For thou wilt light my candle. (Psalm 18:28)

It may be that my soul sits in darkness; and if this be of a spiritual kind, no human power can bring me light. Blessed be God! He can enlighten my darkness and at once light my candle. Even though I may be surrounded by a "darkness which might be felt," yet He can break the gloom and immediately make it bright around me.
The mercy is that if He lights the candle none can blow it out, neither will it go out for lack of substance, nor burn out of itself through the lapse of hours. The lights which the Lord kindled in the beginning are shining still. The Lord's lamps may need trimming, but He does not put them out.

Let me, then, like the nightingale sing in the dark. Expectation shall furnish me with music, and hope shall pitch the tune. Soon I shall rejoice in a candle of God's lighting. I am dull and dreary just now. Perhaps it is the weather, or bodily weakness, or the surprise of a sudden trouble; but whatever has made the darkness, it is God alone who will bring the light. My eyes are unto Him alone. I shall soon have the candles of the Lord shining about me; and, further on in His own good time, I shall be where they need no candle, neither light of the sun. Hallelujah!

Among the Redeemed

Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be redeemed among the nations. (Numbers 23:9)

Who would wish to dwell among the nations and to be numbered with them? Why, even the professing church is such that to follow the Lord fully within its bounds is very difficult. There is such a mingling and mixing that one often sighs for "a lodge in some vast wilderness."
Certain it is that the Lord would have His people follow a separated path as to the world and come out decidedly and distinctly from it. We are set apart by the divine decree, purchase, and calling, and our inward experience has made us greatly to differ from men of the world; and therefore our place is not in their Vanity Fair, nor in their City of Destruction, but in the narrow way where all true pilgrims must follow their Lord.

This may not only reconcile us to the world's cold shoulder and sneers but even cause us to accept them with pleasure as being a part of our covenant portion. Our names are not in the same book, we are not of the same seed, we are not bound for the same place, neither are we trusting to the same guide; therefore it is well that we are not of their number. Only let us be found in the number of the redeemed, and we are content to be off and solitary to the end of the chapter.

THE SEEDS OF APOSTASY

THE SEEDS of APOSTASY
-by Paul Holdren.

John Wesley recounted that within every revival were the seeds
of apostasy. By this he meant that with revival came righteousness,
with righteousness came favor, with favor came prosperity, and with
prosperity came the temptation to self-reliance. The temptation of
self-reliance is the first step away from God. It is sad that people
are willing to serve the illusion of prosperity by means of self-reliance.

As Americans we can definitely see how this insight fits our country.
Our land was birthed with the ideal that a nation should have the
freedom to worship the true and living God according to one’s
conscience. The Almighty had blessed our nation with righteousness.
With righteousness came national favor, with favor came prosperity,
and now we, as a nation, bear the burdens of decline resulting from
our own self-reliance. As American Christians we can see how the
Spirit of the Lord could speak of a church that sees itself as
“increased of goods and have need of nothing” Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—(Rev. 3:17).

When idolatry’s seed of self-reliance yields its crop of perversion,
poverty, and struggle—many who claim to be worshippers of
Almighty God will turn to other gods. These gods are the gods
which originate in the satanically manipulated carnal heart. These
gods are conceived in the human imagination and constructed by
human hands. These gods of imagery are bombarding Americans
now, seducing us in a downward spiral of the media’s ongoing
promotion of abomination against God.

Our present “it’s the economy” or “it’s health care” politicians have
replaced Jeremiah’s prosperity prophets, giving us a false sense of
security by proclaiming blessing and peace upon the land. Our
“soft-sell” preachers are proclaiming health and wealth, while the
glory is preparing to depart from our places of worship. “Change
that makes a difference” will not come by the hands of men.
“Change that will make a difference” will only come when we cast
our idols down at the foot of the cross.

Where are the believers like Ezekiel today? Where are the watchmen
on the wall of a nation’s destiny—crying out that the enemy is
coming, that the glory is lifting, and that God is turning His back?
Political correctness tells us not to speak in such a manner.
Religious convenience tells us not to prophecy such, for the people
have ears that need to be tickled. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; (II Tim 4:3). As passionate believers,
we cannot help but speak a word of warning. As passionate oracles
of the truth, we must speak the promise of restoration grace in
order that many may be given the opportunity to cast down their
idols and return to the God of our fathers.

The Safest Shelter

A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, and a cover from the tempest. (Isaiah 32:2)

Who this Man is we all know. Who could He be but the Second Man, the Lord from heaven, the man of sorrows, the Son of Man? What a hiding place He has been to His people! He bears the full force of the wind Himself, and so He shelters those who hide themselves in Him.

We have thus escaped the wrath of God, and we shall thus escape the anger of men, the cares of this life, and the dread of death. Why do we stand in the wind when we may so readily and so surely get out of it by hiding behind our Lord? Let us this day run to Him and be at peace.

Whenever I let my mind wonder off and away from Christ I find myself drifting back to the "old man's" way of thinking. Self rises up and floods my mind with things that I thought were long ago dead and buried. If you want victory in your life you must train yourself to recognize these times when your focus gets directed away from Christ and back on to your life and the worries and cares associated with it. I found a good way to redirect myself back to Jesus is simply to start thinking about Him. It's amazing how the worries of life seem to just melt away. It also helps to get His word into your heart and mind. The Lord Jesus is truly our hiding place and a shelter from the things of this world.

Often the common wind of trouble rises in its force and becomes a tempest, sweeping everything before it. Things which looked firm and stable rock in the blast, and many and great are the falls among our worldly supports.

Our Lord Jesus, the glorious man, is a cover which is never blown down. In Him we mark the tempest sweeping by, but we ourselves rest in delightful serenity.

This day let us just stow ourselves away in our hiding place and sit and sing under the protection of our Cover. Blessed Jesus! Blessed Jesus! How we love Thee! Well we may, for Thou art to us a cover in the time of storm.

The Wise and Foolish Virgins

Matthew 25: 1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming;[a] go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour[b] in which the Son of Man is coming.

I have rewritten this post for a better understanding:

Notice that the ten virgins each had a lamp and they were expecting to meet the bridegroom. Jesus said that five were foolish and those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them. The wise took oil in their vessels (vessel: container, receptacle, a pail, a reservoir) with their lamps. Foolish had lamps, no oil. Wise had lamps plus oil in their vessels.

When the bridegroom was delayed, they all fell asleep. I am assuming they were inside a house sleeping and not alongside the road. Therefore, if they were asleep in a house, they did not need to have their lamps lit. (It doesn't say they were in a house, but it makes sense that they wouldn't be sleeping out in the road and it was the custom of the day that they would gather at the bride's house to wait for the groom.)

Here comes the groom! They arose and trimmed their lamps (adjust the wick and fill with oil). The foolish virgins couldn't keep theirs lit because they had no oil. The wise virgins had oil in their vessels so they were ready when the bridegroom came.

The oil is a symbol of the life of Christ in you.

"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 2:27)

Have Thine Own Way, Lord!

Today is the 147th anniversary of the birth of the woman who wrote this hymn. If you would like to read more about her, please check out Robert's blog on Hymn History!

http://practicalbiblicalinsight.blogspot.com/2009/06/hymn-history-my-jesus-i-love-thee.html

The woman who penned those words was an itinerant Bible teacher
who was discouraged because she didn't have the funds to make
a missionary journey to Africa. She found great comfort when she
put all her plans and desires on the altar and freshly surrendered
to God's will for her life. The song that sprung from her anguish
blessed millions, but today it has lost its popularity because we
simply don't relate.

The message of consecration has been lost these days.
It is not enough to know Christian doctrines or to paint a nice
Christian veneer on the surface of our lives. God wants our hearts.
We must embrace the cross daily. It is not enough to simply avoid
the sins that our Christian culture says are the "worst"; just as Abraham offered his son Isaac on the altar at Mount Moriah, those who claim to follow Christ should go to the place of self-sacrifice. Mount Moriah, as another Christian writer, (1890)A. B. Simpson wrote, "signifies the deeper
spiritual experience into which the fully consecrated person must
come. In this act of obedience, the sanctified self is laid on the
altar just as Isaac was."

We must also allow God's knife to slay the pride, the self-will, the self-
confidence and the self-glorification that our backslidden Christian
culture encourages.



Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the potter, I am the clay;
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting yielded and still.
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o'er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me.

This is quite a statement, (1 John 2:28) "...because as He is, so are we in this world."

This statement implies to me that we are to be like Jesus in this world. The first part of this verse says, "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment;"

The mature expression of perfected love v. 12, ("No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.") produces confidence as a Christian anticipates Jesus' judgment of the world. A person who abides in love will not be ashamed when Jesus returns.

Paul said that he was gripped by the love of God and that is why he acted as he did. People could perceive him as crazy or sane -- he did not care. There was only one thing he lived for -- to persuade people of the coming judgment of God and to tell them of "the love of Christ." This total surrender to the "love of Christ" is the only thing that will bear fruit in your life. and it will always leave the mark of God's holiness and His power, never drawing attention to your personal holiness.

Did you know that you can walk like Jesus walked in this world?

In 1 John 2:6 it says, "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked."

Abiding is habitual obedience. It has the idea of settling down in Christ or resting in Him. It is evidenced by a life modeled after Christ. The phrase "ought to walk" is an admonition to live by the teaching of Jesus which reveals that this conformity comes from us.

Slaves must follow the commands of their masters or they will be punished. Employees need to do their work to keep their jobs. However, the Christian as a child of God ought to obey God because of a sincere desire to do so. It should be a joy to follow in the footsteps of the One who died for us.

(Webster's definition of the word "ought" is defined as a moral obligation or a duty).

A Promise For Those Who Seek God

Rivers of Life

"He who believes in Me...out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38)

Jesus said that, if we have received His fullness, "rivers of living water" will flow out of us, reaching in blessing even "to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

Just think about that for a minute. You don't see the effects of this promise right now. And we really have nothing to do with this outflow because "This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He sent" (John 6:29).

God doesn't always allow us to see how great a blessing we are to others.

Rivers are amazing to behold! A river is a persistent stream of water, overcoming all barriers. It goes steadily on its course until it comes to an obstacle. For a while the river is blocked, but eventually it will make a pathway around the obstacle. The river might drop out of sight for a while and then show up in another place even greater and stronger than before.

When we experience difficulties in our lives we get discouraged and sometimes dwell on the difficulty or obstacle that has appeared. It is at these times that we must pay attention to the Source, and God will either take you around the obstacle or remove it. The river of the Spirit of God overcomes all obstacles.

We must never focus our eyes on the obstacle or the difficulty. The obstacle means nothing to the river that will flow steadily through us if we will simply remember to stay focused on the Source. You must never allow anything to come between you and Jesus Christ. That includes emotions and experiences. Nothing must keep you from the one great sovereign Source.

Think of the healing and far-reaching rivers developing and nourishing themselves in our souls! God has been opening up wonderful truths to our minds, and every point He has opened up is another indication of the wider power of the river that He will flow through us. If you believe in Jesus, you will find that God has developed and nourished in you mighty, rushing rivers of blessing for others.

(Source: My Utmost For His Highest)

Makers of H1N1 Vaccine Refuse To Take It

Makers of the H1N1 vaccination are refusing to take it, and urging their friends and family to do the same. But what if Uncle Obama comes knocking on your door, National Guard in tow, wanting to force you and you family to take it? Um, no thanks.

The Perfect Righteousness of Christ

God has provided a perfect divine righteousness for the sinner who believes what God has revealed in His Word.

The believing sinner stands before God, not in his own self-righteousness which in reality is no righteousness, but in the very righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is utterly holy and without sin because He is God. He is intrinsically righteous. Jesus always did what was pleasing to the Father (John 8:29b; 4:34; 5:30; 6:38). No one could ever prove Him guilty of unrighteousness (Jn. 8:46a). He is the one exception in history; He was absolutely sinless (Matt. 17:5; Jn. 12:28; 1 Pet. 2:22-23).

Moreover, Jesus is also perfectly righteous by His obedience to the law of God. He “fulfilled all righteousness” (Matt. 3:14-15).

Jesus lived a perfect life of obedience to the Law of God. He dotted every "i" and crossed every "t." In no manner did He fail to keep the Jewish law. No other individual has ever completely and absolutely fulfilled the law.

Not only did Jesus fulfill the law personally, but because He was deity He could therefore pay the full penalty demanded by the law for those who had failed to complete it. He paid the penalty in full. The law demanded the death penalty for all who broke it. "The wages of sin is death." "The soul that sins will surely die." Jesus paid this penalty not because He had broken it, but as a substitute for those who had failed. Jesus did not die for His own sins. He died as our representative for sin. He took your guilt and mine upon Himself, and He bore its punishment. The penalty of the law was measured out upon Him. Jesus fulfilled the law completely, actively and passively, positively and negatively. Therefore there is nothing further the law can demand because He has satisfied all its demands upon the sinner.

Now this is the very righteousness of Christ that God gives to sinners who repent and put their faith in Christ. The utterly amazing thing is He gives it freely, apart from any works or merits on our part. Because we are so sinful, everything we touch is contaminated by our moral and spiritual depravity. The perfect righteousness of Christ stands in stark contrast to our unrighteousness and condemns us. It condemns our attitudes and actions. We stand utterly condemned by His holy presence. “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God” (Rom. 3:10). Our own self-righteousness is worthless and condemns us. “There is no one who does good, not even one” is God’s judgment against sinful man.

The good news from God is that He has provided the righteousness of Jesus Christ as a gift to the believer. Faith is the channel by which the sinner receives the righteousness of Christ. God’s gift is “the righteousness that is by faith from first to last.” “The righteous person will live by faith” (Rom. 1:17; Hab. 2:4).

God imputes the righteousness of Jesus Christ to the sinner. That is the way He makes application of the righteousness of Christ to us. Spurgeon said that it is like putting the infinite moral capital of the Lord Jesus in our empty bank account. God takes the riches of heaven’s storehouse and puts them at our disposal. The way He makes it available to us is by faith.

What is faith? It is a resting in Christ and His saving work for us. Faith is not work. Faith is going to God with open hands and receiving the righteousness God gives freely.

C. H. Spurgeon wrote in All of Grace, “Faith is not a blind thing; for faith begins with knowledge. It is not a speculative thing; for faith believes facts of which it is sure. It is not an unpractical, dreamy thing; for faith trusts, and stakes its destiny upon the truth of revelation. Faith is the eye which looks. Faith is the hand which grasps. Faith is the mouth which feeds upon Christ.”

It is this simple trusting in Christ that gives us a right standing in the presence of a holy and righteous God.

Do you stand in a perfect relationship with God? Do you have peace in your heart because you know you are in Christ? Are you trusting in your self-righteous good works and religious accomplishments, or in the righteousness of Christ alone?

WAS GOD IN THE WHIRLWIND?

The tornado has also reportedly damaged Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis.
A witness at the church said, "We saw the tornado, it was turning, real fast, it got real black out here and had the trees coming to us on the left, the windows were shaking real bad and all this stuff across the street in the church, they had a little dinner there, it tore it all up, and it was just lifting off the ground. And it just disappeared. It just disappeared."


WAS GOD IN THE WHIRLWIND?
By Jan Markell


My home state of Minnesota has lots of lakes, bitter cold, and Lutherans. Over 150 years ago, Scandinavians targeted this state and its climate, perhaps because it resembled their homeland. Ironically, the fathers and grandfathers of today's Lutherans left Sweden back then because they saw corruption and bad doctrine within Lutheranism in Scandinavia. But these Lutheran immigrants built Bible-believing churches for future generations. No doubt they would be crushed at such a culmination of apostasy in recent years.

Wednesday, August 19, was an average day. It was cool with not enough humidity to stir up a storm. No unusual weather patterns were forecast in the Twin Cities' metro area. As I was out driving, there were no tornado sirens. It was going to be a memorable day, nonetheless.

During the week, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) was holding its annual convention in downtown Minneapolis. Attendees were using the facilities of the Minneapolis Convention Center and Central Lutheran Church which is directly across the street. At this year's convention, a blatant pro-homosexual position validating "chaste" same-sex relationships was to be voted on. It was to be voted on at 2 PM on Wednesday, August 19.

Then for the first time in decades, a tornado touched down in downtown Minneapolis at, you guessed it, 2 pm. The tornado went through the western section of downtown, causing damage to the Central Lutheran Church building, which was being used as a central meeting place for the convention. There was extensive roof damage at the Minneapolis Convention Center where the actual conference was assembled as well as votes on same-sex issues were actually cast. The church steeple on top of Central Lutheran Church was struck and split in two. It was left hanging upside down. The church was built in 1929 and certainly has had no tornado activity near it to date.

Meteorologists agree that such activity in a downtown area is extremely rare. Many could not recall when this had last happened to an area of structural cement rather than suburban homes or rural areas.

The vote was delayed past 2 PM but it did pass that same day. It passed by just one vote and it acknowledged the validity of same-sex relationships that are "chaste, monogamous and lifelong." There was a whirlwind outside of the convention center and inside -- to the degree that one person said, "We trust that the weather is not a commentary on our work." Conservatives in the ELCA, also observing the weather aberration, said it could have been a warning from God and an expression of His anger.

The ELCA went on to vote two days later to allow homosexuals to serve as pastors. If the tornado was a warning from God -- and we don't know that it was, but one could make a case for it -- those voting for abomination didn't get the message.

While we have no final word from God as to whether He sent the tornado, we can observe how God treated rebellious people and nations throughout the Old Testament who would not turn away from sin. If God didn't send the whirlwind, He did allow it. A holy God never approves of sanctioning sin and lifestyles that are destructive.

We can be sure of one message for it is right out of the Bible. A calamity happened near Jerusalem where 18 people were killed. Jesus said, "Those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13: 4-5).

Apostasy is allowed to remain rampant because the Bible is no longer preached in many churches. The liberal churches have plunging membership and ask why. It should be obvious that at least a remnant is not pleased with letting the world come into the church.

Additionally, churches are not preaching about God's judgment today. Rather, it's the gushy gospel with a God who doesn't hold to biblical standards anymore or else the church has changed the standards. Some would say those standards are outdated. "What would Jesus do?" is a bumper sticker or bracelet but not a guideline for holy living. However, today outfits like the ELCA even twist the words of Jesus. As the saying goes, the Ten Commandments are now the ten suggestions.

Lives were spared in this event, unlike the story in Luke 13. God was gracious. He is infinitely patient. Nonetheless, on a day when no severe weather was predicted or expected, a tornado forms, baffling the weather experts, most saying they've never seen anything like it. It happens right in the heart of the city. As if steered by an unseen hand, it targets a convention center whose occupants are talking about condoning blatant sin. To add emphasis, the hand then causes the tornado to tear into Central Lutheran Church just blocks away. This church was providing alcohol for attendees. Trees and homes just south of the downtown area had some damage.

God's message is repent because none of us will otherwise escape God's judgment. The message in many calamities is to repent while there is still time. I wonder if the ELCA delegates and leaders are even listening.

Since the vote on Friday I have heard from good Lutheran people who plan to leave the ELCA. May their vote with their feet send a message that urges others to follow them. The ELCA is likely not going to change, so lovers of truth and the Bible in all liberal denominations should take a cue from disgusted ELCA members now looking for a new church home.

God's Word cannot be mocked and whether He was in the whirlwind or not, the message is clear. We serve a holy God who does not sanction wickedness.

The Book of Ezra

The Book of Ezra is a remarkable witness to God's faithfulness to His people. Together with Nehemiah, Ezra describes the events leading to the return of the Judeans from captivity in Babylon and the discouraging experiences of that small community in the harsh world of the Promised Land. But through every experience God proved Himself faithful. Through the leadership of Ezra and Zerubbabel, God fulfilled His promises announced by His prophets to restore His people from Babylon, to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem, and to renew their hope that the Davidic kingdom would be restored.

The message for Ezra's day -- as well as for our own -- is that the God of Israel is faithful to His promises. He will completely restore His people when they come back to Him.

Ezra reveals God's continued fulfillment of His promise to keep David's descendants alive. Zerubbabel, the grandson of Jeconiah, is part of Jesus' earthly genealogy (Matt 1:12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; 13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ).

It may seem insignificant that the remnant of David's extended family had to return to Jerusalem, but it isn't. The positive turn of events sets up the good fortune that will give way to the Good News of Jesus. Without access to the original "land of promise," Jesus couldn't have been born in Bethlehem, which was a requirement for the Messiah (Mic 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.)

As Ezra documents the return from Babylon, the soundtrack of forgiveness and restoration plays in the background. It is a melody line that will accompany the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It is music to God's ears to hear His people confess and repent (Ezr 10:1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore).

Videos Eatonton Fellowship August 2, 2009 Steve Lumbley of Apostasy Watch

http://www.ApostasyWatch.com

"The Unity of the Faith" - Part 1



"The Unity of the Faith" - Part 2



"The Unity of the Faith" - Part 3



"The Unity of the Faith" - Part 4

We Shall Be Like Him!

We are Children of God

1 John 3:2 - 3 "...now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."

Though we do not know all the specifics of our future existence, we do know that we will have a body like Christ's (Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself). Believers will put on immortality and become free from the sin nature that presently plagues us.

Everyone who has the hope of seeing Christ and being like Him (v. 2)"we shall be like Him" realizes that Christ is morally pure. This realization helps a person pursue purity even more.

Persecuted Church in China - Christians are Praying with Endurance

Between June 2 and June 14, Luonan County authorities formally abolished Taochuan Christian Church, illegally searched the property, imposed a fine, detained and interrogated members of the church and banned them from assembling to worship. After seizing Liu Caili, Huang Shumin and Xu Fenying on June 14, 2009, the Luonan County PSB officers televised them in handcuffs being escorted by police. (Watch video.) Xu Fenying was released on June 19 after five days of detention, and Liu Caili and Huang Shumin were released at at 8:30 a.m. on June 24 after serving 10 days of detention. Zhang Miaoli's arrest and five-day detention followed on June 19th.


Pastor Bike was hopeful after witnessing these public trials. "I believe the Luonan Court will handle this case with fair judgment, and the government will change the erroneous views and mentality of the religious department of Luonan through the law." He says he hopes that all Christians in China will continue to follow the holy will of God, abide by the laws and the regulations of the state and protect their freedom of belief and human rights in accordance with law. Pastor Bike further encourages Chinese Christians to urge the public security departments and the departments in charge of religious affairs to correct their illegal conduct and bring God's blessings to the nation.

LEGALISM

A teacher on Pal Talk was teaching on legalism and he posed this question:
“What if a person loves to go to church because he feels he gets spiritual life there, or he feels the presence of God there? What if it’s not a “duty” for him to go to church all the time, but rather, a pleasure? Is he still walking in legalism when he goes?”

He then went on to explain that “it’s not legalism because the issue of legalism doesn’t revolve around what we do. Legalism has to do with the motives and the reasons we are doing whatever it is we are doing. When we are doing something because we love God and we want to please Him, and we believe the thing we are doing is pleasing to Him, this is not legalism.” “…then we will have a strong desire to please Him. This is healthy and Scriptural.

And to back up what he said he quoted:
Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

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Now, the bible says in Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

It also says in Pro 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Back to the teacher's question: "...he feels he gets spiritual life there; ...he feels the presence of God there."

The problem here is that we cannot know that we are pleasing to God by our feelings.

So how can we know that we are doing things that are pleasing to God? The answer is found in God’s word. This is a very personal thing. There is no list of do’s and don’ts.

In Col 1:9 Paul’s prayer for the Colossian Christians is a model for us. As soon as he heard of the new faith of the Colossians, he began interceding with God for them, asking Him to give them knowledge, wisdom, strength, and joy. He prayed that the new believers at Colosse would grow into Christian maturity so that they might walk before God, pleasing Him and producing good works.

Paul’s concern is that the Colossians would have full knowledge of God’s will. The desire to serve God will be in vain without a proper understanding of the One we want to serve. Thus Paul prays that the Colossians might be filled with full knowledge that encompasses all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

Wisdom is the practical outworking of knowledge (Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be dealt with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy), and that knowledge cannot be separated from the spiritual understanding that comes through the discernment given by the Holy Spirit.

In addition to the full knowledge of the Lord’s will mentioned in v. 9, Paul desires that the Colossians may walk worthy of the Lord. Paul wanted the Colossians to live in a manner that adequately reflected what God had done for them and was doing in them.

Being “worthy of God” is a phrase that occurs in ancient pagan inscriptions throughout Asia. It pictures someone’s life being weighed on scales to determine its worth. If these devotees to false gods knew they had to walk in a worthy manner, certainly Christians should dedicate their lives to the living God in order to please Him.

In James 3:17 The main characteristic of godly wisdom is that it is pure, meaning “free from defilement.” Bitterness, envy, and selfish behavior thoroughly corrupt a person (Jas 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. ) Godly wisdom is also peaceable, describing a spirit of tranquility and calmness. It does not suggest compromising truth just for the sake of peace, which would promote falsehood. In addition, godly wisdom is undivided, without favoritism, unwavering and consistent, without hypocrisy. True wisdom is sincere and unpretentious (modest).

Here is some more advice that we can all use to be pleasing to God:
1Th 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
1Th 4:12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

My conclusion is if you want to be pleasing to God, you should seek His will; study to get a proper understanding of who He is by reading His word faithfully and purpose in your heart to study it for yourself and do not depend on others to feed you. Those "others" will not be there with you when you stand before the Lord of Glory!

Conference Video - Friday - July 31, 2009 (Four Parts)

Part 1 of 4
Please forgive my poor camera work!



Part 2 of 4



Part 3 of 4



Part 4 of 4

Apostasy Watch Conference - Still More Pictures!

Keith and Linda, Creeky, Ron, Josh, Brian (Wallwatcher)