Jesus is the Meeting Place - by Ric Pointer

JOHN 2:20 “This temple took forty-six years to build,” the Jews replied, “and You are going to raise it up in three days?”

21 But Jesus was speaking about the temple of His body.

22 After He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this. Then they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.…


The point is that under the terms of the old covenant, the temple was the great meeting-place between a holy God and his sinful people. This was the place of sacrifice, the place of atonement for sin. But this side of the cross, where Jesus by his sacrifice pays for our sin, Jesus himself becomes the great meeting-place between a holy God and his sinful people; thus he becomes the temple, the meeting-place between God and his people. It is not as if Jesus in his incarnation adequately serves as the temple of God. That is a huge mistake. Jesus says, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” It is in Jesus’ death, in his destruction, and in his resurrection three days later, that Jesus meets our needs and reconciles us to God, becoming the temple, the supreme meeting-place between God and sinners. To use Paul’s language, we do not simply preach Christ; rather, we preach Christ crucified.

Apocalyptic Language - by Ric Pointer

The first principle is the fact that the book of Revelation uses extensive figurative language. Revelation is a book of apocalyptic literature. Several books of Jewish apocalyptic literature are available for study. In the Old Testament, the books of Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Joel contain apocalyptic literature. Also, certain extrabiblical books such as the Book of Enoch, the Assumption of Moses, and the Book of Baruch fall into the literary category of apocalyptic writings. Apocalyptic literature uses signs and symbols to veil its message to outside readers. This type of literature was written when the Jewish nation was amidst one of its most tumultuous times—when the Israelites were under attack, or ruled over, by another powerful nation. Ray Summers explained as follows: “The personal safety of both writer and reader was endangered if the persecutors understood the true meaning of the book. For this reason the message of the apocalypse was written so as to conceal and to reveal—to conceal the message from the outsider but to reveal its message to the initiated” (1951, p. 5)

Apocalyptic language uses a system of figurative language. This type of language uses symbols to get across to its readers specific messages. We use figurative language everyday. Suppose a person said that his boss “flew off the handle” one day at work. The mental picture of that phrase might be of a person attached to a teapot handle flying off using a pair of wings, or it might be of a hammerhead in the shape of a person coming dislodged from its handle. But the true meaning of the phrase is that the boss became very angry. To illustrate further, suppose someone said that his dog “kicked the bucket.” Literally, we would be watching for a Kung Fu dog that could abuse a container with his feet, but the figurative meaning simply is that the person’s dog died. Now, suppose that we write down a long list of these figurative statements and bury them in a time capsule. In 2,000 years, a civilization not familiar with such statements uncovers our list and reads the figurative language. Our kicking dog would be just as confusing to them as the seven-headed beast of Revelation is to us today. Therefore, we must read Revelation with figurative language at the forefront of our mind, remembering that apocalyptic literature had an elaborate system of such language that was used to convey social and political happenings of the time.

The Importance of the Destruction of Jerusalem - by Ric Pointer

There is far more to think about in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD than "ships" and "Egypt" It is greatly to be regretted that those who, in our day, give themselves to the study and exposition of prophecy, seem not to be aware of the immense significance of the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, which was accompanied by the extinction of Jewish national existence, and the dispersion of the Jewish people among all the nations.

The failure to recognize the significance of that event, and the vast amount of prophecy which it fulfilled, has been the cause of great confusion, for the necessary consequence of missing the past fulfillment of predicted events is to leave on our hands a mass of prophecies for which we must needs contrive fulfillment in the future.

The harmful results are two fold; for first, we are thus deprived of the evidential value, and the support to the faith, of those remarkable fulfillment of prophecy which are so clearly presented to us in authentic contemporary histories; and second, our vision of things to come is greatly obscured and confused by the transference to the future of predicted events which, in fact, have already happened, and whereof complete records have been preserved for our information.

the Ball Brothers - It's About the Cross (OFFICIAL video)

Missions to China - by Wendy Pointer

The non-sectarian China Inland Mission was founded on principles of faith and prayer. From the beginning it recruited missionaries from the working class as well as single women, which was a new practice for a large agency.

Missiological Distinctives of the China Inland Mission.

1. Priority is given to unreached inland provinces while seeking to evangelize the whole of China.
2. No solicitation of finance, or indebtedness; looking to God alone; pooling support in life of corporate faith
3. Identification with Chinese by wearing Chinese dress and queue (pigtail), worshipping in Chinese houses
4. Indigenization through training Chinese co-workers in self-governing, self-supporting and self-propagating principles
5. Recruitment of missionaries not based on education or ecclesiastical ordination, but spiritual qualification; deployment of single women in the interior and Christian professionals
6. Interdenominational-International Membership
7. Headquarters on the field, director rule; leaders and workers serving shoulder to shoulder

"We wish to see churches and Christian Chinese presided over by pastors and officers of their own countrymen, worshipping the true God in the land of their fathers, in the costume of their fathers, in their own tongue wherein they were born, and in edifices of a thoroughly Chinese style of architecture." (-J. Hudson Taylor)

Hudson Taylor made the first decision to found the China Inland Mission at Brighton, England during his first furlough from China. Like his missionary forebear Karl Gützlaff and contemporary William Chalmers Burns, Taylor was convinced that Chinese clothing should be worn when engaged in missionary work in inland China. On 3 October 1865, Taylor sent John and Anne Stevenson and George Stott to China, where they arrived on February 6, 1866. Including the five missionaries previously sent to Ningbo -James Joseph Meadows, Jean Notman, Stephen Paul Barchet, and George and Anne Crombie, these eight were already in China when Taylor returned in 1866. On 26 May of that year, Taylor accompanied the largest group of missionaries that had ever sailed to China on the Lammermuir. There were 16 missionaries as well as Hudson, his wife, Maria and their 4 children that became known as the Lammermuir Party. This journey took 4 months.

In 1872, the China Inland Mission's London council was formed. In 1875, it began to evangelise China systematically. Taylor requested 18 missionaries from God for the nine provinces which were still unreached. In 1881, he requested a further 70 missionaries, and, in 1886, 100 missionaries. In 1887 "The Hundred missionaries" were sent to China. Taylor travelled across several continents to recruit for the China Inland Mission. By the end of the nineteenth century, the CIM was well known around the world.

Richard Lovett wrote about the practices of the missionaries in 1899:

1. They have an excellent spirit, – self-denying, with singleness of aim; devotional, with a spirit of faith, of love, of humility.
2. Their operations are carried on with great efficiency and economy.
3. They are able and willing to bring themselves into close contact with the people, by living in their houses, using their dress, and living for the most part on their food; in short, "becoming all things unto all men, that they may save some."
4. They are widely scattered, but one or two families in a city.
5. They are having good success; many are doing a great amount of preaching and praying, and souls are "added to the Church," and are, I trust, truly converted.
6. They are not generally educated men, but men from humble labouring classes, converted and brought out by the revivals in England, Ireland and Scotland, and showing zeal and aptness to preach and labour for the salvation of souls. Hence they will not be very likely to fritter away foolishly their time in reading dusty old Chinese tomes, and in making books and tracts that nobody will read.
7. They are willing to "rough it.

"

The Cambridge Seven - in Western dress and after their 'transformation' to missionaries in China

In 1900, attacks took place across China in connection with the Boxer Rebellion which targeted Christians and foreigners. The China Inland Mission lost more members than any other agency: 58 adults and 21 children were killed. However, in 1901, when the allied nations were demanding compensation from the Chinese government, Hudson Taylor refused to accept payment for loss of property or life in order to demonstrate the meekness of Christ to the Chinese. In the same year, Dixon Edward Hoste was appointed to the directorship of the mission.

The early 1900s saw great expansion of missionary activity in China following the Boxer Rebellion and during the Revolution of 1912 and the establishment of the Chinese Republic. William Whiting Borden, wealthy heir of the Borden, Inc. family, who graduated from Yale in 1909, left behind a comfortable life in America to respond to the call for workers with the Muslims of northwest China. He died in Egypt while still in training.

A musician and an engineer named James O. Fraser was the first to bring the Gospel message to the Lisu tribes of Yunnan in southwest China. This resulted in phenomenal church growth among the various tribes in the area that endured to the 21st century.

The Warlord period brought widespread lawlessness to China and missionary work was often dangerous or deadly. John and Betty Stam were a young couple who were murdered in 1934 by Communist soldiers. Their biography "The Triumph of John and Betty Stam" inspired a generation of missionaries to follow in the same steps of service despite the trials of war and persecution that raged in China in the 1930s and 1940s.

The Japanese invasion further complicated efforts as the Japanese distrusted anyone with British or American Nationalities. When the Japanese invaded China in World War II, the China Inland Mission moved its headquarters up the Yangzi River to Chongqing. Many missionaries were put into concentration camps until the end of the war. One such camp was at Weifang.The entire Chefoo School run by the mission at Yantai was imprisoned at a concentration camp.

As the children and teachers were marched off they sang:

"God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear…. The Lord of Hosts is with us, The God of Jacob is our refuge". (Psalm 46:1,7)

The students were separated from their parents for more than 5 years.

In 1900 there were an estimated 100,000 Christians in China. It multiplied to seven times that number by 1950 (700,000). The Chinese church began to be an indigenous movement helped by strong leaders such asJohn Sung, Wang Ming-Dao, Watchman Nee and Andrew Gih.

Phyllis Thompson wrote that between 1949 and 1952, after the victory of the Communist armies, there was a "reluctant exodus" of all of the members of the China Inland Mission. The leaders met at Bournemouth,England to discuss the situation and the decision was made to re-deploy all of the missionaries into the rest of East Asia. Headquarters were moved to Singapore and work commenced in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong,

the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Indonesia. In addition to reducing some languages to written form, the Bible was translated, and basic theological education was given to neglected tribal groups. The publication and distribution of Christian literature were prioritized among both the rural tribes people and the urban working classes and students. The goal remained for every community to have a church in East Asia and thereby the Gospel would be preached "to every creature". The proclamation of the Christian message also included medical work. Three hospitals were opened in rural Thailand as well as a leprosy control programme. Many of the patients were refugees. In the Philippines, community development programs were launched. Alcoholic rehabilitation began in Japan, and rehabilitation work among prostitutes was begun in Taipei and Bangkok.

In 1980, Hudson Taylor's great grandson, James Hudson Taylor III, became General Director of the mission work. According to Taylor in 1989, "The fellowship has no desire to re-establish itself there (in China) in the form it used to have", but he also affirmed that "OMF is still deeply committed to the Chinese people. We can never forget that we came into existence as the China Inland Mission. Ever since our ‘reluctant exodus’ we have called the church worldwide to prayer for our brothers and sisters in China, and to share in proclaiming the gospel and nurturing millions of new believers through radio broadcasts and the provision of Bibles and Christian literature."

Dr. Patrick Fung, a Chinese Christian appointed in 2006, is the first Asian to lead the mission. The work continues to the present day.

https://omf.org/

It isn't Fair! - by Wendy Pointer

How many times have we cried out to God that what is happening to us; to hundreds or thousands of people in some distant country inundated by flood or starving from famine or displaced by war; or to an 'innocent' child dying of leukemia; that it isn't fair? How often have we sobbed in prayer for God to do 'something'? How often have we shouted that it shouldn't be this way? Or as Mark Buchanan in his book 'The Holy Wild' asks "God, how could you stand by, helpless?"
And the answer he gives, as condemning as it is honest, "I have done something. I created you" (Pg 87)

Every one of us can do something to ease our neighbour's pain; to lift their burden if only for a while; to walk with them along the highway of their life to give companionship, to hold their hand, to offer them love - your love and God's love.
There is always something we can do. Now and then it can be huge, life-changing, world shaking. But mostly it is something small, something that might go unnoticed. And the one thing we can do in every situation, is to pray.
James 5:16-18 tells us "The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't - not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again." (The Message)

So the next time you are tempted to cry out to God "Why don't You do something?" ......

.......... Remember that He did - He created YOU



Monday, September 12, 2011

Hindrance of Lies - by Wendy Pointer

Satan aims to hinder us. Every day he tries to turn us from our path of following our Father and Creator. Sometimes his attacks are very obvious and other times they are done by sleight of hand.

I grew up in a family with many ties to the stage, albeit in quite an amateur way. My mother had some friends who belonged to the Magic Circle, and as a young child I was fascinated to see their tricks up close. I have helped out on stage – being sawn in half by a magician; held things; picked cards; seen all kinds of tricks up close. And the cleverest of all the magicians I have seen were those who did a trick when I knew how it was done, when I was close enough to see the trick being performed, and I still didn’t see ‘how’ or when they did it.

Illusion, sleight of hand, puffs of smoke, flashes or bangs, distractions of all kinds. All of these are the tools of the trade to magicians. They are also part of the arsenal of the enemy. If he can distract us from God’s path, from listening to our Father speak to us through His Word, from taking our problems to our Lord in prayer, then he hopes to keep us from God’s blessings.

Like magicians, the liar uses sleight of hand; he uses half-truths (which are all lies, don’t be fooled into thinking they are only half lies they aren’t). He uses smoke and mirrors to confuse us. Sometimes he uses a very obvious lie – one we hear and think ‘ha! Who would ever believe that?” but take care, he may be distracting us, drawing our attention away from where it should be – on God and His Truth.

Satan is tricksy, sly and deceitful, but don’t get him out of proportion. Be careful not to give him too much credit. He is only a fallen angel, and Hebrews 1: 4 tells us about Jesus our Saviour “So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.“ Against our Lord the liar cannot stand.

1 Peter 5:8 tells us “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” And Peter continues telling us “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”Remember the devil is trying so hard to trick us; he is desperate to make us stumble, because he knows his time is short. Father of Lies though he may be, he knows the truth; he knows what awaits him. Revelation 20:10 tells us “Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulphur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

Our Savior is victorious, the liar is already defeated, the Word of God says it is so.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

“Constantly choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil.” - by Ric Pointer

When it comes to elections, people, especially Christians, more often than not, vote for the candidate who most represents their character, principles and values.

Now that the field of presidential candidates has been reduced to two likely choices representing each of their parties, many Christians are now promoting Trump in order to stop Hillary. This includes those whom Trump was not their first choice. They call it voting for the lesser of two evils.

Here's an example of the rallying cry these Christians are making for Trump:

They say President Barack Obama has brought our nation literally to the edge of death and destruction, which is true. They say that if Hillary Clinton is allowed by the American people to follow him, she will double down. They say if there is a Hillary presidency, there will be full-blown socialistic fascism in America within the next several years—we're talking Hitler-Mussolini style fascism.

Let’s leave the actual candidates aside for a moment. Considered in the abstract, what should a moral voter do? Does we have an obligation to vote according to our conscience — i.e., for the candidate who most closely embodies our beliefs? Or does we have an obligation to vote for the candidate we perceive as “the lesser of two evils,” the one of the two major-party nominees who is more likely to enact policies believes healthy for society? 

I urge everyone to vote with his conscience, his heart and a little bit of the brain, instead of classifying all beliefs and placing your vote in the box for the Democrat or the Republican who can “win” the election. If you vote for who you think can win an election, you are doing a disservice to yourself, to your family and to our nation.

Consider that most of us believe it would be wrong to vote carelessly, without information and with prejudices. As philosopher Jason Brennan argues in his book ‘The Ethics of Voting’ - “Going to the ballot box utterly unprepared and making a minimally informed decision makes a mockery of democracy. If others were to do that as well — and we have an obligation to behave as if our own behavior were the model for everyone’s behavior — then cumulatively, those uninformed votes would elect bad governments. And that would harm society, abandoning our duty of care.”

Many in America believe we are on the right track to “Make America Great Again” while others are convinced the only way to restore America to its rightful place of honor is to acknowledge “I’m with her!”

There are others, however, who believe it’s just not that simple. They are disillusioned with what they see occurring in this country and don’t believe either party has the answer. Bill Cloud, author of “Esau Rising: Ancient Adversaries and the War for America’s Soul” and founder of Shoreshim Ministries, an organization which reintroduces Christians to the Jewish Y’shua through the Hebraic roots of their faith. Cloud says our early framers and founders invited God to enter into a covenant with America. Therefore, he believes, as a result of this covenant, “beyond a doubt, that God has raised this nation up” to serve “His purpose.”

Cloud believes that is why the founders “promoted the concept of choosing and electing virtuous, righteous men who had integrity” and those “whose virtues were impeccable. They weren’t perfect men but believed in perfect principles contained in the Scriptures.”

Cloud believes his “duty to the Kingdom of Heaven supersedes his civic duty to any nation” and that if we aren’t faithful to the duties of the Kingdom of Heaven, then “there won’t be a country” for us “to be faithful to.” Cloud says that “every choice and every decision we make in life matters and we will all have to give an account to God because of the choices we have made,” including how we vote.

“When it comes to spiritual principles…where in Scripture are we given the latitude to endorse what God says is wicked if we think it will help to defeat evil?… You don’t heal the land by trying to save yourself and do it the way you think it should be done. You heal the land by humbling yourself before God and seeking His face, turning from your wicked ways, that’s how the land is healed,” Cloud said.

When considering the question of choosing between the lesser of two evils, we must begin with what voting is within our system of government. In our system, citizen is an office; we too bear responsibility for the actions of the government. Just as the lordship of Christ made demands for public justice on office-holders in the New Testament (Luke 4:15), the same is true for those who rule as citizens.

The apostle Paul taught that the sword of Caesar is given by God to commend good and punish evil (Rom. 13:1-5). The Bible addresses the limits of this role, recounting those who use the sword in unjust ways and are held accountable to judgment (i.e. Revelation 13).

Are Christians content to vote for the lesser of two evils? The Republican Party sure seems to think so. Their battle cry of “Anyone but Obama” has been reverberating across the land for nearly two years now, but is that really the kind of philosophy that should determine the leader of our nation? John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, said that “it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” This election may be the very first election in the history of America in which neither of the presidential candidates from the two major parties can legitimately claim to be a Christian. Should the Christians of America be willing to vote for the lesser of two evils?

No! We should not. In Romans 3:7, Paul asks a question that has been the focus of countless debates throughout the whole of human history. If we know for sure that telling a lie would accomplish more for the Lord than telling the truth, would the lie be justified by the good that it could accomplish? Verse 8 of the same chapter gives us the answer to that question in saying that we are not to do evil that good may come. The answer of Romans 3:8 stands in stark contrast to the prevailing philosophy of our day which is based on Voltaire’s pragmatic doctrine of “the best is the enemy of the good.” This philosophy is often reflected in the political dogma of the major parties, but the answer of God’s Word is very clear. “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught.” (II Thessalonians 2:15)

Consider the instruction given to us in Romans 16:17-20:

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Let’s apply this to the particular topic of politics. In this passage, God tells us to mark certain politicians and avoid them – don’t follow them – don’t vote for them. Which ones? The ones who cause Christians to either divide or offend in a manner contrary to God’s Word. Notice that he doesn’t speak of all those who cause divisions and offenses, for even the Word of God causes division (Hebrews 4:12). It is only those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to God’s Word that we are to avoid. This could be someone who says: “We don’t need to be divided over the issue of whether abortion is right or wrong. We all agree that there should be fewer abortions, so let’s just join together to accomplish that goal. Let’s limit our divisions to things like who we want to win the Super Bowl.” This kind of politician is to be avoided. He serves not our Lord Jesus Christ, but his own belly, and he uses good works and fair speeches to deceive the people into following him. Now, verse 19 has direct application to today’s conservatives. Notice that God begins by praising them for being obedient and having a great testimony, but He said that He would yet have them do something more. He wanted them to be wise unto that which is good and simple concerning evil. Notice that the contrast is between wisdom and simplicity not between knowledge and ignorance. The Bible tells us that a wise man “useth knowledge aright.” (Proverbs 15:2) Therefore, God’s desire for us is that we will use our knowledge of the candidates correctly by casting our vote unto that which is good. We are to be simple concerning evil in that we refuse to use our knowledge in a manner that helps these men who are causing divisions and offenses contrary to the Word of God. Each time that the Christians of our nation give in to Voltaire’s pragmatic approach of choosing the lesser of two evils, we make our plight more difficult. I am reminded of the nations which occupied the land of Israel after it was conquered by the king of Assyria. At first, these nations had no fear of the God of Israel, and they suffered major setbacks as a result, but then they came up with a compromise. They decided to learn about God and tell everyone that they feared Him while at the same time continuing to actually serve their own gods. II Kings 17:40-41 reveals to us the long-term results of that decision:

Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner. So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children's children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.

The people of those nations chose a pragmatic compromise, and their descendants were never able to turn back from the course which had been set.

It is imperative that we remember the warning given in Hebrews 3:12-14.

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end;

Here we see the true reason in deciding to vote according to God’s Word regardless of the consequences. A Christian who publicly refuses to vote for any candidate that does not adhere to biblical principles will have many people ask him how he can have any hope for the future of our nation when he chooses to vote in such a manner. What better opportunity could there be for teaching others that our hope is in the Lord? A man told me this: he had a friend who is an atheist, and he is a very difficult man to witness to; but “when I told him that I would not vote for a Trump or Hillary, he immediately wanted to know why. My simple stand on the principles of the Bible opened the door for a discussion on the work of God throughout the course of human history.”

Now, perhaps you are wondering why I skipped verse 15 in my quote from II Peter chapter 3. Verse 15 of this chapter provides us with a response to those who insist that we would do more harm than good if we refuse to vote for a liberal Republican candidate. This verse states:

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

How about not voting, increasingly the choice made by a majority of eligible voters? Refusing to vote makes a statement, of course, but it is the statement of losers. It was Leon Trotsky (born Zev Bronstein) who quite correctly said, "You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you." The same can be said of politics. By not voting, you actually invest those who do vote with greater legitimacy, sway and control than they deserve. Control over you. By not voting, you choose evil, in other words.

If a Christian is not deciding, or helping to decide, an election (and Scripture very clearly tells us he is not), what is the vote to a Christian?

Whatever others may think, whatever the “powers that be” may think, all a vote is to a Christian is responding to an invitation by “the powers that be” to express something of what we believe about government. A vote is a message related to how government should be executed.

That message will be very imprecise. There is no box on the ballot that says, “Govern according to the principles laid out in Romans 13 and I Timothy 2.” That box is not there, I looked on my last ballot. If I vote for a candidate, no one knows WHY I did so. Does that mean it is useless? Again, no. We look to send a message that communicates something of value, a message our Lord and Master wants us to send, trusting Him to use it.

In conclusion, I say again, I urge everyone to vote with his conscience, his heart and a little bit of the brain, instead of classifying all beliefs and placing your vote in the box for the Democrat or the Republican who can “win” the election. If you vote for who you think can win an election, you are doing a disservice to yourself, to your family and to our nation. Look at third Party Candidates. Write some one in if your state allows it.

Be Content - by Wendy Pointer

Being content, being satisfied, is something we are not very good at in general these days. We are bombarded daily, sometimes continually, by messages from the world telling us we need to have MORE! To be a Success we must have bigger, better, MORE of every material thing. The world tells us we should be striving for this Success. Even if you can resist these messages, these temptations from the world to strive for more material wealth, we can still be caught by its message in a more subtle way. We can so easily make this dissatisfaction with our lot enter into our prayers; “Father give me…”, “Lord bless me with….”, “God you know my need”.
Wait isn’t that what we are instructed to do? Take everything to God in prayer? What about the Lord’s Prayer, our example of how to pray and what to pray for? Doesn’t that say “Give us this day our daily bread”? Aren’t we therefore supposed to be asking God to give us the things we want?
Well what exactly did Jesus mean by daily bread? There is the spiritual bread to sustain us daily in His service, and we would be correct to pray for that of course. But does it mean material things? Jesus spoke of the clothing compared to the flowers of the fields, so surely he meant material things? If he did, then asking for our daily bread is not asking for much is it? Can we stretch the point so far as to suggest this means asking God to bless us with a new car, a new flat screen TV, or other fripperies of the world? And if God doesn’t provides all these things we think we ‘need’ can we remain satisfied or content? I would suggest not, and not being content we strive by our own strength to obtain them rather than trusting God to provide for us.
Our satisfaction, our contentment is from being not from having. Being God’s Children; Being Saved by God’s Grace; Being joint heirs with Christ of Eternal Life. While it is also appropriate to thank God for what we have, it is equally if not more appropriate to be thankful for what we are. We are chosen by God, since before the beginning of the world, to receive His Grace. What could be more marvellous than that?


Friday, June 3, 2011

Pet Sins - written by Wendy Pointer

Imagine if we all had our own Pet Sin which followed us around everywhere; Little demons who's job it was to tempt us often and whose temptations we gave in to as if they were mere foibles.
One lady might point to her pet and say "Oh that's my Pet Chocolate Sin... isnt he cute? I know I shouldn't eat so much but I just have no self control when he tempts me"
Or perhaps a man is heard to say "Sure this little devil is my Pet Speed Sin - you know, when he tempts me I just cant help myself, my foot hits the gas pedal and I simply can't stay under the speed limit"
Some of us might have two or even more Pet Sins following us around, prodding us regularly with their 'oh so tempting desires'.
And as I look around I wonder if this is really as fanciful as it appears? Perhaps they are invisible but don't many of us have a Pet Sin we tolerate, pander to or downright encourage?
I wonder what God thinks of all them - and perhaps worse, what He thinks of us?

(Psalms 69:5) God, you know my foolishness. My sins aren’t hidden from you.
(Psalms 90:8) You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.
(Romans 6:23) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

GOD HAS SPOKEN - by Ric Pointer

The whole Bible is based on this truth. Genesis 1:1-3 "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."

God has spoken to man: 1Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. Hebrews 1:1 -3

In one of James Montgomery Boice’s final books he wrote something that has often come to my mind. He wrote about the Bible and said that as far as he could see the battle over the inerrancy of the Bible had been fought and won. The Bible is without error. But the battle for the sufficiency of the Bible was just beginning. Will the Bible be enough for us? Will we affirm that the Bible is sufficient to guide us in all of life?

Paul describes the Bible this way in 2 Timothy 3:16–17: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”

Notice that Paul says “all” of Scripture, not just part of it, but all of it comes from God. So we should see the Bible as a different kind of book from any other book there is. In the entire Bible, God tells us what he wants us to know. Not just parts of the Bible come from God, but all of it is God’s own word to us. Also, notice that the Bible is “breathed out by God.” This is a way of saying that it comes from God’s own mouth. God speaks and breathes out the very books that form the Bibles that we have. Paul’s main point is that the Bible should be seen as God’s Word. God has revealed Himself! That a man knows God and, knowing God, knows also himself and all other things is due to the fact that God has spoken." Apart from God’s revelation. If God does not speak—there is no knowledge of God. There cannot be any knowledge of God. Man is shut off from God in ignorance and spiritual blindness. It all depends God. He has spoken, thus God can be known by every man. Because God has spoken, God must be known by every man. And because God has spoken, God is in fact known by every man. Man may stop his ears at the speech of God. He may turn away from God’s word. He may attempt to shout down the voice of God. No matter. God has spoken! And no man can alter that fact. God has spoken loudly. God has spoken clearly. And God has spoken authoritatively." (1)

(1 Protestant Reformed Churches in America )

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THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW THEIR GOD - by Ric Pointer

It has been said by someone that “the proper study of mankind is man.” I will not oppose the idea, but I believe it is equally true that the proper study of God’s elect is God; the proper study of a Christian is the Godhead. The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father.
There is something exceedingly improving to the mind in a contemplation of the Divinity. It is a subject so vast, that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity; so deep, that our pride is drowned in its infinity. Other subjects we can compass and grapple with; in them we feel a kind of self-content, and go our way with the thought, “Behold I am wise.” But when we come to this master science, finding that our plumbline cannot sound its depth, and that our eagle eye cannot see its height, we turn away with the thought that vain man would be wise, but he is like a wild ass’s colt; and with solemn exclamation, “I am but of yesterday, and know nothing.” No subject of contemplation will tend more to humble the mind, than thoughts of God.…
But while the subject humbles the mind, it also expands it. He who often thinks of God, will have a larger mind than the man who simply plods around this narrow globe.... The most excellent study for expanding the soul, is the science of Christ, and Him crucified, and the knowledge of the Godhead in the glorious Trinity.

Nothing will so enlarge the intellect, nothing so magnify the whole soul of man, as a devout, earnest, continued investigation of the great subject of the Deity.

And, whilst humbling and expanding, this subject is eminently consolatory. Oh, there is, in contemplating Christ, a balm for every wound; in musing on the Father, there is a quietus for every grief; and in the influence of the Holy Ghost, there is a balsam for every sore. Would you lose your sorrow? Would you drown your cares? Then go, plunge yourself in the Godhead’s deepest sea; be lost in his immensity; and you shall come forth as from a couch of rest, refreshed and invigorated. I know nothing which can so comfort the soul; so calm the swelling billows of sorrow and grief; so speak peace to the winds of trial, as a devout musing upon the subject of the Godhead.
It is to that subject that I invite you this morning. These words, spoken over a century ago by C. H. Spurgeon (at that time, incredibly, only twenty years old) were true then, and they are true now. They make a fitting preface to a series of studies on the nature and character of God.
Five basic truths, five foundation principles of the knowledge about God which Christians have, will determine our course throughout. They are as follows: 

1. God has spoken to man, and the Bible is his Word, given to us to make us wise unto salvation. 

2. God is Lord and King over his world; he rules all things for his own glory, displaying his perfections in all that he does, in order that men and angels may worship and adore him. 

3. God is Savior, active in sovereign love through the Lord Jesus Christ to rescue believers from the guilt and power of sin, to adopt them as his children and to bless them accordingly. 

4. God is triune; there are within the Godhead three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and the work of salvation is one in which all three act together, the Father purposing redemption, the Son securing it and the Spirit applying it. 

5. Godliness means responding to God’s revelation in trust and obedience, faith and worship, prayer and praise, submission and service. Life must be seen and lived in the light of God’s Word. This, and nothing else, is true religion. 

In the light of these general and basic truths, we are now going to examine in detail what the Bible shows us of the nature and character of the God of whom we have been speaking. We are in the position of travelers who, after surveying a great mountain from afar, traveling around it, and observing how it dominates the landscape and determines the features of the surrounding countryside, now approach it directly, with the intention of climbing it.

False Teachers By Shai Linne

Fal$e Teacher$   By Shai Linne

Special dedication to my brothers and sisters on the great continent of Africa:
To saints to Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe.
Don't be deceived by what America's sending y'all, man.

Let me begin
While there's still ink left in my pen.
I'm set to contend
For truth you can bet will offend.

Deception within the church man,
Who's lettin' 'em in?
We talked about this years ago;
Let's address it again.

And I ain't really trying to start beef,
But some who claim to be part of the sheep got some sharp teeth—
And cast at me when you criticize 'em,
But Jesus told us: Matthew 7:16, we can recognize 'em!

And God forbid that for the love of some fans
I keep quiet and watch them die with their blood on my hands!

So . . .
There's nothing left for me to do
Except to speak to you
In the spirit of Jude 3 and Second Peter 2.

And I know that some will label me a Pharisee,
Because today the only heresy is saying that there's heresy:
I'll dare to be specific and drop some clarity
On the popularity of the gospel of prosperity.

Turn off TBN; that channel is overrated.
Their pastors speak bogus statements, financially motivated.
It's kind of like a pyramid scheme.
Visualize heretics christianizing the American dream.

It's foul and deceitful.
They're lying to people,
Teaching that camels squeeze through the eye of a needle!

Ungodly and wicked—
Ask yourself how can they not be convicted?
Treating Jesus like a lottery ticket.

And you're thinking they're not the dangerous type
'Cause some of their statements are right?
That only proves that Satan comes as an angel of light.

This teaching can't be believed without a cost.
The lie is you can achieve a crown without a cross.
And I hear it all the time when they speak on the block.
Even unbelievers are shocked
How they're fleecing the flock.

It should be obvious then,
Yet I'll explain why it's sin.
Peep, the Bible—it's in 1 Timothy 6:9-10.

It talks about how the desire for riches
Has left many souls on fire, and stitches
Mired in ditches.

Tell me: Who would teach you to pursue as a goal
The very thing that the Bible says will ruin your soul?

Yet they're encouraging the love of money!
To make it worse, they've exported this garbage into other countries!

My heart breaks even now as I'm rhyming.
You wanna know what all fal$e teacher$ have in common?
It's called selfism, the fastest growing religion.
They just dress it up and call it "Christian."

Don't be deceived by this funny biz;
If you come to Jesus for money, then He's not your God; money is!

Jesus is not a means to an end.
The gospel is He came to redeem us from sin.
And that is the message forever I'll yell!
If you're living your best life now you're headed for hell!

Joel Osteen—fal$e teacher!
Creflo Dollar is a fal$e teacher!
Benny Hinn is a fal$e teacher!
I know they're popular but don't let them deceive ya!

TD Jakes is a fal$e teacher!
Joyce Meyer is a fal$e teacher!
Paula White is a fal$e teacher!
Use your discernment, let the Bible lead ya!

Fred Price is a fal$e teacher!
Kenneth Copeland is a fal$e teacher!
Robert Tilton is a fal$e teacher!
I know they're popular but don't let them deceive ya!

Eddie Long is a fal$e teacher!
Juanita Bynum is a fal$e teacher!
Paul Crouch is a fal$e teacher!
Use your discernment, let the Bible lead ya!

"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep" (2 Peter 2:1-3).

“Imputation”

Simply, to credit or reckon. Through Adam, the guilt of sin is imputed to all men; through Christ, righteousness is imputed to believers (Rom. 5:12–21). On the cross, Christ exchanged his righteousness for man’s sinfulness (2 Cor. 5:21) by means of imputation. The sins of believers were imputed (credited) to Christ on the cross, and the righteousness that belonged to Jesus Christ was imputed (credited) to believers. Thus, believers possess an “alien” righteousness and can stand before a righteous God.

(Adapted from Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms, p. 140)

MercyMe - I Can Only Imagine

God's Covenants - by Ric Pointer

The Mosaic Law is one of six covenants that God made with Israel, all six of which have five concepts in common: their authority resides in Him, they all came at a time of crisis, no covenant nullifies a previous one, salvation from sin is not obtained by keeping any covenant, and significant negative events followed the instigation of each. The theological context of the Mosaic Covenant is Israel’s election by grace and the redemptive context God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt.
The content of the covenant follows the pattern of the ancient suzerainty treaty. The covenant was the most conditional of all the covenants, and like all the covenants, it promised blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. The covenant addressed itself to Israel and Israel alone with its divinely authoritative rules that stipulated standards of righteousness. No one can justly separate the moral, civil, and ceremonial parts of the Law from each other; it is a unit. The Law has no authority over Christians because it has been fulfilled by the death of Christ.

The Doctrine of the Trinity - by Ric Pointer

The Doctrine of the Trinity is probably the most difficult conception for us finite creatures to understand about the infinite Creator God.

Paul wrote “ 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. “( 1 Corinthians 13:12) Most will agree when we contemplate the The Great I am we are found lacking and at times mind boggled. James White sums up our Christian view “Within the one Being that is God, there exists eternally three coequal and co-eternal persons, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (The Forgotten Trinity, 26) This expression of of the Trinity is probably the norm among conservative evangelicals. But I have seen over the years few try to understand it and often put it on the back burner. In my view, it lends itself too easily to the view that the Trinity is merely a society of three divine persons, whose oneness goes no further than the abstract nature they share in common unless we spend time to see The Triune God for our selves in the scriptures.

Recently I have grown to see that “[In the New Testament], the truths of the Holy Trinity and of sovereign grace prove to be not two truths but one. The doctrine of salvation is the good news of the Father’s giving us his Son to redeem us and his Spirit to renew us. The doctrine of the Trinity is the good news of three divine persons working together to raise us into spiritual life and bring us to the glory of God’s kingdom. Genesis 1:26 seems to confirm the idea that there is one God whose oneness is complex. The idea of God's nature being triune (three in one) is mind-boggling. Contemplation of the infinite is always confusing to finite beings. Nevertheless, certain illustrations can help people grapple with the issue of a complex unity. C. S. Lewis, a talented philologist, writer and debater put it this way: We must remind ourselves that Christian theology does not believe God to be a person. It believes Him to be such that in Him a trinity of persons is consistent with a unity of Deity. In that sense it believes Him to be something very different from a person, just as a cube, in which six squares are consistent with unity of the body, is different from a square. (Flatlanders, attempting to imagine a cube, would either imagine the six squares coinciding, and thus destroy their distinctness, or else imagine them set out side by side, and thus destroy the unity. Our difficulties about the Trinity are of much the same kind.

Shorter Catechism

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?
A. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.

Q. 3. What do the Scriptures principally teach?
A. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.

Q. 4. What is God?
A. God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.

Q. 5. Are there more Gods than one?
A. There is but one only, the living and true God.

Q. 6. How many persons are there in the godhead?
A. There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

Q. 7. What are the decrees of God?
A. The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.

Q. 8. How doth God execute his decrees?
A. God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence.

Q. 9. What is the work of creation?
A. The work of creation is God's making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good.

Q. 10. How did God create man?
A. God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness and holiness, with dominion over the creatures.

Q. 11. What are God's works of providence?
A. God's works of providence are his most holy, wise and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.

Q. 12. What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?
A. When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death.

Q. 13. Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?

A. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sinning against God.

Q. 14. What is sin?
A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.

Q. 15. What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?
A. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created was their eating the forbidden fruit.

Q. 16. Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression?
A. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression.

Q. 17. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?
A. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery.

Q. 18. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?
A. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin; together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it.

Q. 19. What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?
A. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever.

Q. 20. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?
A. God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a redeemer.

Q. 21. Who is the redeemer of God's elect?
A. The only redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, forever.

Q. 22. How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?
A. Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin.

Q. 23. What offices doth Christ execute as our redeemer?
A. Christ, as our redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation.

Q. 24. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?
A. Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by his word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation.

Q. 25. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
A. Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God; and in making continual intercession for us.

Q. 26. How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
A. Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.

Q. 27. Wherein did Christ's humiliation consist?
A. Christ's humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.

Q. 28. Wherein consisteth Christ's exaltation?
A. Christ's exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day.

Q. 29. How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?
A. We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effectual application of it to us by his Holy Spirit.

Q. 30. How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
A. The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.

Q. 31. What is effectual calling?
A. Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.

Q. 32. What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?
A. They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption and sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them.

Q. 33. What is justification?
A. Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.

Q. 34. What is adoption?
A. Adoption is an act of God's free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of, the sons of God.

Q. 35. What is sanctification?
A. Sanctification is the work of God's free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.

Q. 36. What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption and sanctification?
A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption and sanctification, are, assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.

Q. 37. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?
A. The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory; and their bodies, being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves till the resurrection.

Q. 38. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection?
A. At the resurrection, believers being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity.

Q. 39. What is the duty which God requireth of man?
A. The duty which God requireth of man is obedience to his revealed will.

Q. 40. What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?
A. The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience was the moral law.

Q. 41. Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?
A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments.

Q. 42. What is the sum of the ten commandments?
A. The sum of the ten commandments is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourselves.

Q. 43. What is the preface to the ten commandments?
A. The preface to the ten commandments is in these words, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Q. 44. What doth the preface to the ten commandments teach us?
A. The preface to the ten commandments teacheth us that because God is the Lord, and our God, and redeemer, therefore we are bound to keep all his commandments.

Q. 45. Which is the first commandment?
A. The first commandment is, Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Q. 46. What is required in the first commandment?
A. The first commandment requireth us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify him accordingly.

Q. 47. What is forbidden in the first commandment?
A. The first commandment forbiddeth the denying, or not worshiping and glorifying the true God as God, and our God; and the giving of that worship and glory to any other, which is due to him alone.

Q. 48. What are we specially taught by these words before me in the first commandment?
A. These words before me in the first commandment teach us that God, who seeth all things, taketh notice of, and is much displeased with, the sin of having any other god.

Q. 49. Which is the second commandment?
A. The second commandment is, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Q. 50. What is required in the second commandment?
A. The second commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in his word.

Q. 51. What is forbidden in the second commandment?
A. The second commandment forbiddeth the worshiping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in his word.

Q. 52. What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment?
A. The reasons annexed to the second commandment are, God's sovereignty over us, his propriety in us, and the zeal he hath to his own worship.

Q. 53. Which is the third commandment?
A. The third commandment is, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Q. 54. What is required in the third commandment?
A. The third commandment requireth the holy and reverent use of God's names, titles, attributes, ordinances, word and works.

Q. 55. What is forbidden in the third commandment?
A. The third commandment forbiddeth all profaning or abusing of anything whereby God maketh himself known.

Q. 56. What is the reason annexed to the third commandment?
A. The reason annexed to the third commandment is that however the breakers of this commandment may escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgment.

Q. 57. Which is the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment is, Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Q. 58. What is required in the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his word; expressly one whole day in seven, to be a holy sabbath to himself.

Q. 59. Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly sabbath?
A. From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly sabbath; and the first day of the week ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian sabbath.

Q. 60. How is the sabbath to be sanctified?
A. The sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days; and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God's worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy.

Q. 61. What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment forbiddeth the omission or careless performance of the duties required, and the profaning the day by idleness, or doing that which is in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thoughts, words or works, about our worldly employments or recreations.

Q. 62. What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment?
A. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment are, God's allowing us six days of the week for our own employments, his challenging a special propriety in the seventh, his own example, and his blessing the sabbath day.

Q. 63. Which is the fifth commandment?
A. The fifth commandment is, Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Q. 64. What is required in the fifth commandment?
A. The fifth commandment requireth the preserving the honor, and performing the duties, belonging to every one in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors or equals.

Q. 65. What is forbidden in the fifth commandment?
A. The fifth commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of, or doing anything against, the honor and duty which belongeth to every one in their several places and relations.

Q. 66. What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment?
A. The reason annexed to the fifth commandment is a promise of long life and prosperity (as far as it shall serve for God's glory and their own good) to all such as keep this commandment.

Q. 67. Which is the sixth commandment?
A. The sixth commandment is, Thou shalt not kill.

Q. 68. What is required in the sixth commandment?
A. The sixth commandment requireth all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life, and the life of others.

Q. 69. What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?
A. The sixth commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.

Q. 70. Which is the seventh commandment?
A. The seventh commandment is, Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Q. 71. What is required in the seventh commandment?
A. The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our neighbor's chastity, in heart, speech and behavior.

Q. 72. What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?
A. The seventh commandment forbiddeth all unchaste thoughts, words and actions.

Q. 73. Which is the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment is, Thou shalt not steal.

Q. 74. What is required in the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment requireth the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others.

Q. 75. What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbor's wealth or outward estate.

Q. 76. Which is the ninth commandment?
A. The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Q. 77. What is required in the ninth commandment?
A. The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbor's good name, especially in witness-bearing.

Q. 78. What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?
A. The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbor's good name.

Q. 79. Which is the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.

Q. 80. What is required in the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbor, and all that is his.

Q. 81. What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor, and all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his.

Q. 82. Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?
A. No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word and deed.

Q. 83. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
A. Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.

Q. 84. What doth every sin deserve?
A. Every sin deserveth God's wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come.

Q. 85. What doth God require of us that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us for sin?
A. To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.

Q. 86. What is faith in Jesus Christ?
A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.

Q. 87. What is repentance unto life?
A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience.

Q. 88. What are the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption?
A. The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption, are his ordinances, especially the word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.

Q. 89. How is the word made effectual to salvation?
A. The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching, of the word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith, unto salvation.

Q. 90. How is the word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation?
A. That the word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation and prayer; receive it with faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and practice it in our lives.

Q. 91. How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation?
A. The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth administer them; but only by the blessing of Christ, and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith receive them.

Q. 92. What is a sacrament?
A. A sacrament is an holy ordinance instituted by Christ; wherein, by sensible signs, Christ, and the benefits of the new covenant, are represented, sealed, and applied to believers.

Q. 93. Which are the sacraments of the New Testament?
A. The sacraments of the New Testament are baptism and the Lord's supper.

Q. 94. What is baptism?
A. Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord's.

Q. 95. To whom is baptism to be administered?
A. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him; but the infants of such as are members of the visible church are to be baptized.

Q. 96. What is the Lord's supper?
A. The Lord's supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine according to Christ's appointment, his death is showed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace.

Q. 97. What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord's supper?
A. It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord's supper, that they examine themselves of their knowledge to discern the Lord's body, of their faith to feed upon him, of their repentance, love, and new obedience; lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgment to themselves.

Q. 98. What is prayer?
A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.

Q. 99. What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?
A. The whole word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called the Lord's prayer.

Q. 100. What doth the preface of the Lord's prayer teach us?
A. The preface of the Lord's prayer, which is, Our Father which art in heaven, teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father able and ready to help us; and that we should pray with and for others.

Q. 101. What do we pray for in the first petition?
A. In the first petition, which is, Hallowed be thy name, we pray that God would enable us and others to glorify him in all that whereby he maketh himself known; and that he would dispose all things to his own glory.

Q. 102. What do we pray for in the second petition?
A. In the second petition, which is, Thy kingdom come, we pray that Satan's kingdom may be destroyed; and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it; and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened.

Q. 103. What do we pray for in the third petition?
A. In the third petition, which is, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven, we pray that God, by his grace, would make us able and willing to know, obey and submit to his will in all things, as the angels do in heaven.

Q. 104. What do we pray for in the fourth petition?
A. In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread, we pray that of God's free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his blessing with them.

Q. 105. What do we pray for in the fifth petition?
A. In the fifth petition, which is, And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, we pray that God, for Christ's sake, would freely pardon all our sins; which we are the rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.

Q. 106. What do we pray for in the sixth petition?
A. In the sixth petition, which is, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, we pray that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.

Q. 107. What doth the conclusion of the Lord's prayer teach us?
A. The conclusion of the Lord's prayer, which is, For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen, teacheth us to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power and glory to him. And in testimony of our desire, and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen.