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The “The Voice Of The |
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You Were Asked To Pray For: |
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A Thought From C. H. Spurgeon:
"God is our refuge and strength, a very
present help in trouble" Psalm 46:1 A help that is not present when we need it is of small value.
The anchor which is left at home is of no use to the seaman in the hour of
storm; the money which he used to have is of no worth to the debtor when a
writ is out against him. Very few earthly helps could be called "very
present": they are usually far in the seeking, far in the using, and
farther still when once used. But as for the LORD our God, He is present when
we seek Him, present when we need Him, and present when we have already
enjoyed His aid. |
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A Thought For The Week: “THE CROSS” Now days you see the cross everywhere, on church
buildings, embroidered into clergy robes, on clergy stationary, on pulpit
cloths, in stained glass windows of church buildings and worn around the neck
of Christians and none Christian alike. Yet just a few years ago this was not the case. When
I was young you very seldom saw an evangelical church with a cross adorning
their building whether from a steeple or any other part of the building such
as stain glass windows or from pulpit cloths. The only churches up to 30 or 40 years ago that
used the symbol of the cross was the great whore of all churches - the Roman
Catholic church along with a few of her harlot daughters of the Protestant
group. Even my mother who was not a particularly
religious woman knew the reason why a church should not have a cross anywhere
about it, or worn on the person, and she taught us that from a young age.
This is only 50 years ago or so!! Why is it that Evangelical churches never wore the
cross on the church building or never had any on any part of the interior of
the building or clothes of the pastor - nor worn around the neck or wrists of
individuals. There is a reason - a very good reason
which is being lost to the modern day Christian. Even Baptists are getting
into the habit of wearing this symbol (idol) around their neck or on their
body somewhere. Church buildings are springing up everywhere with this symbol
prominent over it. I would like to go over the reason why churches of
Protestants and especially Baptists did not "wear" this cross. I
hope on learning the facts many Baptists will give up this pagan practice -
because that is exactly what it is. Any where you get a physical 'symbol' to
take the place of the actual event is not of Christ - it is an idol and of
the devil. Please read the reason why our forefathers would
not adorn the symbol of the cross on, in or around a church building or on
themselves as stated by themselves. The following is from writings of different people
of the many centuries since Christ. The cross as a sign of Christianity did not come
into public use in the church until towards the end of the fourth century,
when there was a definite falling away from "The faith", and when
Pagans with their symbols and rites were admitted into the Church of Rome on
condition that they submitted to her baptism. Dr. Choul,
the learned Romish antiquarian, writes thus:
"if we closely investigate the subject, we shall perceive that many
institutions of our religion have been taken and translated from Egyptian and
heathen ceremonies. Of this kind are tunics and surplices, the crowns made by
our priests, their bowing around the altar, sacrificial processions and
litanies. These, 'et plusieurs autres
choses,' which the folly and superstitious
ignorance of the heathen refer to their gods and deified men with pomp, the
music of their temples, adoration and supplications. Our priests adopt them
in our mysteries and refer them to the one sole God Jesus Christ." Another Romish
authority, Didron, admits that the Romish Church found it NECESSARY to appropriate the
images of paganism (quoted by the Baron Porcelli in
- The Cross, it's History and Use) A
PAGAN SYMBOL The cross is one of the oldest and best
authenticated emblems of pagan worship. It existed in Asia, Africa and The same sign of the cross, wrote Hislop, "that By: Brother
David Shortt, From his article “The Cross” You can read this entire article on his web site
at www.davidshortt.org |
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Happy Birthday: |
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" The Power of Temptation " It is the great duty of all believers
not to enter into temptation. God indeed is able to "deliver the godly
out of temptations" (2 Peter 2:9). Yet it is our great task to use all
diligence so that we do not fall into temptation. Our Savior expresses His
concern for His disciples by teaching them to pray, "Lead us not into
temptation" (Matt. 6:13). Since our Lord knows the power of temptation,
having experienced it, He knows how vulnerable we are to it (Heb. 2:18). He
rewards our obedience by keeping us "in the hour of temptation"
(Rev. 3:10). |