John

Reformed Baptist, Single Dad of a tremendous 10 year old boy, USAF veteran, #Bitcoin, #Carnivore, Soli Deo Gloria!

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Last Notes

2024-08-08 14:54:39 UTC

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I bought one from Deer Run, but the motor just died after 2 months. Looks like I need something of higher quality.

2024-05-28 20:29:35 UTC

New article in the local paper by my pastor. Answering the internet: What about cremation?
https://www.qcsunonline.com/story/2024/05/29/opinion/answering-the-internet-what-about-cremation/25953.html
"The most popular Google search about the Bible is, “What does the Bible say about cremation?”
The short answer to that: Nothing.
When God decides not to give us a rule, this is because, either way, there is no harm done and we should not be in the business of making rules to govern non-issues.
The bottom line on cremation seems to be, what we do to deal with the remains of our lives is only a temporary solution.
The Bible teaches a future, general resurrection of the dead. It’s called general, because all the dead will be raised to life again. So, whatever we do with a dead body in the here-and-now, that’s a temporary thing.
Now, no one is ever honorably cremated in Scripture, and the burning of a dead body was often a public way of signaling the extreme displeasure of either God or the kings. For instance, a king tried to burn Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, quite unsuccessfully.
A character named Achan, along with his family, committed idolatry as soon as Israel entered Canaan. They were stoned to death and then their bodies were burned. The burning had the effect of scattering them to the wind, literally, so that they would have no place in the Promised Land. Burial had the opposite effect. It made sure you stayed in the land of your inheritance until Judgment Day.
In the millennia since then, millions of believers have had their bodies burned, after cruel tyrants murdered them in various, innovative ways. Or the burning was how they were slain. Either way, the Gospel hope in that situation is that God is fully capable of raising them from the dead on the last day, regardless of how their physical remains have been scattered or lost. Science suggests that a physical copy of your body could be produced from a single cell, by cloning. I bet God can do better than that.
Multitudes of Christians were devoured by lions in the Roman arenas. Their only burial was in the stomachs of the beasts. God’s intention to grant his people new life for eternity will not be foiled by any of this.
So, the issue of what happens to your body after you die is ultimately a non-issue. Again, God made no rule or law about it. What we see in the Bible about burial are human customs in action. They may be well-intentioned and even honorable customs, but they have no power to bind the conscience or make demands of you.
I, for one, will not counsel a grieving family that they must compound their loss of a loved one by now destroying their finances to pay for a burial because of “custom.” Cremation with a Christian service or memorial is just fine.
You came from dust. You will return there. The method or mode of your return, or the various intentions of those who dispose of your remains will not affect this outcome.
We ought to be far more concerned with this: “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27)."
Gordan Runyan is pastor of Tucumcari’s Immanuel Baptist Church and author of “Radical Moses: The Amazing Civil Freedom Built into Ancient Israel.” Contact him at: reformnm@yahoo.com
#faith #bible #christian

2024-05-16 13:12:45 UTC

New article in the local paper by my pastor: You can trust modern translations.
https://www.qcsunonline.com/story/2024/05/15/opinion/you-can-trust-modern-translations/25910.html
"My last column addressed the objection that says the Bible can’t be trusted because of how often it has been translated and hand-copied through the centuries.
My point was that the documented history (in over 5,000 ancient manuscripts) shows the result is really the opposite. That is, the many manuscripts, from different centuries and regions, prove there has been stunning consistency over the last 2,500 or so years. By comparing old ones with newer ones, we can see plainly where any copyist errors or bad translations were made.
This is not something that only Evangelical scholars believe. Renowned atheist scholar, Bart Erhman, agrees: You may hate what it says, but there’s no denying that the New Testament we possess today is the same as the one possessed by the church in the first several centuries of Christianity.
This raises a question about translations of the Bible. If we admit that humans can and do make errors when translating from, say, Hebrew into English or Spanish, what does that say about the reliability of our modern translations? Well, it means that a translation that compares well with all the ancient data, being fundamentally faithful, can be trusted.
It means that a decent translation of the Bible into your native tongue can and should be received as the inspired word of God. It doesn’t mean, though, that we must believe in perfect or infallible translations. It just means that you will come across places in your study where it will be helpful to compare the translation you’re reading with others. Most modern Bibles, in fact, point this out with little notes explaining there is some question about which is the better English word in this place or another.
The historic, Protestant view is that inspiration resides in the original Scripture as it was first written. When Paul signed his name to one of his letters, that autographed copy is what was inspired. Inspiration didn’t extend to the hand-written copies that were made. However, it is precisely because of those copies that it’s reasonable to say, though we no longer have those originals, we know what they said. The relatively few places where we have any doubt at all about a word or phrase, the choice is generally between two options, neither of which change any Bible doctrines at all.
The Bible itself treats translations in this manner: a faithful translation may be considered the word of the Lord. When the New Testament quotes the Old Testament, it overwhelmingly quotes from the ancient Greek translation of the original Hebrew, and freely calls the Greek rendering God’s word.
We have to keep in mind which documents were inspired: the originals. No translation has to be considered specially inspired in order for us to trust that we have the word of God with us. A plethora of basically faithful translations helps us in this regard, since they can be compared with each other, and with all the ancient documents.
The bottom line is, though we don’t possess the original letters of Peter, for instance, your modern Bible tells you what that original said, and there is no evidence-based reason to doubt this."
Gordan Runyan is pastor of Tucumcari’s Immanuel Baptist Church and author of “Radical Moses: The Amazing Civil Freedom Built into Ancient Israel.” Contact him at: reformnm@yahoo.com
#faith #bible #christian

2024-05-01 00:42:31 UTC

New article by my pastor: Bible not corrupted by translations. https://www.qcsunonline.com/story/2024/05/01/opinion/bible-not-corrupted-by-translations/25872.html
“Pastor, how can you believe in the Bible when it’s been translated so many times?”
That’s a common objection. Meaning no insult, but it’s an argument based on ignorance. The objector doesn’t know anything about how the Bible came to be and assumes the worst: a shadowy history littered with corruptions both accidental and nefarious.
It’s assumed that we got the Scriptures through a process much like the old party game, “Phone Message.”
In that game, you line up several children in a row. A long sentence is told to the first child. He takes off running, around a cone, and then comes back and whispers the sentence he was told to the next kid. When you get to the last child, there’s the punchline. You have the last one recite what he thinks he heard, and everybody gets a good laugh at how mangled the message has become, compared to what the first child was actually told.
People think we got the Bible that way. Or, they assume the process is something like making old Xerox copies, and then making copies of the copies, until the document is ugly and hard to read.
But if I write a book in English and then three friends translate my book into their native languages (say French, Spanish, and German) that has no effect on the book I wrote. None at all. It still says what it says when I typed the words, “The End.”
Now, one of the friends may have made some translational errors. Maybe he’s not so great at English after all. OK, that’s not hard to spot, because eventually we’ll run across someone who knows both languages and can highlight the errors. So what should be done? We just make a new translation, hoping to improve on previous efforts. We still have the original book for making comparisons.
In that process, no matter how many times it’s repeated, it doesn’t change what was originally written. The same is true for making hand-written copies: as long as we have the source document, we can spot inaccuracies and correct our work.
There are in existence right now over 5,000 ancient manuscripts of Scripture and lots of ancient translations into other languages. In some cases, the source documents we’re working with date to several hundred years B.C.
We have copies from many time periods and geographical regions. We have enough to say with certainty that the Phone Message game is not what happened here. How do we know?
Because the older copies say the same thing, overwhelmingly, as all the later copies. The medieval era Latin carries the same message as the Hebrew and Greek from 300 A.D. If somebody made huge errors along the way, or the Council of Nicea (for instance) had forced a bunch of wholesale changes, that would be very easy to spot.
We have all the receipts, as the kids say. We can spot all the issues, like missing words, misspellings, and transposed numbers. There are modern English translations that will even show you where all those places are.
Nobody’s hiding any of this. There’s no need. You have the Bible God intended.
Gordan Runyan is pastor of Tucumcari’s Immanuel Baptist Church and author of “Radical Moses: The Amazing Civil Freedom Built into Ancient Israel.” Contact him at: reformnm@yahoo.com.
#faith #bible #christian

2024-04-23 13:33:04 UTC

From my pastor: MOST EMBARRASSING FAILED DISPENSATIONAL PROPHECIES, candidate five
"Antichrist Identification"
First off, even calling the End Times supervillain THE Antichrist is biblically shaky. "The Man of Sin" or the First Beast or the Little Horn would be more correct. (John describes "antichrist" as a spirit, not an individual man.) But Antichrist is easily the most marketable of those labels so we'll run with it.
The embarrassing bit I'm referencing is the cascade of wrong guesses that have flowed out, and continue to flow out, from believers who have the Revelation open, highlighter in hand, while watching Fox News.
I don't have a lot of memories before the 70's but I've been alive to see every President of the US, the USSR and Russia, and Israel since then; plus the Prime Ministers of every prominent European power, plus every Pope; plus anyone who achieved any sort of world-status in international affairs, identified as the Antichrist. In fact, just hours before I wrote this post, a FB friend suggested (I think seriously) President Macron of France. This paragraph has probably only scratched the surface of the constant stream of guesses that have all come up false.
At least, with guessing the timing of the Rapture, we have a warning from Jesus that no man knows the day. That doesn't stop those bad guesses, but I'm thinking it probably does curb them a bit. With the Antichrist, there's no such warning against trying to identify him, and so the wrong guesses fly like clay pigeons at a skeet shoot.
If this is what your interpretive scheme produces in every place it's taught, a non-stop avalanche of false warnings, don't you have to consider that the underlying problem is systemic?
#faith #bible #christian #endtimes

2024-04-23 13:32:40 UTC

From my pastor: Consider these two minutes to be part four of my expose' of Dispensational prophecy failure. Thanks for the convenient assist, Pastor Baldwin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-YRsY03rLo
#faith #bible #christian #endtimes

2024-04-23 13:31:36 UTC

From my pastor: MOST EMBARRASSING FAILED DISPENSATIONAL PROPHECIES, candidate three
“The Third Temple”
Immediately, I’ll be met with this answer, even before I start explaining anything. The Dispensationalist will say, “It’s coming, though! You just wait! You call it failed now, but what if it gets built in the next twenty years?”
The issue is timing, though. The same believer who says, “Just wait!” also believes the Rapture could happen later today, and we’d be in the End Times seven-year period called the Great Tribulation. They see this period described in (roughly) Revelation 6-18. Everything in this section has to be done in the seven years immediately following the Rapture.
The issue is that Revelation 11:1-2 has a temple in Jerusalem, being trampled down and overrun by the nations for 42 months, or the second half of the seven years. This means the temple has to be up and running at this point, midway through the Great Tribulation.
I realize that there are a number of groups that currently advocate for building a new temple in Jerusalem. I’ve seen reports talking about all the resources and items they’ve amassed that could be used in its construction.
The very same sorts of stories were being excitedly shared among the Dispensationalists when I was converted to Christ in 1989. I read them and was thrilled by them. Then some old-timers off-handedly mentioned that those stories had been told and repeated for decades already, even at that time.
Now, again, with the caveat that God can do anything at any time, a quick look at the political situation will yield (to the mind of anyone without a Dispensationalist agenda) that any new temple in Jerusalem is nowhere on the horizon.
But, but, the Rapture could happen today! And that’s the big failure of the Dispensational scheme here: For the Rapture to be imminent, the new temple needs to be at least mostly complete. In the world we actually live in, this is a pipe dream. If the temple isn’t right around the corner, then neither is the Great Tribulation. It is a failure of the system that its leaders have been confidently calling it imminent (any moment now!) for at least 80 years.
#faith #bible #christian #endtimes

2024-04-23 13:31:09 UTC

From my pastor: MOST EMBARRASSING FAILED PROPHECIES OF DISPENSATIONALISM, candidate two
“The Revived Roman Empire”
The concept here is that, in the End Times, there will be a renewal or replay of the ancient Roman Empire. The Antichrist will be at its head, of course. It will consist of 10 member states and will be a terrifying force to be reckoned with, like no military power before it
.
As with all the other Dispensational fancies, this one only survives by hiding behind that well-worn, gossamer dodge that says, “Yes, I know it hasn’t come to pass like we said it would, but God can make it happen in the future!”
But everything you’ve pointed at with great seriousness and excitement as a possible, present fulfillment has fallen away, even though you’ve been willing to stretch and mangle your own terms beyond recognition.
The failure in it is this: You think the Rapture is imminent. You believe the Great Tribulation could start tomorrow. But your own system absolutely must have Italy, and Rome specifically, as the head of the world-conquering military alliance mentioned above. It has to be up and running at the beginning of the seven years. You believe the ultimate Final Boss will go out “conquering and to conquer” at the onset.
At the very least you are of two minds. You think the Tribulation could begin today, but there is no hint of the Beast’s Italian end-times army mustered anywhere.
The very idea of such an army is laughable. God can do what He wants, but as things stand today, the idea is ludicrous: Italy currently spends a little more than Australia on its military, well behind several other European nations, and military powerhouses like Japan and South Korea. Its military size ranks at #31 in the world, behind behemoths like Eritrea and Morocco.
Now, to their credit, Dispensationalists have recognized for decades how inconvenient this is for their system and have sought to soften the blow of failure by suggesting that maybe “Empire” can mean “treaty organization” or “trade summit”.
And maybe it could be called Roman if Italy is simply a member, and not actually in charge of it. Maybe the United Nations armed troops qualify as some reflection of ancient Rome’s brutal conquerors who crushed whole countries. Only blind allegiance to a system, regardless of truth, could account for this word-salad twisting.
The European Union began in 1993 and many Dispensationalists were all a-flutter when the tenth member joined. This must be it! It’s all winding down now, baby! Well, the prophetically mandatory number of ten was quickly surpassed. There are well over 30 member states now.
Hey, believe what you will about what this “Roman Empire” must look like in its End Times incarnation. Knock yourself out. You just can’t consistently also believe that you could be raptured out of here at any time. That empire has to be ready to roll, as many things have to happen in a very short period.
You’ve seen what trouble it’s been for a well-funded, legitimate military force (Russia) to try to take over a single, much less powerful nation. And you think Italy is on the verge of conquering ten? C’mon.
Again, God can do what He wants, but at some point shouldn’t you be willing to go back and reassess your theories?
#faith #bible #christian #endtimes

2024-04-23 13:30:39 UTC

From my pastor: MOST EMBARRASSING DISPENSATIONAL FAILED PROPHECY, Candidate one:
"The Generation of the Fig Tree."
First popularized by Hal Linsey when I was a kid, this theory states that the end of the world will occur within one generation from the formation of the modern nation of Israel in 1948.
Up until Jan 1, 1989, Dispensationalists taught that a Biblical generation is 40 years. Calvary Chapel icon Chuck Smith specified that the Rapture would happen in '81, to fit in the seven years of Great Tribulation prior to '88.
Once those dates passed, as you can imagine, a bunch of scrambling and scurrying happened in a giant CYA effort. Maybe the first year of the fig tree generation should not be 1948, but 1967 when Israel got control of Jerusalem. Then 2007 came and went and the world stubbornly failed to end.
The current, latest panic-mod of the theory is that a biblical generation can be as much as 80 years, which gives them until 2028. But it really doesn't because we're only about 4 years out and the 7 year Tribulation hasn't started (it's 3 years late).
At some point, please. Just stop. The problem isn't with your math but with your interpretive scheme.
For some receipts on all this start here: http://calvarychapel.pbworks.com/w/page/13146568/1981#Quote%20from%20Chuck's%20Own%20Hand
#faith #bible #christian #endtimes

2024-04-01 11:33:22 UTC

My pastor just published a 40-day devotional through Psalm 51, and it's outstanding. https://www.amazon.com/Longing-Light-Forty-through-Valley-ebook/dp/B0CY38CCGQ
"This series of 40 daily meditations is taken from King David's iconic prayer of repentance, the 51st Psalm.
Deepen your walk with a devotional guide that manages to teach solid theology while also touching the tender heart.
This book would be a wonderful personal study for the penitent believer during the season of Lent, written from an Evangelical Baptist perspective.
Experience true repentance. Understand concepts like grace, faith, and forgiveness in a deeper, more biblical way."
#faith #bible #christian
https://m.primal.net/HqNf.jpg

2024-03-31 15:58:00 UTC

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Reformed Baptist here

2024-03-30 13:37:48 UTC

"Jesus didn't die boldly & publicly for you to live your faith timidly & privately."--Shane Pruitt
#faith #bible #christian

2024-03-30 13:35:11 UTC

"The Easter takeaway is not that Jesus died and went to heaven so that we can die and go to heaven.
It's that Jesus was resurrected in order to resurrect — and redeem — the entire cosmos."--Andrew Sandlin
#faith #bible #christian

2024-03-27 19:36:05 UTC

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Thank you so much! I feel like I smashed the interview. The Lord's will be done!

2024-03-27 14:58:19 UTC

Job interview #2 with a company for an IT support position is today. Prayers appreciated!

2024-03-25 18:06:21 UTC

My latest sermon: Being left behind is good, actually.
https://pca.st/4jjp783m
#faith #bible #christian

2024-03-08 13:31:42 UTC

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Yes, I'm blessed to get to hear him. We are both Heiserites! I will pass this along to him.

2024-03-03 20:47:45 UTC

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They decided to keep Alia in the womb. I understand the choice and though it was done well.

2024-02-27 15:40:33 UTC

My son's mom was in a fatal car accident yesterday. She survived, but her passenger did not.
Life is short, folks. None of us are promised today or even tomorrow.
Are you ready to meet Jesus?
#faith #bible #christian

2024-02-15 13:15:26 UTC

"The call of the Great Commission is to ensure that every nation has Jesus as its God. The Great Commission requires the transformation and Christianization of every nation on earth." -Rich Lusk
Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
#faith #bible #christian

2024-02-07 12:04:59 UTC

New article in the local paper by my pastor: Redemption demands brutal honesty. https://www.qcsunonline.com/story/2024/02/07/opinion/redemption-demands-brutal-honesty/25571.html
"Psalm 51:5 – “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
David is direct, even blunt, here. He’s not sugar-coating anything. Even so, these words are routinely misunderstood, especially by new readers of the Bible, or older ones who’ve never paid attention.
The sense is the same as if he had said, “I was born into the tribe of Judah, and therefore Judah is my tribe.”
Only, here, the tribe in question is that one we call “humanity.” As cats bring forth cats, and dogs have litters of puppies, so the descendants of Adam and Eve have babies well outside the Garden of Eden. The Fall has happened, and Paradise has been lost.
As Paul would later explain, even the youngest humans, who haven’t sinned yet (like Adam did) are under the umbrella of his punishment, subjected to a lifetime of toil and death. Babies die, not because they sinned, but because that’s the end of all the members of their tribe.
David’s mother didn’t sin by becoming pregnant. Adam and Eve were told to make babies before they messed everything up. They were told to populate the earth before sin was an issue.
David was from a long line of sinners. You can see how he might have been tempted to use that as an excuse, wrestling with God over his gross violations of the commands. He might’ve said, “C’mon, what do you expect of me, Lord? You know who and what I am. In fact, you are in charge of all that. If you create me with a nature that is inclined to sin, how can you condemn me for sinning?”
We hear things like this all the time. That’s not how David is using the concept.
He’s honestly owning his personal corruption. He’s admitting that he is a sinner from the top of his head to the soles of his feet, and lower than that, at a foundational level: From root to fruit, so to speak, and including the soil.
Even so, let’s answer the hypothetical question: If you made me a sinner, how can you be angry at my sin? Well, because, O king, God has loaded you down with benefits and graces. He’s revealed himself to you. You’ve heard his voice. You’ve experienced amazing tokens of his salvation. You’ve communed with his Spirit. You’ve had the word, and it has delighted you as it taught you.
At some point, shouldn’t there be a payoff for all these acts of his love toward you? How much would he need to do before he’d have a right to expect you won’t go around murdering people?
That’s what David is coming to grips with. It’s not just that he’s done things. But he did them in the face of the mighty acts of God on his behalf. He’s unworthy, ungodly, and undeserving … all the way down.
And you, Christian, living in a better covenant than David could have fathomed, because of the Messiah, Jesus, the son of David, what will your own excuse be? From the one to whom much is given, much will be expected."
Gordan Runyan is pastor of Tucumcari’s Immanuel Baptist Church and author of “Radical Moses: The Amazing Civil Freedom Built into Ancient Israel.” Contact him at: reformnm@yahoo.com
#faith #bible #christian

2024-01-29 15:18:21 UTC

Dynamite sermon from Pastor Jeff Durbin on the unique authority of Scripture over and against all other authorities.
Sola Scriptura & Rome, Pt 1 | 2 Timothy 3:16-17
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ7lIRhi3VE
#faith #bible #christian #solascriptura

2023-12-31 14:31:12 UTC

Stolen from X:
If Christianity is just about control and secularism is about freedom, why are there 613 laws in the Bible and literally millions of laws in this secular theocracy we call the United States?
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-29 16:23:50 UTC

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Oneism is such garbage.

2023-12-26 15:09:57 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (December 26th)
God Only, You Can Trust
Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended — Matthew 26:33
"Why," cries one, "this is no promise of God." Just so, but it was a promise of man, and therefore it came to nothing. Peter thought that he was saying what he should assuredly carry out; but a promise which has no better foundation than a human resolve will fall to the ground. No sooner did temptations arise than Peter denied his Master, and used oaths to confirm his denial.
What is man's word? An earthen pot broken with a stroke. What is your own resolve? A blossom, which, with God's care, may come to fruit, but which, left to itself, will fall to the ground with the first wind that moves the bough.
On man's word hang only what it will bear.
On thine own resolve depend not at all.
On the promise of thy God hang time and eternity, this world and the next, thine all and the all of all thy beloved ones.
This volume is a checkbook for believers, and this page is meant as a warning as to what bank they draw upon, and whose signature they accept. Rely upon Jesus without limit. Trust not thyself nor any born of woman, beyond due bounds; but trust thou only and wholly in the Lord.
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-22 16:38:52 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (December 22nd)
Immediately Present
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble — Psalm 46:1
A help that is not present when we need it is of small value. The anchor which is left at home is of no use to the seaman in the hour of storm; the money which he used to have is of no worth to the debtor when a writ is out against him. Very few earthly helps could be called "very present": they are usually far in the seeking, far in the using, and farther still when once used. But as for the Lord our God, He is present when we seek Him, present when we need Him, and present when we have already enjoyed His aid.
He is more than "present," He is very present. More present than the nearest friend can be, for He is in us in our trouble; more present than we are to ourselves, for sometimes we lack presence of mind. He is always present, effectually present, sympathetically present, altogether present. He is present now if this is a gloomy season. Let us rest ourselves upon Him. He is our refuge, let us hide in Him; He is our strength, let us array ourselves with Him; He is our help, let us lean upon Him; He is our very present help, let us repose in Him now. We need not have a moment's care, or an instant's fear. "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge."
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-21 12:00:01 UTC

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I miss Heiser! Recently started the Naked Bible podcast at episode 1.

2023-12-19 12:57:37 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (December 19th)
Afflictions, but No Broken Bones
He keepeth all his bones; not one of them is broken — Psalm 34:20
This promise by the context is referred to the much afflicted righteous man: "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." He may suffer skin-wounds and flesh-wounds, but no great harm shall be done, "not a bone of him shall be broken."
This is great comfort to a tried child of God, and comfort which I dare accept; for up to this hour I have suffered no real damage from my many afflictions. I have neither lost faith, nor hope, nor love. Nay, so far from losing these bones of character, they have gained in strength and energy. I have more knowledge, more experience, more patience, more stability than I had before the trials came. Not even my joy has been destroyed. Many a bruise have I had by sickness, bereavement, depression, slander, and opposition; but the bruise has healed, and there has been no compound fracture of a bone, not even a simple one. The reason is not far to seek. If we trust in the Lord, He keeps all our bones; and if He keeps them, we may be sure that not one of them is broken.
Come, my heart, do not sorrow. Thou art smarting, but there are no bones broken. Endure hardness, and bid defiance to fear.
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-18 17:21:32 UTC

#faith #bible #christian #bitcoin
https://image.nostr.build/18df528ce14e89522cdd8c995f5e5af6d9a16cef77ad3c18e7b6333475f490ef.jpg#m=image%2Fjpeg&dim=600x600&blurhash=U9B%3A%3A3jb00V%5B%3F%5DofVsj%5B00Rj.8jbInV%5BofWB&x=9c203b1d141f7588db53deea072a90b25e6f4cbd535ce4beb2bbb3cdaca3ab52

2023-12-18 12:47:24 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (December 18th)
Defended and Covered
As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem — Isaiah 31:5
With hurrying wing the mother bird hastens up to the protection of her young. She wastes no time upon the road when coming to supply them with food, or guard them from danger. Thus as on eagle's wings will the Lord come for the defense of His chosen; yea, He will ride upon the wings of the wind.
With outspread wing the mother covers her little ones in the nest. She hides them away by interposing her own body. The hen yields her own warmth to her chicks, and makes her wings a house, in which they dwell at home. Thus doth Jehovah Himself become the protection of His elect. He Himself is their refuge, their abode, their all.
As birds flying, and birds covering (for the word means both), so will the Lord be unto us: and this He will be repeatedly and successfully. We shall be defended and preserved from all evil: the Lord who likens Himself to birds will not be like them in their feebleness, for He is Jehovah of hosts. Let this be our comfort, that almighty love will be swift to succor, and sure to cover. The wing of God is more quick and more tender than the wing of a bird, and we will put our trust under its shadow henceforth and for ever.
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-17 14:48:38 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (December 17th)
Nearest and Dearest Fellowship
So shall we ever be with the Lord — 1 Thessalonians 4:17
While we are here the Lord is with us, and when we are called away we are with Him. There is no dividing the saint from His Saviour. They are one, and they always must be one: Jesus cannot be without His own people, for He would be a Head without a body. Whether caught up into the air, or resting in Paradise, or sojourning here, we are with Jesus; and who shall separate us from Him?
What a joy is this! Our supreme honor, rest, comfort, delight, is to be with the Lord. We cannot conceive of anything which can surpass or even equal this divine society. By holy fellowship we must be with Him in His humiliation, rejection, and travail, and then we shall be with Him in His glory. Before long we shall be with Him in His rest and in His royalty, in His expectation and in His manifestation. We shall fare as He fares, and triumph as He triumphs.
O my Lord, if I am to be for ever with thee, I have a destiny incomparable. I will not envy an archangel. To be for ever with the Lord is my idea of Heaven at its best. Not the harps of gold, nor the crowns unfading, nor the light unclouded, is glory to me; but Jesus, Jesus Himself, and myself for ever with Him in nearest and dearest fellowship.
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-15 16:23:06 UTC

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7 LSB)
Consider these prophetic words, written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. What foundational theological reality undergirds them? What did people have to believe to understand their message and their fulfillment? No Open Theist could make heads or tails of such a prophecy because, of course, the fulfillment would require millions of "free will" decisions made by creatures that, by that system, cannot be known to God. And those who properly recognize the incoherence of open theism are left cobbling together some kind of system that pretends to affirm the biblical statements of God's sovereignty over time while still allowing man to be sovereign over his own fate. But the fact is, one of the key texts we celebrate at this time of year can only be understood when you recognize that "the zeal of Yahweh of armies" will accomplish exactly what He wishes to accomplish, when He wishes to accomplish it, all to His glory and honor. - James White
#faith #bible #christian #opentheism

2023-12-15 16:03:57 UTC

John the Baptist and Jesus preach the coming of the kingdom, the reign of God.
That is to say: In Jesus, God asserts His claim on the world.
Jesus declares to Satan, to demons, to Caesars and Stalins: This world is not yours. It is mine.
That’s the Advent gospel. - Peter Leithart
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-15 14:11:11 UTC

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Malachi 7:8
Do not be glad over me, O my enemy.
Though I fall I will rise;
Though I inhabit the darkness, Yahweh is a light for me.

2023-12-14 16:15:01 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (December 14th)
Nothing Old
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new — Revelation 21:5
Glory be to His name! All things need making new, for they are sadly battered and worn by sin. It is time that the old vesture was rolled up and laid aside, and that creation put on her Sunday suit. But no one else can make all things new except the Lord who made them at the first; for it needs as much power to make out of evil as to make out of nothing. Our Lord Jesus has undertaken the task, and He is fully competent for the performance of it. Already He has commenced His labor, and for centuries He has persevered in making new the hearts of men, and the order of society. By-and-by He will make new the whole constitution of human government, and human nature shall be changed by His grace; and there shall come a day when the body shall be made new, and raised like unto His glorious body.
What a joy to belong to a kingdom in which everything is being made new by the power of its King! We are not dying out: we are hastening on to a more glorious life. Despite the opposition of the powers of evil, our glorious Lord Jesus is accomplishing His purpose, and making us, and all things about us, "new," and as full of beauty as when they first came from the hand of the Lord.
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-14 15:59:52 UTC

Seed oils are trying to kill you! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBoWmIYN4vw #carnivore

2023-12-14 13:08:37 UTC

The gospel is the grand emanation from the fountain of blessedness, an overflow of the Divine goodness. It is the infinitely happy God, pouring forth his happiness upon miserable sinners, through Jesus Christ. — Andrew Fuller
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-12 18:35:04 UTC

New Dune Part 2 trailer. I'm down. https://youtu.be/U2Qp5pL3ovA?si=CDqnHkuRBO69Dwi7 #dune

2023-12-12 13:11:30 UTC

https://m.primal.net/HTdO.jpg #faith #bible #christian

2023-12-11 16:56:54 UTC

He that would be saved by Christ, and not ruled by him, shall not be saved by him at all.
—John Owen
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-11 13:35:25 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (December 11th)
Trust and Do; Do and Trust
Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed — Psalm 37:3
Trust and do are words which go well together, in the order in which the Holy Spirit has placed them. We should have faith, and that faith should work. Trust in God sets us upon holy doing: we trust God for good, and then we do good. We do not sit still because we trust, but we arouse ourselves, and expect the Lord to work through us and by us. It is not ours to worry and do evil, but to trust and do good. We neither trust without doing, nor do without trusting.
Adversaries would root us out, if they could; but by trusting and doing we dwell in the land. We will not go into Egypt, but we will remain in Immanuel's land - the providence of God, the Canaan of covenant love. We are not so easily to be got rid of as the Lord's enemies suppose. They cannot thrust us out, nor stamp us out: where God has given us a name and a place, there we abide.
But what about the supply of our necessities? The Lord has put a "verily" into this promise. As sure as God is true, His people shall be fed. It is theirs to trust and to do, and it is the Lord's to do according to their trust. If not fed by ravens, or fed by an Obadiah, or fed by a widow, yet they shall be fed somehow. Away, ye fears!
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-10 14:54:48 UTC

"Christ upholds God’s Law. And this includes his upholding one of the laws most commonly misunderstood and employed today. This law is often used in arguing against the continuing relevance of God’s Law in the civil sphere. He upholds the law calling for capital punishment for incorrigible criminality. Even the parents of a dangerous individual are expected to turn him over to civil authorities for capital punishment."
https://postmillennialworldview.com/2023/12/01/christ-and-the-rebellious-son-law/
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-09 14:44:17 UTC

There is no such thing as being too great a sinner to be saved.
—Martyn Lloyd-Jones
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-08 21:56:19 UTC

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No, abortion is murder and the mom's who murder their children ought to be prosecuted as murderers.

2023-12-08 17:44:00 UTC

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His oneism and twoism stuff is great. It all boils down to that.

2023-12-06 13:00:25 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (December 6th)
"Through" Not Engulfed
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee — Isaiah 43:2
Bridge there is none: we must go through the waters, and feel the rush of the rivers. The presence of God in the flood is better than a ferry-boat. Tried we must be, but triumphant we shall be; for Jehovah Himself, who is mightier than many waters, shall be with us. Whenever else He may be away from His people, the Lord will surely be with them in difficulties and dangers. The sorrows of life may rise to an extraordinary height, but the Lord is equal to every occasion.
The enemies of God can put in our way dangers of their own making, namely, persecutions and cruel mockings, which are like a burning fiery furnace. What then? We shall walk through the fires. God being with us, we shall not be burned; nay, not even the smell of fire shall remain upon us.
Oh, the wonderful security of the heaven-born and heaven-bound pilgrim! Floods cannot drown him, nor fires burn him. Thy presence, O Lord, is the protection of thy saints from the varied perils of the road. Behold, in faith I commit myself unto thee, and my spirit enters into rest.
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-05 17:54:38 UTC

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Me! I grew up where it was filmed. Didn't become a fan until after I moved away.

2023-12-05 13:03:56 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (December 5th)
High Places of Defense
He shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure — Isaiah 33:16
The man to whom God has given grace to be of blameless life dwells in perfect security.
He dwells on high, above the world, out of gunshot of the enemy, and near to Heaven. He has high aims and motives, and he finds high comforts and company. He rejoices in the mountains of eternal love, wherein he has his abode.
He is defended by munitions of stupendous rock. The firmest things in the universe are the promises and purposes of the unchanging God, and these are the safeguard of the obedient believer.
He is provided for by this great promise, "Bread shall be given him." As the enemy cannot climb the fort, nor break down the rampart, so the fortress cannot be captured by siege and famine. The Lord, who rained manna in the wilderness, will keep His people in good store even when they are surrounded by those who would starve them.
But what if water should fail? That cannot be, "his waters shall be sure." There is a never-failing well within the impregnable fortress. The Lord sees that nothing is wanting. None can touch the citizen of the true Zion. However fierce the enemy, the Lord will preserve His chosen.
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-04 20:58:59 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (December 4th)
Covered and Protected
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler — Psalm 91:4
A condescending simile indeed! Just as a hen protects her brood and allows them to nestle under her wings, so will the Lord defend His people, and permit them to hide away in Him. Have we not seen the little chicks peeping out from under the mother's feathers? Have we not heard their little cry of contented joy? In this way let us shelter ourselves in our God, and feel overflowing peace in knowing that He is guarding us.
While the Lord covers us we trust. It would be strange if we did not. How can we distrust when Jehovah Himself becomes house and home, refuge and rest to us?
This done, we go out to war in His name and enjoy the same guardian care. We need shield and buckler, and when we implicitly trust God, even as the chick trusts the hen, we find His truth arming us from head to foot. The Lord cannot lie; He must be faithful to His people; His promise must stand. This sure truth is all the shield we need. Behind it we defy the fiery darts of the enemy.
Come, my soul, hide under those great wings, lose thyself among those soft feathers! How happy thou art!
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-01 16:25:19 UTC

Oh boy. A guy I follow has bought into flat earth. Watch his video. Are you convinced? Ep. 8 The Firmament, the Flat Earth, and the Glory of God https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xpy9XGUEGzA
#faith #bible #christian

2023-12-01 15:38:43 UTC

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will pursue me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of Yahweh forever.
— Psalm 23:6

2023-11-30 12:53:23 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (November 30th)
God Is in the Front Line
The Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed — Deuteronomy 31:8
In the presence of a great work or a great warfare, here is a text which should help us to buckle on our harness. If Jehovah Himself goes before us, it must be safe to follow. Who can obstruct our progress if the Lord Himself is in the van? Come, brother soldiers, let us make a prompt advance! Why do we hesitate to pass on to victory?
Nor is the Lord before us only; He is with us. Above, beneath, around, within is the omnipotent, omnipresent One. In all time, even to eternity, He will be with us even as He has been. How this should nerve our arm! Dash at it boldly, ye soldiers of the cross, for the Lord of hosts is with us!
Being before us and with us, He will never withdraw His help. He cannot fail in Himself, and He will not fail toward us. He will continue to help us according to our need, even to the end. As He cannot fail us, so He will not forsake us. He will always be both able and willing to grant us strength and succor till fighting days are gone.
Let us not fear nor be dismayed; for the Lord of hosts will go down to the battle with us, will bear the brunt of the fight, and give us the victory.
#faith #bible #christian

2023-11-29 14:40:35 UTC

New article in the local paper by my pastor: Same law governs king and people.
"Israel wandered in the wilderness for a full generation (40 years) without a king, at the beginning of its national history.
In fact, in the first giving of the law, which occurred at Mount Sinai, there was no provision given for a king in Israel at all. Moses was certainly the leader of the new nation, but his governmental function was to serve as the judge of Israel’s supreme court. The law created an appeals court system, with Moses as the court of last appeal. He was not their king.
Under that arrangement, which we call the Old Covenant, God himself was the king of Israel. Again, initially there was no allowance for a human king.
A generation later, the nation stood on the banks of the Jordan River, about to cross over into the land of Canaan. God directed Moses to give the law a second time. This is our Bible book of Deuteronomy. The name combines two Greek words: “deutero” (or, second) and “nomos” (law).
This is not a bare repetition, but contains some expansion here and there, with some additional statutes. Halfway through, we finally get a set of rules for a future, human king over Israel. This is at the end of chapter 17. Israel would make no use of those guidelines, however, for hundreds of years, until the book of 1 Samuel.
It’s noteworthy, at least, that when they took the step of seeking a king, God was not pleased. It represented a rejection of his own rulership over them. However, since he is a God of grace and mercy, he gave the king rules to follow, for the sake of keeping him from becoming the sort of tyrant we all fear, and which, paradoxically, we keep voting into office every four years.
A couple of those commands were meant to remind everybody that the king was accountable to keep the same laws as everyone else. As far as the law was concerned, he didn’t occupy a privileged status. He was bound by all the same rules.
Just because you’re in office, you don’t get special powers or rights. If we can’t do it as citizens, then neither can you as part of the government. I can’t coerce money from my neighbor and call it taxation. You can’t either. No one has that right. Consequently, since that power doesn’t belong to any of us, we can’t get together and give that right to someone else. It’s not ours to give.
This is the point at which our democratic republic has turned idolatrous. We think we, like little gods, can appoint representatives to do our bidding, even if that bidding is flatly immoral. We don’t care: we voted for it, after all, so it’s legal, which means it must be moral.
But there is no magic to putting a man in office. He doesn’t then fall under a different scheme of morality. That official will have his or her own date with judgment and eternity, like the rest of us. And the basis of the judgment will be the same: Did we obey God, or find excuses for going our own way?"
Gordan Runyan is pastor of Tucumcari’s Immanuel Baptist Church and author of “Radical Moses: The Amazing Civil Freedom Built into Ancient Israel.” Contact him at: reformnm@yahoo.com
https://www.qcsunonline.com/story/2023/11/29/opinion/same-law-governs-king-and-people/25363.html
#faith #bible #christian

2023-11-29 12:51:39 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (November 29th)
Know How to Wait
He that believeth shall not make haste — Isaiah 28:16
He shall make haste to keep the Lord's commandments; but he shall not make haste in any impatient or improper sense.
He shall not haste to run away, for he shall not be overcome with the fear which causes panic. When others are flying hither and thither as if their wits had failed them, the believer shall be quiet, calm, and deliberate, and so shall be able to act wisely in the hour of trial.
He shall not haste in his expectations, craving his good things at once and on the spot; but he will wait God's time. Some are in a desperate hurry to have the bird in the hand; for they regard the Lord's promise as a bird in the bush, not likely to be theirs. Believers know how to wait.
He shall not haste by plunging into wrong or questionable action. Unbelief must be doing something, and thus it works its own undoing; but faith makes no more haste than good speed, and thus it is not forced to go back sorrowfully by the way which it followed heedlessly.
How is it with me? Am I believing, and am I therefore keeping to the believer's pace, which is walking with God? Peace, fluttering spirit! Oh, rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him! Heart, see that thou do this at once!
#faith #bible #christian

2023-11-28 13:24:51 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (November 28th)
Doing What God Can Bless
The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto — Deuteronomy 28:8
If we obey the Lord our God He will bless that which He gives us. Riches are no curse when blessed of the Lord. When men have more than they require for their immediate need, and begin to lay up in store-houses, the dry rot of covetousness or the blight of hard-heartedness is apt to follow the accumulation; but with God's blessing it is not so. Prudence arranges the saving, liberality directs the spending, gratitude maintains consecration, and praise sweetens enjoyment. It is a great mercy to have God's blessing in one's iron safe, and on one's banking account.
What a favor is made ours by the last clause! "The Lord shall bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand unto." We would not put our hand to anything upon which we dare not ask God's blessing, neither would we go about it without prayer and faith. But what a privilege to be able to look for the Lord's help in every enterprise! Some talk of a lucky man: the blessing of the Lord is better than luck. The patronage of the great is nothing to the favor of God. Self-reliance is all very well; but the Lord's blessing is infinitely more than all the fruit of talent, genius, or tact.
#faith #bible #christian

2023-11-27 13:21:17 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (November 27th)
Rest in All Thy Goings
And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest — Exodus 33:14
Precious promise! Lord, enable me to appropriate it as all my own.
We must go at certain times from our abode, for here we have no continuing city. It often happens that when we feel most at home in a place, we are suddenly called away from it. Here is the antidote for this ill. The Lord Himself will keep us company. His presence, which includes His favor, His fellowship, His care, and His power, shall be ever with us in every one of our marchings. This means far more than it says; for, in fact, it means all things. If we have God present with us, we have possession of Heaven and earth. Go with me, Lord, and then command me where thou wilt!
But we hope to find a place of rest. The text promises it. We are to have rest of God's own giving, making, and preserving. His presence will cause us to rest even when we are on the march, yea, even in the midst of battle. Rest! Thrice blessed word. Can it ever be enjoyed by mortals? Yes, there is the promise, and by faith we plead it. Rest comes from the Comforter, from the Prince of Peace, and from the glorious Father who rested on the seventh day from all His works. To be with God is to rest in the most emphatic sense.
#faith #bible #christian

2023-11-12 20:38:43 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (November 12th)
Sanctified Souls Are Satisfied
My people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord — Jeremiah 31:14
Note the "my" which comes twice: "My people shall be satisfied with my goodness."
The kind of people who are satisfied with God are marked out as God's own. He is pleased with them, for they are pleased with Him. They call Him their God, and He calls them His people; He is satisfied to take them for a portion, and they are satisfied with Him for their portion. There is a mutual communion of delight between God's Israel and Israel's God.
These people are satisfied. This is a grand thing. Very few of the sons of men are ever satisfied, let their lot be what it may; they have swallowed the horse-leech, and it continually cries, "Give! Give!" Only sanctified souls are satisfied souls. God Himself must both convert us and content us.
It is no wonder that the Lord's people should be satisfied with the goodness of their Lord. Here is goodness without mixture, bounty without stint, mercy without chiding, love without change, favor without reserve. If God's goodness does not satisfy us, what will? What! Are we still groaning? Surely there is a wrong desire within if it be one which God's goodness does not satisfy.
Lord, I am satisfied. Blessed be thy name.
#faith #bible #christian

2023-10-29 19:52:44 UTC

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Amen. "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."

2023-10-28 14:29:57 UTC

"The goal of the gospel is not to transport disembodied souls to heaven but to redeem man in his totality and all creation from sin and its effects." --P. Andrew Sandlin
#faith #bible #christian

2023-10-26 13:21:45 UTC

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I'm right there with you Paul, and I am praying the same thing.

2023-10-25 19:20:10 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (October 25th)
God First, Then Extras
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you — Matthew 6:33
See how the Bible opens: "In the beginning God." Let your life open in the same way. Seek with your whole soul, first and foremost, the kingdom of God, as the place of your citizenship, and His righteousness as the character of your life. As for the rest, it will come from the Lord Himself without your being anxious concerning it. All that is needful for this life and godliness "shall be added unto you."
What a promise this is! Food, raiment, home, and so forth, God undertakes to add to you while you seek Him. You mind His business, and He will mind yours. If you want paper and string, you get them given in when you buy more important goods; and just so all that we need of earthly things we shall have thrown in with the kingdom. He who is an heir of salvation shall not die of starvation; and he who clothes his soul with the righteousness of God cannot be left of the Lord with a naked body. Away with carking care. Set all your mind upon seeking the Lord. Covetousness is poverty, and anxiety is misery: trust in God is an estate, and likeness to God is a heavenly inheritance. Lord, I seek thee, be found of me.
#faith #bible #christian

2023-10-25 12:44:06 UTC

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Agreed! https://theopolisinstitute.com/concerning-halloween/

2023-10-08 00:35:44 UTC

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Specifically, dispensationalists. Their eschatology was made up relatively recently as far as church history goes, but they keep on setting dates for the rapture.

2023-10-05 21:58:37 UTC

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Well said, I'm on board with all of that and I don't see biblical libertarianism conflicting with that at all. Self-government is the foundation of family, church, and civil government. All 4 spheres are separate, but subject to Christ. You described the appeals court process instituted by Moses, the foundation of which was individual families that were supposed to be made up of self-governed individuals.
The state must not swallow up that which belongs to the church, family, or individual. Nor can the church wield the sword against evildoers. The radically minimal biblical system of government recognizes the equal ultimacy of the one and the many, rooted in the Triune nature of God. No man is an island since our behavior is consequential to others, but each individual will give an account of himself to God.

2023-10-05 17:27:41 UTC

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Thanks for the comment Greg. Can you give me an idea of what folks at that site might say in response to this part of the article, "Third, as I point out in detail in my new book, “Radical Moses,” the law of God created a nation that was libertarian in its construction. The government of Israel was based on individual self-control in view of the (few) commandments, with a judicial system that could secure redress for victims of crime. That’s it."
If not, no worries! I'll check out the link. Thanks.

2023-10-05 12:19:41 UTC

New article in the local paper by my pastor: Libertarianism taught in the Scriptures.
"https://www.qcsunonline.com/story/2023/10/04/opinion/libertarianism-taught-in-the-scriptures/25200.html
"Is libertarian political philosophy compatible with Christian faith?
There are evangelical leaders who would say it is not. These tend to be cheerleaders for one party in our current system. I’m jaded enough to believe the real danger they see is that a Libertarian Party candidate might siphon votes from their favorite lesser-of-two-evils.
In fact, I’m convinced that libertarian economic philosophy is the only one advocated in the Bible. It rises directly from its pages. Outrageous, you say? Here are three ways the Bible may be pushing you in a libertarian direction.
First, consider Christ’s cornerstone ethic of love for your neighbor. You should love your neighbor as yourself. In his Golden Rule formulation: Do unto others as you would have them do to you. What if we used that as a political guideline?
Do you like being coerced into behavior you don’t agree with? Do you enjoy the thought of brutes with guns demanding your money? Would you rather be left alone, or burdened with a whole bunch of manmade rules that could land you in jail? Then don’t institute policies that do all those things to your neighbors. Why do you vote to empower a locust-swarm of agents to do that to everyone else?
Second, pay attention to the moments in which Christ’s disciples argued about which one of them would be the greatest in his kingdom, and how Jesus responded.
Pay attention to Jesus washing their feet on the night he was betrayed. Leadership is supposed to work differently now than it did before. Their “great ones” dominated them, lording it over them. Not so with you, he said.
Jesus forbids his followers from the use of executive, coercive power. That’s when your status allows you to say to those in your authority, “Do what I command or else.” Executive power uses threats, sanctions, and actual violence to secure the desired compliance from its subjects.
Jesus envisioned leaders using peaceful, cooperative means in their leadership. Their authority would be moral, not physical, or organizational. Executive power is intrinsically antichrist and is on God’s schedule for abolition (1 Corinthians 15:24).
Here we are, though, stuck voting for which scoundrel we think will wield it in a way that we like a little bit better. It’s no coincidence, that works out badly for the people who voted for the other guy, if ours should win. We’ll do unto them what they did unto us.
Third, as I point out in detail in my new book, “Radical Moses,” the law of God created a nation that was libertarian in its construction. The government of Israel was based on individual self-control in view of the (few) commandments, with a judicial system that could secure redress for victims of crime. That’s it.
Even when a later allowance for a king was made, it’s clear that his role was to serve as a judge and a military leader (when needed) but not as an executive ruler.
That makes us nervous because we’ve all bought into the idea that we can’t survive without an overbearing central authority. We’re more terrified by a lack of executives than by a horde of them.
As that first generation of emancipated Hebrew slaves showed us, freedom is scary. Let’s be brave."
Gordan Runyan is pastor of Tucumcari’s Immanuel Baptist Church and author of “Radical Moses: The Amazing Civil Freedom Built into Ancient Israel.” Contact him at: reformnm@yahoo.com #faith #bible #christian

2023-10-03 13:31:40 UTC

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Have you read the whole original series yet?

2023-10-03 12:27:46 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (October 3rd)
Reflectors of the Lord's Beauty
As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness — Psalm 17:15
The portion of other men fills their bodies, and enriches their children, but the portion of the believer is of another sort. Men of the world have their treasure in this world, but men of the world to come look higher and further.
Our possession is twofold. We have God's presence here and His likeness hereafter. Here we behold the face of the Lord in righteousness, for we are justified in Christ Jesus. Oh, the joy of beholding the face of a reconciled God! The glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ yields us Heaven below, and it will be to us the Heaven of Heaven above.
But seeing does not end it: we are to be changed into that which we gaze upon. We shall sleep a while and then wake up to find ourselves as mirrors which reflect the beauties of our Lord. Faith sees God with a transforming look. The heart receives the image of Jesus into its own depths, till the character of Jesus is imprinted on the soul. This is satisfaction. To see God and to be like Him - what more can I desire? David's assured confidence is here by the Holy Ghost made to be the Lord's promise. I believe it. I expect it. Lord, vouchsafe it. Amen. #faith #bible #christian

2023-09-25 20:29:18 UTC

If God has given His Son to die for us, let us beware of doubting His kindness and love in any painful providence of our daily life. --J. C. Ryle #faith #bible #christian

2023-09-21 13:20:06 UTC

"The kingdom is often limited to the hearts of the regenerate, heaven, or the eternal state. This virtually denies that the messianic kingdom has anything to do with this present earth. In contrast to this tendency, Scripture makes it abundantly clear that this earth, although not the source of the kingdom, is a part of the kingdom. Christ's messianic authority and reign extend over all of heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18), and He is in the process of subduing all of His enemies, whether in heaven or on earth"(1 Cor. 15:25). --Keith Mathison
#faith #bible #christian #datpostmil

2023-09-17 12:39:13 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (September 17th)
Like Palm and Cedar
The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon — Psalm 92:12
These trees are not trained and pruned by man: palms and cedars are "trees of the Lord," and it is by His care that they flourish; even so it is with the saints of the Lord, they are His own care. These trees are evergreen and are beautiful objects at all seasons of the year. Believers are not sometimes holy and sometimes ungodly: they stand in the beauty of the Lord under all weathers. Everywhere these trees are noteworthy: no one can gaze upon a landscape in which there are either palms or cedars without his attention being fixed upon these royal growths. The followers of Jesus are the observed of all observers: like a city set on a hill they cannot be hid.
The child of God flourishes like a palm tree, which pushes all its strength upward in one erect column without a single branch. It is a pillar with a glorious capital. It has no growth to the right or to the left, but sends all its force heavenward, and bears its fruit as near the sky as possible. Lord, fulfill this type in me.
The cedar braves all storms, and grows near the eternal snows, the Lord Himself filling it with a sap which keeps its heart warm and its boughs strong. Lord, so let it be with me, I pray thee. Amen.
#faith #bible #christian

2023-09-14 14:30:31 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (September 14th)
Mark of Divine Approval
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him — James 1:12
Yes, he is blessed while he is enduring the trial. No eye can see this till it has been anointed with heavenly eye-salve. But he must endure it, and neither rebel against God, nor turn aside from his integrity. He is blessed who has gone through the fire, and has not been consumed as a counterfeit.
When the test is over, then comes the hallmark of divine approval - "the crown of life." As if the Lord said, "Let him live; he has been weighed in the balances, and he is not found wanting." Life is the reward: not mere being; but holy, happy, true existence, the realization of the divine purpose concerning us. Already a higher form of spiritual life and enjoyment crowns those who have safely passed through fiercest trials of faith and love.
The Lord hath promised the crown of life to those who love Him. Only lovers of the Lord will hold out in the hour of trial; the rest will either sink or sulk, or slink back to the world. Come, my heart, dost thou love thy Lord? Truly? Deeply? Wholly? Then that love will be tried; but many waters will not quench it, neither will the floods drown it. Lord, let thy love nourish mine to the end. #faith #bible #christian

2023-09-13 15:59:23 UTC

Psalm 37
Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward doers of unrighteousness. For they will wither quickly like the grass And fade like the green herb.
Trust in Yahweh and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in Yahweh; and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to Yahweh, Trust in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light And your judgment as the noonday.
Be still in Yahweh and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out schemes of wickedness.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.
For evildoers will be cut off, But those who hope for Yahweh, they will inherit the land.
Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; You will look carefully at his place, and he will not be there. But the lowly will inherit the land And will delight themselves in abundant peace.
The wicked schemes against the righteous And gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.
The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To cast down the afflicted and the needy, To slay those who are upright in conduct.
Their sword will enter their own heart, And their bows will be broken.
Better is the little of the righteous Than the abundance of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked will be broken, But Yahweh sustains the righteous.
Yahweh knows the days of the blameless, And their inheritance will be forever. They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, And in the days of famine they will be satisfied.
But the wicked will perish; and the enemies of Yahweh will be like the glory of the pastures, They vanish—in smoke they vanish away.
The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives. For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, But those cursed by Him will be cut off.
The footsteps of a man are established by Yahweh, And He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because Yahweh is the One who sustains his hand.
I was young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his seed begging bread. All day long he is gracious and lends, And his seed is a blessing.
Depart from evil and do good, so you will dwell forever.
For Yahweh loves justice And will not forsake His holy ones; They are kept forever, But the seed of the wicked will be cut off. The righteous will inherit the land And dwell in it forever.
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, And his tongue speaks justice.
The law of his God is in his heart; His steps do not slip.
The wicked spies upon the righteous And seeks to put him to death. Yahweh will not forsake him in his hand; He will not condemn him when he is judged.
Hope for Yahweh and keep His way, And He will exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
I have seen a wicked, ruthless man spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil. Then he passed away, and behold, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.
Observe the blameless man, and behold the upright; For the man of peace will have a posterity. But transgressors will be altogether destroyed; The posterity of the wicked will be cut off.
But the salvation of the righteous is from Yahweh; He is their strength in time of distress. Yahweh helps them and protects them; He protects them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.
#faith #bible #christian

2023-09-11 12:12:10 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (September 11th)
Sufferers Make Strong Believers
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth — Lamentations 3:27
This is as good as a promise. It has been good, it is good, and it will be good for me to bear the yoke.
Early in life I had to feel the weight of conviction, and ever since it has proved a soul-enriching burden. Should I have loved the gospel so well had I not learned by deep experience the need of salvation by grace? Jabez was more honorable than his brethren because his mother bare him with sorrow, and those who suffer much in being born unto God make strong believers in sovereign grace.
The yoke of censure is an irksome one, but it prepares a man for future honor. He is not fit to be a leader who has not run the gauntlet of contempt. Praise intoxicates if it be not preceded by abuse. Men who rise to eminence without a struggle usually fall into dishonor.
The yoke of affliction, disappointment, and excessive labor is by no means to be sought for; but when the Lord lays it on us in our youth it frequently develops a character which glorifies God and blesses the Church.
Come, my soul, bow thy neck; take up thy cross. It was good for thee when young, it will not harm thee now. For Jesus' sake, shoulder it cheerfully. #faith #bible #christian

2023-09-07 14:51:45 UTC

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2023-09-07 13:11:26 UTC

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Much appreciated.

2023-09-07 13:00:46 UTC

Does anyone have resources for giving a local talk on bitcoin for interested folks at my church? Specifically looking for handouts or outlines to work from. Thanks in advance!

2023-09-05 14:52:02 UTC

My pastor has a new book out, $2.99 on Kindle. Radical Moses: The Amazing Civil Freedom Built into Ancient Israel. https://a.co/d/8uu7oqb
If you are eager to know more about the goodness of God's law for His people in all ages, you've gotta read this.
"Has God really left it up to us to discover the best way to govern ourselves? Is "trial and error" on a national scale the best we can do as we form our civil governments?
Imagine if God suddenly formed a bunch of people into a nation from scratch one day. Imagine God giving them a structure for their government and a relatively small set of rules and concepts for the purpose of protecting the most vulnerable members of society. It might be worthwhile to study those things.
Of course, that is precisely what happened in the early stages of the biblical narrative. God brought Israel out of Egypt and constituted it as a new nation, regulated by the Law delivered through Moses.
The Law of Moses created a radically free nation. So free, in fact, that modern "liberty lovers" in the West would shy away from it as dangerous and unworkable. If one of these people were suddenly transported back to that situation in Israel, it would seem like the government had disappeared entirely.
Imagine a philosophy that framed a system in which you might go your entire life without ever having to deal with a government official. This is what God gave Israel through Moses. It was a system built on the concept of individual self-government under the commandments of God, with a judiciary that could handle flagrant violations.
And, by "handle" we mean it comes to the aid of victims, procuring their restoration and real justice.
If you're ready to be challenged in the direction of genuine liberty, this short study of the Law of God, the national "constitution" that God made, will do the trick.
Topics include the structure of government in Israel; crimes vs. sins; positive and negative law; the evil of executive government; criminal punishment; victim's rights; slavery; caring for the poor; love of sojourners; and honest money." #faith #bible #christian #biblestr #reformed
https://m.primal.net/HKfe.jpg

2023-09-02 13:12:35 UTC

"No Government can expect to prosper which refuses to recognize religion, which deals with its subjects as if they had no souls, and cares not whether they serve God, or Baal, or no God at all.” JC Ryle #faith #bible #christian

2023-08-31 13:14:36 UTC

"Love and law are mutually inclusive; Paul sees no incompatibility between them. In fact, the Older Testamental law is the norm for love’s activity; the law shows one how to love his neighbor. Love is the summation or recapitulation of the law."
-Greg Bahnsen #faith #bible #christian

2023-08-30 12:23:35 UTC

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That is gorgeous. Heretics is a great read too.

2023-08-26 18:45:22 UTC

"The kingdom is God’s historical program, bringing all areas of life on earth subject to Christ." - John Frame #faith #bible #christian

2023-08-23 13:39:25 UTC

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Yeah that's totally what Calvinism teaches /s
Ever made uncoerced choices consistent with your nature? Oh right, that's all you've ever done. There's never been a gun to your head forcing you to do anything.

2023-08-14 01:44:23 UTC

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Thanks, I'll give this a read

2023-08-14 01:17:33 UTC

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What's this from? Sounds based.

2023-08-13 01:46:54 UTC

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Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”
— James 4:14-15

2023-08-04 10:44:03 UTC

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Fantastic 👍, thanks for the new hashtags to follow.

2023-07-23 13:34:14 UTC

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It's about sex in the right context as designed by our Creator. Sex without limits is out of bounds because of that creational reality.
"Be fruitful and multiply" is God's command for those united in marriage. If you're going to critique Christianity, at least represent what it teaches.

2023-07-13 19:35:15 UTC

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Didn't know this was coming out. Thanks.

2023-07-13 12:47:50 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (July 13th)
Implicit Trust
For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord. — Jeremiah 39:18
Behold the protecting power of trust in God. The great men of Jerusalem fell by the sword, but poor Ebed-melech was secure, for his confidence was in Jehovah. Where else should a man trust but in his Maker? We are foolish when we prefer the creature to the Creator. Oh, that we could in all things live by faith, then should we be delivered in all time of danger! No one ever did trust in the Lord in vain, and no one ever shall.
The Lord saith, "I will surely deliver thee." Mark the divine "surely." Whatever else may be uncertain, God's care of believers is sure. God Himself is the guardian of the gracious. Under His sacred wing there is safety even when every danger is abroad. Can we accept this promise as sure? Then in our present emergency we shall find that it stands fast. We hope to be delivered because we have friends, or because we are prudent, or because we can see hopeful signs; but none of these things are one half so good as God's simple "because thou hast put thy trust in me." Dear reader, try this way, and, trying it, you will keep to it all your life. It is as sweet as it is sure. #faith #bible #christian

2023-07-10 16:22:39 UTC

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Transformation through regeneration not revolution.

2023-07-09 13:22:57 UTC

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I'll check it out. The reformed community on reddit is a dumpster fire. I've found some measure of meaningful interaction on twitter surprisingly.

2023-07-08 16:18:59 UTC

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Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
— Romans 6:12-13

2023-07-07 23:33:18 UTC

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Thanks for sharing Melvin. I was introduced to Calvinism through the ESV study bible I bought right after my conversion. Then I found R.C. Sproul and James White and read a number of their books.

2023-06-26 11:23:33 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (June 26th)
It Will Not Be Long
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh — James 5:8
The last word in the Canticle of love is, "Make haste, my beloved," and among the last words of the Apocalypse we read, "The Spirit and the Bride say, Come"; to which the heavenly Bridegroom answers, "Surely I come quickly." Love longs for the glorious appearing of the Lord, and enjoys this sweet promise - "The coming of the Lord draweth nigh." This stays our minds as to the future. We look out with hope through this window.
This sacred "window of agate" lets in a flood of light upon the present, and puts us into fine condition for immediate work or suffering. Are we tried? Then the nearness of our joy whispers patience. Are we growing weary because we do not see the harvest of our seed-sowing? Again this glorious truth cries to us, "Be patient." Do our multiplied temptations cause us in the least to waver? Then the assurance, that before long the Lord will be here, preaches to us from this text, "Stablish your hearts." Be firm, be stable, be constant, "stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." Soon will you hear the silver trumpets which announce the coming of your King. Be not in the least afraid. Hold the fort, for He is coming; yea, He may appear this very day.

2023-06-24 19:24:27 UTC

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Any Reformed here?
I got saved pretty much right into an understanding of God's sovereignty in salvation and that He saves whomever He wills. How about you?

2023-06-18 14:41:24 UTC

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (June 18th)
God Himself Shall Work
Now will I rise, saith the Lord; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself — Isaiah 33:10
When the spoilers had made the land as waste as if devoured by locusts, and the warriors who had defended the country sat down and wept like women, then the Lord came to the rescue. When travelers ceased from the roads to Zion, and Bashan and Carmel were as vineyards from which the fruit has failed, then the Lord arose. God is exalted in the midst of an afflicted people, for they seek His face and trust Him. He is still more exalted when in answer to their cries He lifts up Himself to deliver them and overthrow their enemies.
Is it a day of sorrow with us? Let us expect to see the Lord glorified in our deliverance. Are we drawn out in fervent prayer? Do we cry day and night unto Him? Then the set time for His grace is near. God will lift up Himself at the right season. He will arise when it will be most for the display of His glory. We wish for His glory more than we long for our own deliverance. Let the Lord be exalted, and our chief desire is obtained.
Lord, help us in such a way that we may see that thou thyself art working. May we magnify thee in our inmost souls. Make all around us to see how good and great a God thou art.

2023-06-12 18:20:57 UTC

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Just like with the rest of Mormon doctrine, these quotes from various people and times are contradictory https://www.mrm.org/christianity-quotes
Again, your Christ is not mine. Mine is one essence with the Father and the Spirit, not one of three separate beings (and also an entirely created being himself). The Father does not have a body of flesh and bones. He is not Elohim, a man born on another planet who eventually became a god himself by obeying the god of that planet. All of this is entirely foreign to the biblical faith. You've been ensnared in a belief system that would have you believe that the Apostles and Christ taught the things you believe today, but you couldn't be more wrong.
Sit down and read the entire Bible for yourself without the lens of Mormon doctrine. Read a modern translation like the ESV or LSB. Have you done that? Seek to understand it with fresh eyes as if you were a new convert who is eager to learn what the Word says.
Christ created everything, not only this world. Literally everything that exists was made by Him and is sustained by Him. He didn't organize pre-existent matter.
You need to escape from the false religion you are ensnared in and come to the true Christ, who is the only Christ that can save you. Your best efforts before God merit you absolutely nothing having to do with salvation or forgiveness of sins of any kind. You must trust wholly in the cross and the imputed righteousness of Jesus as the basis of your peace with God.
He kept God's law perfectly. You can't. He suffered the wrath of God in the place of sinners, taking upon Himself their penalty. The true gospel is that by trusting in Christ and what He has done, sinners can have peace with God forever. No mixture of my effort and God's grace (UNmerited favor) will grant me peace with a thrice holy God.
Are you the blessed man of Romans 4:8 to whom the Lord will not take your sins into account? Or is it the case that your sins will be imputed to you if you fail to deny yourself of ALL ungodliness. How are you doing?
D&C 82:7; “And now, verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, will not lay any sin to your charge; go your ways and sin no more; but unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God.”
Isaiah 43:25; “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”
God promises to not remember the sins of those who trust in the true Jesus. The false Jesus of Mormonism will forget them temporally, but then lay them back on your shoulders if you stumble in your walk with Him.
"The Nicean Creed that says all three are in one has no precedence in the Bible."
The Trinity is a biblical doctrine first and foremost. 1. Scripture teachers there is one God who created all things and has always been God. 2. Scripture teaches the Father is God, the Son is God, the Spirit is God. 3. Scripture teaches the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Father, the Spirit is not the Father or the Son. Because of those three truths, I believe the the doctrine of the Trinity.

2023-06-12 16:08:09 UTC

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Joseph Smith boasted that he did more than Jesus to keep a church together. What an incredibly godly and humble man!
"I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him, but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet. https://carm.org/mormonism/joseph-smith-boasted-that-he-did-more-than-jesus-to-keep-a-church-together/

2023-06-12 15:56:23 UTC

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Joseph Smith claimed EVERY sect of Christianity in his day was an abomination and all the people therein were corrupt as well. Mormons used to make a distinction between themselves and Christians. "We're Mormons, not Christians", they would say enthusiastically. But now, with the marketing update to seem like their org is a viable option for an evangelical, they have even dropped the Mormon terminology.
You read the Bible but your "scriptures" to it. You claim many plain and precious parts have been removed from it.
Your Christ is the brother of Lucifer, not the incarnate second person of the Triune Godhead who created ALL things out of nothing. Sorry friend, we do not believe in the same Redeemer. Martin Luther is on my side, not yours. He would shudder to hear the abominable doctrine of Smith and Young and your other "prophets" i.e ""As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may become." President Spencer W. Kimball.
Luther understood that man, angels, and God are not the same kind of being in different stages of progression. He understood the Creator-creature distinction, which is central to the Bible you claim to believe.
"I was answered that I must join none of them [the religious sects of the day], for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
Joseph Smith