Sunday, September 25, 2011
The following book can be downloaded at this website, just click on the picture of the book. You can read it on line as well. 
Friday, September 16, 2011
Stewart Topping's Weekly Newsletter September 9, 2011
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Stewart Topping''s Weekly Newsletter
September 9, 2011
{FIRST_NAME|Reader}
The Body of Christ is the Mystery that the Apostle Paul revealed to the Church. The Mystery that was spoken by Paul in his writings is the dispensation of Grace. This was the gospel of Paul, in which we might be saved, receive the Holy Spirit and become part of the Body of Christ.(1 Cor. 15:1-4) The body of Christ is neither Jew nor Gentile, it is born again believers who have received the Holy Spirit.. Let me know what you think about the article.
God Bless and have a Blessed week!
What do you believe?
Here is a survey conducted by USA TODAY
and is very interesting.
Many beliefs, many paths to heaven?
By Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY
Most American religious believers, including most Christians, say eternal life is not exclusively for those who accept Christ as their savior, a new survey finds. Of the 65% of people who held this open view of heaven''s gates, 80% named at least one non-Christian group — Jews, Muslims, Hindus, atheists or people with no religion at all — who may also be saved, according to a new survey released today by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.
This means 52% of Christians do not agree with the doctrines many religions teach, particularly conservative denominations. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, calls the findings "a theological crisis for American evangelicals. They represent at best a misunderstanding of the Gospel and at worst a repudiation of the Gospel." Read More >>>>
Today there are many who believe that there are many ways to Heaven as this article says. It is exciting that God has given us the “Body of Christ”; as a group of dedicated believers that can come together to help each other learn God’s word and how to live a Christian life.
Let me give you an illustration that might seem funny but think of the truth behind it….
Let’s say that God decided to require certain attire in order to get into heaven, everyone has to wear a Dark Blue Jacket and Light Brown Pants or Skirt and solid Black shoes. Some people would say I don’t agree that God knows what he is talking about, some would say I don’t like Blue and Brown together, some would say he meant something else and some would go along with the program.
At the beginning those that believed in God would follow the instructions. Over time some would change the solid Blue to a lighter Blue, some would change the Light brown pants to a darker shade. The reason that they are making change is that someone is telling them that God meant to allow a variety of shades but it was translated wrong. Some say the Hebrew is correct; some say the Greek is right. We must not believe other people, it is important that we to study to prove the truth.
As time goes on the color of the clothes changed to Yellow Jackets and Green Pants, and all shades were now acceptable. Everybody thinks they are going to heaven. It is the same as changing the instructions in the book over a period of time. Our problem is by allowing other to lead us, error is introduced. Now we have different books with different instructions.
Now we know that God wrote the instructions for us to follow in a book for us to read and understand; and He gave us an instructor, the holy spirit, to help us understand what we are to wear. What are the requirements to go to heaven.
This is why the “Body of Christ” is very important. It is a group that can bring us into the “Unity of Faith”. Some would think that a quick mind is the key to understanding but in truth those that are spiritually minded can obtain the understanding.
Ephesians 4:13-14 (KJV) 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
What's is nice is that only a true believer has the discernment to understand God word, the Bible. If each person thinks that they have the truth and they think the other person needs to be instructed; then how do we reach the unity of faith? It would seem that we have to come together and reason together with the instructions in the book. When we were born again by the Holy Spirit we received the teacher to help explain the book.
John 14:25-26 (KJV) 25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
We cannot have different opinions about who we are in Christ, or how we can receive salvation. We can not have different interpretation about the Bible.
If you think about the different beliefs concerning salvation or Christian understanding is a lot like the example I used with different colors of outfits that are were required to entrance into Heaven.
Picking and choosing what we believe confuses more Christians and posting our beliefs on the wall at our Church or placed in a bulletin will not work. They need to see us operating by the spirit of God and in the unity of faith.
1 Corinthians 2:13-16 (KJV) 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man''s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
This is what I see in these verses;
1. Mans wisdom does not teach, only the Holy Spirit teaches
2. The natural man (unsaved) cannot receive anything of God
3. If you have the mind of Christ he will instruct you.
It is exciting to know Jesus personally and to know He loves us. He will take care of us if we spend time with him and his people. He has not left us alone; He has given us the power that raised Him from the dead to live within us.
Praise God.
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Friday, September 2, 2011
Stewart Topping's E-Newsletter September 2, 2011
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Sometimes it important to let your family and friends know about Jesus Salvation is believing; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (NKJV) 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospelwhich I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved,if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third dayaccording to the Scriptures, ( plus nothing) Anything you add to these scriptures above would be considered works. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) 8 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. Remember He died for all men before we knew and before we understood. All we have to do is believe the death, burial and Resurrection for the free gift. (If someone gave you a gift you wouldn''t say your sorry!)  I hope you believe on the Jesus that was raised by the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit that we receive by believing and are sealed with. 2 Corinthians 1:19-22 (KJV) 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Learn to listen to Him and obey Him. Don't work your way to Salvation | Stewart Topping's Newsletter Decisions Stewart, have you ever wondered if your decision’s affect your relationship with God! I want to use an example in the Old Testament that is a practical lesson for us today. These verses tell a story about the children of Israel after Moses  had led them out of Egypt. God supplied all their needs during the trip and God was with them day and night; but they did not trust God and would not go across the Jordan River into the land of Canaan. This could be a similar situation we could find ourselves in and we don’t want to make the same mistake. Hebrews 3:7-12 (KJV) 7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) 12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. Paul is telling us that if we hear God’s voice, we shouldn’t harden our hearts. How did they harden their hearts? They did not Trust Him and then didn't obey Him. This is what happened with the Children of Israel; God supplied all their needs during the trip, but they didn’t trust God when He said go into Canaan and I will protect you.  If we go back a little bit in history we find that God made a covenant with Abraham before Joseph went into Egypt, sometime later his family followed him into Egypt at the time of the famine. Here is a summary of the covenant God made with Abraham:
"God’s method of fulfilling the Abrahamic Covenant is literal, inasmuch as God partially fulfilled the covenant in history: God blessed Abraham by giving him the land (Genesis 13:14–17); God blessed him spiritually (Genesis 13:8, 18; 14:22, 23; 21:22); God gave him numerous descendants (Genesis 22:17; 49:3–28). The important element of the Abrahamic Covenant, however, demands a future fulfillment with Messiah’s kingdom rule:" The Moody Handbook of Theology by Paul Enns. After the covenant God made with Abraham, Joseph was sold into slavery and ended up in Egypt. When the family of Joseph went to Egypt there were about 75 people in total. They stayed in Egypt for 400 years. When Moses led the Jewish people out of Egypt and across the Red Sea they had grown to about 3-3.5 million. Now this was the Nation of Israel. Moses delivered the Jewish people to God at Mount Sinai to receive the Law. After going through the opening of the Red Sea, it took those about 3 months to get to Mount Sinai where God gave them the Law. What I want to do is show that the Children of Abraham are very much like us. They were disobedience and so are we. God took care of them even though they had other gods (Idols) and were only interested with their own wants and needs; not their relationship with God. God was hoping that since they had grown to a large Nation and were in slavery and bondage to the Egyptians that they would be excited to be on their way to a new land promised to them in the covenant with Abraham, a land of milk and honey. They would be free, free indeed. Here are but a few of the reasons for the Law?
 No difference today, their freedom out of bondage is the same for us. Moses delivered the children from bondage to a new country called Canaan. It is very interesting that Canaan means “Gods Rest”. We also have been delivered from bondage from satan by Jesus to a new country called heaven. “Heaven is resting with God” The Blood placed on the sides and top of the door saved them from death. We have been saved by the coverings of the blood of Jesus. In both cases it was the sacrifice of a lamb. The only difference is Jesus blood is permanent and we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. They had to sacrifice on a regular basic. Their sacrifice never took away sin forever. Hebrews 10:4 (KJV) 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Remember that Israel was an earthly people that had earthly promises; they lived by faith by obeying the Law. Christians save by grace are heavenly people; filled with the promise of salvation by the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:5 (KJV) 5 now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Earnest of the Spirit is like a down payment on something, in this case a down payment on heaven; our salvation. Ephesians 1:13-14 (KJV) 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. There were many trials along the way for the children of Israel. Stop and think about the needs of 3-3.5 million people; housing, clothing, water, food, and of course their health. They wandered for 40 years in the wilderness going round and round until they learn their lesson on obedience. The key is when you hear what God want's, do it. We are similar to them; we should have the right positive attitude towards God; do we believe God will provide food, clothing and housing to his children. Philippians 4:19 (KJV) 19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV) 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Trusting in God for our daily needs gives us confidence in His ability to care of all things. Reread the last two scripture verses and see if you agree with them.  Remember that Canaan means God's rest, in this case God's rest is for Israel, and is similar to the Peace of God for Christians. Hear, Obey and Receive the Peace of God |
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