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Spring Edition 2017 Plan of Salvation:
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever shall believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
A Message From Good News Press
Jesus Christ's Ascension into Heaven & His Resurrection
The Significance of Easter For Christians The biggest celebration within Christianity may be Christmas, but the most important celebration is Easter. The entire basis for the Christian faith is based on the events that occurred on the first Easter weekend. While Christmas is about how Jesus came to earth as a baby, Easter is about the reason he came. Christians believe the whole reason he came was to die and to rise again. Most historians agree on these facts, which are the foundational events of Christianity: • Jesus Christ was executed by crucifixion on the Friday during the Jewish Passover. • He was buried in a tomb owned by Joseph of Arimathea.
• Guards were posted to keep watch over the tomb. • On the third day, the tomb was found to be empty. His body could not be found, nor could the Roman or Jewish authorities explain what had happened to it.
the tomb was empty and that there were post - crucifixion sightings of Jesus because Jesus had physically risen from the dead. This, combined with the apparent fulfillment of centuries - old prophecies contained in the Jewish Scriptures, firmly established the belief that Jesus was God in the flesh and that he had power and authority over life and death.
• Over the next forty days, his disciples plus hundreds of other people claimed to have seen Jesus, spoken with him, eaten This belief in the resurrection with him, and listened to his of Jesus spread rapidly throughteachings. out the Roman Empire and it continues to spread today. For • These disciples (and others) nearly 2000 years, Christians went to their deaths - some have placed their faith in this through torture—maintaining resurrected Jesus, believing his that their claims of seeing promise that he will someday a resurrected Jesus were true. return to take his followers to Those are the historical facts. be with him throughout eterniThe signifi-cance is found in the interpretation of those ty. facts. Christians maintain that
The Christian message is often referred to as the "Gospel," which means "good news." Specifically, it is the good news about Jesus—who He is, what He has done, and what He offers. Essentially, the message is that Jesus was God in the flesh, that He came into the world to reconcile humanity to Himself, and that his salvation is freely offered to each person who will respond in faith. The Gospel message explains that salvation is only possible through the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. Through his sacrifice, Jesus paid the price for our sinfulness (rebellion against God), thus offering us forgiveness. Then through his Resurrection He conquered death, removing it as the penalty for our sin and replacing it with the offer of eternal life that is only available from Him to all those that place their faith in Him.
Other Stories In This Issue: Are We Evangelizing or Compromising? Best Christian Workplaces for 2017 The Death of Roe (Roe Vs. Wade) What Is the Christian Message? Compensation Survey to Help Churches A Confusion of Roles Classifieds, Puzzles, Recipe, Ads
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Good News Press - 2 About Good News Press Sharing the good news of God’s Love through his Son to our local community and world!
Partner With Us in Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ to our Community! Good News Press is a Christian outreach publication in the San Francisco Bay Area. This popular high-quality, newspaper, informs and inspires believers, as well as plant seeds into the hearts of men and women that do not know Jesus Christ. Good News Press covers world, national, and local religious news and events, and features inspiring Christian articles and insights. It is available, both digitally online and in full-color printed format. Christian newspapers reach a targeted audience-specifically a family oriented, audience, with strong loyalties and convictions.
share the good news, and bring to them the love of Jesus Christ. We do that by bringing glory to God in this newspaper. • Urgency… We believe that these are Why Support Good News Press • Fulfill the Great Commission! Help the last days and that Jesus Christ is us tell our neighbors about the Good soon to return. News of Jesus Christ and reap eternal • Distribution Good News Press is distributed FREE all over the Bay Area. rewards. Good News Press believes You can find it in area grocery stores that this commission begins in our own backyards. There are more than 7 and businesses. Good News Press is produced by Million people in the Bay Area and a great number need to be reached. We Baron & Connie Woods and Family. want to reach these men and women, To contact us: info@goodnewspress.us.
Good News Press - 3 Are We Evangelizing or Compromising? :: By Howard Green It should be clear to any born-again Christian living in this generation that the return of Jesus is near. If we take a panoramic view and look at all of the geopolitical upheaval around the globe, we see that Bible prophecy is being fulfilled right before our eyes. Knowing that the hour is late, isn’t it time to get down to the business of evangelizing and making disciples? Instead of fulfilling the Great Commission, many believers are content with seeking ecumenical harmony and common ground with non-Christians. In our day marked by spiritual blindness, are we evangelizing or compromising?
tion. People are dying and going into eternity without Jesus. They are going to hell because they believed a lie instead of the gospel. Many people are jaded and believe that all roads lead to heaven or that we basically worship the same God. The deception is widespread due to leaders who have rallied many under the banner of ecumenical cohesiveness. This “purpose driven” mission is nothing short of a modern Tower of Babel.
cis I’m not judging the personal lives of these men and have no ill intent toward them. But I am going to warn you about them, and the false gospel rooted in ecumenism which they promote. This common ground message they preach is a different gospel than the one we received. There is zero common ground between Christian and Muslim beliefs and it’s as simple as reading the Qur’an when it says “God has no Son.” —Qur’an 23:91
es are more concerned with how they are viewed by other religious groups rather than preaching Christ to them. When you compromise on Jesus, you are not evangelizing. You might as well rename your church or ministry, the cultural center for interfaith cooperation.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you It’s humanism at its core. It’s coming Unfortunately, the false gospel of ecu- except Jesus Christ and him crucified. together for the purpose of making a menism doesn’t end here. You can And I was with you in weakness and name for ourselves, instead of glorify- reference countless websites, Chris- in fear and much trembling, and my ing the one true God and His Son. tian magazines, and books by well speech and my message were not in Mark 16:15-16 “And he said to them, Men like Pope Francis, Rick Warren, know Christian leaders, including plausible words of wisdom, but in ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the and Tony Campolo have done exten- evangelicals who espouse this sort of demonstration of the Spirit and of gospel to the whole creation. Whoev- sive damage to the Body of Christ thing. The social justice, interfaith, power, so that your faith might not er believes and is baptized will be when they collude with people who and ecumenical pseudo-gospel is be- rest in the wisdom of men but in the saved, but whoever does not believe abhor the gospel. The men who ating disseminated across many power of God.” will be condemned.’’ tempt to promote peace without the churches and fellowships today. Prince of Peace are wrong on every It may seem loving to reach out to Go to a street corner, college camlevel. The small sampling below of We are told to build bridges, seek other faith groups by showing them pus, or workplace in almost any city spiritual deception being promoted in common ground, and reach out. This how accepting or caring you are. But and you will find a plethora of spiritual our day is something to be very mind- may seem like supremely Christ-like if you fail to present Jesus as the only beliefs held by people. Muslims, Bud- ful of. Take a look at some of the fol- instruction if we are told doing so is way to God the Father and eternal dhists, Sikhs, Hindus, Mormons, lowing statements from these men: sharing the love of Jesus. Unfortulife, you are negating the most loving Gnostics, Spiritists and New Age wor- I think there are Muslim brothers and nately, this widespread sentiment is thing you can do for anyone. Friends, shippers are just a sample of people sisters who are willing to say, “You compromising our core message. there are countless stories of people you may meet. As Christians, we will live up to the truth as you understand leaving other faiths to make Jesus certainly come into contact with many it. I will live up to the truth as I under- I’m all for talking with our Muslim, Hin- their Lord. Former Muslim friends people who don’t believe in Jesus as stand it, and we will leave it up to God du, or Buddhist neighbors and cohave risked family, money, and even their Lord and Savior. on judgment day.” Our Muslim broth- workers. I think we should seek kind- their life to come to Jesus. They may ers and sisters can say Islam is the ness and genuine friendship. But do- have come to faith through a radio Some of these people believe in an only true faith but we are not coning this to reach some sort of interprogram, website, or teaching. afterlife and some don’t but the fact vinced that only Muslims enjoy salva- faith truce and ecumenical utopia is remains that they will spend eternity tion. I contend that there is no salva- not of God. If you are simply trying to Oftentimes it was the bold witness of somewhere. We have a divine obliga- tion apart from Jesus Christ, but I am reach out for the sake of peace and another former Muslim who risked it tion and we are commanded by the not convinced that the grace of God harmony, then you are wasting your all to tell them the Good News. There Lord to go into all the world to make does not go further than the Christian time. Once you became born-again are numerous Christian brothers and disciples. community.” —Tony Campolo you have one purpose and that is to sisters who were saved out of Islam make disciples and do all to the glory and are fired up for Jesus. These It is at this crucial juncture where the “Muslims and Christians must work of God. brethren are in Syria, Iraq, Iran, Saudi disconnect from biblical reality begins. together to combat stereotypes, proArabia, Sudan, Egypt, Indonesia, and Instead of presenting the gospel with mote peace and freedom and solve We don’t have to earn the right or dozens of other nations with penalties boldness under the direction of the global problems.” —Rick Warren earn enough trust to spread the gos- for converting to Christianity. If the Holy Spirit, many Christians are con- I greet and cordially thank you all, pel. The permission to preach Jesus government doesn’t persecute them, tent with engaging in endless small dear friends belonging to other reliwas given to you the moment you oftentimes the local Muslim populatalk about their respective religions. gious traditions; first of all the Musbecame saved. It is good and proper tion will. They boldly speak up and Interfaith dialogue is a modern misno- lims, who worship the one God, living for Christians to be the most loving, proclaim the name of Jesus. These mer for spiritual compromise. Let me and merciful, and call upon Him in caring, and hospitable people in the people are willing to risk it all for Jecut to the quick because behind all of prayer, to all of you. I really appreciworld, but that doesn’t mean throwing sus. the ecumenical pleasantries, Satan is ate your presence: in it, I see a tangi- the gospel message overboard for the This didn’t happen because a lukeat work. He is the father of lies and ble sign of the will to grow in mutual sake of perceived unity. warm Christian became a buddy and the lie that is peddled in the name of esteem and cooperation for the comreligious unity is utter spiritual seduc- mon good of humanity. —Pope Fran- It’s at the point now that many church- Continued on Next Page
Good News Press - 4 Cont’d from Page 3 Are We Compromising or Evangelizing wanted to spend countless hours embarking on a mutual journey of understanding of how to make the world a better place. It happened because they were lovingly confronted with the truths of God’s Word. This is conjecture on my part, but what must they think when they hear of Christians in the West compromising and attempting to reach lost souls with any other message but the gospel? It must make them shake their heads in disbelief and sadness. They have experienced the miracle of total heart transformation through repentance It must make them shake their heads in disbelief and sadness. They have experienced the miracle of total heart transformation through repentance and believing in Jesus. That is what wins souls in the darkest parts of the world, so why are we embracing a different gospel here?
Religious sounding small talk and interfaith harmony won’t change hearts, only proclaiming Jesus’ will. Turning our churches into religious cultural centers or overtly or covertly teaching that all roads lead to God is not evangelism but compromise and won’t bring souls into the kingdom. We are to love Muslims, Hindus, and all others but love them enough to share the truth of Jesus with them. God the Father loves them and sent His Son Jesus so they might have eternal life through Him. We are here for God’s glory alone and not ours, so to that end we must evangelize not compromise. God isn’t willing that anyone should perish and He sent Jesus to save the lost. We must always be ready to boldly proclaim this message. God bless you as you faithfully evangelize and make disciples. All for Him, Howard Concerning The Times Ministries www.concerningthetimes.com
Good News Press - 5 The Death of Roe tion, Rev. Flip Benham, who baptized her, gave her this reassuring Scripture, "I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame." (Psalms 34:4, 5)
"O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory" (1 Corinthians 15:55)
WACO, Texas -- Right after Norma McCorvey's conversion to Christ, she wrote, "I'm Norma McCorvey, the former Jane Roe of the Roe v. Wade decision that brought legal child killing to America. I was persuaded by feminist attorneys to lie; to say that I was raped, and needed an abortion. It was all a lie. Since then, over 50 million babies have been murdered. I will take this burden to my grave. Please, don't follow in my mistakes."
Rev. Flip Benham, former National Director of OR/OSA, states, "The three people most instrumental in ushering us into the era of Roe v. Wade, Dr. Barnard Nathanson (founder of NARAL), Sandra Cano (Jane Doe of Doe v. Bolton), and Norma McCorvey (Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade), are now all in the great cloud of witnesses cheering us on as we continue to fight for the lives of our Lord's precious preborn babies. All three lied or were lied to, to give us this damnable law. All three were sinners saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. All three, in their Christian years, did their very best to undo the lies that gave us Roe v. Wade. All three are today more alive than they have ever been. All three have run their lap of the race. It is our turn now! Good night for now Miss Norma – we will see you in the morning!"
Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas, current National Director of OR/OSA states, "Looking back on how the Lord has used this ministry, we rejoice in the thousands of lives that have been spared, the souls that have been saved, like Miss Norma, and the many death camps that have been shut down. We pray the death of Roe (Miss Norma) prophetically signals the death of Operation Rescue/Operation Save Ameri- Roe vs. Wade. May the destroyer of men ca is pleased to report that she did not go made in the image of God be destroyed in to the grave with that burden. She went to Jesus' mighty name!" the grave with the salvation of her Lord. He took the burden, her debt of sin upon For those interested in Miss Norma's reHimself and through His crucifixion and flections, here is her poem called Empty resurrection, redeemed Miss Norma's guilt Playgrounds. -ridden soul. The old Norma died (Pre afterabortion.blogspot.fr/2003/05/emptyRoe) and a new Norma emerged (Post playgrounds-poem-by-miss-norma.html Roe). For her full story, check out her book When she struggled with the overwhelm- Won by Love, www.amazon.com/Woning guilt of her involvement with aborLove-Norma-McCorvey/dp/0785286543.
Good News Press - 6 What is the Christian Message? With his final words before his ascension, Jesus issued to his followers the task of conveying his message to the world. Armed with this directive, the total number of Christians exploded from a mere 120 to over 3,000 within the span of two weeks. By the end of the first century, an estimated one million people had responded to the Christian message by becoming followers of Jesus. Today, nearly two thousand years later, the Christian faith has grown to become the largest faith in the world with over two billion adherents. Still, Christians continue to treat Jesus' mandate seriously and persist in spreading his message far and wide. What is this message, though, and why is it so important? Why have countless Christians pledged and even given their lives in order to promote it?
urrection of Jesus. Though thousands of books have been written about these events, the core idea is that, through his sacrifice, Jesus paid the price for our sinfulness (rebellion against God), thus offering us forgiveness. Then through his Resurrection he conquered death, removing it as the penalty for our sin and replacing it with the offer of eternal life. Though the Christian Scriptures do contain a code of conduct as well as doctrinal and theological statements, the central message is more about placing faith in the person of Jesus than it is about conforming to any code. The primary emphasis of Christianity, then, is to point people toward Jesus and the salvation that is only available from him.
The Christian Church has taken different forms throughout the centuThe Christian message is often reries, but this central message has ferred to as the "Gospel," which remained the same. It binds all of means "good news." Specifically, it is Christendom together. Despite the the good news about Jesus—who he various branches of Christianity in is, what he has done, and what he the world today—most notably Rooffers. Essentially, the message is man Catholicism, Protestantism, that Jesus was God in the flesh, that and Eastern Orthodoxy—this Gospel he came into the world to reconcile message acts as a unifying element. humanity to himself, and that his Though adherents to the faith insalvation is freely offered to each clude people from every walk of life, this message binds them all togethperson who will respond in faith. er. Throughout the Christian Church, this message of salvation is considered to be the hope of the Furthermore, the Gospel message explains that salvation is only possi- world. ble through the Crucifixion and Res-
Good News Press Help Us Impact Our World Sharing the Gospel Message ———————————————— Good News Press Commercials Sharing the Gospel Message
Compensation Survey Will Help Churches Set Fair Pay - Findings from a national survey on church compensation will be used to create one of the best-known resources for church compensation reports—the Compensation Handbook for Church Staff. This resource is published by the Church Law & Tax Team of Christianity Today and helps church leaders determine a fair wage for pastors around the country.
first step in this project is to gather research from pastors and church staff with this survey, the 2017 National Church Compensation Survey. To learn more about the tools the Church Law & Tax Team currently offers to help pastors and church staff with compensation, visit ChurchLawAndTax.com.
Christianity Today is a nonprofit, global media ministry centered on Beautiful Orthodoxy—strengthening the church by richly communicating the breadth of the true, good, and beautiful gospel. Reaching over five This resource provides com- million people monthly with pensation profiles classified various digital and print reby part- and full-time posisources, the ministry equips tions, church size, church Christians to renew their budget, and geographical minds, serve the church, setting. Each position's and create culture to the compensation levels are glory of God. Church employees are encouraged to take this anonymous survey to help the Church Law & Tax Team receive an accurate representation of church compensation nationwide.
presented based on several personnel characteristics, including years employed, denomination, region, gender, and educational training.
The data gathered from survey results will shape the
2018 Compensation Handbook for Church Staff. It will also build the foundation needed for the upcoming online compensation tool the Church Law & Tax Team is creating.
The $750,000 grant awarded to Church Law & Tax (CLT) by Lilly Endowment Inc. focuses on the National
Initiative to Address Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders, and the
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family—J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons J.K. Jr. and Eli—through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business. The Endowment supports causes in religion, education, and community development. Lilly Endowment's religion grantmaking is designed to deepen and enrich the religious lives of American Christians. It does this largely through initiatives to enhance and sustain the quality of ministry in American congregations and parishes.
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Good News Press - 8 Organizations Honored as 'Certified Best Christian Workplaces' for 2017 complete anonymity for all participants and provides the objective, true health of a workplace culture. Today's announcement is the first of two to reveal BCWI's 2017 Certified organizations. More honorees will be announced in July.
More Christian organizations than ever across the U.S. and internationally are creating healthy workplaces with high levels of communication, transparency and trust. -- The Best Christian Workplaces Institute (BCWI), a pioneering leader in linking healthy-to-flourishing workplace culture to increased organizational impact, today honors 78 faith-based organizations as Certified Best Christian Workplaces. "The 18% increase in the number of Certified organizations since 2012 means we're seeing a continuing, upward trend in the number of ministry organizations, churches and Christianowned businesses building a healthy-toflourishing culture which, in turn, increases their organizational impact," says BCWI President Al Lopus. Certified status is based on eight key, quantifiable benchmarks of BCWI's "FLOURISH Model": fantastic teams, life-giving work, outstanding talent, uplifting growth, rewarding compensation, inspirational leadership, sustainable strategy and healthy communication.
About Best Christian Workplaces Institute BCWI is an international non-profit, research-based, organizational development and human resources consulting firm, with head offices in Mercer Island, WA. BCWI's vision is to see Christian workplaces set the standard as the best, most effective places to work in the world. For more information, visit Best Christian Workplaces Institute online: www.bcwinstitute.org. Each week, find proven insights from top Christian leaders on the BCWI Blog (blog.bcwinstitute.org) and Flourishing Culture Podcast (blog.bcwinstitute.org/podcast). The organizations honored as Certified Best Christian Workplaces from July 2016 to January 2017 are: CAMPS & CONFERENCE CENTERS BigStuf – Alpharetta, GA CRISTA Camps – Seattle, WA CHRISTIAN-OWNED BUSINESSES Aspen Group – Frankfort, IL Dr. Bray & Dr. Young – Statesboro, GA The Human Capital Group, Inc. – Brentwood, TN
CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS Briarcrest Christian School – Memphis, TN Calvary Christian Academy – Fort Lauderdale, FL Cherry Hills Christian School – Highlands Ranch, CO The popular 58-question online survey College Heights Christian School – Jopis the only available resource of its kind lin, MO King's Schools – Seattle, WA that offers a faith-based organization Lionheart Children's Academy – Euless, These benchmarks form the core of BCWI's groundbreaking Employee Engagement Survey, which has been completed by more than 221,000 employees in 878 organizations, churches and Christian-owned businesses since 2002.
PARACHURCH & MISSIONS Apartment Life – Euless, TX Buckner National Missions and Family Hope Center Collaboration – Mission, TX CHURCHES Care Net – Lansdowne, VA Antioch Community Church – Waco, Catholic Christian Outreach – Ottawa, TX Ontario, Canada Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale – Fort Child Evangelism Fellowship, GreenLauderdale, FL ville/Piedmont District – Taylors, SC Calvary Lutheran Church of Golden The Christian and Missionary Alliance Valley – Golden Valley, MN – Colorado Springs, CO Cherry Hills Community Church – Christian Veterinary Mission – Seattle, Highlands Ranch, CO WA Christ's Church of the Valley – Peoria, Coalition for Christian Outreach – PittsAZ burgh, PA Cornwall Church – Bellingham, WA Compass – Kearney, NE Crossings Community Church – Okla- CRISTA Ministries – Seattle, WA homa City, OK English Language Institute/China – Fort Crossroads Christian Church – Evans- Collins, CO ville, IN Food for the Hungry-Uganda – KampaExperience Life Church – Lubbock, TX la, Uganda Faith Promise Church – Knoxville, TN The Gideons International – Nashville, Gateway Church – Southlake, TX TN Grace Community Church – Tyler, TX Jewish Voice Ministries International – Harvest Church – Billings, MT Phoenix, AZ Hillside Baptist Church – Moncton, Joni and Friends – Agoura Hills, CA New Brunswick, Canada Lexington Rescue Mission – Lexington, Park Community Church – Chicago, IL KY Pure Heart Church – Glendale, AZ Miracle Hill Ministries – Greenville, SC Red Cedar Church – Rice Lake, WI Mission India – Grand Rapids, MI Redeemer Presbyterian Church – New Novo Ministries – Oklahoma City, OK York, NY Rachel House – Lee's Summit, MO River Pointe Church – Richmond, TX VisionTrust International – Colorado Summit Church – Durham, NC Springs, CO The Village Church – Flower Mound, Water Mission – North Charleston, SC TX Willow Creek Association – BarringTimberline Church – Fort Collins, CO ton, IL World Concern – Seattle, WA HIGHER EDUCATION WorldServe Ministries (Canada) – Faith Builders – Guys Mills, PA White Rock, British Columbia, Canada Grace School of Theology – The Woodlands, TX PRODUCTS & SERVICES MacArthur School of Leadership at Canadian Council of Christian Charities Palm Beach Atlantic – West Palm – Elmira, Ontario, Canada Beach, FL Christian Children's Home of Ohio – Olivet Nazarene University – Bourbon- Wooster, OH nais, IL Christian Family Care – Phoenix, AZ Christian Leadership Alliance – San MEDIA Clemente, CA CRISTA Media – Seattle, WA Classical Conversations – West End, LightMelbourne – VIC, Australia NC Positive Alternative Radio, Inc. – CRISTA Senior Living – Seattle, WA Blacksburg, VA Genesis Recovery – La Mesa, CA The Urban Alternative – Dallas, TX Samaritan Ministries International – Tyndale House Publishers – Carol Peoria, IL Stream, IL TX Seattle Urban Academy – Seattle, WA Trinity Academy – Raleigh, NC Valley Christian Schools – Cerritos, CA
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Romans Road To Salvation
that while we were yet doing our things, going our own ways, deep in sin, Christ died for us. He bore the penalty for all of our sins.
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 10:9,10 "That if thou shalt Every person who has ever lived on confess with thy mouth the Lord Earth has sinned and fell short of Jesus, and shalt believe in thine God’s expectations, except for the heart that God hath raised him from Lord Jesus Christ. the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto and with the mouth Romans 6:23a "For the wages of sin righteousness; confession is made unto salvation." is death..." Confess the Lord Jesus and believe We were all on our way to Hell because there is a price to be paid for sin. It is a physical and spiritual death and eternal separation from God. This eternal separation also includes sinners being eternally lost and cast into the Lake of fire.
Romans 6:23b "...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
in your heart that God raised him from the dead, so that God can save you.
He doesn’t care about what sins you have done in the past. He loves you and wants to save you. Jesus Christ paid the complete price, taking all of mankind’s sins unto himself on the cross. We have to no longer be slaves to sin and death.
The good news is we can be saved from this death and separation from Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall God. Eternal life is a gift from God but only available through the Lord call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Jesus Christ. He is the only way. Call on the Lord and ask him to Romans 5:8, "But God commendeth save you. God wants to. He loves his love toward us, in that, while we you!
were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Man was not deserving of God, we were not righteous but we all were sinners. But God loved us so much
Good News Press - 11 Watch & Pray being fulfilled. God so lovingly foretold us of things to come before it happened, because God already knew the end from the beginning. Why do you think Jesus told us things that would happen before he returned? Could it be that when we saw all the crazy things in this world happen, Christians would not lose hope, and hold fast to what they believe. Could it also be that God wanted Believers to know the Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, season that they were living in. I and pray always, that ye may be believe there is a special reward accounted worthy to escape all for all those that are looking, these things that shall come to watching, and anticipating the Lord’s catching away of the pass, and to stand before the Saints in an event called the rapSon of man. ture, and also rewards for those The Bible contains detailed that share the word of God and prophecy about the future. Its this hope to others. amazing, the times that we live in, as we watch bible prophecy
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Good News Press - 12 A Confusion of Roles :: By Jonathan Brentner The anti-Trump sentiment has hit a fever pitch in recent weeks over his immigration policies. Even though President Trump’s initiatives differ little from the policies of recent presidents, this has not stopped the fierce condemnation of his executive orders. Many forget that the former President Obama stopped all immigration from Iraq for six months in 2011 citing similar reasons for his travel ban that President Trump is giving for his actions.
sponsibility of intervening when a crime is committed and gives it the right to punish the wrongdoer. When government does it job correctly, its citizens enjoy a “peaceful and quiet life” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Is this not why we are commanded to pray for our leaders? Our government leaders are entrusted with the responsibility to keep us safe. This is their primary task.
Franklin Graham summed it best, “But we have to realize that the president’s Over the past weekend, I saw that job is not the same as the job of the over 100 evangelical leaders joined Church.” Government is chiefly retogether in posting an advertisement sponsible for protecting its citizens. in the Washington Post condemning The role of the Church is far different. President Trump’s temporary travel Graham’s organization, Samaritan’s ban on immigrants from seven counPurse, has provided relief for refugees tries where terrorist activity is high. in most of the nations listed on the On the other side, many other Christravel ban. Their hospital outside Motian leaders such as Franklin Graham sul in Iraq even cares for wounded and prophecy pastor JD Farag are ISIS fighters. But as he pointed out in voicing strong support for the tempoa recent Facebook post, caring for rary travel ban mandated by the presi- them in Iraq is far different than allowdent’s executive order. ing them to migrate to our nation. As someone who has ministered to these What is going on here? Why is the refugees all around the world, he Christian community so divided on this speaks as someone with firsthand issue? Does Scripture give us any knowledge of the matter. guidance in sorting out these various viewpoints? I believe it does. Graham went on to also say this, “Taking time to vet who we’re allowing The Role of Government in the New to enter America isn’t too much to Testament ask—we need to know who they are. God does tell us to help the stranger 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Be diligent to and those in need; but God doesn’t tell present yourself approved to God, a us to expose our cities, homes, and worker who does not need to be lives to hostile people.” ashamed, rightly dividing the word of The primary role of government is to truth” (NKJV). Since my early years of protect its citizens. The Lord calls beattending Awana, this verse has allievers to a far different task. ways stuck with me. In the original, the idea of “rightly dividing” Scripture is The Role of New Testament Believthat of making a “straight cut.” It signi- ers fies handling God’s Word accurately. I believe that the leaders siding with As followers of Christ, we are comthe opponents of Trump are not manded to welcome strangers as well “rightly dividing” God’s word in that as show mercy and compassion to the they are not separating the role of the hurting. We do not take our own regovernment from that of us as follow- venge when wronged or if a crime is ers of Jesus. They are confusing the committed against us or someone we role of civil authority with that of believ- love. Instead, we forgive and place ers. Let me explain. any resolution of justice in the hands of God alone and then with the civil The Bible teaches that the primary role authorities. of government is to punish those who break the law and in so doing protect The evangelical leaders criticizing the its citizens (Rom. 13:1-7). God enpolicy of President Trump cited the trusts human government with the re- parable of the Good Samaritan as
proof of their argument that we should welcome Muslim refugees to our nation.
posing as needy refugees. The FBI has already arrested several refugees for their alleged association with ISIS. Many of the Muslims already here are seeking to impose Sharia Law upon us rather than accept the laws of our land. Sharia Law denies all the rights we currently enjoy because of our Constitution and Bill of Rights.
The parable, however, speaks to our responsibility to minister to those we encounter in our daily walk. It says nothing about the function of government. Jesus’ words here speak solely to our duty as believers to care for the needs of the hurting that He brings our The threat is real and we do need way. good measures for vetting immigrants who seek refuge in our country. We I applaud the efforts of evangelicals would be naïve to do otherwise. who are ministering in Jesus’ name to We are nation of immigrants and we the needs of the refugees who have have derived great strength from those reached our shores. They are acting who have come to our shores. This, as “Good Samaritans” to these people. however, has come about from those They, along with Samaritan’s Purse, who have come lawfully to our country are obeying Jesus’ call to minister to and then submitted to our laws and the hurting both here and the Middle our customs. East. Many have come to know Jesus as their Savior as a result of these ini- Is our government really fulfilling its tiatives. God-given purpose if it lets in those who seek to harm us and subvert our Are we as followers of Christ comlaws? Are we really wise to let in manded to be welcoming to strangers strangers who shout “death to Ameriand aliens? Are we to help those in ca” and make no secret about their need? Absolutely! This is what Jesus hatred for us? I do not believe so. taught through the parable of the President Trump’s purpose in the travGood Samaritan. el ban is meant to accomplish two stated purposes. First, he is seeking This does not, however, imply that our to improve the current vetting the progovernment should open its borders to cess, which even the FBI director apthose who intend to harm us. Its first pointed by President Obama said was responsibility is to protect those within insufficient and not capable of keeping its borders. I believe it is a mistake to out the bad guys. Secondly, the presiapply our duties as followers of Christ dent is seeking to make the process to our political leaders. Their primary fair for Christians, who are by far the and God-given duty is to punish evil most persecuted. behavior and keep its citizens safe from harm. During the last year of President Obama, Christian refugees made up The Need for Further Discernment about one half of one percent of all the refugees from nations such as Syria. As believers, we must also be discern- Why the shameful discrimination ing of what we hear even though such against persecuted believers? Why wisdom is increasingly difficult amidst should Trump not want to correct this the avalanche of “fake news.” It’s prev- injustice? alent everywhere we look. I have all Conclusion too often become agitated by someDoes Scripture place the same rething I read only later to find out that sponsibility upon government and its the story was false or misleading. leaders as it does upon us as followThere are several things that I believe ers of Christ? No. While our leaders in are well-supported. government do not escape responsibility for the justness of their actions, We know that refugees from those the primary purpose of human governnations on President Trump’s travel ment is to punish evil and protect its ban have joined in terror attacks in citizens. France and Belgium. ISIS has made it We may disagree on whether Presiclear it intends to enter our country dent Trump’s policies are necessary
Good News Press - 13 A Confusion of Roles Continued from Page 12 for our security and that is fine. Based on what I see here and in Europe, I believe his temporary travel ban is exceedingly necessary. I pray that it will result in a safer vetting process as well as the acceptance of many more Christian refugees seeking to avoid the brutality of ISIS. Whatever the outcome of the debate, it’s comforting to know that our hope is solely in Jesus and in His return to take us home. My hope is not based on the government always getting its policies correct nor my ability to always do what’s right in showing mercy to others. My
hope is solely in Christ who died in my place that I might have eternal life. Jesus will not fail us regardless of the turmoil we see around us every day. Even when everything we see disappoints us, we can know for sure that Jesus will remain faithful to His own forever and ever. He will never leave us nor forsake us. It does not get any better than that! Never forget that He alone is our hope. Jonathan C. Brentner jonathanbrentner@yahoo.com Eternity Versus the Moment
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