I’m closing this one out to begin December postings.
Again I will periodically add links to articles at the top of this post until I begin another Summary. So check back periodically. When I add a new article I will adjust the date, to the latest post’s date. The current Summary will be fixed at the top of my posts, but you may find other specific posts further down. I will leave the prior Summary second from the top of my posts for a few more days, then let it fall back into my timeline of posts.
Within a Summary you will find various active links to full articles, usually in a color and underlined. These are the articles I used to email out to my readers. I don’t email them any more.
I will try to begin each one with a larger Blue Bold Header.
So here we go…….
The Bad News or The Good News
We are looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow. Yesterday I read and interesting article on it’s history.
Then we look forward to a month to remember the birth our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. If you want a good summary of the gospel read Paul’s 2nd Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 15. Add that to your readings of Jesus’ birth in The Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and while you at it, it would not hurt to read John 6.
As for the Bad News, we probably will not hear much of that from our preachers, certainly not this month, and hardly ever.
I had a taste of that in yesterday evening’s M’Cheyne Bible Plan Reading.
Micah 1 which you can look up and then:
Woe to Unrepentant Cities
Luk 10:13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
Luk 10:14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.
Luk 10:15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.
Luk 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
Even better take some time to listen to and reflect upon Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ 1955 sermon:
Now back to the Thanksgiving/Christmas Season!
Rome, Pentecostals, And Credulity
I would agree I doubt it.
If you want more, including a number of videos on the extremes of the bizarre Pentecost and Faith Healing Ministries I suggest Justin Peters’ site.
Encouragement
Mike Ratliff makes a good point saying: “The trend that I have witnessed in our churches for at least the last 40 years or so is a de-emphasis of discipleship. Evangelism or outreach has crowded out in-reach and Bible study. Why? Church growth has become the golden calf of the new evangelism. Because of that, church leaders strive to be culturally relevant even if it means dummying down the Gospel and no longer putting any resources into biblical discipleship.”
Maybe this article builds on the one I previously posted.
I would only add there are other trends in the modern church. Some focus heavily on the popular repetitive praise songs, some in advertising their programs for self help or “engagement” opportunities, (our own church now uses that word instead of “missions”). Or they overtly emphasize one aspect of doctrine, which may be skewed and not in proper Biblical Context. Toward that end there may be some discipleship emphasis but often drive by materials from a “popular “ teacher or organization, having their own slant or agenda, to bring the community along in a certain direction. Rarely, if at all, will one find a traditional Berean like actual Bible Study.
Anyway reflect on what Mike writes about these verses Paul used to encourage the Ephesian church . It makes a good devotion.
Rejecting both the “Radical” Gospel & the Prosperity Gospel
Elizabeth Prata has an interesting 🧐 post to consider.
As I’m currently reading about toxic empathy, I could see put this in a similar category, toxic guilt. something to ponder.🤔 .
I’m sad at this progression.
These was a good series on Spurgeon and Machen who both addressed liberalism a century ago. It’s just as applicable today.
I also note there is a side of the church that creates an idol of Oneness and Unity.
There is a Unity in Christ but it is rooted in understanding of Biblical doctrine.
There is also significant teaching about separation and division. There are dangers in unbiblical Unity, acceptance and false teaching, ecumenism and even syncretism.
Devotional and Bible Reading
I start this summary with a highlight to a separate post I made earlier this week.
I was encouraged by another bloggers post to renew my devotional activities. This involves reading 4-5 chapters of the Bible Daily and also reading Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening. You can read about those here and note my suggestion to use the M’Cheyne reading plan.
Start the M’Cheyne reading for this morning.
Btw, If you open an account(free) at Bible Gateway you can access the Plan. Even if you have another version I highly recommend the KJV for these readings, and I even listen to Max McLean reading it as I follow along and highlight in my e-Sword HD app, highlighting along the way. I find reading the Word with both eyes and ears to see and hear useful.
I encourage you for just a year if you have read the Bible before read it once in the KJV. If you have not read your Bible, get one and read it. if you really don’t want to start with the KJV. The better translations I’ve used are the New KJV(NKJV), ESV, NASB and the newer LSB (which I have only read passages quoted by another friend).
Btw if you are a woman reading this and reluctant to give up your translation for a year, you might find this woman’s word encouraging.
Rainbow Trout 