Posted on 01/27/2008 7:56:14 PM PST by Manfred the Wonder Dawg
January 25, 2008
ESV Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
In recent days I have spent time in Lima and Sullana Peru and Mexico City and I have discovered that people by nature are the same. Man has a heart that is inclined to selfishness and idolatry. Sin abounds in the remotest parts of the land because the heart is desperately wicked. Thousands bow before statues of Mary and pray to her hoping for answers. I have seen these people stare hopelessly at Mary icons, Jesus icons, and a host of dead saints who will do nothing for them. I have talked with people who pray to the pope and say that they love him. I talked with one lady who said that she knew that Jesus was the Savior, but she loved the pope. Thousands bow before Santa Muerte (holy death angel) in hopes that she will do whatever they ask her. I have seen people bring money, burning cigarettes, beer, whiskey, chocolate, plants, and flowers to Santa Muerte in hopes of her answers. I have seen these people bowing on their knees on the concrete in the middle of public places to worship their idol. Millions of people come into the Basilica in Mexico City and pay their money, confess their sins, and stare hopelessly at relics in hope that their sins will be pardoned. In America countless thousands are chained to baseball games, football games, material possessions, and whatever else their heart of idols can produce to worship.
My heart has broken in these last weeks because the God of heaven is not honored as he ought to be honored. People worship the things that are created rather than worshiping the Creator. God has been gracious to all mankind and yet mankind has hardened their hearts against a loving God. God brings the rain on the just and unjust. God brings the beautiful sunrises and sunsets upon the just and unjust. God gives good gifts unto all and above all things he has given his Son that those who would believe in him would be saved. However, man has taken the good things of God and perverted them unto idols and turned their attention away from God. I get a feel for Jesus as he overlooked Jerusalem or Paul as he beseeched for God to save Israel. When you accept the reality of the truth of the glory of God is breaks your heart that people would turn away from the great and awesome God of heaven to serve lesser things. Moses was outraged by the golden calf, the prophets passionately preached against idolatry, Jesus was angered that the temple was changed in an idolatrous business, and Paul preached to the idolaters of Mars Hill by telling them of the unknown God.
I arrived back at home wondering how I should respond to all the idolatry that I have beheld in these last three weeks. I wondered how our church here in the states should respond to all of the idolatry in the world. What are the options? First, I suppose we could sit around and hope that people chose to get their life together and stop being idolaters. However, I do not know how that could ever happen apart from them hearing the truth. Second, I suppose we could spend a lifetime studying cultural issues and customs in hope that we could somehow learn to relate to the people of other countries. However, the bible is quite clear that all men are the same. Men are dead in sin, shaped in iniquity, and by nature are the enemies of God. Thirdly, we could pay other people or other agencies to go and do a work for us while we remain comfortably in the states. However, there is no way to insure that there will be doctrinal accuracy or integrity. If we only pay other people to take the gospel we will miss out on all of the benefits of being obedient to the mission of God. Lastly, we could seek where God would have us to do a lasting work and then invest our lives there for the glory of God. The gospel has the power to raise the dead in any culture and we must be willing to take the gospel wherever God would have us take it. It is for sure that our church cannot go to every country and reach every people group, so we must determine where God would have us work and seek to be obedient wherever that is.
It seems that some doors are opening in the Spanish speaking countries below us and perhaps God is beginning to reveal where we are to work. There are some options for work to be partnered with in Peru and there could be a couple of options in Mexico. The need is greater than I can express upon this paper for a biblical gospel to be proclaimed in Peru and Mexico. Oh, that God would glorify his great name in Peru and Mexico by using a small little church in a town that does not exist to proclaim his great gospel amongst a people who desperately need the truth.
I give thanks to the LORD for allowing me the privilege of going to these countries and broadening my horizons. The things that I have seen will be forever engraved upon my heart. I will long remember the pastors that I spent time with in Peru and I will never forget Adolfo who translated for me in Mexico. I will relish the time that I spent with Paul Washer and the others. When I think of church I will forever remember being on top of that mountain in Sullana at that church which had no electricity and no roof. I am convinced that heaven was looking down on that little church on top of that mountain and very few people on earth even know that it exist. Oh, God I pray that the things of this world will continue to grow dim and that God’s people will be caught up in his glorious presence.
Because of the truth: Pastor: J. Randall Easter II Timothy 2:19 "Our God is in heaven and does whatever He pleases."(Ps. 115:3) "He predestined us according to the good pleasure of His will."(Eph. 1:5) Those who have been saved have been saved for His glory and they are being made holy for this is the will of God. Are you being made holy? Spurgeon says, "If your religion does not make you holy it will damn you to hell."
WOW.
Impressive report.
Thanks.
Thankfully, Holy Spirit is having HIS way in South America in the lives of millions formerly bound by such ideologies and idolatries.
Praise God.
Ping.
Praise God for a first person report.
As a bit of a side note, I had seen somewhere that christianity/Catholicism in the Caribbean and South America is very much infused with pagan practices such as voodoo.
That’s what happens when we stray from the Bible.
TRUE. TRUE. TRUE.
Christ’s response even to satan was repeatedly . . .
“IT IS WRITTEN . . .”
If Christ would not stray from The Scripture . . . especially in that situation . . .
what cheek He must consider it when we do for the silliest, most UNBiblical . . . as well as evil reasons.
Acts 18:9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:
10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.
11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Keep preaching it, and stay...
In Christ...Alone!
hahahah, good retort.
If Christians quit proselytizing the Catholics, we would be disobedient to the Lord Jesus.
Got it, although I prefer to start with verse 18 and continue through verse 20. Verse 18 declares the sovereignty of the Lord Jesus and verse 20 completes the revelation of this Great Commission.
And since the Lord alone knows the condition of a man’s heart, we assume too much at too high a price if we fail to declare the gospel of Jesus Christ to even those who belong to a church - any church. 1 John 2:18 - 19 reveals that evil people are in the church. Many evangelical churches spend untold dollars to attract worldlings to their weekly gatherings and all there assume everyone is born again - Joel Osteen’s church comes to mind, as do many others.
No church can be assumed to have only Christians in membership, because man cannot determine which human is a sheep and which is a goat. So we should declare the gospel to all men. He will save whosoever He has chosen.
“What are the options?”
“Quit proselytizing the Catholics.”
Related news to ‘Catholic priest killed in Kenya violence’:
Slain Filipino “martyr” praised by Pope, bishops, friends
01/21/2008 - 01:24 am
Armed attackers kill priest in Philippines school chapel
01/17/2008 - 01:12 am
Missionary priest killed in Sri Lanka
10/01/2007 - 10:22 am
Kenyan official concludes priest’s death was murder
08/27/2007 - 11:14 am
Suicide ruling reversed by Kenyan court in case of American priest
08/02/2007 - 09:56 am
Sentence of Guatemalan bishop’s killers ratified
04/26/2007 - 08:09 am
Investigation continues in case of Ghanaian Catholic Priest Killed In Kenya
04/10/2007 - 09:24 am
Archdiocese of El Salvador commemorates anniversary of death of Archbishop Romero
03/22/2007 - 09:42 am
Ghanan Priest killed by unknown assailants in Nairobi
03/14/2007 - 06:50 am
N.Y. church arsonist allegedly attacks priest with cane
03/07/2007 - 12:59 pm
Cardinal Ruini celebrates memorial Mass for murdered priest in Turkey
02/05/2007 - 03:23 pm
Fides news agency presents report on missionary deaths in 2006
01/08/2007 - 03:00 pm
Kidnapped Iraqi priest released
12/01/2006 - 12:00 am
Priest attacked in robbery attempt
11/23/2006 - 12:00 am
Iraqi priest’s beheading linked with Pope’s comments re Islam, says family
10/13/2006 - 12:00 am
Turkish court sentences Muslim teenager to 18 years for murder of Italian priest
10/11/2006 - 12:00 am
Bishop condemns killing of Salvadoran priest and demands investigation
09/29/2006 - 12:00 am
Gang members assassinate priest in El Salvador
09/27/2006 - 12:00 am
Death threats force priest to abandon parish in Colombia
09/14/2006 - 12:00 am
Colombian priest killed on the island of Curacao
08/28/2006 - 12:00 am
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/related.php?not_id=11593
It’s easier posturing for the Kingdom than actually sacrificing.
“The Americas saw the greatest bloodshed among Catholic missionaries in 2005. (The Vatican treats North and South America as a single continent.) There were 8 priests, 2 nuns, and 2 monks killed in Latin America. Colombia, where 4 priests and 1 nun died violently, was the single bloodiest country. But Church personnel also died in Mexico, Brazil, and Jamaica.
Africa also saw considerable violence against Catholic evangelists, with 1 bishop, 6 priests, and 1 lay evangelist dying, in Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo-Brazzaville, and Nigeria.
In Asia there were 3 priests killed in India, and 1 in Indonesia.
Nor was Europe spared: 1 priest was killed in Brussels, and 1 in Moscow. The Americas also furnished the greatest number of “martyrs for the faith” on the Fides list, with 10. Colombia and India each saw 5 natives killed.
The complete list includes:
Father Thomas Richard Heath, an American Dominican priest, killed by gunmen during a robbery in Kisumu, Kenya on January 13.
Father Thomas Harsidiyono, killed in another apparent robbery attempt in Java, Indonesia, on January 14.
Father Jan Hermanovsky, a Slovakian priest serving in Russia, killed by intruders at his parish in Brjansk on January 20.
Father Manuel Delgado, a Franciscan priest, whose badly beaten body was found outside Cuidad Juarez, Mexico, on February 6.
Sister Dorothy Stang, and American sister of Notre Dame and naturalized Brazilian citizen, was killed at Anapu, Brazil, on February 12. An outspoken defender of indigenous tribes, she had received several death threats before her assassination.
Father Mathew Uzhuthal, an Indian priest, died on May 1 as the result of multiple stabbing wounds he had received 19 days earlier when he was assailed by a young man with a long criminal record at his rectory in Patna, India.
Father Rene de Haes, a Belgian Jesuit priest who had served in Africa since 1959, was killed by gunfire as he drove north of Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 7.
Father Robert De Leener, a Belgian priest, was killed on June 5 by a homeless man whom he had invited into his rectory in Brussels.
Bishop Luigi Locati, an Italian native who was preparing to retire after 40 years in the missions, was killed on July 14 near the office where he worked as apostolic vicar of the Isiolo diocese. Msgr. Luis Enrique Rojas, died on July 21, three weeks after being fatally wounded by robbers at the cathedral rectory in Barranquila, Colombia. Msgr. Rojas had survived another assault in December 2004.
Father Paulo Henrique Machado, a Brazilian priest, was killed by unknown assailants near Rio de Janeiro on July 25. Although money and a wristwatch were taken from his body, police believe that the killing was prompted by his active denunciation of human-rights abuses and drug trafficking.
Father Godwin Okwesili, a Nigerian priest, was killed by intruders at his parish in Lago on August 2.
Father Vicente Rozo Bavona, a Colombian priest, was killed along with Father Jesus Emilio Mora on August 15, when rebel guerrillas ambushed the car in which they were driving to celebrate Mass.
Father Jesus Emilio Mora, a Colombian priest, died witih Father Bavona (above) on August 15.
Father Jesus Adrian Sanchez, also a Colombian priest, was killed on August 18 by a rebel guerrilla who burst into a classroom where he was teaching religious education, in the Chaparral region.
Father Francois Djikulo, was killed sometime in August by rebels in Mutendele, in the Democratic Republic, as he attempted a personal peace initiative. He died alongside his lay associate, Simon Kayimbi, apparently after brutal treatment.
Simon Kayimbi, a Congolese lay catechist, died with Father Dikulo (above) in August.
Father Mathew Nellickal, an Indian priest and vicar general of the Tezpur diocese, was found dead at his home on September 3.
Father Giuseppe Bessone, an Italian missionary priest, was killed by a young robber at his parish in Blumenau, Brazil, on September 2.
Father Angelo Redaelli, an Italian Franciscan priest serving in Africa, was killed by a mob in Owando, in Congo-Brazzaville, on September 12.
Father Ignazio Bara, an Indian priest, was killed on September 12 when he tried to intervene during an attack by Hindu fundamentalists on Christian villagers in Simdega, India.
Father Luis Velasquez Romero, a Mexican priest, was killed by gunmen in Tijuana on October 25. The killers are believed to have been involved in drug trafficking.
Sister Suresh Barwa, an Indian nun of the Miissionaries of the Poor, was killed alongside Brother Marco Candelario Lasbuna in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 27.
Marco Candelario Lasbuna, a native of the Philippines who was also a member of the Missionaries of Charity, died with Sister Barwa (above) on October 27. The two were killed by a single bullet, shot by an unknown attacker, as they worked in the kitchen of a community residence.
Sister Margarita Vásquez Sandino, a Colombian nun, was killed on November 11 in Medellin as she was traveling to visit a sick relative. The motive was believed to be robbery.
Father Philip Valayam, a Salesian priest from India, was killed by intruders in the rectory of the parish where he was serving in Nairobi, Kenya, when he returned home after celebrating midnight Mass for Christmas.
Grace isn’t cheap.
Rail at us, condemn us, call us names and all manner of blasphemy because persecution will always be the road of those who follow Christ in His church.
I said a joyful rosary today for those who dispise us in ignorance.
Add to that list the eight nuns in China who were arrested and beaten and held for weeks without treatment even though they suffered many broken bones.
Father Whang Zao who was arrested at Mass.
The Bishop forcibly arrested leaving his orphanage without him.
“And it always comes back to love, doesn’t it?”
Yes it does. I’m in awe of those who truly give all.
Indeed, Mr. Easter. Are we to infer that you had no trouble seeing past the log in your own eye?
Opus, you have done a most wonderful thing in these posts.
We Catholics are indebted to you—not only for posting these facts, but also demonstrating that these martyrs walked the talk. Again, thank you!
It’s one thing to make drive-by trips to these countries that are targeted and to come back comfortably to the US and write drive-by e-mails and call that evangelization. It’s another thing for these Catholic missionaries and parish priests to go to these countries and live among the people and accept, as their own lifestyle, the poverty and difficult circumstances of the people they serve—and do this as a life’s work.
Congratulations, sandyeggo, on your brother’s vocation.
Am humbled by your words.
A part of me would still prefer to run and “hide amongst the stuffs.”
LOL.
I’m certainly NOT a “one size fits all” sort of person. Sigh.
To God be all effort and Glory. All else is chaff.
Praise God for the sacrifices of all who truly SEEK HIM AND PUT HIM FIRST, FOREMOST, ALWAYS.
Ping
Now, what such a list has to do with the move of Holy Spirit in Latin America is rather beyond me . . .
unless it’s a kind of thread hijacking.
Sister Margarita Vásquez Sandino, a Colombian nun, was killed on November 11 in Medellin as she was traveling to visit a sick relative. The motive was believed to be robbery.
= = =
This relates to the topic of the thread precisely how?
running into cartoon characters.
= = =
I realize that it’s much easier for all of us to cast issues between RC’s and Protty’s in stark, sterile, unidimensional black/white terms.
Doesn’t match reality much but it does make for more glib word tossings.
I suspect the folks the author encountered would rather bristle at being called cartoon characters.
To me . . .
for someone to
ASSUME, PRETEND, ASCRIBE, DESCRIBE, LABEL
my attitude as despising them
WHEN I DEFINITELY DO NOT
is a kind of ignorance . . . or worse.
Perhaps it is also a kind of projection but only God knows on that score.
Plenty true.
Though Love has many flavors and clothes.
Being that I don’t have a dog in this fight, I nevertheless have more respect for those who proselytize in China and the middle east than to get the easy pickings among the Indians in Peru. Remember that the Indians (throughout the Americas) are notorious for mixing religions and/or changing their denomination depending on the latest missionary to show up.
Actually, I think they would be a bit more offended at being called idolaters by a ignorant telepathist.
“To me . . .
for someone to
ASSUME, PRETEND, ASCRIBE, DESCRIBE, LABEL
my attitude as despising them
WHEN I DEFINITELY DO NOT
is a kind of ignorance . . . or worse.
Perhaps it is also a kind of projection but only God knows on that score.”
_______________________________________
You talk about projection?
I didn’t name you, did I.
Interesting . . .
This was certainly likely to be a contentious topic.
So, I came aboard determined to redouble my efforts to be winsome, light hearted, overtly charitable and the like in as much as God enabled and it lies within me to be so with a clear conscience.
I’m still eager and determined to do so.
However, I observe RC reps posting in a manner which is coming across as:
—fiercely angry,
—with a very large chip on shoulders,
—LTTM—lofty to the max as though from the only one true truely truestly truely true position of pontificating truth
—throwing out all manner of seemingly wounded, affronted, harsh diatribe sorts of stuff . . . most of it having absolutely NOTHING to do with the topic of this thread.
While perhaps in a stretch and keeping in mind the humanness of us all . . . this is somewhat understandable. But not overly lauditory.
I could go on and on but I’ll return, instead, to my goals for myself hereon.
I looked back over the posts and referenced posts and didn’t see any posts that mentioned anything about YOUR attitude specifically or in particular..
I didn’t see any
ASSUMING
PRETENDING
ASCRIBING
DESCRIBING
or LABELING anything that anything to do with you personally.
So be at peace.
An interesting question.
I suspect that a good percentage of them would easily own outright the idlolatry. I think such groups are more prone to being candid about such things than say a similar collection of folks in New York City or Seattle.
Quite so. Quite admirable.
I also don’t recall my claiming to be a totally brainless idiot.
Haven’t left a state of peace since my morning prayers.
But thanks for the kind exhortation. I’ll keep it in mind today.
I’m glad to hear that, because this thread didn’t start out referring to you and probably won’t end that way, either.
Uhhhhh . . .
How much did the RC edifice responses start out RESPONDING to the topic of the thread in a directly related way?
We have an opportunity on a new thread to act more like grown-ups. I hope that’s workably possible.
I think Mr. Easter might find the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector to be a relevant and timely read.
ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS . . . in South America . . .
too.
In any case, am off to the college class . . . pottery . . .
maybe even some pockets of sanity here and there.
“Remember that the Indians (throughout the Americas) are notorious for mixing religions and/or changing their denomination depending on the latest missionary to show up.”
You are right about this. I read of a Lutheran missionary to Korea in the late 19th century. She wrote about the horror of learning how they had learned that Korean shamans taught of an unknown god who was higher than any other. They taught these pagans that God was this god and watched as the Koreans twisted Christianity together with Shamanism and ended up with demonic half-truths.
It’s a danger in every culture - it’s simply easier to see when it’s in methods and behaviors different from our own culture.
It doesn’t take anything more than physical eyes to see people prostrating themselves in front of pagan idols, such as Randall described, and know that this practice is demonic.
A chip on Randall’s shoulder? Did you read of his broken hearted examination of his own church once he returned home? He is broken over idolatry in every life he comes across - including his own.
Regarding Catholic iconography - is this not a violation of the command to NOT make graven images for people to worship?
"Demonic." That's a very large word, which you toss around quite a bit.
You assume much, and in your choice of words you make Christianity look ugly and hateful. I know a good many Catholic Christians -- and as a group they seem to be a lot more in touch with Christ's command to "love one another" than the folks who oppose Catholics for their "idolatry".
Let me suggest that you do much more damage than good when you deal out this medieval claptrap.
Yet you answer none of the questions or issues. Classic style of dodge-ball. The Word of God is True - nothing else, including RCC and Southern Baptist traditions alike.
AMEN!
Same old, same old. Men love the calluses on their knees more than the wounds through Christ's hands.
Soooo, just where do you think you got “the bible” dear? That would be “from the Catholic Church”. Leave Mexico and Peru alone. They have problems, but heresy is not the answer, finish corrupting Amerika first.
It’s a lie from hell that the RCC “gave” anyone the Bible. That tale is as much a fabrication of man as is the lie that the Apostle Peter was a pope or that Mary was without sin.
The RCC tried to keep the Bible away from people for centuries, contending that only “God’s anointed” could properly understand it. The RCC killed people rather than let them read the Bible for themselves.
Try another lie.
No. You lead them FROM Christ. Christ founded the Catholic Church as his visible institution on Earth. He gave the keys to Peter and his successors.
Stop fighting against true Christians and repent. The Catholic Church will welcome you home to Christ. Right now you are covered in pride for doing Satan’s work.
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