THE TRUTH

A Newsletter of PURSUING THE TRUTH MINISTRIES
(Educate to Liberate!)
May 2004

THANK YOU!

I thank all of you who have supported this ministry over the years and for our new supporters. Your prayers, comments, and questions are very much appreciated. We also welcome our new newsletter subscribers.

- Pastor William R. Cunningham

WHAT'S NEW

Alright. I know. I know. This newsletter is very late. This is the result of procrastination at its best. I kept putting it off to do later and every time later came, I was doing something else. So this time I just decided to do it.

Much has been happening since last month. We have been getting more questions and contacts from our website. We have made new friends and just today the general manager of a radio station in Virginia has invited us to perhaps have a show on their station. Nothing is definite yet, but it was an honor that we were contacted. The general manager visited our website and decided to contact us. May God's will be done!

This newsletter will be a lot shorter than the typical one because its so late in the month. Hopefully I'll have Junes newsletter out by the end of the first week.

JESUS SAVES

Pastor Bill

The Bible tells us that Jesus was born so that he would save us from our sins and that faith in him would give us eternal life. See Matthew 1:21 and John 3:16. However, so many people neglect the saving power and redemptive act of Jesus Christ. How do they neglect our Lord and Savior you might ask. They neglect him by adding to the equation so to speak. Paul wrote much about how following the law made Christ of none effect. That is, when you try to follow rules and regulations in order to receive salvation then you are in affect saying that Jesus' death and resurrection weren't enough.

Some of us believe that God is in heaven counting X's for every time we do something wrong, i.e., sin. He also put stars by the divine roll sheet when we do something right or good. God is not counting our sins nor is he counting our "good deeds." The Bible tells us that all of our righteous acts are like filthy rags anyway. The bottom line is that you cannot earn salvation or purchase salvation. Salvation comes simply by believing in Jesus Christ. So stop trying to be saved and allow Jesus to save you. Stop trying to earn acceptance from God and simply do what He says and rest in his saving grace by faith.

We always want to know that we are doing right and one way we fabricate such confidence is by developing a system of rules and regulations, i.e., religion. Religion might make you feel saved through the efforts of self-righteousness. However, the truth of the matter is that "feeling saved" so to speak is meaningless. You should know you are saved and the Bible says that whoever confesses Jesus as Lord shall be saved. If you believe in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ then you are saved. Why add more to it. Do you doubt the power of God? Do you think that God really didn't know what he was doing so you had better fill in the gap? No! God knew what He was doing when He sent Jesus Christ. God knew that we cannot save ourselves and that He would have to. The Bible says that while we were still sinners Jesus died for us.

So God knew what we were and that we could and would never come to him on our own in our sinful state. Therefore, He took the initiative and demonstrated his love for humanity by sending Jesus Christ (God incarnate) so that we would be saved. The only thing we have to do is yield and accept the redemptive act of Jesus Christ and give up the redemptive act of "me-ism." So be free and be saved. Allow the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse you and stop picking up the soap in an attempt to get the spot He missed. He cleansed you through and through so be confident that God has you and stop trying to save yourself. Amen.

do you know jesus?

By Pastor William Cunningham

Do you study your Bible regularly or do you accept whatever you were told? Do you know the truth of just what you were told? Stop a minute and think about that. What is your knowledge and relationship with God based on? Is it based on what others told you or is it based on your own experience with God and the revelation of Himself that He has given us? If you don't know God intimately and personally or if your knowledge of God is solely based on what others say then you are missing the boat my friend.

Get to know God personally. The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the express image of God. Jesus said that if you've seen him then you've seen the Father. We know through the doctrine of the Trinity that Jesus is deity (the same essence as God). Some even use the phrase, "Jesus is God." He is in affect. However, do you know him? Get to know Jesus. Get to know God. Amen.

on christian history

By Pastor Bill

I am fascinated by Christian history. It is so amazing because technically Christianity should not have survived. There was so much against it that it really should have been squashed or assimilated a long time ago. However, here it still stands stronger than ever. Jesus is alive and is true for all ages. The hand of God worked through the history of man and through Christianity and that is why it didn't die. Jesus is not dead so His church is not dead. It is that simple. No power is greater than the power of God so no human could destroy the church. Jesus told us that the gates of Hades would not prevail against the church and it hasn't and it won't.

You should learn something about your Christian heritage especially the first five to seven hundred years. It is fascinating and eye opening. So I challenge you to learn something about Christian history and get a new perspective on your Christian heritage.

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Well, God bless you always. Remember to eat, drink, and digest the word of God and know God for yourself. Be blessed and be free!

- Pastor Bill