NOVEMBER 2007

 

INTERESTING BITS & PIECES

          A NEWSLETTER FOR CHRISTIANS

 

                   “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” John 3:17     

 

EDITORS NOTE – Please pray about helping us with your prayers and finances. We really need help fast! Our mailing and e-mail lists have exploded.  Fred

 

Bits addresses - %Fred Limbach, 1059 5th Ave., East Northport, N.Y. 11731; fredsblog.eponym.com; bitspieces.eponym.com; fredlim@optonline.net ; The Christian Life-Times, 6900-29 Daniels Parkway, Fort Meyers, Florida 33912 -  Florida & N.Y. editions.

 

FRED’S VIEW - Don’t wait for a “Thank You!”

 

   I became a Christian in 1966 when I gave my life to God the Father by accepting what His Son, Jesus, did for me on Calvary. In all those years I held many positions in my church. Deacon, Sunday School Superintendent, Teacher, Church Treasurer, Board Chairman and Youth Leader to name a few.

   It took me a few years to come to realize that not many people really appreciate what you are doing and also that a “thank you” was very rare even when you went out of your way to help someone. But I say “Thank You” to the Lord for revealing something to me very early in my Christian walk. Without this revelation I may never have continued many of the future activities that I did over many years.

  I recall many times receiving complaints from fellow workers about how hard they worked at church and no one seemed to appreciate or acknowledge them. So many of my dear friends and acquaintances over the years became frustrated because of this and eventually they dropped out of activities and sometimes dropped out of church.

  The revelation I referred to was given to me in a time of frustration and hurt over many hours devoted to a person whom everyone else gave up on. They came through their situation and then walked away from me never acknowledging my time and effort in helping them through their problem. While praying to God and telling Him how hard I worked, in other words, having a “pity” party for myself, God said these words to my heart, “Who did you do it all for? Are you working to be recognized for the wonderful person you think you are or are you doing it to give Me the Glory?” The veil was lifted from my eyes that day. Was I looking for the Glory that belonged to God? Scripture tells me that the only “thank you” that I need will be when I hear Him say, “Well done My good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of the Lord.” (Matthew 25:21)

  If you are waiting for a “thank you” now from people then stop what you are doing and get things right! You are trying to be a man pleaser and by doing that you are stealing the glory that belongs to God! Ask forgiveness and then do His work for the right reason, out of your love for Him, not man’s thank you!   FRED

 

My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE, "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

 

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A young Earth—it’s not the issue! By Ken Ham                                                                                    First published in:
January 1998 AiG-USA Newsletter

The fact is, every single dating method (outside of Scripture) is based on fallible assumptions. There are literally hundreds of dating tools. However, whatever dating method one uses, assumptions must be made about the past. Not one dating method man devises is absolute! Even though 90% of all dating methods give dates far younger than evolutionists require, none of these can be used in an absolute sense either.

Question: Why would any Christian want to take man’s fallible dating methods and use them to impose an idea on the infallible Word of God? Christians who accept billions of years are in essence saying that man’s word is infallible, but God’s Word is fallible!

This is the crux of the issue. When Christians have agreed with the world that they can accept man’s fallible dating methods to interpret God’s Word, they have agreed with the world that the Bible can’t be trusted. They have essentially sent out the message that man, by himself, independent of revelation, can determine truth and impose this on God’s Word. Once this ‘door’ has been opened regarding Genesis, ultimately it can happen with the rest of the Bible.

You see, if Christian leaders have told the next generation that one can accept the world’s teachings in geology, biology, astronomy, etc., and use these to (re)interpret God’s Word, then the door has been opened for this to happen in every area, including morality.

Yes, one can be a conservative Christian and preach authoritatively from God’s Word from Genesis 12 onwards. But once you have told people to accept man’s dating methods, and thus should not take the first chapters of Genesis as they are written, you have effectively undermined the Bible’s authority! This attitude is destroying the church in America.

So, the issue is not ‘young Earth’ versus ‘old Earth,’ but this: Can fallible, sinful man be in authority over the Word of God? answersingenesis.org/docs/1866.asp

           My mother taught me RELIGION, “You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

What about different denominations?


     The reason there are different denominations within Christianity is because the Bible allows for us to have differences of opinions. Within Christianity there are very few essential doctrines that define what it means to be a Christian. These essential doctrines are,

  1. Jesus is both God and man (John 1:1,14; 8:24; Col. 2:9; 1 John 4:1-4).
  2. Jesus rose from the dead physically (John 2:19-21; 1 Cor. 15:14).
  3. Salvation is by grace through faith (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 3:1-2; 5:1-4).
  4. The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Gal. 1:8-9).
  5. There is only one God (Exodus 20:3; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8)
  6. God exists as a Trinity of persons:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (See Trinity)
  7. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary (nature of incarnation)

     As long as a church believes in these essential doctrines, then it is Christian. However, there are many things in the scriptures that have been interpreted in different ways. For example, what day of the week should be worship on, Saturday or Sunday? Should we baptize by sprinkling or baptize by immersion? Do we take communion every Sunday, once a month, or once a year? The answers to these questions do not affect whether or not someone is a Christian. It is in these issues, and others like them, that denominations are formed. It does not mean that one denomination contradicts another. It means that though they agree in the essentials, they differ in some nonessentials. This is permitted in Scripture:

"Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 2 One man has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3 Let not him who eats regard with contempt him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One man regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind," (Rom. 14:1-5).

     Sadly, there is another reason for denominational differences and that is the failure of Christians to live according to the will of God. The truth is that we are all sinners and we do not see things eye to eye. It is an unfortunate truth that denominational differences are due to our shortsightedness and lack of love. But, the good thing is that God loves us so much that He puts up with our failures. There waits for us, in spite of our differences, a great reward in heaven. Neither salvation nor damnation is dependent upon our differences.  Our salvation is based on our relationship with Christ. Matt Slick  carm.org/

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a traditional American Holiday where families all over the United States sit for dinner at the same time---Halftime

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Thanksgiving Divorce

A man in Phoenix calls his son in New York the day before Thanksgiving and says,” I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough.

"Pop, what are you talking about?" the son screams. We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the father says. "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her."

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. "Like heck they're getting divorced," she shouts, "I'll take care of this,"

She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at her father, "You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?" and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. "Okay," he says, "they're coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own way."

The REAL First Thanksgiving

Charlestown, Massachusetts held the first recorded Thanksgiving observance June 29, 1671 by proclamation of the town's governing council.

During the 18th century individual colonies commonly observed days of thanksgiving throughout each year. We might not recognize a traditional Thanksgiving Day from that period, as it was not a day marked by plentiful food and drink as is today's custom, but rather a day set aside for prayer and fasting.

Later in the 1700's individual colonies would periodically designate a day of thanksgiving in honor of a military victory, an adoption of a state constitution or an exceptionally bountiful crop. Such a Thanksgiving Day celebration was held in December of 1777 by the colonies nationwide, commemorating the surrender of British General Burgoyne at Saratoga.

WORD STUDY    Thanks to Rev. James Steffens

 

Islam =          Religion originating from teachings of Muhammad.

 

Sunni =          (Sunnite) 90% majority Muslin branch of Islam that adheres to the orthodox tradition and acknowledges the first four (caliphs-successors) as rightful successors of Muhammad.

                   Abu Bakr 632-634     Umar 634-644          Uthman 644-656       Ali (forth & last of  caliphs)

Shia =         (Shiites) minority Muslim branch of Islam believing in Ali and Imams as the rightful successors of Muhammad Ali (as first caliph).                                                                                                                  Taliban =     Fundamentalist Sunni Muslim movement .

 

Al-Qaida =    International terrorist network led by Osama Ben Laden (Sunni-Muslin.)

                   Elimination of all foreign influence in Muslim countries. Elimination of Israel.