ETERNAL SECURITY

ROMANS 8:29-39

-----------------------

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” [Psalm 44:22]

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(English Standard Version)

10 Motivations to Read the Scriptures in 2011

We ought to delight to read the Bible for a number of reasons. Here are just a few from the Bible itself...

1) Because it is God's revelation of Himself (1 Samuel 3:21; 2 Peter 1:19,20-21).

2) Because it is by the Word of God that faith comes to us (Romans 10:17), and in it we hear God speaking to all the world (Micah 4:2).

3) Because as a result of the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit through the Word (1 Peter 1:23), our new nature craves the sincere milk of the Word like newborn babies (1 Peter 2:2-3).

4) Because Jesus considered it necessary to live by every Word of God and not by bread alone (Luke 4:4).

5) Because the Word of God's grace and truth is able to both sanctify and build up those who are His Church, who are joined to Jesus Christ, so that they may receive an inheritance among the saints (John 17:17; Acts 20:32).

6) Because God's love is manifested in us by keeping His Word (1 John 2:5).

7) Because we are able to cleanse our way by taking heed according to His Word and avoid sin by hiding it within our heart (Psalm 119:9,11).

8) Because God's Word is delightful and is able to revive the downcast soul (Psalm 119:16,25,50,162).

9) Because His Word is a light for our path and it gives understanding, knowledge and wisdom (Psalm 119:130; Proverbs 2:6).

10) Because Scripture points us to Jesus Christ, who is our very source of life (Luke 24:44-45,46-47; John 5:39-40; 14:6).

If we follow a regular pattern of reading Scripture, let us remember to keep an attitude of love for God through prayer, and that we need the powerful grace of God not only to save us, but to keep us saved by means of His Word and Spirit.

Thank you, Father, my GOD, for your precious Word. May I honor it by faith and so live for your glory and praise alone, by the grace of your glorious Son, Jesus, and by your Holy Spirit!

My 27th Year Living on Earth

I was born on the earth, created from the DNA of my father and mother, devoloped within my mother's womb and born into the world on a cold, icy day in 1983. If Jesus Christ does not return in the next 100 years, my physical body will die on the earth.

But praise and thanks be to the God of Israel, to Yahweh, that He came to earth through the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ, more than 2,000 years ago, suffered for my sins, was killed and raised back to life again, so that by the power of His Spirit and the faith that is in Him, I have become a new man, a child of God, a citizen of another world, to which my body will be raised to inherit with Christ!

Was this something I did by my own choice, my own superior intellect, the strength of my own will?
No!
The Bible says it was by the mercy and grace of God alone!
(See John 1:12-13; 3:3; Titus 3:5-6, 7-8; Ephesians 2:1, 4-5, 8-9; 1 Cor. 1:30-31; etc.)

Link for Logic and Argumentation: Basic Lessons for Christians

Jamin Hubner began a series of posts on the Alpha and Omega Ministries blog about basic lessons in logic and argumentation. These lessons will help any Christian who wants to understand better about how to communicate accurately with the gospel, as well as in other areas of life.

This first lesson was very short and outlined the differences between what an argument is and what a quarrel is, as well as what a debate is.

Here are the links:
Lessons in Logic and Argumentation (can be found under the tag: "Godly Disciplines")
1) Introduction
2) Types of Interactions
3) Types of Arguments

Jamin Hubner's Real Apologetics blog

Some Intrestin', Relatively New, & Funny Stuff

This post is sort of a blog-list, linking to places I don't want to forget to return to.

It all started when I was on facebook today, jest mindin' my own bizziness, when I saw these words... "You've just been HTed", and I wanted to find out what that meant, so I followed the link to Dan Philips' Hither and Thither blog post for today... well, to make a long story short, come to find out that mi amor was there today, too, readin' paraprosdokians, which are figures of speech that are meant to surprise you at the end of the sentence, after you have figured out what the first part of the phrase really meant. Here are a few examples we chuckled over together:

"Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience."

"Dolphins are so smart that within afew weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish."

"I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather, not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car."

"The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list."

"Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak."

"If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong."

"A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory."

"We never really grow up; we only learn how to act in public."

"Evening news is where they begin with 'Good evening' and then proceed to tell you why it isn't."

"A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station."

"I didn't say it was your fault; I said I was blaming you."

"Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman."

"When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water."

"Some people hear voices. Some see invisible people. Others have no imagination whatsoever."

And here's some extra examples from Wikipedia:

"I haven't slept for ten days. Because that would be too long." — Mitch Hedberg

"On the other hand, we have different fingers." — Jack Handey

[Note to Reader, Wikipedia's examples are mostly bad]

I have recently discovered the free ebooks and other helpful stuff referenced by Money Saving Mom, where I just learned about a thing called BAHG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal).

To top it all off, my darling and I had some good entertainment viewing well-crafted creative posts at The Sacred Sandwich, a blog I think I may visit more often... now that I know about it.

All said and recorded for memory to remind myself in the future of what I just read... now, I should go to bed.

Buenas noches!

Gutie nacht!

Grace Abounding: Summer Grace Produce

Here is a list of summer fruits of grace that God my Father has mercifully abounded toward me, a chief of sinners among those saved by grace.

1). First of all, my third evangelism trip to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, was the most fruitful and rewarding of all, having been built upon each past evangelism trip there. It was blessed with closer relationships with the folks from the Biblical Church of the Lord Jesus (www.ibsj.org), and the wonderful opportunity of meeting and training so many fellow Christians in evangelism. I met people again who I had witnessed to in the past, and even have been keeping in touch with David, who I met in the park while preaching under a tree as it rained. David has blessed my heart with his zeal and eagerness to learn the gospel.

I am also truly amazed at how far a little blogging has taken me. Rita Martínez and I met through blogging two years ago, and now, not only have we been able to work together in the fields of evangelism together with our churches, but we are engaged to be joined together in holy matrimony as well. This is God's gracious gift to us and the answer to many prayers for a godly partner. If it is His will, we will live to marry and labor by His grace together in our Christian calling in life.

2). After two years of vigorous study, I have pretty well grasped the Spanish language... my first foreign tongue! I still make a lot of mistakes and still have to practice a lot to pick up and learn more, but by God's grace, my dream of speaking another language has come true.

3). As my interest in languages grows, I have also found the joy of learning to read the New Testament in the language it was originally written... there are some amazing resources on the internet for learning New Testament Greek for free (see links below). If anyone is interested in purchasing learning material for NT Greek, www.christianbook.com or wtsbooks.org has a lot of affordable resources, including Greek New Testaments.

Often I would make use of such resources as concordances, Bible dictionaries and online Bible study tools, in order to find out a little more about an original Greek word used in the New Testament when studying the Bible. But those tools, as good as they may be, do not remove the limitation of not understanding Greek as a language.

One must learn grammar, the structure and order of a language, before one can fully comprehend what is being said. Learning Greek grammar can literally look like a nightmare, since it is more complex than anything I have ever seen. But with the many free online resources, one can learn a lot, as long as ardent desire and dedicated determination continue to flow through one's veins into the brain... for if this inertia stops, all else may very well be hopeless!

1). http://greattreasures.org is a translation website that gives you a lot of essential information about the words of the New Testament. Just select a Koine Greek translation that contains word information or parts of speach, for example, use the Tischendorf (with parts of speech) Greek translation. You can then select parallel translations in any other language, including many good English ones.

2). http://ntgreek.net NT Greek is a free, easy-to-follow beginner's course in New Testament Greek, with lessons.

3). http://www.ibiblio.org Little Greek 101: Learning New Testament Greek is very easy to understand and helpful for anyone interested in NT Greek.

Well, there are many more resources out there, but these are good for anyone seriously interested in learning to read the New Testament in Greek.

~ Penn, a seriously guilty sinner, mercifully saved and justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Grace Abounding: Third upcoming evangelism trip to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

I will be traveling to Santo Domingo, DR, this Saturday (July 3, 2010) with a group of friends and family in order to help train others in street evangelism there.
I have never been to the Dominican Republic in the summer time, but they say it is going to be HOT... so please keep us in prayer.
Some things to pray for:

- God's powerful grace working in our lives to preach the good news of the cross of Christ to all kinds of people there in Santo Domingo.

- God's powerful grace to keep us faithful and holy.

- That the fellowship we have with each other and with other Christians would be Christ centered and edifying to all.

- That the Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who died and rose again in the flesh on our behalf, would glorify His Holy name through us, His feeble servants.

Amen.

Healing for Hurting Marriages by Voddie Baucham

Voddie Baucham preaches even more passionately and strongly about what it takes to overcome difficulties in a marriage relationship--namely, GRACE.

This is by far one of the best sermons I've ever listened to on relationships, and I think maybe it should be required listening for one to even exist! Ok, ok, whether you are in a marriage relationship or not, Voddie Baucham will point you to the source of our problem and to the solution in this message.

Voddie is a "grace man" through and through. He is Biblical and trusts in God's sovereignty over all things. America is blessed to have such a man of wisdom in one of its pulpits every Sunday.

A Marriage Built to Last - The Need for Honor

Pastor Billy Crone speaks fervently (and amusingly) about honor within a marriage relationship.

[Note: at the end, the pastor speaks about praying for salvation, to which I would like to add this link and this link in order to present an additional and hopefully more Biblical description of receiving salvation. Also see the many other topics concerning salvation under the "categories" list on the sidebar.]

Grace Abounding: At New York City like Santo Domingo with my fiancé

I stayed in the Bronx, NY, this past weekend visiting my girlfriend and fiancé, Rita Martínez. We met through our blogs two years ago in July, 2008. Rita was finally able to travel from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to visit me two weeks ago, and while she was here, I asked her to marry me. In tears she said, "Did you talk to my dad about this?" I answered, "Yes." She asked, "What did he say?" I told her that he said, "Yes," that I could marry her. She didn't even answer my question, but asked again in tears, "Is this really happening?" I told her it is as I knelt in front of her by the park bench at Longwood Gardens, and said, "So, will you marry me?" She responded, "Yes! Of course!" We were both delighted! I don't think I could be more in love with this beautiful Christian Latina woman.

After a week, she went to New York city to be with her 15 year-old cousin, Laura, who is being treated for cancer. They are staying at the house of Dominican friends, who also happen to be Christians.

This weekend I drove there to visit Rita and Laura. It was a blessing. Just about everybody in that area speaks Spanish, I felt like I was in Santo Domingo, even though it was New York. They were all impressed with my Spanish, something that I have really struggled hard to learn. I had the opportunity to speak with Laura about the grace and love of God after the mac and cheese dinner that she made us at 10:30 p.m. (Dominican Suppertime is late), Saturday night. Rita and I also began our wedding plans. The next day we all went to church. All the Latin American people at that church treat each other like family, and I was honored to be received with the same love. However Rita and I both would like to encourage them more to be Biblical in everything, just as we are striving to do by God's mercy. (I am not a charismatic anymore, but their church is.)

After church we went to a sea food restaurant, where I seemed to have lost my appetite. Then we went back to the house where we talked until Rita and I left to exchange an engagement book we had bought at Barnes & Noble. On our way back, we stopped at Kmart to look for rings, since I had to take her diamond ring to get it resized to fit her finger, so she was ringless. And as lovers, we just can't have that! People need to know she is promised to someone (me!) already! So at Kmart, I bought her a $10 engagement ring with an enormous fake diamond on it. It wasn't even behind a glass case. Anyhow, that should do the trick until I can slip the real ring, fitted and sparkling, back on her preciously engaged finger again!

Now, getting back to my thoughts on the Word of God from church on Sunday, I find it so important that people would realize the sufficiency and the importance of understanding and believing the Bible above all other feelings, experiences and encouragements. Jesus Christ is our Savior sent from God, but it is the Bible that reveals Him to us through the illumination and regeneration of the Holy Spirit. Therefore the Bible is all the revelation we need to help us know and follow God's will for our lives. I tried to stress this to everyone at church on Sunday. Please pray for us about this. Thank you.

May Christ always be our greatest Treasure and Good in this life and in the one to come!

Penn T.

2 Timothy 3:14-17, ESV:
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings [i.e., Scriptures], which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 4:1-5, ESV:
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Grace Abounding: A Weekend of Grace in Pittsburgh

I love visiting the Grace Laborers in Pittsburgh. They are so filled with the Word of God and with the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ. We spent the weekend in prayer, fellowship and the edification of one another with the Bible.

Brian and pastor Mark traveled across the state of PA Thursday, and I left from York after quitting time on Friday. As I was driving to Harrisburg the wind was strong and it began to hail. Traffic slowed to a stop as large hail stones beat against my windshield. The rest of the drive was nice, even with a rainbow in the mountain clouds.

I arrived at Bob the evangelist and Linda's house Friday night during a prayer meeting. I can't describe all the details of that time, except for the feelings of grace and joy in seeing every face of the saints there.

Saturday morning I was thinking that certainly all of Pittsburgh would be converted or at least hear the gospel of grace preached that day, because there was an army of street evangelists heading out. We were, in all, 12 brothers and sisters in Christ meeting together early at Subway on Wood Street. Each of us shared about ourselves and a Bible verse, then prayed and hit the streets.

At Point Park, I met a young woman who was willing to talk to me about the gospel from the Bible. I was explaining to her how marriage is meant to be a picture of what Christ's love for the Church is like. At that point she brought up homosexuality, since that was something she admitted to either practicing or desiring. I patiently and gently explained that the reason homosexuality is sin, is because it violates God's design for marriage between a male and a female, and how it goes against the picture of God's relationship with His people that marriage is supposed to represent. I would love to talk to more homosexuals and point them to Christ as the true answer and only satisfaction. In addition, I feel the need to study the Scriptures more specifically to correct the lies that our culture spreads concerning the sin of homosexuality. I preached Christ and Him crucified for sinners, and graciously exhorted her to read her Bible and look to Him. She admitted that what I was telling her about salvation was really good news, and also accepted some of my gospel tracts as I departed.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in fellowship with "gentle" John. We talked about Christ in the Old Testament and the gospel of John. It was such an edifying time.

Later I met with Mark "Grace" and we went to the corner at Pitt, where we met an African-American Muslim walking and exercising. I argued with him about the Qu'ran a little bit, until he asked me something like, "What do you want me to do?" I replied loudly, arms waving, "I want you to come to the Bible, I want you to come to the light!" At that moment a foreign Muslim student overheard, turned around and came back to question me. I showed him where Jesus claimed to be God in John 8:58. After that he said it must be a corruption and left.

That night was our Bible study together. Bob, Jr., pastor Mark, Bob, and I shared from the Scriptures, with the others joining in. We were rejoicing in grace, exalting our Savior as our true hope and glory, confessing the worthlessness of our works apart from His cross, and speaking of the power of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, including much more. Bob spoke on how the self-righteous are seeking to justify themselves by their own crosses (i.e., their own self-sacrifices), while true Christians glory in the cross of Christ, where our life ends and His begins in us.

So much more I could mention, but let me leave with this verse of Scripture, where Paul comments on his calling as a preacher of the gospel:

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
(Ephesians 3:8-9)

How could we ever be ashamed of the gospel, when it is just too good not to share?

But the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolish to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
(1 Corinthians 2:14)

Encouragement to My Fellow Christians to be more Evangelistic

(Note: This post was taken from something I wrote a few years ago in response to a question about what I would want to say to encourage others in evangelism)

Having the right understanding of the gospel and the Bible is very important (Colossians 1:9), and so I want to try to encourage others to read the Bible with a passion for understanding it.

Prayer is where it all begins.

We all need to begin by praying for a heart that loves Christ more, and seeks His glory in reaching those for whom He gave His life (Matt. 9:38; Luke 11:2; Rom. 10:1; 2 Thes. 3:1).

Timidity is not a good thing (see 2 Tim. 1:7), and it is not loving, but rather selfish and insincere. I know this, because timidity has plagued me all my life. A good way to overcome this fear is to know the Bible inside and out. It is not enough to read books and hear sermons about the Bible. We have got to read Scripture for ourselves.

We need to become familiar with the abundance of wisdom and understanding that the Scriptures provide for those who love Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:3). And we must not forget that our love comes directly as a result of His unfathomable love for us (1 John 4:10).

We need to be familiar with the cross and with the power of His resurrection (1 Cor. 2:2; Phil. 3:10). We need to have died with Christ, that we may live together with Him (Rom. 6:8; 2 Tim. 2:11). We need to live by grace and not by our own efforts (1 Cor. 15:10). It must be Christ in us moving us to will and to work according to His good pleasure (Gal. 2:20; Phil. 2:13).

I really believe 2 Corinthians 13:5 applies directly to every Christian in our day, which exhorts us to "examine" and "test" ourselves to see if Christ is really in us. There is a wonderful sense of confidence that comes with having the proper assurance of Salvation. The letter of 1 John was written so that we may know that we have eternal life (1 John 5:13), so I think we should read that New Testament letter carefully for that end.

As established believers in the faith, we need to continually return to the source and fountain of living waters. That is where we get refreshed. We must always be going before the Throne of Grace and seeking our High Priest who is able to help us in our weaknesses. It is the power of Christ, and not us that will give us the victory so that we may overcome. Christians ought to pray together for the world, because that is when God will begin to work in sending us for missions and various ministries according to our gifts.

- In His grace, Penn T.