COR 27 - Security and Assurance of the Believer

November 7, 2009 marked the first COR 27 event held at Bethesda Baptist church in St. Charles, MO. COR 27 is a new outreach ministry of Bethesda Baptist. Services will be held the first Saturday of the month at 6:00 PM.  Please visit http://bethesdabc.org for more information.

Are you a Christian? Do you profess to follow Jesus Christ? Do you have assurance of your salvation? You say you "believe", but how do you "know" you believe? Has that thought ever crossed your mind? A Christian can have assurance of sins forgiven and that assurance will come from Scripture and from the witness of the indwelling Holy Spirit. (Rom 8:16)

In this message we look at 1 John and examine ourselves in light of Scripture. It is our prayer that the LORD would use this message to encourage the Believer and bring the false convert to true repentance and faith in Christ.


To Him alone be the Glory,

Travis Foley
St. Louis Evangelism Team

As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Tim 4:5)


Security and Assurance - Part 1



Security and Assurance - Part 2



Security and Assurance - Part 3



Security and Assurance - Part 4

Deeper Conference 2009

This past weekend, September 10^th- 13^th we headed out to the Deeper Conference in Atlanta Georgia. While Travis and Ken had the luxury of flying down, Kevin Ford, Kevin Hauk, Josh Anderson and Jimmy Bartner drove the 10 hour trip in Josh’s car. We were blessed to be able to stop and have lunch with brother Jim McClarty of Grace Christian Assembly in Smyrna, Tennessee, who we listen to on a weekly basis through podcast. His website is www.salvationbygrace.org. We sat for 2 hours learning more about the sovereignty of God. We also learned that Ecclesiastes, says something…but Kevin Ford wasn’t quite sure what!! After that it was on to Atlanta. The drive down, was also a blessing, for reasons of fellowship. Just about everything we talked about was Christ centered. On Friday morning we went down to see a taping of Wretched with Todd Friel, who was having Christian artist Scott Krippayne to do some singing. Then we were off to the conference, where Ray Comfort started off with teaching about the eternality of God and the Atheists Sixth Sense. I like Rays comments on witnessing to the lost. “How much do we have to hate someone, not to warn them of the fate of Hell”? And what he said about the norm of Christian prosperity teaching today, hit it right on the mark: “It is a poor sermon that gives no offense”. Then Emeal Zwayne, spoke about the way our country is headed down the same road as Europe in leaving our Christianity behind.

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 2 Tim 3:1-5

He ended up his sermon about how we should live to pass on Godly lives to our children.

After EZ, Johnny Hunt spoke about the Forebearance of God. Psalm 103:10- He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. Why didn’t God slay Adam and Eve when they first sin? Why does he not slay us? God is longsuffering. 2Peter 3:9.

Mark Cahill was next teaching about the Holiness of God. Holiness demands justice. And He demands Holiness in the lives of His people. Eph. 5:8-For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light. And we should all realize, we should not get pleasure out of the things Jesus died for. 2Cor. 7:1-Therefore, having these promises beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Kirk Cameron spoke about Keeping the foundations Sure in your marriage. Our focus should be Jesus Christ, but if we fail at home, we fail altogether. Our order of importance should be:

1. 
   
   Jesus Christ
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Wives
   
   
   
3. 
   
   Children
   
   
   
4. 
   
   Christians
   
   
   
5. 
   
   The world(unsaved)
   
   
   

We also learned the 3 principles to strengthening a marriage.

1. 
   
   The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Is it my way or Gods way?
   
   
   
3. 
   
   Learn to burn bridges and build altars.
   
   
   

Ravi Zacharias finished out the night on the Veracity of God. Ravi’s teaching is very thought provoking. I would spend the rest of this page just trying to explain one sentence of his. So, let me just say, he was a blessing!!

Scott Krippayne finished the night with great worship, with Kirk reading scripture in between each song.

Friday night after we got back to the hotel, Josh went and played “Maverick” and went to the college across the street and witnessed to some college kids. Ken witnessed to a guy at the gas station, and Kevin Ford witnessed to the lady behind the counter at the gas station. We pray that all that heard the gospel that night, will repent, and turn to God.

Saturday started off with praise and worship with Scott Krippayne, and then Todd Friel preached on the Kindness of God. Speaking of the common grace God has provided for all of creation, we also need to realize, that our main purpose of our existence is for Gods glory. Hell is reasonable, when we realize our sin, and our sin is great, but the Cross of Jesus Christ is greater.

Greg Koukl spoke next on Evil, Suffering and the Goodness of God. Why is there evil, and where did it come from? The presence of evil in the world is one of the best proofs for the existence of God, not against Him.

We finished up with a “breakout” session with Mark Spence, the Dean of the School of Biblical Evangelism. Mark was great, he gave his testimony, and we all could really relate. He also spoke on Gods sovereignty in all things. I like his quote” God is not done with you, because your still alive”.

After Deeper concluded, we went out with “The 500”. They are a group that goes out street evangelizing. Our group went to mid town Atlanta, a predominately Gay part of town. We were able to share the gospel with a number of people. Travis actually got up and did some “open air preaching”. It was a great night, and Gods name was glorified.

Sunday, it was back to the airport for Travis and Ken, and the rest of us got back on the road, and made a stop back in Smyrna Tennessee, to catch a service at Jim McClartys church. It was truly a blessing to see him preach in person, sing the hymns, and meet the majority of people in his congregation.

So what did we learn through all of this? There are brethren out there. Sometimes we can get a prophet like syndrome where we think we are all alone. Gathering like this helps us to see how God is moving in many places and not just in our town. God is not done as Christ has not come back, so we need to press on until He returns. This weekend was such a blessing to see God's Word proclaimed in such a way that glorified Him. The worship truly was a blessing as all of the voices lifted up praise to the only One who is worthy. The witnessing was humbling once again. As we saw the Spirit move around us all weekend, it is still humbling to be granted the opportunity to share the Gospel and possibly be used in the salvation of someone. We pray for all who heard the gospel, that God would grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Tim 2:25.

May God receive all the glory honor and praise until our last breaths.

Humbly,

St. Louis Evangelism Team.

What does the Bible say about homosexuality?

This video was made using the dialog from a real witnessing encounter. There are many people deceived into believing that God is "ok" with homosexuality. That is a lie from the father of lies and the Bible is not silent on this issue.

If you're struggling with this sin, may God convict you and grant you repentance that you might turn from your sin and turn to Him.




To Him alone be the Glory,

St. Louis Evangelism Team

As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Tim 4:5)

Do you have new life or merely religion?

Ken shares a message of concern at a CROSS Ministry picnic in May 2009. Have you truly been born again, or do you merely have religion? 2 Corinthians 13:5 says,

"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!"

In John 3:3, our LORD and Savior said that unless a man is "born again" he CAN NOT enter the Kingdom of God. We must make our calling and election sure! (2 Peter 1:3-11)

Travis Shares the Gospel at a Scrapbook Ministry Event

Yet another door was opened to share the Gospel to a room full of Scrapbookers at our church. The first time we were able to do this we were concerned that everyone continued to work while we were sharing the Gospel. There seemed to be little to no concern about eternity or about the things of God in general. We have since learned that although they may seem like they are not interested, there have been multiple reports of the LORD using us to reach some of the those in attendance. It's a humble and even fearful thing at times to know the LORD is using you to bring people to salvation.

Below are parts 1 and 2 of the Gospel message delivered by Travis. Please pray for all who were present that evening and all who may hear over the internet... that if they are not saved that God would change their hearts and open their eyes that they may see their great need to be forgiven, repent of their sin and turn to Christ for salvation.


To Him alone be the Glory,

St. Louis Evangelism Team

St. Louis Renaissance Faire 2009

We have been doing this for a while now and every now and then we have such a cold outing that we must take a step back and reflect on what

happened. Was it a matter of the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:6) or could it be that God’s judgment is already being poured out on them or both!

I believe we ran into a group that showed the result of God giving our country over to follow their lusts. The Renaissance Faire in itself is an interesting idea, but it was clear that this was not a family event based on the lewd jokes, mocking of sin, and heavy usage of other sources that alter the state of the mind. From the time we arrived, it was evident the people wanted nothing to do with the God of the Bible. Time after time we ran into people who were not only reluctant to speak to us, but they were also reluctant to take a Gospel tract from us. This was the coldest day we have seen in the month of May and it had nothing to do with the weather. I can only think of Romans 1:18-21 after seeing this first hand.

God’s wrath is already operating in our culture and He has let our society go the way it chooses to go without restraint. But please now that it was our society that abandoned God first. So as restraining grace continues to be pulled back, this society will only get more immoral.

As time progresses, the hearts will only become more hardened, just like the instance with Pharaoh. Until the Lord returns, we must continue spiritual warfare and present the Gospel every single time we can. For the Gospel is what changes lives and societies, not a government and His Word never returns void.

We can have all of the right answers, but we must always remember that having the right answers is not what saves people. It is the Lord who saves people and salvation belongs to Him (Jonah 2:9).

This nation and the world have suppressed the truth in unrighteousness, all for the preferences of sin.

John 3:18-20 - ¹⁸He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. ²⁰For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

To Him alone be the glory,

St. Louis Evangelism Team

As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Tim 4:5)

Valley of the Flowers - Part 2

Here is part 2 of the video we were able to salvage from the Valley of the Flowers festival earlier this month.

One thing that is consistent in these witness encounters is that people have a wrong understanding of what the Bible says concerning God and man. People are content with their own personal views and are not that concerned with whether or not those personal views line up with Scripture. It is our duty as Christians to proclaim the holiness of God by opening up His law. We need to show people how they have broken it, not once or twice, but every moment of their lives! If you think that's too harsh, just name one moment of your own life that you have loved God perfectly as Scripture says you ought to. We are to show them that the just penalty for their crimes against God is to be cast into the lake of fire, not separated from God, but rather crushed under His wrath for an eternity.

They MUST see their true condition before a holy God...

• before they'll see their need of a Savior
• before they'll see they desperately need God's forgiveness
• before they'll even come close to understanding that Christ suffered under God's wrath in their place
• before they'll see the Cross as anything more than foolishness

To Him alone be the glory,

St. Louis Evangelism Team

As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Tim 4:5)