CARM Newsletter 08-08-08

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21).

These are the striking words of the apostle Paul as he wrote his letter to the Philippians.  They are not the declarations of a mad man, but a man who was insanely in love with his Master.  A man who had suffered for Christ and knew with an unquenchable passion that the resurrected God man from Galilee was the only hope for his life!

I also remember another story about two gunmen who stormed a church in the Soviet Union back during the communist era in Russia. The church was filled with people.  The gunmen said, "If anyone in here is not a Christian, please leave. We only want to kill the Christians."

During this tense moment, numerous terrified church members fled the building leaving a smaller crowd inside the church.  The two gunman then said, "We now want to worship with you.  We prefer to only worship with real Christians."

If you were in a church and a host of terrorists stormed the building, would you deny your faith, or be willing to die?  As a Christian, are you confident that to die is gain?  Or, would you have serious doubts and flee the situation?

The piercing question that we must remind ourselves is that death is gain.  Are you living for heaven or are you caught up with this earth? What are you doing to impact eternity?

What are you facing right now in your life?  Doubt, frustration, financial difficulties, divorce, the loss of a loved one, etc.  May the words of the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul inspire and comfort you.  Remember, to live is Christ and to die is...gain!

Thankfully, I made it safely back from Las Vegas.  My few days there were beneficial as I was able to make a few contacts for my shoe business that I run on the side.  It was quite interesting how pagan and lost the city of Vegas truly is.  There were a plethora of bleary-eyed gamblers throwing their money away in the many casinos in Vegas.

I had numerous opportunities to share my faith in there.  I met various taxi cab drivers from all over the globe including South America, India...you name it!  While it is sometimes difficult for me to always get into a spiritual conversation with each one, I did my best to at least bring up what spiritual things I could...and leave each driver a solid gospel tract...with a good tip!

Before every plane flight I take, I do my best to remember to pray that God will have me sit next to the right people.  Interestingly, on my plane trip from Salt Lake to Vegas, I sat next to a mother and a daughter who just lost their grandmother (or mother in case of the mom).  I happened to over hear their conversation and they mentioned attending a Mormon church so I supposed (though not for certain) that they were Mormons.

I wanted to share the gospel with them, but they were crying during most of the trip so I could not tell them, "Do you realize how Mormonism is wrong?"  They really did not seem to want to talk for a long period due to their difficult time of loss.  Instead, I gently patted the LDS lady's shoulder, and told her that I would pray for her and her daughter.  After the flight was over, I asked them, "May I give you this?"  I handed them each a gospel tract.  I continued, "It talks about how you can know for sure you are going to heaven.  I hope that it really encourages you."  They both gratefully received the tracts.  I never know what God will do, but I pray that he will open their eyes to the gospel.

You guys should take all of your comments on mormonism, put them in a big bucket, poop on them, eat them, poop on them again, and then dump them into the nearest port o potty. Do some research for a change and get a life you wierd evangelical money hungry blood suckers. How much money do you make by telling people your opinion and stating it as fact? By the way, satan called and he wants his personality back. Moron.

Love and Hate Mail

• Hate Mail
  • Your site = garbage
  • I was looking at ur web sit and im a jehovah wittness and how dare you tell people that we "attack" jesus you ovesly don’t know us and its horrible that your telling people that ..whats wronge wit you.????
• Love Mail
  • Hello, recently I was not allowed to visit an elderly parishioner who lives with her daughter, because her son-in-law is a believer in Arnold Murray’s “Shepherd’s Chapel.” I was branded as a “false teacher,” because I had, on an earlier visit, quoted the passage from Genesis about Eve eating the fruit. Your presentation on Shepherd’s Chapel is very clear and helpful. The hostile and demeaning attitude of Mr. Murray’s followers was certainly exemplified in this case. Sincerely in Christ Jesus.
  • Thank you for your review of "The Shack" by William P. Young. It was passed on to me by a good friend, a Christian, who's "fruit" I admire. At first, I was caught up in the freshness of it all, the emotion, the dialogue. But as I went on, there were some red flags. I planned to read it a second time, to investigate the statements that struck me as off base (something I am learning to do through your website's example). Your review gave me the needed Scriptural insights I would have gone looking for. And I have changed my mind about passing this on to others to read. I am currently working through your on-line Theology course, and I have found your website to be a source of wisdom and truth. Thank you for what you are doing.
  • Hi guys, i am kenneth..i am 16..and just got baptised last week..i am happy to see carm website..it helps me a lot..it helps me understand about many things like sin, justification, sanctification and cults.. Carm had helped me to know more about the cults.. Carm helped me a lot about what mormonism teaches.. I am from Malaysia.. Mormonism is spreading fast here in Malaysia here also.. There are many mormon churches here in Malaysia.. I got a book of mormon from my friend. I read it and found that it is kinda fake.. I hope that i can one day witness to them about Christ.. ok bye guys.. God Bless.