False Teachers  

Posted by Calvary King's Lynn in

"I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ."
Galatians 1:6-10

The way this whole false teacher business came about was that as Paul was travelling throughout Galatia teaching, a group of false teachers (the Judaizers) followed his every move. When he would stop in a city, some of the false teachers would branch off from the group and would stay behind to challenge his teaching. It was like they were playing a giant game of Wack-A-Mole, trying to crush the churches as they were popping up.

As Christians, we are not free from sin. When we get saved, a bubble doesn't come down and protect us from every sin and temptation. But this is for our good! Romans 5:3-4 says "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;and perseverance, character; and character, hope." The definition of tribulation is: pressure, affliction, distress. When tribulation is "pressing" in on us it develops character, perseverance, and hope. So when we go through trials, no matter how hard it may be, we need to see them as something that betters us. 1 Peter 5:8 says "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." The enemy is always seeking to tear us down. Satan's goal is not to make ys bad or to further his kingdom. Its to make us ineffective in the Kingdom of God. Where we as Christians fail today is when we attempt to fight to fight off the enemy on our own. Psalm 46:1 says "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble." God will fight for us but it is a choice we have to make in those trials.

False teachers don't completely change or make a new religion: They subtly change an existing one. If they made a radical, obvious change people would notice. If they were to change one of the core beliefs such as the divinity of Christ, people would recognize the lie and steer clear of it. False teachers work on trickery and subtlety. The way to see false teachers is this: they always leave a wake of hurt, confusion, and trouble because their work is not of God. Romans 16:17-18 says "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple." We need to be rooted in the word so we can easily spot the fakes and stay away.

God has called believers by His grace and here Paul is telling them not to trade that in for a false teaching. It is easy to see false teachers when you know what you believe. The more you are in the Word, the easier it is to see through deception. When you have a crystal clear understanding of what the whole Word says, you can easily see when a teacher shares a message full of cracks.

Accursed means "Cursed to the lowest hell". That's some strong stuff! When I think of all the false teachers who have led millions away from God, who have hurt people in the name of God, it doesn't seem so harsh any more. These people pervert the truth for their own appetites.

Again Paul has stuck his neck out there and says he isn't seeking the approval of man. He lived his life to please God. Romans 12:1-2 says "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." We are called to live a life like Paul, a life where we live totally for Christ no matter what the repercussions. Paul had it down! He presented himself to God and God renewed his mind. And because of this he was able to share with the gentiles what was good and acceptable. And he had such a close relationship with God he knew the perfect will of God and he lived it. We need to learn from Paul and find God's will and live it.

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Galatians 1:1-5 "Intro to Galatians"  

Posted by Calvary King's Lynn in

"Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom [be] glory forever and ever. Amen." Galatians 1:1-5


OK here's a bit of a geography lesson. Galatia was not a city, it was a territory. Paul travelled throughout Galatia and planted several churches: Iconium, Lystra, Pisidian Antioch, Derbe, Tarsus, Syrian Antioch, and Jerusalem.

Since Paul was constantly travelling, he guided the churches through writing letters.
Jewish teachers had crept in and started perverting the gospel. Paul had taught that man is saved by grace but these teachers were saying man was saved by a combination of works and grace. Many people today think that by simply being a "good" person or following the ten commandments they can be saved. The law was never made to be kept by man. In fact, its impossible for man to keep the law. God's standards are so high that lust is adultery (Matthew 5:27-28) and that anger/hatred towards a brother is murder (Matthew 5:21-22). So if man was incapable, what was its purpose? The purpose of the law is to reveal the sinful nature of man and to lead man to Christ.

So Paul is writing to the Galatians to correct this false teaching. (False teachers will be a big subject to come in Galatians) At first I thought "What kind of people were they that they could meet Paul and be taught by him, and after he leaves slip into this false doctrine?" When you think about it, these people had lived under the law. This wasn't a radical new doctrine they were teaching but they took the message Paul had taught and added a little something. (How false teachers work!) These false teachers (Jewish teachers called Judaizers) went in for the kill by attacking who they thought was leading this movement: Paul. If they would have stopped and listened to Paul's teaching or read his letters they would see Paul always declares he surrendered to God, that he is an apostle of God, and had been sent of God. So in a sense, they were coming against a soldier when they thought they were attacking the commander!

Paul had to remind the Galatians that Jesus delivered them from that bondage of trying to earn salvation through works. When is enough enough? You could say "I helped that lady cross the street." and someone else could say "I was just in a plane and the pilots passed out and I broke into the cockpit and landed it and saved everyone." Well I would say helping the lady would pale in comparison. But then would all men need to land a full plane to be equal and earn salvation? You can either 1.Confess and believe in Christ and be secure in your salvation or 2.Try and be Good all your life, hoping your good outweighs your bad and not know until the day you die. God gave Himself for us to deliver us from trying to earn salvation. He gave us a free gift!

By its very nature, man seeks to earn salvation. If you want to please someone or get something from them, you do something for them. If I want some money from my Mom I might do the dishes or wash the car. This is Legalism. Legalism is a problem when you view God as the best image you can imagine X10. "Man likes it when I was the car and do the dishes so God must need something too." What would be the purpose of Christ dying on the cross if you could earn salvation through works? This shows you cannot believe in the Bible, and believe in Legalism. They are in conflict!

Something I took from Paul here is that he wasn't afraid to stand up and defend the faith. He was willing to put his neck on the line to defend it. He wasn't worried of what people would think of him or if he would be ridiculed for his beliefs. There's a source to that power and bravery and Paul shares with us what that source is. He opens the letter by stating he is an Apostle of God and not of man. Paul straight out says "I have no connections to man. God sent me, God is empowering me, and God is using me." When we are in that kind of relationship with Him, He uses us too. There's a difference between Disciple and Apostle. Apostle means "Messenger, he that is sent out" and comes from the Greek word Apostolos. Disciple means "to follow his precepts and instructions" and comes from the Greek word Matheteuo. So one was raised up a disciple and sent out an apostle.

We as Christians can take a lot from the life of Paul. If he had backed down because of his own pride, Christianity would have reverted to a Jewish sect under the weight of the law. He used God as his power source instead of using his own strength. Its like comparing the power of a bike, with the power of something like a space shuttle.

Galatians opens the door between God and Man and destroys legalism. We will never be able to build a ladder, built of our own works and deeds, that is big enough to reach God. And if we could, our God isn't very big is He? How many people are going to stand before Jesus with a grin on their face because they opened doors for people but find themselves hearing God say "I never knew you." The people in your town are dying. They are literally inching closer to death with each second that passes and we hold life in our hands: The Word of God. If that doesn't spur us on to defend the faith like Paul regardless of how people view us, nothing will.

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Long Time, No See!  

Posted by Calvary King's Lynn in

Hello everyone!


Forgive us for not posting in so long! So much has happened in the last few months. As you know the Cates moved to Colorado a few months ago. My Sister and I began college. The church is moving into a building soon and we have been hard at work with that as well. Overall we have had a lot happen in a short amount of time!

The good news is we are going to kick start the blog again. It will be updated every Tuesday and we may have a few random posts in-between.

So please keep an eye on the blog for devotions and updates on the church and all that is happening in Kings Lynn, England!

God Bless,
Mac Proffit

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A Revival in Prayer  

Posted by Calvary King's Lynn in

Nehemiah 9 is such an encouraging chapter of the Bible. Here the people of Jerusalem have just rebuilt the wall and in the previous chapter they reconnected with His Word, and now here in Nehemiah 9 they are connecting with God through prayer, and I am so encouraged.
The people prayed to God and they reflected on all that He had done for the Jewish people, going all the way back to Abraham. They listed the faults of the past but more importantly they listed God's faithfulness. And man is His faithfulness great! Every time the people failed God stayed strong.
"Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; for You are God, gracious and merciful." (Nehemiah 9:31)
And as I look back at the last few years, I see continually the Lord's faithfulness throughout every aspect of Calvary King's Lynn, from getting the Proffit family to England, to starting a Bible Study in our home, to now having a building of their very own. And so I am convicted to continue to pray for Calvary King's Lynn and those that are serving the Lord there. As we look to the future, and wait to see what the Lord is going to do in the city of King's Lynn, my hope is that those of us praying for this town would be convicted to pray faithfully, myself included. I pray that we would not grow weary in praying but that we would do our best to stay faithful to the call that God has for us in this church plant.
Let us come together as one body and pray without ceasing for the Lord's work in King's Lynn.

Carleigh

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You will always be.  

Posted by Calvary King's Lynn in

Fall is here. The Walks is covered in bright leaves. I love the feeling of leaves rustling past my feet. The residents of Kings Lynn are adorned in sweaters, scarves, and wooly jackets. The seagulls are so beautiful in the gloomy skies. The cherry tree in front of our house is bright pink, orange and yellow. The changing seasons remind me of this scripture.

“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what has been planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep and a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silent, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Life mirrors the seasons, and there's a purpose to every season we go through. We see children born, and we see children die. We see the farmers sow their seeds, and then fields ripe for the harvest. We see buildings torn down, for newer ones to rise in their place. We have times of weeping, and wonderful times of laughter with friends. We mourn, and we dance. We gain, and sometimes we lose everything. We see many young men and women shipped out to go fight in the middle east. As we go through this economic crisis we see people who had businesses, and investments, now homeless. Many of you who are reading have lost a home, or are barely holding on to the home you have.

My family was invited to the Vineyard church, by the Pastor and his Wife. During worship we sang a song called “Forever You.” I was in the process of writing this blog, and it fits perfectly. Here it is:

“Even in a world, where nothing stays the same.
There is still a truth, a truth that still remains.

Forever You will always be
Our God on high, the Lord in me
The King of hope, the Lord of love
The Prince of Peace, the Lamb of God


Even though the heart, always seems to change
There is still a love, a love that stays the same.

You will always be exalted
King of Kings and Holy Father!”


“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 Our hope, forever. No matter what. The death of a friend or family member, losing your job, house, a unsuspected illness. In ever circumstance He will always be God on high, the Lord in you. The King of hope, the Lord of love. The Prince of Peace, the Lamb of God. Place all you cares, and needs in His hands. Know that your circumstances are a season, but God is forever. During every season He is.

Please pray for us here at Calvary Chapel Kings Lynn, pray that as we enter our new building we would look to Jesus to supply our every need. Pray that through having this building we would be able to introduce the people of Kings Lynn to Jesus, and His unchanging love. That we would be able to comfort all with the comfort we have received from Jesus Christ. Pray that God would use the seasons we've been through. To minister to the people of Kings Lynn who have lost a house, business, or job. Who are sick, dying, or who have lost a loved one. All those who are in need, homeless, without food, or running water. To the widows, the orphans and abused children. That we would be a light in the darkness.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Amen, thank you.

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Calling All Saints!  

Posted by Calvary King's Lynn

Calling all Saints!!!!!

Ruth Graham, beloved wife of Billy Graham once said “If there are any tears shed in heaven, they are going to be shed over all the answers to prayer for which no one bothered to ask!”

I am sending out this newsletter with such hope! I am standing in faith and calling on each of you, to stand in faith with each of us here in Kings Lynn. We need your prayers. “...The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16b

It is with great joy that I write to ask you to pray with us for a building!!!
It is a building in the town center, across from the bus station. We have been praying for a building to become available in this location for a year! The building is across from the bus station, a taxi ramp, a grocery store and the museum. It is next door to a pub and the phone company. The building has big double doors, that when opened, will allow people waiting for a bus, taxi, or coming to or from town, to hear the Word of God and worship music!

Jesus said “...if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Here is the mountain we need our Jesus to move... we need one thousand pounds just to get into this building. The landlord is asking for three months rent up front. Then, there is work to be done inside, all of which is cosmetic. Further, there is a need for a cross, sign, lighting and seats. Eventually, there will be a need for a sound system.

By faith, I have told the realtor that we will rent the building and I am trusting God. On a side note... I tried to rent a building from this landlord about nine months ago, but he would not rent to me if I was going to make the building a church! Although he was resistant when I met with him this time, he said yes!!! The building can be used as a church!!! God is moving in this place and our prayers are being answered!

We trust the Lord to meet all of our needs here, but I do ask that you pray and consider how the Lord might have you partner with us. Nothing would bless us more than to know that you have committed to pray with us for this work.

Pray for God's favor with this building and how it can be used to impact this community for His Glory. I have enclosed photos, so you can “see” what you are praying for. Also, pray for wisdom in how to proceed and what is needed. You all know, I have never done this before, so I am going forward in the Lord's grace, because this is HUGE for me!

Finally, if the Lord leads you to make a donation or love gift, you can drop it off at Calvary Chapel in Phelan, Calvary Chapel in Apple Valley, or you can contact me directly.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph 3:20-21)

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now...” whoo hoo! I'll keep you posted, God Bless You!



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His plans.  

Posted by Calvary King's Lynn in


So, it has been quite a while since the last blog entry, and for that I apologize. It has been a crazy couple months, that have tried our patience and our trust. Carleigh, the kids, and I have moved back to the states after what we felt was the Lord's direction, and have just settled down in our new house just outside Denver, Colorado. As I look back at how the Lord brought us from our comfortable home in Southern California, across the ocean to England, and again back to the states to a place we had never even been, I was just thinking about God's plans, and how different they are from ours. We could have never planned all this on our own, and there isn't enough room on this page to go into all the little (and big) details the Lord worked out on our behalf, and it had me thinking about one of my favorite verses. Jeremiah 29:11-13 says:

'For I know the thoughts I have for you', declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart'.

God says He has a plan for each and every one of us, and He promises it is better than anything we could come up with on our own. When things seems too dificult, we need to remember these promises, and know and trust that in the big picture that only God can see, it is what is very best for us. We can take comfort in knowing that we truly serve a loving and gracious God.

above is a picture of our new home (not the literal barn, but the area :-)
Boulder County, Colorado.

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