Sunday Savouries (or Christmas Mince Pies)

This is a day late sorry, but here is this what is on this week's plate.  As we lead up to Christmas what better way than to serve you up these delicious mince pies.  Tis the Season to be silly, falalalalafallala.

The first two are c

Appertiser - For the kitchen that has it all - A nativity scene kitchen timer. (picture courtesy of ship-of-fools.com)

Entree - Now that looks very Catholic, so for the protestant (and especially Baptists) we have these cute things - The nativity Rubber ducks.  (again, picture courtesy of ship-of-fools.com)

 [I'm struggling to identify the spotty one.  Is it a leopard? and I think the white one is an angel?]

The main course - For those who think, "give us this day our daily bread," too literally, you need to get one of these!

 

Dessert:  While scoffing down the icecream and Christmas pudding, how a bout a few Carols.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah everyone!

...and no that last image is NOT a joke.

 

Translators Required

I am delighted to report that over the last week, my blog has been seen a massive increase in page hits from people in Vanuatu. 

With that in mind, I would like to extend the opportunity for people who would like to volunteer to translate posts into better Bislama than I can!  I cannot pay you but those who want to take up the challenge, I will put your name on the translated page as credit.  If you would like to join the team, use the contact form on the blog at sowvanuatu.blogspot.com

God bless you all

Daniel

Baptism, Church Membership and Churches claiming they are the True Church.

My last post investigated whether the baptisms recently run by the Last Empire organisers was legitimate or not.  Here I explore this further by attempting to explain a possible motive behind these showy mass baptisms.

Are The Last Empire SDA Baptisms Legitimate

The recent Last Empire Crusade baptisms may not be legitimate because they did not follow standard SDA practices outlined in the 2010 Church Manual. It was interesting to notice that over 3,000 people were baptised (although figures range from 800 to over 3,000, depending on who you ask). Most would have been rebaptisms. Here is what the manual has to say (you can download a copy for yourself here)

Candidates individually or in a baptismal class should be instructed from the Scriptures regarding the Church’s fundamental beliefs and practices and the responsibilities of membership. A pastor should satisfy the church by a public examination that candidates are well instructed, are committed to taking this important step, and by practice and conduct demonstrate a willing acceptance of Church doctrines and the principles of conduct which are the outward expression of those doctrines, for “by their fruits you will know them”
(Matt. 7:20).

If public examination is impractical, then candidates should be examined by the board or a committee appointed by the board, such as the board of elders, whose report then should be given to the church before the baptism. “The test of discipleship is not brought to bear as closely as it should be upon those who present themselves for baptism. It should be understood whether they are simply taking the name of Seventh-day Adventists, or whether they are taking their stand on the Lord’s side, to come out from the world and be separate, and touch not the unclean thing. Before baptism there should be a thorough inquiry as to the experience of the candidates. Let this inquiry be made, not in a cold and distant way, but kindly, tenderly, pointing the new converts to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Bring the requirements of the gospel to bear upon the candidates for baptism.”—6T 95, 96.

This is never done, meaning that the baptism is likely not recognised.  That is great news for Christians of other denomonations that regretted their decision (and I know a few that have.)

Secondly, during the baptism the candidate makes three vows, one of which is this

2. Do you accept the teachings of the Bible as expressed in the Statement of Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and do you pledge by God’s grace to live your life in harmony with these teachings?

The candidates at Freswota have no idea what these statements are.  A simple breakdown and analysis (which I will explain in a later post) reveals the following.

Sound doctrine = 9 Statements
Minor, inconsequesntial doctrinal errors = 7 Statements
Significant error likely to lead to false teaching = 4 Statements
SERIOUS DOCTINAL ERRORS = 8 STATEMENTS

SO BEFORE YOU CONSIDER BEING BAPTISED, KNOW WHAT YOU ARE VOWING.  If after careful consideration you beleive the statements to be true, then go ahead, I will not and cannot stop you, but at least you know what you are committing yourself to.

Sunday Savouries

Hello all and welcome to another edition of Sunday Savouries.

The things in the bible as written by some children.

• The people who followed the Lord were called the twelve decibels. 

• The epistles were the wives of the apostles. 

• The greatest miracle in the Bible is when Joshua told his son to stand still and he obeyed him! [Source unknown]

God said to Noah, "Go forth out of the Ark,"  but in the excitement of the crush at the door, he ended up going tenth.

Baptists in America cop a fair bit of flack for being "ultra religious republicans."  But one thing they are great at is coming up with slogans for their signs.

G K Chesterton has it well summed up.





Counting sheep doesn't work for you?  Maybe this will!


Oh, and I find the best way to get to sleep is to force myself to stay awake. Try it!

Copyright © 2011 The Zondervan Corporation

SDA Open Letter - Conclusion and Appeal

This is the final post in the series entitled "SDA Open Letter."  It was written in response to the recent "Last Empire" Crusade that confused a lot of Christians and non-Christians and had them believe (falsely) that Sunday Worshippers get the Mark of the Beast.  Sadly, as we get nearer the end of Days, we can expect more and more evidence of false prophets and in this case, false teachers, of which Vanuatu is having an explosion of right now.

This is what I wrote as a final word to the SDA Leaders

Finally this I know.  Jesus died on the cross for my sins, once and for all.  He was buried and he rose again and he is currently seated at the right hand of God interceding for me.  It is likely that you will not choose to admit that the SDA church has serious doctrinal errors that have no basis in scripture, even though your top leaders admit to it, simply because you have been told not to trust other Christians.  I sincerely hope that eventually you do come to that realisation, and if you wish to discuss further with me on any of the questions I have asked then I would only be too willing to listen to what you have to say.  [ED: SADLY THEY NEVER RESPONDED, EVEN TO DISPUTE MY LETTER] 

 I have made this an open letter and as such I encourage you to respond by publishing your own letter in response.  I have many more questions and plenty more evidence.  What I have mentioned here is a tiny part of the big picture. 

I have spoken to many SDAs and they are surprised when I tell them that they can worship on the Sabbath if they like.  They are surprised when I tell them that I sincerely believe that some SDAs will receive Eternal Life because of the simple fact that they honour and accept Jesus as their personal saviour, just like other Christians.  I do not judge a person by what day they worship on.  I do not accuse SDA members of worshipping on the Day of Saturn (Saturday) and I do not think for a moment that they worship Saturn because of this (which incidentally was Constantine’s mothers personal god and who greatly influenced Constantine).  Like you, I am not strict about Sabbath Laws.  For example, I do not accuse you of violating the Sabbath by driving to church on that day (work), or playing instruments (work).  The reason why not is because it is irrelevant. Since the Sabbath commandment along with the rest of the Law has been rendered inoperative. 

So it concerns me that even though I do not criticise you for worshipping on the Sabbath, yet you see fit to accuse Sunday keepers of worshipping on the first day of the week.  Surely that violates this passage in Colossians:

Col 2:16-17 (NET)

(16)  Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days –  (17)  these are only the shadow of the things to come, but the reality is Christ! 

The Sabbath is a shadow.  You cannot grasp a shadow.  It is something that you see but it doesn’t actually have any substance.  The trouble is that some people spend more time chasing and paying attention to the shadow and miss seeing and holding the thing that made the shadow.  It is not the reality.  The reality is Christ.

It is my strong desire to see that you reach a point where you come to know Jesus as your personal saviour.  That Jesus saved you by his grace, through faith and not by works.

I have many more questions and have much more to show you, but space does not allow it.  So I encourage you to check out my website – sowvanuatu.blogspot.com. [ED: You may be reading this from my blog now!  Some of you get my posts via email so you have already received these.  But there is more on my blog in other posts worth checking.]

In finishing, I want to look back at the recent Last Empire crusade. I have spoken to a number of people who attended and a lot come back with this statement. “We went and heard preached that they [the SDA preachers] were going to reveal the truth and give us new hope.  But at the end of the time, they still could not tell us what the truth or the hope was.”

I can answer that in one verse.  It does not take me two weeks to do so.  It is this, and it is said by my Master Jesus.

I am the way, THE TRUTH, and the life. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER BUT THROUGH ME. (Jn 14:6)

As for the hope that Christians have.  Again it does not take two weeks to show you this

And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse [That’s Jesus] will come, and the one who rises to rule over the Gentiles, in him will the Gentiles hope.”  (Rom 15:12)

I will leave Paul’s next verse after the one above as a blessing for you. 

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  (Rom 15:13)

Finally, the Annual Jewish Feast of Trumpets almost upon us, known to the Jews as Rosh HaShanah, or the Day of Judgement, I leave you with this common customary saying.

L’Shanah tovah tikatevoo

I eagerly anticipate your response.

Regards and God Bless

Daniel Dempsey

Streams of Water Ministries

SDG 

The letter ends....but the work of contending for the faith continues!

For the rest of the series, click the links below, or use the search bar on the right of the blog by typing in "SDA Open Letter"  Be sure to include the quotes

SDA Open Letter Questions

1. Introduction
2. Did the Catholics force Sunday worship? Part I
3. Did the Catholics force Sunday worship? Part II
4. Why is the New Testament silent regarding the Sabbath requirement?
5. Given great opportunities, why are jesus and the Apostles silent regarding the Sabbath Requirement?
6. Did the first humans through to the patriarchs (Adam, Seth, Noah, Abraham, etc) observe the Sabbath?
7. Did God instigate the Sabbath in Genesis 2:2-3? 
8. Has the Sabbath always been in existence?
9. Does the  Sabbath law apply to Gentiles? 
10. What happened in Western Samoa and Tuvalu.  Are SDAs there going to receive the Mark of the Beast? 
11. Do SDAs have a problem with Pentecost? 
12. Is there a difference between Moral and Ceremonial Law? 
13. Are SDAs guilty of Judaising?
14. Is Ellen G White a True or a False Prophet?  Part I
15. Is Ellen G White a True or a False Prophet?  Part II

 

 

Cult Alert - Seventh Day Adventists / Last Empire Crusade

The activity of the SDA sponsored Last Empire Crusades of late, and the curent revisit by its False teachers has generated this CULT ALERT for the nation of Vanuatu.  All Christians and those confused by this lastest development need to be assured that Sunday keepers are safe. 

PLEASE NOTE CAREFULLY: This advisory is not against individual members that go to the SDA church - MANY OF WHOM I HAVE A FRIENDSHIP WITH, many of whom do so because they accept that Jesus Christ is Lord and master, that he is the Son of God and that he is God.  That Jesus died on the cross as full and final payment for their sins. That Jesus was buried and rose again and intercedes for us as High Priest in Heaven.  And that one day Jesus will return for his people and soon after will reign as King.  Those who believe in that, as most SDAs in fact do are well advised to know that this is scripturally sound belief.  That is the good news. 

The bad news is that they are also unaware that they are becoming members of an organisaiotn that, while declaring what I have just stated, have a much deeper, historical, core set of beliefs that are beginning to emerge, as demonstrated during the Last Empire crusade.  

Those considering baptism would be well advised to search the facts - many have been written about in the posts below, which include plenty of references to the bible and also from the writings of Ellen G White, and other big men in the SDA movement.

If you want to know the evidence, check out the many posts below:

1. Introduction
2. Did the Catholics force Sunday worship? Part I
3. Did the Catholics force Sunday worship? Part II
4. Why is the New Testament silent regarding the Sabbath requirement?
5. Given great opportunities, why are jesus and the Apostles silent regarding the Sabbath Requirement?
6. Did the first humans through to the patriarchs (Adam, Seth, Noah, Abraham, etc) observe the Sabbath?
7. Did God instigate the Sabbath in Genesis 2:2-3? 
8. Has the Sabbath always been in existence?
9. Does the  Sabbath law apply to Gentiles? 
10. What happened in Western Samoa and Tuvalu.  Are SDAs there going to receive the Mark of the Beast? 
11. Do SDAs have a problem with Pentecost? 
12. Is there a difference between Moral and Ceremonial Law? 
13. Are SDAs guilty of Judaising?(available after 12 Dec 2014)
14. Is Ellen G White a True or a False Prophet?  Part I
15. Is Ellen G White a True or a False Prophet?  Part I

Further evidence has come to light after careful research.  This will follow in the new year.  All I can say at this stage is that the three vows that those baptized must declare contain hidden meanings that people are completely unaware of.

As a result of recent actions by the SDA Church in Vanuatu, the Cult Alert page has been updated.  Find the link on the right side of the website, or (for those reading by email), or click here