the works of the devil. Theirs is an impotent god, and the human creature is the sovereign. What depraved sinner wouldn't want that?

No, the reality is that the God of the Scriptures, as we have seen, is an omnipotent and righteous judge who has the authority and power to give life and to take it. And because He is holy and just and good, He must give guilty sinners what they deserve: an eternity of His wrath in hell. He therefore commands all men everywhere to repent and turn to Christ, the only one who has the power to save us from our sins and from His wrath.

CUT OFF GOLIATH'S HEAD!

2010-09-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

The Real John Wesley: Part 2

2010-09-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

On the last post about Wesley, we examined the life of this fallible, human preacher, and especially the details of his life pertaining to his separation from George Whitefield. A chapter from the book, George Whitefield: God's Anointed Servant in the Great Revival of the Eighteenth Century, revealed John Wesley's insistence on contention with Whitefield, his predisposition to, and desire for, the preeminent role among his brethren, his slight exaggerations in describing the actions and beliefs of those with whom he was in disagreement, his misunderstanding of the Calvinistic viewpoint of the doctrine of Predestination, and the propagation of his newly formed, and often inconsistent, doctrine of sinless perfection.

Again, the purpose of this series of posts is not to attack and defame, but to present a balanced image of the 18th Century preacher, and remove Wesley from the pedestal that we as human beings are so often prone to placing godly men of the past on.

That being said, the following excerpt further reveals the grieving details of Wesley's division and contention with George Whitefield, and consequently also reveals the humility of Whitefield, and the great love and forgiveness that he had for his two dear friends, John and Charles Wesley.
__________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 10: Whitefield’s Darkest Hour

We have seen that there already were doctrinal differences between Wesley and Whitefield. When Whitefield returned to England, these differences brought about a separation between them. The truth of this matter is often distorted, for although professed reports of it have frequently been published, almost all are so strongly biased in Wesley’s favor that both his and Whitefield’s actions are very falsely presented.

Accordingly, as much as both writer and reader may find the subject distasteful, if we are not to let falsehoods continue to cloud a most noble portion of Whitefield’s life, we have no choice but to look into this matter. We do so, however, very briefly, noticing merely the chief facts.

One of Whitefield’s first activities after reaching London was meeting with his old friend, Charles Wesley. John was out of town at the time. Of course, the doctrinal differences were discussed, and the likelihood of schism was recognized. Whitefield stated, “It would have melted any heart to have heard Mr. Charles Wesley and me weeping, after prayer, that if possible the breach might be averted.” (1) But Charles was as strongly against the doctrine of election as Whitefield was for it, and as adamant in favor of sinless perfection as Whitefield was opposed to it. Charles refused to have any further cooperation with Whitefield, and accordingly they separated. But we shall rejoice when, ten years later, Charles’ doctrinal convictions changed to some extent and he came into a considerable measure of agreement with Whitefield. They then again enjoyed a rich friendship, and this continued until Whitefield was removed from him by death.

On Whitefield’s first Sunday in London, a burst of enthusiasm brought some thousands to hear him both at Moorfields and Kennington Common. But the enthusiasm quickly waned, and on the weekdays his congregations numbered merely two or three hundred. Moreover, he saw many of his former hearers rush by with their fingers in their ears, and several of them later informed him this had been Wesley’s instruction to them to prevent them from hearing heretical doctrine.

The loss of Whitefield’s host of hearers not only curtailed his gospel ministry, but also robbed him of the opportunity to collect for the support of the orphans. Moreover, he had expected that a sum of money would be awaiting him from the sale of the volumes of his sermons, but he found that James Hutton, his publisher, had become a Moravian and refused to sell any literature that did not agree with Moravian teachings.

A particular sorrow arose from the fact that William Seward had died. Some few months earlier, in accompanying Howell Harris as he conducted an open-air meeting in Wales, Seward had suffered a severe physical injury at the hands of a mob. But he soon went out again to another meeting, and as the stones were hurled he shouted, “Better endure this than hell!” In a few days’ time his body weakened, and he entered his heavenly home. He has long been spoken of as “The first Methodist martyr.”

Seward, however, had recently undertaken another £350 debt in the name of the Orphan House, and not only was Whitefield responsible to pay it, but he was threatened with imprisonment if he failed to do so. His creditors gloated over the opportunity seemingly before them, and he was in constant danger of arrest till in a miraculous manner the money became available. Moreover, although Seward had made himself jointly responsible for the maintenance of Bethesda, he died without making a will, and the whole responsibility fell upon Whitefield.

Whitefield’s chief sorrow, however, arose from the opposition of John and Charles Wesley. “…Many, very many of my spiritual children,” he wrote, “who at my last departure from England would have plucked out their own eyes to have given them to me, are so prejudiced by the dear Messrs. W’s dressing up the doctrine of election in such horrible colours, that they will neither hear, see, nor give me the least assistance: Yes, some of them send threatening letters that God will speedily destroy me.” (2) Yet he still spoke of “…my dear, dear old friends, Messrs. John and Charles Wesley, whom I still love as my own soul.” (3)

Nevertheless, Whitefield was not without help. A company of friends began building a large wooden shed in the Moorfields district that would shield its hearers from rain and cold. Since the location was not far from Wesley’s Foundery, Whitefield refused it. But being reminded that he had been first to preach at Moorfields, he came round to using it. Yet he thought of it as merely a temporary structure and therefore named it “The Tabernacle.”

Some friends had begun to publish a weekly paper. It carried news of the ministry of himself and of others of a Calvinistic mind on both sides of the Atlantic. He called it The Weekly History.

Whitefield also still faced the question as to whether he should publish in England his reply to Wesley’s sermon “Free Grace,” or as Wesley termed it “Against Predestination.” For nineteen months Wesley had circulated this sermon, and both he and Charles had opposed Whitefield’s beliefs in their daily ministries. Numerous people had accepted their teachings, and Whitefield decided he had no choice but to print his reply.

He began by declaring his strong reluctance to publish anything critical of Wesley.

…Jonah could not go with more reluctance against Nineveh, than I now take pen in hand to write against you. Was nature to speak, I had rather die than do it; and yet if I am faithful to God, and to my own and others' souls, I must not stand neutral any longer. …Numbers have been misled, whom God has been pleased to work upon by my ministry, and a greater number are still calling aloud upon me to show also my opinion. I must then show that I know no man after the flesh, and that I have no respect to persons, any further than is consistent with my duty to my Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. (4)

In his reply Whitefield makes his arguments clearly, and he is unmovable in his doctrinal convictions. But his attitude towards Wesley is characterized by the respect we have seen in his letters, and to him Wesley is ever “My Honoured Friend” and “Honoured Sir.” There is definiteness of statement, but never a harsh word.

One point, however, of Whitefield’s reply must have our attention. In publishing his sermon, Wesley inserted a brief introduction stating that he had been moved to preach the sermon “by the strongest conviction, not only that what is here advanced is ‘the truth as it is in Jesus,’ but also that I am indispensably obliged to declare this truth to all the world.” (5) Numerous readers of the sermon would believe that since he had been “indispensably obliged” in the manner he surely had received some special commission from God, and that therefore the doctrine he declared must indeed be true. The little introduction was as valuable in enforcing Wesley’s teaching as any of his arguments.

Yet the “indispensible obligation” was nothing more than the casting of a lot. That is, he had written out two or three possible courses of actions, each one on a separate slip of paper; he had picked up one, and it had read “Preach and Print,” and this was his authorization for thrusting such a divisive issue into the revival movement.

Accordingly, in his reply Whitefield pointed out that Wesley’s “indispensable obligation” was merely a lot. The issue was a doctrinal matter, not a personal one, and to reveal the role of the casting of a lot was essential to removing the false impression Wesley’s statement had made. Moreover, Whitefield stated that on a previous occasion Wesley had been mistaken by casting a lot and suggested that Wesley ought to have been more careful in using the practice.

Moreover, Wesley had seized as his own the New Room at Bristol and the School House at Kingswood—buildings for which Whitefield and Seward had raised virtually all the money. Whitefield wrote to him about the matter, and Wesley replied in a long harsh letter. (6) He adopted an attitude that he had done nothing to provoke discord and that Whitefield had begun and continued the strife. This totally false attitude Wesley maintained throughout the rest of his life.

During these days, however, Whitefield was gradually winning back his congregations. Thus Wesley realized he was losing much of the fruit of nineteen months of opposition, and the loss provoked him. He made charges that were distorted and untrue, saying that Whitefield refused to offer him the hand of fellowship and that Whitefield asserted he would everywhere preach against him. We can only recognize Wesley’s disappointment as the cause of his statements.

Some of Whitefield’s people were indignant that he had been so forgiving to Wesley and had not claimed a share in the New Room and the Kingswood School. But Whitefield replied,

My heart doth not reproach me for my kindness and friendship to those that differ from me… I cannot renounce those precious truths that I have felt the power of and which were taught me not of man, but of God. At the same time I would love all that love the Lord Jesus, though they differ with me in some points… I have not given way to the Moravian Brethren, or to Mr. Wesley, or to any whom I thought in error, no not for an hour. But I think it best not to dispute when there is no probability of convicting. (7)

Nevertheless, one cannot but feel sorry that Whitefield did not leave an account of his part in the controversy just as fully as Wesley did of his. But Whitefield left us very little and chose to allow Wesley’s statements to remain unchallenged. Accordingly, a false concept of the separation and of the actions of its two chief participants has been passed down to mankind, and has become so fixed in the minds of men that any attempt to correct it will undoubtedly seem to many to be biased against Wesley and severely slanted in Whitefield’s favor.

Ten years later, however, having occasion then to recall the treatment he had experienced at the hands of the two Wesleys, in a letter to Lady Huntington Whitefield stated:

It is good for me that I have been supplanted, despised, censured, maligned, judged and separated from my nearest dearest friends. By this I have found the faithfulness of Him who is the friend of friends… and to be content that He to whom all hearts are open…now sees…the uprightness of my intentions to all mankind. (8)

During these days Whitefield was assisted by a young man, John Cennick. Cennick was a very gracious man, but a powerful preacher, and the anointing of God was upon him. From this time onward he played a very important part in Whitefield’s life.

Whitefield pressed on with his ministry, and by the time he had been in England four and a half months, his work had returned to so healthy a state that he felt able to leave it and respond to the many invitations he had received from Scotland.

_________________________________________________________________________

1. Whitefield: Life and Times, Volume 2, p.45.
2. Ibid., p.46.
3. Ibid., p.44.
4. An Letter to the Rev. Mr. John Wesley in Answer to His Sermon Entitled “Free Grace”; Whitefield: Life and Times, Volume 2, p. 552.
5. Introduction to Sermon “Free Grace,” found in any issue of Wesley’s Works; Whitefield: Life and Times, Volume 2, p. 56.
6. Ibid., pp. 71-73.
7. Ibid., pp. 76, 77.
8. Whitefield’s Works, Volume 2, p. 466; Whitefield: Life and Times, Volume 2, p. 77.

OUR FIRST BAPTISM!

2010-09-18T11:44:00.000-07:00

Madison is a new believer and wanted to be baptized. On Thursday we went to a small river on the outskirts of the city to perform this blessed ordinance. Praise the Lord!

The Real John Wesley Part 1

2010-09-16T01:18:00.000-07:00

I picked up this book a while ago and greatly recommend it. It's a biography about one of the greatest evangelists that has ever lived, George Whitefield. His life and achievements in the Lord, however, are little known, and are seemingly overshadowed by the reputation and accomplishments of John Wesley. But, as the author if this book clearly demonstrates, historians and biographers can be very selective and biased at times, favoring and focusing upon one individual of their liking, while completely ignoring another--and sometimes even going so far as to slander the reputation of the other with false information (whether this is intentional or not is for the Lord to judge). Such has been the case with the man of God, George Whitefield. Throughout the past two centuries or so, there have been myriads of John Wesley books published, mainly written by Arminian biographers. Some of these books extol Wesley to a very unhealthy degree (I even remember one that stated on the back cover that "God needed a man like Wesley"!!!). Their bias and favoritism is evident, especially with the secondary role they give to Whitefield in the 18th Century awakenings in England and America. Not so with this book, however. It reveals the documented truth about this forgotten hero of the faith, and in so doing unavoidably lifts the proverbial rug, exposing the many inconsistencies of his much revered friend, John Wesley--faults and failings often overlooked by many a biographer.

Hence, I have decided to post some excerpts of the book here to 1) bring a little balance to the spotless, golden image of Wesley that we're often presented with, and 2) to make known the true humility and servanthood of the man, George Whitefield, who by the grace of God alone "labored even more than all of them". May the Lord Jesus Christ receive glory through this.

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Chapter 6: Doctrinal Differences and Sad Divisions(from George Whitefield: God's Anointed Servant in the Great Revival of the Eighteenth Century)

It has long been recognized that there were doctrinal differences between John Wesley and George Whitefield, and the point we have now reached in our narrative is that at which a separation came about between the two men. Since this affair played a highly important part in their lives, we have no choice but to look into it. It has, however, generally been reported in a manner strongly biased in Wesley’s favor, and therefore we must attempt to rectify matters to some extent.

Wesley separated first from the Moravians. He was at the time in association with the Fetter Lane Religious Society, but this body, under the instruction of Peter Bohler, was fast becoming Moravian in doctrine and practice. Bohler, however, soon left for America, and Wesley was not chosen to succeed him.

Count Zindendorf, the gracious but lordly commander of Moravianism, sent instead a man from Germany, Philip Henry Molther. Molther assumed that most members of the Society were not truly converted and, stressing the Stillness Teaching, advocated waiting in quietness till God should plant faith within them. He suggested also that they refrain from partaking of the Sacrament of the Church of England lest they trust in it for salvation.

Some of the people, however, carried this teaching to an extreme. They refused to even attend the services of the Church of England, and a few went so far as to declare they no longer believed in doing good works, lest these also be depended upon to save them.

To Wesley this attitude was a denial of the function of the Church, and in the meetings of the Society he contended against it. In his striving he exaggerated these tendencies and charged that they characterized the entire Moravian movement. He finally led nineteen people out of the Fetter Lane hall and into a Society he had recently formed in a building he termed the Foundery. Thus he also removed himself from being subject to the superior rank of Count Zindendorf.

Wesley next separated from Whitefield. Upon leaving Bristol Whitefield had “conjured” him, said Wesley, “to enter into no disputes, least of all concerning Predestination…” (1) Predestination is a doctrine essential to “Calvinism,” a theological system he knew Whitefield favored. But Wesley had been taught, particularly by his mother, to believe the opposite system, known as “Arminianism.”

A recent development, however, made Whitefield’s counsel, “enter into no disputes”, difficult for Wesley to follow. Under Wesley’s ministry people had begun to undergo convulsion-like attacks, causing them to lie on the ground writhing, and he reports instances in which four strong men could not hold one who was subject to this experience. Charles Wesley spoke of the experience as “the fits,” and Whitefield also expressed his dislike of it. These inexplicable events took place only under John Wesley’s ministry, and he was certain that they were supernatural signs which God was effecting through him alone.

Thus far Wesley’s position in the evangelistic work was secondary. Whitefield had the great congregations; he had begun the open-air ministry and had thrust Wesley into undertaking it too. But Wesley possessed inherited traits that made it natural for him to desire prime position, and it was this ability that God later used in making him the leader that he became. But as Robert Southey stated, “If he was incapable of bearing with an equal, Wesley could as little brook a superior,” (2) and it was not surprising that he would seek to make himself superior to Whitefield, as he had to Count Zindendorf and as he would later to Lady Huntington.

In the sermon, which he termed “Free Grace,” (3) Wesley began by defining predestination. He did not state some recognized definition, but gave it a meaning of his own, and then declared that all who hold the doctrine must hold it in the same extreme sense. He then went on to assert concerning predestination,

It is a doctrine full of blasphemy, of such blasphemy as I should dread to mention, but the honour of our gracious God and the cause of truth, will not suffer me to be silent…I will mention a few of the horrible blasphemies contained in this horrible doctrine.

This doctrine represents our blessed Lord, “Jesus Christ the righteous” as an hypocrite, a deceiver of the people, a man void of common sincerity.

This is the blasphemy clearly contained in the horrible decree of predestination! And here I fix my foot. On this I join issue with every assertor of it. You represent God as worse than the devil; more false, more cruel, more unjust…

Having made these assertions, Wesley adopted for the sake of argument a position in which he supposed the doctrine of predestination to be true, and from that position he thus addressed the Devil:

Thou fool, why dost thou roar about any longer? Thy lying in wait for souls is as needles and useless as our preaching. Hearest thou not that God hath taken thy work out of thy hands; and that He doeth it more effectively? Thou, with all thy principalities and powers canst only assault that we may resist thee; but He can irresistibly destroy both body and soul in hell!

O how would the enemy of God and man rejoice to hear these things were so! How would he cry aloud and spare not! How would he lift up his voice and say, “To your tents, O Israel! Flee from the face of this God, or ye shall utterly perish!” But whither will ye flee? Into heaven? He is there. Down to hell? He is there also. Ye cannot flee from an omnipresent tyrant…

We do Wesley no wrong in assessing his motives in separating from the Moravians and from Whitefield. He definitely believed the Moravians were at fault in their failure to use the Sacrament of the Church of England; and even though he had not correctly understood Calvinism, he was sincerely certain it was erroneous. But he also possessed a sense of his own superiority and a mighty ambition, and these tendencies were basic to his actions.

Wesley shortly went to London, and Whitefield had him preach immediately to a great audience. “The Lord give him ten thousand times more success than He has given me,” (4) he prayed, and he went on to have him preach also to his Moorfields and Kennington congregations.

Wesley returned to Bristol, but when Whitefield heard of his sermon he wrote to him saying, “I hear, Honoured Sir, that you are about to print a sermon against predestination. It shocks me to think of it! What will be the consequences but controversy? ...Silence on both sides will be best.” (5)

However, in his declaration, “Here I fix my foot! On this I join issue with every assessor of it!” Wesley had vowed contention. The lot had said, “Preach and Print,” and it would not be long before he sent this divisive sermon throughout the land.

Wesley now began also to declare a still more divisive doctrine, that which he named “Christian Perfection.” (6)

He did not, however, clearly define this teaching. Rather he left it in two forms, and they were contradictory. It could mean merely a high state of Christian maturity, and, of course, on this definition there was no difference of opinion. But it could also mean a state of entire sinlessness, and concerning this the strongest of differences existed. Yet it was this latter meaning that Wesley constantly presented, and this was the doctrine’s only raison d’être.

Whitefield hard various of Wesley’s followers claim that they were perfect, declaring that they had not sinned in so many weeks or months, and to him the assertion was both un-Scriptural and dangerous.

Personal holiness was an important element of Whitefield’s daily life. Statements to this effect abound in his letters and sermons, and he summed up his attitude in saying,

Every grace that is in the blessed Jesus is to be transplanted into our hearts; we are to be delivered from the power of sin but not from the indwelling and being of sin in this life. Hereafter we are to be preserved blameless, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing.

Howell Harris’ views in this matter agreed entirely with those of Whitefield, and during these days Harris exhorted a friend,

Rest not till you have the Spirit of God continually bearing witness with your spirit that you are born of God; …see that faith grows, and then Love, Meekness, Brokenness of heart, Godly sorrow, Resignation of will, Humility, Holy fear, watchfulness, tenderness of conscience, and all other graces will grow.

These doctrinal differences enabled Wesley to begin a cause of his own—his own branch of Methodism. He erected a small building at Bristol, the New Room, and had Whitefield come and join together the two main Societies. Using it as his Bristol meeting-place, he termed his movement “The United Societies.” As we have seen, he also acquired a building in London, the Foundery, and this he made his headquarters. Though Charles opposed the convulsion experiences, he agreed to join John on other matters, and together they pursued their cause with unremitting zeal.

During these months Whitefield entered into a friendship with a young lady, Elizabeth Delamotte. Her father, Thomas Delamotte, was the master of a grand mansion, Blendon Hall, at Bexley, a few miles southeast of London. Thomas also operated a sugar-importing business in London, and while there he and members of his family attended the Fetter Lane Society. Elizabeth and her sister had professed conversion under the influence of Charles Wesley, and the home frequently resounded with the singing of hymns and the voice of prayer.

Whitefield was then expecting at any time to board the vessel that would carry him to America, and he needed to be near the downriver ports. Thus, at Thomas’ invitation he became a guest at Blendon Hall, but ranged out daily on his ministry. He had never allowed himself a close friendship with any member of the opposite sex, but now, although he fought against the tendency, he found an affection for Elizabeth forcing itself into his heart.

As the time of his departure drew near, knowing that he would be out of England for a year or more, Whitefield overlooked Wesley’s divisive actions and informed his numerous followers in Bristol, Gloucester, and London that Wesley would lead them during his absence. Then, on Monday, August 13, 1739, he dined with the Delamottes, of whom he speaks as “my dear weeping friends,” and they accompanied him to Gravesend where his vessel was ready to sail.

Thus, with these two matters upon his mind—his dread of the division being caused by Wesley and his affection for Elizabeth Delamotte—Whitefield set out on his second visit to America.

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1. John Wesley’s Letters, Volume 1, p. 302.

2. Robert Southey, Life of Wesley, Volume 2 (London: Longmans 1858), p. 208.

3. Sermon “Free Grace,” found in various editions of Wesley’s Works, and in Sermons on Several Occasions by the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., Volume 3 (London: Mason,, 1847), p. 359; Whitefield: Life and Times, pp. 310-313.

4. Ibid., p.315.

5. Ibid.

6. Ibid., pp. 316, 317. Also John Wesley, A Plain Account of Christian Perfection (London: Epworth, n.d.) pp. 15, 16.

La Serpiente en el Desierto ("The Serpent in the Wilderness")

2010-09-14T21:17:00.000-07:00

Preaching the Gospel in Centro (SPANISH ONLY).

HIMSELF!

2010-09-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

Himself, by A.B. Simpson. This is one of my favorite hymns. Oh how we desperately need more of Christ!

Once it was the blessing,
Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling,
Now it is His Word;
Once His gift I wanted,
Now, the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing,
Now Himself alone.

Refrain

All in all forever,
Jesus will I sing;
Everything in Jesus,
And Jesus everything.

Once ’twas painful trying,
Now ’tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation,
Now the uttermost;
Once ’twas ceaseless holding,
Now He holds me fast;
Once ’twas constant drifting,
Now my anchor’s cast.

Refrain

Once ’twas busy planning,
Now ’tis trustful prayer;
Once ’twas anxious caring,
Now He has the care;
Once ’twas what I wanted,
Now what Jesus says;
Once ’twas constant asking,
Now ’tis ceaseless praise.

Refrain

Once it was my working,
His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him,
Now He uses me;
Once the pow’r I wanted,
Now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored,
Now for Him alone.

Refrain

Once I hoped in Jesus,
Now I know He’s mine;
Once my lamps were dying,
Now they brightly shine;
Once for death I waited,
Now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored
Safe within the veil.

Refrain

http://nethymnal.org/htm/h/i/m/himself.htm