Now, that might be harsh, but when it comes to people that hurt kids, it is hard to restrain my rage. Actually, the hard part is trying to come up with a valid reason to. And if I, who is only aware of this through this blog can get this angry, how much more angry would my Lord be, who is intimately aware of what is happening and what these children are enduring.

Brother, The same could be same about reformed brethren sitting in pews week after week, listening to a “senior” pastor preach from a pulpit.

In Christ -Jim

Pilgrim, thank you for your words concerning nursing homes. Our team is out two to three times a week giving the gospel on the streets but this will indeed be a new mission field for us! Thanks again … Blessings in Him

There are not a whole lot of people willing to help out/go into the nursing home mission field (been doing it solo for over the last year now) but it is vitally important as every one of those in there are in the last chapters of their lives. I wrote a brief piece on this back in 2007 (when I had assistance) that you might be interested in.

I too have a high proportion of Romanists in attendance. I just keep pounding the gospel. No matter where I am in Scripture, I make a beeline for the cross over and over and over gain. I have even used the Way of the Master “technique” (for lack of a better term) as the Law-then-Gospel approach is biblical.

Is it confrontational? Yeah, the gospel tends to do that, but we’re not called to sugar coat the message. Will you eventually offend someone? Yeah, but as long as you are preaching the text faithfully, you have no control over that and are not at fault.

I recall a dear Romanist woman who came weekly, then bi-weekly when I went from weekly to bi-weekly (no help and a growing family will tend to necessitate that). She came for several years (one of the faithful ones) to hear the message. One day she stopped coming when she got offended while I was going through Galatians because Galatians dealt with circumcision. She would not return (always made excuses) and less than a year later died. I fear she may have clung to Romanism unto death; such a sad situation..

Ministry in a nursing home can be very, very discouraging, but when I consider the only other “churches” that attempt to minister to these dying people are the JWs who drop off their reading materials, Mormons who pop in to visit a resident now and then, and the Romanist priest who holds his dead rituals once a week to provide a false sense of security to the deceived, it keeps me going. The forgotten (the sick and dying people in nursing homes across America) are not hearing the gospel anywhere else. And these people are even forgotten by the hundreds of Christian churches in the area with their countless members who are just too busy to go to nursing homes and preach the Gospel to those who are dying. That’s too bad. I guess these Christians are just preoccupied with more important stuff.

Anyway, I said all that to say, stay encouraged in your ministry and just keep preaching the gospel. When matters of false doctrine arises (e.g. purgatory, indulgences, popery, works righteousness, etc,) don’t pull punches, just be bold, address the error, and continue to preach Christ and Him crucified.

You may not see results until the other side of eternity, and sometimes even the nurses are the ones who get to hear the gospel.

Keep up the work, do not compromise, faithfully preach the Word, and stay encouraged through it all.

The authors’ declared focus is on themselves and their perspective of the church. Wrong focus. They ignore most of what the Bible teaches about the church and how it should be. Wrong focus.

It has some legitimate observations on some practices in many churches that need to be examined and abandoned. But the book’s recommended course of action and its foundation on the core issues are wrong, wrong, wrong. Where it’s most important, the book is wrong. It is wrong far more than it is right, particularly on the core issues.

These are elderly folks who are set in their ways, but they are at the doorstep of eternity. What a mission field!

I would start out asking them respectfully and gently if they died today if they are certain if they will go to heaven. Every Catholic does not have that assurance because their faith is based on works and they believe they will have to go through the purifying fires of purgatory. If they answer that they are not totally sure, you can then tell them that they CAN know for sure and that you would like to share that with them – ask their permission. Show them from the Bible – even their own Bible the Roman Road or other verses pertaining to salvation. Then allow the Word of God to work in their hearts. Remember it is not YOUR words, but GOD’S WORD and the HOLY SPIRIT that bring someone to salvation. They will either receive it or reject it. But in any case, show them love and caring concern and be sure to pray over each person before and after your visits.

You may be doing this already, but offer to pray for them each time and if they have concerns about their family or medical needs, you can pray for that as well. Your caring and loving attitude toward them will soften their heart to receive the Gospel. If you just reach one of these dear folks, your efforts will not be in vain. They have been deeply ingrained into this cult, but God’s Word is powerful. The first question to ask them really gets their attention!

May the Lord bless you and use you in this ministry to rescue the perishing!!!

Exodus 32:5 NASB

Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.”

The Sons of Israel were really worshipping the same Father in Heaven you and I worship! And surely Our Father in Heaven recognized the heart of worship they demonstrated that day, didn’t He? So what was His response?

Exodus 32:33 NASB

The LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.”

Your very words condemn you. Repent, that God might be merciful to you. There is no other way.

“Thank you for these beautiful holy images of Catholic Faithfuls who pray to God, not the statue, they are reminded of our spiritual family and in prayer direct their hearts to God, they remind me to always be grateful for our family and our spiritual family. Now Go grab a picture of your deceased father, Grand Father, or Great Grand Father and in prayer, Thank God for their lives, their love and their sacrifices that brought you into this world. Same thing!”

How sad to be so deceived and deluded…praise God for His glorious saving grace.

Most in Rome do not realize what their religion teaches and many agree with the biblical Gospel, though they be dead in their sin and hanging on to the religion of their fathers. Only God can regenerate them and He has told us it is His Gospel that is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes”. Grow not weary in well doing.

Jim

Totally agree with Manfred regarding Piper also ;-)

What does veneration mean? ‘a profound emotion inspired by a deity’. What are some synonyms to veneration? Synonyms:idolatry; cultism; veneration; devotion – courtesy of http://www.AudioEnglish.net

So is there any difference between idolatry and veneration? Not according to this definition.