Welcome to Our Gathering of EChurch@Wartburg
Here Is Our Order of Worship
A prayer for summer link
Creator of all, thank You for summer!
Thank You for the warmth of the sun
and the increased daylight.
Thank You for the beauty I see all
around me and for the opportunity to
be outside and enjoy Your creation.
Thank You for the increased time I
have to be with my friends and family,
and for the more casual pace of the summer season.
Draw me closer to You this summer.
Teach me how I can pray no matter where I am or what I am doing.
Warm my soul with the awareness of Your presence,
and light my path with Your Word and Counsel.
As I enjoy Your creation, create in me
a pure heart and a hunger and a thirst for You.
Amen.
A prayer for those suffering abuse link
Almighty God & Everlasting Lord,
You are the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.
We pray this week for those who have been abused within our churches and the wider communities across our nation.
Have compassion upon all who have suffered the injustice, humiliation and pain of abuse
– sexual, physical, emotional, spiritual and all other forms of sinful conduct.
In the midst of their distressing circumstances, give them courage to speak. May your perfect love drive out fear and anxiety.
In your mercy, create opportunities for these men, women and children to share their pain, reveal their struggles and expose the hurtful actions of others.
Give grace, sensitivity and wisdom to all who will minister to the victims and survivors of abuse.
Strengthen those who have been abused and their careers with the certainty of your love for them
In all things, we ask that your name be glorified and that we – your people – do justice, love kindness and walk humbly before you.
We humbly plead these things in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, who died and rose and now sits at your right hand in glory.
Amen.
Scripture Readings:
Luke 3:14 (ESV Bible Gateway)
Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
Matthew 8:5-13 ( ESV Bible Gateway)
When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.
Romans 13:1-5 (ESV Bible Gateway)
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
Lt. Col. Paul Vicars is filling in this week for Wade Burleson. Vicars teaches Christian Apologetics at Emmanuel Enid.
A prayer for those with broken hearts link
“God, you care deeply for broken-hearted people.
This is a promise you make: You are close.
We pray for all those who are crippled by broken relationships.
Our hearts take the blow of disappointment.
We feel crushed because our hopes are dashed. God, heal broken hearts.
We cannot fix our own wounds. But you can.
If pieces of our heart have been lost, or are held captive by another,
recover them and bring them back to us and miraculously “put us back together” so that our heart is whole again.
You are a mender of broken hearts. We ask for this miracle, in the name of Jesus.”
Amen
Benediction: I will change your name.
If we had good voices, we would sing this to all of you. But, we defer to someone with a better voice. This is our benediction for all of you this week.
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“There is no such thing as a just war.
There is only politics and the waging of war.”
From: The Book of Counted Sorrows
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” The Gospel Preached Was Calvinism?”
hmmm…
“The old truth that Calvin preached, that Augustine preached, that Paul preached, is the truth that I must preach to-day, or else be false to my conscience and my God. I cannot shape the truth; I know of no such thing as paring off the rough edges of a doctrine. John Knox’s gospel is my gospel. That which thundered through Scotland must thunder through England again.”—C. H. Spurgeon
Orthodoxy is Calvinism?
Calvinism is Calvin’s ‘Institutes Of The Christian Religion”?
To disagree with the ‘Institutes’, is to disagree with Orthodoxy?
What?
John Calvin’s gospel said Jesus’s sacrifice was for ‘the elect’ whom God personally chose, all else were (and are) doomed to parish. This is John Calvin’s ‘Good News’?
Yet, Apostle Paul’s gospel said Jesus’s sacrifice was for ‘All’ who simply believe in what Jesus did.
Yet, Apostle Peter’s gospel said Jesus’s sacrifice was for all who simply believe in what Jesus did.
Yet, Apostle John’s gospel said Jesus’s sacrifice was for all who simply believe in what Jesus did., as well.
Augustine preached a false gospel, huh? Looks like Luther and Calvin followed Augustine in his false gnostic gospel as well.
Bump.
The Reformation was damaged by this gospel.
Men’s lives were sacrificed for not believing this false gospel.
Men and woman’s spiritual lives have been damage for five hundred years because of this false gospel.
God’s word says ‘All’ who call upon the Lord, ‘All’ who believe in what Jesus did on the cross. Jesus said: ‘All’, as well, shall be saved who believe in Him.
Kind Folk, who are you gonna believe?
The Bible writers, n’ The Lord from Heaven, or one long very dead Augustinian theologian?
You decide.
(carefully huh?)
ATB
Sopy
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@ Sopwith:
Respectfully Sopy, I know a man who is a Calvinist. What matters to me most is that he is a kind and good man who treats others the way he’d like to be treated. Frankly I don’t give a rat’s rip if he believes in a flying spaghetti monster who insists that you can only use Ragu and not Prego.
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Muff, Our precious Master hath bid us go out to the highways and byways and bid them come to the marriage feast of the Lamb. There is wine enough for all.
Will I see you there?
ATB
Sopy
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@ Sopwith:
If it must all pan out in a strictly literal and wooden fashion?
Probably not Sopy, probably not…
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“Triumphed Savior: Bruised Upon The Heel?”
hmmm…
Muff,
“”And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” – Jesus -REVELATION 22:17.
Give the Lord a free hand and He will move Satan out of his place of lawlessness, He hath already bruised his head?
ATB
Sopy
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“Since When Does Biblical ‘All’ Means Some?
hmmm…
Apostle Peter, in his New Testament letter, said that God was “not willing that ‘any’ should perish, but that ‘all’ should come to repentance.”
What?
Then why did John Calvin, the fifteenth century Theologian push this ‘elect’ business where God is made to desire to save only ‘some’?
Had Church business with a flick of John Calvin’s pen become profound Monkey Business?
Has John Calvin, the Theologian (with a stroje of a pen) become greater than Peter, the Apostle of Jesus?
huh?
Apostle Peter said ‘all’, where John Calvin uses the word ‘elect’, implying God’s presumed desire to save only some.”
Bump.
The God I serve is “not willing that ‘any’ should perish, but that ‘all’ should come to repentance.”
This is ‘exactly’ what the Apstle Peter said in the New Testament. These are his words.
Might wanna listen and take heed, huh?
You Decide. 🙂
ATB
Sopy
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“How Can I Be Saved?”
hmmm…
Check Out The Salvation Scriptures Below on How to Be Saved and Have Eternal Life” * indeed they can help!
*this list of scriptures was compiled by Pastor Jim Feeney, Ph.D.
http://www.jimfeeney.org/salvation-scriptures-saved.html
Pastor Jim’s note: “The choice to receive God’s salvation is the single most important decision you will make in your lifetime on earth. God wants you to look to Him for eternal life. And He has made that free gift of His salvation available to you through His Son, Jesus Christ.”
Below, for your encouragement are some Bible scriptures that will tell you about God’s wonderful Salvation.
Blesdings!
Sopy 🙂
***
Select Benificial ‘Salvation’ Scriptures:
0. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
Isaiah 45:22
1. Jesus, will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21
2. For the Son of Man [Jesus] came to seek and to save what was lost. Luke 19:10
3. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12
4. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
5. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him. John 3:36
6. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:40
7. I [Jesus] am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.
John 10:9
8. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. John 10:27-28
9. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3
10. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:21
11. …It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth… [12] Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:10,12
12. …We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved…Acts 15:11
13. …“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” Acts 16:30-31
14. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23
15. …if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
16. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 10:13
17. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18
18. 1 Corinthians 15:2-4 By this gospel you are saved … [specifically] that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day…
1 Corinthians 15:2-4
19. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation… 2 Corinthians 7:10
20. …unless you repent, you too will all perish. Luke 13:3
21. Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19
22. In [Jesus] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins… Ephesians 1:7
23. For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
24. …from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:15
25. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Titus 3:5
26. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:21
27. …the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:7
28. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:11-12
🙂
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listening I got as far as ‘what did john the baptists say to the soldiers, then the quote from who knows what bible and Lt. Col. Paul Vicars saying he could have said lay down your sword. well if we don’t look in a translation that ‘made it easier to understand’ that omits a few choice scriptures that align with what Jesus taught, we would see that essentially John did said lay down your sword.’Do violence to no man’
14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages. Luke 3:14 KJV
you could stay a soldier, but killing people on a battle front is kinda violence
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OPPOSING VIEW
it concerns me that this church has had three recent sermons on validating the claim that Jesus said to kill people in His name. Isis is a radical branch of muslim ideology. They have the backing of their holy book to call their believers into killing and destroying people and they think this pleases God. Christians have used a twisting of scriptures to justify the mideviel crusades but i contend that we do not have a Holy book that condones war. Christians are fearful in these days because of a brutal murdering army that is attacking and beheading christians globaly, christians response must be the same response as our Masters response under the brutal Roman government that crucified people just for being thieves. God uses war and He has said there will be wars and He will overthrow countries, but we can never say that we are to kill someone in Jesus’ name, because Jesus never told one of His disciples to kill anyone. Jesus gave the sermon on the mount when He and his fellow Israelites were under the control of the Roman government, where john the baptist got beheaded just for preaching the truth, where the governor had had scores of little children killed because one might be the king of the jews one day. the country where the King of the Jews Himself was crucified, by a corrupt court and corrupt church.
here is some excerpts from a sermon i gave on the subject.
And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. Luke 9:54-56
When soldiers asked John the baptist what to do to live as God wanted them to, John told them to do violence to no man.
And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages. Luke 3:14
How hard it must be to be a soldier and not be violent to any man. Killing people is violent, injuring them is violent.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Matt 5:43-44
And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. 52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? Matt 26:51-53
10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Rev 13:10
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matt 5:38-39
Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Zech 4:6
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Romans 12:19
For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. James 1:20
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Eph 6:10-12
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 2 Cor 10:3-4
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Matt 10:16
“Harmless as doves”
Some have said that we should fight with guns and things, but even in the end day the battle is fought with the Sword of the Spirit.
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: Rev 1:14-17
…even here it says He will fight with the sword of His mouth…
Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Rev 2:16
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Rev 19:14-16
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. Rev 19:21
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb 4:12
If you have killed someone, there is forgiveness in Jesus, Moses killed a man. King david killed someone, the apostle paul, before he met Jesus, went around persecuting christians and consenting to their being put to death. These all found repentance and forgiveness and mercy with the Lord. People can argue about this topic all the day long, but a man that has killed someone knows the truth of it, God’s laws are written on our hearts. When you ask Jesus to forgive you, He will do it, and you will finally find peace, peace that passes understanding. The ghosts of the faces of people you have killed will stop tormenting you and you will find new life in Jesus.
Moses killed a man and he had good reason, covered by the law and life for the Israelites before the birth of Jesus. He was saving a fellow Hebrew from being beaten by an Egyptian, exodus 2:11-15. king david, (before he was king) almost killed a man, but the Lord sent a woman to intervene. David had a heart that was rash and without the Lords intervention he would have killed a man for not returning his kindness. 1 Sam 25:2-31. The woman that intervened said to david (verse 26 and 31) :
seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood… 31: That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself…
Later on in his life david did have a man killed, because david had committed adultery with the mans wife and she was pregnant, obviously by david. David had tried to get her husband home so the child might look like it was his own, but the man was too loyal to David. David had him killed when that didn’t work, that is in 2 Sam 11:2-27. The child she was pregnant with died, 2 Sam 12:9-14. David also suffered other consequences for this sin. what kind of man was David, the man that was eventually called a man after God’s own heart? He was a man transformed by Gods grace. He always repented and sought the Lord again.
And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him. 2 Sam 12:24
David had a lot of wives at this time, it is amazing grace that after his repentance the Lord chose to make the next king of israel out of his horrible transgression. God blessed solomon with more wisdoom and riches than any other when he became king. Amazing grace, Jesus casts our sins behind His back and returns to us with blessings.
Barabbas, a murderer was the first man that lived because of Jesus death on the cross.
The disciples changed the world by their deaths, if Stephen had answered back with a gun then Paul wouldnt have been saved, if peter and the disciples had formed a milita in response to the governments persecuting them then the gospel wouldnt have ever left jerusalem, john wouldnt have been on the isle of potmos writing the book of revelation,if he had preached armed he wouldnt have been captured probably, he would have been killed in a sword fight.
in closing, Jesus didnt come to teach us how to kill, but how to die. he taught not how to take up our swords but instead our cross.
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? Luke 9:23-25 (KJV)