DEBATE – LEIGHTON FLOWERS VS JAMES WHITE – ‘DOES JOHN 6:44 TEACH UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION?’

Biblical truth, the character of God as shown in Scripture, and the eternal destination of each individual is of the utmost importance when it comes to determining what is true according to what is being taught by professing Christians. If a teaching based on a Bible verse does not line up with the rest of Scripture as it appears in context, but instead is based on presuppositions and the philosophies of men, we must put aside our presuppositions and go back to Scripture looking at the clear meaning of the text, along with examining other passages of Scripture on the same topic, and determine what is actually being taught before coming to a conclusion. With that in mind, I ask that you prayerfully consider watching this debate and consider the information and arguments given on both sides of this issue of ‘election‘ before coming to a conclusion regarding election.

I will state very clearly that I am neither a Calvinist, nor am I an Arminian. Therefore, I stand with Provisionist, Leighton Flowers, who passionately defended his position and the character and nature of God in light of Scripture during last Thursday’s debate (March 7, ’24). I do, however, have a deep respect for James White regarding his work in debating Catholic Theologians (and others) in order to establish the sufficiency of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice for sin.

When time allows, I pray that you will take the time to listen to this debate with your Bibles open in order to search the Scriptures for yourself to determine what is true or not (Acts 17:11) because this topic is extremely important!

[NOTE: I have decided to open this particular post up for discussion, but it is only for those of you who would like to discuss this amongst yourselves whether you are a Calvinist, an Arminian, or Provisionist (one who holds to the view that Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice provided complete forgiveness for those who choose to place their faith and trust in all that He accomplished to provide for complete forgiveness for sin). Presently I don’t have the time to reply to comments due to preparing to have my taxes done and preparing for an upcoming art exhibit in Schaumburg, IL at the end of May ’24.]

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Thank you very much for stopping by today.

God Bless You

~Mary K Dalke – Living4HisGlory – Reflecting His Glory Fine Arts – Photography And Acrylic Art

BECAUSE HE LIVES THEREFORE I HAVE HOPE!!

On this Easter Sunday my heart still grieves the loss of our dear, sweet Mom who died on Easter Sunday of 2018, as well as the loss of our dear sister (Jan.25th 2021), brother (April 2022), and dear, wonderful Father (Oct. 31, 1999).
However, my heart is filled with JOY today knowing that all of my sins, guilt, and shame have been fully paid for when Jesus willingly died in my place on the cross, was buried, and gloriously arose from the dead in bodily form three days later to show that God, His Father, accepted His death in our place as FULL payment for my/our sins, guilt, and shame!! Therefore, since I have fully placed all of my trust only in all that Jesus Christ already accomplished for me and no longer trust in my own good works and effort (which are as filthy rags in the sight of a fully Holy God, Isaiah 64:6), my heart rejoices on this Easter Sunday in spite of the sorrow that I will continue to feel without my dear family members whom we have lost.

I also rejoice because I still have two dear sisters and one brother, four nieces, three nephews, as well as my sweet daughter and son and dear friends to share life with!! Because He lives, therefore I have hope –no matter what life throws at me!!

 

3 “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance a : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.
6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,
8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.
16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-22)

9 “We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son.
10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.
11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:9-13)

Dear reader, if you do not have this living hope in Jesus Christ, I pray that you will begin to read His Word (may I suggest that you start by reading through the Gospel of John so that you might come to understand God’s deep love for you first), acknowledge that you are a sinner as we all are, believe in this good news of the Biblical gospel, and receive it by fully placing your complete trust in all that Jesus Christ has already done for you! You too can be filled with this living hope because Jesus Christ will fill you with His Spirit and He will never leave you or forsake you!!

God Bless You

Mary – Living4HisGlory – Reflecting His Glory Fine Arts

https://www.instagram.com/reflectinghisgloryfinearts/

Dear reader, although I am very busy with my childcare job and my art and photography, I wanted to take a few minutes to put this post together so that you might be encouraged and have hope in spite of what you may be dealing with in life.

SCRIPTURE SUNDAY

 

UPDATE:

My apologies for not having written anything for so long, but since the death of my dear, sweet Mom in April of 2018, as well as the death of not only my dear older sister in January of 2021 but also my brother in April of this year (’22), I have come to realize that I need to focus on spending time with the remaining members of my family and sharing God’s love and truth with them more now than ever before.

I have spent hours and hours writing and researching for my blog posts, and I have no regrets in doing so. I only hope and pray that after reading them, many of you have come to realize the extreme importance of reading and studying your Bibles and testing everything in light of Scripture so that you know what the truth really is, because your eternal destiny is truly dependent upon what you believe about Jesus Christ and His “once for all” sacrifice –no matter what you may have been taught in the church that you attend.

Presently I have a part-time childcare job, and in the weeks ahead I will also be preparing for my very first Art Exhibit that will take place seven weeks from today! If you are interested in seeing my work and hearing more, you can follow me on Instagram:

REFLECTING HIS GLORY FINE ARTS – PHOTOGRAPHY AND ACRYLIC ART; FLUID AND MODERN ABSTRACT

Thank you very much for stopping by today.

God Bless You

~Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory – Reflecting His Glory Fine Arts

Photo – Beautiful Swans of Gardenia With Their Cygnet – Psalm 146:1,2,6 taken by Mary K Dalke Reflecting His Glory Fine Arts – Photography And Acrylic Art; Fluid And Modern Abstract

HE IS RISEN!! WE CAN KNOW THAT WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE!!

The Gospel is not just the Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The word Gospel means “Good News.” The Good News that we can have assurance of being forgiven for all of our sins by believing that Jesus died for our sins and arose from the dead. Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead showed that God the Father accepted His death as completely satisfying the wrath that God has towards us because of our rebellion/sin.

We need to turn from trying to earn God’s forgiveness by our good works and instead place our complete trust in all that Jesus Christ already accomplished for us, because that is the only way that God has provided for us to be forgiven and to have a relationship with Him; Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. (John 14:6), the only Mediator between God and mankind (1 Timothy 2:5,6), and the only name under heaven by which we can be saved. (Acts 4:1-12) Otherwise we are rejecting God’s only way that He has provided for us to be forgiven and saved from spending eternity in hell; we are saying that Jesus died for nothing! (Galatians 2:21)

We are saved by God’s grace; His unmerited favor, and not by our good works:

“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:3-7)

When we choose to believe the Good News of the Gospel, we place our faith and trust only in all that Jesus Christ already DID, and not in our religion or what WE DO. God then fills us with His Holy Spirit and we simply obey out of our love and appreciation for all that Jesus Christ already accomplished for us.

God’s Word shows us that eternal life only comes through Jesus Christ and we can KNOW that we HAVE eternal life IF we fully believe/place our full trust only in Jesus Christ:

“If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:9-13)

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Happy Blessed Easter/Resurrection Sunday, dear readers!

Thank you very much for stopping by today!

God Bless You

~Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory

SCRIPTURE SUNDAY – ONE IMAGE WITH ONE SCRIPTURE TO REVEAL GOD’S LOVE AND TRUTH TO YOU

THE GOSPEL

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Thank you very much for stopping by today!

God Bless You

~Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory – Reflecting His Glory Fine Arts – Photography And Acrylic Art; Fluid And Modern Abstract

Image ‘Pretty Pink Coneflower Romans 5:8’ taken by Mary K Dalke – Reflecting His Glory Fine Arts

Scripture added by Mary K Dalke using Pixlr X free online photo editor

RESURRECTION SUNDAY – EASTER – IS JUST FOUR WEEKS AWAY. DO YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND ALL THAT JESUS CHRIST ACCOMPLISHED BY HIS ‘ONCE FOR ALL SACRIFICE’ ON OUR BEHALF?

Today is Sunday, March 27, 22, and many of us will be celebrating the glorious bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead in just four weeks from today! Many sermons will be preached up to that day regarding all the horrendous pain and suffering that Jesus Christ endured on the cross as He willingly hung there in our place, taking upon Himself the full wrath of God, His Father, for our sins, guilt, and shame. Some pastors will even (wrongly) suggest to you that God the Father turned His back on His Son, saying that Jesus became sin, and that God cannot look upon sin, therefore He abandoned His Son as He hung there in unimaginable agony!

Some pastors will even go as far as teaching that Jesus had to die spiritually; that it wasn’t His physical death that saved us. This is completely unbiblical, and that is the main purpose for this post today. I pray that this Playlist of many Biblically solid teachings presented by Jim Floyd and Pastor Tyler Leigeb of Billings Bible Church in Billings, Montana, that are based on many, many Scriptures, will inspire, encourage, and reveal truth to you regarding just how perfect the once for all physical sacrifice of Jesus Christ was to pay the debt for all of our sins –in full! [NOTE: As new messages are presented at Billings Bible Church, I will continue to add them to the Playlist below.]

For those of you who have never really heard about Jesus Christ and all that He accomplished on your behalf out of obedience to His Father and out of His deep love for you — yes, you, no matter what you may have done — this series is also for you. I pray that you will also take time to listen to this series so that you too can discover the love and forgiveness that God offers to you that can only be found through placing your full trust in Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice on the cross in your place, His death, His burial, and His glorious bodily resurrection from the dead three days later.

RELATED POSTS

HOW DISCERNING ARE YOU? REFUTING THE HERETICAL TEACHING THAT ‘JESUS DIED SPIRITUALLY’

RELATED SCRIPTURES

Isaiah 53

“Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

PSALM 22

{To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.} My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people

All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts.

I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.

Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.

Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.

Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.

For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.

My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.

The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations.

All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

1 John 3:5

“And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”

1 Peter 1:18,19

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

Hebrews 9:12

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

Hebrews 10:8-14

“Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

Hebrews 10:19-22

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

And having an high priest over the house of God;

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Romans 8:33,34

“Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

Hebrews 7:22-28

“By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.”

SOURCE FOR SCRIPTURES – BIBLE HUB

Thank you very much for stopping by today.

God Bless You

~Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory

SCRIPTURE SUNDAY – ONE PHOTO PRESENTED TO YOU WITH ONE SCRIPTURE FOR TRUTH AND/OR ENCOURAGEMENT

Thank you very much for stopping by today.

God Bless You

~Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory – Reflecting His Glory Fine Arts

Photo taken by Mary K Dalke Reflecting His Glory Fine Arts – Photography and Acrylic Art; Fluid and Modern Abstract Art

LEARN TO DISCERN – THE GOAL OF THE CARMELITE ORDER OF PRIESTS AND NUNS

(SOURCE)

This post was written as a response to a request that I received from a dear sister-in-Christ who wanted me to write something regarding the Carmelite order of priests and nuns. She had watched a few minutes of a YouTube video and was saddened to see their devotion to “Mary” and how their whole existence is to Mary. She also asked, “How did this Carmelite order ever come to be?”

In answer to your question, dear sister, I came to discover this very troubling information that clearly shows without a doubt that the Catholic church sadly does not believe that Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice was sufficient to pay the debt for all of our sins in full. It also shows their emphasis on unbiblical Contemplative, mystical, spirituality. In part, this is what it says in the quick capture above:

“They live an austere life of penance and renunciation to make reparation for the sins of us all and to implore God’s pardon. They ask heaven’s blessing upon our lives, and they continually beg for the salvation of our souls.”

SOURCE – To continue reading the above article, click HERE

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At the 11:36 minute mark in the video directly above, you will hear:

“As a sign of membership to the carmel, the scapular is also a sign of belonging to Maria [Mary] to express the devotion to this mother and the gathering of the followers to the Carmelite family. It expresses the conviction of the member to live consecrated to Mary and under her protection. It reminds whoever uses it [the scapular] the commitment to live their own Marian dimension that is characterized in a life of similarity with Mary in prayer, humility, and imitation of her riches inviting the intimate union with God and to the generous duty of fellow men and of the church.”

At the12:19 minute mark

“With her maternal love, Mary takes care of her Son’s brothers still pilgrims in the middle of danger and difficulties until they reach their celestial Father. The scapular, so intense, defines for us the maternal spirituality of Mary who protects life, saves during death, and intervenes after death.”

We are only to have our faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for the assurance of salvation; we are never to place our trust in any object such as the scapular! Precious Catholics need to think for themselves and read their Bibles so that by the power of the Holy Spirit they may come to understand all that Jesus Christ accomplished for us all by His once for all sacrifice when He died in our place on the cross for our sins and satisfied God the Father’s just demands for sins –in full!! What joy filled my heart that day when I read the little Catholic New Testament Bible that I was given and came to understand the true Biblical gospel that I never heard once in the 12 years of Catholic schooling that I had! Neither did I hear it during the thousands upon thousands of masses that I attended during the many years that I was a Catholic. Instead I heard the priest calling Jesus Christ a “Victim” when in actuality He was — and is — the Victor over sin and death!!

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In the series that I recently presented here regarding the Catechism Of The Catholic Church, I shared many instances with all of you where their Tradition (man-made teachings in Catholicism that are put on the same level of authority as the Bible itself; Para 82 CCC), clearly distorts, conflicts with, and oftentimes completely contradicts the truth that can be found in God’s Word, the Bible. In the following video that I added to give you more information regarding the religious order of Mount Carmel, you will see another example of how Catholic “Tradition” distorts the very Word of God and oftentimes elevates Mary to a place of prominence that belongs to Jesus Christ alone! At the 1 minute mark it is said that the small cloud that the prophet Elijah saw that arose from the sea is an image of the Madonna (the virgin Mary) who, carrying Jesus in her womb, gave life to the world. This is clearly adding to Scripture, which is something that is strongly warned against!! (Read Deuteronomy 12:32, Proverbs 30:5,6, Revelation 22:18,19).

Please, precious Catholic, begin reading your Bibles and ask God to reveal His love and truth to you! Begin reading through the gospel of John, and I also encourage you to also read through Romans, Ephesians, Galatians, 1,2, and 3 John, and Hebrews. Do not be led astray by the Traditions and teachings of the Catholic church that contradict the truth of God’s Word! Come to Jesus just as you are and place your faith and trust in all that He already did for you through the sinless life that He lived that you and I could never live, His brutal death by crucifixion when He died in your place and mine, taking upon Himself the full wrath of God that was intended for you and I because of all of our sins, His burial, and His glorious resurrection from the dead in bodily form three days later! There is no purgatory; no second chance after death!

Whether you are a Catholic — or whatever your beliefs may be — where you will spend eternity when your life comes to an end depends solely upon what you choose to believe about Jesus Christ. Do you believe that He was just a good teacher or a prophet? Or do you believe as the Bible reveals and declares Him to be, and as Jesus Christ Himself claimed to be: that he was/is God in the flesh?

Hell is real and is a place of eternal torment filled with fire that was created not for mankind but for the devil and his angels (read Matthew 25:41). It will be one’s choice of rejecting Jesus Christ that will be why anyone ends up in hell!

I pray that each of you will seek the truth regarding Jesus Christ because your eternal destiny is truly at stake!!

Thank you very much for stopping by today.

God Bless You

~Mary Dalke – Living4His Glory – Reflecting His Glory Photography And Acrylic Art

UPDATE:

As I mentioned in at least one of my previous posts, the Lord amazingly provided a childcare job for me and I started the first week of January! Due to the fact that I will also be painting and preparing to take part in some art and craft shows here in the northwest suburbs of the Chicago area starting this spring, my free time will now be extremely limited in order to write any more in depth posts. However, if I see the need to write something when time allows, Lord willing, I will do so!

WARNING YOU WITH TEARS WEDNESDAY – DO NOT BE DECEIVED BY ‘THE CHOSEN’ SERIES!! FULL DOCUMENTARY SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE MANY SERIOUS ISSUES IN THIS ONGOING SERIES!!

As I was trying to find The Chosen episode regarding The Sermon On The Mount in order to share it with a friend to give her evidence of how unbiblical The Chosen programs are, I came upon the very well documented video above.

A few months ago someone had posted a portion of The Sermon On The Mount episode on Facebook that was featured in an article warning about this series, and I was deeply troubled at how Jesus was portrayed! They showed Him doing sermon prep; practicing to make sure that He didn’t mess up! It appeared to me that they were trying to overemphasize the humanity of Jesus, which completely detracted from and distorted His deity!! What does God’s Word say? Can we find anywhere in Scripture where He practiced before He spoke to the crowds of people? No! On the contrary! Listen to the words of Jesus Christ, Himself:

“Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.” (John 12: 44-50)

“I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it. And I know that His command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the Father has told Me to say.” (John 12:49,50)

“Jesus answered them and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will,  he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh of his own glory. But he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.” (John 7:16)

“I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. ” (John 8:26-28)

For those of you who watch this series — The Chosen — I pray that you will take the time to watch the above video and pray about continuing to watch this series. Personally I watched just one episode and, unless for documentation purposes, I will never watch any more, especially after doing some research on it and watching the above video!!

We have the very words of God — the Bible — why would anyone want to watch this series in which there are so many compromises with Biblical truth made? Yes, producers, etc., have artistic license,  but to present things that are not in Scripture that clearly affect and rob Jesus Christ of his deity is a serious problem!!

Some of the many troubling things that you will see in the above video:

The many ties that Dallas Jenkins has with Mormons, who believe in “another Jesus” and “another gospel.” (2 Corinthians 11:3,4 Galatians 1:6-9)

How the main character who plays Jesus — Jonathan Roumie — is a Catholic who is also a member of the Knights Templar, and strongly promotes Catholicism to his followers on the Internet by his posts and by praying the rosary, praying to Mary and saints, etc.

So much more could be said, but since my time is now very limited, I think you will find more than enough evidence in the above video to clearly show you the serious concerns many have about The Chosen series, especially regarding Mormonism, Dallas Jenkins, who (states that Mormons and Christians “love the same Jesus”) and the main character who plays Jesus Christ –Jonathan Roumie. [Note: Mormons are very kind and loving people who may be very sincere when it comes to their religion, but they are deceived and sincerely wrong regarding their beliefs if you test them against Scripture and in context. Here is just one of their unbiblical beliefs: “As man is, God once was. As God is, man may become.” ~Mormon Apostle LeGrande Richards. This is extremely similar to one of the teachings of Catholicism that can be found in The Catechism of the Catholic Church in Para 460 which states: “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.”]

RELATED VIDEOS

NOTE: VIDEOS ADDED FOR DOCUMENTATION PURPOSES. I MAY REMOVE THEM AT THE END OF THIS MONTH BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT THESE VIDEOS TO CAUSE ANYONE TO BE LURED INTO CATHOLICISM

UPDATE:

Praise the Lord, I now have a childcare job! I am so very thankful for how God amazingly provided this job for me! This means that my free time is now very limited. However, when I see the need to write something, I will do so when time allows.

Thank you very much for stopping by today.

God Bless You

~Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory – Reflecting His Glory Fine Arts; Photography And Acrylic Art

TESTIMONY TUESDAY – LORETTA FROM MASSACHUSETTS SHARES HER HEART-WRENCHING STORY REGARDING HER DEAR SON AND CALVINISM

INTRODUCTION TO THIS SERIES

Please know that this series is not about putting down Calvinists. I know some Calvinists and love them dearly! This series (as well as all of the posts that I have written thus far on the topic of Catholicism) is about stressing the importance for all of us to test the teachings of everyone we listen to, the books that we read, etc., against the truth of God’s Word –in context — as we are shown to do in Scripture. (Acts 17:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:21,22, 1 John 4:1)

God gives us many warnings in His Word regarding false teachers in the last days and how they will arise even in our midst! (2 Peter 2:1-3, Acts 20:25-31) Therefore we should always be alert and constantly testing everything against Scripture so that we will not be deceived!

It doesn’t matter how well respected a professing Christian pastor or teacher may be, or how many years they have been in ministry, how big a church they may have, etc.. What’s of the utmost importance is:

Do they present teachings to you that are based on Scripture, and are those Scriptures completely in context?

Do they distort the very character and nature of God by using human reasoning, instead of presenting God’s nature in all of His glory, holiness, and infinite love and mercy as He is revealed to us in His Word?

God’s Word also warns us about another Jesus and another gospel:

“I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” (2 Corinthians 11:2-4)

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:6-9)

Therefore, with these stern warnings that God has given to us in His Word in mind, we should constantly be on guard against accepting a false Jesus and a false gospel, both not having complete power to save!

At first I thought Calvinism and Reformed Theology were the next steps to take in order to go deeper into God’s Word so that we can get to know Him better. However, the more that I learned about these teachings by listening to John MacArthur, John Piper, R C Sproul, and Paul Washer, the more I realized how these teachings do not line up with Scripture! I also became very disturbed and troubled as I saw how these teachings distort the character and nature of God and the truly good news of the Biblical gospel! Many Scriptures came flooding into my mind to refute these teachings and I just could not embrace them as being Biblical!! Those were the reasons why I rejected Calvinism. Those are also the reasons why I see the urgent need to write this series; I simply want to point every Calvinist back to Scripture and away from the teachings of men!

It grieves me when I see many Calvinists post quotes from well-known Calvinist preachers such as Spurgeon, A W Pink, Martyn Lloyd Jones, and Calvin himself, instead of simply quoting Scripture. We need nothing more than God’s Word! How can we lose sight of the amazing fact that we have the very Word of God given to us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit??!!

With all of that being said, here is the first submission that was sent to me by Loretta from Massachusetts. [NOTE: Names have been changed to protect their identities.] (I am waiting to receive more from some of you out there who would like to share your stories with me. Your names and locations will be changed to protect your identities, as well). When time allows, I may go through the many emails that this dear sister-in-Christ sent me and add more information that she had shared with me to this post –if I see the need to do so, and if I have time:

There are some things only a mother knows, I think God has given us that mothering gift exclusively because every mom I have ever known has had it. No disrespect to my husband, but he never saw this thing coming and I don’t blame him! Eight months after Leroy had left home to start plying his trade in LA after some local training, he took a cheap evening flight home for his first visit home. I was overjoyed at the prospect of seeing him again and did not sleep much the night before. The fact that Leroy had mentioned in his correspondence that he had listened and been to certain Calvinist mega-churches and had been reading Calvinist writers did worry me some. Let us be honest that LA is probably the last place parents want to see their children go, least of all to live and work! The horror stories from there are often not exaggerated.

Nothing, however, could prepare me for the next day. Seeing Leroy turned out to be one the saddest days of my life. I knew he had changed even before I kissed him hello. He looked different, spoke with a fake but weird accent, and he was distant as though his dad and I were actually embarrassing to him. He did not want to be home. I saw that and sensed that.

On the 40-minute or so drive home from the airport, my husband tried to strike up a conversation with Leroy. Leroy kept it strictly superficial and spoke about Hollywood and some of the famous people he had seen, and he said that he was not impressed with the Lakers or the Sparks. Leroy has always been a Celtics and Paul Pierce admirer! (Those days drove me nuts even tho’ they hold precious and sweet memories!) As if prompted, I suddenly felt I needed to ask Leroy something and asked him if he was still spreading the gospel as he used to do in our block.

My son grimaced and did not reply and for the rest of the trip no one spoke. By the time we reached our downtown apartment, my stomach was in knots and my chest was tight of the worryin’. After a late supper that had not gone as I had planned in my mind, and mostly because Leroy had barely spoken with his younger brother Jordan, I offered to unpack his suitcase, hoping to spend some needed time with him alone. While he was sitting on his bed and texting, I asked him to tell me what had happened in LA. I reminded him, silly me, that I was still his Mo. Many things had crossed my mind. Did he have problems at work? Problems in the apartment he was renting? Girlfriend problems? Did he not like the weather? Was the lifestyle change taking its toll on him? Had someone upset him, a friend perhaps? Was he in some kind of trouble?

Although I remember most of Leroy’s stingin’ words clearly, that night is still a hazy nightmare to me, and it still keeps me awake at night sometimes. Even now I sometimes get up at 3 a.m. and do household chores or watch some TV or read some. It’s very hard to write about this specific night because that’s the night that Leroy basically disowned me as his Mo. That’s the night he wrote off  his family, his dad, his brother, his past, and dare I say it, his Jesus. (I say “his Jesus” because he had found another.) I had expected bad news, but I was not prepared for what came out of his mouth and the manner in which he said it. He told me I was not saved. He said I was a “reprobate” like his dad and Jordan. It was also the first time that my firstborn had ever raised his voice at me. As far as my beautiful boy was concerned, everyone who did not hold to his revealed “doctrines of grace” and who did not worship “his” sovereign God on God’s terms, which was the strange unscriptural TULIP, was basically already in hell, “predestined by God to go to hell from before time began.”

Conveniently, and I say this with a mother’s love, Leroy was not one of the unbelieving doomed masses. As if taken over by someone or something else, Leroy explained, stressin’ every word as though I could not hear him, that he was now one of the “elect”, that the “sovereign” God had revealed it to him via the teaching and the elders of his godly church (which he has since changed for another two) and through their godly authority, which neither his dad nor I had ever had.

I broke down and left his room and for the next week, until he returned we did not speak about the incident again. We all pretended that nothing had happened except for Jordan. Jordan was not happy with the way Leroy had treated all of us, but took out his frustration by playing his jazz music with some friends in the church hall at nights. Since then, Leroy has only been home a couple of times, twice with his girlfriend, bless her heart, whom he had met at a church “function.” She is another huge influence on his life and decisions, and even once suggested with Leroy that I go for Biblical counseling so that I could also see the one true way that was found only in Calvinism. I really believed she was playing a joke on me, but it turned out that she was serious! Leroy’s choice of girlfriend is not my decision at all, but I can only pray that she turns from her ways and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. But by far, the saddest aspect of Leroy’s “conversion” to what so many call the doctrines of men, which I agree with, is that since that first night and in the many times after that, is the absence of mentioning and reverence of the Lord Jesus Christ and His complete deity. Over time, Leroy has given me the names of hundreds of websites to visit, the names of just as many books, and he has spoken of Calvinists that I have not even heard of. He has sent me link upon link about this teacher and that one, and the one was as far gone as the next. He has also sent internet sermons that were embarrassing to watch and listen to. But Jesus who died so that anyone who accepts His gift of salvation may be saved, is not esteemed as highly as these false teachers or as some of the websites, many of which were downright offensive to a Christian!

My dear pastor was visibly upset when I asked him for advice about Leroy’s situation. Leroy and Jordan were both born-again in our small church, only two years apart! My pastor gave me some books to read on Calvinism and then gave me advice that turned out to be so helpful. He said I should read up and find out everything about it for myself so I can learn about it from the horse’s mouth. Although I had a good understanding of Calvinism before, due to an altercation I had had with a colleague years ago, reading and learning about it broadened my understanding of it even more. It is an ugly belief system, I must admit. Against my will I patiently visited and read through every website and blog that Leroy had given me and it did not take long to see who and what was poisoning him. Every site had the same message of “total depravity” and every site made excuses for sin and even condoned it, including the evil acts of Calvin himself. What was most disturbing and heartbreaking was that many of these sites were downright rude and pious and going as far as to say — and this Leroy had said so himself — that the evil acts of men were for God’s glory, and these included 9/11, the Sandy Hooks School bloodbath, the Orlando nightclub shootings and every other disaster and even the molestation of children, as shocking as that may sound! “It is God’s will,” Leroy says to all these horrible things! What kind of God would take glory from such things? Not the God of the Bible, and on a few occasions I have told Leroy that. Every time he has given me the same answer, that I don’t understand Calvinism or the “secret ways of God.”

Over time, Leroy has come to reflect the false gospel that he now believes in. Again, I am saying this because I love him, because I want to see him be freed from this terrible lie, and because there are other Leroys out there.

Before I continue I must make it clear that until a few months before he left for LA, Leroy, Jordan, and a couple of other brave youngsters, still spread the gospel in our neighborhood as was their custom. Even though our block of the city and neighborhood have had the tragic fentanyl drug plague for years, it’s known as Apache or China White on the streets, the street gangs, and the dirty clubs and its intimidating barkers, these things had never stopped Leroy from venturing out at all hours to tell everyone about Jesus Christ. He especially enjoyed weekend nights and basket ball games to tell the lost souls of the salvation that Jesus offered. Despite these dangers I never feared for his safety or for that of Jordan’s as much as I fear for Leroy’s safety now. I am talking about his spiritual safety.

He has changed. The handsome young man with the charming dark brown eyes (in his late teens, he was known as the young Denzel Washington of our specific ‘hood’) is no longer there. My real son is not behind those eyes anymore. Someone else has moved in and took his body, someone spiritually proud, arrogant, condescending, angry, and unloving. He has become unhappy and is depressed. I have noticed that he is looking down on women, as though he is superior simply by being a man. I spoke to him about that and he went into the “submission without questioning” tirade that grieved me deeply. Would he one day really treat his own wife that way? I asked him that too and he said that’s what the scriptures really teach.

I dare not list the number of insults Leroy has thrown our way since he has “found” Calvinism. There have been Easter cards that mocked Jesus, that had made fun of me, Calvinist Christmas cards, and hundreds of memes with senseless and offensive Calvinist memes. He went so far as to call me a bad mother because I had kept the “truth” from him, and he has turned red in the face on many occasions when I have asked him for some straightforward answers on simple issues like why even bother to share the gospel when god has already decided who’d be saved? “Because we don’t know who the elect are,” he answered, and that answer I’ve heard countless times from other Calvinists and have seen on blogs.

It does not even make sense! I understand my son is under someone else’s control and his normal way of thinking has been altered, and I get chest pains when I think who is responsible! He does not laugh like he used to, or talk to his brother and hang with him like he used to when he visits, he ignores his dad, he sees himself as good for nothing, which is not what the Bible teaches! He has become rude and even cusses…! And he is watching and promoting movies with extreme nude scenes and blasphemy that he’d never dream of watching before, and this because some false teacher has said there’s nothing wrong for a Christian to watch worldly things (Ephesians 4, verse 29). He has even turned his back on the music we used to listen to together. The artists he listens to now I won’t even name as there is nothing Christian or wholesome about them although these performers are found at every Calvinist conference or “event” and some of the big names in Calvinism even promote these worldly songs.

Leroy spends much of his money attending these conferences and he used to tell me about it all the time, and every time I realized that he was being led by the nose and being brainwashed. What struck me is that these conferences were obviously aimed at people within his age range. But how do I tell him that I can see he is involved with the works of darkness without pushing him away even more? On the rare visit, I have tried to talk to him, to remind him of how he had been before. I even asked him on the last visit in 2016 if he even realized that he was hurting everyone who loves him. He shrugged his shoulders.

Jordan has had words with Leroy and has demanded he apologize for the way he’d been treating my husband and I, and an apology did come forth, but even that did not last long. Jordan has been amazing and has told me over and over that Leroy will come to his senses, that he is simply star struck and following personalities and not Jesus; Leroy is caught in human idolatry. Jordan says, “It is just a phase that will pass.” He tells me that every now and then. He misses his brother so much and is planning to visit him in LA during the summer.

My dear husband has been supportive too even though he has probably been hit the hardest by all of this. He has taken it very personally, and I often find him staring at nothing. He has been patient with Leroy and has told him that our home is still his home, and that Jesus is still his Savior, and that there is no other. My husband has often asked me and I have often asked him where we’d gone wrong. But we’ve been told by wonderful friends and fellow believers that we are not to blame, that Leroy has made his own choices, and that we should not give up praying, hoping, and believing. Our son will come “home.”

For all the grieving and worried parents out there whose children have wandered away from Jesus and into Calvinism, I can say take heart! It seems to be a almost fashion like and this fad should pass. In Leroy’s case, this fad has been going on for 3 years, but it will pass. Never argue with your children about Calvinism, but speak to them gently about it by quoting the Bible and not the words of men or women.

Also, although technically it is a cult, please don’t call it one when talking to them as that will make them more determined in following after men. Never stop praying for them or loving them or showering them with kindness. Learn as much about Calvinism that you can stand and find out who the popular Calvinist and Reformed leaders are and what they teach. Remember, Calvinists have twisted every Christian phrase and word to mean something else. Above all, let them know that you love them despite everything.

Growing up, my mom and her friends had the beautiful and exciting habit of break into song whenever they got together. It was second nature for those women to sing and sing. “His eye is on the sparrow” by Mahalia Jackson was one of their favorites, and before I turned seven, I knew the words to the whole song! I know that despite the fact that Leroy has temporarily turned his back on Him and despite Leroy being blinded by Satan, God is still keeping an eye on my boy. That is the God we believe in, a God of love, forgiveness and salvation that comes through believing in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Our family’s story does not have a good ending yet, but I know it is gonna have one. Many precious people are praying for Leroy and for his girlfriend too. I thank them all. Our story will have a good ending too. I just know it. God bless y’all!

And thank you Mary for allowing me to share our story.

Loretta D. Massachusetts