Testimony of a Former Jehovah's Witness
Jason Wright is pastor of Bourne Evangelical Church. In this testimony, Jason shares how he was marvelously saved out of the Watch Tower Society aka Jehovah's Witnesses. For ten years, Jason and his family were dedicated and committed members of Jehovah's organisation and gave everything to faithfully serve what they believed to be the true religion on earth. With the promise of Armageddon imminent, there was no time to waste. However, as time proceeded, Jason and his wife Jenny, became disillusioned and sought answers. As Jason searched the Scriptures, it pleased the Father to reveal His Son and after a long struggle, Jason and his wife came to find the true Jesus and left the Jehovah's Witnesses losing everything.
May God see fit to bless many as Jason and Jenny share their story.
Testimony of a Former Jehovah's Witness
Jason Wright is pastor of Bourne Evangelical Church. In this testimony, Jason shares how he was marvelously saved out of the Watch Tower Society aka Jehovah's Witnesses. For ten years, Jason and his family were dedicated and committed members of Jehovah's organisation and gave everything to faithfully serve what they believed to be the true religion on earth. With the promise of Armageddon imminent, there was no time to waste. However, as time proceeded, Jason and his wife Jenny, became disillusioned and sought answers. As Jason searched the Scriptures, it pleased the Father to reveal His Son and after a long struggle, Jason and his wife came to find the true Jesus and left the Jehovah's Witnesses losing everything.
May God see fit to bless many as Jason and Jenny share their story.
Part 21 – What Is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
There is perhaps no other subject matter that has made for greater debate amongst Evangelicals and about which more varied opinions have been held, than the topic at hand in this 21st teaching part. For some, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues; for others, it is a second work of sanctification whereby one now receives the power to ‘live’ a holy life. Some would argue that this supernatural phenomenon ceased in the first century and therefore, although this experience is recorded in the book of Acts, it is no longer one that can be experienced today. One group argues that the baptism of Holy Spirit is not an experience subsequent to salvation but is rather synonymous with receiving the Holy Spirit at conversion. Another group argues that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is an experience that is distinguishable and distinct from salvation, coming after the initial experience of being born-again. What are we to make of all these contravening statements? Where is one to go to try to clear things up and to shed light on this important topic? Thank God that as Christians, we do not have to resort to speculation, we have the Word of God upon which any experience might firmly be placed. However, being able to look at the Bible objectively can be very difficult, not least if one belongs to a denomination that has a party line that must not be crossed.
In this teaching, we shall seek as best as possible to lay aside preconceived ideas and in so doing, come to the Bible afresh in order to obtain answers to the question at hand, ‘What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?’
Download teaching notes (pdf)
http://traffic.libsyn.com/bethesdashalom/21_What_Is_the_Baptism_of_the_Holy_Spirit.pdf
Ephesians 3:20-21
The Church of Jesus Christ in every age and in every generation is called to be salt and light to a perishing world! When it ceases in its function to be either one, by default it has disqualified itself from heralding a gospel that has failed in the first instance to transform the lives of those who profess it!! When the people of God give the green light to what God calls filthy and wicked, then there’s only one place for such to be thrown; out onto the walkways to be trodden under foot of men!!
What temperature are you displaying amidst the current tide of immorality that has swept into our nation? Has your lamp has gone out? Have you ceased to register to a fallen world a standard which decries its moral depravity? God is wanting to raise a standard but, it is going to cost you everything to stand in these last days!! A half-heartedness, one foot in, and one-foot out approach will never do!! God is bringing His people to a simple decision; it’s all or nothing!!!
John 4:39-42
Within the Evangelical Church, I tend to find one of two extremes often at play; on one extreme there are those who abandon theology in pursuit of experience and at the other extreme, those who abandon experience in the pursuit of theology. Both extremes, I believe to be in error! To have an experience of God, without the solid theological ground upon which to rest it, is highly subjective and for that cause potentially very dangerous. We are exhorted, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 Jn. 4:1). Yet, on the other hand, to have a theological foundation that does not allow for God to be really experienced is to grieve the Holy Spirit and to deny Him His rightful place in our midst; “Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings” (1 Thess. 5:19-20).
This sermon is a challenge and an exhortation, calling God’s people to a true and authentic Biblical experience. The simple fact of the matter is, our God is a God of personal experience!! I understand full-well that such a phrase throws up so much baggage in light of the abuses at the extreme ends of the Charismatic/Pentecostal movements, but that doesn’t negate the truth of Scripture!! Emotionally driven, hyper-experienced based Christianity must be avoided at all costs; but equally, so must also, dry/dead religion. Without a doubt, theology matters!! But once the solid ground of theology has been laid, it must then prepare the way for a personal experience of Jesus Christ.
Jude vs. 3-4
It is one thing to contend earnestly for the faith theologically, contending for the purity of doctrine; and quite another to contend earnestly for the faith, contending for the purity of conduct! There are many who with glee shoot down false prophets and expose false teachers and yet, their own lives are compromised in the area of holiness. This my friends will never do! Knowledge of God’s Word alone simply is not enough to prevent a man/woman from being led astray in the desperate days in which we live. Correct doctrine alone, intellectually speaking, will never promise those holding to it the safety they think they have. If our hearts are still found in this world and unwilling to yield to God, then the sad reality is that we’re already deceived and the embracing of false doctrine will be the next logical step.
This sermon was preached at Victory Baptist Church, Blackpool.
Jude vs. 3-4
For two thousand years, a perpetual war has been raging against the Church of Jesus Christ. In the first century alone, in as little as two decades from Pentecost, within the very lifetimes of the apostles themselves, false teachers prowled the perimeter of Christ’s spiritual flock seeking a way to infiltrate their ranks.
Two thousand years on, not much has changed. Both from within and without, those preaching another gospel have risen up to turn many from the faith. This sermon is a warning and an exhortation, to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints!
This sermon was preached at Victory Baptist Church, Blackpool.
Romans 10:13-15
Man has become an expert at meeting the many perceived needs that lie all around him, encouraging himself that anything is better than nothing; that some help is better than no help! Perhaps nowhere is this attitude more sadly seen than it is in today’s modern Evangelical Church. Spare bodies generally mean vacancies and vacancies, new appointments; youth pastor, choir director, Sunday school teacher, children’s minister…the rational? Where there is a need it must be met!! No worship leader? Appoint one! No deacon? Appoint one! No associate pastor? Appoint one! This may seem perfectly logical to some and perfectly reasonable for others, and for this reason the professing Church of Jesus Christ, for the most part, goes right on in good faith, building its man-made edifices in the hope that God will crown them with success! Yet God is not in the business of crowning our man-made structures and neither does He care for all our well thought out plans and good intentions. "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Ps. 127:1).
Part 20 – What are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit?
Modern 21st century man well makes a fitting boast on account of the vast array of his many accomplishments, they’re admittedly very impressive! In this century and the last, the world has witnessed staggering and unprecedented breakthroughs in every field of expertise, from medicine to engineering. Western civilization has never known such affluence, such protracted periods of peace and prosperity; such high standards of health and living on a universal scale. You say, what has this got to do with the subject heading of this Bible teaching? Everything!! I fear that the modern man with all his natural brilliance and expertise has lost sight of his need for God. It is one thing when the world does this, but when Christians follow suit, it is a very sad day indeed. Behold the Mega-Church with all its outward display of pomp and glory. It bears greater resemblance to a mini village complex than a Church of the Living God, and serves as an indictment; a testament to the fact, that whatever fallen man can accomplish the Church is only one step behind! No!! The Church of Jesus Christ is first and foremost a spiritual body of believers who’ve had a supernatural encounter with the Almighty and through the new birth have been grafted into Christ’s spiritual body. Jesus Christ is the spiritual head and from Him flows down to each individual member, every spiritual blessing and spiritual gift needed for the sound nourishment and spiritual growth of the entire body. These spiritual gifts are not mere niceties that make for a cosy addition; instead, they are crucial components needed for the building up spiritually of Christ’s Church.
In this 20th teaching part we examine Biblically the gifts of the Holy Spirit and ask ourselves, are these gifts for today?
Download teaching notes (pdf)
http://traffic.libsyn.com/bethesdashalom/20_What_Are_the_Gifts_of_the_Holy_Spirit.pdf