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Showing posts from November, 2013

Giving Thanks

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Every fourth Thursday of November, millions of Americans gather together with family and friends to feast on turkey and maybe watch football games on TV.  S ince 1863,  Thanksgiving has been a  federal holiday in America.   Canadians have a similar holiday on the second Monday of October. The New Oxford American Dictionary defines thanksgiving as “ the expression of gratitude, especially to God.”   But many folks don’t honor the Lord at all on a holiday also referred to as “turkey day.”   J. Jackson of the Christian parody band ApologetiX wrote in one of their newsletters, “ Thanksgiving without God is like Christmas without Christ.”   2 Timothy 3:2 
tells us that in the last days men will be “unthankful.” One thing many people aren’t thankful for is how God made them. A few years ago I found out Chastity Bono (the daughter of Cher and the late Sonny Bono) underwent a sex change and now calls “himself” Chaz Bono.   While Chaz claims to be a happier person, it grie

Receiving the Gift of Salvation

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Numerous denominations have formed due to conflicting doctrines but one thing that unites all believers is our knowing Jesus Christ as Lord.   Still there are disagreements regarding how one is saved.   Two days ago outside a McDonald’s, I witnessed to three young people smoking.   One of the women wasn’t sure of her eternal destiny but later admitted to be backslidden.   She was raised in a church that teaches one must “repent, be baptized and speak in tongues” in order to be saved.   Strangely enough, this woman defended that doctrine after praying along with her two friends to get born again.   Nevertheless, Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” A few days before that, I exchanged emails with a man who thinks just believing Jesus is the Savior is sufficient for salvation.   This belief is solely based on 1 Corinthians 15: 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you rece

Bad Evangelism

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Back in 2000 while visiting Calvary Campground for the first time, I discussed evangelism methods with another man staying there.   He compared my survey technique to Ray Comfort, an evangelist who later became known for co-hosting “The Way of the Master” television series with Kirk Cameron.   At the time I didn’t know who Ray was.   I had simply adopted a witnessing approach that quickly helps me determine someone’s spiritual beliefs. Some Christians don’t like The Way of the Master evangelism method because they see that as too condemning.   In almost every video I’ve seen of Ray or Kirk ministering to others, people are asked if they ever lied, stolen, taken God’s name in vain, and lusted after someone.   One Scripture often quoted to support this type of witnessing is Galatians 3:24: “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” One minister in Florida didn’t want me handing out cards from his church because he