JESUS' BOLD CHURCH

This is my last post for 2006.  I’m taking the rest of the year off.  Have a great Christmas focusing on JESUS the CHRIST.  Have a great and safe New Year.  The LORD willing I will begin again on January 2, 2007.  GOD bless.

“But Peter and John replied, ‘Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.  For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.’”  Acts 4: 19-20 (NIV)

“On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.  When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.  ‘Sovereign Lord,’ they said, ‘you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.  You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?  The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.’  Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.  They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.  Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.’”  Acts 4: 23-29 (NIV)

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.  And they were all filed with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”  Acts 4: 31 (NIV)

“Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.  They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.  But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.  ‘Go, stand in the temple courts,’ he said, ‘and tell the people the full message of this new life.’

At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.”  Acts 5: 17-21a (NIV)

“Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest.  ‘We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,’ he said.  ‘Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.’

Peter and the other apostles replied: ‘We must obey God rather than men!  The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.  God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.  We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.’”  Acts 5: 27-32 (NIV)

“His speech persuaded them.  They called the apostles in and had them flogged.  Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.  Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.”  Acts 5:40-42 (NIV)  
  
Is the church boldly proclaiming today that JESUS is LORD and that salvation can come through no one except the SOVEREIGN LORD JESUS?
    

Salvation is found in no one else

“’The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus.  You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.  You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.  You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead.’”  Acts 3: 13-15 (NIV)

“’Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.  But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer.  Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.’”  Acts 3: 17-20 (NIV)

“They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.  They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.  But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.”  Acts 4:2-4 (NIV)

“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: ‘Rulers and elders of the people!  If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.  He is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’  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: 8-12 (NIV)

“SALVATION IS FOUND IN NO ONE ELSE” OR NOTHING ELSE EXCEPT THROUGH JESUS!  Which makes sense.  If JESUS is the SON of GOD and HE is, why would GOD use any other method for salvation for man?  HE WOULD NOT!  SALVATION COMES ONLY THROUGH GOD’S SON—JESUS the CHRIST, the MESSIAH, the ANOINTED ONE, the KING of KINGS, the LORD of LORDS, the HOLY and RIGHTEOUS ONE, the AUTHOR of LIFE, the SAVIOR!!!        

What shall we do?

As most of us know, Christmas is supposed to be the recognition of the birth of JESUS, who to Christians is our SAVIOR.  I have been studying the first portion of the book of Acts.  For the next couple of posts I am going to quote from some of the material from Acts.  I think it is appropriate given that this is the time of the year that we consider the human birth of the CREATOR and the SAVIOR of the world.

“’Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.  This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.  But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.’”  Acts 2: 22-24 (NIV)

“’Seeing what was ahead, he (the patriarch David) spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.  God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.  Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.  Acts 2: 31-33 (NIV)

“When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?’

Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.’

With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’  Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day”  Acts 2: 37-41 (NIV)

When the crowd asked Peter “What shall we do?”  What was Peter’s reply?  “Repent and be baptized.”  When non-believers ask a Christian, “What must I do?”  The answer is the same today.  “Repent and be baptized.”  That is not the whole answer but it is part of the whole answer.  The whole answer is to hear (which they did), believe (which some did or they would not have asked “what shall we do?”), confess that JESUS is LORD and SAVIOR (which is natural if you believe), then as Peter said “Repent and be baptized”, and finally once baptized to live as an obedient servant to the one and only true GOD—the CREATOR and the only SAVIOR of man through JESUS the CHRIST, HIS SON.        

            

Are we at war yet?

(I have not been able to get onto the Internet.  This is posted because I finally could.)

Famous battle cries from our past include:

▪ “Remember the Alamo” where about 187 Texans were killed.

▪ “Remember the Maine” where about 266 people were killed on the U.S. Battleship Maine while harbored in Cuban waters.

▪ “Remember Pearl Harbor” where “approximately 3,000 naval and military personnel were killed or wounded.” (“Pearl Harbor”, Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2007 [DVD]. Redmond, Wa: Microsoft, Corporation, 2006.)  Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese 65 years ago today (December 7, 1941).

And now today, it seems we have the following cry:


“Don’t remember 9/11!!!”  On 9/11, approximately 3,000 American civilians were murdered in an unprovoked attack by terrorists!!!  DO YOU REMEMBER IT!!!    

Whose oath is it?

Before the regular post tonight, congratulations to the Morton girls’ basketball team for defeating Galesburg tonight at home by 18 points.  Since the day after Thanksgiving, Morton has defeated 3 teams ranked in the top 10 in Illinois AA basketball.  Morton consequently remains undefeated.  CONGRATULATIONS!!!

The following is another e-mail I received this week.  I’m posting it for your consideration and hopefully for your action.  As I’ve said before, I support the “melting pot” concept for the development of the United States rather that the concept of diversity and everyone remaining tied to other countries and philosophies and, of course, since I am a Christian, entangled in other religions since I believe what JESUS declares in the Bible—that no one can come to the FATHER except through the SON.

The e-mail:
“November 29, 2006
Please help us get this information into the hands of as many people as possible by forwarding it to your entire email list of family and friends.
A first for America...The Koran replaces the Bible at swearing-in oath
What book will America base it's values on, the Bible or the Koran?
Dear Paul,
Please take a moment to read the following TownHall.com column by Dennis Prager, who is a Jew. After reading the column, take the suggested action at the bottom of this email. After you have read it, please forward it to your friends and family. America, Not Keith Ellison, decides what book a congressman takes his oath on By Dennis Prager - Tuesday, November 28, 2006 Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the first Muslim elected to the United States Congress, has announced that he will not take his oath of office on the Bible, but on the bible of Islam, the Koran. He should not be allowed to do so -- not because of any American hostility to the Koran, but because the act undermines American civilization. First, it is an act of hubris that perfectly exemplifies multiculturalist activism -- my culture trumps America's culture. What Ellison and his Muslim and leftist supporters are saying is that it is of no consequence what America holds as its holiest book; all that matters is what any individual holds to be his holiest book. Forgive me, but America should not give a hoot what Keith Ellison's favorite book is. Insofar as a member of Congress taking an oath to serve America and uphold its values is concerned, America is interested in only one book, the Bible. If you are incapable of taking an oath on that book, don't serve in Congress. In your personal life, we will fight for your right to prefer any other book. We will even fight for your right to publish cartoons mocking our Bible. But, Mr. Ellison, America, not you, decides on what book its public servants take their oath. Devotees of multiculturalism and political correctness who do not see how damaging to the fabric of American civilization it is to allow Ellison to choose his own book need only imagine a racist elected to Congress. Would they allow him to choose Hitler's "Mein Kampf," the Nazis' bible, for his oath? And if not, why not? On what grounds will those defending Ellison's right to choose his favorite book deny that same right to a racist who is elected to public office? Of course, Ellison's defenders argue that Ellison is merely being honest; since he believes in the Koran and not in the Bible, he should be allowed, even encouraged, to put his hand on the book he believes in. But for all of American history, Jews elected to public office have taken their oath on the Bible, even though they do not believe in the New Testament, and the many secular elected officials have not believed in the Old Testament either. Yet those secular officials did not demand to take their oaths of office on, say, the collected works of Voltaire or on a volume of New York Times editorials, writings far more significant to some liberal members of Congress than the Bible. Nor has one Mormon official demanded to put his hand on the Book of Mormon. And it is hard to imagine a scientologist being allowed to take his oath of office on a copy of "Dianetics" by L. Ron Hubbard. So why are we allowing Keith Ellison to do what no other member of Congress has ever done -- choose his own most revered book for his oath? The answer is obvious -- Ellison is a Muslim. And whoever decides these matters, not to mention virtually every editorial page in America, is not going to offend a Muslim. In fact, many of these people argue it will be a good thing because Muslims around the world will see what an open society America is and how much Americans honor Muslims and the Koran. This argument appeals to all those who believe that one of the greatest goals of America is to be loved by the world, and especially by Muslims because then fewer Muslims will hate us (and therefore fewer will bomb us). But these naive people do not appreciate that America will not change the attitude of a single American-hating Muslim by allowing Ellison to substitute the Koran for the Bible. In fact, the opposite is more likely: Ellison's doing so will embolden Islamic extremists and make new ones, as Islamists, rightly or wrongly, see the first sign of the realization of their greatest goal -- the Islamicization of America. When all elected officials take their oaths of office with their hands on the very same book, they all affirm that some unifying value system underlies American civilization. If Keith Ellison is allowed to change that, he will be doing more damage to the unity of America and to the value system that has formed this country than the terrorists of 9-11. It is hard to believe that this is the legacy most Muslim Americans want to bequeath to America. But if it is, it is not only Europe that is in trouble. (End Commentary)
>>>>>>> TAKE ACTION

• Send an e-mail asking your U.S. Representative and Senators to pass a law making the Bible the book used in the swearing-in ceremony of Representatives and Senators.


• Forward this e-mail to your friends and family today!


• WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE and SENATORS NOW!!!”

“Sincerely,
Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and ChairmanAmerican Family Association
P.S. Please forward this e-mail message to your family and friends!”

(809) scam

I’ve recently posted three sports items and now this is my third scam blog in only a couple of weeks.  I’d say it is the season for scams but, unfortunately, it seems it is always the season for scams.  Again, I have not checked this out but I seem to recall having received information on this before.  As always, buyer beware and buyer be careful.  Don’t fall victim to a scam.  Isn’t it better to be safe than sorry?  (P.S.  I’m posting it as I received it.  The money figures seem to be in conflict but I don’t know so I didn’t change the figures.)

“Do you remember reading this? Subject: 809 Area Code scamWe actually received a call last week from the "809" area code.  The woman said ‘This is Karen.  Sorry I missed you—get back to us quickly.  Have something important to tell you.’  Then she repeated a phone number beginning with 809. We didn't respond. This week, we received the following e-mail: Subject: DON'T EVER DIAL AREA CODE 809, 284 and 876.   THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. INFORMATION PROVIDED TO US BY AT&T.  DON'T EVER DIAL AREA CODE 809. This one is being distributed all over the U.S. and CANADA.  This is a pretty scary scam, especially given the way they get you to call.  Be sure you read this and pass it on to all online friends and family so they don't get scammed! MAJOR SCAM: Don't respond to E-mails, phone calls, or web pages which tell you to call an "809" area Phone Number.  This is a very important issue of Scam Busters because it alerts you to a scam that is spreading *extremely* quickly.  This scam can easily cost you $2400 or more, and is difficult to avoid unless you are aware of it.  We'd like to thank the companies BELL CANADA and VERIZON for bringing this scam to our attention.  This scam has also been identified by the National Fraud Information Center and is costing victims a lot of money.  There are lots of different permutations of this scam. HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:
You will receive a message on your answering machine or pager, asking you to call back a number beginning with area code 809. The reason you're asked to call varies.  It can be to receive information about a family member who has been ill; to tell you someone has been arrested, died; or to let you know you have won a wonderful prize, etc. In each case, you are told to call the 809 number right away.  Since there are so many new area codes these days, people unknowingly return these calls.  If you call from the U.S.A. or CANADA, you'll apparently be charged $24.25 per-minute.  Or, you'll get a long recorded message.  The point is that they will try to keep you on the phone as long as possible to increase the charges.  Unfortunately, when you get your phone bill, you'll often be charged more than $24,100.00.WHY IT WORKS and you have to pay the bill:
The 809 area code is located in the British Virgin Islands (The Bahamas).  The 809 area code can be used as a "pay-per-call" number, similar to 900 and 866 numbers in the U.S. or Canada.Since 809 is not in the U.S. or CANADA, it is not covered by CANADIAN or U.S. regulations of 900 numbers, which require that you be notified and warned of charges and rates involved when you call a "pay-per-call" number.  There is also no requirement that the company provide a time period during which you may terminate the call without being charged.  Further, whereas many CANADIAN or U.S. homes have 900 number blocking to avoid these kinds of charge, it will not work to prevent calls on the 809 area code. We recommend that no matter how you get the message, if you are asked to call a number with an 809 area code that you don't recognize, just disregard the message and call your local police department to alert them that the scam is in your area. Be wary of e-mails or phone calls asking you to call an 809 area code number.  It's important to prevent becoming a victim of this scam, since trying to fight the charges afterwards can become a real nightmare.That's because you did actually make the call.  If you complain and try to fight the charges, both your local phone company and your long distance carrier will not want to get involved and will most likely tell you that they are simply providing the billing for the foreign company. You'll end up dealing with a foreign company that argues they have done nothing wrong. Please forward this entire message to your friends, family and colleagues to help them become aware of this scam. Sandi Van Handel AT&T Field Service Manager (920) 687-904”