[su_audio url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/oneminuteministry/OMM034.mp3"][/su_audio]

[ommtop]

[su_spoiler title="Click for transcription..." style="default" open="no"]People are true Christians not because of what they do or don’t do, but because the object of their faith is Christ and Christ alone for salvation. If anyone is trusting and resting in the finished work of Christ alone for salvation, they are a Christian.

Is it possible that such a one would pray to Mary and the saints? Yes, it’s possible. But it is also an act of idolatry, implies that God is less compassionate than Mary, and has zero biblical warrant. But just as there are Presbyterians who don’t believe what Presbyterianism teaches about salvation, so there are Catholic and Orthodox people who don’t believe what their church teaches about salvation. They are resting in Christ, and are sadly misguided in practices such as praying to Mary and the saints.

If that is you, I suggest you have a moral obligation to leave those churches, particularly the Roman Catholic Church, which is unashamed in its denial of the biblical gospel as plainly stated in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”[/su_spoiler]

[su_audio url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/oneminuteministry/OMM030.mp3"][/su_audio]

[ommtop]

[su_spoiler title="Click for transcription..." style="default" open="no"]There have been various claims made over the years of those who went to heaven and came back. Some of these ‘heavenly tourism’ experiences have become popular. One of the most famous, “The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven” by Alex Malarkey, was recently declared a fraud as Alex himself confessed that he did not die and did not go to heaven.

The real question is, what does the Bible say? I don’t have time to discuss the context, but if I could paraphrase John 3:13, Jesus essentially says, ‘No man has ever ascended to heaven and returned to speak of heavenly things, but the one who is in heaven came down to speak of heavenly things.’

Jesus is saying He is the only one to come from heaven with a message. No one who died and came back to life in the Bible ever spoke of what they saw, and Paul speaks of knowing a man caught up into heaven and declares that what he heard would not be lawful to repeat.

The truth is, all these claims are nonsense. They contradict each other and often conflict with the scriptures. Avoid them, and anyone who claims such experiences. You have God’s Word, and it is sufficient. [/su_spoiler]

[su_audio url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/oneminuteministry/OMM028.mp3"][/su_audio]

[ommtop]

[su_spoiler title="Click for transcription..." style="default" open="no"]This is one of a number of questions that can arise when we have visitors attending our church.

Unlike many churches today, we don’t use screens to project the words of our worship songs as we sing. Instead we still use a hymn book.

This isn’t by accident. First, screens require someone to run them, effectively preventing someone from worshipping God. Second, often they’re badly designed and you can barely read them even with good eyesight. Third, and perhaps most important, is that they often prevent children from joining in.

Now I know many churches follow the unbiblical practice of removing their children from worship, but for those that don’t but use screens, often children can’t join in because they can’t see past taller adults.

One of my great joys was hearing my eldest child read and sing the hymns for the first time. She was five years old, and that was only possible because she could hold the hymnal for herself. To forbid her this blessing of joining in corporate praise is a form of forbidding them from coming to the Lord Jesus.[/su_spoiler]

[su_audio url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/oneminuteministry/OMM026.mp3"][/su_audio]

[ommtop]

[su_spoiler title="Click for transcription..." style="default" open="no"]Sadly Christianity has become so shallow nowadays, that people want to believe God has only good and happy experiences for them, but this is not biblical.

While the Lord never leaves His people or forsakes them, He does reserve the right to bring us into periods where our communion with Him feels hindered as we sense that we are shrouded in darkness. Sometimes this is a result of sin, at other times it is to exercise our faith to trust Him.

We read in Isaiah 50:10, “Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.” There we are told of one who fears God and yet walks in darkness.

Perhaps that’s you today? If so, make sure you are assembling with God’s people in a place where the Bible is preached under the power of the Holy Spirit. In John 20 we see Thomas isolating himself from God’s people, and the Lord Jesus doesn’t address his doubts and fears until he assembled with the other disciples a week after the resurrection.

It’s in the gathering of the saints that the Lord often visits His people again.[/su_spoiler]

[su_audio url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/oneminuteministry/OMM024.mp3"][/su_audio]

[ommtop]

[su_spoiler title="Click for transcription..." style="default" open="no"]This word is used by the apostle John in 1 John 2:1 which says, “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

While this is the only time we find the word ‘advocate’ in the New Testament, the greek term behind it is found on another four occasions. On each of the other four occasions it is with reference to the Holy Spirit and is translated ‘Comforter.’

The essential meaning of the word indicates, “one called alongside to help” which is part of the ministry of Holy Spirit to God’s people, He has been sent by Christ to help you.

But in 1 John 2:1 it is with reference to Jesus Christ, and in this context John says that Christ is representing us in Heaven before the Father. On our behalf He pleads the merits of His own sacrifice upon the cross in order to obtain a sure forgiveness to those who depend on Him alone for acceptance before the Father.

So if you are crushed by the guilt of your sin, what you need more than anything is this heavenly advocate, Jesus Christ.[/su_spoiler]

[su_audio url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/oneminuteministry/OMM023.mp3"][/su_audio]

[ommtop]

[su_spoiler title="Click for transcription..." style="default" open="no"]In brief, the Westminster Shorter Catechism says, “Adoption is an act of God's free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.”

Contrary to popular belief, no one is born a child of God. Jesus told the unbelieving Jews they were of their Father the devil, and Paul says to the Ephesians that they were once the children of wrath. Thus, if we are to be a child of God, we must experience a spiritual adoption, and this spiritual adoption is what takes place the moment we trust in Christ for salvation.

As Paul says in Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” So it doesn’t occur gradually, it is instantaneous upon genuine conversion.

It also provides immediate benefits, such as confidence in prayer and the promise of daily provision when we seek first the Kingdom of God, as well as the future guarantee of glorification in Heaven. The only question is, are you a child of God?[/su_spoiler]

[su_audio url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/oneminuteministry/OMM001.mp3"][/su_audio]

[ommtop]

[su_spoiler title="Click for transcription..." style="default" open="no"]The word 'gospel' just means 'Good News' so how do we understand it in the context of the Christian message?

The apostle Paul crystallizes the whole concept of the gospel in 2 Cor 5:19 which says, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." In that text we see that God is the one that is taking responsibility. But how?

Well of course we understand He sent His Son, the second person of the Trinity. The Lord Jesus Christ came as God the Son into the world, and He took flesh, and as Gal 4:4 puts it, "He was made of a woman, made under the law" i.e. He was made subject to the conditions that man is under. And He took the responsibility as our substitute to live for us, to die for us, and then validated His work by His resurrection.

And that essentially is the gospel, and the way we receive what God has done is by believing. This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.[/su_spoiler]

[su_audio url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/oneminuteministry/OMM002.mp3"][/su_audio]

[ommtop]

[su_spoiler title="Click for transcription..." style="default" open="no"]This question often stems from a reading of 1 Tim 2:4 which says, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” It seems to teach that God would have every person to be saved. But, clearly God does not decree all men to be saved, otherwise they would be.

Since the scripture is very plain on the issue that not everyone goes to heaven, what did Paul mean that God would have ‘all men’ to be saved? When examined in context his instruction to Timothy in 1 Tim 2:1-6 was that salvation is not just for the common people.

So prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks should be made for all men, including kings, and all that are in authority…because God will have all kinds of men to be saved…because Christ Jesus gave himself a ransom for all kinds of men.

That is the sense, and thus we should regularly pray not just for those in great need, but also for our politicians and those in places of authority that God might open their eyes and save them.[/su_spoiler]

[su_audio url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/oneminuteministry/OMM003.mp3"][/su_audio]

[ommtop]

[su_spoiler title="Click for transcription..." style="default" open="no"]This is often asked when one reads 1 Cor 7:32-33, which says, “He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.”

So clearly in a sense, yes, it is better to remain single so you can dedicate your life to serve the Lord without the responsibilities that come with being married.

But singleness is not for you to live how you please, nor is it better if you can’t control yourself. Forced celibacy is not biblical, “if they cannot contain, let them marry” (1 Cor 7:9). Nor is it wise, and even a cursory knowledge of the history of the RCC will prove that. “Marriage is honourable in all” (Heb 13:4), and it is the will of God for everyone except those with the gift of singleness.

Those with that gift will become aware of it over time. But marriage is precious to God, and it should be to us, too.[/su_spoiler]

[su_audio url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/oneminuteministry/OMM004.mp3"][/su_audio]

[ommtop]

[su_spoiler title="Click for transcription..." style="default" open="no"]The apostle Paul gives us some insight into how he felt about sin, “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” (Rom 7:19).

In this chapter, Paul is greatly distressed about an inner battle with sin. Some think Paul is referring to pre-conversion days, but the non-Christian does not battle with sin in this way. Others like to say that the battle with sin is an experience of defeatism.

But, Paul acknowledges he does not understand his own actions. He wants to do what is right but sins anyway. So intense is this struggle that he speaks of himself as a "wretched man" in desperate need of deliverance by Jesus Christ.

I would argue that this struggle with sin is proof of real spiritual life. I’ve never met a sincere, deeply spiritual Christian that didn’t take sin seriously. Some might say, ‘why bother fighting sin if Christ died for it? While there is freedom in Christ, the message of the NT is that if you don’t fight sin, you’re still in sin.[/su_spoiler]