Frankly Speaking

October 29th, 2017

10/29/2017

Tuesday, while most Americans will be dressing up and going out to trick-or-treat, one of the most important events in the history of Christianity will be largely overlooked. October 31st is the 500 year anniversary of the day in 1517 that a German theology professor named Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses on the door of the Church of All Saints in Wittenberg, Germany. This event rocked the world. It sparked the Protestant Reformation which brought about the end of the practice of indulgences-the claim that freedom from God's punishment of sin could be purchased with money. Luther's theology challenged the authority of the Roman Catholic Church by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge. He opposed the idea that only a certain order of priests could make sacrifices for the peoples' sin. Luther considered all baptized Christians to be a holy priesthood and taught that salvation is not earned by good deeds but received only as a free gift of God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Within weeks his Ninety-Five Theses was translated from Latin into German, and with the aid of the newly invented printing press, it was copied and distributed throughout Europe. Isn't it sad that Reformation Day, arguably one of the greatest days in the history of the Church, has been overshadowed by a pagan holiday? Beware, the enemy is subtle like that. In the future refer to October 31st as Reformation Day, and when asked what Reformation Day is, you'll have good news to share. Happy Reformation Day!

"For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all." 1Timothy 2:5,6 NRSV
Senior Leader Frank Dodson

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October 22nd, 2017

10/22/2017

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"The only thing needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." Edmond Burke

Unless you live in a coma (which probably isn't the case since you are reading this), then you are keenly aware of the state of this world in which we live. It is full of evil and seems to get worse and worse as every day passes, in fact, so much so that sometimes we just feel helpless. Fake news and outright lies abound in the media. With the "free press" having been infiltrated by those with an anti-Christian, liberal bias, is there not anyone left to guard the truth? What are we to do? The Bible reminds us to pray. "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil" 1 Peter 3:12. Isn't it comforting to know that there is Someone who listens! Yes, we have a God that not only listens but answers. "In the day when I cried (called out, prayed), You answered me and made me bold with strength in my soul" Psalms 138:3. Today is not a day for timidity, we must be bold. We must not "play the fiddle while Rome burns" anymore. It's time to get serious and pray to the One who not only listens but answers. Pray for boldness to take a stand and confront the evil in this world; it's our Christian duty. If we don't, who will?

For although we do live in the world, we do not wage war in a worldly way; because the weapons we use to wage war are not worldly. On the contrary, they have God's power for demolishing strongholds. We demolish arguments and every arrogance that raises itself up against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey the Messiah. 2Cor 10:3-5
Senior Leader Frank Dodson

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October 15th, 2017

10/15/2017

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For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:6

Did you know that this verse is talking about you? You were not an accident nor were you made inferior or defective in any way. You are the handiwork of the Master. Some translations say that you are a "masterpiece" of God. Do you think that an artist would waste his talent on a piece of art only to hide it away where no one could enjoy it? God does not waste His creation either. He has hand-crafted and equipped each of us to do "good works" here on planet earth. Do not think that what God has tasked you to do is trivial or unimportant. God is not in the 'make work' business. He doesn't just go around finding small, non-essential tasks to keep us busy. He has a master plan and we are to be an integral part of it. Never feel that it is too late to be a part of His plan. Truth is you came along at just the right time. Moses didn't begin to fulfill his calling until he was 80 years old. The sooner you accept who you are and how you were made the sooner you will begin to operate in the calling that God has on your life. It is only then that you will find true peace and contentment in your life.

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October 08th, 2017

10/8/2017

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One day Jesus was teaching in the temple courts. One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these" Mark 12:28-31. In this statement Jesus not only silenced His critics but gave us the blueprint to living a Godly life. It's not complicated. Loving God with all of our being and loving our neighbor as ourselves pleases our Heavenly Father and brings glory to His name. But not only that, it is our love for one another that should define who we are. Jesus also said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35. Telling someone you are a Christian shouldn't take them by surprise; it should only confirm what they have already seen evidence of. Remember, love is not just a word, it is action. Our love is put on display everyday by what we say and how we treat those around us. What are people seeing in you?
Senior Leader Frank Dodson

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October 01st, 2017

10/1/2017

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The Jewish feast of Yom Kippur ended at dark yesterday. The Jews consider Yom Kippur, also known as the 'Day of Atonement' to be the holiest day of the year. It is a time of personal reflection and prayer. It is a day of reconciliation, when Jews strive to make amends with others and to draw closer to God through prayer and fasting. The Day of Atonement was the day the high priest went into the Holy of Holies each year to offer a blood sacrifice for his own sins and the people's accumulated sins. The Book of Hebrews draws on the ritual of the Day of Atonement to demonstrate the supremacy of Christ's priesthood. In Hebrews 9:7-12 the author points out that Christ entered once for all and offered his own blood as a sacrifice for his people. The ritual of the Day of Atonement was a shadow of things to come; now that Christ has come, the ritual is obsolete. The Gospels, similarly, teach that the curtain between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place split open at the moment of Christ's death in proof that the final and perfect atonement for sin had been made. So, although the ritual is obsolete, does that mean that we should no longer recognize this holiest of days? I think not. Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) should be a reminder of what Christ has done for us- how Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice in our place. It should be a day of repentance, prayer, & fasting. Additionally, Yom Kippur points to the day of the Second Coming of Messiah when He will return to earth. That will be the Day of Atonement for the Jewish remnant when they "look upon Him whom they have pierced," repent of their sins, and receive Him as their Messiah.

But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. Heb 9:11-12
Senior Leader Frank Dodson

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October 01st, 2017

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