Witnessing to the Witnesses‏

Hello Friends!

Today I would like to share the following commentary pertaining to the door-to-door "preaching" of the religious group known as the Jehovah's Witnesses. Herein are the main facts and facets on this very spiritually deceiving organization. May they assist you in your conversational outreach with the JW.  Enjoy!

Witnessing to the Witnesses

It's a rare door that hasn't felt the knock of the Jehovah's Witnesses more than once and it's an even rarer Jehovah's Witness who has heard the gospel message at one of those doors from the resident Christian.  The reason is simply that it is a far from simple task to witness to a Witness.  It's easier to just close the door and avoid the difficult task of sorting through a maze of confusing doctrines.  Let's try to make it a bit simpler...

There are five important facts to remember about the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Watchtower Organization:

1. They have accepted the Organization as the Prophet of God.
2. They have accepted the Organization as God's sole channel for His truth.
3. They believe that to reject the Organization is to reject God.
4. They believe that only the Organization can interpret the Bible; as individuals they are unable to do so.
5. They believe the Watchtower Magazine contains God's truth, directed by Him, through the Organization.

What does the JW Organization and Watchtower Magazine teach that is in conflict with Orthodox Christianity?

 

1. That Jesus is a created being - a creature.
2. That Jesus is actually Michael the Archangel.
3. That Jesus was not resurrected bodily, but as a spirit being.
4. That Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 (secretly to the Organization).
5. That Jesus was only a man when on earth, not the Word Become flesh.
6. That the Holy Spirit is only an active force, not the person of God.
7. That Hell is simply the grave.
8. That Heaven's doors is open to only 144,000 (based on Revelation chapter 14).
9. That the majority of Witnesses must remain on earth.
10. That salvation is found only through the Organization.
11. That it must be maintained by energetic works for the Organization until the end when one may merit eternal life on a paradise earth.
12. That Satan is the author of the doctrine of the Trinity.
13. That Jesus cannot be given worship, but only honor as Jehovah's first creation.

The Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe or teach some of the very basic tenets of Christian doctrine.  They deny what The Bible Teaches as Truth... 

1. God exists in a Trinity of three eternal and coequal persons

Father: "To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be Saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 1:7)

Son: "Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28)

Holy Spirit: "Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?  Didn't it belong to you before it was sold?  And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal?  What made you think of doing such a thing?  You have not lied to men but to God." (Acts 5:3-4)

"For there are three that testify" (1 John 5:7)

2. Jesus is no less than God in human flesh

"For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9)

3. God, the Holy Spirit, is the third member of the Holy Trinity

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," (Matthew 28:19)

"While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." (Acts 13:2)

4. Jesus Christ rose bodily from the grave

"The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?"  But the temple he had spoken of was his body." (John 2:20-21)

"Look at my hands and my feet.  It is I myself!  Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." (Luke 24:39)

5. Jesus is visibly coming again to set up His Kingdom on earth

"At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn.  They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory." (Matthew 24:30)

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

"Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him.  So shall it be! Amen." (Revelation 1:7)

6. Salvation is in the person of Jesus Christ and comes through faith in Him

"They replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household.'" (Acts 16:31)

7. It's the work of God for man, not a work of man for God

"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior" (Titus 3:4-6)

8. Jesus was and should be worshiped

"A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them.  Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"  Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it into my side.  Stop doubting and believe. "Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:26-28)

"When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.  Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.  And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route." (Matthew 2:10-12)

"Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." (Matthew 14:33)

Witnessing to a Witness

We need to remember that anyone who denies the full divinity of Jesus Christ and carries the heavy burden of a false, religious spirit is going through a lot of highs and lows.  True believers, empowered by the companionship of God, the Holy Spirit have a constant presence of the Lord about them that seems to act like a magnet at times.

When a Watchtower member comes to your front door and you open it, what are they thinking about?  What do they think when you talk about Christianity?  First, it's impossible to offer them any hope of heaven.

It doesn't matter what the Jehovah's Witnesses believe about Jesus.  One day, every single one of them, including every leader who perpetuated this gross heresy, will have to meet the Master.  On that day, "every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."  Whether it's at the Banqueting Table of joy for the saved or at the Great White Throne Judgment of the damned, every knee will bow.

Our prayer as Christians should be that God would open up the hearts and minds of these people who are ensnared in this foolishly created, man-made system and organization, as they believe the lie and try to earn their salvation through the watchtower, apart from Jesus Christ.  We must pray that they would come to know the triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who loves us and desires that we come into a personal relationship with Him.  We must pray for the lost members of the Jehovah's Witnesses, people ensnared by lying leaders.

The Word of God says : "Those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are guided are led astray" (Isaiah 9:16).  The King James Version says that they are destroyed.  What an ignoble end for a misled people who only seek to serve God.  What a tragedy.

We thank God for Jesus Christ, who took our sin and nailed it to the cross and covered it with His shed blood as the infinite payment, the eternal lamb of God once for all time.  We thank the Lord for the Holy Spirit, who comes and lives in us and gives us new life.  To God be the honor and glory and praise!  We worship Him alone and we thank you, Lord we love you, Lord. "Father, Son and Holy Spirit."

The book, Fast Facts on False Teachings written by Ed Decker, an ex-Mormon of 20 years and Christian apologist, the late Dr. Ron Carlson is an excellent source to reaching out to the JW's.  A full teaching on Witnessing to the Witnesses is available there, including a special method for breaking through their wall of unbelief.  This book also contains the key to witnessing to 15 other false religions & cults such as Freemasonry, Mormonism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and New Age.  Pick up a copy at their online bookstore today

Blessings on your studies and involvement in understanding and sharing the Truth!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

The Shack‏

Hello Friends!

Much interest has been generated regarding the book titled "The Shack" by William P. Young and has become quite popular within the Christian community.  The following is a short excerpt to capture some of the false teachings and ideas found throughout this book.  I also shared this information with my head pastor and other church leaders to explain why we must not promote this book to the congregation, as it in no way leads anyone to the true Jesus Christ of the Bible.  It is my hope that this information will assist you in your Christian duty to expose the lies of the enemy and defend the true Christian Faith.  Enjoy! 

The Shack 

The book titled "The Shack" is a fictional testimony full of tear-jerking dialogue and has been widely accepted in today's postmodern churches and calls for a similar denial of reality.  Yet countless pastors and church leaders are delighting in its message, especially within the Emergent Church arena.  By ignoring (or redefining) sin and guilt, they embrace an inclusive but counterfeit "Christianity" that draws crowds but distorts the Bible.  Discounting satan as well, they weaken God's warnings about deception.  Here are some examples from the book to support my claims:

"God, who is the ground of all being, dwells in, around, and through all things.... (Pantheism: God is all, all is God)  --The Shack's "Jesus." [page 112]

"Those who love me come from every system that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists or Muslims.... I have no desire to make them Christian, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into my brothers and sisters.”    --The Shack's "Jesus." [page 182]

The books also denotes a female "God."  Here she is speaking to the main character, Mackenzie (Mack for short):

"For me to appear to you as a woman and suggest that you call me Papa is simply to mix metaphors, to help you keep from falling so easily back into your religious conditioning." [page 93]

"Religious conditioning?" Is that how Mr. Young views Biblical Christianity?  It's easy to be persuaded by his clever arguments. The Shack is written as a personal testimony that draws readers into virtual dialogues with a playful, culturally relevant "God."  The Shack leads readers into vicarious experiences in a world of revelations and sensations.  The only sin-like issue here is independence - a refusal to accept universal oneness with "God" and man.  Unhindered by Biblical guidelines, The Shack offers no standard for right or wrong and no atonement for sin, so there's no real need for Biblical repentance.  It fits right into the popular vision of a unifying, non-judgmental church.

"So how do I become part of that church?" asks Mack.  "It's simple," answers the fictional "Jesus." "It's all about relationships and simply sharing life... being open and available to others around us.  My church is all about people, and life is all about relationships." [page 178]

That sounds partly true, as do most spiritual lies!  For example, Jesus criticized the Pharisees who "searched the Scriptures" but refused to "come" to Him.  Today's postmodern seekers are just as foolish.  They ignore unwanted Scriptures, and then flock to the culturally attuned "Jesus" of their imaginations.

In The Shack, readers meet a permissive "God" that "submits" to their human ways.  They look through the veil between life and death, see the joy beyond, and communicate with loved ones - subtle examples of "calling up the dead" in which the Bible forbids (Deut. 18:11).  Mack "sees" the colorful "auras" that show spiritual maturity among the dead-but-alive.  He even practices astral travel - what The Shack calls "flying" - a word popularized by Maharishi Yogi back in the 1960's and made main-stream popularity by the music group The Beatles.

"Such a powerful ability, the imagination!" said The Shack's fictional "Jesus." "That power alone makes you so like us." [page 140]

Here the boundaries of the church are broadened to include almost everyone.  The only exception seems to be "independent" folks who refuse to "come" to this universal "God."  This isn't Christianity - and this false "Jesus" would agree. When Mack asks him what it "means to be a Christian," he answers:

“'Who said anything about being a Christian?  I’m not a Christian."  The idea struck Mack as odd and unexpected and he couldn’t keep himself from grinning. "No, I suppose you aren’t." [page 182]

Of course, he's not!  The word "Christian" refers to Christ's followers - not to Jesus - and it has always clashed with trendy cultures.  Even when 'the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch" (Acts 11:26), that word was a derogatory label used by enemies of the Church.  But that didn't keep faithful Christians from joyfully claiming that name and sharing His Word.

In closing:

It is my desire to expose the darkness and the lies of the enemy with solid Truth from God's Word.  It is a Biblical mandate for Christians to study to show ourselves approved by God, occupy until He returns and understand the times and know what God would have us to do.  We must hold to a Biblical Worldview in all areas of life, as well as share the gospel message that draws sinners to repentance of personal sin and a true faith in Jesus Christ alone for redemption.  

Please join me in this fight of faith, as this is our Christian duty, heritage and mandate. Thank you for your commitment to the true message of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

Chrislam: Christian or Islam?‏

Hello Friends!

Lately we’ve been hearing considerable news about the mistake our military allegedly made by burning some Qurans. What may not be known by many is that these Qurans were already found to be “corrupted” by hand written messages created by Muslim prison inmates…

Chrislam: Christian or Islam?‏

Just when you think that America’s “white-glove” treatment toward Islam can’t go any deeper, news sources are reporting that Purpose-Driven pastor Rick Warren is in the news again. This time Warren is allegedly developing what’s referred to as the “Kings Way” peace plan. This plan is designed to establish peace, define mutual goals between Muslims and Christians and agree that neither side will attempt to evangelize the other. 

This is just one more example of the current phenomenon known as Chrislam. I contend that this “Chrislam” ideology is nothing less than an ecumenical, politically correct attempt by some Christians to combine Christianity with Islam in hopes that those from both faith systems can happily coexist. What the Christian proponents of this effort fail to inform people of is that the doctrines of Islam clearly call for total world domination – religiously, politically and militarily. 

Does Rick Warren understand what he is claiming or is he simply mistaken? Read the following article and discern for yourself…

http://www.holybibleprophecy.org/2012/02/28/rick-warren-acknowledges-christians-and-muslims-worship-same-god-by-elliott-nesch/  

The truth must be told. Is the god of Islam the same as the God of Christianity? Both the Bible and the Quran do not support this theory, it is a complete contradiction! 

Study to show yourself approved. A workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth – 2 Timothy 2:15

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com 

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

God’s “Key” to Success‏

Hello Friends!

Here are some thoughts on God's approach to "success" and how we can trust in Him with everything... always.  Enjoy!

God’s “Key” to Success

According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, success is defined as “achieving a favorable or desired outcome.”

All organizations—for profit and not for profit—desire to achieve success.  The former generally define success in terms of financial profit and the latter define success in terms of social profit.

Regardless of our specific definition, to achieve biblical success requires people who are fulfilling the purpose of God for their lives.  These people are working in concert with God’s design and continually seek His will for their lives—even when it seems they are out of His will!

Many times organizational leaders recognize the efficacy of biblical living, but their understanding of it is nascent.  Specifically and most often, they fail to understand how to discern good character.  Leaders commonly judge character based on brief interactions with people and perhaps a few reference checks.  But this gives only a glimpse into a person’s true character.

To gain an accurate perspective of a person’s character requires much more careful analysis—something that, in my experience, few organizational leaders are willing to do.  This is one of the reasons that so many organizations make frequent hiring errors.  Unwittingly, organizational leaders hire people who are under curses, who lack divine favor, who don’t submit to authority, who are not teachable, who live in deep shame, who make excuses, who have a pattern of failure, who are void of divine help, who are not problem-solvers, who have marred judgment, etc.  The list of undesirable character traits is long.

The best way to discern good character is to become a serious student of the Bible.  The Bible reveals God’s standard of righteous (right) living.  One of the biblical concepts that encompasses God’s righteousness is the term “the fear of the Lord,” which is a concept that is widely used in Scripture and has many facets to it.  Those who seek to understand and live in the fear of the Lord display—among many traits—wisdom, knowledge, discernment, insight, understanding, and sound judgment.  And they often enjoy favor, blessings, guidance, honor and protection.  Clearly these traits are wonderful qualities that we want both in ourselves as well as in others with whom we associate.

To ignore the standard of biblical character in yourself and others is fatal.  Just as the fear of the Lord leads to all the wonderful things that you want in life, failing to live in the fear of the Lord leads to everything that you don’t want—confusion, poor judgment, ignorance, folly, poverty, failure, death, and so forth.  Leaders who fail to learn how to develop sound biblical character in both themselves and others will struggle with organizational success.  No organization can truly succeed unless its workers succeed.  And workers cannot succeed unless they develop godly character, that is, learn to live in the fear of the Lord.

In Conclusion:

We must learn how to live in the fear of the Lord and to recognize others who do as well.  With the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, let's live boldly in the fear of the Lord.  Don't take this casually.  If we really want to achieve enduring success and excellence, we must be vigilant about learning to live in the fear of the Lord.  This will release wisdom, knowledge, divine guidance, protection, blessings, favor, and God's success in our lives.  The fear of the Lord is in the beginning of wisdom and knowledge and is therefore the foundational key to our success.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”  Proverbs 9:10

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

Better $ Choices‏

Hello all!

Here are some thoughts on a Biblical worldview of economics, specifically in the area of personal finances...

The story is told of the compassionate little boy who sees the struggling butterfly attempting to shed his cocoon and decides to help the process along by prematurely cutting open the cocoon, only to discover his shortcut may cost the butterfly his very life.

Sometimes I feel like that little boy when I see those around me struggling through some of life's toughest challenges, financial or otherwise. The universal and Biblical economic law of “sowing and reaping” should not be altered, nor ignored by individuals or governments. The reason: The possibility of failure is essential for human growth. In other words, “if you really love me, let me struggle!”

 

There are times when true love means we must temper our compassion for others needs with our trust in our Creator's ability to meet those needs. If we've sown bad seeds in the past we should not be surprised to find our life - or economy - now full of weeds...

 

Better $ Choices

No one can do anything to magically fix the financial mess we are in as a nation. We don't need new government programs, higher taxes, bailouts or cash injections into the system. We need a giant dose of faith and trust in God, confidence in His provision and common sense. In the arena of economics, keep in mind that gold & silver (precious metals) creates financial confidence, while paper assets depend on confidence. With all the new money to be created (printed) over the next decade, I believe gold & silver will have the best chance to hold true financial value. Biblical currency had three distinct characteristics- it was scarce, portable, divisible and had an actual store of value.

The "symbols" of wealth such as paper money, stocks, bonds, CD's, etc. do not.

America was a land forged by faith in the God of the Bible, rugged individualism, hard work and personal responsibility. Our strength was our ability to take care of ourselves and limit the size of government to the very basics of protecting the nation. In recent decades that has changed radically, and now it is all about "big brother" taking over every aspect of our lives. Regardless of political or religious affiliations, most people are not only embracing this entitlement, welfare nanny state mentality, they are demanding it.

Our personal choices determine our habits, our habits determine our lifestyle and our lifestyle determines our destiny. Small, daily choices ultimately shape our destiny - as individuals and as a nation. Stated in reverse - the definition of insanity is: If we do the same things that we’ve always done we will get the same result that we’ve always got. Positive change can restore sanity.

Here are some positive actions that individuals, families, churches and other organizations can take right now in their own lives to offset the negative effects of today’s uncertain economic environment:

1. Don’t borrow: The U.S. is suffering from a chronic debt addiction of monumental proportion. We've now amassed over $1 trillion in bad mortgage debt, $1 trillion in weak consumer credit card debt and have surpassed the $15 trillion in government debt. Experts have recently uncovered a very disturbing fact - With all unfunded U.S. liabilities tallied, we face well over $100 trillion in total national debt! This debt enslaves us to an economic system in a chronic state of collapse. We must learn to live within our means. If our government leadership refuses to do so, we must then take personal responsibility and do something about it ourselves!

2. Own hard money: If you have money saved, consider investing a portion of it into tangible assets before the dollar’s value is further destroyed by the monetization (printing) of our fiat currency (inflation) - otherwise known as the "Quantitative Easing" factor. Precious metals and U.S. rare coins represent an excellent value for both safety and long-term growth and offer an excellent hedge against loss of value over the long term.  Don't wait to buy gold; buy gold and wait!

3. Think for yourself: Search for sound, reliable information about the economic and political situations we face today in our nation and around the world. Read books, study the facts and turn off the TV and video games. Discuss ideas and issues with your children, family and friends.

4. Develop new skills: Learn to be more frugal. Do your own household repairs. Grow and cook your own food. Do your shopping with coupons. Look for sales. Make purchases in the off-seasons. Start your own part-time business.

5. Become politically active: Register, vote and demand honest elections. Support politicians with integrity, who favor smaller government, lower taxes and our nation's Constitution. Reread the Constitution as a reminder of your rich, Godly American heritage. Demand changes in accordance with your core values/worldview. Remember: America was created by our founding fathers as a Constitutional Republic, NOT a Democracy!

6. Fear not, God is in control: We tend to be overwhelmed by external forces such as government, corporations, banks, credit ratings, the economy, media, armies and technology. In reality, God is the only source of true peace and power in the universe and nothing happens that is out of His will. The more we realize God's presence in our lives, the less we fear externals. It all starts with us as individuals and our faith in the Lord to see us through.

In Closing:

True wealth is not measured in dollars, but in our intimacy with Jesus Christ, our contentment level, our relationships and the legacy we leave to the next generation. Embedded in this growing need for contentment is an appreciation of our unique American heritage.

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

The Cross‏

Hello Friends!

What sets Christianity apart from every other belief system or religion? For more than 2,000 years, the facts about Jesus Christ of Nazareth have been proclaimed on every continent and to people from every walk of life. When someone considers the Christian message, what exactly are they accepting or rejecting? Let's explore this eternally important subject... 

The Cross

The Cross - the instrument of torture upon which Jesus died - is the most well-known symbol of Christianity. What could possibly explain a two millennia-long fixation on something so horrible? One clue is found in Jesus' final words in which He uttered as He died - "It is finished." (John 19:30). That victorious declaration, spoken in the midst of what looked like humiliating defeat, tells us Jesus saw these events as an accomplishment. But how could a tragic end to Jesus' amazing teaching and miracle-working ministry be an accomplishment?

Jesus taught that He came to "seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10) and "to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). On the Cross, a divine transaction took place. It was His life for ours - a ransom paid to buy us back from our lost and sinful condition. That's why the day Jesus died is called "Good Friday," not "Tragic Friday." Jesus' death on the Cross completed the work God gave Him to do, because His mission was not just to teach us but to die for us. All that is left for us to do is to personally accept that wonderful gift for ourselves. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

As grand as the accomplishment on the Cross was, the story doesn't end there. On the third day, the stone that covered the tomb was rolled away and Jesus came back from the dead. He was alive, never to die again. "He is not here," said the angel in Luke 24:6 to the startled disciples looking for Him at the tomb. The Resurrection declared Jesus as Victor over death - humanity's most unsolvable problem. By rising, He showed that even death was no match to His power! Without the Resurrection, Jesus' life was unique but His end was just like every other human who has ever walked the earth. Faith in Him under those circumstances would be foolish - a criticism understood by both Christianity's adherents and detractors. "If Christ is not raised, your faith is futile," wrote the Apostle Paul just a few decades after this event (1 Corinthians 15:17).

Yet if, in fact, the Resurrection did occur, Jesus' life and mission become the most powerful events this world has ever seen. Therefore, faith in Him makes sense. And if we fail to trust in Him - in light of what He did for us - disbelief seems foolish. The Resurrection assures us that power beyond human comprehension is available to the followers of Jesus Christ. Everything changes when we visit the foot of the Cross and stare in wonder at the open doorway to the tomb.

And there's more! The power of the resurrected Jesus comes to us through the Holy Spirit. After His resurrection, Jesus told His followers that the same Holy Spirit who showed up at His baptism in the form of a dove would be in them. "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you" (Acts 1:8). God's desire was for every Christian to have access to His personal presence and power. At Pentecost, 50 days after His resurrection, that's what happened.

What doe this powerful Person do in our lives? Jesus was clear: the Holy Spirit comes on us so we can be His witnesses by being like Him. The character and power Jesus had, we can have. His Spirit produces fruit in us, and the Apostle Paul describes exactly what that looks like: "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). In other words, the Christian life. These characteristics demonstrate that God is at work in Jesus' followers. And when His power produces these qualities in us, the natural result is that non-Christians sit up and take notice. If the fruit of the Spirit is the Christian life, the fruit of the Christian life is more Christians.

The Cross, the Resurrection and the Holy Spirit. These set Christianity apart from every religion. Take any one away and you don't have the whole story. Embrace them all and your life will never be the same. What you do with Jesus determines what Jesus will do with you.

 

We are not guaranteed tomorrow - tomorrow may be too late!  If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late?

Today is the day of Salvation!  

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

What is Truth?‏

Hello Friends!

Truth. "What is truth?" This question was asked of Jesus Christ by Pilate as Jesus stood before him just hours before He would die on the cross in Jerusalem...

What is truth?

Jesus had answered Pilate's question a few hours before His appearance in the Judgment Hall. Pilate actually questioned Jesus on a number of issues (John 18:28-38).

The first question directed at Jesus was, "Art thou the King of the Jews?" (John 18:33). Jesus told Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world, or His servants would have fought to keep the Jews from crucifying Him. Pilate's response was another question. "Art thou a king then?" Jesus then told Pilate that He was born to be a King. That was the reason that He came into this world. As a King, Jesus was to bear witness of the truth.

This statement brought out several other questions from Pilate, "What is Truth?" However, this time Pilate did not wait for an answer and Jesus never responded. This was because He had basically already done so. Jesus had said that He was bearing witness of the Truth, and therefore what He had been saying is Truth.

It was earlier in the evening, in the Upper Room with His disciples, that He had revealed to them that He was the Truth (John 14:6). In that Upper Room, John the Apostle was one of those who heard Jesus' claim to be the Truth. John had been traveling with and learning from Jesus for over 3 years at this time. John knew that indeed Jesus was the Truth. It was that Truth that Jesus bore witness of that all who would come to Him; He would take to be with the Father.

Despite his many faults and failures, John would go from Passion Week to establish a number of churches in Asia Minor (Revelation 2-3). It was his ministry of teaching the truth about Jesus Christ that was such a personal blessing to John. But John's greatest joy was to see and hear of those he had ministered to that were "walking in the truth" (III John 4).

In these Last Days men will pervert the truth. They will have difficulty telling the truth because they do not have Him who is the Truth. The Truth therefore is a "Who" not a "what." False teaching and deception will get so intense that The Truth Himself will return to make everything right. Until that time, we must spread the Truth, walk in the Truth, and teach others the Truth. And like John, this will give us great joy!

Thank you Lord for the Truth that sets me free! Help me to spread the Truth to others.

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

God's Gospel

Hello Friends!

 

What is the Gospel? Gospel means Good News. Have you heard it? Do you understand it? Do you believe it? If you were to die today, are you ready? If the Lord returns today, are you ready? Heaven or Hell? Do you care? Does it really matter to you? Why am I asking you all of these questions? Because I care about you and your eternal soul!

In a world of sin and suffering, we each desperately need God’s Good News. For people to believe the Gospel, they must not only hear the story itself, they must also understand its meaning. Not only must people hear that Christ died and rose again - these brute facts of history do not yet bring us to the heart of the message - they must also be confronted with the why of His death and resurrection. They must understand that God acted in Christ on their behalf.

The Apostles in the New Testament and the true Biblical evangelists of today never merely retell the details of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. They always share the story in the context of its meaning: God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). This is an essential part of the good news. 

But before we can understand the Gospel (good news), we must understand the bad news…

God's Gospel

In the beginning God created everything very good (Genesis 1). The Lord placed man in a garden paradise (Genesis 2). However man was given a free will and a choice (Genesis 2:16-17). Though mankind lived in a perfect environment, he chose to rebel against His Creator (Genesis 3). As God warned Adam, sin resulted in suffering and death. The curse described in Genesis affected all creation, and today we see the horrible results (Genesis 3:17; Romans 8:20-22).

Scripture also explains that, like Adam, we have all "sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). To see if this applies to you, please review God’s Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). Have you ever told a lie? One lie makes us a liar in God’s eyes. Jesus explained that lust was equivalent to adultery (Matthew 5:27-28). Have you ever had lustful thoughts? Scripture explains, “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer ” (1 John 3:15). Have you ever despised another person? The Lord even warned: “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). Have you ever gossiped or spoken foolishly?

Whether our sin is envy, greed, pride - which was Lucifer’s sin - (Isaiah 14:12-15; 1 Timothy 3:6). or using God’s name lightly – we must admit that we are all guilty of sinning against our Creator. The Bible explains that the penalty for any sin is death – both physical death and spiritual death – which is eternal separation from God (Ezekiel 18:20; Romans 6:23). The final destiny for those who spurn their Creator is the lake of fire, which is the second death: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).

However, there is Good News! Before time began God had a plan to rescue mankind (1 Peter 1:20). Because the penalty for sin is death, the Creator came to earth as the God-man, Jesus Christ, (Matthew 1:23) lived a sinless life, (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5) and died to pay the penalty for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3; Romans 6:10; Hebrews 10:10). He then rose from the dead – defeating death – and offers forgiveness and eternal life to all who will trust Him (Matthew 28:6-7; 1 Corinthians 15:4; Romans 10:9).

Scripture states that God is love (1 John 4:8). And while we were yet sinners, He demonstrated His own love toward us by stepping down from heaven to offer His life so that we might be reconciled to Him forever (Romans 5:8). Jesus Christ is the Creator (John 1; Colossians 1; Hebrews 1). On the cross He bore our sins and then rose for our justification (Isaiah 53; Romans 4:25). The Lord now offers everlasting life to all who will repent from their sins and trust in Him personally (John 3:36)

By placing your faith in Jesus Christ you can enter into a relationship with the Creator of the universe that will last forever! This is His free gift and His desire for you (Romans 5:15-18).

God our Savior “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4). But remember, because God is completely just and holy, (Leviticus 19:2; Psalm 37:28) every sin will meet with a just punishment (Matthew 10:26; Revelation 20:12). Therefore, only Jesus – who alone is perfect and righteous, who alone died for our sins, who alone rose from the dead – can save you (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 2 Corinthians 5:21). If you neglect God’s great salvation, the consequences are eternal. Scripture warns “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). God will pour out His “indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil” (Romans 2:8-9).

Therefore, “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15). Instead, “Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15) If you do, you will live in Heaven with our awesome Creator forever!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

Morality: Relativism vs. Absolutes‏

Hello Friends!

The confusion about moral relativism and moral absolutes in our American culture is quite widespread. One hundred years ago there would have been no debate - even among the majority of the secularists. This is because our society had been raised to believe in absolute standards of morality. Sadly, this is certainly not the case today...

Morality: Relativism vs. Absolutes

Since the 1960's, the standard of morality in our culture has become increasingly standard-less. The hippie generation cried, "If it feels good, do it" and "Do your own thing" - and we certainly have. Today the educational community, made up of largely 45 to 65 year-old hippie generation thinkers, has consistently taught our children that right and wrong are in the mind of the beholder. In other words, what ever a person thinks is right and what ever a person thinks is wrong is their own business an there is no such thing as absolute or unchangeable standards for morality. Bible believers know much better. I contend that the shift away from absolutes to a relativistic moral view is primarily due to the widespread abandoning of Biblical principles held everywhere around us. It should be noted that this is the same value system employed by pagans, witches and New Age religious groups. Their mantra has been "since each person is a law unto himself, no one has the right to impose his ideas about morality on another." This is sad indeed.

History has shown that any society that rejects morality is destined for destruction. Regardless of America's great achievements, it will be no different for our nation - unless we decide to change. Our responsibility as Christian is to "Train up a child in the way he should go" (Proverbs 22:6). We may not be able to affect society in such a way that the culture would revert back to and embrace moral standards from a bygone era. In fact, we have gone too far down the relativistic path and that is just not going to happen. However, we are to try to influence every person possible, and pray that they might individually institute change. Above all, we are accountable to God for the moral, ethical and spiritual standards that we impart to our young - the next generation.

Hollywood and the entertainment industry in our society has become an absolute abomination to the Lord - anything goes and nothing is off limits. The occult is running roughshod throughout the American landscape. 

Our standards and rejection of immorality are very important to God, as is evident below in the study notes for Romans 1:32, which appear in The Full Life Study Bible. The following words written by its editor, the late Donald C. Stamps, powerfully remind us that, for both our benefit and that of those around us, there can be no silence concerning evil and no agreement with it in our midst.

Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. - Romans 1:32 (KJV)

"'Have pleasure in them that do them.' Paul's last word on human sinfulness is God's condemnation of a condition even more damning than the practice itself, i.e., supporting and encouraging evil by taking pleasure in the immoral actions of others. This disposition is the ultimate in depravity - vicarious enjoyment of lust and evil. Sin becomes entertainment.

"Being entertained by watching other people sin and engage in ungodly actions, even while you yourself abstain, brings you under the same divine condemnation as those engaging in such evil practices. Sin is intensified in any society wherever it meets with no inhibition from the disapproval of others.

"Those (and especially those who profess faith in Christ) who use the immoral actions of others for entertainment and enjoyment are directly contributing to public opinion favorable to immorality and therefore to the corruption and eternal damnation of an indefinite number of people." - The Full Life Study Bible

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)