Does God love everyone?

John MacArthur argues that YES, God's love is universal.

IN WHAT SENSE IS GOD'S LOVE UNIVERSAL?

What aspects of God's love and goodwill are seen even in His dealings with the reprobate? God manifests His love universally to all people in at least four ways:

Common grace. Common grace is a term theologians use to describe the goodness of God to all mankind universally. Common grace restrains sin and the effects of sin on the human race. Common grace is what keeps humanity from descending into the morass of evil that would exist if the full expression of man's fallen nature had free reign.

Compassion. God's love to all humanity is a love of compassion. To say it another way, it is a love of pity.

Admonition. God's universal love is revealed not only in common grace and His great compassion, but also in His admonitions to all sinners. God is constantly warning the reprobate of their impending fate, and pleading with them to repent. Nothing demonstrates God's love more than the various warnings throughout the pages of Scripture, urging sinners to flee from the wrath to come.

The gospel offer. The final proof that God's love extends to all lies in the gospel offer. The gospel invitation is an offer of divine mercy. The breadth of that offer is unlimited. It excludes no one from the gospel invitation. It offers salvation in Christ freely and indiscriminately to all.

http://www.tms.edu/tmsj/tmsj7a.pdf

Together for Life & Eternity,
Patte Smith
Sanctuary Ministries

Are you a 'Bonsai Christian' or worse?

bon·sai: (tray-plant) dwarfed by pruning roots and pinching, stifling growth, trained to grow in a shallow pot or container to produce desired shape or effect, stunted, miniature

Why are so many in the church stunted in their spiritual growth? Could the process of American churchianity be a contributing factor? Have the conventions of the modern church pruned the roots of faith and pinched the organic energy that should result from saving life in the soul? Is the construct of most religious institutions training people to grow in a shallow pot? Is this being done to produce a desired effect? Do professional pastors and lay leaders want to contain their parishioners to make them into a particular desired shape in order to fit into the agenda of the philosophy of 'success' of the programs of their church?

While I do not doubt that many godly men are shepherding their flock with tender loving care, I believe that the state of the American church deserves prayerful scrutiny.

As a missionary of 18 years I have noticed a disturbing and growing trend. A goodly portion of the people in churches appear to be living spiritually mediocre lives, at best. They are bonsai Christians. Satisfied with traditions of the church (activities), they seem content with very little. They seem pleased with watered down milk. And, tragically, many more professing Christians we meet at the abortuaries and at college campues are openly debauched and hedonistic. I find it extremely disturbing that over 55% of the sexually immoral women who murder their babies by abortion identify themselves as 'Protestant' (and 18% are Catholic) while women with no religious affiliation obtain 23.7% of all abortions. Notorious abortionist Randall Whitney (who has been murdering children since before  was recently arrested for slapping an aborting mom across the face) confidently told me: "Patte, we are both Christians. The only difference between you and me is that you are a pre-modern Christian and I am a post-modern Christian." People like Randy Whitney must be lapping up the proverbial kool-aid of the new 'cult' of Christendumb. Surely they are suckling what amounts to non-dairy creamer from their pulpiteers and only consider themselves 'saved' because of what they have been told makes for a 'Christian' & their church affliliation confirms the lie.  Rather than finding their pleasures in God, these false converts are finding them in their religious tradition and in earthly, sensual devilish pleasures for which they are not experiencing power to overcome nor enough guilt to put them away simply because they are shameful. Truly, "There is no fear of God in their eyes." (Romans 3:18)

Have you noticed this problem too? It's nothing new. It's as old as mankind, but it runs in cycles. We are at a very low ebb here in the visible American church. Bonsai Christians abound. And, quasi and pseudo 'christians' are epidemic.

qua·si: –adjective (as if, as though)  resembling; seeming, having some, but not all of the features of

pseu·do: –adjective
1.not actually but having the appearance of; pretended; false or spurious; sham.
2. almost, approaching, or trying to be.

Related words: fake, faker, fraud, imposter, impostor

George Whitefield, a preacher of righteousness of America's Great Awakening of the 1700's, wrote the following about the 'almost Christian':

"An almost Christian is one of the most hurtful creatures in the world; he is a wolf in sheep's clothing: he is one of those false prophets, our blessed Lord bids us beware of in his sermon on the mount, who would persuade men, that the way to heaven is broader than it really is; and thereby, as it was observed before, "enter not into the kingdom of God themselves, and those that are entering in they hinder." These, these are the men that turn the world into a luke-warm Laodicean spirit; that hang out false lights, and so shipwreck unthinking benighted souls in their voyage to the haven of eternity. These are they who are greater enemies to the cross of Christ, than infidels themselves: for of an unbeliever every one will be aware; but an almost Christian, through his subtle hypocrisy, draws away many after him; and therefore must expect to receive the greater damnation."

I believe that the only remedy for the striking decline in holiness and spiritual authority and power in the church today is bold, expositional, reformational public preaching in the pulpit and in the public square. And I am not alone in my assessment. Are you a bonsai Christian? Won't you seek the Lord to free you from the shackles of worldly American Christianity? If you are in a shallow pot church, break free! Come out from among them and be ye separate! Find a solid, gospel preaching, evangelizing church and a spiritual pastor. And, won't you join us in fasting and praying for and laboring towards another Great Awakening?


Suggested Reading:
The Almost Christian
By George Whitefield (1714-1770)
http://www.biblebb.com/files/whitefield/gw043.htm

The Almost Christian Discovered; Or, The False Professor Tried
By Matthew Mead, 1661
http://www.gracegems.org/28/matthew_mead.htm

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
By Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) 

http://www.biblebb.com/files/edwards/je-sinners.htm

Together for Life & Eternity,
Patte Smith
Sanctuary Ministries

When Trouble Comes... Run to Jesus

A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to Him, crying out,
"Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession!"
Matthew 15:22

We see here, that affliction sometimes proves a blessing to a person's soul.

This Caananite mother no doubt had been severely tried. She had seen her darling child vexed with a devil, and been unable to relieve her. But yet that trouble brought her to Christ, and taught her to pray. Without it she might have lived and died in careless ignorance, and never seen Jesus at all. Surely it was good for her that she was afflicted. (Psalm 119:71)

Let us mark this well. There is nothing which shows our ignorance so much as our impatience under trouble. We forget that every trial is a message from God—and intended to do us good in the end. Trials are intended to make us think, to wean us from the world, to send us to the Bible, to drive us to our knees.

Health is a good thing. But sickness is far better, if it leads us to God.

Prosperity is a great mercy. But adversity is a greater one, if it brings us to Christ.

Anything, anything is better than living in carelessness, and dying in sin. Better a thousand times be afflicted, like the Canaanite mother, and like her, flee to Christ; than live at ease, like the rich "fool," and die at last without Christ and without hope.

~ by  J. C. Ryle, "The Gospel of Matthew" ~ 1856

What do I say when people ask "What is your purpose in holding that graphic sign?"

Recently we have been taking the CHOICE sign out when we go out to preach. Sometimes I am approached by someone who wants to know what I think is going to be accomplished by holding the sign of a dismembered child. Here is my answer:

My desire us that seeing this poor little baby would elicit or provoke the response of mercy in your soul. Jesus said: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."

Did you know that Psalm 127:3 declares: "Children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is His reward"? This little baby, whom I have named 'Annie', was a gift to her mother & father.

The Bible tells us that we are created in the image & likeness of God. The value of every human being, including those people who are in the womb, comes from the Lord Himself. Annie had extrinsic value, just like you & me.

Did you know that God said: "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you"? (Jeremiah 1:5) The Lord designed you, He created you. The same is true of every child in the womb. No one is a 'mistake'. No baby in the womb is a 'accident'. The timing of Annie's conception, & the timing of every little pre-born infant, is perfect.

The sixth commandment of God is: "You shall not murder". As you can see, abortion is a murderous act of violence against a helpless, innocent person. In His love for children, & for justice, God commands that we not only have nothing to do with the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather that we expose evil. This true photo of Annie exposes the wicked reality of child-murder.

Jesus commanded us to love our neighbor as we love ourself & to esteem others more highly than yourself. Won't you have mercy on the children & love & esteem them as you love & esteem yourself & those who are precious to you? In Proverbs 24:11 the Holy Spirit admonishes us to "Deliver those who are drawn toward death, & hold back those stumbling to the slaughter." The Savior taught us that it is religious hypocrisy to walk by on the other side of the road when you are aware someone nearby is dying. Won't you rescue the perishing in the Name of Christ?

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

I am often able to educate people about adoption & transition right to the Law of God & the gospel of grace.

I have utmost confidence in the power of the Law of God & the Word of God to convince & convict both sinner & saint. It is our ablest auxiliary in the pursuit of love & protection of the little ones. There is no need to be defensive or fearful. Speak plainly: "It is written". The truth speaks loud & clear, through both the photograph of what abortion (is & what abortion does) to a dear child & through the scriptures, which reveal the sanctity of human life & the sin of murder & apathy.

It is my sincere hope that many of you would prayerfully consider obtaining a graphic sign & carry it out with you when men preach in the street, at campuses, parks, beaches, festivals, sports events, etc. If you have no one who will preach, simply grab some tracts & stand with the sign & watch God bring opportunities for you to share the gospel of life & eternity!

For abortion signs go to: http://www.abortionno.org/Store/signs.html

Together for Life & Eternity,
Patte Smith
Sanctuary Ministries

How does God bring a Christian to maturity?

“I Asked the Lord That I Might Grow”

I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek, more earnestly, His face.

’Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer!
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.

I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He’d answer my request;
And by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry pow’rs of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

Yea more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

Lord, why is this, I trembling cried,
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?“
’Tis in this way, the Lord replied,
I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ,
From self, and pride, to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”

~ John Newton

If you are not READY or WILLING to be a loving mother or father of a dear baby, you are not READY for sex

baby at six weeks gestation
"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." ~ God

 If you are not READY or WILLING to be a loving mother or father of a dear baby, you are not READY for sex.

The FACTS of LIFE:

FACT ONE: Where Life Begins: As a Gift from God

1 + 1 = 2

Sex = Conception

Conception = Baby

No sex = No baby

Life comes from God. Every human being is personally created by God, Who places His own likeness & image upon each individual at conception. But God only gives us the gift of conception of a child when the sperm of a man penetrates the egg of a woman. With the exception of special medical methods of fertilizing eggs, this blessing of conception normally happens through sexual intercourse.


To see what a little one in the womb looks like, watch this Stunning Video of Prenatal Development:
http://cbrinfo.org/index.php/blog/ehd_documentary_facts_speak_for_themselves/

FACT TWO: Not everyone loves and values God's gift of children

When sexually immoral teens & adults do not believe they are READY and they are UNWILLING to live in a sacrificial way to love & care for a baby, they will often MURDER their little one(s) by abortion. Jesus has made it abundantly clear that we MUST love our neighbors as we love ourselves. (And, let's be honest, you & I love ourselves A WHOLE LOT.) This mandate to love means that we must do our best to PREVENT ANY HARM from coming to our neighbors, born & pre-born. This means we must LOVE people young & old, them enough to tell them the TRUTH.

FACT THREE: Sexual Intimacy is forbidden (SIN) outside of the marriage relationship

God has made it perfectly clear in His Word that sexual intimacy is reserved for a man & a woman who have covenanted to love one another for a lifetime in marriage. Sex outside marriage is called 'fornication' & the Bible declares that no fornicator (the biblical word for any sexually immoral teen or adult) has any inheritance in the kingdom of heaven. Selfishly, teens & adults sin willfully against God & their sexual partner by engaging in fornication, knowing full well that they can conceive a child. Many sexually immoral people have a back-up plan to murder any baby that is conceived from their fornication. This is how the sinful human heart works. Evil thoughts proceed directly from the heart of the person who commits sin of sexual immorality and murder (& all the other ways in which they violate God's Law (His holy commandments).

FACT FOUR: Some sexually immoral teens & adults will MURDER their babies by abortion. But, some MARRIED couples will also MURDER their babies by abortion.

Children are a blessed gift from God. However, even MARRIED couples sometimes eschew having children. If a couple who is married does not desire to lovingly and sacrificially raise a child, the only legitimate way for them to avoid becoming pregnant would be to avoid intercourse. No method of birth control except abstinence is 100% effective.

With this in mind, until a couple is willing to welcome, love and raise a child, they should not marry. And, if they are already married and will murder any infant God allows them to conceive, the should abstain from sexual intercourse.


To see what abortion is and what abortion DOES to a human child go here: www.abortionNO.org

Summation: If you are not READY or WILLING to be a loving mother or father of a dear baby, you should abstain from sex.

If you are sexually immoral (having sex outside of the covenant of marriage) God commands you to REPENT. You are ordered by God to confess & forsake your sin & cast yourself upon the mercy of Jesus Christ. His precious Blood can wash away your sin & make you a new creation. Otherwise, you are doomed.


For a biblical definition of what it means to savingly repent, go to: http://www.cornerstoneorlando.org/docs/tract_TrueRepentance-English.pdf

ADOPTION MAKES ABORTION INDEFENSIBLE!

No teen or adult, single or married, ever has a legitimate reason to murder their baby by abortion.

HEAR THIS: "There is no such thing as an unloved, unwanted CHILD, only unwanting ADULTS."

Whether single or married, no one has the right to premeditatedly and violently murder a little baby. Children in the womb are longed for, hoped for, prayed for by couples on the adoption waiting list. Adoption is FREE for the biological mother. Give the following adoption information to every unrepentant sexually immoral person you know. Also, give it to every married couple who does not want to love and raise a child.

www.birthmother.com
www.parentprofiles.com

You must not have SEX until you are married and are willing to welcome and love any child God gives to you.
If you are unmarried and having sex: REPENT or perish! 

Together for Life & Eternity,
Patte Smith
Sanctuary Ministries

Holy Biblical Counseling Script to an Abortion-bound woman

Friends,
Today I received a copy of a precious counseling e mail written by one of our Sanctuary counselors to an abortion-minded mother. I tweaked it a bit so that you would all see and 'hear' how you too can speak biblically, lovingly, compassionately, truthfully to a woman who is considering killing her baby by abortion.

God bless you as you commit your life to give glory to Christ and to love and do good to your neighbors.

Patte Smith
Sanctuary Ministries



i want to speak with you today regarding the precious gift God is knitting together in your womb. Listen to the words of the psalmist as he cries out to God in prayer saying: "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;  Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You,  when I was made in secret..Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days were fashioned for me,  when as yet there were none of them." (Ps 139:13-16) Even though you may not think the timing of your pregnancy is right, God is the One who has opened your womb. He has created your baby in His image and likeness. Did you know that God knows us even BEFORE He forms us in the womb? It's true! In  Jeremiah 1:5 the Lord speaks these words: "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you". Isn't that amazing? This means that before your father's sperm penetrated your mother's egg, God knew you. And He knew your infant as well. God has said that our children are a gift, a reward, a blessing and an inheritance from Him. I know that it might not 'feel' like it, but feelings can be deceiving. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that it is always a blessing to be pregnant.

I understand you are experiencing fears in your pregnancy and are even having some morning sickness.  I myself have had two precious daughters and understand what feeling sick is like, but that is not an excuse to take the life of your little one. America has made it legal to murder infants in the womb but God has never made it legal. In fact, He has a Law that overrides all other Laws. It's called the Ten Commandments. One of them is "You shall not murder". Abortion is a violent act against your innocent baby and an awful offense to God.  It is a sin.  Realize that suppressing the truth in unrighteousness is what you are doing right now.  Your conscience tells you this is wrong.  You may desire to have support to take the life of your child, but, it would be wrong of me or anyone else to help you do something that is so very, very wrong.  You may be hoping that we would make you feel comforted with the decision you are making. We cannot do that. We are Christians. We know that your baby is a human being. He or she is a person. You know that causing harm to your baby cruel. It is wrong.  You may want to pacify your conscience, but I wouldn't be helping you if I did that. Because I love God and I love you and your baby. I must be honest with you and speak the truth in love.

There is hope for you and for your infant. You can choose not to sin against God and this sweet baby boy or girl.  You can choose to do what is right.  Jesus said to "repent and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:15)  That is our hope.  We must forsake our sins and turn to Him in saving faith.  We must all turn from our lying, covetousness and from sexual sin. Did you know that God calls sex outside marriage 'fornication'? It is a serious sin. The Bible says that no fornicator has any inheritance in the kingdom of heaven. (I Cor 6:9, Eph 5:5) Did you know that God says in Revelation 21:8 that all murderers will be cast into hell at the judgment? I am under the same government of God as you are. I am a sinner, saved by grace. In His great mercy and love God showed me my own state. He used someone to speak to me as I am speaking to you. They helped me to see I was an enemy of God through my wicked works.  In many ways, I was like you. I didn't care what God said.  I wanted to rule my life and not have anyone else to rule over me.  I had to come to the truth about myself and you must as well. You must realize that unless you repent you will perish. (Luke 13:3) Repent is a biblical word. Let me explain what it means. To repent means to confess and forsake your sins, crying out to the Savior to forgive you and make you new.  Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice.  He lived a sinless life which we could never live.  He died on the Cross and rose again on the 3rd day as a payment for our sins. If you repent and put your trust in this great gospel message, He will be faithful to forgive you and to cleanse you from all iniquity. I plead with you not to murder your baby and to put away all thoughts of harming your little one. And I also plead with you, in Christ's Name, to stop living in direct disobedience to God.  He is loving and He is merciful.  He will forgive you if you repent and turn to Him.  Don't harden your heart. Today is the day of salvation.  Turn to people who truly care about you and your baby.  There is true, loving support for doing the right thing and blessings evermore if you run to Jesus Christ for His saving mercies.  There is only sorrow and great punishment for doing what is wrong and sinful. I am here for you and I know of many other godly women who would be there as well.

If you do not desire to raise this child whom God has given you, you may personally choose a loving adoptive family. Come and let's look at profiles of couples on the adoption waiting list together. www.parentprofiles.com Did you know that adoption is FREE for you, the biological mother? Not only that, but if you qualify you may receive financial assistance with your living expenses and your medical expenses during your pregnancy and for 6 weeks after your baby is born. Isn't that wonderful? It truly makes abortion indefensible, doesn't it? Let's look at www.birthmother.com together.

I have been sent by the Lord to help you. To love you. And, to love your baby.  With hope in God, I beseech you, look unto Christ & live.

Together for Life & Eternity,
Patte Smith
Sanctuary Ministries