News from Evangelist Mike Gendron

October 2014

Where Would We Be Without the Reformation?

The month of October is a good time to remember the spark that ignited the Reformation on October 31, 1517. It has now been 497 years since Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. In doing so, he exposed indulgences as a wicked method to extort money and a device of Satan to destroy the souls of the deceived.

The Doctrine of Justification soon became the defining doctrine which divided Roman Catholics and the Reformers. Catholicism had so blatantly corrupted the Gospel that the Reformers sought to reestablish the message of salvation according to the Word of God with the "five solas." God saves sinners by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, for the glory of God alone. The Roman Catholic Church defended its position of "justification by faith plus works" with a counter-reformation at the Council of Trent. It was there that Rome officially condemned the Protestant doctrine of justification by faith on the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ. In its place, Rome taught an infused righteousness initiated by water baptism and continued through the sacraments.

Today, there are many evangelicals who think the Reformation was a mistake or unnecessary, and now we need to tear down the walls of separation and seek unity with Catholics. These evangelicals have been seduced by Rome's strategy to reverse the Reformation and bring "separated brethren" back home to holy mother, the church. In my Keynote message: Evangelicals and Catholics: Reversing the Reformation, Rome's bewitching strategy to unite all of Christianity is laid bare. More than ever we need to enlist in the Lord's army and earnestly contend for the faith against the growing apostasy within the evangelical church. Order the DVD here.

Israeli Leader Asks Pope for United Relgions

Former president Shimon Peres recently met with Pope Francis to propose a United Nations for religions that he called "the United Religions." Peres, 91, who was the world's oldest head of state until his term ended six weeks ago, met with Francis amid heightened tensions in the Middle East. The summit between Peres and Francis is the third high-profile meeting between the leaders in little more than four months. They met for the first time in late May, when Francis became the fourth pope to visit the Holy Land in the modern era. On that trip, Francis invited Peres and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to the Vatican for a prayer meeting in June, which they both attended.

Peres praised Francis as the only world figure respected across national boundaries and different faiths. In an interview with the Catholic Magazine Famiglia Cristiana, Peres called on Francis to leverage his respect to create an interfaith organization to curb religious violence. "What we need is an unquestionable moral authority who says out loud, 'No, God does not want this and does not allow it.'"

Mike's Comments: God's prophetic word reveals a united world religion that will one day worship a political figure claiming to be the Christ. He will be exalted by a religious figure who resembles a lamb but speaks as a dragon and has power to make the earth's inhabitants worship the anti-Christ. As the false prophet, he will perform great signs and wonders to deceive those who dwell on the earth (Rev. 13:13-14).

Peres's opinion of Pope Francis as the only world figure respected across national boundaries and different faiths is shared by the majority of people on earth. The Vatican is not only a religious capital but a political one as well. Ambassadors come to the Vatican from every major country on earth because the pope is one of the most powerful rulers on earth. Since 1959 all the U.S. presidents have traveled to the Vatican to meet the pope.

If we are in the season of the Lord's return, there is no religious office more powerful and influential than that of the pope. The papacy foreshadows the false prophet of Revelation in many ways. It steals titles given to the Triune God including Holy Father, Head of the Church and Vicar of Christ. The papacy "robs" Christ of His power over souls, usurps God's infallibility, and condemns all who believe God's true Gospel. Every pope since Pope Boniface VIII in 1302 has sought to unite all religions under the papacy. Boniface stated: "It is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff." (Unam Sanctam)

Controversial Pope Marries 20 Couples

Pope Francis married 20 couples from the Diocese of Rome last month, some of them less than paragons of traditional Catholic values. While the Roman Catholic Church considers sex out of marriage a sin, some of the couples married by the pope had already lived together and one had a grown child. Some couples had been previously married. But in Francis's new, more forgiving church, these otherwise familiar domestic arrangements were not considered an impediment. Vatican reporter, John Thavis commented, "It's the 'who am I to judge?' pope, who doesn't want to turn people away and instead wants to find a way to bring people in." The public marriages, the first by a pope since 2000, were meant to send a message, something Francis has done previously to soften the church's image on social issues. Read more.

Letters From Around the World

Dear Mike, From childhood, being raised in a strict and rigid Catholic family, a thought kept coming to mind - "there is more." In 1975 the Holy Spirit opened my heart and mind with the "more", and granted forgiveness to me, filled me with the love of Jesus and a joy I had never known. That was only the beginning of a most wonderful life, with a wonderful hope, the blessing of heaven, and truth. Your website is truly a blessing in every way. It is so encouraging to those of us who belong to Jesus, and want the world to have this same hope and faith. So, thank you for your continuing boldness. I look so forward to each of your emails. Often they give the encouragement that is so needed. God bless your obedience to the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus. B.D., Internet

Dear Mike, Every time an evangelical brings up the horrible practices and dogmas of Catholicism through the ages, cries of "Catholic bashing" come out. Is it "bashing" to recall that Pope Innocent III, in one 24-hour period, killed more believers than the Roman Empire killed during its entire reign? This pope was declared a saint and is called "One of the greatest popes of the Middle Ages." Is it "bashing" to mention that the Church established and ran ratlines at the end of WWII, to smuggle Nazi war criminals out of Europe? The Church hid them in convents and monasteries, provided them with phony passports, and provided them with "relocation finances." Is it "bashing" to show the Church looked the other way when thousands of young boys were molested by priests? The Church hid the evidence and simply shuffled the homosexual pedophiles to other locations. Is it "bashing" to point out that the very ideas of purgatory; praying to saints, Mary's perpetual virginity; her bodily ascent into heaven; Christ's continual, repeated sacrifice during each Mass; the pope's infallibility; the decrees of Trent damning anyone who believes they are saved by faith alone; and that Muslims are part of salvation because they are children of Abraham? Why don't folks simply leave the Church? What else does that evil organization have to do to show its true colors? W. O., Tulsa, OK

Dear W.O., The primary reason Catholics do not leave their religion is because they have been indoctrinated from the time they can think that they belong to the one true church. They believe their church and priests will save them after enough indulgences and sacrifices of the Mass have been purchased to get them out of the fictitious place called purgatory. Only God's sovereign grace can break the chains that hold them in spiritual bondage. The Spirit of God must bring conviction and the Word of God must be proclaimed for them to be born again (Jas. 1:18). Only then can they respond with repentance and faith (Acts 20:21).

Another Mary Deceives Catholics

The Roman Catholic Church not only offers its people another Jesus but also another Mary. Its perversion of the biblical Mary has no end as witnessed in a recent homily on The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Among the heretical statements we read when she was "assumed into heaven, Mary entered the royal court of heaven and sits at the right hand of her Son, Christ the King. As our Queen, Mary directs us, protects us and intercedes for us." Pope Pius XII taught that Mary is a most excellent queen because of her Immaculate Conception by which she possessed a fullness of innocence and holiness, as well she is a most efficacious queen as she shares in Christ's influence over humanity, distributing graces through her motherly intercession...she intercedes powerfully for us with a mother's prayers, obtains what she seeks and cannot be refused." Pope John Paul taught that "Mary does not cease her saving service, which expresses her maternal mediation. She was an advocate for the people and a counselor to her son." Read more.

Satanic "Black Mass" Mocks the Eucharist

A ceremony traditionally performed by satanic cults to parody the Catholic church was cancelled after widespread condemnation. Nearly 400 Harvard students and 100 alumni reportedly signed a petition opposing the event. "This form of satanic worship not only ridicules the central practice of Catholicism, the Mass, but it also mocks and offends all who have faith in Christ," the petition reads. Watch Fox News interview here.

At another venue in Oklahoma City, a satanic cult was successful in staging a black mass on Sept. 21 at the city-run music hall. Archbishop Paul Coakley said the black mass is a "blasphemous and sacrilegious ritual", "a mockery of the Catholic Mass", and that it requires "the corruption and desecration of the Eucharist" because "Satanists, and their master, know who is present." He said, "They acknowledge the Real Presence of the Lord Jesus, not to adore him, but only to mock and to scorn in hatred." Read more.

Mike's Comment: It is ironic that satanic cults are mocking the Catholic Mass since apostate Catholicism follows doctrines of demons, such as forbidding its clergy to marry (1 Tim. 4:1). I am not saying this to be harsh but to encourage Catholics to test every teaching with the authority of Scripture. The Catholic Church insults and blasphemes the perfect, sufficient, finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ by re-presenting another christ on an altar in its daily Sacrifice of the Mass. The Catholic religion foolishly declares, "The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice...the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner, this sacrifice is truly propitiatory" (Catechism, paragraph 1367). The Lord Jesus was immersed in the wrath of a sin-avenging God so that divine justice could be appeased. He suffered excruciating pain as He bore the sins of His people so that eternal life could be offered as a gift of His grace. The all-sufficient Savior suffered and died once for all sin for all time; there are no more offerings for sin (Heb. 10:10, 12, 18). I have great compassion for Catholics who are being deceived by the heretical teachings of their religion. Only the truth of God's Word can set them free from the bondage of religious deception (John 8:31-32).

Pope Not Just for Catholics but for All People

About 1 million people attended a Mass celebrated by Pope Francis to honor 124 Korean martyrs in August. According to a news report only 17 to 19 percent of the audience were Catholic. One devotee said, "I think that the Pope is not just for Catholics, but for the world. He is for peace, and his kindness to the whole of humanity."

An Open Letter to Kirk Cameron

Kirk Cameron's recent interviews with a Roman Catholic priest and Glenn Beck, a devout Mormon, prompted Michael Beasley to write an open letter of concern and caution to him. Read the letter here.

Let us know how we can serve you.

Mike Gendron

(972) 495-0485

PO Box 940871, Plano, TX 75094

www.ProclaimingTheGospel.org

ProclaimingTheGospel.org

Mike's Ministry Schedule

Chiesa Biblica di Messina

Sicily, Italy

Oct. 5

Mike will preach the Sunday morning service at 10:30 am as a guest of Pastor/Missionary

Johnny Gravino

and the

Italian Theological Academy.

Corinth, Athens, Ephesus, Mykonos, Rhodes, Jerusalem and Galilee

Oct 7 -14

Mike will teach where the Lord Jesus and the apostles taught in a 3-dimensional Bible Study throughout the Holy Land.

Lighthouse Baptist Church

Hillsboro, WI

Oct. 25-27

Mike will speak 5 times during the 3rd Annual

Just For the Gospel conference.

For more information call 608-343-0851

or click here.

Calvary Community Church

Lincoln, NE

Nov. 14

Mike will teach a Friday evening seminar at

Calvary Community Church,

4400 1st St in Lincoln.

For more information

click here.

Heartland Bible Church

Lincoln, NE

Nov. 16

Mike will preach the Sunday morning message at 10 am at Heartland Bible Church, 2611 S 56th St in Lincoln. For more information

click here.

DVD of the Month

According to the 13th chapter of the book of Revelation, no one will be able to buy or sell anything unless they have the mark of the Beast. The mark will declare their loyalty to the AntiChrist and his apostate religion.

Available at a 45% discount during the month of October. Order here.

The Supremacy and Sufficiency of our Lord Jesus Christ

God's Gospel reveals all the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished to save sinners from the power, punishment, and ultimately, the presence of sin: righteousness had to be perfected, divine justice had to be satisfied, blood had to be shed, redemption had to be paid, sins had to be forgiven, reconciliation had to be achieved, death had to be conquered, and salvation had to be secured.

What a glorious Savior we have to proclaim to those who are in bondage to sin!

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Spurgeon on False Converts and

Easy-Believism

"The problem is that people bear the Christian name but act like worldlings and love the amusements and follies of the world. It is time for a division in the house of the Lord in which those for Christ go into one camp and those against Christ go into the other camp.

We have been mixed together too long."

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