BOOK: “Eternal Security, Can We Be Sure”

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I believe that once a person becomes a genuine Christian, they can never “lose” their salvation.  They are saved by grace and they are kept by the power of God.  Along that line, I recently read Charles Stanley’s book Eternal Security: Can We Be Sure.  In the book, Stanley shares about growing up in a Pentecostal Holiness Church that did not believe in the eternal security of the believer.  Not only did the church not believe that a person that is saved is always saved, they often preached against that doctrine. 

Stanley’s book is well written and the doctrine of the eternal security of the believer is strongly supported.  The book is understandable and written to a wide audience.

Do you believe that you can “lose” your salvation?  Well, so did Charles Stanley!  But in the book, he documents how he came to believe differently when he began to dig into the Scriptures.

Regardless of where you stand on the issue of eternal security, I believe the book will be a blessing to you.  Pick up a copy today and decide about this doctrine for yourself.

World’s Greatest Sermon

Posted in Church Chat, Discipleship2 Comments

This morning I read the Sermon on the Mount from the gospel of Matthew, chapters 5-7.  One day an unusually large crowd gathered to hear Jesus, so he gathered them together on the side of a mountain.  There He preached the greatest sermon that has ever been preached throughout all history.

In the sermon, Jesus addresses some difficult topics like the following:

38″You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.'”  Matthew 5:38-42

Does Jesus mean this literally?  Do you know of anyone who has actually practiced this in real life?  I encourage you to read through this sermon–it will challenge you in your thinking and in your walk with the Lord.

“Beam Me Up, Scotty”

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Star TrekHave you ever taken a shortcut?  I live for shortcuts.  I love side streets and back roads that save time and keep you moving toward the desired destination. A while back, I bought a GPS unit, in part, so I can find additional routes that can save time.

Unfortunately, I have discovered there are no shortcuts to spiritual maturity! If a person wants his or her life to count for God in a significant way, there is no shortcut. It’s not all that complicated, but, it’s certainly not easy!  No shortcut will lead you into the power of God and impact for His kingdom.

How can a Christian make a Godly impact on his world?  The answer can be found in a simple Scripture written by the Apostle Paul to the church of Galatia.  Paul writes in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Paul alludes to this same truth in 2 Corinthians 12 when he tells about his William Shatner, Star Trek experience of being “beamed up” into Heaven where the Lord said to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  Paul responded by saying, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me . . . For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

These verses teach us that we cannot rely upon our own strengths to accomplish God’s will.  We will only see the power of God when we are filled with His presence and His power!  We trust Him to do what only He can do. The formula for spiritual success then is as follows:

Surrender +  faith  =  God’s Power

We do not apply this formula to our lives one time and then that’s it! No, we apply it daily–sometimes several times throughout the day. Walking with Christ implies a journey where we take step after step. Sometimes we will run; sometimes we will walk; sometimes we will stand still!

Book: “A Different Gospel”

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CopelandI’ve been reading A Different Gospel by D.R. McConnell.  The book takes a bold and revealing look at the biblical and historical basis of the Word of Faith movement.  The book began as McConnell’s master’s thesis when he was a student at Oral Roberts University.  McConnell himself is a Charismatic pastor, so this is an insider’s look at something he finds unbiblical and heretical.

McConnell says that today’s Word of Faith preachers (Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Paul Crouch, Fred Price, Benny Hinn, Marilyn Hickey, Creflo Dollar, T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Paula White, etc.) base their doctrine on the works and teachings of Kenneth Hagin.  Hagin based (some say plagiarized) his doctrines on the works of E.W. Kenyon.  The real bombshell in the book is that Kenyon based his teachings and beliefs on what he was taught in college, at the hands of teachers who were Gnostics and Christian Scientists.  Although Kenyon was sincere, his theology was not biblical from the very beginning.

I personally believe that many of the Word of Faith ministers are sincere, but they are sincerely wrong.  In effect, they have changed the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to include Gnostic and Christian Science teachings.  Paul clearly warns:

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel– which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!”
Galatians 1:6-9 (NIV)

McConnell’s book is not an easy read,  but it is imperative that every believer be informed about the Word of Faith message.  You can also read a lot about Word of Faith with a simple Google search.

Thrilled to Be Here

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uhaulCan you imagine putting up with me for 28 years? Just thinking about it can make your heart skip a beat, but that’s exactly what Laura has done! Twenty-eight years of being married to me should earn her a mansion or two along with several stars for her crown.

We have seen a lot of life together. She followed me to the mountains of eastern Kentucky. The first time she sat foot in eastern Kentucky was when I took her to meet “the folks.” She later told me that the hills almost smothered her to death. She followed me to Morehead, Banner, Fort Worth, Hazard, Pikeville, Belfry, Georgetown, Williamstown, Louisville, and now Shelbyville. At least 14 times we’ve loaded all our belongings in a rental truck and moved to a new home. A couple of weeks ago, we made the trek from Louisville to Shelbyville. Thank you for all your help in relocating us—we are thrilled to be here!

We have seen highs and lows mixed in with a lot of everyday life. We were thrilled when our little marching band from Pikeville finished Class A State Runner-up in ‘88 and ‘89, but more thrilled when God began to move dramatically within our church at Belfry. We watched the church almost triple in size and celebrated several members called to full-time ministry. Missionaries, pastors, youth directors—God did an awesome work.

We both long to see God’s awesome power in our church at Shelbyville. We are overjoyed to be in Shelbvyille because we believe God wants to do a great work here as well. In order for that to happen it cannot be business as usual. The church is not a business; it is the bride of Christ. God will move when we, the bride, fall in love with Christ, the Groom. It’s one thing to mark off another anniversary with Christ, but another thing to be madly in love with Him. Which one do you think He prefers?