December 2003 MINISTRY NEWSLETTER January 2004 |
 |
Happy Holidays to all the wonderful friends of Saints Alive! |
The
turkey leftovers have long gone, presents have been opened and our family now looks
forward to 2004.
For those of you who haven't
heard, Ed suffered a minor stroke on November 24 while he was in California. He spent 3
days in the hospital and had many different tests, which thankfully all turned out
negative.
Ed was released from the
hospital in time to spend a quiet Thanksgiving with his family and was able
to return to Seattle in early December. Since then he has had too many doctors’
appointments and tests to count! So far the doctors have been unable to find out what
caused the stroke except to say that they don't think it is cardiovascular.
Ed is improving slowly and still
experiencing minor weakness on his right side, some memory loss, disorientation,
fatigue and headaches. His speech and balance are improving daily. He still has difficulty
reading. We are very thankful for the prayers, love and concern shown to us
by so many.
We are trusting God
for complete recovery and total healing and are so thankful for His faithfulness.
Ed has come back from bigger set backs than this.
His passion for the ministry and
those lost in spiritual darkness has not diminished but grows deeper with the years.
He says if he can't walk, talk, read or drive he can still pray. Please keep Ed in
your prayers and stand with us in faith. By His stripes we are healed! He
would love to read some personal notes of encouragement.
We fully expect Ed to have a full
recovery and resume his fulltime schedule hopefully by early spring. If you have any
questions regarding donations, orders or questions, please
Jason has stepped back into the
ministry to pick up where his dad has had to let go for this season of time.
Please keep Jason in your
prayers, too, as he stands in the gap and juggles this responsibility with his own,
expanding Real Estate business. Check out his website: www.JasonRealty.com.
Jason
and his wife Lori have had an exciting year. They are thankful for a new house and our
Grand-Dog “Buddy."
Lori
is enjoys teaching 3rd grade at Discovery Elementary.
Josh
and Joscelyn have just finished a tremendously successful first year of running their
European car tuning business. The website is
Joscelyn
also works full time at The City Church managing the Intern program which helps young men
and women grow and discover their faith and ministry.
Jason
and Ed have been working with Pat Matrisciana and Jeremiah Films to produce the much
anticipated God Makers DVD. We are now accepting orders and hope to be shipping them by
next month.
We
are truly blessed to have you join us in the vital ministry of Saints Alive. We wish you a
blessed 2004 which finds you closer to God and experiencing His joy in all areas of your
lives.
Please stand with us in prayer and support as we plan the upcoming year’s schedule. Pray for Ed’s recovery and for God’s guidance as we prepare for what He has in store for us. We also need your financial help to keep things running while Ed is recovering. We specifically need $3,000.00 for manufacturing costs of the new God Makers DVDs.
The
Decker Family
“It is no
longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I
live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside
the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in
vain." - Galatians 2:20-21 |
According
to
The Book of Hebrews…
Jesus
is
Heir of all
things The Creator
The upholder
of all things Possessor of
the Inheritance
Faithful High
priest forever over the house of God, Atoner and bearer of our sins Sufferer of
temptation in the flesh
|
Faithful to
God
|
This idea all started last February 2002, when Dad and I were driving the 15 hours back to Seattle from the Winter Olympics in Utah. A few months ago, while changing in the locker room at my health club, right before my eyes, I saw the undeniable truth that the guy next to me was LDS. He was wearing these strange white garments with weird markings.
The wearing of garments is an undeniable difference between Christians and Mormons. The use of “special undergarments” is often an issue at which non-Mormons laugh at because they don’t understand. But to the LDS, it is serious and important. After all, just why would someone wear such uncomfortable stuff all day, every day of their life as a temple active Mormon?
Garment
of Holy Priesthood
(Garment,
Regulation Garment, Temple Garment)
This garment is
distinguished as the only article of Temple clothing members are expected to wear outside
the Temple confines. It represents the garment given to Adam when he was found naked in
the Garden of Eden. It is an undergarment with religious significance and has four symbols
known as the "Marks of the Holy Priesthood" sewn into it. Over the left breast
is "the mark of the compass"; over the right breast is "the mark of the
square"; over the navel is a mark, and another appears over the right knee (the
latter two are one-inch horizontal lines). These marks remind the wearer of the covenants
assumed in the temple ritual. There are currently a variety of Church-approved Garment
styles available for wear (manufactured by the LDS-owned Beehive Clothing Mills). Garments
are currently available in one-piece (ankle-length, long sleeve; ankle-length, short
sleeve; button front; knee-length, short sleeve) and two-piece styles, some of which are
available in square back, V-back, crew neck, maternity and nursing varieties. They may be
made of cotton, polyester, nylon, nylon-mesh, rayon and/or rayon-nylon (Bemberg) fabrics.
Early Garments were reportedly made of unbleached muslin and/or cotton. (Excerpts from http://www.algonet.se/~daba/lds/tgarment.htm)
The whole
reason why LDS wear these outfits is because they are garments of protection. The LDS
believe that by wearing them, they are afforded protection from the enemy (Lucifer/Devil). Christians also believe in protecting themselves
from demonic attack and agree on the issue that spiritual warfare does in fact exist, and
has a direct impact on us individually.
During the car
ride, as I asked my father about the garments he once wore when he was a temple active
Mormon, He said: “When I was a Mormon and went through the temple
for the first time, I remember the awe and sanctification I felt in receiving my own
garment of the Holy Priesthood. I had been washed and anointed with oil and pronounced
clean before God… and then I was given the garment to wear as my protection during my
‘sojourn’ on earth.” Later in another part of the ritual, the temple
workers told us:
‘You have
had a Garment placed upon you, which you were informed represents the garment given to
Adam and Eve when they were found naked
in the garden of Eden, and which is called the "Garment of the Holy Priesthood."
This you were instructed to wear throughout your life. You were informed that it will be a
shield and a protection to you inasmuch as you do not defile it and if you are true and
faithful to your covenants’. [New temple ceremony wording]
This is such a
foreign concept to one coming from the mainstream Christian perspective. It’s just
amazing how Mormonism can be so close to Christianity, but at the same time almost
completely opposite. We [Christians] too believe we need to be protected from the enemy.
Our understanding is that God has provided us with the “Armor of God” that Paul
mentions in Ephesians Chapter 6. Since the devil is a spirit, this battle is a spiritual
battle and therefore exists in the spiritual domain of our existence. This armor is not a
natural armor of steel that protects our flesh, but a spiritual armor which protects our
spirit.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” Ephesians 6:10-18 NKJV
Then how does
one “put on” the armor of God? It’s not like stepping one foot at a time
into some strange pants and putting a shirt over your head. We put the Armor on by FAITH.
Christianity is based on FAITH and Mormonism is based on religion, based on what people do
and don’t do. It’s because the core tenant in LDS theology is works, not grace
through Faith in Christ.
We put on the armor of God the same way we became Christians, by praying out loud and confessing. Using the above scripture, I encourage you right now to pray this. “In the name of Jesus Christ, I put on the armor of God. I put on the helmet of salvation and renew my mind; I put on the breastplate of righteousness and pick up the shield of faith, which is able to quench all the fiery darts of the enemy. I pick up the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God and fight the devil like Jesus did in the wilderness saying “ It is written…” and so on!
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things, which are seen, were not made of things which are visible.” Hebrews 11:1-3 NKJV
Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” In this specific scripture, the GREEK word used for “word” is RHEMA – which means spoken/ verbal/ oral/ spoken out loud. The Bible clearly shows us that faith is not about the stuff we see and do, because that does NOT require faith to believe. Faith goes beyond belief. Belief is like empirical evidence and that is limited only to the natural.
The third “Articles of Faith” of the LDS says: “We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.” What this means is you now have the opportunity to climb the spiritual ladder to heaven (also known as THE LAW OF ETERNAL PROGRESSION) But if you don’t make it, then it’s your own fault. And for women, if you aren’t married to a priesthood holder, or if your husband is a sinning fool, then you are in big trouble, because you aren’t going to make it to the celestial kingdom.
This is an essential divide between Christians
and LDS because this is against what the bible teaches. Christianity is based on what God
has done for us and Mormonism is based solely on what you can do for yourself, this is the
very reason they have a temple and we don’t. |
The power of the spoken word is what faith is all about. Because its that faith that gives you the understanding to speak the words “Jesus, I need you, come into my heart, please forgive me for what I’ve done. I’m tired of doing things on my own and need you to be my Lord now. I don’t know you since we haven’t spent much time together. Help me to get to know you more, I want you to be the center of my life.” – a prayer like that is all it takes to be saved. Why so simple, because God Himself created everything by faith…. speaking out and saying: “let there be light, let there be man”…etc.
Other scriptures:
- “If we confess
our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9-10 NKJV
- “If
you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised
Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans
10:9 NKJV
www.saintsalive.com
P.O.
Box 1347, Issaquah, WA 98027
Copyright (c) 2004, Saints Alive