MUST WATCH VIDEO: “6 INCREDIBLE WAYS GOD PROTECTS YOU”

For the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

Whether we realize it or not, we are in a spiritual battle. Although spiritual warfare is unseen, it’s absolutely real. The Bible speaks of spiritual warfare in many places. Our best defense in this war is to remain close to Jesus and constantly use what He has given us. We must put on the full armor of God every day and be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” – Eph. 6: 10-13

THE HARDLINE CHURCH OF CHRIST Preaches a Plan of Salvation instead of the Man Jesus Christ by Damon Whitsell

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? The Hardline Church of Christ says we have to do 6 steps to be saved, which includes turning from all your sin and living a faithful life until death – then your saved. BUT THE BIBLE SAYS Act 16:30-31 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19)

I find that when many Church of Christ’ers talk about salvation or being saved, they do not even use or have the correct definition of save, saved or salvation in mind.

The terms in Hebrew, Greek and English predominantly means to deliver, to rescue from harm or danger, to deliver from sin, to preserve and protect. These actions come from outside of us. They are not something we do. We are merely recipients. Webster’s defines salvation as “the act of saving someone from sin or evil : the state of being saved from sin or evil”, “something that saves someone or something from danger or a difficult situation” and “deliverance from the power and effects of sin”. It was Christ “who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father” (Galatians 1:4). Before the foundation of the world “… God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17).

Salvation is simply not about what we do, but rather what God and Jesus Christ has done on our behalf, delivering us from the wages of our sin – death. There is a plan of salvation. And with any plan there is doing involved. But we are not the ones that do the doing. As it has been said before, “Christ has done it all”. I would contend that salvation is simply belief/trust in Christ finished work for our saving/rescue – by his death, burial and resurrection for our sins, according to scripture. Salvation is not about doing or “obeying” “the whole plan of salvation”. It is about believing the plan of salvation. And the focus of that plan is on Jesus Christ and his actions, not ourselves. Biblical Christianity is not a do religion, it is a done religion.

Endure Hardness as a Good Soldier by PASTOR ETHAN HANSEN

“Suffer hardship with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the One Who enlisted him as a soldier.” 2 Timothy 2:3-4

This Memorial Day had special significance for me. My son recently graduated from high school and joined the Army. He turns eighteen at the end of June. I can remember as a young boy my father telling me about his cousin. His cousin died on the USS Thresher- a Navy submarine. The Thresher left Portsmouth, New Hampshire in April 9, 1963 and never returned. Having a son in the military brings things even closer to home. My thoughts and prayers are for peace.

The Bible often compares the Christian life to a war. We are commanded to fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12). Jesus told His disciples to sell their coats and buy swords (Luke 23:36). Jesus often battled demons and even Satan himself (Matthew 4:1-11).

One of my favorite Books in the Bible is 2 Timothy. The apostle Paul found himself in the Mamertine Prison. This time there would be no mercy. Emperor Nero offered no clemency. Paul knew that his death was imminent. In 2 Timothy 2:3-4 Paul gives great counsel to every believer in Jesus Christ. Scripture says, “Suffer hardship with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the One Who enlisted him as a soldier.” 2 Timothy 2:3-4 teaches three keys for effective service.

Four Dilemma for Mormons to Ponder by Damon Whitsell

Dilemma Definition; “a situation requiring a choice between equally undesirable alternatives” by Dictionary.com

Joe Smith said : “As man is God was,,, as God is man may become”

I see at least 3 logical dilemmas in this statement. Do you agree?

Logical Dilemma 1: As man is God was

If God was once a man,,, where did man come from? There is no way around the fact that this statement implies that man originated apart from a creator. From my understanding there are only three possibilities for the origin of man.

1. Man was created by God and each kind makes after it‘s own kind. Animals do not evolve from one species to another. This is the biblical model of creation.

2. God created the cosmos and the basic materials for life and set evolution into motion. This is theistic evolution.

3. There was nothing and it went bang and eventually evolved into everything. Over billions of years simple life (if ya can call it that) arose and evolved into what we now call mankind without the influence of a God. This is what most people call evolution. Most do not even realize that this implies that one day (probably through a quantum leap, as evolutionist have proposed) that mankind will evolve spiritually into gods.

4. It is not really a logical possibility but some people believe that life on our planet was planted or seeded by alien beings. This idea is called the starseed theory or panspermia. Most who hold this belief do not ask themselves where did the aliens come from? This idea does not circumvent the necessity of a creator and/or evolution with or without a God.

The logical absurdity of, As man is God was, is that it naturally requires pure evolution. It would require that nothing became everything all by itself and eventually became a God (all by itself).

Logical Dilemma 2: as God is man may become

If man became a God before there was a God,,, why do we need a God or the Mormon teaching about becoming Gods to actually become a God. Doesn’t that imply that eventually all men should have or will become Gods? Or is the Mormon position that only one man evolved into a God and then said no other man could become a God unless he followed his rules and then he started the Mormon church and laid out all the does’ and don’ts about how to become a God?

Logical Dilemma 3: The book of Mormon

The book of Mormon is in agreement with the Holy Bible that there is only one God (and there where none before and there will be none after him), he is a spirit and he does not change. The bible even says that God is not a man (Num23:19).

How God Uses Problems in Your Life for Good (Romans 8:28)

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

This little jem was posted in a forum and a friend pasted it to his facebook page, so I am sharing it here. The authors name is Amanda Hadaway.

——————————————

1. God uses problems to DIRECT you.
Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God trying to get your attention? “Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways.” Proverbs 20:30

2. God uses problems to INSPECT you.
People are like tea bags . . . if you want to know what’s inside them, just drop them into hot water! Has God ever tested your faith with a problem? What do problems reveal about you? “When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience.” James 1:2-3

3. God uses problems to CORRECT you.
Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It’s likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove. But you probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something … health, money, a relationship … by losing it. “It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws.” Psalm 119:71-72

4. God uses problems to PROTECT you.
A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem – but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management’s actions were eventually discovered. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good .” Genesis 50:20

LISTEN: TWOTWOF RADIO Cessationism is a HISTORICAL FACT by Damon Whitsell

Back in 2009 I did this radio show when John Edwards and I started the groupblog The Word on The Word of Faith @ (https://thewordonthewordoffaith.wordpress.com/).

I had forgot that I had this radio show and several others at my old channel on SoundClick.com. Here I show that Cessationism is a historical fact.

I hope the radio show is helpful and edifying to you and others, Damon Whitsell

Click Pic Below to
Hear the Radio Show

PLEASE PRAYERFULLY CONSIDER
DONATING TO HELP MY MINISTRY

Does Mark 16:16 teach Baptism is required for Salvation? by Damon Whitsell

Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

**There is a myriad of reasons why this verse cannot be used to teach baptism is required for salvation**

(1.) This text does not deal specifically with the fate of someone who believes and is not baptized.

(2.) The obvious emphasis is on unbelief = damnation.

(3.) The oldest New Testament Greek manuscripts do not contain Mark 9-20 and therefore cannot be used as a certainty to establish a doctrine of salvation.

(4.) Most who claim baptism is required say baptism is “for the remission of sins”. This verse predates Acts 2:38, so this verse is talking rather about Johns baptism which was a “baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:4, Luke 3:3). Repentance correctly understood as a change of mind from unbelief to personal faith in Christ (Matt. 21:32, Acts 19:4, Acts 20:21, Mark 1:15) is what provides remission of sin (Acts 10:43).

(5.) Most baptismal regenerationist are cessationist, not Charismatic, and do not follow Mark 17-18 by casting out devils, speaking in tongues, laying hands on the sick, taking up serpents and drinking deadly things. So while they say they believe the passage, they do not practice it.

(6.) It is said “these signs shall follow those who believe”, not “those who believe and are baptized”.

(7.) Verse 20 says the Lord works with then who believe, not them that believe and are baptized

VIDEO: Does God want us to be rich and have a BIG HOUSE? THIS WORLD IS NOT OUR HOME!!! by Damon Whitsell

AN OLD VIDEO OF MINE ANSWERING A QUESTION FROM A WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT BELIEVER: THAT THINKS GOD WANTS **ALL HIS CHILDREN TO BE RICH AND HAVE A BIG HOUSE**

From time to time we get comments on our group blog (The Word on The Word of Faith @ https://thewordonthewordoffaith.wordpress.com/) that need to be responded to in depth. This is one case.

Demonknight2 SAID…. “Hello, Damon. Since you clearly don’t want comments that say anything nice about the guys youre against, I wont say anything. But I have to ask you SERIOUSLY your personal opinion or what you think the Bible says about the issue Perhaps God doesnt necassarily want ALL believers to be BILLIONARES. But Do you really think that as Christians, the only things were worthy of having (in Gods eyes) are the SAME things non-believers have or LESS than what non-believers have??? In other words, why would God ask believers to engage in things completely outside the realm of what the rest of the world is doing, then expect those SAME people to eat mud pies for dinner, AND LIKE IT??????

Again, are you saying that the God we serve is a turn the other cheek & eat hambergers for dinner & thank me for it type of God, while the person that slapped you is laughing with his friends about it & eating steak & has NOTHING to do with God??? Honestly, if God is going to contrast the size of our wallet to whether we love & trust in him, then perhaps its not us who are putting stock in money, maybe its really God! OK, but that sounds ridiculous, doesnt it??? But equally ridiculous? The notion that God wants, condones, or commands that all believers be LESS than the world even if the subject IS MONEY!!! Be HONEST Do you want to serve a God that sees you as not being worthy to have a house BIGGER than a person who OUTWORDLY MOCKS GOD???? Thanks”

DAMON WITSELL SAYS: The Lord has blessed some to be rich and some not. Mainline Christianity does not say that God does not want us rich NOR does it posit that God wants us to live in poverty. But the Word of God is clear that we cannot serve both God and Money (mammon), and Gods declares chose this day whom you will serve!

THERE ARE MANY WARNINGS ABOUT RICHES: 1Tim 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded; nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; Jas 1:10-11 But the rich, in that he is made (….)