FROM THE HEART OF DR. REXELLA VAN IMPE

How to Deal With Negatives – part 2

Forgiving and forgetting

Sincere, effective forgiveness also includes another important element-forgetting. In her book, It Feels Good to Forgive, my friend Helen Hosier has penned an irreversible truth: “Regardless of how many times you may say to someone who has wronged you, ‘I forgive you,’ if you have not forgotten then you have failed in forgiveness. If you find it necessary to remind the individual of his or her betrayal, unfaithfulness, or untrustworthiness, then you have not truly forgiven the other person.”

Forgiving and forgetting is truly God’s way, for this is exactly what He does for us when we come to Him through Christ. This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more (Hebrews 10:16-17). If God can forgive and forget our terrible iniquities which sent His Son to the cross, surely we cannot do less. In fact, He will give us the power to accomplish this task, for we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).

Many times our bitterness and resentment become so imbedded within us that we actually extend our anger beyond the person or situation that has hurt us and begin blaming God. Even Christians are prone to ask, “God, where were You? Why did You let it happen? I thought You loved me. What about your promise of guidance and protection in Psalm 121?”

Erwin W. Lutzer, who retired in 2016 as the senior pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, has a most enlightening answer for such inquiries. In his book, Living With Your Passions, he states: “God’s love does not prevent us from the tragedies of sexual abuse or any other kind of mistreatment. Christ was God’s ‘beloved Son,’ yet the Father didn’t shield Him from the torture of the crucifixion. That crime, despite its horror, has become for us a fountain of blessing. The horror of Good Friday must be understood in the light of the joy of Easter Sunday. God can do the same with the ugly hurts of life.”

Dr. Lutzer then admonishes his readers to confess their bitterness toward God. “Concentrate on His infinite grace and be forgiven and accepted,” he says. Only in this way will you be able to experience the deep spiritual release and sense of relief which are the beginning of true satisfaction.

How to have right attitudes

Perhaps you are struggling with bitterness or an unforgiving spirit and wonder how you can ever come to the point of confession, forgiveness, and be set free. Let me share with you the secret to removing wrong attitudes and negative feelings. It is the power of the Word of God.

Hebrews 4:12 says, For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. In other words, when you let Scripture fill your heart, it transforms what is in there. It seeks out wrong attitudes, exposes them, and then makes them right.

The best way to let Scripture do that is to get to know it better. Read it every day, memorize it, and meditate on it. James 1:21 speaks of the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. When Scripture gets into your life and becomes a living part of you, it has an incredible transforming power.

Peter wrote something very similar. Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby (1 Peter 2:1,2). Again, Scripture is the antidote to wrong attitudes.

I am convinced that one of the reasons my husband has been so blessed of God in the ministry is that early in life he committed himself to memorizing Scripture. Now he knows thousands of Bible verses by memory and is called “the walking Bible.” I am often asked what it is like to live with a man who has memorized so much Scripture. My answer is, “It is wonderful.” God’s Word is constantly working in Jack’s heart to guide him, mold him, shape his attitudes, and direct his life.

All this victory is the result of Jack’s tremendous desire, determination, and discipline-and it is an ongoing process. He continues to add to his storehouse of memory verses each month. The most wonderful, miraculous thing about Scripture is that the more we appropriate it, the greater our appetite for it becomes.

Through the years, God’s Word has changed Jack’s personality from that of a teenaged practical joker to the mature man he is today. He still has his sense of humor and enjoys a good time, but he also exhibits a seasoned wisdom that comes only from an intimate knowledge of God’s Word. My life has been immeasurably enriched by living with this godly man for whom the Bible is his meat and drink. Jack has not only memorized the Word, but he also puts it into practice daily.

This is the essential element in building right attitudes-a willing and submissive obedience to the teaching of God’s Word. James says we should be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving our own selves (James 1:22). Knowing the Bible intellectually without practicing it experientially can actually harden us to its truth!

God’s ideal for you is a life of victory over negativity. He wants you to cut out all roots of bitterness, regardless of how painful the cutting process may be. He also wants you to receive the engrafted Word, which is able to transform your soul. This where we begin to reach the pinnacle of satisfaction.

A CLASSIC MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE

What Must I Do To Be Lost?

To Be Lost: Trust in Water Baptism – part 1

The Philippian jailer cried, What must I do to be saved? The simple reply was, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:30,31). Lost humanity seeks a program of meritorious works to gain heaven’s bliss, but with God this is an impossible plan, for it is not by works of righteousness which we have done (Titus 3:5). Mankind can do much to be lost but nothing to merit salvation.

The devil wants the entire human race lost for all eternity. Second Corinthians 4:4 states, The god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel.  … should shine unto them. This demon of darkness blinds his subjects as to the good news found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. The text states, I declare unto you the gospel. What is this glorious gospel? That Christ died … he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. This and this alone is the pure, unadulterated gospel. Those who add to this message, delivered by the blessed Holy Spirit, are peddlers of heresy and proclaimers of another gospel.

Paul said in Galatians 1:6-9, I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another: but there be some that trouble you. and would pervert [or twist] the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you [differing from the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ] … let him be accursed. God said it and that settles it.

The shed blood upon Calvary’s cross and the empty tomb constitute the good news. The minutest iota of works added to this glorious gospel becomes abominable heresy, and those who tamper with God’s Holy Word are cursed at the Day of Judgment. Hear God’s voice again, if any man preach any other gospel.  … let him be accursed.

Is humanity tampering with the gospel in the twentieth century? Is it a dangerous trend? The answer to these questions is an emphatic “Yes!” In fact, if one trusts in man-made additions instead of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for his eternal salvation, the curse of Galatians 1 :8 will also be his portion.

This is why ordinances, sacraments, and meritorious works are obsolete when it comes to salvation. Though they may be wonderful symbols picturing one’s experience with a holy God, none of them can ever produce eternal life. It is only the shed blood of the sinless Saviour that produces this blessing. Ignoring or neglecting the cross for a system of self-produced “spiritual brownie points” to merit the favor of God is in total contradiction to God’s offer of grace. Therefore, to be lost simply:

Trust in Water Baptism

Baptism is a beautiful picture of one’s conversion experience. Christ died for our sins … was buried and rose again the third day. This scene is reenacted in one’s life as he goes down into the waters of baptism and is raised up and out of the water. Romans 6:4: We are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father. even so we also should walk in newness of life.

One can go into the waters of baptism a “dry sinner” and come up and out of the waters a “wet sinner,” because water is only water and cannot change a wicked heart.

It takes a cleansing bath in the blood of Jesus to wash away sins. Though the portrait typifying the death, burial, and resurrection experience is beautiful, it should never be administered as the means of salvation, for it is the sinless blood that is eternally efficacious, not contaminated water. Praise God, one does not have to depend upon polluted spigot water for salvation but upon the holy blood of the Holy Saviour. Unto [Christ] that…washed us from our sins in his own blood (Revelation 1:5). Here is a number of proofs concerning the error of baptismal regeneration.

1. Christ’s saving ministry. The Word teaches that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Jesus himself made this declara­tion on a number of occasions. He said, I am not come to call the righteous. but sinners to repentance (Matthew 9: 13), and for the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19: 10). In the light of these statements it is evident that the purpose for the incarnation, Christ’s entrance into this world via flesh, was to redeem sinners. All agree on this vital teaching.

However, the question is: HOW did He save the sinners He came to redeem? Be careful now! Be true to God’s Word! It was not through water because Jesus himself baptized not (John 4:2). There is not a shred of evidence in sacred or secular history that Christ ever baptized a single soul. If baptism is necessary for salvation, then Christ failed in His redemptive program, because baptism was not a part of His personal practice.

Therefore, the logical deduction and only conclusion is that Christ did come into the world to save sinners, but His method of salvation had to do with Hats blood rather than with Jordan’s water. So, we have redemption through his blood (Ephesians 1:7), and the blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

In our next newsletter we will look at how the Epistles help us to see the error of baptismal salvation.

CHANGED LIVES-one at a time

My father introduced me to this ministry back in the 1970s.  I have been following since.  You and Dr. Jack meant so much to him and have meant so much to me.  He has been with the Lord for almost 23 years now.  I just wanted to say thank you and God bless you and this ministry. 

Daara B.

God bless you, dear Rexella!! God bless you with His Strength multiplied to you daily!! Thank you for how you amazingly (in God’s Power) keep pressing forward with the ministry that you, and your beloved Jack shared, and brought to all of us the interpretation of the Prophetic Scriptures!! God bless you and cover you under the Shelter of His Covering!! Maranatha, Lord Jesus!! Perhaps today!! Love you, dear Rexella!!!

Susie D.

HIGHLIGHTED MINISTRY OFFERS

Jesus is Coming Back Any Day Now

JESUS IS COMING AND IT

COULD BE TODAY

WELCOME to the Common Man’s Commentary Series.  You’ll discover a fresh, easy-to-understand look at the two Books of Thessalonians, which are highly eschatological (about end-time events).  Dr. Dave Williams served as pastor of Mount Hope Church for over thirty years, written more than 60 books, taught on global television for 19 years, radio for over 20 years, and now brings you The Common Man’s Commentary Series.

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• How to Develop a Model Church
• How to Handle Opposition and Deceit
• How to Live Pure in an X-Rated World
• How to Accurately Approach the Last Days
• How Faith Works for You
• How to Use God’s Success System that Doesn’t Fail
• How Deception will Increase in the End Times
• How to Scripturally Deal with Troublemakers

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Terrorism Accelerating…But Peace Coming / God’s Good Plan

The headlines are ominous and threatening. New extremist groups appear on the world stage daily — more violent and deadly than their predecessors.

In this new special, Dr. Rexella Van Impe is joined by Bible prophecy expert and friend Dr. Carl Baugh to answer your most pressing questions about terrorism…

• Where does it fit into these latter days?
• What does the Bible say about it?
• What is the root of terrorism?
• Will it ever STOP?

And, most importantly: Can the chaotic world we live in ever have peace?

With bonus footage not included in the broadcast special, this DVD will inform and educate you — and renew your confidence in Christ and His good plan!

As a bonus with your order you will receive the booklet God’s Good Plan – A Look At Revelation