The Math3ma Institute is a research institute based at The Master’s University, “esteeming the voice of Christ in STEM through research, exposition, and dialogue”.
Pagans know that the world is created. I did when I was a heathen stomping about the world in my sin and going up and down upon it. It’s evident. Besides, my experience or opinion of this doesn’t count, not when the word of God tells us so:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:18-20).
After salvation, we glory in His creation and the orderliness of it all. We praise Him for it!
The heavens tell of the glory of God; And their expanse declares the work of His hands. (Psalm 19:1).
I love learning about God as Creator. I enjoy nature shows and science shows, but often have to steel myself for the inevitable lies that secular science, physics, and math documentaries spout, that evolution made humans or a big bang made the worlds emerge from nothing or the earth is so many billions of years old…
Carl Sagan belatedly and sadly knows the truth now…
So I got excited when I read the mission of the Math3ma Institute:
In light of this, the mission of The Math3ma Institute is to reclaim the glory of God in Christ by acknowledging His supremacy and preeminence as Creator, and in doing so to help students grow closer to the Lord by seeing more clearly His glory, His majesty, and His genius in creation. As we explore the scientific and mathematical landscapes, our love and admiration for Christ and our sense of wonder and amazement at His handiwork motivates our day-to-day research. This then drives our desire to share the complexities of our work with wide audiences with simplicity and clarity — we find great joy in discussing the beauty, order, precision, and sheer brilliance of the Creator. In short, we are here to esteem the voice of Christ.
If you want to enjoy STEM lectures with a Christian base, then please know that The Math3ma Institute has a public lecture series, here.
Aimed at a general audience, The Math3ma Institute Public Lectures are engaging and accessible talks by TMU faculty and colleagues on a wide range of topics in mathematics, engineering, science, and technology, all from a Biblical perspective. All lectures are free and open to the public and include time for discussion and dialogue with speakers and attendees. Additional information on current and upcoming Math3ma Institute Public Lectures can be found here: https://www.masters.edu/lectures.
In addition to the public lectures, they also offer a Journal and a blog, here.
REVEL in scientific knowledge that won’t make your stomach clench when you hear lies, won’t make your head spin with the deep blindness of the scientist, won’t make you upset at their constant learning but unable to come to knowledge of the truth.
In addition, the TheoTech Conference is another arm of the Math3ma Institute and the 2021 conference videos are available. Happily, Saturday, October 29 was the 2nd Annual conference! The theme is “Inerrancy, Electricity + Divine Power.” Topics and speakers were:
9am: Joey Kim: “Maxwell’s Magic“ 10am: Jason Lisle: “Power of the Planets“ 11am: Joe Francis: “Electromagnetic Life“ 12pm: Grant Horner: “Zeus’ Thunderbolts“ 2pm: Speaker Panel 1: Kim, Lisle, Francis, Horner 3pm: Monica Vroman: “The Breath of Life“ 4pm: John Eickemeyer: “Classical, Quantum, Artificial Faith and Ungrounded Power“ 5pm: Speaker Panel 2: Lisle, Vroman, Eickemeyer, MacArthur, Horner 6pm: John MacArthur: “Fire from Heaven“ The TMU chorale sang at 9am, 2pm, and 6pm (Pacific time)
I do not know if the sessions will be recorded live of when or if the sessions will be uploaded (last year’s were, so I’m hoping).
Anyway, just a couple of resources for you on the science and math front. These resources of the Math3ma Institute and TheoTech Conferences offering edification from a Christian perspective, so needed!
Further Resources
The Queen of Sciences: Reclaiming the Rightful Place of Theology and Creation. Video Lecture/Q&A with Dr. Abner Chou, who “surveys through the issues surrounding creation and argues that a realism of biblical authority and revelation establishes theology and creation as a necessary framework for science. It also will contend that the interpretation of Genesis 1–3 is clear and clearly historical as well as that the doctrine of creation is inextricably linked with the totality of Christian theology.”
I saw this arresting photo on Twitter. It’s from History Defined:
Hellenistic period: 323 B.C.E. and the rise of Augustus in Rome in 31 B.C.E
The first thing I thought was, man that guy had good teeth! The next thing that struck me were the verses about crowns in scripture:
Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable. (1 Corinthians 9:25)
in the future there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8)
We are flesh, and flesh is but grass. Within 3 generations a person’s name is forgotten. No one remembers what that Greek man’s achievement was, and it doesn’t matter anyway. Was he fast? Strong? Agile? Who knows? Who cares?
Peter, quoting Isaiah 40:6, For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, (1 Peter 1:24).
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And never was that verse brought more to life than the dead Greek’s skull with the gold leaf still sticking to it.
What matters is God’s glory! That is the ONLY thing that matters in this fleshly life and after resurrection for eternal life. How do we give God glory? By obeying Him, proclaiming Jesus’ name everywhere, being salt and light in submission to His calling us out of our perishable darkness into everlasting light, and so on.
Even if the crown the Greek received was the high point of his life, the skull it was placed on was perishable. Perhaps the Greek was a believer and if so, his skull will be remade new on resurrection Day. Probably wasn’t a believer though. For a few decades he enjoyed his crown, apparently was attached to it enough so that when his family buried him, they buried it with him. And that was the end of that!
What is not the end is that after our resurrection on the Day of Judgment, people will be divided into two groups, the sheep (Believers) and the Goats (non-believers). According to the Bible, this is what will happen:
“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33and He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left.
34“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’
41“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed people, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not [i]take care of You?’ 45Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for Me, either.’ 46These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46).
There are only two things that will happen to a crown: it will either be burned up in when the earth is remade new, or it will be cast onto Jesus’ feet in joy for His enabling us to achieve a crown of glory in the first place. Everything always goes back to Him, including all achievements.
To become a sheep instead of a goat, means to believe on the Christ and repent of your sins.
For I handed down to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, (1 Corinthians 15:3–4)
Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. (Mark 1:14-15)
Repent and believe today. Your trophies won’t save you. Only Jesus saves.
A week ago, on Reformation day 2022, (October 31) I tweeted a thread and subsequently posted a longer piece from the blog about something Beth Moore had said. She proclaimed with certainty that her 87 year old mother-in-law (who had passed 2 weeks before) was “in the presence of Jesus” and reunited with family members. The problem was, besides the fact of claiming you know with certainty anyone’s final destination, was that her Mother-in-law was a “devoted” life-long, “staunch” Catholic.
I’d said that if anyone who believes the dogmas of Rome, when they depart this world, is likely not in heaven. That was what the Protestant Reformation was all about, protesting the apostasy evident in that false religious structure. The Catholic Church by Martin Luther’s day had become apostate, rife with man-made traditions, schemas for salvation, merit, works, and indulgences (monetization of religion). It is still the same today. The Roman Catholic Church is a false church with an evil religious structure that opposes God. Believers in that church are sadly deceived that they are worshiping ‘this same Jesus’ in Acts 1:11 who departed this world and who will return in wrath and fury. (Revelation 19:21, Colossians 3:6).
Keep out, warn your discernment people. There be piranhas and brimstone.
That first tweet in my thread garnered 172,000 impressions and over 10,000 engagements within a day or two. Of the responses and discussions I’d seen, only 2 were positive or encouraging. The rest elicited a host of attacks, swears, curses, insults, and evil accusations. Some were poisonously corrupt to the Nth degree.
The attacks were almost instant, cruel, and ruthless. Many were from self-identified Christians, self-stated liberals, however, which explains a lot. Yet it was unbelievable what some of them felt it was OK to say in public the things they said.
I pondered and processed that event over the next few days, and here’s my conclusion:
1. I got to share the Gospel again and again and again. In the Twitterverse, there are not only the people you are directly engaging with, but all the people watching. There are a lot. So the Gospel was presented (as best as one can with the character limit). That is satisfying. Ultimately my first goal as a social media user is to proclaim the excellencies of Jesus.
2. I got to say several times that the Catholic church is corrupt and not Christian, and attach resources for further exploration. This is also good. It’s the second goal of mine to present credible resources to people. There is a lot of false out here. Putting out links to good ministries is a privilege and my joy.
3. I got to say many times that Beth Moore is a false teacher. I was expecting the outcry. It happens almost every time Beth Moore is presented in a negative light. It happened when I and 5 other ladies published the Open Letter to Beth Moore. It happened when I broke the news after she departed the Southern Baptist Convention that she was serving at the pulpit at her new Anglican church. Because Moore is destructive to one’s walk and one’s soul, I am pleased to say as many times as I can that she is false, in hopes that even one sister in Christ will go away from Moore. She’s one of the worst false teachers of past decades. Stating this in hopes of some eyes opening is my privilege and my joy.
4. Such activity reveals. It is an Elisha servant moment. When Elisha’s servant looked out and saw that the King of Syria’s army had surrounded them at Dothan, the servant moaned and said,
And his servant said to him, “This is hopeless, my master! What are we to do?” And he said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are greater than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “Lord, please, open his eyes so that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:15-17).
Can we see the demons? No. They are spiritual beings. But we can see their activity.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12).
In your mind’s eye, envision a still pool in a verdant forest. It looks inviting, pretty, calm. Throw a big rock into the pool, and suddenly there is motion, ripples, splashes. Waves reverberate against the shore. Cattails along the edge wave wildly. Chaotic splashing spreads poison spray on the upper reaches of the grass on shore, which wilt and some die. Piranhas lurking just under the surface leap and scream wildly, revealing themselves.
That is what happens when you throw a big rock into the polluted pool of Beth Moore defenders. At once you can see the verdant pool is not inviting after all, it is an unpleasant cauldron of malevolent schemes and percolating brimstone.
I’ll gladly take the splashback from the false teacher cesspool if whatever I post roils up the demonic so that its activity can be identified. I wish we all could be given an a glimpse like Elisha’s servant was, but unfortunately such privileges are few and far between these days. But God did give us His word, which is always available to one and all who are regenerated and can spiritually discern its contents. He did give us discernment to be trained up in. Discernment always roils the false. When you see such outcry, take note, it’s your discernment people trying to point out the mines in the minefield.
5. It became clear to me how many people need to be educated on the falsity of the Catholic church, what the Reformation was, and that there is a massive, fundamental, and eternal difference between Protestant and Catholic. The agitated activity showed us that ignorance is rife even among believers. Why?
Over the last couple of decades, the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the world (formerly led in part by the self-same Beth Moore), tolerated Catholic practices such as Lectio Divina, Contemplative prayer, and other mystical practices such as visions and direct revelation, used by the Catholic Church for centuries. When Moore herself publicly stated several times that Catholics are just another denomination, there was no public correction from the actual leaders of the SBC. In time, the undiscerning Baptists (and others) came to accept what leaders were saying overtly and by omission, and now have a hard time understanding that Catholicism isn’t Christian.
If you, dear sister, are tired of the wrangling and pushback from your social media posts, I understand. People have no common sense these days. They lack basic charity and grace. Politeness seems to have flown the coop. But also know that all things work to the good of those who love God, and He is glorified even in the disorder created by Tweet storms, Facebook posts, and blog essays. Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary. (Galatians 6:9).
The demons don’t get weary. Malignant activity still performs its evil in this world. It’s up to us to shine the light. Ephesians 5:11 says Do not participate in the useless deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;
The Gospel goes on, it is the joy and light of salvation. Its proclamation sometimes is received well, other times not. But we persist in being ambassadors for His name, THE name-
through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles in behalf of His name, (Romans 1:5).
Pastor James Bell is a pastor at Southside Baptist Church in Gallatin TN. He is one of the faithful pastors who labor diligently, outside of social media fame or Big Eva celebrity. He simply for 47 years has pastored in the same church, delivering the Good News week in and week out. He publishes a Grow in Grace newsletter, which I enjoy. It is always full of scripture and wisdom. Pastor Bell urges the recipients of the newsletter to use as we feel motivated, to share if we feel led or as a resource. I do share it now. Part 1 here.
Please use the Grow in Grace Newsletter for your own spiritual growth; and as a resource to help equip you to minister to others! Volume 47, No. 41, October 18, 2022 / Southside Baptist Church / P.O. Box 1594 / 1028 South Water Avenue, Gallatin, TN 37066 (615) 452-5951 / The Grow in Grace Newsletter is a weekly Bible Study, plus local church news notes— designed first and foremost for members and those attending services at Southside Church; and is sent forth with the desire to aid one and all, (including friends far and wide), in the experience of 2 Peter 3:18. “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our LORD JESUS CHRIST!”
Facebook photo
QUESTION: In light of this reality, why is the Church-wide Prayer meeting so neglected by us today?
NEEDS in the congregation JESUS IS BUILDING:
There is a need to genuinely praise God corporately— So that when we are singing hymns or choruses or praying; or reading Scripture; or preaching; and/or giving testimony, we are truly before the Throne of God in worship in a spirit of unity and holiness! (Eph. 4:1-16)
There is always an urgent need for laborers— EXAMPLES: Laborers are needed for the sometimes thankless, monotonous tasks that make it possible for us to be a well-equipped, well-nourished, gospel army. There are many needs for laborers: – People to be responsible in the nurseries. – People to help get dinner ready at fellowship meals. – People to help cleanup. – People to open and close. – People to help with music and singing. – People to teach classes. – People to disciple others. – People to visit the sick, shut-ins, and widows. – People to write letters. – People to minister to folks at home…, etc. – People to ‘own’ specific missionaries we support— so that each month those missionaries will receive specific ministry from the assembly of saints at Southside. – PEOPLE TO evangelize.
REALITY: No assembly of believers can function with power if it doesn’t have an army of people COMMITTED to do the ‘every day and unseen’ jobs purely as acts of worship unto our LORD! (Worship is not just PRAISE, as in singing! Worship is SERVICE unto the Lord!) SO, WE HAVE THESE TWO BOTTOM LINE NEEDS: MORE PRAISE! MORE LABORERS! THUS,
[1] WE go to the Word of God and behold GOD and His gospel of mercy and grace. (Rom 12:1-2) [2] AND when we need laborers— we go to the LORD of the harvest! (Matt 9:36-38; Luke 10:17-20)
NOTICE: (1) Going to God IN ONE ACCORD IN PRAYER brings forth PRAISE! (Acts 4:23-33); (2) DEALING WITH SIN in the church brings forth new laborers! (Acts 5:1-14) JESUS knows what we need better than we do. – He cares more than we do! Jesus builds His church through the intercession of His saints! (Acts 4:23-33)
WITH GOD’S WAY of JESUS BUILDING HIS CHURCH— there are seasons of many (Acts 2) and there are seasons of few who remain, (John 6:63-66; Phil. 3:18-19) — BUT AT ALL TIMES, we must LOOK UNTO THE LORD!
MOREOVER, the true work of God can NEVER be judged by size, only by SORT! (1 Cor. 3:13)
“Lord, give us a spirit of true praise!”— BUT WHAT ARE WE ASKING? Well, we can picture SINGING hymns and Choruses with our whole hearts, even with uplifted hands and with wonderful God-honoring testimonies, etc. – and these things should happen!
But true praise is something much more than that— the true praise of God is to serve God well with body, soul, and spirit, 24/7: “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before his presence with singing.” (Ps 100:1-2; Rom 12:1-2)
If our joyful noise to the Lord is real and our singing in His presence is truly music to His ear— then we’re going to be serving Him gladly as we serve Him well.
MOREOVER, WE WILL NOT ONLY SING WITH THE CONGREGATION; WE WILL SING AT MIDNIGHT IN THE PRISON! (Acts 16:22-40) AND, we will be manifesting holiness and the fruit of the Holy Spirit and not the works of the flesh! (Galatians 5:19-23; Isaiah 1:11-20)
GOD REQUIRES HOLINESS, LOVE, and FORGIENESS! GOD REQUIRES THAT WE REPENT OF all works of the flesh! Moreover, God’s way to JOY and gladness, (which is foundational to worship), is serving others after the pattern of Jesus! (John 13:13-17; 13:34-35)
GENUINE PRAISE is the offering up of our body as a living sacrifice, committing it gladly in the service of God without grumbling; and praise from hearts repenting and being purified from sin! (Ps. 51)
“I appeal to you therefore brethren by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God which is your spiritual worship.”(Rom. 12:1-2)
How did Jesus live so as to receive His Father’s pleasure? By emptying Himself of His glory, taking the form of a servant, and serving obediently even unto death.
How did Paul live manifesting spiritual worship to God? It was through endurance in afflictions, hardships, beatings, imprisonments, labors, fasting … REJOICING in the LORD always… seeing every situation as one to further the gospel! (Phil. 1-4)
So if we’re asking the Lord to shower us with a spirit of true praise, we’re really asking Him to help us yield ourselves to a spirit of glad service in the everyday and in the thankless places and the cruddy jobs. We are really asking Him for BOLDNESS to take the gospel to the lost in our world. Moreover, we are willing to be done with the filth of this world, to be done with bitterness, anger, lust, etc. LET US: … Serve the Lord with gladness… and come before his presence with singing… with cleansed hearts. (Isa. 1:10-20)
We also need to get clear in our minds what we’re asking for when we’re asking for more laborers. “Lord, give us more laborers!” …
We might picture MORE people gathered for OUTREACH ministry … more help in the nurseries … help with various Classes … faithful ministry to the widows… parents nurturing their children in the ways of the LORD… men and women reaching out boldly proclaiming the gospel … somebody going out to a foreign land to help those missionaries … All this and more may well happen.
HOWEVER: (1) But every laborer who is truly serving the Lord with gladness is first of all a person whose heart is on fire with praise and thanksgiving toward God!
(2) GETTING RID of all manner of sin that has been allowed to dirty a believer’s heart is a foundational key to PRAISE-JOY-FILLED LABORS for the souls of others! (Psalm 51:12-15; 40:1-3) When King David repented of his sin, then he began to SING again and then he went AGAIN into the harvest! (Psalm 51)
(3) TODAY, the Holy Spirit is already PRESENT and indwelling; but even so we must follow the same pattern: Acts 4:23-33; Acts 5:1-14!! All too often the Holy Spirit is grieved and quenched. Nothing so quenches the Holy Spirit as lovelessness and ungodliness.
Who are these laborers who get the work done?
People who live a life of repentance and faith… People who have first learned to enter into God’s gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise … People who have learned truly to be thankful unto Him and bless His name. They work diligently with songs of praise in their hearts … they continually renew their strength… for they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength… (Isaiah 40:31)
JESUS: “… I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18) Jesus is building His church all over the earth, including the place where you and I are.
As we lay these two needs [More Praise and More laborers!] before Him we can be sure that our very desire to pray for these things is coming from Him. And we can be sure that He waiting to give us these two miracles in the coming days in greater measure than we could ask or think! But we have not because we ask not!
SHALL WE BECOME A HOUSE OF PRAYER? Or shall we to go to the world for methods and techniques, drawing people to religious clubs rather than being those through whom JESUS CHRIST BUILDS HIS CHURCH?
(1) A spirit of true praise to serve the Lord with gladness – May we yield to it! (2) An army of laborers who will joyfully live and die praising Him – May we be found among them! [Additions and Edited from R.E. Bieber]
Pastor James Bell is a pastor at Southside Baptist Church in Gallatin TN. He is one of the faithful pastors who labor diligently, outside of social media fame or Big Eva celebrity. He simply for 47 years has pastored in the same church, delivering the Good News week in and week out. He publishes a Grow in Grace newsletter, which I enjoy. It is always full of scripture and wisdom. Pastor Bell urges the recipients of the newsletter to use as we feel motivated, to share if we feel led or as a resource. I do share it now. Part 2 tomorrow.
Please use the Grow in Grace Newsletter for your own spiritual growth; and as a resource to help equip you to minister to others! Volume 47, No. 41, October 18, 2022 / Southside Baptist Church / P.O. Box 1594 / 1028 South Water Avenue, Gallatin, TN 37066 (615) 452-5951 / The Grow in Grace Newsletter is a weekly Bible Study, plus local church news notes— designed first and foremost for members and those attending services at Southside Church; and is sent forth with the desire to aid one and all, (including friends far and wide), in the experience of 2 Peter 3:18. “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our LORD JESUS CHRIST!”
LABORING TOGETHER WITH JESUS!
(1 Corinthians 3:6-9, Amplified Bible) “I planted, Apollos watered, but God [all the while] was causing the growth. 7 So neither is the one who plants nor the one who waters anything, but [only] God who causes the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one [in importance and esteem, working toward the same purpose]; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers [His servants working together]; you are God’s cultivated field [His garden, His vineyard], God’s building.”
THE WORDS OF JESUS STILL STAND: “… I will build MY church; and the gates of hell [Hades: the powers of death] shall not prevail against it….” (Matthew 16:17-18) HOWEVER, the entire New Testament period WAS NOT filled with churches to whom the LORD WAS ADDING new converts every day, as was the case in Acts 2!
Why? For during the New Testament era and to our day,
THERE IS MUCH OPPOSITION:
The preaching/teaching of Jesus and the Apostles DROVE, (and still drives!), MANY AWAY! (John 6:66-71; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 4:1-5)
Just as Jesus warned in Mark 4:14-18— the work of satan, the reality of persecution, the cares of this life, and/or the love of money— these all REVEAL the lack of true conversion in many; and so they fall away.
The Apostle John reported that there were many anti-Christs; and that they left the true congregations because they were false converts from the start! (1 John 2:15-19)
EVEN SO, none of the New Testament churches lamented, “Attendance was down last Sunday, we need a high attendance promotion!” AND: When the strong teaching of Jesus, (John 6:32-65), caused many who had been following Jesus to leave— Jesus did not panic or tell the few who stayed, “O gee, we had better do some CREATIVE PLANNING and develop a plan to appeal to the likes of the masses… such as PASSING OUT RUBBER DUCKS to Jeep owners!”[This is being done in 2022, in Tennessee!]
There is no evidence that Jesus or the New Testament church took a ‘poll’ to find out what the lost like so as to adapt church to the lost.
MOREOVER, they had no sports, no comedians, no entertainment, no advertising budget to be spent on endeavors designed to attract pagans— or to hold on to and bring back the carnal multitudes who previously attended!
GENUINE New Testament Christianity is radically different!
The Holy Spirit via the New Testament REPEATEDLY calls upon believers, (1) To not blaspheme the gospel by bad living! (2) To ADORN the gospel by Christ-like living! (3) To live lives of loving one another! (4) In addition, Jesus, in Revelation 2-3, reveals that which He likes; that which He commands; and that which He rejects… and HEEDING JESUS in these matters is KEY, if a church is to be truly effective!
IN ADDITION, The Acts of the Apostles overflows with teaching and examples as to the methods of JESUS
IN BUILDING HIS CHURCH:
(1) Persecution of the church led to a church-wide prayer meeting with the results being a fresh advance of the kingdom of God— See Acts 4:23-33!
(2) Sin by church members led to severe chastening [SUDDEN DEATH!] with the end result being another fresh advance of the kingdom of God— Acts 5:1-14!
(3) Neglect of some church members and murmuring in the church led to the appointment of special servants to minister to the Greek widows with the ultimate result being yet another fresh advance of the kingdom of God— Acts 6:1-7!
(4) Bold preaching brought martyrdom and persecution which yielded yet another fresh advance of the kingdom of God— Acts 7:1-60; 8:1-4!
SO, WHEN JESUS SAYS, “I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH!” … FRANKLY, am I ready for His ways?? BUT O THE SIMPLICITY and power WHEN WE ARE LABORERS TOGETHER WITH GOD:
In a New Testament Church, the believers simply have to stick to the business of manifesting the love of Christ; holy Christian living; and boldly proclaiming the gospel to the world— and GOD will add to the church as He pleases! (John 13:34-35; Acts 2:42-47; 1 Cor. 3:6-11)
(5) AND, in the first century NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH, when needs and problems came up, THEY PRAYED! There was always an answer and the answer was always from the LORD— normally in specific answer to prayer! (Acts 4:23-33; 12:5-12)
Grace and Peace in our LORD JESUS CHRIST! James Bell
Many people are curious about the coming antichrist. Predicting who he might be by name is not a great idea, but the fact that he will come, that he may be alive on earth right now, and the certainty that he’ll conquer most of the world when sin reigns, is an absorbing thought.
The Antichrist, one man, also called The Beast (Revelation 13:1), predicted to come and who will be not only energized by satan (as Hitler was) but actually indwelt by him, is sobering. (Daniel 11:32, ESV)
We think of war as with horses and guns and more lately, planes and bombs. But war is not only overt, but covert. There have been many wars in human history where blood was shed. But also many others where the war was with the mind and with words. There was the Cold War, for example, where spies and intrigue and undercover ops battled against forces of evil, and they against the forces of good.
The Antichrist will pursue war, and the Tribulation will be a time of war, but of both kinds. Yes, there will be bloodshed, but the other war will be covert. The Antichrist will seize kingdoms by intrigue and flatteries.
I want to focus on the flatteries today.
He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. (Daniel 11:32)
Romans 16:18 reminds us that the everyday false teachers “For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve.”
Flatteries, when insincere, are a deadly weapon used by evil people to deceive and gain advantage over the naïve.
How does a person gain control by flatteries? How can even one person fall victim to conquering by this method, never mind the whole world? I am always interested in how words are used. We hear much today of ‘misinformation’. I studied the Cold War’s war of propaganda, and also the birth of advertising at the onset of the twentieth century. Flattery is another name for smooth speech, and it can draw the unwary in as much as belligerent speech pushes people away.
When Areopagus Newsletter came to my inbox a few weeks ago and I read about the origin of flattery, and its power, I immediately thought of the Antichrist and the Daniel verse that says he will conquer using this method. Here is The Cultural Tutor with an explanation of ‘flattery’.
Areopagus by the Cultural Tutor, issue XVI. Rhetoric=
The Ancient Greeks did an awful lot of thinking. Sometimes it seems like they thought of everything. Indeed, it is quite frustrating when you think you’ve managed to put a name to a new concept, only to discover that one or more Athenians already discovered and explained it far better than you ever could, two thousand before you were even born.
Kolakeia is one such concept. Its literal meaning is flattery, but in the context of rhetoric it refers to flattery with ulterior motives. The idea is that, by praising somebody, you can distract them from what you really want. We all like to hear good things said about us, but the trouble is that this can affect our clarity of thought.
If somebody begins by telling you how brilliant, helpful, or hard-working you are, then you’re probably more inclined to agree with what they say next. We tend to trust the people we like, and we are naturally drawn to like people who also like us. Kolakeia is, therefore, a smokescreen.
But the Ancient Greek and Roman rhetoricians did not approve of kolakeia. They saw it as a deceitful and improper form of speech because it persuades by manipulation rather than dealing with reason or rational arguments. It subverts the listener and allows the speaker to exploit them. This is most apparent in political speech, whereby populist politicians can endear themselves to the people by praising their virtues and, having done so, make an unjustified claim which the people are thus more likely to support.
Contrast that with somebody who does not use kolakeia and instead appeals to the rationality of a crowd. That is much harder to do, because you are inviting people to think critically and therefore exposing yourself to the possibility that they might simply disagree. It’s more honest and better (for all involved) in the long run, but much less common than we might wish.
So watch out for kolakeia. It’s been around for over two thousand years and it isn’t going away any time soon.
–end Areopagus Newsletter by The Cultural Tutor–
No, it’s not going away any time soon. In fact, manipulation by flattery will be brought to history’s highest point and most evil use when the Antichrist begins to use this covert method to gain power.
Paul reminded us in Romans in just every day daily life of the power of flattery to deceive. During the time predicted to come when all the world will hate Jesus and war against him, that there will be one leader taking over all the world (except the nation of Jordan and except the hearts of believers) who will do so by smooth speech, flatteries, and intrigue. It does a Christian well to always be on guard in discernment to effectively parse true words from false.
Did you know that you can look straight at something, and not see it? Ask any customer who was ever in a grocery store and asks the clerk where the Del Monte canned tomatoes are, when they’re staring you in the face. Or when you ask your wife, “Hey, where’s my plaid socks?’ and she points to them in the drawer you’re looking in.
Oops. You can see, but not see.
The unsaved really are blind like that, but worse. They cannot discern spiritual things. The unsaved are not given the mysteries of the kingdom to know. (Matthew 13:11). They are blind because the god of this world has blinded them. (2 Corinthians 4:4).
‘Now hear this, you foolish and senseless people, Who have eyes but do not see, Who have ears but do not hear. Jeremiah 5:21
Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Matthew 13:13
You can see, but not see.
The time I went to Italy with my husband and my father, we visited the Colosseum. My father had always wanted to see the famous arena, and we were pleased to take him to Rome one year. We stood at the entry point for a long time, looking and looking. We talked of the cunning construction. We marveled at the myriad of rooms under the floor. We sighed at the size of it. We looked at all the levels, the many exits, and the thickness of the walls. The one thing I did not see was the cross in the middle of the floor. See it?
EPrata photo
After I was saved, I was sorting through all my hard copy photographs. I picked this one up and my eye was drawn to the cross. I spotted it immediately. Had that been there all along? It had. I was just spiritually blind, literally not seeing it though I saw all the things around it. If my mind had, unknown to me, registered that there was a cross present in my field of vision, it had not discerned it and so, encountering an unknown object, simply dismissed it from my mind without further ado.
It is the Lord who gives eyes to see (and ears to hear). Deuteronomy 29:4, Yet to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear.
Rather than mock or deride or ignore those who cannot see, pity them. I remember others who took pity on me before I was saved, and I’m sure when I get to glory I’ll meet others I did not know about.
The Lord has pity for the helpless sheep, so lost. “Seeing the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)
Collage on paper: “Seeing/Not Seeing”. by EPrata
The spiritually blind truly cannot see the truth that is staring them in the face. They see the world, but suppress the truth that God made it (Romans 1:18-20). They can’t understand the logic with which you reasonably share the truth of sin. They are blind, deaf, dumb. The level of darkness in which they dwell is an oppressive, inky, gloomy dark that presses down every cell in their body. They stumble about, not knowing where they are going and not understanding the pit that lay before their next step.
We pray for those who are in the dark, for the Light to come and open their eyes, mind, and heart to the truth of the Gospel. In one sense, the darkness of the lost is a glorious contrast to that moment when Light has come! It is so bright! It illuminates the shadowy corners of the soul with warmth, brightness, and the promise of glory.
Pray for that Light to illuminate their life and for the scales to fall.
Collage on paper, ‘Bad Moon Rising’: Spiritual blindness. By EPrata
Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4).
There is nothing like a trial to drive a person to scripture. A friend is undergoing a severe and upsetting trial. As a church we come together to pray, fast, and love. Our elders led us through several pertinent scriptures and prayed through them. Then we sat around the tables and individually prayed with each other after that. It was a wonderful way to be elder-led, and a way to teach us how to pray the scriptures, too.
We prayed through the verse above. It’s no doubt counterintuitive to be joyful when you’re going through something that’s severe. How? How do we do it? How do we be ‘joyful’ when we are sad, anxious, confused? As we were going through this verse, I read John MacArthur’s note on it. Once again, his refreshing words of clarity cut through my dizzying emotions and re-oriented my thoughts toward Jesus once again. He said,
“The Greek word for ‘consider’ may also be translated “count” or “evaluate”. The natural human response to trials is not to rejoice, therefore the believer must make a conscious commitment to face them with joy.”
As for trials, “This Greek word connotes trouble, or something that breaks the pattern of peace, comfort, joy, and happiness in someone’s life. The verb form of this word means “to put someone or something to the test” with the purpose of discovering that person’s nature or that things’ quality. God brings such tests to prove-and increase- the strength and quality of one’s faith and to demonstrate its validity. (vv 2-12). Every trial becomes a test of faith designed to strengthen. If the believer fails the test by wrongly responding that test then becomes a temptation”
“testing” This means “proof” or “proving”. Through tests, a Christian will learn to withstand tenaciously the pressure of a trial until God removes it as His appointed time and even cherish the benefit.” –end MacArthur
As Paul recounted his hardships, he said: “as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things“. (2 Corinthians 6:10).
It’s a reminder that in Christ we have enough, more than enough, we have Christ. Focusing on the fact of our salvation and its benefits is ground zero for beginning to choose joy. We no longer stumble in the darkness, but we have the light, a light that the darkness has not overcome. (John 1:5). Imagine as a non-believer going through something terribly impactful, that upended your entire life. The resounding question in their mind is “Why, WHY?” but we have the reason, our salvation provides us the answer. To become more Christ-like and to give God glory, which is the chief end of man. (Westminster Shorter #1).
We choose joy not only by resting on our salvation, that glorious gift, but we can rejoice knowing we are eternally secure. Nothing we do will cast us from the Father’s hand, and when we see eternity, whether it be later or sooner, we know our future ahead is once again, in the Light. We do not have to fear death, but rejoice in the knowledge we shall see His face. We shall see loved ones once again. There will be no separation from boundless love and eternal peace. We are protected!
who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:5).
We can choose joy because we know it’s only for a little while. Without Christ, we may hope for our years to be long. Life may seem long but deep down they know it’s short. I used to ponder that. To be born, live only 50 or 80 or even 90 years is not long, then we die, and then what? I used to wonder. What’s it all for if life is so short?! But in salvation we know that our lives on earth are breathtakingly short, compared to eternity. And the trial we may be undergoing is even shorter.
In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, (1 Peter 1:6).
Undergoing a trial may further equip us for ministry. This, too, is reason to rejoice. I know that already my elders are deepening their walk, digging into scriptures, and eager to lead us well. By their example we are growing too. It is all for God’s glory, and there is no better reason than that for the stresses of a life trial. When this trial ceases and His hand of pressure lifts, there will be sparkling diamonds and glittering gold underneath, people strengthened for ministry that will impact the kingdom in ways we cannot perceive or even conceive of yet.
There are, of course, many other ways to choose joy in the midst of a trial. No one really asks for one, or is eager for their appearance in our lives, but when they come, and they always do in one form or another, we have reason to rejoice. I am rejoicing because I know that-
–God is good –All that God does is good –There will be character strengthened, souls impacted, and growth -for His glory
Beth Moore and her failure to teach the truth about Catholicism
What the Bible teaches about leaders failing to preach the true word, and encouragement for those who do
1. What was the Reformation about?
October 31, Reformation Day, is a day when Christians bring to remembrance the old Catholic priest, Martin Luther. His inquiry into the scriptures, his spiritual angst over indulgences (a gross monetization of the faith), dismissal of the theology around purgatory, and his disappointment and despair after his trip to Rome, caused him on October 31, 1517 (traditionally accepted date) to nail 95 Theses to the All Saints’ Church in anticipation of a theological discussion. These theses became the foundation for the ensuing Protestant Reformation. We have been discussing ever since.
In his theses, Martin Luther had said that “It is vain to trust in salvation by indulgence letters, even though the indulgence commissary, or even the pope, were to offer his soul as security.” (Thesis #52).
He also said, “They are the enemies of Christ and the pope who forbid altogether the preaching of the Word of God in some churches in order that indulgences may be preached in others.” (#53).
And, in speaking against the gross accumulation of personal wealth by the Pope, that “The true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.” (#62).
The Roman Catholic Church teaches and preaches heresy. Anyone believing the doctrines of Rome is likely not saved. If they do come to true repentance in the true faith, they soon leave the Roman Catholic Church (RCC), because it is not spiritually profitable to remain. The Holy Spirit who indwells the new believer, would not let them stay.
Ex-Catholic and now fervent Protestant Evangelist Mike Gendron, writes,
“Catholic salvation is based on Jesus plus Mary, faith plus works, grace plus merit, Scripture plus tradition and the blood of Jesus plus purgatory. Catholics do not know that any addition to the Gospel is a denial of the sufficiency of Christ (Heb. 7:25). Any addition to the Gospel also nullifies the saving grace of God, which is the only means by which God saves sinners (Romans 11:6). Catholics, who are victims of this deception, need to be evangelized with the true Gospel of grace.”
2. Beth Moore’s failure to teach the truth about Catholicism
Beth Moore’s 87 year old mother-in-law died a few weeks ago. Any death is sad, but when the person is likely a non-believer, it’s heart rending. The obituary says, “Mary and her husband John were lifelong, devoted Catholics.” If Mary believed RCC dogma, then she did not believe in the necessary elements of the faith.
“Many of the 70 million Catholics in America were born into their religion and have never examined their faith through the lens of Scripture“. ~Mike Gendron
Beth’s mother-in-law Mary Moore was devoted to errant RC dogma. It’s a tragedy that she’s likely not dwelling in peace now or forever. But another tragedy is her daughter-in-law Beth, who proclaimed with certainty that Mary Moore,
“having entered the holy presence” said, “We are greatly consoled she lived to be 87 and is now not only with Jesus but with the two children she’d buried long ago and grieved deeply and daily.”
No. It’s a tragedy that Beth has compromised on this issue, declaring that a “devoted Catholic” has entered the holy presence of God. I hope Mary Moore has, but only due to last minute repentance in true faith. That post about her mother-in-law’s death on Instagram by Beth Moore got over 21,000 likes, and Moore’s Instagram account has over half a million followers. Beth’s influence and reach could have seen Catholics as a mission field.
But she didn’t. She doesn’t. She never has.
Beth’s own errant doctrine, compromising man-pleasing, or just cowardice, for many years has instead ignored the souls of millions she otherwise could have shared the truth with. There is blood on her hands, sadly. No one who believes Rome will see glory, except on Judgment Day, when the Lord will say “Depart from me, I never knew you!” and the same to false teachers like Moore who poison the faith and confuse the naïve.
Catholics are a mission field. They do not need an influential celebrity evangelical to assure them in their error! However, I and others have warned for over a decade now, that Moore teaches that Catholics are part of the true faith. She taught from her 2002 ‘study’, “Believing God” that Jesus lifted her to another dimension and gave her a view of the global church “as he sees it” which included the Catholic Church. She used an example of various denominations with signs to illustrate this ‘vision’, naming the Catholic ‘denomination’ of St. Anne’s Catholic Church. Her mother-in-law was a member of a church named St. Anne Catholic Church, by the way.
In this screen shot from a video, Moore is teaching from her 2002 ‘Believing God’ study that a Catholic church is simply another denomination along with Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran churches etc
In her 2006 Catholic-influenced Mystical DVD “Be Still,” Moore spoke of lines between denominations being erased, insinuating the lines were between Catholic and Protestant. In effect, she was denying the need for the Reformation and rejecting that severe doctrinal differences separate Protestants and Catholics. She said,
“You know, one of the things that time gives us is that it erases the lines in between people so many different sections of the people of God. Because many years later it doesn’t matter any longer that this person was of this practice in the Christian faith and this person of another. Time somehow blurs those lines and we are profoundly moved by the historical narratives of all their lives, of so great a cloud of witnesses; that we can look back on and see what kept them running the race, what kept them running toward the face of Christ at the end of that finish line.”
In 2012 Moore participated in and led an arena full of impressionable youth in a RCC mystical practice called Lectio Divina at the Passion Conference. Clearly, Beth Moore believes that Catholicism is part of the faith, or if she doesn’t believe it, she acts like it is.
I can understand that living with in-laws who are staunch Catholics is hard when you’re an alleged evangelical. I know they scowlingly objected to her quick and ignominious wedding in an off-white dress (Beth’s words). I understand the tensions when the in-laws remained Catholics all their lives, even when moving from Houston to Tomball, changing Churches from one Catholic church to another in a declaration of their continued loyalty to Rome.
I can understand that Beth’s husband, having been raised Catholic and remained attached to it throughout the marriage, was a hard to reach mission field; Moore has often publicly complained about her husband’s lack of interest in her Baptist church or the things of God, like not being inclined to study the word, or leafing through fishing magazines if forced to come where truth is being taught.
And in 2022, confidently writing on her Instagram to half a million followers that her Catholic M-I-L is in the presence of Jesus in heaven.
Opposing satan’s doctrines often brings tension, rejection, and difficulty. Instead of using her reach if not for her family (who knows if she did, God knows) then for at least the women she draws in to her public events and studies. Yet Moore consistently affirms Rome by her affirmations of Catholics being true believers and simply another denomination of the true faith. But it isn’t.
3. What the Bible teaches about leaders failing to preach the true word, and encouragement for those who do
“And now behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all people. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” (Acts 20:25-27).
That’s the Apostle Paul speaking. Other translations say ‘I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God’. As Paul prepared to leave the believers in Ephesus, his conscience was clear. Why? Barnes’ Notes says,
“‘I have not kept back’; I have not been deterred by fear, by the desire of popularity, by the fact that the doctrines of the gospel are unpalatable to people, from declaring them fully. The proper meaning of the word translated here, “I have not shunned” ὑπεστειλάμην hupesteilamēn, is “to disguise any important truth; to withdraw it from public view; to decline publishing it from fear, or an apprehension of the consequences.” –End Barnes’ Notes Commentary
Paul said the same in Acts 18:6, But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.
Hebrews 13:17 reminds us all of the weighty task that leaders have. They will give an account regarding the souls they’d had under their charge. “Obey your leaders and submit to them—for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account—so that they may do this with joy, not groaning; for this would be unhelpful for you.”
While we learners have an obligation to submit, the leaders/pastors/teachers have an obligation to preach boldly. Paul and Barnabas did, even facing down a hissing mob of Jews who were blasphemously contradicting their teaching. (Acts 13:46). They must offer the entire teaching. An incomplete gospel is no gospel at all. But the whole counsel of God (with nothing added!) is sufficient to save! What glorious Good News!
Finally, we forget, or ignore, the evilness of false teaching. Spurgeon never wavered on proclaiming the truth and never shrank from denouncing the false. He said of the Catholic mass-
“The mass is a mass of abominations, a mass of hell’s own concocting, a crying insult against the Lord of glory. It is not to be spoken of in any terms but those of horror and destestation. Whenever I think of another sacrifice for sin being offered, by whomever it may be presented, I can only regard it as an infamous insult to the perfection of the Savior’s work.” ~ Charles H. Spurgeon
For the leaders who are faithful, you have aspired to a noble task (1 Timothy 3:1), and no doubt if done with persistence, humility, and in truth, will hear our Lord say “Well done good and faithful servant… Enter into the joy of the Lord!” (Matthew 25:21). What a day that will be!
the-end-time.org 