DIVINE ELECTION

by Dr. James Montgomery Boice (1938-2000)
He was a Reformed theologian, Bible teacher, and served as senior pastor of the Tenth Street Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA for many years. His noble legacy continues to bless the world.

So many people think that election is useless and perhaps even pernicious.  It is nothing of the sort. It is part of the Bible's inspired teaching and is therefore "useful," as Paul insisted all Scripture is (2 Timonthy 3:16-17).  Here's a look at ways election impacts things like evangelism and worship:

1.  Election is humbling.  Those who do not understand election suppose the opposite, and it is true that those who believe in election sometimes appear prideful or smug.  But this is an aberration.  God tells us that he has chosen some by grace entirely apart from merit or even an ability to receive grace, precisely so that pride will be eliminated:  "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

2.  Election encourages our love for God. If we have a part in salvation, however small, then our  love  for  God is diminished by just that amount. If it is all of God, then  our love for him must be boundless. Sadly, today's church frequently takes the love of God for granted. "Of course, God loves me," we say.  "I love myself; why shouldn't God love me too?"  Consider the little girl who loved the Barney theme song from television ("I love you, you love me; we're a happy family").  But she sang it this way: "I love me, you love me; we're a happy family."  That is how we tend to think of God's love.  We think we deserve it. Understanding that we are elected by grace  alone undermines our self-centered, self-satisfied way of thinking.

3.  Election will  enrich  our worship.  Who can admire a God who is frustrated by the rebellious will of human beings?  Martin Luther wrote, "It is not  irreligious, idle, or superfluous, but in the highest degree wholesome and  necessary, for a Christian to know whether or not his will  has  anything to do in matters pertaining to salvation...For if I am ignorant of the nature, extent, and limits of what  I can and must do with reference to  God, I shall be equally ignorant and uncertain of the nature, extent, and limits of what God can and will do in me—though God, in fact, works all in all. Now, if I am ignorant of God's works and power, I am ignorant of God himself; and if I do not know God, I cannot worship, praise, give thanks, or serve Him,  for I do not know how much I should attribute to myself and how much to Him. We need, therefore, to have in mind a  clear-cut distinction between God's power and ours, and God's work and ours, if we would live a godly life."

4.  Election encourages us in our evangelism. People suppose that if God is going to save certain individuals, then  he will save them, and there is no point in our having anything to do with it.  But it does not work that way. Election does not exclude the use of the means by which God works, and the proclamation of the gospel is one of those means (1 Cor. 1:21).

Moreover, it is only the truth of election that gives us any hope of success as we proclaim the gospel to unsaved men and  women. If the heart of a sinner is as opposed to God as the Bible declares it to be, and if God does not elect people to salvation, then what hope of success could we possibly have in  witnessing?  If God does not call sinners to Christ effectively, it is certain that we cannot do so either. Even more, if the effective agent in salvation is not God's choice and call—if the choice is up to the individual or to us, because of our powers to persuade others to accept Christ—how could we even dare to witness?  For what if we make a mistake?  What if we give a wrong answer?  What if we are insensitive to the  person's real questions?  In that case, people will fail to believe.  They may eventually go to hell, and their eternal destiny will be partly our fault, and how could any thinking, feeling Christian live with that?

But on the other hand, if God has elected some to salvation and if he is calling those elected individuals to Christ, then we can go forth boldly, knowing that our witness does not have to be perfect, that God uses even weak and stuttering testimonies to his grace and, best of all, that all whom God has chosen for salvation will be saved. We can be fearless, knowing that all who are called by God will come to him.

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WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WHEN YOU ASK JESUS TO COME INTO YOUR HEART BUT HE DOESN'T STICK AROUND?

by Chris Hohnholz

I have heard this story before.  A young boy or girl attends VBS and at the end of the week, they raised their hand and said the prayer.  Or maybe, when they were older they came forward at the altar call at church or at the local evangelist's crusade.  No matter what the venue was, they were told to "ask Jesus into their heart," and they were assured that once He came in, life would get better.  They were fully assured of being a Christian now, and they were told to never question it, no matter what.  The initial spiritual high carried them for a time. They read their Bibles, went to church, and talked about how great it was to be a Christian.  But in time, the buzz wore off.  The feeling just wasn't there anymore.  Other things, people or events just seemed more interesting.  Or they began to be ostracized by their peers, so the compromises began.  Before long, life was like it was before, or maybe worse because  they began to look for other things to fill the void.  But no matter how bad it might be, they were still a Christian...weren't they?

When it comes to the modern day evangelism of "asking Jesus into your heart" there is a very big problem in that it rarely, if ever, addresses the issue that a person is a wretched, vile sinner.  A spiritual criminal deserving of God's righteous judgment. It avoids examining the life of the person under God's law.  It fails to show that when we lie, steal, lust, hate, blaspheme God, every sin, every thought, word, and deed is called into account.  And because God is a good and just Judge, He will condemn us to hell for eternity.  It does not explain that the punishment is infinite because we have sinned against an infinite God.

When the church tells a person to, "just ask Jesus into your heart" there is very little weighing of the issue.  Very little understanding of the severity of their sins.  Consequently, many people will experimentally ask Jesus to become part of their lives without ever turning away from the sinful life they have had.  In other words, because they didn't understand how wicked they were, they never obeyed the command to repent.  They simply saw Jesus as a way to make their life better, or as some sort of "fire insurance."  There was no genuine commitment or surrender of their lives.  If that happens, that person is not genuinely born again. And if they are not born again,  they are still slaves to their sinful nature.

Often times, churches today will ask people to repeat a prayer, sign a card, and get them baptized.  Once that is done, they absolutely assure them that they are saved and tell them to never doubt it.  And if they see that person returning back to worldly pursuits, they claim they are backslidden, a person who is a Christian, but is actively sinning.

Such an evangelistic program, while certainly adding numbers to church rolls, actually does more damage than good.  The problem is twofold.  First, the Bible tells us to examine ourselves to see if we are truly in the faith.  Both the books of James and 1 John help us examine our walk to see if we are actually producing fruit that is consistent with a born again Christian.  That  doesn't mean that once a Christian gets saved he is suddenly perfect, but what is the course of his life.  If a person can look at their life and see that it is, bit by bit, growing in a God-honoring  direction, then they can see true spiritual fruit that is consistent with being born again.  But if  they look like the rest of the world day to day, if there is no brokenness, no desire for true repentance, then it would become prudent to ask if they were ever actually born again.

The second problem with the modern day gospel presentation is that it ignores the truth of false converts.  In the parable of the soils, Jesus taught about two groups of people who spring up as apparent converts upon hearing the gospel.  However, in due time, they fall away either because of the care of the world or from persecution.  The falling away demonstrates that they never were in the faith to begin with.  So  when the church baptizes someone and assures them they  are saved without ever looking at the fruit of their walk, it can actually add numbers of false converts to the list.

So, what does it all mean for you, the reader?  Well, the first question would be to ask yourself if you are truly saved.  Examine your walk in the light of the Bible.  Do you truly love the Lord?  Do you desire to obey His commandments above all else?  Do you hate your sin because you love the Lord and don't wish to sin against Him?  Or do you care more about the things of this world?  Is the only time you feel bad about sin when you have to suffer the consequences?

If it is the former, I would encourage you to dig into the Gospels again. Learn what it is that Christ did for you because He loves you.  Gain assurance by preaching the gospel to yourself daily.  But if it is the latter, then you need to repent of your sins and trust Christ now. You need to get saved for the first time.  What  happened before may have only been an experimental attempt, but one where, like so many others, you never truly repented and trusted in the Savior.  If that is so, then examine your life, understand that your sins are an offense to God deserving  of judgment.  Yet know that His Son died to pay the price that you deserved.  Turn away from those sins and trust in the Savior today.

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DENNIS FISCHER MINISTRIES

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WHAT WOULD I DO IF MY DAUGHTER TOLD ME SHE WAS GAY?

by Pastor Stephen Altrogge
Sovereign Grace Church
Indiana, Pennsylvania USA

My oldest daughter, Charis, is four, so hopefully we're a little while away from any sort of sex talk. But at some point in the future I'm sure I'll be talking to Charis, along with the rest of my kids, about sexuality, and there's the possibility that one of my kids will experience homosexual attraction.

What would I do if Charis told me that she was experiencing homosexual attractions?

The first thing I'd do is give her a giant hug and tell her that nothing, nothing, nothing can ever change my love for her.  She's my precious little girl, and nothing is ever going to change that. I'd thank her for telling me about her feelings and tell her that she can always tell me anything, no matter how big or small.  I want my kids to feel comfortable telling me anything, and to know that I won't get angry with them no matter what they tell me.

I'd tell her that God loves her even more than I do. He created her in his image, and because of that, she is precious to him.  He sent his son to die for her sins, which also proves that she is precious to him.

Then I'd tell her that if she follows Jesus, her sexuality is not her identity.  Her identity is rooted in Christ.  She is a child of God who has the Holy Spirit dwelling in her.  Her fundamental identity is not her sexual desires, her fundamental identity is as a forgiven sinner, united to Christ, full of the Holy Spirit.  That's what Paul was talking about in 2 Corinthians 5:17 when he said:

         Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new 

          creation.  The old has passed away, behold,
          the new has come.

I'd say, "Sweetie, if you follow Jesus, your identity is as a new creation in Jesus.  These desires that you're experiencing don't define who you are.  Jesus defines who you are.  You are his.  You belong to him. That is your identity.  It's who you are.

Then I'd gently take her hand and say, "Charis, following Jesus is really costly.  Jesus even said that we have to die to ourselves.  He said we have to take up our cross and follow him.  That means submitting every facet of our lives to King Jesus, including our sexual desires.  If you're going to follow Jesus, you're going to have to submit these desires to Jesus.  You can't give in to them because the Bible says that any sexual expression outside of a marriage between a man and a woman is wrong."

She might ask, "Will God take these desires away from me?"

"I don't know," I'd say. "But I do know this--he'll give you power not to give in to them.  That's the beauty of the gospel.  Jesus forgives all of our sins and then gives us power not to give in to our sinful desires. And it will be hard, and it will be costly, and there will be times when you will feel lonely, but Jesus is worth it.  He is so worth it.  When you hear Jesus say, 'Well done good and faithful servant,' it will be worth it!"

"But why do I have these desires?" she might ask.

"Well sweetie," I'd say.  "Sin has distorted every person's sexuality.  Every time I'm tempted to lust after a woman, that's a distortion of my sexuality.  Every time you're tempted to lust after a person of the same sex, that's also distortion.  See, you and I are the same. It just works itself out a little bit differently.  We both desperately need Jesus.  But the wonderful thing is, Jesus is in the process of repairing the distortions.  He gives me power to not give in to lust, even though it feels really strong at times.  He can give you that same power.  And someday, when he comes back, everything sad and broken will finally be undone."

Then I'd say, "You know what?  We'll keep talking about this, but right now, let's go get ice cream."

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SOME THOUGHTS ON MATTHEW 16:18

by Pastor David Stark

Was the Apostle Peter really the first Pope as Roman Catholic apologists claim?  Pastor Stark gives a brief, concise answer (click on title above) to this important question.  His excellent linguistic skills become paramount in the exegesis of this passage. 


For more detailed information on this topic, you are cordially invited to log unto www.bereanbeacon.org .  At the informative, Bible-centered, Berean Beacon  Ministries website, you can listen to a presentation entitled "Peter and the Rock" by Richard Bennett, a former Roman Catholic priest who faithfully served in that position  for 22 years. Also, please take time to read his inspiring testimony while you are visiting his website.  Moreover, you may want to invite your Catholic friends and relatives, to his informative and factual website, to learn about their religion in depth. You can directly access the website's DVD's at: http://www.bereanbeacon.org/dvd.php or if you are using an i-Pad, i-Phone, or other listening  device, simply log unto: http://www.bereanbeacon.org/audio.php . 


From a soteriological perspective, Adventism and Catholicism are much alike.  Additionally, both groups are hierarchical in their organizational structure, intensely support extra-biblical writings, largely physically-oriented religions (i.e., holy days, tithing, food laws,  no masturbation, top-heavy centralized ecclesiastical structure, bizarre physical phenomena adored, works-oriented/man-centered salvation, etc.), believe in a central human figure to dispense and validate their teachings, vehemently opposed to the doctrines of grace as proclaimed by the Apostles and Reformers, and they further have the commonality of operating similar educational, medical, and disaster/relief centers.  


The infamous Folkenberg scandal of the 1990s, when Robert Folkenberg was consequently removed as the General Conference president, affirms beyond any doubt that Adventism and Catholicism have alliances kept secret from the public and especially from devout (anti-Catholic) Adventists in the pew. Amazingly, since an undisclosed number of high-ranking SDA leaders are commonly assumed to have been involved in that vast monetary fiasco with a Catholic charity organization, Robert Folkenberg was subsequently rewarded by not being forced to miss a single paycheck to this day. In light of the tightly-controlled information available, it appears that Robert Folkenberg survived his denominational employment by simply becoming their corporate, face-saving, damage-control scapegoat.


--Dennis Fischer

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SALVATION IS A GIFT

Most believers in the world today are somehow convinced that they are the captains of their eternal destiny and that God helps them to save themselves in a cooperative or partnership manner.  This quickly becomes a very scary way to live since we have absolutely nothing to contribute in our behalf (not even possessing the tiniest island of righteousness).  Most of us grew up learning that there is no free lunch. We must earn our daily bread if we are able-bodied. 

Consequently, we still feel uncomfortable about the notion of getting anything for free. Moreover, from our own experience, the idea of getting anything for nothing is usually too good to be true.  We rightfully take great pride in being providers for our immediate families.  After all, the Apostle Paul declared that "if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever [or an "infidel" in some translations]" (1 Tim. 5:8 ESV emphasis supplied).


In the truest soteriological sense, however, salvation is a gift to be received, not a goal to be achieved.  This truth finally led me out of a false gospel and into biblical Christianity.  Salvation, the free gift, is provided by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone, and for the glory of God alone. My wife and I will be forever grateful that our awesome, sovereign God didn't leave us where He found us.  He never goes on a rescue mission that fails. Salvation is a rescue operation from start to finish.  

Indeed, we should be "know-so" Christians instead of merely "hope-so" Christians (see 1 John 5:13). In his classic book, Chosen by God, Dr. R. C. Sproul adds that "The assurance of our salvation is vital to our spiritual lives.  Without it our growth is retarded and we are assailed with crippling doubts...No true believer ever loses his salvation.  To be sure, Christians fall at times seriously and radically, but never fully and finally.  We persevere, not because of our strength but because of God's grace that preserves us." Let us wholeheartedly exclaim with Jonah, the reluctant prophet: "For my salvation comes from the Lord alone" (Jonah 2:9 NLT). It's all about Him!  Soli Deo Gloria!


In awe of the guilt-removing, sin-atoning sacrifice of Jesus,


Dennis J. Fischer
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The Original "Jerry Springer" Family

A Devotional Message by Chris Hohnholz


How often have we looked at the patriarchs of the Old Testament with great reverence and maybe even wished we had just a modicum of the faith that they had? The Bible describes the great faith these men and women had and the great accomplishments they achieved because of it. The "Hall of Faith" passage of Hebrews points us to these men and women as examples of what true faith in God looks like.  If you are anything like me, it is not uncommon to wish we were more like them when we see the struggles we deal with in our own walks. But, are the patriarchs really that special? Were they so much holier than you and I?  Or do  they have more in common with ourselves than we think?  I'd like for us to look at a few of those patriarchs to answer this question. In fact, one family in particular, the one through which the Messiah would one day come.  I believe we will learn a lot from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the God whom they served.


Abraham is considered the father of the Jews.  He was so esteemed by the Jews in Jesus' day that they often cited their lineage from him in their debates with Jesus.  But what was it about him they were so proud of?  True, he had great faith when he believed the promise of God that he and  Sarah would one day have a child through which the nations would be blessed.  But as time went by, Abraham and Sarah apparently figured God had forgotten his promise, because Sarah offers her handmaiden to her husband through which to conceive the child. Abraham doesn't even feign an objection, he just does it.  This is also the same Abraham that, not once, but twice, failed to believe God's promise to keep him around long  enough to produce this nation that he convinces his wife to say "I'm his  sister" to keep from getting killed. Is he really so faithful and holy after all?


Next we get Isaac, the child of promise.  Truly a faithful son who, when bound up to be sacrificed, did not fight or argue with his father.  Such total faith is something we should all aspire to.  Yet, this is the same Isaac that, when Rebekah had twin sons, who knew that the younger, Jacob, was to rule over the older, Esau.  Yet, we see his preference for Esau because of his manly hunting skills.  Jacob, being more of a mother's boy, stayed around the tents and cooked.  How could he give the blessing to such a son?  And Isaac had a little positive influence over his family.  Jacob tricked Esau out of his birthright for a bowl of stew.  Esau purposely married pagan women to irritate his parents. Rebekah orchestrated the deception in which Jacob tricked blind Isaac into believing he was Esau.  Then she lied to him later to get Jacob out of town before Esau killed him. Rather than admit she was  part of the scheme and was trying to save Jacob, she told him she only wanted Jacob to marry from her family and not the local pagan women.  There are reality TV shows that don't have this much drama going on, and Isaac is one our patriarchs in the faith.


Then we get to Jacob, from whom the twelve tribes of Israel were born. The father of Judah, the line through which the Messiah was born. The man who saw the ladder coming from Heaven, which was a vision of the coming Christ.  The one who wrestled with the Lord and, because of his persistence, had his name changed from Jacob (which loosely means "dirty, sneaky thief") to Israel ("He strives with God"). Yet Jacob's life had so many twists and turns, that he lived up more to the name Jacob than Israel.  We already discussed his cheating his brother and that he lied to his father in order to get the blessing.  After fleeing to his uncle Laban, he falls in love with Rachel, but gets tricked into marrying both Rachel and her sister, Leah.  Leah and Rachel start the "baby-making wars" and even start bringing in their personal servant girls to add to the growing list of children.  All the  while, not a  peep comes from Jacob in objection. When he and Laban come to an agreement to payment (an agreement Laban tries to weasel out of), Jacob goes into the process of selective breeding to ensure he obtains a healthy flock.  


Finally, he decides to flee from his uncle without telling him (a time in which Rachel manages to steal Laban's household "gods" —there's a discussion for  another time!).  This results in Laban and Jacob agreeing at Mizpah to never cross over into each other's territory and pray God would keep an eye on the other.  This gives new meaning to those wonderful, little, Mizpah medallions that we  give to each other doesn't it?  Then after wrestling with the  Lord and being blessed with a new name, Jacob still doubts God's promise to deliver him.  He splits his family into multiple groups, sends everyone ahead first, and brings up the rear, testing his brother's actions.  Then, when Esau reveals no animosity toward him and asks Jacob to go home with  him, Jacob comes up with a lame excuse that his animals are too tired and weak. He tells Esau to go ahead and he would meet up later.  Then he promptly goes and gets up camp in another  city.  What a character we look to!


Now, there are literally hundreds of similar incidents throughout Scripture.  We can literally look at every person throughout the Bible and see where they routinely failed to obey or even trust the word of God.  So how on earth are we supposed to look to them for guidance and inspiration?  The truth is, we don't!  We look to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, just as they did.  See, the patriarchs of old received faith just as we in the Church today do, as a gift from God. We have no ability within ourselves to be pleasing to God.  The patriarchs are living proof  of that.  If the men God chose to start the nation of Israel and to become the line through which we would receive the Messiah couldn't do it, we don't have a chance! In fact, because God chose such hopeless cases should be a reason for us to rejoice! It proves that God does not pour out His grace on the basis of what we have to offer.  I have come to realize that when God goes fishing, he doesn't look for the biggest, best, and most colorful fish.  He looks at the rejects, the  worthless, the nastieth fish He can find. In fact, He looks for the ones that have no value whatsoever because then it is clear that His grace is His alone to give.  We can add nothing to it, we can take none of it away.  Like those patriarchs who were  such a mess, God calls us, makes us fit for His  use and brings glory to His name through it all.


So what is the point of this article?  Only this, when you are depressed or bummed out, thinking that you have not nearly done enough for the Lord, know this, you're right! In the eyes of God, you are a bottom dwelling, scum eating, worthless fish, four days dead with  no value whatsoever!  Yet, in His mercy, He has bought you, redeemed you, given you new life, cleaned you up, and made you fit for His use.  He is glorified because it is His sovereign work in us, and the patriarchs prove it!  No one could have looked at this first family of Israel and believed that they had  anything to offer God.  They were rebellious, lying, backstabbing misfits who would have fit better on the stage of a Jerry Springer episode than in the holy book of a world religion.  Yet, because they  received faith from God, trusted in His promises and, through that faith, did many wondrous works, we can know that we serve an amazing God who will work an amazing change in our lives as well.  We  can know that the works we accomplish in faith will be used by God for His glory, and  the  works we accomplish in the flesh will prove that  it was God who did the former.  Praise be  to our amazing and merciful God, and thanks to Him for using such people as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to do His work.

courtesy of

DENNIS FISCHER MINISTRIES

Worldwide Chaplaincy Services

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THE LORD'S DAY: Does It Matter?

 by Dr. John MacArthur


Due to widespread interest, I am posting this inspiring, Bible-based sermon audio from a Sunday morning worship service in 1999.  You can also read a transcript of this sermon.  Dr. MacArthur gives the reason why the Resurrection Day or New Covenant Day is so important to Christ-followers around the world. Moreover, the Christian Church was born on Pentecost Sunday. Truly, not just any day could be this special in redemptive history. Our awesome, sovereign God distinctly chose this very special day to occur on Sunday. Simply click on the title above to hear this excellent, thought-stimulating sermon.


--Dennis Fischer
Lincoln, Nebraska USA

HISTORICAL PHRASES DEPICTING SUNDAY

 The Day of Gladness

 The Weekly Easter

New Covenant Day


The Greatest Day in Redemptive History

 The Eighth Day


First Day of the Week


Chief of Days


The Lord's Day

First of Days

Resurrection Day


The Christian Sabbath


Palm Sunday

Easter Sunday


Pentecost Sunday


The Day of the Son instead of the Sun

The Day (Pentecost) when the Christian Church was Born

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UNDERSTANDING THE SABBATH (Genesis 2:1-3)

by Dr. John MacArthur


Please click on the title above to hear a superb, Bible-based sermon delivered by Dr. MacArthur on the Fourth Commandment (recorded live from Grace Community Church on Sept. 20, 2009).  It would be ideal for every current and former Seventh-day Adventist to hear this relevant presentation. Dr. MacArthur is pastor/teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California USA. MacArthur's radio program, "Grace to You," airs nationwide daily.  He is the author of more than six dozen books, and the founder/president of The Master's Seminary.


Moreover, the Adventist Sabbath is not the Bible Sabbath that Jesus and the Hebrew people observed before the New Covenant was inaugurated.  The Jewish weekly Sabbath, delivered by Moses to God's chosen people, was a lunar Sabbath fixed by the New Moon each month, and it changed every month to different days of the week. Interestingly, Seventh-day Adventists take great pride in the notion that they do not worship on the Pope's day (meaning Sunday). In reality, however, our SDA friends are indeed worshiping on a day (Saturday) that was arbitrarily re-positioned and decreed by Pope Gregory III in 1582, by skipping 10 calendar days, in the universally-accepted Gregorian calendar we have today.


Amazingly, official Adventism has chosen to worship on Sundays, in Samoa and nearby Tokelau in the South Pacific, when Friday (December 30, 2011) was deleted from their calendar due to the Samoan government moving the International Date Line for economic reasons. Samoan Seventh-day Adventist leaders insist that their recent compromise is really no big deal, but some members have voiced their disagreement with them. Their transition to worshiping on Sunday has not gone as smoothly as the leaders had anticipated.  Nevertheless, observing the weekly, festal Sabbath on Sunday is now their official stance.


With Samoan Adventists and non-Adventists now worshiping peacefully on the same day, the great SDA fear of an impending National Sunday Law has been quietly moved to the back burner. Will their Sabbath Schools now be called  Sunday Schools? Obviously, this major change will affect SDA outreach in the South Pacific islands of Samoa and Tokelau. It is important to know that the Israelites did not have a modern timepiece (clock or watch),  a man-made International Date Line, and a convenient calendar pinned to the flap of their tents like we use today.  All in all, one thing is very certain,  Seventh-day Adventists around the world are not observing the Sabbath on the same day and in the same way that Moses did.


Resting in Jesus, the true Sabbath Rest,


Dennis Fischer

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A THOUSAND YEARS AMONG FRIENDS

By Dr. Kim Riddlebarger

About the Author:  Dr. Riddlebarger is the senior pastor of Christ Reformed Church in Anaheim, California, visiting professor of systematic theology at Westminster Seminary California, and he co-hosts the popular White Horse Inn radio-internet talk show with Michael Horton, Rod Rosenbladt, and Ken Jones.  Visit his informative and interesting blog at:  http://www.kimriddlebarger.squarespace.com .


Dispensational premillennialism?  Historic premillennialism? The Rapture? Preterism?  Partial preterism? Postmillennialism? Historicism? A 1000 year reign on earth or in heaven?  Amillennialism? Futurism? The kingdom now?


What is this all about?  Controversy and serious disagreements swirl endlessly around the study and beliefs of the End Times.  In this lecture, Dr. Kim Riddlebarger, poses a logical, Biblical, and literal argument for the amillennial Two Stage Model.  With an honest listen, this should give all dispensational/premil folks reason to pause and examine their view a little closer.  


The Two Stage Model is a LITERAL and BIBLICAL doctrine related to the End Times that overwhelmingly supports the amillennial position and leaves dispensationalism looking for proof texts.  Dr. Riddlebarger delivers this lecture in an enjoyable and understandable way with great respect and honor towards the Dispensational brothers that he disagrees with.  Enjoy this excellent audio presentation by simply clicking on the title above!

courtesy of

DENNIS FISCHER MINISTRIES

Worldwide Chaplaincy Services

E-mail:  dfministries@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dfministries

ISLAM: What The West Needs To Know

Please sit back, relax, and click on the title above to watch and listen to this 98-minute, documentary film about Islam as a religious/political system.  I cannot recommend this film too highly. Hopefully, you will also be shocked by the astounding similarities between Islam and many religious cults in our society today (perhaps you belong to one now or have in the past). This interesting, factual film will answer most of the following questions and many more:

• What is the literal meaning of the word "Jihad"?
• Why are there frequently more Muslim volunteers to go on a Jihad than electronic equipment, explosives, backpacks, and vests available? Does going on a Jihad prove one's ultimate devotion and loyalty to Islam?
• Does Islam allow or encourage lying, under certain circumstances, about their belief system?  How subtle is their deception?
• What is the only possible way (in Islamic teaching) for any Muslim to have complete assurance of his or her salvation?  Is the "martyred"Jihadist's instant paradise of a sensual nature?
• Why do American and European political leaders rally around Islam by frequently calling it a "peace-loving" religion?
• Why do our politicians (of every party and stripe) refer to Christ-followers as a "misdirected" and even "dangerous" people if they do not appreciate and extol the Islamic religion?
• What were the seven "Crusades"  about from 1095-1291 AD? Why did Muslims close off Christian holy sites for pilgrimages to Palestine in the first place?
• How did northern Africa, a bastion of  early Christianity, become overwhelmingly Muslim?
• How moral or ethical was Mohammad in his personal life?  Is he worthy of adoration and emulation today as Islam teaches?
• Does so-called "multiculturalism" and "interculturalism" require the extolling of the Islamic religious/political system to avoid the label of bigotry or religious intolerance? 
• Is the Muslim god the same as the Christian God? Answer: The Muslim god is not the triune God that Christians worship, and their Jesus (a prophet only) did not die upon the cross as our Savior and Substitute. Truly, they do not love and worship the same God that Christians do.
• Why does Islam treat its women so badly?
• Do Islamic countries enter into peace treaties with the "infidels"?  If so, under what conditions?
• What  is the difference between the Islamic Koran and Hadith?
• What does Islam teach about the treatment of "infidels" and "Jews"?
• Is the only way to have lasting peace with Muslims to convert to their religion?  Is the threat and reality of death an option in Islamic conquest?
• Are the many contradictory statements of Mohammad (as with Ellen White) settled by simply believing in the later directives? Do the latter statements somehow negate and overrule the earlier ones?  If so, how does this interpretative model compare with Scripture?  Answer:  Yes, supposedly, in the case of Mohammad, but Ellen White's earliest visions and written words reportedly came directly from the throne of God. Thus, she did not have the same  luxury of maturing in her belief system as other religious writers did. She claimed her earliest writings were just as "inspired" as her later ones. Moreover, the writings attributed to Ellen White and Mohammad cannot be compared to Scripture in any way because they are not inspired (meaning "God-breathed").  In his excellent book, entitled Explaining Inerrancy, Dr. R. C. Sproul adds: "What is overcome or overridden by inspiration is not human personality, style or literary structure, but human tendencies to distortion, falsehood, and error."
• Did both Ellen White, the SDA prophetess, and the Prophet Mohammad predict that in the latter days their writings would be exposed and no longer believed by many of their devotees?  Answer:  Yes!  Apparently, they shared the same spirit guide.
• Does both Islam and Seventh-day Adventism have a similar "health message"?  If so, why do Muslims dislike Adventists so intensely? Answer:  Due to their observance of the Jewish Sabbath, Muslims think of them as "Christian Jews." (simply click on title to hear this factual presentation)

courtesy of

DENNIS FISCHER MINISTRIES

Worldwide Chaplaincy Services

E-mail:  dfministries@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dfministries