NOVEMBER 2020 THE CROSS

NOVEMBER MUSINGS

byGary Keating

Well, here we are in the middle of November.  The election is over, but is it really?  The battle of politics continues on.  But at least we are no longer bombarded by those offensive commercials from both major parties.  They seem to be aimed at our most basic emotion – – – HATE.  Each group seems to be bent on dividing us.  If you are blue you have to hate red.  If you are red you have to hate blue.In my 79 years of life as a United States citizen the two major parties have always found middle ground for operating our country, with the exception of the Civil War.  Presently most of us have a political conviction.  That conviction is no longer being expressed in a friendly manner.  It is now, ‘I am right and you are wrong’.  We are allowing political conviction to tear down personal relationships.  The solution to this problem is – – – LOVE! So the question is, how do I exhibit love in my life?  The apostle Paul provides ideas about showing love. Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, I does not boast, it is not proud.It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no recordof wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It alwaysprotects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  LOVE NEVER FAILS.(1 Corinthians 13:4-8) So I ask again, how do I exhibit love in my life?  If I am patient and kind I will not look for ‘zingers’ when I disagree with someone.  I will not be disagreeable by boasting or being rude.  I will always consider positive things for mankind.  I will not allow myself to be provoked.  I will learn to deflect other’s negative communications.  The last two sentences of Paul’s quotation above is our Godly Guarantee.  I will remember that God is still in charge.  The events of life should not shake me or make me unkind.  God is still in charge. We are approaching Thanksgiving.  This is a good time to remember our family and friends.  It is that time for us to be thankful for all God has provided.  Many times we think of thanking God for ‘things’- earthly possessions.  But the greatest gifts we have are family, friends and our personal relationship with God our Father.

Enjoy a great Thanksgiving for 2020And rememberJanuary 1, 2021 we will all have Perfect 2020 Hindsight

WHAT IS A CULT ??

Awhile back I was in a church class and the word cult came up.  I knew by the answers the person gave, they had been involved on a deeper level within one.  I asked when they had left the cult. This person was highly offended that I would connect their former system of worship to a cult. It was neither the time or the place to have a discussion so class continued; but I never forgot that encounter.   It is possible some of you find the word offensive as well.  I do not look on the word as derogatory but as a classification.   Below is a sampling, compiled by the great Walter Martin of what constitutes a cult and comments from an article by Probe Ministries.   The list is found in Walter’s original book, The Kingdom of the Cults.  Any serious student of apologetics should have this book in their library.  Concerned Christians is in full agreement with this list.  Because our ministry is to the LDS, we will focus on points that pertain to them.   Paulette Doctor Martin describes a cult as  “A group of people gathered around a specific person’s misinterpretation of the  Bible. ”  Cults claim to be Christian yet they deny basic tenets, such as the Trinity or the deity of Jesus Christ.  The LDS claim that God is three gods who are the godhead. They have written works that have more prominence than the Bible.   Actually, they believe the Bible is not translated correctly.  The voice of their current leader always has authority over any written work.  Salvation must be earned, it is not based on grace.  Life becomes all about works, which includes attending all meetings, studies and of course services.  Which degree of heaven will you get to enter?  LDS have three.        Just how did the organization get so big?   Jesus did tell us that false prophets would come to believers.  They would look just like us.  Eventually their “fruit” would give them away.  The young ladies and young men come boldly right to our homes!    Are you prepared to give an answer for the faith that lives in you?  Every denomination has lost members to the LDS.  Why?? I believe it is in large part the fault of the church itself.  “If the  church engaged in solid and in-depth Bible teaching, the cults would not flourish as they do today.”  When those said kids come to your door you will be wishing you had read more of your Bible.      Walter Ralston Martin (September 10, 1928 – June 26, 1989), was an American Baptist Christian minister and author who founded the Christian Research Institute in 1960 as a para-church ministry specializing as a clearing-house of information in both general Christian apologetics and in countercult apologetics.  As the author of the influential The Kingdom of the Cults (1965), he has been dubbed the “godfather of the anti-cult movement”.  (Wikipedia)

All Born Again Christians              ATTENTION     
                         
 Let us all be praying for Effective Evangelism for 435,000 Arizona LDS population.  At the present time, there is little to no effort taking place.  It has been almost 1 year since Lynn & Michael Wilder were here. What an opportunity before us right now. 

                       
CALL.  –   Email   –   CONTACT 

        
Concerned Christians, 480-833-2537  [email protected]  and get started with your training today.  These people need us.
Talk soon Jason Bourne-Again

NO COMPARISON   The differences between Mormonism and Christianity by Judy Robertson

Mormonism God is:  5. UNABLE TO CREATE MAN

“All the fools and learned and wise men from the beginning of creation, who say that the spirit of man had a beginning, prove that it must have an end: and if that doctrine is true, then the doctrine of annihilation would be true.  But if I am right, I might with boldness proclaim from the housetops that God never had the power to create the spirit of man at all.  God himself could not create himself.”      (Teachings  of the Prophet Joseph Smith, by Joseph F. Smith, p.354.)      “Man was also in the beginning with God.  Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.”      (Doctrine and Covenants 93:29)      “To create is to organize.  It is an utterly false and uninspired notion to believe that the world  or any other thing was created out of nothing…..”      (Mormon Doctrine by Bruce R. McConkie, p. 169)

Christianity GOD IS

5. ABLE TO CREATE AND DID CREATE MAN AND THE HEAVENS AND EARTH.

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life: and man became a living soul.”     (Genesis 2:7)      “The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.”     (Zechariah 12:1)      “All things were made by hm; and without him was not anything made that was made.  Inhim was life; and the life was the light of men.”     (John 1: 3-4)      “Thus shall ye say unto them, the gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.  He hath made the earth by his power, he has established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.”     (Jeremiah 10: 11-12      “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”     (Heb. 11:3) See also: Colossians 1:16-17, Job 38, Genesis 1:1, Psalms 90:2

Does God speak to you everyday?  He would if you read your Bible.  There is no time like the present to start. If you are confused as to where to begin start with the gospel of John.  I know it sounds strange to start almost at the end of a book, just give it a try. Then go back and read Matthew, Mark, and Luke.  Read John again then finish the New Testament.  Read just a chapter a day.  Take your time.  Does God speak to you audibly each day? Justin Peters says  he will if you read it out loud.  :  )

We at Concerned Christians meet every  Monday evening for an hour of prayer at 6:30 p.m. If you are not local, please set that time aside to  voice your concerns from your prayer space.  If you are local and would like to attend, we ask you to call 480-833-2537 for directions. We truly look forward to meeting and praying with you in the War Room.  We ask that you add  Concerned Christians to your prayer list along with any other Mormon witnessing group you are familiar.  The importance of intercessory prayer cannot be stressed enough. We have seen God grant many blessings to us over the years.  If you have a ministry related request please send us a short email. [email protected]“We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.”      
 I Thessalonians 1:2  

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