August 10, 2021 Show with John Crotts on “Hope: Living Confidently in God”

Live from the historic parsonage of the 19th century gospel minister George Norcross in downtown

Carlisle, Pennsylvania, it's Iron Sharpens Iron.

This is a radio platform in which pastors, Christian scholars, and theologians address the burning issues facing

the church and the world today.

Proverbs chapter 27 verse 17 tells us iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens

another.

Matthew Henry said that in this passage we are cautioned to take heed with whom we converse and directed to

have in view in conversation to make one another wiser and better.

It is our hope that this goal will be accomplished over the next two hours, and we hope to hear from you the listener with

your own questions.

And now here's your host Chris Arnzen.

Good afternoon Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Lake City, Florida, and the rest of humanity living on the

planet earth who are listening via live streaming at ironsharpensironradio .com.

This is Chris Arnzen, your host of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio, wishing you all a happy Tuesday on this 10th

day of August 2021, and I'm thrilled to have back on the program a returning

guest for the first 90 minutes.

He is Pastor John Kratz, an author, a board member of the Fellowship

of Independent Reformed Evangelicals, also known as FIRE, and senior pastor at

Faith Bible Church of Sharpsburg, Georgia.

We are going to be addressing his new book, published by PNR Publishing, Hope,

Living Confidently in God, and it's my honor and privilege to welcome you back to Iron Sharpens Iron

Radio, Pastor John Kratz.

Well, thank you so much, Chris.

It's a joy to be with you today.

And why don't you let our listeners know about the Faith Bible Church of

Sharpsburg, Georgia.

Yeah, so our website is US, and we are located on

the south side of

Atlanta, 1995.

It has grace 26 years, generally

through...

And how would you describe the Faith Bible Church, theologically?

Well, we would be, and we would be

the master center of the divinity

ministry, so I think when you come to visit, you get

a warmth

by week, really great.

And I understand

you operate there

a counseling

center.

We do, we do.

We're part of the Association of Certified...

So we have a training center as well,

dynamic, so we

kind of make a joke that

everybody very

nice and

say that my job is a.

Subject.

Yeah, I remember an old preacher from Mississippi many years ago

told me in his gravelly southern accent, when he found out that I was from New York, where I

originally lived for the majority of my life, he said, you folks in New York

got it easy.

You just gotta get people saved.

We gotta get them lost, then get them saved.

That's right.

And tell us about the Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals, where you serve on the.

Yeah, one more thing about our counseling ministry, because of the dynamic of the

Co

-Canada

and

then

we're

a

network where we have fellowship

together

and encourage been

part

of

it since...

Well, their

website, if

anybody is interested

in finding out more about FIRE,.

The Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals, go to firefellowship .org, firefellowship

.org.

And once again, to repeat the website of Faith Bible Church in Sharpsburg, Georgia,

where John is the senior pastor, go to faithbiblechurch .us,

faithbiblechurch .us.

Well, John, as you probably know, there are

numerous books already available in print before you wrote your book

on a subject that would be either identical or

somewhat related to the concept of living confidently in God.

And of course, probably most of them are heretical and horrible and garbage,

because they're giving the wrong people confidence that they are truly in

God.

They very often are lifting up the spirits and

salving the consciences of unrepentant, unregenerate individuals.

And sometimes the books are actually reaching

true believers, but seeking to instill confidence in them for the wrong reasons and the wrong

ways.

But why is it that you said to yourself, you know, I've got to write my own book on

hope, living confidently in God?

Well, I had a pastor, and we were having breakfast.

Scenarios,

you were

positive things.

Why do you think that guy is so punchline?

And instead, he said, the reason why he so

always gives a positive message, negative

play with the shock

that I wasn't going to get a punchline.

We're the

ones, we're

the ones

who have

the right

foundation and yet confidence.

Well, praise God.

I think that this will be a valuable tool for reformed folk

as well.

Not only those that have a

charismatic or Pentecostal understanding of

confidence that is non -biblical, unbiblical, anti -biblical.

There are, I believe, and perhaps you agree with this, there are quite a number of

reformed people, I believe, who also, although using the right

vocabulary and having the right concepts laid out

when they are going through a crisis, when they are experiencing a serious illness or

witnessing something like that in the lives of others that they love,

they rightly will put their trust in God and say that they will trust

in what God's will is in those various circumstances.

But at the same time, I think that it is all too often the case that

reformed folks such as us are overly pessimistic

in God's will being the same as their own in regard

to a situation being resolved or an ailment being healed.

Do you follow what I'm saying?

I think so.

I heard David

Pallison about

God's sovereignty.

We also need to remind those people God is so

kind to us.

I think that there's everything out to

get us.

He

even

gives

unbelievers

the

beauty of God's

sovereignty, a

negative outcome in our lives.

Amen.

I just want to read a couple of endorsements for this book.

First of all, Brian Borgman, who is founding pastor at Grace Community Church in Minden,

Nevada, says, John has excelled in this devotional format,

turning the angles of biblical hope like a diamond, bringing forth the true hope we

have in Jesus and his hope -giving word.

Beautifully stated endorsement.

And also Stuart Scott, professor of biblical counseling and graduate

program of the Master's Seminary.

I should say professor of biblical counseling at the graduate program of the Master's

University.

He says, John has written what I'd like to call spiritual B12 shots

of hope.

I encourage readers of this great book to take their own daily dose of hope

in God and his promises and to spread it around.

Very excellent and powerful endorsements for this book.

Well, why don't you start at the place

where a lot of people who are going to be looking for a book

like this, looking for encouragement like this, there

are innumerable reasons why people need to be reminded

of God's goodness.

They could be, as I've already mentioned, they could be seriously ill.

They could be going through a divorce.

They could have some kind of tragedy in the family regarding their children.

They could be unemployed.

You could go on and on and on why people are giving up hope.

People are tragically even perhaps on the brink of suicide.

They are driven to despair.

They are mourning and grieving the loss of a loved one.

Tell us the first thing that somebody grabbing this book when

they're in any kind of a state of desperation and sadness and

sorrow, what they should be doing to prepare themselves mentally and spiritually

as they open the pages.

Of this book.

Exactly right.

I remember early by somebody

who said we only need hope when they

many

people

going

through measure of

to be by

the Lord of

difficulty.

And I would just first I would I think I would say I really appreciate

the 31 day devotional Raju

from

format is

simply

it's just

a two

page.

I'm thinking about

the

person where they

might not be able to handle a biblical

treatment.

One at one

feels like it is

right.

Amen.

And one

thing.

That people very often tragically do and this is not only

people outside of the body of Christ.

I myself am guilty even as a Christian.

Returning as a as a dog returns to his own vomit.

I returned to the sin of habitual and really

scandalous drunkenness for a season in my life.

I had when I came to Christ, I gave up

drinking altogether.

I was a really critically serious drunkard as a young man.

Gave up booze, cold turkey as a new believer in Christ and

remain sober for 18 years.

And then when things got difficult in my life, I fell back on a

crutch and probably abused the substance

of alcohol more than I did before I was in a before I was a Christian.

And thankfully, I was put under church discipline.

In fact, by one of the sons of members of your church, the

Grimaldi.

Mark Grimaldi and Pastor Doug Totter put me under church discipline.

And I think this is also a reminder to people or even maybe a first time

introduction.

Discipline is not meant to be something horrible that happens to you.

It's meant for the opposite reason.

It's meant to restore you to God and to fellowship with the church.

Absolutely.

And I not only was under discipline, but I went to Hebron Colony in

Boone, North Carolina, which is a Christian ministry, a

Christian drug and alcohol recovery ministry or addiction recovery ministry for men.

They have a sister ministry in Asante, South Carolina called Grace

Home.

But I went to Hebron Colony in Boone, North Carolina, and thank God I left there

totally delivered from even the inclination

of the desire to drink again.

I'm not saying that everybody who leaves there leaves in the same mindset, but thank God that was the case for me.

And I say this long -winded thing or explanation because I know that

people all too often do not want to experience the

mental anguish and pain and discomfort of a trial and they reach for something to

numb themselves.

And that's one thing we should tell people.

Even if you believe in a liberty to moderately

drink responsibly and so on, that when you're going through something that's real

serious, it would be wise to reconsider even tasting

anything like that, at least during the period that you're going through the trial.

Am I right there?

Well, absolutely, especially if

that's

been an absolutely

forbidding or drunkenness.

And so we

don't

want to

use, tell you

to, we need to

receive.

But I know where

good is

it, you know,

confidence,

stronger I'll be to

do the hard

work, eventual deliverance.

I mean, in

your

situation,

no doubt, this

wasn't

just one of

the things you want

to do any kind of crisis.

But in fact,

could you

pick up on that when

we return from our

first advertising break?

Oh, I'd love to.

And if anybody wants to join us, our email address is chrisarnsen at gmail .com, chrisarnsen at gmail

.com, C -H -R -I -S -A -R -N -Z -E -N at gmail .com.

If you have a question for John Kratz, please give us your first name, at least your city and state of residence and

your country of residence.

If you live outside the USA, if you have a personal and private matter that you'd like to

ask John about for counsel, et cetera, you may feel free to

remain anonymous.

But if it's just a general question, please give us your first name, at least city and state and country of residence.

Don't go away.

We'll be right back with John Kratz and hope living confidently in God

right after these messages.

Hello, dear ones.

My name is Justin Peters and my friend Chris Arnzen, host of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio, and

I are frequently blessed to share great times of fellowship with one another at conferences all over the United States.

We'll both be enjoying more fellowship together at the G3 Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, Thursday,

September 30th through Saturday, October 2nd, on the theme, Christ is

Supreme Over All.

I'll be speaking there along with over 20 other speakers, including John MacArthur, Phil Johnson, Vody

Balkam, Joel Beakey, and James White.

For details, visit g3conference .com.

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Please join Chris Arnzen and me September 30th through October 2nd at

G3 2021.

This is Justin Peters reminding you that Christ is supreme over.

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Welcome back.

This is Chris Arnzen.

And if you just tuned us in, our guest today for the entirety of the program, actually not for the

entirety of the program, for the first 90 minutes of the program, he will be followed by Andrew Rappaport of

Striving for Eternity Ministries.

But for the first 90 minutes, we have Pastor John Kratz as our guest, author,

board member of the Fellowship of Independent Reform Evangelicals, also known as FIRE, and senior pastor

at Faith Bible Church of Sharpsburg, Georgia.

We are discussing Pastor John's new book, Hope, Living Confidently in

God.

If you have a question of your own, send it in to ChrisArnzen at gmail .com, C -H -R -I -S -A -R -N

-Z -E -N, gmail .com.

Give us your first name, at least, your city and state of residence, your country of residence if you live outside of the

USA, and only remain anonymous if your question involves a personal and private matter.

And I asked you before we went to the break to give us some biblical examples of how God

gives us hope.

But I think even before you do that, we should get a correct definition of what hope is,

because in our vernacular, in this day and age, and perhaps even for centuries,

very often, if not most often, hope is usually used in a pessimistic fashion.

In fact, Christians who believe they can lose their salvation,

even if they are genuinely born again, sometimes if you ask them the question, do you believe

you're going to heaven when you die?

They will say, on occasion, I hope so.

And you will have that word used in various other ways when it's being

expressed as an indication of pessimism, something that you want to happen, but you really

aren't sure or you doubt it will happen.

But give us a correct definition, especially how you're using it in your title.

Right.

Important

distinction.

We do have,

if

somebody was sick,

there's

not a guarantee from

God that

they

will be

healed.

Grace to

the future is

kind of a negative thing.

Do we have

grace?

We're thinking about

the retreat he

has made us,

his Jesus, those who,

we're not just, you know, wouldn't we be

confident?

Yes.

And although God very often does answer the prayers of

his children, according to what they are asking from him,

he also exceeds in how he answers those

prayers, even far greater things than they are asking.

But one thing about a Reformed understanding of God's sovereignty

is that as a believer, we know however God answers a prayer, even if it

looks in this life on this earth, nothing like what we are asking for.

It is the best answer, because if we are his children,

he will never answer a prayer or ignore a prayer

in such a way that brings about something that will

intend our ultimate harm.

Even when a believer may pray to be healed and he dies of an illness,

he is obviously in eternity with Christ, experiencing no sorrow, no pain.

But God will always answer a prayer in the best way.

Am I correct on that?

I mean, when I'm talking about, of course, his true children here.

Right.

Yes, definitely.

God's plan is the best possible.

If we knew all that God was up to, we would never have any

reason why we don't.

The reason

why we

have

to add to

that would

be

because

I

care.

We have

a

listener

who wants to

ask

about

1 Peter 5, verse 7.

Let's see.

I just had that.

Question in front of me.

Where is it?

Oh, Mike from Monroe, New York.

He says, All your care upon him because he cares for you.

May your guest please offer some pertinent comments upon us,

upon this passage of Scripture.

Okay.

I love this verse.

Yes,

anxieties on him.

He's in

the word

care.

He's not too

busy to hear your prayers.

He's called upon you to come.

He's given you

promises.

I'm very

full.

Sunday sermon

made us is so

much better.

Instead, God

has

not

just made

us.

It's what

God does here.

Oh, thank you, Mike in Monroe, New York.

Give us your full mailing address because you have won a free copy of the book that we

are addressing today, Hope, Living Confidently in God, compliments of our

friends at PNR Publishing and also compliments of our friends at Cumberland Valley Bible

Book Service, cvbbs .com, who will be shipping that book out to you at no cost to

you or to Iron Trip and Zion Radio.

Just make sure you email me your full mailing address in Monroe, New York.

We have an anonymous listener who says, Many of my friends are

Pentecostal and charismatic.

And very often, even if they are not a member of the extreme version of those things

known as the Word of Faith movement, which is completely and utterly heretical, there seems to be an

overconfidence expressed by them in the way that they pray,

saying things like, I command this to happen, and that if any

doubt were to rise up in your mind about something being answered exactly the way you are

praying, it is sin, et cetera, et cetera.

How is the confidence you are speaking of.

Today different from that?

Yes, Mike, the confidence

that we are

charismatic,

but

say

in

a

presumption, we dare not come into God's presence,

presume from the

garden when he prayed that if it

was submitted his will to God's, the Father's will, and prayed,

not my will,

but yours be done.

God's Word lined up

with Scripture.

When our prayers are lined up with our wishfulness on

the danger,

sometimes

we don't know.

Amen.

And

one of

the

travesties.

And absurdities of the many heresies involved in the Word of Faith movement

is that if your prayers would always be answered the way that you want them to be answered,

you very often would be bringing curses upon yourself, because God, being omnipotent, knows

what the true best way to answer your prayer is, and that is very often

not what you think it is.

Right.

And sometimes God lets us know this, right?

Right.

There's been times in our life where we've seen that that prayer had been

answered like I

initially prayed about God's.

Kingdom.

And we have to go to our midway break right now.

If you have a question, please send it in to chrisarnson at gmail .com immediately, or as quickly

as you can, because Pastor John has to leave the program earlier

than normal.

We do have a final half hour with my dear friend Andrew Rappaport of

Striving for Eternity Ministries, who's going to discuss the challenges of planting

churches in 21st century liberal America.

But before that, we still have some time left with Pastor John.

So if you have a question, please send it immediately or as soon as possible to chrisarnson at gmail .com, c

-h -r -i -s -a -r -n -z -e -n at gmail .com.

Please give us your first name, at least, your city and state, and your country of residence if you live outside the USA.

Remember, folks, the midway break is always longer than the other breaks in the show, because Grace Life Radio, 90

.1 FM in Lake City, Florida, requires of us a longer break in the middle of the show so

that they can comply with FCC regulations and air

their own public service announcements and other things that localize this program geographically to Lake City, Florida.

So please be patient with us as the break is a little bit longer, and we will be right back after these

messages, so please don't go away.

I'm James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries.

My friend Chris Arnzen, host of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio, and I are headed down to Atlanta, Georgia once

again for the G3 Conference.

This year's G3 will be held Thursday, September 30th, through Saturday, October 2nd, on the theme,

Christ is Supreme Over All.

I'll be joined by over 20 other speakers and musicians to lead in the worship of God through preaching, teaching, and

singing, including John MacArthur, Phil Johnson, Conrad M. Bayway, Daryl Bernard Harrison, and

Virgil Walker.

For details, visit g3conference .com.

That's g3conference .com.

Chris Arnzen and I hope to see you September 30th through October 2nd at G321.

This is James White.

Reminding you that Christ is supreme over

all.

When Iron Sharpens Iron Radio first launched in 2005, the publishers of the New American

Standard Bible were among my very first sponsors.

It gives me joy knowing that many scholars and pastors in the Iron Sharpens Iron Radio audience have been

sticking with or switching to the NASB.

I'm author Gary DeMar, President of American Vision,.

And the NASB is my Bible of choice.

I'm Pastor Dan LeBennick of West Hills Baptist Church in Huntington Station, New York, and the

NASB is my Bible of choice.

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Choice.

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is my Bible of choice.

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In Jackson, Georgia, and the NASB is my Bible of choice.

Here's a great way for your church to help.

Keep Iron Sharpens Iron Radio on the air.

Pastors, are your pew Bibles tattered and falling apart?

Consider restocking your pews with the NASB, and tell the publishers you heard about them

from Chris Arnzen on Iron Sharpens Iron Radio.

Go to nasbible .com.

That's nasbible .com to place your order.

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Here's what Gary DeMar, president of American Vision, had to say about Iron Sharpens Iron Radio

recently.

Good to be back, Chris.

I always enjoy our time.

I have to tell you, you're one of the better interviewers out there, and I've been doing this for more

than 30 years.

Wow, that's some compliment.

How much do I owe you for that?

Uh, you don't have to owe me anything.

We're in good shape.

I'm glad you said it on the air, so I don't have to brag about myself.

Tell your friends and loved ones about Iron Sharpens Iron Radio, airing live Monday through Friday, 4 to

6 p .m. Eastern time at ironsharpensironradio .com.

Hi, this is John Sampson, pastor of King's Church in Peoria, Arizona.

Taking a moment of your day to talk about Chris Arnzen and the Iron Sharpens Iron podcast.

I consider Chris a true friend and a man of high integrity.

He's a skilled interviewer who's not afraid to ask the big penetrating questions, while always defending the key

doctrines of the Christian faith.

I've always been happy to point people to this podcast, knowing it's one of the very few safe places on the internet

where folk won't be led astray.

I believe this podcast needs to be heard far and wide.

This is a day of great spiritual compromise, and yet God has raised Chris up for just such a time.

Knowing this, it's up to us as members of the body of Christ to stand with such a ministry in prayer and

in finances.

I'm pleased to do so, and would like to ask you to prayerfully consider joining me in supporting Iron

Sharpens Iron financially.

Would you consider sending either a one -time gift or even becoming a regular monthly partner with this ministry?

I know it would be a huge encouragement to Chris if you would.

All the details can be found at ironsharpensironradio .com, where you can click support.

That's ironsharpensironradio .com.

As host of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio, I frequently get requests from listeners for church recommendations.

The church I've been strongly recommending as far back as the 1980s is Grace Covenant Baptist Church

in Flemington, New Jersey, pastored by Alan Dunn.

Grace Covenant Baptist Church believes it's God's prerogative to determine how he shall be worshiped and how he

shall be represented in the world.

They believe churches need to turn to the Bible to discover what to include in worship and how to worship

God in spirit and truth.

Grace Covenant Baptist Church endeavors to maintain a God -centered focus.

Reading, preaching, and hearing the Word of God, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,

baptism, and communion are the scriptural elements of their corporate worship, performed with faith, joy,

and sobriety.

Discover more about Grace Covenant Baptist Church in Flemington, New Jersey at

gcbcnj .squarespace .com.

That's gcbcnj .squarespace .com or

call them at 908 -996 -7654.

That's 908 -996 -7654.

Tell Pastor Dunn that you heard about Grace Covenant Baptist Church on Iron Sharpens Iron Radio.

Hello, my name is Anthony Uvino and I'm.

One of the pastors at Hope Reform Baptist Church in Quorum, New York and also the host of the reformrookie

.com website.

I want you to know that if you enjoy listening to the Iron Sharpens Iron Radio show like I do, you can now find it on the

Apple's iTunes app by typing Iron Sharpens Iron Radio in the search bar.

You no longer have to worry about missing a show or a special guest because you're in your car or still at work.

Just subscribe on the iTunes app and listen to the Iron Sharpens Iron Radio show at any time day or night.

Please be sure to also give it a good review and pass it along to anyone who would benefit from the teaching and the many

solidly reformed guests that has on the show.

Truth is so hard to come by these days, so don't waste your time with fluff or fake news.

Subscribe to the Iron Sharpens Iron Radio podcast right now.

And while you're at it, you can also sign up for the reformrookie .com podcast and visit our website and the YouTube

page.

We're dedicated to teaching Christian theology from a Reformed Baptist perspective to beginners in the faith, as

well as seasoned believers.

From Keech's Catechism and the Doctrines of Grace to the Olivet Discourse and the Book of Leviticus, the Reform

Rookie Podcast and YouTube channel is sure to have something to offer everyone seeking biblical truth.

And finally, if you're looking to worship in a Reformed church that holds to the 1689 London Baptist Confession

of Faith, please join us at Hope Reform Baptist Church in Coram, New York.

Again, I'm Pastor Anthony Avino, and thanks for listening.

We are excited to announce another new member of the Iron Sharpens Iron Radio advertising family,

Banu Gadi, owner of three New York pharmacies, Lee's Drugs of Floral Park, Long

Beach Chemists, and Prescription Center of Long Island in Hempstead.

Banu Gadi earned a doctorate in pharmacy degree and is very knowledgeable on the current coronavirus

pandemic.

Please contact Dr. Gadi so he and his expert staff can give you proper guidance amid all the

contradictory confusion we are all hearing in the media.

To find the pharmacy nearest you, call 516 -354 -2000.

That's 516 -354 -2000.

Or order online at leesdrugsrx .com.

That's L -E -E -S drugsrx .com.

Don't forget to ask about their discount generic drug program.

Anchored in Truth Ministries is the mission arm of Grace Life Church of the Shoals.

Based in Alabama, it supports missionaries in over 13 countries around the world.

Anchored in Truth is in partnership with 36 church plants, as well as radio stations,

theological seminaries, and various programs for unreached people groups.

With an aim to glorify God and reach the nations with the gospel, it is a blessing to see

how God has used Anchored in Truth in so many different contexts globally, as well as

locally.

To find out more about this vital work worldwide, visit anchoredintruth

.org.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon once.

Said, Give yourself unto reading.

The man who never reads will never be read.

He who never quotes will never be quoted.

He who will not use the thoughts of other men's brains proves that he.

Has no brains of his own.

You need to read.

Solid Ground Christian Books is a publisher and book distributor who takes these words of the Prince of Preachers to heart.

The mission of Solid Ground Christian Books is to bring back treasures of the past to minister to Christians in the present and

future, and to publish new titles that address burning issues in the church and the world.

Since its beginning in 2001, Solid Ground has been committed to publish God -centered, Christ -exalting

books for all ages.

We invite you to go treasure hunting at solid -ground -books .com.

That's solid -ground -books .com and see what priceless literary gems from the past to

present you can unearth from Solid Ground.

Solid Ground Christian Books is honored to be a.

Weekly sponsor of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio.

And solid -ground -books .com also carries books written

by my guest today, John Kratz, Mighty Men, and the subtitle is

The Starter's Guide to Leading Your Family, and also many other books

from authors not only from the past, even centuries ago, dating back to the

Protestant Reformation, but all the way forward to our current day, including such

authors as John Kratz and Dr. James R. White of Alpha Omega Ministries.

Go to solid -ground -books .com, solid -ground -books .com,

and always mention that you heard about Solid Ground Christian Books from Chris Arnzen of Iron

Sharpens Iron Radio.

Before we return to our discussion with John Kratz on his latest book,

a book that we are actually giving away today, Hope, Living Confidently in God,

we just have a few more very important announcements to make.

I want to continue to thank all of you who have been praying for my oldest brother, John, 76

years old, in a skilled nursing facility now in Denton, Texas.

He has critical stage emphysema, and he also has cancer,

and the doctors, sadly, have given him a very grim prognosis of

six months to live.

Please pray for not only his physical healing, but most of all, that he is truly

saved by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he continues to

produce evidence that he is transformed by the mercy of God and has a new

heart and is headed for heaven, and also that he is given the

peace and the confidence that he will be with Christ for eternity so

that he will not depart this earth in a state of fear or terror.

I just ask of you, Lord, to please answer this prayer

of your child, Chris, and all those who are listening today who join me in prayer.

Also, folks, if you are a man in ministry leadership,

Dr. Conrad M. Bayway, a man who I believe is the most powerful preacher alive on the planet earth,

is going to be my next guest speaker at the Iron Sharpens Iron Radio Pastors Luncheon.

It's going to be held Monday, September 27th, 11 a .m. to 2 p .m. at the Bon

Giorno Conference Center here in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

This is absolutely free of charge.

You will not only receive physical food and nourishment for free, and

you will not only receive spiritual nourishment from Dr. Conrad M. Bayway for free, but you'll

also be getting a very heavy sack of free books from

most of the major Christian publishers in the United States and the United Kingdom who

donate books to Iron Sharpens Iron Radio twice a year for my biannual Pastors

Luncheons.

I ask for a hundred copies of each title from each publisher that I

want to bless our pastor guests with, and they have

been doing so since 2005.

And if you would like to be in attendance, as long as you're a man in ministry leadership, a

pastor, an elder, a deacon, a parachurch ministry leader, send me an email to

ChrisArnson at gmail .com.

ChrisArnson at gmail .com and put Pastors Luncheon in the subject line.

Also, folks, if you love this show and you do not want it to disappear from the airwaves, please go

to IronSharpensIronRadio .com, click support, then click, click to donate now.

You can donate instantly with a debit or credit card in that fashion.

If you prefer a snail mail, mailing in a check through your local postal service, by all means,

go to IronSharpensIronRadio .com and click support, and you will also see on your screen a physical address where to mail those

checks.

If you would like to advertise with us, well,

you can send me an email to ChrisArnson at gmail .com and put advertising in the subject line.

As long as whatever it is you're promoting is compatible with what we believe, we would love to help you launch an ad campaign

immediately.

That's ChrisArnson at gmail .com.

ChrisArnson at gmail .com and put advertising in the subject line.

Please remember, folks, I never want anybody siphoning money away from their regular giving to their own local church where they are a member

in order to give to IronSharpensIronRadio.

I never wanted this show from the moment I launched it in 2005, I never wanted it to

be in any way a hindrance or something harmful to the

local pastor and the local church.

I wanted this program, always intended this program, to be a friend, a platform,

an extension, a helping hand to the local pastor and the local church.

So please don't harm your church financially by giving to us.

Also, don't further plunge your family into financial peril if you're struggling to survive at

this time by giving to IronSharpensIronRadio.

Those two things are commands of God in scripture, providing for church and family, and obviously providing for

my radio show is not a command of God.

But if you are financially blessed above and beyond your ability to obey those two commands and you love this show,

please give at IronSharpensIronRadio .com, click support, then click, click to donate

now.

We are in urgent need of your help, and we have between 30 ,000

and 40 ,000 people downloading this show every single month, and yet only a tiny, tiny handful, comparatively, give to

this show, which is amazing to me.

So if you do love this show, please help us, as long as you can do so without disobeying those two commands,

providing for church and family, please go to IronSharpensIronRadio .com, click support, then click,

click to donate now.

Last but not least, if you are not a member of a local Bible -believing church, no matter where on the planet earth you live,

send me an email to chrisarnson at gmail .com, chrisarnson at gmail .com, and put I need a church in the subject line.

I have extensive lists spanning the globe of biblically faithful churches, and I may be able to help you no matter where you

live.

That's chrisarnson at gmail .com.

That's also the email address where you can send in a question to John Kratz if you have a question about

hope.

Our email address is chrisarnson at gmail .com, chrisarnson at gmail .com.

Give us your first name, at least, city and state of residence, and your country of residence if you live outside the USA.

Pastor John, if you could provide us with some more biblical examples of how God

extends hope.

To his children.

Well, I think that some of the stories in the Bible are so

afraid that sometimes we get so familiar with them, or maybe we've grown up in church and just heard them

kind of have a category, but

when you think

about them

selling out their

money, and I

mean, it's

not

praying

his country,

but

the

story that

nobody

that's

away from

him,

because the

authority

wiped

out the

northern

kingdom,

they

just,

they

show

us something about God's character.

Amen.

We

have.

Another anonymous listener.

Most of my children are lost.

I very often cry myself to sleep praying for their salvation.

How can I find hope when they are adults and they are still

rebelling against God, and I see no light at the end of the tunnel regarding any

change in their lives, and especially if I reach the point

where one of them may die before I do, and I have no evidence that they.

Are saved, please give me some reasons for hope

to cling to.

As such, we

have in a

situation because we don't

know who the elect are,

and that you're not beyond his

right now.

Another reason

we

can have hope is none

of us are

perfect.

Well, you know, none of us have done perfectly right.

Be faithful to live out the gospel, to share the gospel,

that this is what God uses to

keep our kids under seeds.

I mean, imagine if your children

hate them.

Absolutely,

fight

against it.

Repentance

and

faith,

and

there's

lots of

reasons to be hopeful.

Amen,.

And Anonymous, send me an email with your full name and address.

Obviously, since you asked to remain anonymous, I'm not going to announce that information over the air,

so please just send me an email with your full name and address, and you will receive

absolutely free the copy of, or a copy of, Hope, Living Confidently

in God, compliments of our friends at PNR Publishing, and compliments of our friends at Cumberland Valley

Bible Book Service, cvbbs .com, who will ship that book out to you.

If you are a first -time questioner, on top of that, you also receive a free New

American Standard Bible, compliments of the publishers of the NASB.

I'd like you now, John, to summarize what you most want etched in the hearts and minds of our listeners today,

before this portion of the program is over, and we move on to our second.

Guest.

Yes, well, program,

and I've been blessed to pass through Carlisle,

Pennsylvania.

I always try to stop into the store, because I've ordered so much

that they have a new store up there,.

As soon as I can.

They're on Rittner Highway now, they're no longer on North Hanover Street.

Wow, yes, well, they

come out

with a really, really

great, I recommend you,

great,

loves

it,

different

days, to

be

inspired

by

different,

better,

because

of,.

Praise God.

Well, remember, if you want to find out more about the book, if you want to order it, go to cvbbs .com, Cumberland

Valley Bible Book Service, cvbbs .com.

Also, if you want to find out more about Faith Bible Church in Sharpsburg, Georgia,

go to faithbiblechurch .us, faithbiblechurch .us.

Thanks so much, Pastor John, for being on the show.

We look forward to your return.

To the program very soon.

All right, Chris, amen, definitely, definitely, yeah, definitely

come by my exhibitors booth.

Absolutely, have a great day.

You too, God bless.

Don't go away, folks, because we are going to be joined by Andrew Rappaport of Striving for Eternity

Ministries any moment, and if you have a question, email it to chrisarnson at

gmail .com, chrisarnson at gmail .com.

Thursday, September 30th through Saturday, October 2nd.

The theme this year is Christ is supreme over all.

My friend, Chris Arnzen, and I will be joined by several of our other friends, including Votie Balcombe, Justin

Peters, Daryl Bernard Harrison, Virgil Walker, and James White.

More than 20 other speakers will be joining us, and the lineup this year includes my pastor, John MacArthur.

For details, visit g3conference .com, that's g3conference .com.

Chris Arnzen and I hope to see you September 30th through October 2nd at G3

2021.

This is.

Phil Johnson reminding you that Christ is supreme over

all.

Iron Trump and Zion Radio first launched in 2005.

The publishers of the New American Standard Bible were among my very first sponsors.

It gives me joy knowing that many scholars and pastors in the Iron Trump and Zion Radio audience have been

sticking with or switching to the NASB.

I'm Pastor Nate Pickowitz of Harvest Bible Church in Gilmanton Ironworks, New Hampshire, and the NASB

is my Bible of choice.

I'm Pastor Rich.

Jensen of Hope Reformed Baptist Church in Quorum, New York, and the NASB is my Bible of

choice.

I'm Pastor Sule Prince of Oakwood Wesleyan Church in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the

NASB.

Is my Bible of choice.

I'm Pastor John Sampson of King's Church in Peoria, Arizona, and the NASB.

Is my Bible of choice.

I'm Pastor Chuck Volo of New Life Community Church in Kingsville, Maryland, and the NASB is

my Bible of choice.

I'm Pastor Steve Herford of Eastport Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, and the NASB is my

Bible of choice.

I'm Pastor Roy Owens, Jr. of the Church in Friendship in Hockley, Texas, and the NASB is

my Bible of choice.

Here's a great way for your.

Church to help keep Iron Trump and Zion Radio on the air.

Pastors, are your pew bibles tattered and falling apart?

Consider restocking your pews with the NASB and tell the publishers you heard about them

from Chris Arnzen on Iron Trump and Zion Radio.

Go to nasbible .com that's nasbible .com to place your order.

If you love Iron Trump and Zion Radio, one of the best ways you can help.

Keep the show on the air is by supporting our advertisers.

One such faithful advertiser who really believes in what Chris Arnzen is doing is

Daniel P. Patafuco, serious injury lawyer and Christian apologist.

Dan is the president and founder of the Historical Bible Society.

Their mission?

To foster belief in the credibility of scripture as the written word of God.

They go to various churches, schools, and institutions to publicly display a rare

collection of biblical texts along with a fascinating presentation by Mr. Patafuco

demonstrating the reliability of scripture.

To advance the cause of the gospel they created a beautiful perfect facsimile of the

genealogy of Jesus Christ from the original engravings contained in a first edition

1611 King James Bible.

This 17th century hand engraved chart shows the family tree of Jesus Christ

going back to Adam and Eve.

This book is complete with gorgeous full -size illustrations of Noah's Ark and the Tower of

Babel and an explanation of why the genealogy of Jesus is so important for his claims

to the throne of the universe.

Originals of this work are in museums and nobody's ever made it accessible to the public

in a large book form before.

You can have your own copy of this 44 page genealogy book for a donation of $35

or more.

Visit historicalbiblesociety .org.

That's historicalbiblesociety .org.

Thanks for helping to keep Iron Sharpen's Iron Radio on the air.

I'm Dr. Tony Costa, Professor of Apologetics and Islam at Toronto Baptist Seminary.

I'm thrilled to introduce to you a church where I've been invited to speak and have grown to love,

Hope Reformed Baptist Church in Corham, Long Island, New York, pastored by Rich Jensen and Christopher

McDowell.

It's such a joy to witness and experience fellowship with people of God like the dear saints at Hope Reformed Baptist Church

in Corham who have an intensely passionate desire to continue digging deeper and deeper into

the unfathomable riches of Christ in his holy word and to enthusiastically proclaim

Christ Jesus the King and his doctrines of sovereign grace in Suffolk County, Long Island and

beyond.

I hope you also have the privilege of discovering this precious congregation and receive the blessing

of being showered by their love as I have.

For more information on Hope Reformed Baptist Church go to hopereformedli .net

that's hopereformedli .net or

call 631 -696 -5711 that's 631 -696

-5711.

Tell the folks at Hope Reformed Baptist Church of Corham, Long Island, New York that you heard about them from Tony.

Costa on Iron Sharpens

Iron.

Every day at thousands of community centers, high schools, middle schools,.

Juvenile institutions, coffee shops and local hangouts, Long Island Youth for Christ staff

and volunteers meet with young people who need Jesus.

We are rural and urban and we are always about the message of Jesus.

Our mission is to have a noticeable spiritual impact on Long Island, New York by engaging young people in the lifelong

journey of following Christ.

Long Island Youth for Christ has been a stalwart bedrock ministry since 1959.

We have a world -class staff and a proven track record of bringing consistent love and encouragement

to youths in need all over the country and around the world.

Help honor our history by becoming a part of our future.

Volunteer, donate, pray or all of the above.

For details call Long Island Youth for Christ

at 631 -385 -8333 that's 631 -385

-8333 or visit liyfc .org

that's liyfc .org.

Linbrook Baptist Church on 225 Earl Avenue.

In Linbrook, Long Island is teaching God's timeless truths in the 21st century.

Our church is far more.

Than a Sunday worship service.

It's a place of learning where the scriptures are studied and the preaching of the gospel is clear and relevant.

It's like a gym where one can exercise their faith through community involvement.

It's like a hospital for wounded souls where one can find compassionate people and healing.

We're a diverse family of all ages enthusiastically serving our Lord Jesus Christ in fellowship, play and

together.

Hi, I'm Pastor Bob Walderman and I invite you to come and.

Join us here at Linbrook Baptist Church and see all that a church can be.

Call Linbrook Baptist.

At 516 -599 -9402 that's 516 -599 -9402 or

visit linbrookbaptist .org that's linbrookbaptist .org.

Welcome back, this is Chris Arms and our final guest of the day is my dear friend Andrew

Rappaport, founder of Striving for Eternity Ministries and he's also

involved in a new church plant in northern Philadelphia, Grace and Truth Bible Church

and it's my honor and privilege to welcome you back to Iron Trumpet Zion Radio, Andrew Rappaport.

Chris, it is and I have been hearing

from more and more people who really appreciate and are blessed by

you and your podcast and you're striving for eternity ministry

and so I'm very glad that word is definitely spreading about you.

I think one of the best.

That's right,.

I enjoyed that actually as nervous as I was.

We got to do that at G3 where we will be again soon, looking forward to seeing you there.

Amen.

And I hope that many of our listeners will register as soon as possible.

Why don't you tell our listeners who may be unfamiliar with you, that small number that would be unfamiliar with you.

About Striving for Eternity Ministries?

Well, Striving for Eternity Ministries is a

really on small church.

I don't know if you even

know that's really where the heart of

churches that are going.

Churches that can and then make

an impact.

Yes, and I know one of your

favorite.

Guest speakers at your events is our mutual friend Justin Peters of Justin Peters Ministries.

I always love hearing him preach in any venue that the Lord provides for him.

Well, he and I were.

Just in.

We got to hand

out

tracts.

We had

no knowledge of that.

They had a friend who had been trying to get

to see a

person that

would be in

contact with

Justin.

You can go

to something like

that.

Great.

And what's the Striving for Eternity Ministries website?

That is strivingforeternity .org.

Great.

Well, our theme today is planting churches, the challenges of planting

churches, biblically faithful churches in 21st century liberal America.

Actually, before we even go into that, why don't you give us a little description of this

church plant work in.

Northern Philadelphia, Grace and Truth Bible Church?

Yeah, we're just getting, you know,

I've

been

in a lot

of.

Rather

than

getting

people

haven't

gone

well

saying,

oh, look

at how

many numbers we have in our church.

I think there's gonna be a lot of pastors are gonna be surprised.

God is not impressed with their numbers.

Yes.

And at the same time, I'm sure you wholeheartedly agree with what I'm about to say is

that although there may be a problem in the church today where

pastors are becoming idols and

churches are even becoming idols, there is a very prevalent problem that may even

exceed that.

And that is people who don't think they needed the church at all, people who think they could just sit

at home and watch their favorite evangelist or read their favorite so -called Christian

authors or even just sit at home and read their Bible.

But if they were reading their Bible carefully and prayerfully, they would realize that

there is a command in the scripture that we're not supposed to be forsaking the assembling of the brethren and we are to

submit ourselves to local elders, God -ordained elders in local

churches.

There is no such thing in the Bible as a faithful Christian who is a maverick

or a lone wolf.

Would you not agree with that?

I absolutely agree.

I mean, I think MacArthur,

I mean, here's a guy who's

a

21 -month -old mother's home and watching someone on TV.

We think many of

those

people that

are doing that maturing and

sometimes is having someone come alongside us.

You're not going to.

Get that if you're avoiding the people.

That's right.

And I'm sure you also agree that this idea of having communion,

the Lord's table via Zoom where you are alone or with your family

taking the bread and wine while you're watching your pastor or a pastor on Zoom.

This is not.

Really celebrating

the Lord's

Supper, is

it?

No.

You know, I

think

so

part of

it

is wed

and died for us.

And the other element is what God created from that, which is not the nation

of Israel, but the church.

The church is the body he working together.

Well, tell us something

about.

The community, the area of northern Philadelphia where you are seeking to plant

this church.

Well,

it's a

unifying

doctrine

that we

all

agree to.

We're going to

avoid teaching doctrine altogether because we've got a

number of churches that

in this

area worship

God.

It's

really

been

forgotten.

The way

really

to do

that is

not get to

come in, be watching John

MacArthur or others, listening to tons of podcasts because there's a lot of Christians that they want

and they're not getting it in church.

They're not getting the one mothering.

They're not getting the one -on -one discipleship

components in the church today.

And that's why I think we have such an anemic church in America is because the church has given

up.

They're trying to

follow the world

rather than speak out against the world.

And with so many churches doing that, those churches are going to stand

distinctive.

It's okay with us, right?

And that's what it should be for all Christians say, you know what?

We're here to please God.

Praise God.

And from what I gather from what.

You've said, you are not intentionally, as some folks have

done, and it really annoys me, plant a church right near

a biblically faithful church that might even agree with you on most, if not all,

theological distinctives in order to be a magnet to disgruntled members of that church

to be sucked into your fellowship.

I've seen that happen.

I am very annoyed by that.

But you're looking to plant the church where there is the most need for the

biblical orthodoxy that you.

Are seeking to proclaim, correct?

Yeah.

And one of the things to the

way I

have

now is, I want to

go to church

and say, you

know

what?

It's time

for me to leave the

church.

I haven't been

friends there.

Okay, then maybe there's a reason to leave.

But I think a lot

of people

think unless differences cannot be worked,

the focus I think that church is

on evangelism, looking for those who don't.

Yes.

And I'm glad that you have in mind.

The two core elements of, or two of the core elements, I should say,

involved in seeking to be a biblical body of

Christ, a biblical local church, not only evangelism, but

also discipleship.

Many people have an idea that even if they are

in many ways theologically sound or have a theologically correct gospel, that the main

emphasis throughout the entirety of a worship service is to

draw the loss to Christ.

Now, that should be obviously a very important element.

But the true saints, those that have been drawn to

Christ and delivered from the world, the flesh, and the devil, those have been regenerated by the

mercy and grace of the Holy Spirit.

They need to be instructed.

They need to be taught correctly.

And therefore, the whole counsel of God needs to be taught.

There should not be merely the milk of the word,.

But the meat of the word.

Am I off base here?

Oh, you're...this is, again, a product.

Making it about bringing the lost in on Sunday, and they'd have their main servicing,

and then they realize no one wants the drama and the act, all

to try to win the lost.

But what you win them with, you keep them with.

You won them with drama and shallow theology.

You're not going to suddenly get them into deep theology.

Church is not for

the lost.

Are you...where the

evangelism gets done.

Evangelism is not, hey, why don't you come to church this

week, and then you call your pastor and say, no, that's your job to share the

gospel with your neighbor.

And when they get saved, you bring them to church where they get fed.

And the Christians, after being fed,

it's not

that we ignore

evangelists.

They're very immature believers because all they know is the gospel.

They're just being given the gospel.

They never mature into adulthood spiritually,

because

they've

just

been...entire

unity

of

sinners.

He adopted us into his family.

That should cause us to be in wonder.

From the whole

thing of

a worship to God, whether it's

in singing, with God's Word, in the giving, in the fellowship, everything we should do should be drawing

us closer to being in awe of who God is and how.

Great he is.

Amen.

And obviously, I'm sure you would agree that when

seeking to accomplish, by God's grace, the planting of a biblically faithful

church, great patience needs to be used, because those

that are overly anxious about growing the church may resort to some of the

tactics that you have been dismissing.

They may look for ways to lure people into the church that have nothing to do

with the scriptures and obedience to God and the truth of God.

In fact, the church should, in many ways,

behave as if, even if they had an audience of one,

being God himself, being faithful to that one

person in the audience that God alone is the one

that needs to be pleased through the proclamation of his Word and

the worship of him.

That needs to be first and foremost, and relying upon him to

bring the increase.

We're not supposed to be.

Manipulating people or tricking

them into the

kingdom, right?

That is

what brings God most glory.

I always think of Adonai Judson.

He goes to the mission field.

He doesn't have a single convert for over a dozen years, but still reaches

to the tribal people he's reaching to.

He gave up because he says,

well, it's been 10 years and I haven't found a single convert.

I should go back.

He ends up, it's

not about numbers.

If you're

in a

good church,

that's where you

serve.

Don't go and say, well, there's a better church up the road.

If God planted you in a church and there's no reason to leave, that God has

given you, by the personal Holy Spirit, to be a blessing to that church and serve them to all but

one another and use the spiritual gifts God's given you.

To work there.

Amen.

And we're out of time, brother, and I want to repeat your website.

It's strivingforeternity .org, strivingforeternity .org.

I'm looking forward to your next visit to Iron Trepans Iron, brother, and I want to remind everybody listening

that I hope you all always remember for the rest of your lives that Jesus Christ is a far, far greater Savior

than you are a sinner.