Friday Church News Notes
July 19, 2024 - Volume 25, Issue 29
The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, though this does not imply an endorsement.
TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT Friday Church News Notes, July 19, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Donald Trump survived an attempt on his life on July 13 at a political rally in western Pennsylvania. The well-aimed deadly head shot only pierced Trump’s ear when he moved his head at the very moment that the bullet reached him. I wept in gratitude for Trump’s survival. We have often prayed for his safety and for his salvation. An attempt on Trump’s life was almost inevitable in light of the hatred that has permeated large parts of American society, driven by the lies and false narratives that have been shouted from social media housetops. I can love Trump and want the best for him, and I can appreciate his warrior spirit, even while recognizing the truth of everything we said about him in last week’s Friday News. We pray that this event will result in the toning down of some of the dangerous left-wing demonization. It seems to have had that effect temporarily to some extent. By God’s mercy, America escaped an event that would have had massive and terrible consequences.
LESSONS ON THE BORN AGAIN BELIEVER AND THIS WORLD’S POLITICS Friday Church News Notes, July 19, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Some fail to understand my position on politics, Trump, et al. One man wrote, “I have read and understand your thoughts on Trump and now I await your thoughts on Joe Biden.” I replied, “You missed the point.” He said, “Okay, help me get to the point.” I decided I would try to do that. FOLLOWING IS MY REPLY: My point is not politics. You are thinking politics, but I’m not talking about politics. I’m talking about measuring everything by Scripture rather than by “right wing conservative politics.” I’m talking about living a true biblical Christian life in this present world. In all of my remarks about politics and America and Limbaugh and Levin and Trump, etc., over the last several years, I can summarize the lessons as follows: First, we must have a biblical testing mindset. We must be serious Bible students, rightly dividing Scripture and rightly applying it by God’s Spirit, and we must measure everything by it. We must be the strong meat Christians of Hebrews 5:12-14, being skillful in God’s Word and having our senses exercised to discern both good and evil. When we do that today, our thinking will be far different from “political right-wing conservatives.” Second, we must focus our attention on the business God has given us and not be sidetracked from it. That business is what Christ described and emphasized between His resurrection and ascension (Mt. 28:18-20; Mr. 16:15; Lu. 24:44-48; Ac. 1:8). This is the business that is emphasized in the book of Acts. It is a business that is being accomplished less today than in the past 50 years. It is a dying business, whereas it should be a growing business. Ask the mission boards. Whether you support them or not, they are a bellwether of missionary work. We must focus on preaching the gospel to every lost soul in every nation before the opportunity is gone. Third, we focus on the New Testament church. It is the headquarters for the Great Commission. It is the pillar and ground of the truth. It is God’s house. It is the training and equipping center for God’s soldiers, the builder of godly homes that can raise a godly seed, the educational center for the preparation of God’s ambassadors. If God’s people focus on building strong New Testament homes and churches, that will do more to help the nation than any amount of political activity. Fourth we must be pilgrim Christians. We must believe and live like our citizenship is in heaven. We must be pilgrims more than patriots. We must be Christians who live according to Colossians 4:1-4; Hebrews 11:13-16; and Peter 2:11-12. We must leave a light footprint in this present world, knowing that this life is exceedingly brief and the next life is the “long home” (Ec. 12:5). Fifth, we must refuse to be frustrated and fearful. We know almighty God in Christ and believe that He is in ultimate control of all things in this wicked world. We must be Psalm 37 Christians. “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. ... Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth” (Ps. 37:1-2, 7-9). Sixth, we must believe in the imminent coming of Christ and be ready for it. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:11-13).
CHURCH PRAYING AND FASTING ON FRIDAYS FOR AMERICA Friday Church News Notes, July 19, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - I received the following notice on July 11 from Lighthouse Baptist Church, Payette, Idaho, pastored by Steve Hensley. “Our church is going to have every Friday between now and the election as a day of corporate fasting and prayer for our Country and a special prayer meeting each Friday evening at 7:00. Pastor is going to try and get other churches he knows to do the same. American Believers are almost uniformly willing to assert that they are Patriots. That they would die for their Country. I believe that they mean it. But if we really love our Country and want it to survive with the kind of freedom to preach and teach as we’ve had for generations, then we should be willing to spend the time and sacrifice to fast and pray for it. Soldiers give up far more than that. So any real believers who are patriots should be willing to get on their faces before God and beg Him for mercy and grace for our Country” (Lighthouse Baptist, Payette). “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
FOR WHOM SHOULD WE VOTE? Friday Church News Notes, July 19, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - In response to my article about Trump in last week’s Friday Church News Notes, I received questions about voting. One man said, for example, “I agree 100% here. What are your thoughts when it comes to voting if the only option is Trump? Just don’t vote at all?” FOLLOWING IS A SLIGHTLY EDITED EDITION OF MY REPLY: “Thank you for the note and the question. It’s always good to hear from you. Others have asked that same question in response to my little article about Trump. It’s simply not something I’m going to address. Let each man do as he thinks right. I’m trying to focus the attention of God’s people on what the Bible emphasizes in these times. I was shocked during Covid to see how this-world focused professing Christians are in a vast number of cases, how biblically weak their thinking is. Colossians 3:1-4 is a foreign concept. A very large number of members of supposed Bible-believing churches are the babes of Hebrews 5:12-14. They are unskillful in the Word of righteousness and have not exercised their spiritual senses “to discern both good and evil.” Like babes, they choke on meat, get frustrated, and throw little fits. I think America is an idol to a large number of fundamental Baptists. I love America and am thankful for the great blessings I have enjoyed as a citizen, but I’m glad I have spent half my life living far away from America. I think it has helped me see things more clearly. If the thinking of God’s people is like the thinking of unsaved political conservatives, we aren’t thinking biblically.”
SOCIAL MEDIA DESTROYING GOOD SOCIAL GRACES (Friday Church News Notes, July 26, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - When I was young, the primary way to communicate with a stranger was by letter. As part of a basic education, we were taught how to construct a formal letter, which was a letter to a stranger, whether an individual or an organization. It was founded on basic (biblically informed) social etiquette. We were taught to begin such a letter with a proper salutation and introduction. You didn’t write to a stranger and just start blabbing about something. You greeted the individual properly, depending on his or her position, introduced yourself briefly, including your name and address, and stated the purpose of your communication. You then communicated your message as succinctly as possible. Finally, you gave a proper conclusion and a polite sign off, such as “respectfully” or “sincerely.” The goal of a formal letter is “to clearly and effectively communicate the topic at hand in a clear, professional manner” (garmmarly.com). Professionalism and graciousness in communication has almost been completely destroyed in the age of social media. The format of a formal letter was based on simple common sense. Why should someone pay attention to a communication from a complete stranger who doesn’t have the good sense to greet him or her in some respectful way and doesn’t introduce himself briefly? It’s a strange age, but God’s people don’t have to be carried along by it.
LOVE WITH EIGHT ARMS (Friday Church News Notes, July 19, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is from CreationMoments.com, July 1, 2024: “Fertilized octopus eggs are about the size of a grain of rice. They are connected in clusters on slender stalks. Once her eggs are ejected and fertilized, the mother octopus hangs the threads containing her eggs from the roof of her home. It could be a rock cave or even a dark, enclosed man made structure. By the time she is done hanging her eggs, she will have almost 20,000 ivory capsules strung around her. But now her real work begins. Until the eggs hatch, mother octopus will give up food, concentrating on nothing but cleaning her eggs of any material that might result in a fungus or parasite infection. She cradles the eggs gently in her arms, brushing each of the 20,000 eggs, and sometimes washing them with jets of water. There is nothing else she can do for her young, but this care receives her single minded attention. It is rightfully said that one cannot create something he doesn’t have. If one does not have love, he cannot create love in others. Therefore, the Creator of the octopus must know a great deal about giving individual love and care to a multitude of individuals. The Bible is our Creator’s own personal description of His love for you and me. Whether you know the personal care and love of your Creator or you don’t, you can learn the depth of His care for you through Jesus Christ in the pages of the Bible. Notes: Ruggieri, George D., with Norman David Rosenberg, ‘The healing sea,’ Science Digest, Aug. 1978, p. 18.”
CONCLUSION: The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this obviously does not imply an endorsement. We trust that our readers will not be discouraged. It is God’s will that we know the times (1 Ch. 12:32; Mat. 16:3) and that we be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. The News Notes remind us that the hour is very late, and we need to be ready for the Lord’s coming. Are you sure that you are born again? Are you living for Christ? “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Rom. 13:11-14).
LESSONS ON THE BORN AGAIN BELIEVER AND THIS WORLD’S POLITICS Friday Church News Notes, July 19, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Some fail to understand my position on politics, Trump, et al. One man wrote, “I have read and understand your thoughts on Trump and now I await your thoughts on Joe Biden.” I replied, “You missed the point.” He said, “Okay, help me get to the point.” I decided I would try to do that. FOLLOWING IS MY REPLY: My point is not politics. You are thinking politics, but I’m not talking about politics. I’m talking about measuring everything by Scripture rather than by “right wing conservative politics.” I’m talking about living a true biblical Christian life in this present world. In all of my remarks about politics and America and Limbaugh and Levin and Trump, etc., over the last several years, I can summarize the lessons as follows: First, we must have a biblical testing mindset. We must be serious Bible students, rightly dividing Scripture and rightly applying it by God’s Spirit, and we must measure everything by it. We must be the strong meat Christians of Hebrews 5:12-14, being skillful in God’s Word and having our senses exercised to discern both good and evil. When we do that today, our thinking will be far different from “political right-wing conservatives.” Second, we must focus our attention on the business God has given us and not be sidetracked from it. That business is what Christ described and emphasized between His resurrection and ascension (Mt. 28:18-20; Mr. 16:15; Lu. 24:44-48; Ac. 1:8). This is the business that is emphasized in the book of Acts. It is a business that is being accomplished less today than in the past 50 years. It is a dying business, whereas it should be a growing business. Ask the mission boards. Whether you support them or not, they are a bellwether of missionary work. We must focus on preaching the gospel to every lost soul in every nation before the opportunity is gone. Third, we focus on the New Testament church. It is the headquarters for the Great Commission. It is the pillar and ground of the truth. It is God’s house. It is the training and equipping center for God’s soldiers, the builder of godly homes that can raise a godly seed, the educational center for the preparation of God’s ambassadors. If God’s people focus on building strong New Testament homes and churches, that will do more to help the nation than any amount of political activity. Fourth we must be pilgrim Christians. We must believe and live like our citizenship is in heaven. We must be pilgrims more than patriots. We must be Christians who live according to Colossians 4:1-4; Hebrews 11:13-16; and Peter 2:11-12. We must leave a light footprint in this present world, knowing that this life is exceedingly brief and the next life is the “long home” (Ec. 12:5). Fifth, we must refuse to be frustrated and fearful. We know almighty God in Christ and believe that He is in ultimate control of all things in this wicked world. We must be Psalm 37 Christians. “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. ... Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth” (Ps. 37:1-2, 7-9). Sixth, we must believe in the imminent coming of Christ and be ready for it. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:11-13).
CHURCH PRAYING AND FASTING ON FRIDAYS FOR AMERICA Friday Church News Notes, July 19, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - I received the following notice on July 11 from Lighthouse Baptist Church, Payette, Idaho, pastored by Steve Hensley. “Our church is going to have every Friday between now and the election as a day of corporate fasting and prayer for our Country and a special prayer meeting each Friday evening at 7:00. Pastor is going to try and get other churches he knows to do the same. American Believers are almost uniformly willing to assert that they are Patriots. That they would die for their Country. I believe that they mean it. But if we really love our Country and want it to survive with the kind of freedom to preach and teach as we’ve had for generations, then we should be willing to spend the time and sacrifice to fast and pray for it. Soldiers give up far more than that. So any real believers who are patriots should be willing to get on their faces before God and beg Him for mercy and grace for our Country” (Lighthouse Baptist, Payette). “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
FOR WHOM SHOULD WE VOTE? Friday Church News Notes, July 19, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - In response to my article about Trump in last week’s Friday Church News Notes, I received questions about voting. One man said, for example, “I agree 100% here. What are your thoughts when it comes to voting if the only option is Trump? Just don’t vote at all?” FOLLOWING IS A SLIGHTLY EDITED EDITION OF MY REPLY: “Thank you for the note and the question. It’s always good to hear from you. Others have asked that same question in response to my little article about Trump. It’s simply not something I’m going to address. Let each man do as he thinks right. I’m trying to focus the attention of God’s people on what the Bible emphasizes in these times. I was shocked during Covid to see how this-world focused professing Christians are in a vast number of cases, how biblically weak their thinking is. Colossians 3:1-4 is a foreign concept. A very large number of members of supposed Bible-believing churches are the babes of Hebrews 5:12-14. They are unskillful in the Word of righteousness and have not exercised their spiritual senses “to discern both good and evil.” Like babes, they choke on meat, get frustrated, and throw little fits. I think America is an idol to a large number of fundamental Baptists. I love America and am thankful for the great blessings I have enjoyed as a citizen, but I’m glad I have spent half my life living far away from America. I think it has helped me see things more clearly. If the thinking of God’s people is like the thinking of unsaved political conservatives, we aren’t thinking biblically.”
SOCIAL MEDIA DESTROYING GOOD SOCIAL GRACES (Friday Church News Notes, July 26, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - When I was young, the primary way to communicate with a stranger was by letter. As part of a basic education, we were taught how to construct a formal letter, which was a letter to a stranger, whether an individual or an organization. It was founded on basic (biblically informed) social etiquette. We were taught to begin such a letter with a proper salutation and introduction. You didn’t write to a stranger and just start blabbing about something. You greeted the individual properly, depending on his or her position, introduced yourself briefly, including your name and address, and stated the purpose of your communication. You then communicated your message as succinctly as possible. Finally, you gave a proper conclusion and a polite sign off, such as “respectfully” or “sincerely.” The goal of a formal letter is “to clearly and effectively communicate the topic at hand in a clear, professional manner” (garmmarly.com). Professionalism and graciousness in communication has almost been completely destroyed in the age of social media. The format of a formal letter was based on simple common sense. Why should someone pay attention to a communication from a complete stranger who doesn’t have the good sense to greet him or her in some respectful way and doesn’t introduce himself briefly? It’s a strange age, but God’s people don’t have to be carried along by it.
LOVE WITH EIGHT ARMS (Friday Church News Notes, July 19, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is from CreationMoments.com, July 1, 2024: “Fertilized octopus eggs are about the size of a grain of rice. They are connected in clusters on slender stalks. Once her eggs are ejected and fertilized, the mother octopus hangs the threads containing her eggs from the roof of her home. It could be a rock cave or even a dark, enclosed man made structure. By the time she is done hanging her eggs, she will have almost 20,000 ivory capsules strung around her. But now her real work begins. Until the eggs hatch, mother octopus will give up food, concentrating on nothing but cleaning her eggs of any material that might result in a fungus or parasite infection. She cradles the eggs gently in her arms, brushing each of the 20,000 eggs, and sometimes washing them with jets of water. There is nothing else she can do for her young, but this care receives her single minded attention. It is rightfully said that one cannot create something he doesn’t have. If one does not have love, he cannot create love in others. Therefore, the Creator of the octopus must know a great deal about giving individual love and care to a multitude of individuals. The Bible is our Creator’s own personal description of His love for you and me. Whether you know the personal care and love of your Creator or you don’t, you can learn the depth of His care for you through Jesus Christ in the pages of the Bible. Notes: Ruggieri, George D., with Norman David Rosenberg, ‘The healing sea,’ Science Digest, Aug. 1978, p. 18.”
CONCLUSION: The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this obviously does not imply an endorsement. We trust that our readers will not be discouraged. It is God’s will that we know the times (1 Ch. 12:32; Mat. 16:3) and that we be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. The News Notes remind us that the hour is very late, and we need to be ready for the Lord’s coming. Are you sure that you are born again? Are you living for Christ? “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Rom. 13:11-14).
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Distributed by Way of Life Literature., publisher of Bible Study Materials and reports for Fundamental Baptists and other fundamentalist, Bible-believing Christians. Established in 1974, Way of Life Literature is a fundamental Baptist preaching and publishing ministry based in Bethel Baptist Church, London, Ontario, of which Wilbert Unger is the founding Pastor. Brother Cloud lives in South Asia where he has been a church planting missionary since 1979. OUR GOAL IN THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT OF OUR MINISTRY (REPORTS AND FRIDAY NEWS) IS NOT DEVOTIONAL. IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ASSIST PREACHERS IN THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCHES IN THIS APOSTATE HOUR.
David Cloud, Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org
The Way of Life Literature preaching and publishing ministry is based at Bethel Baptist Church, London, Ontario, of which Wilbert Unger is the founding Pastor. A mail stop is maintained in Port Huron, Michigan.
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