CARM Newsletter 08-23-07

Welcome to the Aug 23, 2007 Newsletter

Mini-devotional - sheep among wolves
"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves," (Matt. 10:16).

Jesus' words to his apostles were sobering.  The disciples were sent out as sheep among wolves.  That is, the Christians who would go forth to preach and teach the word amidst great hostility.  Wolves, of course, sought to devour the defenseless sheep and it is this analogy that Jesus uses to illustrate the relationship between the Christian teachers and the ungodly society.  But, Jesus does not tell us to blindly walk down a path of destruction and martyrdom.  He tells us that we are to be as shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.  In other words, the Christian should be very smart when it comes to avoiding danger and spreading the word, even using the laws of the land for his own protection and furthering of the truth.  Yet, the Christian is not to harm anyone.  The Christian is to be gentle.

Notice that the Christian is told to emulate both the serpent and the dove.  These two creatures represent the differing functions and callings in which Christians must act as they go about preaching and teaching the word of truth.  We are not to sit idly by and let the wolves have their way.  Quite the contrary.  We oppose them strongly, shrewdly.  Yet we must be godly and not sin.

Burn out
The reason I have not written a newsletter for several weeks is because I succumbed, more or less, to burn out. I hate to admit it but the fact is that I work so much without taking adequate rest periods (my last real vacation was in 2001) that it all caught up to me and for about two or three weeks I was pretty useless. I had absolutely no desire to research or answer e-mails and the thought of writing a newsletter just left me feeling empty.  So, I didn't.

But by God's grace and the patience of my wife, I forced myself to rest. I'd like to say that in the past three weeks I've been fishing numerous times.  It was great enjoying the water, battling smallmouth bass, watching birds fly by, and listening to the wind move through the trees as I did nothing but try and outsmart some fish. That, accompanied with watching good old science fiction movies in the evenings, sleeping late in the mornings, and lazing around the house served me well. I feel much better -- finally.  Hopefully, I've learned my lesson.  I've decided to schedule one week off every three months and rest -- whether I feel like it or not. The pastor of our church will gladly take those weeks on the radio while I do my best to forget about ministry. In all, I plan not to work so hard without taking adequate rest. 

Thanks for the support
As you know this ministry runs off charitable contributions. The nature of such support is often strenuous. You just never know if you're going to make it financially week to week. But God has been very good and he used Christians to supply enough donations to allow me to relax for the past few weeks (good timing, huh?). It seems the Lord is blessing this ministry more and more and I hope it is in preparation for adding more staff. So, for those of you who have been supporting financially, I want to let you know how much I really appreciate your help. Each and everyone of you is valuable and each and every one of you allows this ministry to continue. I sincerely want to thank you. 

Also, please understand that I can't say thanks to everyone individually.  We have a lot of contributors who donate various amounts and it just isn't possible to write thank you notes to everyone.  I do try, though. 

Of course, this ministry could not continue without prayer support, either.  We are now arranging a way for dedicated individuals to lift this ministry, myself included, up in prayer.  Without supplications before our Lord, we work in our own strength.  May that never be.  Your prayers are greatly needed and greatly valued.  Thank you very much.

An idea -- again
In the last newsletter I asked for quotes such as this: "Jeffrey Dahmer, a psychopath who cannibalized his victims, acted on Darwin's advice. In an interview he said, “If a person doesn’t think there is a God to be accountable to, then…what is the point of trying to modify your behavior to keep it within acceptable ranges? That’s how I thought…I always believed the theory of evolution as truth, that we all just came from the slime.” (Dahmer in an interview with Stone Phillips, Dateline NBC, 11/29/1994)." 

Critics of Christianity like to attack Christianity by saying things like Hitler was a Christian, et cetera.  So, I'm looking for quotes that demonstrate detestable behavior based upon atheistic and/or evolutionary principles.  If you know of any, with documentation so I can check them out, please e-mail them to me at [email protected]  Thanks for  those who already sent some in.  I've got them filed away and looking for more.

Oneness Debate
There was a gentleman that I've had on my radio two times. He is, if I remember correctly, an ex-oneness pastor. He is willing to have a public debate in a church. So, I am looking for a church that would be willing to host such a debate. He lives in Mississippi and I live in Idaho so we are looking for a place somewhere in between. It would be formal, recorded, and I think quite interesting. Oneness theology denies the Trinity and is a false teaching. If your church wouldn't mind hosting such an event, please contact your leadership and if you agree, please contact me at [email protected] so we can make arrangements. Thanks.

Publishing
I have finished writing a book and am looking for a literary agent. I do not know how to break into the Christian fiction market and my research has shown that it is quite difficult. Basically, it's about a guy who ends up having a conversation with an angel where the difficult questions of life are answered. The goal of the book is to present basic Christian theology, with an offering of the gospel, in a gripping story.  There are plot twists, angelic and demonic battles, a bad guy who is possessed, a visit to heaven and hell, forgiveness, etc.  By the time you're finished reading it, you've learned about the incarnation, who Jesus is, sacrifice, love, the fall, redemption, etc.  Several people have read it and each has enjoyed it.

If you know of a literary agent who might be interested in talking to me, please let me know at [email protected]

Love and Hate
CARM is constantly getting e-mails of thanks and praise and condemnation.  Here are a few...in the raw.  (At the suggestion of a reader, the hate mail is first so that the last taste in your mouth, is the love mail).
  • Hate mail:
    • Your sir name fits you very well. As satan is able to apear as an angle of shinning light, so are you! Your attempt to discredit Pastor Murray is easily seen by the learned in Gods letter to us. However, to the unlearned, you are just another stumbling block keeping those trying to come to the knowledge of truth, confused.  I guess you believe that Eve ate an apple in the garden and for that God brought death upon mankind. Shame on you.
    • If you are going to attempt to discredit someone, you should not let your on ignorance be seen on the subject. By stating that Pastor Murray is mistakened, you are very close to calling the Lord himself a lier. If you would do an indepth study, you would read as to where the Lord revealed the kenites and just who they are. You would also find out that the Lord hates them and that we had better know whom he is refering to. You would also find that Paul reveals this sexual encounter between satan and Eve in Corinthans. The parable of the sower reveals this also and the Lord said that if we didnt understand this, we wouldnt understand anything. I have not given you any scripture's to read for I know that you think you are a scholar in the bible and already know everything. Im just sorry for everyone that reads your smutt and walks away a little farthur from the truth that they are seaking. So, instead of using bits and peices of the scripture's to soot your on purposes, try using all of Father's letter and He might show mercy on you.
    • God gave us the 'Word' and 'one' Interpreter of the 'Word', presently named Pope Benedict.  Personal interpretation of the bible breeds chaos and division, as seen by the 30,000+ protestant religions today.  I visited your site and found 'living' testimony of Jesus's words of the blind leading the blind.  If you seek 'Truth', come to the Catholic Church and study under it's direction... you will find Peace and Truth and salvation for your souls.  God bless you.
    • I am not an African American and therefore am unqualified to put words in the mouths of African Americans. You are not an atheist and therefore cannot put words in the mouths of atheists. I am an atheist and your little diatribe leaves no doubt that you know very little about what atheists think and feel. Therefore you are either guilty of fabrication or uninformed. I suspect the latter. Why would a religious person break his own deities commandments and lie?
  • Hate Mail:
    • I just spent about an hour listening to Matt Slick's debate's, and I just wanted to say KEEP FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT AND KEEPING THE FAITH!!  Thank you for using non-believers' own "reasoning" to prove our Christ!!  WOW!!  I honor and respect your ability from God to keep your temper and continually prove our God's exsistance with some of these people!!
    • I am a Jesus-loving girl, but man, some of the people I hear on here make me want to cry out of their ignorace!!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
    • I just wanted to encourage you to keep up the good work, and your Father is proud!!  I will keep you in my prayers, and brother, YOU ROCK!!! Just wanted to encourage you in your ministry. You've been a real blessing and I listen in L.A. on podcast every day. Although it's not much I donate what I can and use your show so other Christians and unbeliever alike can see different arguments from every angle. Keep up what God has called you to do.
    • I am by the grace of God saved by faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I would like to thank you for taking the time to put all these information down. I have been aproached by mormons many times and have been frustrated because the lack of knowledge as far as mormons go. I have book marked your site and will keep reading because I don't want my lack of knowledge be a disgrace to our Heavenly Father.
    • Matt, the show is great, you hit home with more people than you know. My entire church comes to your site for information and fighting false gospels (since we are here in Utah). DONT GIVE UP if you do I will come looking for you.....

From the CARM Theological Dictionary

Infralapsarianism
An issue within Reformed theology dealing with what may have happened in God's mind regarding the logical order of His considering whom to elect into salvation before the foundation of the world.  The word means "after the fall."  The position is that God first decided he would allow sin into the world and second that he would then save people from it.  By contrast, the supralapsarian ("before the fall") position holds that God first decided that he would s An issue within Reformed theology dealing with what may have happened in God's mind regarding the logical order of His considering whom to elect into salvation before the foundation of the world.  The word means "after the fall."  The position is that God first decided he would allow sin into the world and second that he would then save people from it.  By contrast, the supralapsarian ("before the fall") position holds that God first decided that he would save some people and then second that he would allow sin into the world.

 

Be fishers of men, not keepers of the aquarium.

Rev. Matt Slick, your missionary to the  Internet. Equipping the church to defend the faith in a secular society.

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Notes

  1. Walvoord, John F., and Zuck, Roy B., The Bible Knowledge Commentary, (Wheaton, Illinois: Scripture Press Publications, Inc.) 1983, 1985.

 

 

 

 
 
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