DEITY OF CHRIST

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP

DEITY OF CHRIST

Below is a list of scriptures declaring the deity of Christ. There is a group in our area that is passing out flyers blatantly stating Jesus is not God. They are leaving them on the doors of houses and we even had one left on our church office door. Well, God can use it for good because it just makes us get into the Word of God and review what we believe as Christians. Let's arm ourselves with the truth and be ready to use that sword of the Lord when we need to!
Here is a list of scriptures that declare Jesus is God!:

(Matthew 1:23) “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

(John 1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

(John 8:58) Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (compare Exo 3:14)

(John 20:28) And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

(Philippians 2:6) who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,

(Colossians 2:9) For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

(Titus 2:13) looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

(Revelation 1:8) “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Why is the deity of Christ so important? Because if Jesus is not God He wouldn't be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. We would be lost forever! The Jews had to present a lamb that was without blemish. (Exo 12:5) This foreshadowed Jesus the Lamb of God! (John 1:29) The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! The cults want to make Jesus a man because they don't believe in salvation by the work of Christ on the cross alone. (Eph 2:8-9) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. They say faith is not enough. You have to work for your salvation. That's why they vehemently attack the doctrine of the Trinity and the deity of Christ. Hold your ground and confidently declare the truth that Jesus is God!

And remember...when you share...keep this in mind: (2 Tim 2:24-26) And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Louie

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LIARS WONT' GO TO HEAVEN

Last night at Bible study the theme was lying or telling the truth. I said a very important couple of verses will be shared from Revelation so get ready. Then as I went on I skipped over them in my notes! A few came up after and asked for them. For the rest I want to post them so you can have them:

· Revelation 21:27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

· Revelation 22:14-15 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

*Comment: Isnt' that something that loving or practicing a lie will keep a person out of heaven? Notice how lying is in the same list as other grievious sins.

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Proverbs 6:16-17 These six things the Lord hates,Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue...

"Lord help me to always be truthful because you are the Truth!"

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MEN'S RETREAT 2009

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(2 Tim 2: 1) YOU THEREFORE, MY SON, BE STRONG IN THE GRACE THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS.

We had a great Men's Reteat at Julian Oaks in Julian, CA (near San Diego). We studied the book of 2 Timothy. So much in there for men!

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Friday night worship.

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Hanging out and getting to know each other in the Lord.

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Mike Harrison teaches 2 Timothy 1.

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Here's Jeremy teaching 2 Timothy 2.
Jeremy and Sarah Britton serve at Julian Oaks. It's a camp ministry to the children in the San Diego foster care system. The Brittons used to serve the Youth at Calvary Chapel Norco and then stepped out in faith this past year. They are one of our missionaries we support through our church outreach. Thanks Jeremy for inviting us up. It was great to be together and for us men to see what God is doing through this ministry. We'll be praying for you!

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Gangstas for the Lord. Watch out devil! We have some men on fire for the Lord! Satan's going to lose some territory!!

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Youth on "fire" for the Lord!

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Plenty of worship times. The Lord is worthy to be praised!

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Men at work!

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Dennis Cline teaches 2 Timothy 3.

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Jose Mendoza taught 2 Timothy 4 on Sunday morning so I didn't get a chance to get a pic of him. But you can hear him and others on audio MP3 CD's that were made and that will be available this Sunday on the back table.

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Here's a video of the praise we enjoyed at the Men's Retreat.

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ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP
PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION
(October 3, 1863)

It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord.

We know that by His divine law, nations, like individuals, are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world. May we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war which now desolates the land may be a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole people?

We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown.

But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.

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(1 Thess 5:18) in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Our family will have 2 empty seats around the table this year as Cheryl's mom and my dad both went home to be with Jesus this year. But we're going to be thankful for their lives and that we get to see them again in heaven. How about you? Has it been a year of loss or difficulty for you? Then let's rejoice together that God is good...that He is in control...and He knows what He is doing. It might not make sense but like Romans 8:28 says..."All things work together for good..." Let's count our blessings and look forward to many blessings ahead from the Lord!

Happy Thanksgiving in Jesus!

Louie

TEXTING WHILE DRIVING

PERFECT PEACE

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP

PERFECT PEACE

(Isa 26:3) You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

Peace has been the cry of mankind throughout the ages. As a teenager I wore the peace symbol and held my two fingers up high for peace. I listened to John Lennon sing “Give Peace A Chance.” There were the demonstrations. There were the ongoing social struggles and scuffles. There was the search for peace through drugs and the subculture. Surely we live in a different day but there is still the desperate cry in our hearts for peace. And not only for our nation but also for our families and for our own hearts and lives. Is it possible to have perfect peace?

Isaiah prophesied that One would come into our world as the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6). The work of Jesus on the cross provided the reconciliation needed for man to be rightly related to God. As a result there would be peace with God! (Rom 5:1) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. No more would man have to be at war with his Maker. (Col 1:20 22) and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. {21} And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled {22} in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.

Now when a person has peace with God it provides the basis to be at peace with one another. (Eph 2:14-16) For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, {15} having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, {16} and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. How can we expect people to get along if the peace of God is not in their hearts? The cry for world peace is satisfied at the foot of the cross when people come together under the Prince of peace.

Now what about in the personal arena? Is it possible to have perfect peace in one's heart? They say peace is the absence of war but what about when the world is raging all around you? (Gal 5:22) But the fruit of the Spirit is...peace... Having peace is a result of the Holy Spirit within us...not only resident...but president! (Phil 4:6-7) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; {7} and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Don’t mull it over...turn it over! Turn your cares into prayers (1 Pet 5:7).

But can we maintain that personal peace? (Col 3:15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts... In fact the Bible calls it "perfect peace." The Hebrew words are "shalom shalom." It means "peace peace" and represents ongoing peace. There might be chaos around me but I am promised perfect peace. But that peace seems to come and go according to my anxieties and troubles. How can I lock that peace in? Like Isaiah said I must keep my mind on the Lord and trust in Him for everything! Then I must think those positive thoughts that will keep me in that ring of peace. (Phil 4:8) Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. May the perfect peace of Christ be yours today!

Louie

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TESTIMONY FROM MY DAD'S LIFE

Here's a testimony from Jon Newland who my dad led to the Lord:

I had the amazing experience to encounter Bill & Mavis at LAX in 1982. I was standing on the curb, May 23, waiting for the bus to get my car in parking lot C. After a brief conversation about why we were there Bill asked me if I was a Christian. My surprising response was "I'm not sure what that means." Not surprising, Bill was willing to explain it to me. After sharing the Gospel, he asked me if I wanted to pray to receive Christ. I said yes and he led me to pray; in the midst of busses and cars driving by, planes landing, jack-hammering (LAX was being remodeled for the LA Olympics in 1984). Looking back, it seemed like I was on a deserted island, total peace. I prayed, they gave me a Bible, wrote some verses (including Romans 8:9-10) along with their name, I got on the bus and didn't give it a lot of thought.

I was changing jobs, moving from San Luis Obispo to San Diego and didn't really understand the significance, but God in His faithfulness gave me a desire to find a church in San Diego. We knew no one there and it seemed like a good way to get to know people. We had attended church in San Luis Obispo when our 2 daughters were young, but I don't believe I had ever heard the Gospel. A lady where my wife worked in San Diego invited us to her Church, New Hope. It wasn't until 20 years later that we discovered the Pastor who started New Hope, Joe Rhodes, was in Bill's Sunday School class when he was in grade school. We had just completed a 30+ week series on God's passion for His glory and I could see His sovereignty at work in my life. I was able to reconnect with Bill and Mavis after all the years and thank them for their faithfulness and availablitiy to serve Jesus Christ. I am grateful to the Lord for sending His faithful servant to ask me the question. I value their friendship and am honored to share eternal life with those who have gone before. I am looking forward to once again embracing my Brother and fellow heir one day soon. In the meantime, Bill, you will be greatly missed.

(Other tributes to my dad are found on by clicking here)

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