Tom Huntford

At the end of the day, you have to make the decision to believe and obey God, even if you were the only one. I've seen lo's of trainwrecks.

Be an example of righteousness in the midst of "a crooked and perverse generation".

Be the one who doesn't have a dark underside.

The problems of false teachers? Consider that, when Paul spoke the elders from Ephesus, God had shown him that some of them would leave and draw away disciples. Acts 20.

Not to be cavalier: just read the Bible AS IT IS. It paints exactly the picture we see.

Keep your eyes on New Jerusalem, on the resurrection.

And pray for revival. I feel very alone often, because I just want to look at the New Testament, look at the church I'm in, and see the same thing. But what do I see there? Look at 1 Corinthians--messes from end to end.

This has been a bit rambly--but, as I said: at the end of the day, we have to make the decision: "God, if I have to serve you alone...if nobody likes me...if nobody cares...if I can't find a church where the truths of the Scripture are even-handedly taught, and church discipline is not rightly used to keep wolves in sheep's clothing out...I'm serving You."

Consider: "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose". Rom 8. If you are His: this is working something good. Keep your eyes on the prize: this life is a little blip. The more you suffer here, the greater your reward in the resurrection. The sorrow and grief you bear--bear it patiently.

And--go to your Heavenly Father, and ask for what you need. Feel like the bottom dropped out? Go talk to Him about it. Feel like everything in the Church is like a house with no square corners? Go to Him and talk to him about it.

We have--YOU have--access to the very throne of the Almighty with "boldness" and "confidence". Let this be the time you "case all your cares on him, for he careth for you". 

Your reward in the resurrection will be greater as you continue to serve Him in faith and righteousness despite the prominent teacher who had a private sin life he never let on to until it blasted out into the open.

"In everything give thanks." "Rejoice in the Lord always" "Be not wear in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

October 01 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

The Bible has never lost its power, but humans (even the most apparently pious and trustworthy professing Christians, and no matter how close they may be to us) are (and will remain) sinners who are capable (inadvertently or deliberately) of letting us down and disappointing us, as well as distorting Bible teachings.

The Bible itself warns us in passages such as Psalm 118:8 and Jeremiah 17:5 not to place a degree of trust in humans that can (and should) be accorded only to God as He reveals Himself to us in the Bible, which will never deceive us, as indicated in verses such as Numbers 23:19, 1 Samuel 15:29, and Titus 1:2, as well as by Jesus' own description of Himself in John 14:6 as "the Truth".

At their best, human teachers can be very edifying. But even they are no substitute for deep personal study and knowledge of the Bible, accompanied by reference to reputable, objective books (such as concordances) that are less likely to be a source of deceit, and that can also be put down and taken back up again, making it easier to ponder over what has been said, or to come back to it in the case of questions or confusion, rather than continuously confronting the student with pressure to adopt a particular teaching or theological point of view, or to provide financial support to a ministry.

(As recorded in Acts 17:10-12, this type of approach was adopted by the citizens of the city of Berea in response to Paul's missionary teachings, which led to their description by Luke (Paul's companion, and the author of Acts) as being of more noble character than the citizens of Thessalonica, who had forced Paul to leave that city after Jewish opponents of Christianity stirred up the local population against 
him.)

September 24 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Emo Tenorio Shomer

A timely inquiry during perilous times and I humbly submit for your consideration; there is only ONE that should merit your FAITH. (Titus 1:2). 

The Scriptures tell us that everything that can be shaken will be shaken, so that only that which can not be shaken, is left standing. Trust not in the things of this world; treat anything and everything configured by man as subject to little sphere corruption. (Daniel 3:5; 1 Peter 1:24) 

Jesus, when asked by His disciples for signs of His coming, the first thing HE said was: "Watch out that you are not deceived." (Luke 21:8) then again "Watch out that no one deceives you." (Matthew 24:4). 
One could extrapolate that the calling card sign to this period is deception an instantaneously world wide deception. (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)

The Scriptures point to a moral sexual depravity and deceptions that will exist on this little sphere during the last days, just before the time of the end. Our generation is witnessing the fulfillment of this in unprecedented ways. (2 Timothy 3:1-4)

This road has many tribulations and boring it will not be, so be of good courage for we have a promise note in hand from ONE Who can not lie. 
Suck it up warrior, it's only a flesh wound pull the enemy's dart out and get back into the fight. The hour is late with sun low and there is yet many courageous deeds to be done. (Romans 3:23; 1 Corinthians 16:13)

"One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived." ~Machiavelli

“People do not change, they are merely revealed.” ~Anne Enright 

In the Lord's freedom.........warrior on

September 24 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Grant Abbott Child of Father, Follower of Son, Student of Spirit

Here is my encouragement for you from the scriptures:

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
(1 Thessalonians 5:12-24)

Ravi worked hard for Jesus for 35 years, teaching and training people to use their minds and the power of God’s word to defend and proclaim the gospel. He was a sinner and so was his ministry team. We are all sinners saved by grace.

When we know the bible really well ourselves, we can take and use what is good from other Christian leaders, to grow our faith and effective ministry, and reject only what is evil.

Even the greatest people stumble and fall. John the Baptist said of Jesus “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”. Jesus said of John the Baptist “Of those born of women there is no one greater than John the Baptist”. John lost his disciples to Jesus and said “He must become greater, I must become less”. John was put in prison for defending and proclaiming his message of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 

While in prison John began to doubt his faith. He sent his disciples to Jesus. Here is their exchange.

“When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” (Matthew 11:2-6)

Jesus effectively said to John, remember what you know from the scriptures to strengthen your faith that I am the Messiah. Let’s get our faith from the scriptures, not by trusting people, and we will never be disappointed.

September 25 2020 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Dan Butorovich

The Bible is clear that people will fail, but God never fails. Pastors, preachers, priests, elders, bishops, and every other minister in a church body are just people trying to work out their salvation with Jesus and nothing more. 

Jesus is our true pastor, leader, lord and savior. If you put your faith in Jesus you won’t be derailed by the failure of a person. The church as described in the bible was very personal, intimate and connected. There were no pastors as we use the term today. There were teachers, caretakers, elders, servers, encouragers and so on. Every person attending church was valued and contributed to the body. I would recommend finding a church where everything doesn’t hinge on the charisma and effort of one human pastor but rather on faith in Jesus. 

The most profound and important thing I have ever heard a human pastor say is that he would let us down sometimes, that he is just a person and that we shouldn’t put our faith in him, but to our put faith in Jesus only. Sometimes pastors are allowed to fail to remind us that no one is above Jesus and none of us is without sin. Read through the book of Acts and Paul’s letters. Paul spoke frequently of a thorn in his side. Paul also refers to himself as unworthy at times. Paul had all kinds of faults but his faith was unshakable. We use Paul’s faith as an example to follow but he too was just a person struggling with sin. His sin and struggle were never taken away because it kept him humble and grounded, yet he spread the Gospel around the known world and planted many churches.

So whichever pastor failed you is still just a person who failed and is deserving of condemnation for his sin, but if he repents will be forgiven just like the rest of us. We all deserve death for our sins, but God is faithful to save and wants us all to be gathered to him in the end. Be still and know that he is God - he will work this failure of one pastor to the betterment of the greater church.

November 13 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Donna Murray

Romans 16:17-18 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

17 Brothers and sisters, I want you to be very careful of those who cause arguments and hurt people’s faith by teaching things that are against what you learned. Stay away from them. 18 People like that are not serving our Lord Christ. They are only pleasing themselves. They use fancy talk and say nice things to fool those who don’t know about evil.

November 13 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report