Janet Porter of Faith 2 Action reported on a slip of Gov. Bill Richardson's tongue in a speech to a group of Hispanics:
"In an effort to reach out to the Hispanic community, he admitted what Barack Obama has been trying to hide all these months: 'Barack Obama is an immigrant.'" See it for yourself:
http://www.f2a.org/NewsStory.cfm?Story_ID=2545
She also has a youtube clip of the Gov.'s slip. So now the news is out. We all know the leftist media is not going to play this discovery, or they'll try to downplay it or write it off as some right-wing intolerant hate-monger conspiracy from gun-toting religous zealots who are bitter that their candidate didn't make it in the elections.
This brings up an obvious question to believers. Why can't the liberals, democrats and those on the left (did I repeat myself?) see what's obvious. For one, I don't think they want to. Another thing, which I've noticed increasingly over this past year (though it's been happening gradually for some time) Scriptue says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov 1:7). As we have drifted more from the word of God, we have drifted further and further from wisdom, and yes, even knowledge. I could give another example, the case of evolution, which takes a great deal of faith in irrationality (against modern scientific principles, I might add) to believe. So yes, the LORD has given us what we asked for, he gave us over to our sin, and our rejection of His word.
"But word is out that Obama is an immigrant. You don't need a translator to understand what Richardson admitted: Barack Obama is NOT a natural born citizen. That means we have a guy who's planning to take over the White House who is in direct violation of the Constitution."
What seems to be even more interesting, according to Porter's column, evidently the conservative Fox News Channel will not cover it or run ads about the issue either! So it looks like things could get very interesting shortly. And we know Israel is in war, the Muslims are calling for Muslims everywhere to support the Philistines (oops, Palestinians). It appears that the LORD himself is about to bring Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17:1 to fulfillment before our very eyes. In fact, I haven't seen much news on the situation today. It could be fulfilled right now.
To say the least, these are interesting times. Our Lord is returning very soon. You can count on it, as our Lord is truth, and is the Word (Jn 14:6, 1:1-3)
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Wall Street Announces Emergence of World Teacher
The World Teacher about to Emerge?
It seems that an interesting article in Dow Jones & Company’s Market Watch website was recently published. The article made an announcement titled "Share International Reveals Christmas Miracle," tells us all to be prepared for a soon coming miracle that all “of us” will see in the sky, before the long awaited world teacher Maitreya and the masters of wisdom make their emergence on earth.
The article at Share International says:
Many now expect the return of their awaited Teacher, whether they call him the Christ, Messiah, the fifth Buddha, Krishna, or the Imam Mahdi. Millions now know that the Teacher who fulfills all these expectations is already living among us.
On Dec. 12, 2008, the Wall Street Journal’s own Market Watch published a report about Share International Reveals Christmas Miracle.
Look now for the biggest miracle of all. In the very near future a large, bright star will appear in the sky visible to all throughout the world -- night and day.
Unbelievable? Fantasy? No, a simple fact. Around a week later, Maitreya, the World Teacher for all humanity, will begin his open emergence and -- though not yet using the name Maitreya -- will be interviewed on a major US television program. [emphasis mine]
So who is this Maitreya? WSJ’s article describes him for us:
Awaited by all faiths under different names, Maitreya is the Christ to Christians, the Imam Mahdi to Muslims, Krishna to Hindus, the Messiah to Jews, and Maitreya Buddha to Buddhists. He is the World Teacher for all, religious or not, an educator in the broadest sense.
As a modern man concerned with today's problems, Maitreya works behind the scenes of our changing world. The outpouring of his extraordinary energy has been the stimulus for dramatic developments on many fronts: the ending of the cold war; the break-up of the Soviet Union; the reunification of Germany; the ending of apartheid in South Africa; the growing power of the people's voice, leading to demands for freedom and justice; and the worldwide focus on preserving the environment.
The preservation of humanity is not only promised by Maitreya but also the creation of a “brilliant new civilization.”
First John 5:19 tells us that “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” In case you haven’t noticed, there is a very real spiritual direction in the assemblage of our international order. Many new-age gurus and mediums have talked about the coming of a world leader, one who has the Christ-consciousness. For us believers, we know that the antichrist cannot be revealed, until the church is taken out of the way (2 Thess. 2:7,8). This is another sign that our time here is short!
Sources cited:
http://www.share-international.org/index.htm
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Share-International-Reveals-Christmas-Miracle/story.aspx?guid=%7B9A9C5B6B-E962-411A-B219-B5A559182416%7D
http://www.newswithviews.com/PaulProctor/proctor169.htm
It seems that an interesting article in Dow Jones & Company’s Market Watch website was recently published. The article made an announcement titled "Share International Reveals Christmas Miracle," tells us all to be prepared for a soon coming miracle that all “of us” will see in the sky, before the long awaited world teacher Maitreya and the masters of wisdom make their emergence on earth.
The article at Share International says:
Many now expect the return of their awaited Teacher, whether they call him the Christ, Messiah, the fifth Buddha, Krishna, or the Imam Mahdi. Millions now know that the Teacher who fulfills all these expectations is already living among us.
On Dec. 12, 2008, the Wall Street Journal’s own Market Watch published a report about Share International Reveals Christmas Miracle.
Look now for the biggest miracle of all. In the very near future a large, bright star will appear in the sky visible to all throughout the world -- night and day.
Unbelievable? Fantasy? No, a simple fact. Around a week later, Maitreya, the World Teacher for all humanity, will begin his open emergence and -- though not yet using the name Maitreya -- will be interviewed on a major US television program. [emphasis mine]
So who is this Maitreya? WSJ’s article describes him for us:
Awaited by all faiths under different names, Maitreya is the Christ to Christians, the Imam Mahdi to Muslims, Krishna to Hindus, the Messiah to Jews, and Maitreya Buddha to Buddhists. He is the World Teacher for all, religious or not, an educator in the broadest sense.
As a modern man concerned with today's problems, Maitreya works behind the scenes of our changing world. The outpouring of his extraordinary energy has been the stimulus for dramatic developments on many fronts: the ending of the cold war; the break-up of the Soviet Union; the reunification of Germany; the ending of apartheid in South Africa; the growing power of the people's voice, leading to demands for freedom and justice; and the worldwide focus on preserving the environment.
The preservation of humanity is not only promised by Maitreya but also the creation of a “brilliant new civilization.”
First John 5:19 tells us that “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” In case you haven’t noticed, there is a very real spiritual direction in the assemblage of our international order. Many new-age gurus and mediums have talked about the coming of a world leader, one who has the Christ-consciousness. For us believers, we know that the antichrist cannot be revealed, until the church is taken out of the way (2 Thess. 2:7,8). This is another sign that our time here is short!
Sources cited:
http://www.share-international.org/index.htm
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Share-International-Reveals-Christmas-Miracle/story.aspx?guid=%7B9A9C5B6B-E962-411A-B219-B5A559182416%7D
http://www.newswithviews.com/PaulProctor/proctor169.htm
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Deepak Chopra on the teaching of Christ
Following Hannity's interview with the Illustrious Mr. Warren, author of the Purpose Driven Life, which Mr. Hannity proudly pointed out is the most-sold book, only to the Bible. In page 91 of his Purpose Driven life, Warren suggests for people to use "breath prayers," which are also know as "centering prayer," "contemplative prayer," or in Hinduism "transcendental meditation." Yoga is Sanskrit for "being yoked to the divine." As one Hindu yogi said, "There is no such thing as Chrisitan yoga." I digress.
Hannity's interview was "smoothly" followed by an interview with new age guru Deepak Chopra, promoting his new book, detailing the before unknown rebellious teen life of Jesus, and the resulting spiritual development (out of His rebellion), to be such a great spiritual leader, pionting people to find the divine within.
Sunday our pastor mentioned John 10 was one of his favorite chapters in the entire bible, and encouraged us to read it. Yesterday morning I did. Watching Hannity's show last night, Chopra referenced this very chapter (thank God for providence), citing the words of Jesus: "My Father and I are one (v. 30)," not mentioning the preceding verses which would void his argument.
31 Again the Jews picked up rocks to stone Him.
32 Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. Which of these works are you stoning Me for?”
33 “We aren’t stoning You for a good work,” the Jews answered, “but for blasphemy, because You—being a man—make Yourself God.”
John 10:31-33 (HCSB)
From here, Chopra goes on to say how Jesus explained from that point, Jesus explains how we are all god. He goes on later in the interview to explain that we all have that spark of divinity within us, "all" referring to all people, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, agnostic, Baptists, Sikhs, Jews, etc. But is that really what Jesus was saying. Let's look at the text:
34 Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law, I said, you are gods? 35 If He called those whom the word of God came to ‘gods’—and the Scripture cannot be broken— 36 do you say, ‘You are blaspheming’ to the One the Father set apart and sent into the world, because I said: I am the Son of God?
John 10:34-36 (HCSB)
The passage cited by Jesus is Ps. 82:6:
6 I said, “You are gods;
you are all sons of the Most High.
Psalms 82:6 (HCSB)
This is one of the most often misquoted verses used by cults like the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and New Agers, to point out that we all either can become gods, or we have the "spark of divinity" within us. What is this verse, which Jesus referred to, actually mean? A VERY IMPORTANT principle in Bible study, is to read the verse in the context of its surrounding text. What does the next verse say?
7 However, you will die like men
and fall like any other ruler.”
Psalms 82:7 (HCSB)
So the following verse tells us that these so called 'gods' will die like other men, or like any other ruler. A look at the preceeding verses will show that the 'rulers' are ruling in injustice, showing partiality to the wicked (v.2), being admonished to provide justice for the needy and fatherless; to uphold the rights of the oppressed and destitute (is wealth a right?). These rulers, gods, are referring to the judges of Israel, who stood in the place of God to render His decisions and judgments for the Israeli people, as Moses was God to his brother Aaron (Ex. 4:16).
This is not a passage where Jesus is saying that we all have god within us, or that we can attain a 'God' conciousness. Let's look at what he said in the preceeding verses of John 10:
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:11 (HCSB)
14 “I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, 15 as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep.
John 10:14-15 (HCSB)
27 My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”
John 10:27-30 (HCSB)
Jesus and the Father are one. This was His teaching. And He lays down His life for the sheep, and gives them eternal life. He also teaches later in the good news of John, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me." Not even Deepak Chopra!
Hannity's interview was "smoothly" followed by an interview with new age guru Deepak Chopra, promoting his new book, detailing the before unknown rebellious teen life of Jesus, and the resulting spiritual development (out of His rebellion), to be such a great spiritual leader, pionting people to find the divine within.
Sunday our pastor mentioned John 10 was one of his favorite chapters in the entire bible, and encouraged us to read it. Yesterday morning I did. Watching Hannity's show last night, Chopra referenced this very chapter (thank God for providence), citing the words of Jesus: "My Father and I are one (v. 30)," not mentioning the preceding verses which would void his argument.
31 Again the Jews picked up rocks to stone Him.
32 Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. Which of these works are you stoning Me for?”
33 “We aren’t stoning You for a good work,” the Jews answered, “but for blasphemy, because You—being a man—make Yourself God.”
John 10:31-33 (HCSB)
From here, Chopra goes on to say how Jesus explained from that point, Jesus explains how we are all god. He goes on later in the interview to explain that we all have that spark of divinity within us, "all" referring to all people, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, agnostic, Baptists, Sikhs, Jews, etc. But is that really what Jesus was saying. Let's look at the text:
34 Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law, I said, you are gods? 35 If He called those whom the word of God came to ‘gods’—and the Scripture cannot be broken— 36 do you say, ‘You are blaspheming’ to the One the Father set apart and sent into the world, because I said: I am the Son of God?
John 10:34-36 (HCSB)
The passage cited by Jesus is Ps. 82:6:
6 I said, “You are gods;
you are all sons of the Most High.
Psalms 82:6 (HCSB)
This is one of the most often misquoted verses used by cults like the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and New Agers, to point out that we all either can become gods, or we have the "spark of divinity" within us. What is this verse, which Jesus referred to, actually mean? A VERY IMPORTANT principle in Bible study, is to read the verse in the context of its surrounding text. What does the next verse say?
7 However, you will die like men
and fall like any other ruler.”
Psalms 82:7 (HCSB)
So the following verse tells us that these so called 'gods' will die like other men, or like any other ruler. A look at the preceeding verses will show that the 'rulers' are ruling in injustice, showing partiality to the wicked (v.2), being admonished to provide justice for the needy and fatherless; to uphold the rights of the oppressed and destitute (is wealth a right?). These rulers, gods, are referring to the judges of Israel, who stood in the place of God to render His decisions and judgments for the Israeli people, as Moses was God to his brother Aaron (Ex. 4:16).
This is not a passage where Jesus is saying that we all have god within us, or that we can attain a 'God' conciousness. Let's look at what he said in the preceeding verses of John 10:
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:11 (HCSB)
14 “I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, 15 as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep.
John 10:14-15 (HCSB)
27 My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”
John 10:27-30 (HCSB)
Jesus and the Father are one. This was His teaching. And He lays down His life for the sheep, and gives them eternal life. He also teaches later in the good news of John, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me." Not even Deepak Chopra!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
A response to pastor Scott
This is a note from a friend posted to me of her friend, pastor Scott. She wanted to know my comment, and not taht I am anything, but deception is great in our time, so I thought this deserved attention so people will begin to know what they have got themselves into by electing Barrack Obama.
******
Last year I had the privilege of attending Sojourners Call to Renewal in Washington D.C. Along with amazing thinkers like Jim Wallis, Brian Mclaren, Shane Claiborne, Lynne Hybels, Freddie Haynes, Joel Hunter (who is pro-life and recently gave the Democratic National Convention opening prayer) - I was able to also see the three main Democratic contenders at that time; John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama.
(By the way, I ran into and got to speak to Freddie Haynes this week as I was coming out of Whole Foods in Dallas...he is an awesome guy and was nearly chosen to be the next president of the NAACP, but alas he is a disciple of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's brand of black liberation theology and they couldn't stand up to the controversy.)
Anyway, I wonder if you might watch a clip of what I recorded that night from Obama (facebook readers will have to follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQTaaro_Vog -be prepared to turn up the volume -
Last year I had the privilege of attending Sojourners Call to Renewal in Washington D.C. Along with amazing thinkers like Jim Wallis, Brian Mclaren, Shane Claiborne, Lynne Hybels, Freddie Haynes, Joel Hunter (who is pro-life and recently gave the Democratic National Convention opening prayer) - I was able to also see the three main Democratic contenders at that time; John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama.
(By the way, I ran into and got to speak to Freddie Haynes this week as I was coming out of Whole Foods in Dallas...he is an awesome guy and was nearly chosen to be the next president of the NAACP, but alas he is a disciple of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's brand of black liberation theology and they couldn't stand up to the controversy.)
Anyway, I wonder if you might watch a clip of what I recorded that night from Obama (facebook readers will have to follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQTaaro_Vog -be prepared to turn up the volume -
What Obama is describing is a Christian view of "the common good". It really is a Biblical idea that turns Cain's question to God around:
"Am I my brother's keeper?"
And, of course, the answer is, "yes".
It also strikes at the very center of the central commandment, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
It is unfortunate that we as Christians often base our political philosophy more on Darwinism than we do on the words of Jesus. It is as if we have taken an extreme notion of "self reliance" and personal responsibility from the pages of On the Origin of the Species; preferring laissez-faire capitalism and survival of the fittest over "whatsoever you do unto the least of these, you do also to me."
The Common Good understands that when an individual in our society suffers, we all suffer. The homeless Vietnam veteran I encounter at the intersection near my apartment...is my problem. The single mother of the little girl that sits beside my son in kindergarten - who is unable to miss work for fear of being fired when her daughter is sick should stay home...is my problem. The 500 Dallas teachers who were just laid off. The families I know who are trying to live on minimum wage... These are my problems.
These "personal problems" affect us all.
We ask, "Am I my brother's keeper?" and God says, "Yes."
Often some of my friends will say, "Yes, but it isn't the governments job to __fill in the blank___".
Often, advances in what the "government" provides are demonized as "socialism". But I wonder, who do we think that the "government" is? In this representative Democracy aren't we the government? Isn't this supposed to be a government of the people, for the people, and by the people? If it is we who pay the taxes, we who elect our representatives who pass the laws, and we who are the true "deciders" - then aren't we really saying, "Yes, but it isn't MY job to __fill in the blank___."
Reminds me of another guy who was full of excuses..."Really, God, I mean, am I my brother's keeper???"
Yes, Cain, yes you are.
The next time your kid goes to a public school, you accept an educational grant or subsidised college loan, you collect unemployment benefits, you work 40 hours a week instead of 80, you drive on a public road, go to the mailbox and check the mail, ride in an airplane that doesn't collide into another one, drink water that didn't come from a well, eat out and don't get sick, enjoy the protection of the US military, visit a state park...be thankful that there are a lot of people who believe in the common good.
Now, of course I am not advocating that we sell everything we have and give it to the poor! That would be crazy! But I wonder if we might start taking some steps in the right direction by at least acknowledging that our neighbors problems affect us all...and then on a very local and personal level we do something about it.
The person with the broken down car that you pass in traffic is your neighbor - and his problem is your problem.
The family living with no health insurance - that's not just their problem.
Ahhhh - has Satan convinced you of the myth of scarcity? Do you really believe that there isn't enough to go around? There is - if each of us only takes what we need...but that's another post.
My Response -
Yeah, the emergent church is behind Obama and Rick Warren, and is part of the great Apostasy. Not only does lighthousetrails watching this stuff, so does www.sliceoflaodicea.org, www.christianresearchnetwork.com, www.carm.org, there's lots of them that see the dangers! We've got to be on our toes!
In his paragraph about govt responsibiliities, and personal (Christian responsibilities ~ which ins some cases, b/c of red tape, the Church can't perform it's Biblical mandates, i.e., caring for the orphans and widows, at least, not wtihout going through govt. "training," or conditioning!) he criticizes those who "demonize" socialism, while socialism doesn't believe in personal property. It does not allow people to prosper form their own work and excellence, but takes the reward, or "wealth," and gives it to those who will not work. The Bible says, if a man does not work, he should not eat! Care and helping those in trouble is to be of a free, generous heart, and not through a government collectivized network of paid employees who are not able or equipped to give the compassion and loving care to each individual that the Bible demands.
This great democratic country was birthed out of the Protestant Reformation, before it, nothing like the U.S.A. had been known on earth. As our nation abandons the great, godly heritage from whence it came, we our losing our freedoms, and having enemies increase against us. God has removed His blessing from our nation.
******
Last year I had the privilege of attending Sojourners Call to Renewal in Washington D.C. Along with amazing thinkers like Jim Wallis, Brian Mclaren, Shane Claiborne, Lynne Hybels, Freddie Haynes, Joel Hunter (who is pro-life and recently gave the Democratic National Convention opening prayer) - I was able to also see the three main Democratic contenders at that time; John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama.
(By the way, I ran into and got to speak to Freddie Haynes this week as I was coming out of Whole Foods in Dallas...he is an awesome guy and was nearly chosen to be the next president of the NAACP, but alas he is a disciple of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's brand of black liberation theology and they couldn't stand up to the controversy.)
Anyway, I wonder if you might watch a clip of what I recorded that night from Obama (facebook readers will have to follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQTaaro_Vog -be prepared to turn up the volume -
Last year I had the privilege of attending Sojourners Call to Renewal in Washington D.C. Along with amazing thinkers like Jim Wallis, Brian Mclaren, Shane Claiborne, Lynne Hybels, Freddie Haynes, Joel Hunter (who is pro-life and recently gave the Democratic National Convention opening prayer) - I was able to also see the three main Democratic contenders at that time; John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama.
(By the way, I ran into and got to speak to Freddie Haynes this week as I was coming out of Whole Foods in Dallas...he is an awesome guy and was nearly chosen to be the next president of the NAACP, but alas he is a disciple of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's brand of black liberation theology and they couldn't stand up to the controversy.)
Anyway, I wonder if you might watch a clip of what I recorded that night from Obama (facebook readers will have to follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQTaaro_Vog -be prepared to turn up the volume -
What Obama is describing is a Christian view of "the common good". It really is a Biblical idea that turns Cain's question to God around:
"Am I my brother's keeper?"
And, of course, the answer is, "yes".
It also strikes at the very center of the central commandment, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
It is unfortunate that we as Christians often base our political philosophy more on Darwinism than we do on the words of Jesus. It is as if we have taken an extreme notion of "self reliance" and personal responsibility from the pages of On the Origin of the Species; preferring laissez-faire capitalism and survival of the fittest over "whatsoever you do unto the least of these, you do also to me."
The Common Good understands that when an individual in our society suffers, we all suffer. The homeless Vietnam veteran I encounter at the intersection near my apartment...is my problem. The single mother of the little girl that sits beside my son in kindergarten - who is unable to miss work for fear of being fired when her daughter is sick should stay home...is my problem. The 500 Dallas teachers who were just laid off. The families I know who are trying to live on minimum wage... These are my problems.
These "personal problems" affect us all.
We ask, "Am I my brother's keeper?" and God says, "Yes."
Often some of my friends will say, "Yes, but it isn't the governments job to __fill in the blank___".
Often, advances in what the "government" provides are demonized as "socialism". But I wonder, who do we think that the "government" is? In this representative Democracy aren't we the government? Isn't this supposed to be a government of the people, for the people, and by the people? If it is we who pay the taxes, we who elect our representatives who pass the laws, and we who are the true "deciders" - then aren't we really saying, "Yes, but it isn't MY job to __fill in the blank___."
Reminds me of another guy who was full of excuses..."Really, God, I mean, am I my brother's keeper???"
Yes, Cain, yes you are.
The next time your kid goes to a public school, you accept an educational grant or subsidised college loan, you collect unemployment benefits, you work 40 hours a week instead of 80, you drive on a public road, go to the mailbox and check the mail, ride in an airplane that doesn't collide into another one, drink water that didn't come from a well, eat out and don't get sick, enjoy the protection of the US military, visit a state park...be thankful that there are a lot of people who believe in the common good.
Now, of course I am not advocating that we sell everything we have and give it to the poor! That would be crazy! But I wonder if we might start taking some steps in the right direction by at least acknowledging that our neighbors problems affect us all...and then on a very local and personal level we do something about it.
The person with the broken down car that you pass in traffic is your neighbor - and his problem is your problem.
The family living with no health insurance - that's not just their problem.
Ahhhh - has Satan convinced you of the myth of scarcity? Do you really believe that there isn't enough to go around? There is - if each of us only takes what we need...but that's another post.
My Response -
Yeah, the emergent church is behind Obama and Rick Warren, and is part of the great Apostasy. Not only does lighthousetrails watching this stuff, so does www.sliceoflaodicea.org, www.christianresearchnetwork.com, www.carm.org, there's lots of them that see the dangers! We've got to be on our toes!
In his paragraph about govt responsibiliities, and personal (Christian responsibilities ~ which ins some cases, b/c of red tape, the Church can't perform it's Biblical mandates, i.e., caring for the orphans and widows, at least, not wtihout going through govt. "training," or conditioning!) he criticizes those who "demonize" socialism, while socialism doesn't believe in personal property. It does not allow people to prosper form their own work and excellence, but takes the reward, or "wealth," and gives it to those who will not work. The Bible says, if a man does not work, he should not eat! Care and helping those in trouble is to be of a free, generous heart, and not through a government collectivized network of paid employees who are not able or equipped to give the compassion and loving care to each individual that the Bible demands.
This great democratic country was birthed out of the Protestant Reformation, before it, nothing like the U.S.A. had been known on earth. As our nation abandons the great, godly heritage from whence it came, we our losing our freedoms, and having enemies increase against us. God has removed His blessing from our nation.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Israel is THE MAIN ISSUE!
Stan Goodenough has written a great blog about how Israel is THE ISSUE in this current election.
The link to this blog is http://www.stangoodenough.com/?p=162
I too agree with his final conclusion. If Barak Obama is elected, will this remove (even further) God's hand of blessing on our great nation?
The link to this blog is http://www.stangoodenough.com/?p=162
I too agree with his final conclusion. If Barak Obama is elected, will this remove (even further) God's hand of blessing on our great nation?
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The Pope's against Proselytism?
Here's some quotes from the pope that I thought you might find interesting:
"Other ways to keep this flame alive are to "Continue to educate everyone in listening to the Word of God and arouse, especially in the young, Marian devotion and love for the Eucharist. Spread the practice of the Rosary among families. Patiently and courageously, seek new forms and methods of apostolate, making it your concern to modernize them in accordance with today's needs, bearing in mind the language and culture of the faithful entrusted to you care," the Pope said."
"In contrast with religious fundamentalists, Benedict XVI underlined how "the Church does not impose but freely proposes the Catholic faith, well aware that conversion is the mysterious fruit of the action of the Holy Spirit. Faith is a gift and a work of God, and hence excludes any form of proselytism that forces, allures or entices people by trickery to embrace it."
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=13958
Most Christians wouldn't have to be too concerned with this pronouncement to forbid evangelism, (http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=13958) as most of us don't share the gospel (proselytze) anyways. But for those who do.. this could be a problem, not to mention it goes agaisnt the words of Christ in Matt. 28 and Mark 16, the great commission, to go into all the world, making disciples of all nations, teaching them everything Christ ~ God through Scripture, has commanded us.
I don't know your opionion on the church's teachings, but I speak as one who follows Biblical teaching. I think the much of the Church (in all it's forms) is coming to a really dangerous place, and the scripture is being fulfilled that Paul wrote to Timothy :"1 Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, 1 Tim 4:1 (HCSB)
The great apostasy of the church is truly beginning to take place. This might all sound kooky, but the Biblical prophecy is being fulfilled, the biggest being the return of Jews to the holy land in 1948. They are the Biblical timeclock. Jesus said in Matt 24, that this generation will not pass away, till all thies things take place (wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes famines, hurricanes, horrific devastation on earth). This year was the Jews' 60th anniversery. So how long is a generation? Ps. 90 says it's 70 yrs. This year is also the beginning of a new 7 yr. cycle the Jews call shvuas. If NASA is correct in predicting the solar and lunar eclipses in 2014 and 2015 on Jewish holy days, that could represent the return of Christ as predicted by Joel and the prophets when the speak of the sun being blackenend as sackclosth and the moon turning to blood.
But if that's Christ's return then this would be the very cusp of what Daniel refers to as the 70th 'seven'. The first 69 were until the Messiah, and the final (70th) 'seven' will be when the antichrist comes to reign by proposing peace, and getting followers from around the world. It is also when the one-world government described in Daniel 7 will come into power. The scriputre says the antichrist will gain control of it, and will require every person to be chipped, in order to buy or to sell. But scripture says those who take the mark of the 'beast,' will be condemned to eternal hell.
www.understandthetimes.org
"Other ways to keep this flame alive are to "Continue to educate everyone in listening to the Word of God and arouse, especially in the young, Marian devotion and love for the Eucharist. Spread the practice of the Rosary among families. Patiently and courageously, seek new forms and methods of apostolate, making it your concern to modernize them in accordance with today's needs, bearing in mind the language and culture of the faithful entrusted to you care," the Pope said."
"In contrast with religious fundamentalists, Benedict XVI underlined how "the Church does not impose but freely proposes the Catholic faith, well aware that conversion is the mysterious fruit of the action of the Holy Spirit. Faith is a gift and a work of God, and hence excludes any form of proselytism that forces, allures or entices people by trickery to embrace it."
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=13958
Most Christians wouldn't have to be too concerned with this pronouncement to forbid evangelism, (http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=13958) as most of us don't share the gospel (proselytze) anyways. But for those who do.. this could be a problem, not to mention it goes agaisnt the words of Christ in Matt. 28 and Mark 16, the great commission, to go into all the world, making disciples of all nations, teaching them everything Christ ~ God through Scripture, has commanded us.
I don't know your opionion on the church's teachings, but I speak as one who follows Biblical teaching. I think the much of the Church (in all it's forms) is coming to a really dangerous place, and the scripture is being fulfilled that Paul wrote to Timothy :"1 Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, 1 Tim 4:1 (HCSB)
The great apostasy of the church is truly beginning to take place. This might all sound kooky, but the Biblical prophecy is being fulfilled, the biggest being the return of Jews to the holy land in 1948. They are the Biblical timeclock. Jesus said in Matt 24, that this generation will not pass away, till all thies things take place (wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes famines, hurricanes, horrific devastation on earth). This year was the Jews' 60th anniversery. So how long is a generation? Ps. 90 says it's 70 yrs. This year is also the beginning of a new 7 yr. cycle the Jews call shvuas. If NASA is correct in predicting the solar and lunar eclipses in 2014 and 2015 on Jewish holy days, that could represent the return of Christ as predicted by Joel and the prophets when the speak of the sun being blackenend as sackclosth and the moon turning to blood.
But if that's Christ's return then this would be the very cusp of what Daniel refers to as the 70th 'seven'. The first 69 were until the Messiah, and the final (70th) 'seven' will be when the antichrist comes to reign by proposing peace, and getting followers from around the world. It is also when the one-world government described in Daniel 7 will come into power. The scriputre says the antichrist will gain control of it, and will require every person to be chipped, in order to buy or to sell. But scripture says those who take the mark of the 'beast,' will be condemned to eternal hell.
www.understandthetimes.org
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
To prepare for Persecution
I just found an excellent message on preparing for persecution that I think all of us might find encouragment and exortation in. To read it , go here: http://www.fulfilledprophecy.com/page/how-to-prepare-for-tribulation-corrie-ten-boom/
Blessings, Chris
Blessings, Chris
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Obama's Ties To Africa - Should We Be Concerned?
One thing the Obama campaign doesn't need is for the news about Obama's links and support of dictatorial regimes to come out into the open. It is sad the divide that has taken place in America, and manifested even in the political realm. One thing democrats are scared of... is truth. One investigative reporter, the senior editor of World Net Daily, flew to Kenya to investigate Obama Hussein's connectons with Muamar Khadaffi, Kofi Annan and Kenyan presidential contender Raila Odinga.
Turns out, with Mr. Jerome Corsi's desire to publish the truth and let the world know about Obama's connections, at 10 a.m., this Tuesday morning, Mr. Corsi was detained at the airport, after the Kenyan police shut down his scheduled news conference.
Corsi was set to show Obama and Odinga have been in direct contact since the senator's visit to Kenya in 2006. He was to claim Obama advised Odinga on campaign strategy and helped him raise money in the U.S. for the Kenya presidential campaign.
Corsi was to report Odinga's 2007 presidential campaign strategy called for exploiting anti-Kikuyu tribal sentiments, claiming victory and charging voter fraud even if the campaign knew the election had been legitimately lost. Odinga, Corsi said, also was willing to fan the flames of ethnic tribal tensions and use violence as a last resort by calling for mass action that led to the destruction of properties, injuries, loss of life and the displacement of over 500,000 Kenyans. The purpose was to compel the Electoral Commission of Kenya to declare him the winner or enable him to declare himself the winner by force.
Even though Odinga has not fulfilled his campaign promises to the Muslims who voted for him, he continues to cause concern among Kenyans because he has not declared his position on Shariah law, Corsi said.
Corsi said Obama remained in active phone contact with Odinga through the New Hampshire Democratic Party primary in January. The Illinois senator continued to support Odinga, he said, turning a blind eye to an agreement signed with Muslims and the post-election violence instigated as part of the campaign strategy.
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=77268
More info can be had in an interview Janet Folger conducted last week with Mr. Corsi, who was bery eager to meet with the press to expose his findings on Hussein Obama. http://www.f2a.org/radio/archive2003.htm
Turns out, with Mr. Jerome Corsi's desire to publish the truth and let the world know about Obama's connections, at 10 a.m., this Tuesday morning, Mr. Corsi was detained at the airport, after the Kenyan police shut down his scheduled news conference.
Corsi was set to show Obama and Odinga have been in direct contact since the senator's visit to Kenya in 2006. He was to claim Obama advised Odinga on campaign strategy and helped him raise money in the U.S. for the Kenya presidential campaign.
Corsi was to report Odinga's 2007 presidential campaign strategy called for exploiting anti-Kikuyu tribal sentiments, claiming victory and charging voter fraud even if the campaign knew the election had been legitimately lost. Odinga, Corsi said, also was willing to fan the flames of ethnic tribal tensions and use violence as a last resort by calling for mass action that led to the destruction of properties, injuries, loss of life and the displacement of over 500,000 Kenyans. The purpose was to compel the Electoral Commission of Kenya to declare him the winner or enable him to declare himself the winner by force.
Even though Odinga has not fulfilled his campaign promises to the Muslims who voted for him, he continues to cause concern among Kenyans because he has not declared his position on Shariah law, Corsi said.
Corsi said Obama remained in active phone contact with Odinga through the New Hampshire Democratic Party primary in January. The Illinois senator continued to support Odinga, he said, turning a blind eye to an agreement signed with Muslims and the post-election violence instigated as part of the campaign strategy.
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=77268
More info can be had in an interview Janet Folger conducted last week with Mr. Corsi, who was bery eager to meet with the press to expose his findings on Hussein Obama. http://www.f2a.org/radio/archive2003.htm
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Has God's patience run out with America?
Last night I saw a homeland security report (www.homelandsecurityus.com) saying that instructions for a jihadist attack against America and the wider world the Tuesday following Ramadan… so the article inferred October 7th 2008.
The text addressing the nature, location and timing of the planned attack, although specific to the U.S., appears otherwise ambiguous. For instance, the timing appears to focus on the Tuesday following the end of Ramadan, which would be October 7, 2008. The nature of the attack is less clear. Although the author appears to talk about a strike greater in magnitude than the 9/11 attacks and makes reference to the possibility of it being nuclear in nature, the text references to the nuclear aspect of the attack appear somewhat muddled.
It’s scary, but I believe that the LORD’s patience with us as a nation has run out. I think it’s interesting, an article I saw once described America, being the only nation based on God’s word, other than the Jews… should suffer the same fate as the Jews. The Jews forsook God’s covenant, and he brought against them the Babylonians. We have done the same thing, in our wealth and prosperity, we have grown proud and denied the LORD. Now he is bringing against us the same people.
Jeremiah 22:5-9 5 "But if you will not obey these words, I swear by Myself," declares the LORD, "that this house will become a desolation."'" 6 For thus says the LORD concerning the house of the king of Judah: "You are like Gilead to Me, Like the summit of Lebanon; Yet most assuredly I will make you like a wilderness, Like cities which are not inhabited. 7 "For I will set apart destroyers against you, Each with his weapons; And they will cut down your choicest cedars And throw them on the fire. 8 "Many nations will pass by this city; and they will say to one another, 'Why has the LORD done thus to this great city?' 9 "Then they will 1answer, 'Because they forsook the covenant of the LORD their God and bowed down to other gods and served them.'"
Jeremiah 25:9 9 behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,' declares the LORD, 'and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants and against all these nations round about; and I will 1utterly destroy them and make them a horror and a hissing, and an everlasting desolation.
In God's wrath on our nation, which so deserves it, let us pray He remembers mercy.
Habakkuk 3:2 LORD, I have heard the report about You and I fear. O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.
The text addressing the nature, location and timing of the planned attack, although specific to the U.S., appears otherwise ambiguous. For instance, the timing appears to focus on the Tuesday following the end of Ramadan, which would be October 7, 2008. The nature of the attack is less clear. Although the author appears to talk about a strike greater in magnitude than the 9/11 attacks and makes reference to the possibility of it being nuclear in nature, the text references to the nuclear aspect of the attack appear somewhat muddled.
It’s scary, but I believe that the LORD’s patience with us as a nation has run out. I think it’s interesting, an article I saw once described America, being the only nation based on God’s word, other than the Jews… should suffer the same fate as the Jews. The Jews forsook God’s covenant, and he brought against them the Babylonians. We have done the same thing, in our wealth and prosperity, we have grown proud and denied the LORD. Now he is bringing against us the same people.
Jeremiah 22:5-9 5 "But if you will not obey these words, I swear by Myself," declares the LORD, "that this house will become a desolation."'" 6 For thus says the LORD concerning the house of the king of Judah: "You are like Gilead to Me, Like the summit of Lebanon; Yet most assuredly I will make you like a wilderness, Like cities which are not inhabited. 7 "For I will set apart destroyers against you, Each with his weapons; And they will cut down your choicest cedars And throw them on the fire. 8 "Many nations will pass by this city; and they will say to one another, 'Why has the LORD done thus to this great city?' 9 "Then they will 1answer, 'Because they forsook the covenant of the LORD their God and bowed down to other gods and served them.'"
Jeremiah 25:9 9 behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,' declares the LORD, 'and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants and against all these nations round about; and I will 1utterly destroy them and make them a horror and a hissing, and an everlasting desolation.
In God's wrath on our nation, which so deserves it, let us pray He remembers mercy.
Habakkuk 3:2 LORD, I have heard the report about You and I fear. O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Tzipi Livni: Real life ALIAS!
Certainly these are some of the most tumultuous times that we are living in! I'm watching the Middle East, and watching Israel, God's time clock. Olmert has come out with a ridiculous (not religulous!) assertion that those who believe in Biblical prophesies of a greater Israel are delusional. Then A'mad says Israel's not going to survive, even a lesser Israel!
So Olmert is being indicted on bribery charges, and has resigned his post of PM of Israel. Tzipi Livni has stepped in from his cabinet to carry out his duties... and if she is able to form a stable government in the next 45 days, she will be the next Israeli PM.
So I was wondering what sort of person she would be to lead Israel. I looked her up, and read some on her, and I was impressed! Remember the series ALIAS, with Jennifer Garner? Well Tzipi Livni is the real live Sydney Bristow! Let me share just a few quotes from this article.
Livni joined Mossad [Israeli Intelligence] after leaving the army with the rank of lieutenant and completing a year at law school. From her base in Paris she travelled throughout Europe in pursuit of Arab terrorists.
“Tzipi was not an office girl,” said an acquaintance. “She was a clever woman with an IQ of 150. She blended in well in European capitals, working with male agents, most of them ex-commandos, taking out Arab terrorists.”
Livni has never talked about her years with Mossad, but a glimpse of the nature of the work was given by her closest female partner on European assignments. “The risks were tangible,” said Mira Gal, who became head of her ministerial office. “If I made a mistake the result would be arrest and catastrophic political implications for Israel.”
And as to her upbringing? Check out her parents!
Both her parents were arrested for terrorist crimes in the 1940s. Her mother Sarah, who died recently aged 85, was a leader of Irgun, the militant Zionist group that operated in Palestine at the time of the British mandate and whose exploits included train robbery.
“I was disguised as a pregnant woman and robbed a train carrying £35,000,” she said in an interview shortly before she died. “Then we blew up another train en route from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.”
Livni’s father, Eitan, was sentenced to 15 years in jail for attacking a British military base. He escaped.
I mean, this is Kimpossible fodder! The author of the article notes that she does support the idea of giving up the West Bank, but she is not playing games with Syria or Iran, and will want to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities. If she stays, and Bibi doesn't get it, I think she take out Iran... though I think giving out the West Bank is a bad idea. Hopefully she doesn't hold to Olmert's ant-Biblical views.
For full article: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article4040016.ece
So Olmert is being indicted on bribery charges, and has resigned his post of PM of Israel. Tzipi Livni has stepped in from his cabinet to carry out his duties... and if she is able to form a stable government in the next 45 days, she will be the next Israeli PM.
So I was wondering what sort of person she would be to lead Israel. I looked her up, and read some on her, and I was impressed! Remember the series ALIAS, with Jennifer Garner? Well Tzipi Livni is the real live Sydney Bristow! Let me share just a few quotes from this article.
Livni joined Mossad [Israeli Intelligence] after leaving the army with the rank of lieutenant and completing a year at law school. From her base in Paris she travelled throughout Europe in pursuit of Arab terrorists.
“Tzipi was not an office girl,” said an acquaintance. “She was a clever woman with an IQ of 150. She blended in well in European capitals, working with male agents, most of them ex-commandos, taking out Arab terrorists.”
Livni has never talked about her years with Mossad, but a glimpse of the nature of the work was given by her closest female partner on European assignments. “The risks were tangible,” said Mira Gal, who became head of her ministerial office. “If I made a mistake the result would be arrest and catastrophic political implications for Israel.”
And as to her upbringing? Check out her parents!
Both her parents were arrested for terrorist crimes in the 1940s. Her mother Sarah, who died recently aged 85, was a leader of Irgun, the militant Zionist group that operated in Palestine at the time of the British mandate and whose exploits included train robbery.
“I was disguised as a pregnant woman and robbed a train carrying £35,000,” she said in an interview shortly before she died. “Then we blew up another train en route from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.”
Livni’s father, Eitan, was sentenced to 15 years in jail for attacking a British military base. He escaped.
I mean, this is Kimpossible fodder! The author of the article notes that she does support the idea of giving up the West Bank, but she is not playing games with Syria or Iran, and will want to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities. If she stays, and Bibi doesn't get it, I think she take out Iran... though I think giving out the West Bank is a bad idea. Hopefully she doesn't hold to Olmert's ant-Biblical views.
For full article: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article4040016.ece
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
The Shack - a Novel Truth?
Maybe you've heard of it. It's been out a while now. It's a FICTIONAL work of a guy who in the wake of his 6 yr. old daughter's death, meets with God in the Shack where she is killed. First of all, let me say, this fictional work is another new age assault on Christianity and Christian doctrine. You have such themes as the Trinity manifesting themselves as black women, except Jesus, who is presumbably a Jewish Carpenter. And once again, as in all new age teachings, God is with and in all people, regardless of religion or belief. It contains, though subtely woven in the novel, panentheism, that God is in all things.
"Jesus even tells Mack that “God, who is the ground of all being, dwells in, around, and through all things—ultimately emerging as the real” (p. 112). This is pure New Age spirituality."
For an excellent review of this book, see: http://www.svchapel.org/Resources/BookReviews/book_reviews.asp?ID=387
"Jesus even tells Mack that “God, who is the ground of all being, dwells in, around, and through all things—ultimately emerging as the real” (p. 112). This is pure New Age spirituality."
For an excellent review of this book, see: http://www.svchapel.org/Resources/BookReviews/book_reviews.asp?ID=387
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Theological Underpinnings of a non-Calvinist
It seems that poor brother John Calvin gets a bad wrap in modern circles. He is oft misrepresented by the stereotypical view of the Hyper-Calvinist, or those who simply have not thought through the implications of the scriptures they read. What most people mean or speak of when they say “Calvinism,” they are really speaking of “predestinarianism.” Let me say at the forefront, I used to be Arminian, but have since been converted through my study of scriptures. But I digress. John Calvin had a very pastoral heart, and Calvinism or predestinarianism is really a very small portion of this great Protestant Reformers heart.
For those who say that they don’t believe in predestination, they believe that it is unjust for a holy, sovereign God, to elect some to salvation, and others, by logical implication, to damnation. What is man’s merits? How is he described in the Bible, the word of truth? Scripture says 9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else and desperately sick—who can understand it? Jer 17:9. Ecclesiastes 7:20 says: 20 There is certainly no righteous man on the earth who does good and never sins. Psalm 49 tells us: “7 Yet these cannot redeem a person or pay his ransom to God— 8 since the price of redeeming him is too costly, one should forever stop trying — 9 so that he may live forever and not see the Pit” Psalms 49:7-9. In fact, we see this testimony also in the New Testament, in Paul’s systematic exposition to the Romans. He says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Rom. 3:23. Later in Romans 6:23, we are told, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Now, for all those who don’t subscribe to the doctrine (teaching) of predestination, they are generally classified under the category of Arminian. This paper is not meant to deal with the finer subtleties of theological persuasions, so I won’t deal with the finer nuances. Typically, the Arminian belief is that “God elects (or predestines) those whom he foreknew,” as according to the text in Romans 8:29-30.
Okay, so let’s look at this proposition with a little more scrutiny. God elects or predestines those whom He foreknew would choose Him. Okay, that sounds fair. All the people that God knew would choose Him, he just looked forward in time, and ‘elected’ those folks! Ok… so what does this assume? This assumes that it is in our power to choose God. What does the Bible say about that? In Romans 3:10-11, we are told: 10 as it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. According to this verse, how many people choose God? No one. “Well, you say, but those few who God foreknew, right?” No one. So if there is not one, no one, who understands, who seeks after God, then how is man able to choose God in his own power?
This is where Arminians whip up a solution from thin air (and it floats in thin air), called prevenient grace. Don’t bother checking the Bible for it. It’s not in there. This is a made-up doctrine of man according to saviusous faceus.
But I think that this stems from an incorrect understanding of what happened at the Fall. In Gen. 3:17, we read: 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” The Serpent came to Eve, and called into question the very word of God, 4 “No! You will not die,” the serpent said to the woman. But then as we go on, we see in chapter 5, Moses tells us again and again, “then he died” Gen 5:5; “then he died” Gen 5:8; “then he died” Gen 5:11; “then he died” Gen 5:14; “then he died” Gen 5:17; “then he died” Gen 5:20… and so on through the rest of the chapter. So what point is Moses trying to make here? God’s word is truth.
God did not create man to die, but this a result of his rebellion against his Creator. Now, when Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. There were two types of deaths that occurred. It at first didn’t seem that there was death, but there was. At the instant the human heart rebelled and decided to follow Satan’s advice over God’s command, he died spiritually. The human relationship of righteousness that he enjoyed with his maker, who gave him everything good (Eden was paradise!), and only intended good for him, was broken. Humanity was now spiritually dead, and all offspring of Adam and Eve from this point on, that is, the entire world, is born spiritually separated from God, that is, dead, since God is the giver of life.
How can a man who is spiritually dead choose God? Well, the Arminians say that this is where prevenient grace comes into play. God’s prevenient grace ‘suspends’ this state of ignorance and rebellion toward God and allows that person to decide if they want to follow God or not. Okay, we have already seen that the Bible says man is born spiritually dead, and Jesus testifies to this when he speaks to Nicodemus in John chapter 3: 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again” John 3:6,7, (HCSB). But the Arminian doctrine says that God ‘resuscitates’ that spiritual life for a few short minutes, to allow the person to choose, and if they choose wrongly, drops them back into death. Can you imagine a doctor doing this? Although some do, and Barrack Obama voted for doctors to have to do this to the babies who survive (though mangled) abortive procedures.
But if God already knew what they were going to choose, why should He need to give a ‘prevenient grace’ to allow them to choose.
What did Jesus have to say on this issue? Let’s look at a few of His teachings on the matter. In John chapter 6, where Jesus is known for His ‘hard’ sayings, telling the crowds that if they want to receive eternal life, they must eat his flesh and drink his blood (v. 53) But shortly before this, Jesus made this statement: 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44 (HCSB).
Later, when his disciples were complaining to Him that this was a hard teaching, he said: 65 He said, “63 The Spirit is the One who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted to him by the Father” John 6:63, 65 (HCSB). When his disciples affirmed that they did not want to leave Him, for they believed He had the words of eternal life (v. 68), “70 Jesus replied to them, “Didn’t I choose you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is the Devil!” John 6:70. Here again, we see the sovereign work of God, having chosen twelve disciples, yet one of them destined to hell.
John 15 has one of my favorite verses, providing me the most comfort. In v. 16 he states: 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. John 15:16 (HCSB). In John 17, Jesus is praying to the Father (a good passage in refute of modalism, but that’s a different paper). Jesus didn’t thank God for the people who by some merit of their preference, chose to follow Him. No, he prayed for the people “you gave me out of the world” (vv. 6-16).
As I said earlier, scripture contains some hard sayings. Election is hard, eternal destruction in flames of hell is hard. Did Jesus go back and amend his words to make his followers feel better? Did he soften his teachings so more people would get on board and follow Him? No, in fact, what did Isaiah the prophet say about the matter?
37 Even though He had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in Him. 38 But this was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet, who said: Lord, who has believed our message? And who has the arm of the Lord been revealed to? 39 This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah also said: 40 He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they would not see with their eyes or understand with their hearts, and be converted, and I would heal them. John 12:37-40 (HCSB)
Wow. These are hard sayings.
Bur really, is it just? How did Paul understand the issue? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! 15 For He tells Moses: I will show mercy to whom I show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. 16 So then it does not depend on human will or effort, but on God who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture tells Pharaoh: For this reason I raised you up: so that I may display My power in you, and that My name may be proclaimed in all the earth. 18 So then, He shows mercy to whom He wills, and He hardens whom He wills. Romans 9:14-18 (HCSB)
19 You will say to me, therefore, “Why then does He still find fault? For who can resist His will?” 20 But who are you—anyone who talks back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” 21 Or has the potter no right over His clay, to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor? 22 And what if God, desiring to display His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience objects of wrath ready for destruction? 23 And [what if] He did this to make known the riches of His glory on objects of mercy that He prepared beforehand for glory— 24 on us whom He also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? Romans 9:19-24 (HCSB)
ALL OF US were born spiritually separated from God, unable to choose Him, dead in our sins, and deserving of eternal punishment for our rebellion against an infinitely glorious and holy God. An offense against such an infinitely glorious and just God must be served with eternal punishment. AND WE ALL DESERVE IT. It is only due to God’s great love and kindness that He has chosen to not send ALL OF US to hell. He was pleased in His grace to redeem us by sending His only Son to die a sacrifice of atonement for those whom God, in His infinitely perfect wisdom, determined He would be gracious to.
Put simply, we ALL deserved to go to hell. And God would be perfectly just in sending us all there and starting over, but according to His great love and graciousness He planned before the creation of the world to save some of us filthy, vile wretches, and wash us white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). And all this results to the maximum glory of an infinitely wise God who has knowledge of all possible futures. “He did this to make known the riches of His glory on objects of mercy that He prepared beforehand for glory—“ Rom. 9:23.
Sitting in a Bible course on the book of Romans in a little Baptist church somewhere in the midst of Bucharest, Romania, I came to terms with what God’s word said. This is the verse that changed my outlook forever: 16 “So then it does not depend on human will or effort, but on God who shows mercy” (Rom. 9:16).
* All scripture is taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.
For those who say that they don’t believe in predestination, they believe that it is unjust for a holy, sovereign God, to elect some to salvation, and others, by logical implication, to damnation. What is man’s merits? How is he described in the Bible, the word of truth? Scripture says 9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else and desperately sick—who can understand it? Jer 17:9. Ecclesiastes 7:20 says: 20 There is certainly no righteous man on the earth who does good and never sins. Psalm 49 tells us: “7 Yet these cannot redeem a person or pay his ransom to God— 8 since the price of redeeming him is too costly, one should forever stop trying — 9 so that he may live forever and not see the Pit” Psalms 49:7-9. In fact, we see this testimony also in the New Testament, in Paul’s systematic exposition to the Romans. He says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Rom. 3:23. Later in Romans 6:23, we are told, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Now, for all those who don’t subscribe to the doctrine (teaching) of predestination, they are generally classified under the category of Arminian. This paper is not meant to deal with the finer subtleties of theological persuasions, so I won’t deal with the finer nuances. Typically, the Arminian belief is that “God elects (or predestines) those whom he foreknew,” as according to the text in Romans 8:29-30.
Okay, so let’s look at this proposition with a little more scrutiny. God elects or predestines those whom He foreknew would choose Him. Okay, that sounds fair. All the people that God knew would choose Him, he just looked forward in time, and ‘elected’ those folks! Ok… so what does this assume? This assumes that it is in our power to choose God. What does the Bible say about that? In Romans 3:10-11, we are told: 10 as it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. According to this verse, how many people choose God? No one. “Well, you say, but those few who God foreknew, right?” No one. So if there is not one, no one, who understands, who seeks after God, then how is man able to choose God in his own power?
This is where Arminians whip up a solution from thin air (and it floats in thin air), called prevenient grace. Don’t bother checking the Bible for it. It’s not in there. This is a made-up doctrine of man according to saviusous faceus.
But I think that this stems from an incorrect understanding of what happened at the Fall. In Gen. 3:17, we read: 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” The Serpent came to Eve, and called into question the very word of God, 4 “No! You will not die,” the serpent said to the woman. But then as we go on, we see in chapter 5, Moses tells us again and again, “then he died” Gen 5:5; “then he died” Gen 5:8; “then he died” Gen 5:11; “then he died” Gen 5:14; “then he died” Gen 5:17; “then he died” Gen 5:20… and so on through the rest of the chapter. So what point is Moses trying to make here? God’s word is truth.
God did not create man to die, but this a result of his rebellion against his Creator. Now, when Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. There were two types of deaths that occurred. It at first didn’t seem that there was death, but there was. At the instant the human heart rebelled and decided to follow Satan’s advice over God’s command, he died spiritually. The human relationship of righteousness that he enjoyed with his maker, who gave him everything good (Eden was paradise!), and only intended good for him, was broken. Humanity was now spiritually dead, and all offspring of Adam and Eve from this point on, that is, the entire world, is born spiritually separated from God, that is, dead, since God is the giver of life.
How can a man who is spiritually dead choose God? Well, the Arminians say that this is where prevenient grace comes into play. God’s prevenient grace ‘suspends’ this state of ignorance and rebellion toward God and allows that person to decide if they want to follow God or not. Okay, we have already seen that the Bible says man is born spiritually dead, and Jesus testifies to this when he speaks to Nicodemus in John chapter 3: 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again” John 3:6,7, (HCSB). But the Arminian doctrine says that God ‘resuscitates’ that spiritual life for a few short minutes, to allow the person to choose, and if they choose wrongly, drops them back into death. Can you imagine a doctor doing this? Although some do, and Barrack Obama voted for doctors to have to do this to the babies who survive (though mangled) abortive procedures.
But if God already knew what they were going to choose, why should He need to give a ‘prevenient grace’ to allow them to choose.
What did Jesus have to say on this issue? Let’s look at a few of His teachings on the matter. In John chapter 6, where Jesus is known for His ‘hard’ sayings, telling the crowds that if they want to receive eternal life, they must eat his flesh and drink his blood (v. 53) But shortly before this, Jesus made this statement: 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44 (HCSB).
Later, when his disciples were complaining to Him that this was a hard teaching, he said: 65 He said, “63 The Spirit is the One who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted to him by the Father” John 6:63, 65 (HCSB). When his disciples affirmed that they did not want to leave Him, for they believed He had the words of eternal life (v. 68), “70 Jesus replied to them, “Didn’t I choose you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is the Devil!” John 6:70. Here again, we see the sovereign work of God, having chosen twelve disciples, yet one of them destined to hell.
John 15 has one of my favorite verses, providing me the most comfort. In v. 16 he states: 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. John 15:16 (HCSB). In John 17, Jesus is praying to the Father (a good passage in refute of modalism, but that’s a different paper). Jesus didn’t thank God for the people who by some merit of their preference, chose to follow Him. No, he prayed for the people “you gave me out of the world” (vv. 6-16).
As I said earlier, scripture contains some hard sayings. Election is hard, eternal destruction in flames of hell is hard. Did Jesus go back and amend his words to make his followers feel better? Did he soften his teachings so more people would get on board and follow Him? No, in fact, what did Isaiah the prophet say about the matter?
37 Even though He had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in Him. 38 But this was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet, who said: Lord, who has believed our message? And who has the arm of the Lord been revealed to? 39 This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah also said: 40 He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they would not see with their eyes or understand with their hearts, and be converted, and I would heal them. John 12:37-40 (HCSB)
Wow. These are hard sayings.
Bur really, is it just? How did Paul understand the issue? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! 15 For He tells Moses: I will show mercy to whom I show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. 16 So then it does not depend on human will or effort, but on God who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture tells Pharaoh: For this reason I raised you up: so that I may display My power in you, and that My name may be proclaimed in all the earth. 18 So then, He shows mercy to whom He wills, and He hardens whom He wills. Romans 9:14-18 (HCSB)
19 You will say to me, therefore, “Why then does He still find fault? For who can resist His will?” 20 But who are you—anyone who talks back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” 21 Or has the potter no right over His clay, to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor? 22 And what if God, desiring to display His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience objects of wrath ready for destruction? 23 And [what if] He did this to make known the riches of His glory on objects of mercy that He prepared beforehand for glory— 24 on us whom He also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? Romans 9:19-24 (HCSB)
ALL OF US were born spiritually separated from God, unable to choose Him, dead in our sins, and deserving of eternal punishment for our rebellion against an infinitely glorious and holy God. An offense against such an infinitely glorious and just God must be served with eternal punishment. AND WE ALL DESERVE IT. It is only due to God’s great love and kindness that He has chosen to not send ALL OF US to hell. He was pleased in His grace to redeem us by sending His only Son to die a sacrifice of atonement for those whom God, in His infinitely perfect wisdom, determined He would be gracious to.
Put simply, we ALL deserved to go to hell. And God would be perfectly just in sending us all there and starting over, but according to His great love and graciousness He planned before the creation of the world to save some of us filthy, vile wretches, and wash us white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). And all this results to the maximum glory of an infinitely wise God who has knowledge of all possible futures. “He did this to make known the riches of His glory on objects of mercy that He prepared beforehand for glory—“ Rom. 9:23.
Sitting in a Bible course on the book of Romans in a little Baptist church somewhere in the midst of Bucharest, Romania, I came to terms with what God’s word said. This is the verse that changed my outlook forever: 16 “So then it does not depend on human will or effort, but on God who shows mercy” (Rom. 9:16).
* All scripture is taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
The Excitement of Fulfillment
I've been thinking about doing this for some time... the fulfillment of scriptures. It's very exciting to see it take place, and to say, "I knew that would happen," for it's written in God's word. I found this report at the Iranian blog on the Middle East Media Research Institute.
The Iranian website Asr-e Iran reported that the head of the Moscow-based Center for Studies on Modern Iran, Rajab Safarov, has presented to the Kremlin a proposal to establish an Iran-Russia strategic and military alliance, following the tension between Russia and the West in the Caucasus and the possibility of Georgia and Ukraine joining NATO.
Under the proposal, Russia would form a security pact with Iran and Syria, and would also maintain military bases in Iranian Azerbaijan in northwest Iran and on the Iranian island of Qeshm, near the Strait of Hormuz, in the Persian Gulf, in order to monitor the movements of the West and NATO in the region.
In exchange, Russia would promise Iran military support in the event of a U.S. or Israeli attack, and would provide it with nuclear technology.
http://www.thememriblog.org/iran
'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of [b] Meshech and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army... and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. 5 Persia, Cush [c] and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, 6 also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you.
22 I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. (from Ezek. 38)
The stage for the fulfillment of Ezek. 38 continues to be filled out. Tensions are high right now, things are almost in place for when our Savior brings about the consummation of His will to establish His rightful reign on earth (Zech 14:9). Will Psalm 83 be fulfilled, with along with Isaiah 17:1, preapring the way for Magog to come out of the north? Time will shortly reveal... and I can tell you where my hope is! Maranatha!
The Iranian website Asr-e Iran reported that the head of the Moscow-based Center for Studies on Modern Iran, Rajab Safarov, has presented to the Kremlin a proposal to establish an Iran-Russia strategic and military alliance, following the tension between Russia and the West in the Caucasus and the possibility of Georgia and Ukraine joining NATO.
Under the proposal, Russia would form a security pact with Iran and Syria, and would also maintain military bases in Iranian Azerbaijan in northwest Iran and on the Iranian island of Qeshm, near the Strait of Hormuz, in the Persian Gulf, in order to monitor the movements of the West and NATO in the region.
In exchange, Russia would promise Iran military support in the event of a U.S. or Israeli attack, and would provide it with nuclear technology.
http://www.thememriblog.org/iran
'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of [b] Meshech and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army... and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. 5 Persia, Cush [c] and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, 6 also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you.
22 I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. (from Ezek. 38)
The stage for the fulfillment of Ezek. 38 continues to be filled out. Tensions are high right now, things are almost in place for when our Savior brings about the consummation of His will to establish His rightful reign on earth (Zech 14:9). Will Psalm 83 be fulfilled, with along with Isaiah 17:1, preapring the way for Magog to come out of the north? Time will shortly reveal... and I can tell you where my hope is! Maranatha!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Is A Prophetic Move In Store for Javier?
The other day I was reading in Isaiah 11, on the return of the Jewish Messiah, and I read this verse:
4 but He will judge the poor righteously and execute justice for the oppressed of the land. He will strike the land with discipline from His mouth, and He will kill the wicked with a command from His lips. Isaiah 11:4 (HCSB)
Something about “the wicked” caught my attention. I think I had heard this as a reference to the antichrist before. Thinking about Christ’s return in His power and glory, His return to Mount Olivet while the antichrist is reigning from the temple in Jerusalem. 2 Thess. 2:8 tells us of the Messiah’s return:
“8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming” 2 Thessalonians 2:8
It seems to me that “He will kill the wicked with a command from His lips” and “whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth” are indeed the same idea. When Isaiah speaks of the Messiah returning, and killing the wicked with the breath of His mouth, he is speaking of not just a category of people who have rejected Him and His ways, He is speaking first and primarily of the antichrist, whom scripture calls “the wicked”.
In a past blog, you’ll remember that I shared with you about a man whose name is little known by most Americans, Javier Solana. Being born from Madrid, Spain, he has risen to the ranks of the High Representative of Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU (which calls itself the revived Roman Empire!). We have talked about how this man, more than any other living man on earth (that we know of) fits the biblical description for the antichrist. (http://www.prophecynews.co.uk/content/view/18/27/). And he has already been involved for sometime working among Middle Eastern diplomats, helping to forge a ‘peace plan’ for the Middle East.
This article suggests:
The EU must now prepare itself to keep the process alive from the end of this year through to next spring. Considering such a task we also have to be aware of the particular structures of the Union. The Union, through its Council of Foreign Ministers, should as soon as possible give a mandate to Javier Solana, the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU, to make himself available, with the approval of Israel, the Palestinians, and the current U.S. administration, as a temporary mediator for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations from the end of the year. The EU can act as a temporary trustee for the process, thereby preventing it from breaking down and, given its knowledge of the regional situation, help the parties to find practical solutions for some of the most complicated final-status questions - for example, the political division of Jerusalem as the future capital of two states - only to hand back the process and the role of external guidance to Washington once the new administration there is ready for it. http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/August28/2832.html
for original article see http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/26/opinion/edperthes.php
Something within me tells me that America isn’t going to be in the picture. Three is too much talk and threat of nuclear war going down in the Middle East and of Jihad in America on up to ten major cities at once. Much nuclear fissle material has been stolen since the end of the cold war. I’m thinking that America may see a national crisis this fall, and that our nation is not going to be in a place to act as mediator or facilitator of peace negotiations in the Middle East.
This will very well open the door for the Revived Roman Empire to assume the position of power the United States has held for so long. Then Javier, as the High Representative, and the head of the EU military force, will step up after the Church is taken out of the way (2 Thess. 2:7). So, as of yet, it’s hasn’t happened, but it seems to be a very possible scenario, and the scriptural fulfillments are moving rapidly that way. It is very exciting to watch, and as Jack Kelley at www.gracethrufaith.com would say, we can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah!
4 but He will judge the poor righteously and execute justice for the oppressed of the land. He will strike the land with discipline from His mouth, and He will kill the wicked with a command from His lips. Isaiah 11:4 (HCSB)
Something about “the wicked” caught my attention. I think I had heard this as a reference to the antichrist before. Thinking about Christ’s return in His power and glory, His return to Mount Olivet while the antichrist is reigning from the temple in Jerusalem. 2 Thess. 2:8 tells us of the Messiah’s return:
“8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming” 2 Thessalonians 2:8
It seems to me that “He will kill the wicked with a command from His lips” and “whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth” are indeed the same idea. When Isaiah speaks of the Messiah returning, and killing the wicked with the breath of His mouth, he is speaking of not just a category of people who have rejected Him and His ways, He is speaking first and primarily of the antichrist, whom scripture calls “the wicked”.
In a past blog, you’ll remember that I shared with you about a man whose name is little known by most Americans, Javier Solana. Being born from Madrid, Spain, he has risen to the ranks of the High Representative of Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU (which calls itself the revived Roman Empire!). We have talked about how this man, more than any other living man on earth (that we know of) fits the biblical description for the antichrist. (http://www.prophecynews.co.uk/content/view/18/27/). And he has already been involved for sometime working among Middle Eastern diplomats, helping to forge a ‘peace plan’ for the Middle East.
This article suggests:
The EU must now prepare itself to keep the process alive from the end of this year through to next spring. Considering such a task we also have to be aware of the particular structures of the Union. The Union, through its Council of Foreign Ministers, should as soon as possible give a mandate to Javier Solana, the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU, to make himself available, with the approval of Israel, the Palestinians, and the current U.S. administration, as a temporary mediator for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations from the end of the year. The EU can act as a temporary trustee for the process, thereby preventing it from breaking down and, given its knowledge of the regional situation, help the parties to find practical solutions for some of the most complicated final-status questions - for example, the political division of Jerusalem as the future capital of two states - only to hand back the process and the role of external guidance to Washington once the new administration there is ready for it. http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/August28/2832.html
for original article see http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/26/opinion/edperthes.php
Something within me tells me that America isn’t going to be in the picture. Three is too much talk and threat of nuclear war going down in the Middle East and of Jihad in America on up to ten major cities at once. Much nuclear fissle material has been stolen since the end of the cold war. I’m thinking that America may see a national crisis this fall, and that our nation is not going to be in a place to act as mediator or facilitator of peace negotiations in the Middle East.
This will very well open the door for the Revived Roman Empire to assume the position of power the United States has held for so long. Then Javier, as the High Representative, and the head of the EU military force, will step up after the Church is taken out of the way (2 Thess. 2:7). So, as of yet, it’s hasn’t happened, but it seems to be a very possible scenario, and the scriptural fulfillments are moving rapidly that way. It is very exciting to watch, and as Jack Kelley at www.gracethrufaith.com would say, we can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
To Be Truly Saved...
I just read this article, it's a bit lengthy, but definitely good. Mr. Penfold has quite an explanation on the Three soils that didn't perserver to the end or produce fruit. Throughout the church in America, so many are deceived into believing that they are saved when they truly are not. Penfold does a good job giving examples of this, explaining the soils parable our Savior gave us.
At the end of the article, he gives a test (we are commanded to "test ourselves to see if we are in the faith; 2 Cor. 13:5) that is spelled out in the epistle of 1 John:
A saving faith in Christ (1 John 5:13)?
A real relationship with the Father and Son (1 John 1:2-3)?
A sensitivity to sin (1 John 1:5-10)?
A desire to be obedient to God (1 John 2:3-6)?
A love of the Father rather than the world (1 John 2:15-17)?
An expectant anticipation of Christ’s return (1 John 3:2-3)?
A decreasing pattern of sin in your life (1 John 3:4-9)?
An experience of the world’s hatred (1 John 3:13)?
A love for the believers (1 John 3:14)?
Regular answered prayer (1 John 3:22, 5:14-15)?
Discernment of error and false doctrine (1 John 4:1-3, 6)?
The witness of the Holy Spirit within (1 John 5:10)?
If you have these things in your life, God's word tells us that this is what a believers life should look like.
At the end of the article, he gives a test (we are commanded to "test ourselves to see if we are in the faith; 2 Cor. 13:5) that is spelled out in the epistle of 1 John:
A saving faith in Christ (1 John 5:13)?
A real relationship with the Father and Son (1 John 1:2-3)?
A sensitivity to sin (1 John 1:5-10)?
A desire to be obedient to God (1 John 2:3-6)?
A love of the Father rather than the world (1 John 2:15-17)?
An expectant anticipation of Christ’s return (1 John 3:2-3)?
A decreasing pattern of sin in your life (1 John 3:4-9)?
An experience of the world’s hatred (1 John 3:13)?
A love for the believers (1 John 3:14)?
Regular answered prayer (1 John 3:22, 5:14-15)?
Discernment of error and false doctrine (1 John 4:1-3, 6)?
The witness of the Holy Spirit within (1 John 5:10)?
If you have these things in your life, God's word tells us that this is what a believers life should look like.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Fortune-tellers actually speak to spirit-guides?
Okay, so let me tell you how I came to these sites. It started this morning listening to an interview done on christianworldviewnetwork.com w/ a guy who used to be a psychich/medium, who consulted with 15 spirit guides! FIFTEEN!!! Yes, that's what I said... though he said he regularly just spoke with two, Phil and Miriam. Anyway, he's now born-again, and amazed the same thing (of connecting with spirit-guides, a.k.a. demons) is being taught in the church, only under the name "contemplative-prayer," or "breaeth prayers," or "centering prayer."
So I went to check out his website, www.onetruthministries.com, and looked at his links section. 3 that I thought were just great, and deserving of most of you knowing about are:
1. www.sacredsandwich.com - satirical parodies w/ an edge of Biblical truth
2. www.refugeminstries.cc - resource help for those formerly involved in the occult or Satanism
3. www.webtruth.org - speaks of current trends and dangers in the UK church (and thus
abroad).
So I went to check out his website, www.onetruthministries.com, and looked at his links section. 3 that I thought were just great, and deserving of most of you knowing about are:
1. www.sacredsandwich.com - satirical parodies w/ an edge of Biblical truth
2. www.refugeminstries.cc - resource help for those formerly involved in the occult or Satanism
3. www.webtruth.org - speaks of current trends and dangers in the UK church (and thus
abroad).
Monday, August 25, 2008
The Audacity of Honesty
It seems some eviedence of our Denocratic presidential candidate has turned up of his connections (and service) with a radical leftist organization [ACORN] that promotes socialism. Of course, this has been taught and is promoted in most of our universities and Ivy League schools (whiile American studies and capitalism, how our coutry has risen and functions)! When you hear the word 'socialism,' think Nazi Germany, Communism, for that's what it is.
"Barack Obama's failure to accurately report his campaign's financial records is an incredibly suspicious situation that appears to be an attempt to hide his campaign's interaction with a left-wing organization previously convicted of voter fraud. For a candidate who claims to be practicing 'new' politics, his FEC reports look an awful lot like the 'old-style' Chicago politics of yesterday," stated RNC Spokeswoman Blair Latoff.
And true to form, once Obama was criticized for his past dealings, he did not explain or apologize for his actions, but pointed the finger.
Obama's camp fired back, accusing the RNC of "outlandish conspiracy theories" and pointing out Sen. John McCain was forced to return $50,000 "raised by a foreign national through a number of contributors who weren't even supporting McCain."
Watch out Obama... you should take the logs [sic] out of your own eye before taking out others' specks.
Last July, ACORN settled what was described by the Washington Secretary of State as the "largest case of voter fraud in the state's history." Government prosecutors had filed felony charges against seven ACORN workers, who ended up receiving jail time.
...
ACORN was also investigated in 2006 for submitting false voter registrations in St. Louis. Nearly 1,500 fraudulent voter registrations were identified in the case, which was tied to at least one campaign, that of Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. Four ACORN workers were indicted in the case.
...
ACORN strongly lobbies for gun control, leftist education policies, and the regulation of banks, targeting the lending practices of major financial institutions it sees as "predatory." It has a strong anti-capitalism agenda.
Finally, we hear Obama's truthful confession (though it wasn't intended to be):
"I've been fighting alongside ACORN on issues you care about my entire career. Even before I was an elected official, when I ran Project Vote voter registration drive in Illinois, ACORN was smack dab in the middle of it, and we appreciate your work," Obama told ACORN members in November. [emphaiss mine]
for Obama's story, see http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=73335
Mmmmm. Seems like the virtuous, honest, truthful man who won't practice corruption that I want leading our country!
The presidential mantra has been about bringing 'change,' and Obama will bring it! But IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FOR THE GOOD of our nation, not the way we have historically known it. I mean, seriously, Obama has openely state that he wants to raise taxes on those who provide jobs, making it tougher for them to hire or expand business. He wants to increase government handouts (i.e. healthcare, etc.) which is going to increase taxes, decrease quality of healthcare (see healthcare, Canada), maybe more importantly, TAKE AWAY INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, and lead more rapidly to the economic downfall of our county.
Kirk Cameron had this to say about the presidential race:
"The hope for our country is not going to be who governs us as a nation; it's really not in the laws that govern us so much as it is in the power of God working in the hearts of people," Cameron explains in an interview with The Associated Press.
Cameron says he wishes he felt better about this year's presidential candidates. "I enjoyed watching Rick Warren's forum with Obama and McCain. You know, it's just one of those deals where you want the godliest man possible in there -- and frankly, I wish I felt better about both of the candidates this year," he adds. [all italics mine]
Yeah, me too Kirk.
for Kirk's full article, http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=224762
"Barack Obama's failure to accurately report his campaign's financial records is an incredibly suspicious situation that appears to be an attempt to hide his campaign's interaction with a left-wing organization previously convicted of voter fraud. For a candidate who claims to be practicing 'new' politics, his FEC reports look an awful lot like the 'old-style' Chicago politics of yesterday," stated RNC Spokeswoman Blair Latoff.
And true to form, once Obama was criticized for his past dealings, he did not explain or apologize for his actions, but pointed the finger.
Obama's camp fired back, accusing the RNC of "outlandish conspiracy theories" and pointing out Sen. John McCain was forced to return $50,000 "raised by a foreign national through a number of contributors who weren't even supporting McCain."
Watch out Obama... you should take the logs [sic] out of your own eye before taking out others' specks.
Last July, ACORN settled what was described by the Washington Secretary of State as the "largest case of voter fraud in the state's history." Government prosecutors had filed felony charges against seven ACORN workers, who ended up receiving jail time.
...
ACORN was also investigated in 2006 for submitting false voter registrations in St. Louis. Nearly 1,500 fraudulent voter registrations were identified in the case, which was tied to at least one campaign, that of Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. Four ACORN workers were indicted in the case.
...
ACORN strongly lobbies for gun control, leftist education policies, and the regulation of banks, targeting the lending practices of major financial institutions it sees as "predatory." It has a strong anti-capitalism agenda.
Finally, we hear Obama's truthful confession (though it wasn't intended to be):
"I've been fighting alongside ACORN on issues you care about my entire career. Even before I was an elected official, when I ran Project Vote voter registration drive in Illinois, ACORN was smack dab in the middle of it, and we appreciate your work," Obama told ACORN members in November. [emphaiss mine]
for Obama's story, see http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=73335
Mmmmm. Seems like the virtuous, honest, truthful man who won't practice corruption that I want leading our country!
The presidential mantra has been about bringing 'change,' and Obama will bring it! But IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FOR THE GOOD of our nation, not the way we have historically known it. I mean, seriously, Obama has openely state that he wants to raise taxes on those who provide jobs, making it tougher for them to hire or expand business. He wants to increase government handouts (i.e. healthcare, etc.) which is going to increase taxes, decrease quality of healthcare (see healthcare, Canada), maybe more importantly, TAKE AWAY INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, and lead more rapidly to the economic downfall of our county.
Kirk Cameron had this to say about the presidential race:
"The hope for our country is not going to be who governs us as a nation; it's really not in the laws that govern us so much as it is in the power of God working in the hearts of people," Cameron explains in an interview with The Associated Press.
Cameron says he wishes he felt better about this year's presidential candidates. "I enjoyed watching Rick Warren's forum with Obama and McCain. You know, it's just one of those deals where you want the godliest man possible in there -- and frankly, I wish I felt better about both of the candidates this year," he adds. [all italics mine]
Yeah, me too Kirk.
for Kirk's full article, http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=224762
False Teachers and Eternity
The last time I preached on 2 Peter was a Sunday night, so most people didn’t get to hear it. So I want to recap real quick. We looked at the 2nd half of ch. 1. Paul said that he made EVERY EFFORT so that they could REMEMBER the truths that he was writing to them. He went on to describe the certainty they had in the word of God, having personally witnessed with their own eyes and heard with their own ears what God Himself uttered from heaven when they were on the sacred mountain top. So he said that you will do well to pay attention to what the scriptures say… until the morning star rises in your hearts. That morning star is one of the names for Jesus (Rev. 22:16). So Peter tells us there to pay attention (listen, believe, obey) so that Jesus is the absolute focus of our lives. He tells us that they did not originate by the will of man, (which many people today try to write them off as being just another religious book written by man), but men who were moved by the Holy Spirit, spoke from God (v. 21).
But then Peter goes on to tell of false prophets in the days of the OT, just as he warns US, there will be false teachers among you! In this passage Peter shows us four things. First, he shows us the False Prophets Activity, then he tells us of the Unbelievers Punishment. Thirdly, he tells us that the Righteous Are Protected, and finally, that the LORD Knows how to keep the righteous and the ungodly in their respective states of reward or punishment until the Day of Judgment.
Maybe you know of some False Prophets that existed in the past, started their own religions, or maybe you know of some today! You know of people like David Koresh who led a group of people to commit suicide. You know of people like Muhammed, who took principles of Judaisism and Christianity’s and developed a huge following out of it. You know of Joseph Smith, who later took the form of a protestant religion and has deceived millions with what you know is Mormonism. But they aren’t all. It still goes on. I have preached on Ezek. 38, and how we are in the last days, and the Bible tells us in 2 Thess. That the Day of the Lord will not come until the great apostasy, or ‘falling away’ happens.
You know of Oprah Winfrey, who claims to be a Christian, she has her own religion, her own spirituality now that she is promoting, telling people that God is within them. She is leading MILLIONS in a class called a ‘Course in Miracles.’ These teachings come for a lady named Marianne Willaimson, who in the 1960s, took dictation from a spirit who claimed to be ‘Jesus.’ The first online service Oprah Winfrey led had 2 million attendees. It was dubbed as the World’s largest mass! Her second online service, had 5 million people taking part!!! Her religion teaches that there is no sin, it tells us “Not to cling to the old rugged cross.” It says that Jesus was a good example of man who connected with the divine within, while it totally ignores the scripture’s teaching about what Jesus said or did. It rejects the reliability of the New Testament, and adopts erroneous religious teachings like the Davinci Code!
And there are other false prophets, closer to home. Many well-known evangelical pastors are beginning to compromise the exclusive truth of the gospel, and beginning to merge with other world religions, saying that we can find salvation through all of them, saying that if we think Christianity holds the only way to God, that we are “narrow-minded,” or even “bigoted.” Such statements are coming from people such as Rick Warren. You know him for writing the '40 days of purpose.’!!! Ladies and Gentlemen, this is real! If you go home today and check your copy of 40 days of Purpose, you’ll notice on p. 91 that Warren suggest saying “breath prayers.” Breath prayers are defined and also called by New Age gurus as “sentence prayers” or “centering prayers.” In these prayers you are told to choose one word or a short sentence from scripture, and repeat it over and over, slowly, with your breath, till that is your only thought, and after doing this for 20 minutes, you come to “find god within you.” Do you see what is happening? Do you realize what these people are doing? They are slowly introducing words or concepts to you from other religions so that they will be accepted and you won’t realize what is happening. Let me give you an example: ~ Do you know how to catch a wild pig?
'You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat
the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used
to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides
of the fence up with a gate in the last side. The pigs, which are used
to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, you slam the gate
on them and catch the whole herd.
Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and
around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to
eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how
to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.
This “breath prayer” is very similar to Transcendental Meditation as practiced by the Buddhists. Some of you may recognize the process I described, what the people are doing, is that they are hypnotizing themselves, so that their mind is open to suggestion, or control from an outside source. What this does is it opens our minds to demonic control and deception. Prayer is not something that is for personal experience, nor does it take a Christian 20 minutes to enter the presence of God! When I utter a prayer, THE VERY MOMENT, I am in the presence of God. The Bible says that as a believer in the LORD Jesus Christ, I am seated at the right hand of the very God all these people are trying to reach!!! So in this you can see the start of the movement to bring the world-religions together. Can anyone say ONE-WORLD RELIGION?
Many of you know of Tony Blair, but what you don’t know, is of his spiritual pilgrimage to Africa, Kenya, I believe, to ‘find himself,’ before he became PM of the Britain. Now that he is out of that position, he has formed an organization within the European Union, that aims at bringing together all religions, so that they can survive peacefully, side by side. And one of the main characteristics that they will not tolerate is religions that view themselves as being “exclusive to having access to God”. That would include religious groups like the Southern Baptists! Now, do we say that other groups don’t have access to God because we are mean, arrogant people? NO! Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, NO ONE comes to the Father, except through me.” It is not because we are cold, arrogant, bigoted people. If anything, we should be the most opposite to that description you can get! No, it is because we believe God’s word, and those of us who have laid our lives before Him have had our lives transformed!
Rick Warren sits on the advisory board of Blair’s organization. And not only this, but Rick Warren, and Bill Hybels, pastor at Willow Creek, support and are linked to many of the leaders in the Emergent Church. This form of church has been very controversial, and very popular among the younger generation. These churchs deny much of the traditional hymns, that give so much theological substance to our praise. They also minimize or ignore the work of Christ done on the cross for our salvation. These are the ones who are promoting a Kingdom Now theology. The Kingdom Now theology says that God’s will is for there to be an ideal society on earth, but they disregard the teachings on the return of Christ, and teach instead that it is God’s will to eradicate poverty, fight AIDS and work toward peace. While these things in and of themselves are good, they do not teach on MAN’S MOST ESSENTIAL NEED, a relationship with the living, soon returning God! And they accept the practice of homosexuality as good and normal, along with many of the once devout protestant religions, which now ordain gay clergy, in direct contradiction of Scripture’s teachings!
My brothers and sisters, how much further do I need to go in telling you WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF THE GREAT APOSTASY!!! The Church, which once burned with flames of righteousness, has now given in to the ways of the world, Divorce, sexual promiscuity, Homosexuality, Witchcraft! And they have fallen into the condemnation of what Paul said to the Romans of such ‘religious’ people: Romans 1:25 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for 1a alie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, bwho is blessed 2forever. Amen.
These people also exploit you. The other night I saw Rick Warren interviewed by Sean Hannity, and Mr. Hannity repeatedly congratulated him on the 25 million books he’s sold of ‘Purpose Driven Life.’ Oprah Winfrey and her colleagues have made millions through their books and internet classes. The leaders of the emergent church have also produced and made thousands through books that they are putting out and conferences they hold. So through all of this, they exploit you. And you only need ONE book, TRUTH BE TOLD! But we would rather go out and read books about the Bible instead of sitting down and looking at the Bible itself, and plumbing into its riches. In chapter one of 2 Peter. we are told that grace and peace will be multiplied to us THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE of our God and our Lord Jesus Christ. And this comes through reading God’s word! Hosea 4:6 tells us that God’s people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Secondly, Peter tell us of the Unbeliever’s Punishment. He gives us three examples of this: First he tells us that God did not spare the angels when they sinned. This is a reference to Genesis 6 where it says ‘the sons of God’ married the daughters of men, and gave birth to mutant humans called the Nephilim, which were a race of gigantic men. Peter tells us that because these angels left their proper abode, they were sent to prisons in Tarturus, a dark region of the underworld supposedly located below hell.
Peter also tells us how God didn’t spare the ancient world when he sent the flood on the ungodly people of that time. Genesis 6:5 every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And Peter reminds us that God did not spare the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which were burnt by fire from heaven. These he tells us, were shown to be an example of what is going to happen to those who live ungodly lives.
But God is faithful and he Protects the Righteous, those who have the sinless blood of Jesus applied to their lives through faith. The next thing we notice in the text is Thirdly, Peter tells us of the righteous ones whom God spared in his judgments upon a wicked culture. (*story - who preached for 120 yrs. and never saw a convert)!
We see that God delivered his servant Noah, and his family safe, through earth’s Catastrophe above all catastrophes!!! (*At the creation Museum, they had clay models of scenarios from the flood, where people had scrambled to the top of rocky crags, crying out, and you could see people struggling to swim in the turbulent waters – the flood was not a pretty, peaceful event. It was the worst devastation upon the planet that has happened up till this point. You think a tsunami of 2004 is bad, multiply that by x 1000!)
We see earlier in Genesis, when God was going to pour out his wrath on the inhabitants of two wicked cities, God knew of only one righteous person in Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham’s nephew Lot. And God brought Lot and his family out safely, delivering them from the judgment that utterly destroyed both wicked cities.
Fourthly, Peter tells us, the LORD knows how to rescue the righteous from trials, and to hold the unrighteous under punishment awaiting the great judgment. There is no alternative. There is no limbo-like state after death that is taught in the Bible. When we die, we are either taken to be immediately with the LORD, or immediately we go to a dark prison to await eternal judgment. There are no second chances.
It’s interesting that when Jesus gives his description of the end times, he says that it will be just like it was in the days of Noah. And it’s also interesting how Peter closes out in verse 10, referring to those who will be punished. He says, “especially those who follow the corrupting desires of the flesh, and despise authority.” What were the people like both in Noah’s day, and in Lot’s time? They followed the corrupt, sinful desires of the flesh, and through their wicked sexual immorality, they despised God’s authority over their lives by silencing the conviction of conscience that God had placed in them to guide them between right and wrong.
So in all three examples, of fallen angels, of humanity before the flood, and of the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah, ALL THREE are examples where beings followed the sinful desires of the flesh instead of God’s righteous plan for humanity. Sound familiar? What characterizes our culture today? You see it in every aspect of our society! Just the other day, we were informed that a homosexual group of students at Cambridge High tried to put up a Rainbow flag for their group under the American flag. Folks, It’s reaching even to here! I dare say it’s in this church.
Who are you following in your life today? Are you following the LORD, and His righteous plan for your life? Or are you selling yourself short for the temporary, fleeting desires of this life, only to gain an eternal future of agony and torment? Don’t sell yourself short! You can come to God today. Today is the day of God’s favor, today is the day of God’s grace.
Friday afternoon, I came home a little early because Tara had a severe crick in her neck, and as I came in the house, the news was reporting a bus in NJ that ran off a bridge and crashed onto an embankment below. I don’t know where they were going or where they were coming from, but I bet they didn’t expect that the day the boarded the passenger bus, they would go flying off a bridge and seal their eternal destiny. Where are you going today? When you leave this site, what is your eternal destiny?
But then Peter goes on to tell of false prophets in the days of the OT, just as he warns US, there will be false teachers among you! In this passage Peter shows us four things. First, he shows us the False Prophets Activity, then he tells us of the Unbelievers Punishment. Thirdly, he tells us that the Righteous Are Protected, and finally, that the LORD Knows how to keep the righteous and the ungodly in their respective states of reward or punishment until the Day of Judgment.
Maybe you know of some False Prophets that existed in the past, started their own religions, or maybe you know of some today! You know of people like David Koresh who led a group of people to commit suicide. You know of people like Muhammed, who took principles of Judaisism and Christianity’s and developed a huge following out of it. You know of Joseph Smith, who later took the form of a protestant religion and has deceived millions with what you know is Mormonism. But they aren’t all. It still goes on. I have preached on Ezek. 38, and how we are in the last days, and the Bible tells us in 2 Thess. That the Day of the Lord will not come until the great apostasy, or ‘falling away’ happens.
You know of Oprah Winfrey, who claims to be a Christian, she has her own religion, her own spirituality now that she is promoting, telling people that God is within them. She is leading MILLIONS in a class called a ‘Course in Miracles.’ These teachings come for a lady named Marianne Willaimson, who in the 1960s, took dictation from a spirit who claimed to be ‘Jesus.’ The first online service Oprah Winfrey led had 2 million attendees. It was dubbed as the World’s largest mass! Her second online service, had 5 million people taking part!!! Her religion teaches that there is no sin, it tells us “Not to cling to the old rugged cross.” It says that Jesus was a good example of man who connected with the divine within, while it totally ignores the scripture’s teaching about what Jesus said or did. It rejects the reliability of the New Testament, and adopts erroneous religious teachings like the Davinci Code!
And there are other false prophets, closer to home. Many well-known evangelical pastors are beginning to compromise the exclusive truth of the gospel, and beginning to merge with other world religions, saying that we can find salvation through all of them, saying that if we think Christianity holds the only way to God, that we are “narrow-minded,” or even “bigoted.” Such statements are coming from people such as Rick Warren. You know him for writing the '40 days of purpose.’!!! Ladies and Gentlemen, this is real! If you go home today and check your copy of 40 days of Purpose, you’ll notice on p. 91 that Warren suggest saying “breath prayers.” Breath prayers are defined and also called by New Age gurus as “sentence prayers” or “centering prayers.” In these prayers you are told to choose one word or a short sentence from scripture, and repeat it over and over, slowly, with your breath, till that is your only thought, and after doing this for 20 minutes, you come to “find god within you.” Do you see what is happening? Do you realize what these people are doing? They are slowly introducing words or concepts to you from other religions so that they will be accepted and you won’t realize what is happening. Let me give you an example: ~ Do you know how to catch a wild pig?
'You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat
the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used
to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides
of the fence up with a gate in the last side. The pigs, which are used
to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, you slam the gate
on them and catch the whole herd.
Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and
around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to
eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how
to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.
This “breath prayer” is very similar to Transcendental Meditation as practiced by the Buddhists. Some of you may recognize the process I described, what the people are doing, is that they are hypnotizing themselves, so that their mind is open to suggestion, or control from an outside source. What this does is it opens our minds to demonic control and deception. Prayer is not something that is for personal experience, nor does it take a Christian 20 minutes to enter the presence of God! When I utter a prayer, THE VERY MOMENT, I am in the presence of God. The Bible says that as a believer in the LORD Jesus Christ, I am seated at the right hand of the very God all these people are trying to reach!!! So in this you can see the start of the movement to bring the world-religions together. Can anyone say ONE-WORLD RELIGION?
Many of you know of Tony Blair, but what you don’t know, is of his spiritual pilgrimage to Africa, Kenya, I believe, to ‘find himself,’ before he became PM of the Britain. Now that he is out of that position, he has formed an organization within the European Union, that aims at bringing together all religions, so that they can survive peacefully, side by side. And one of the main characteristics that they will not tolerate is religions that view themselves as being “exclusive to having access to God”. That would include religious groups like the Southern Baptists! Now, do we say that other groups don’t have access to God because we are mean, arrogant people? NO! Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, NO ONE comes to the Father, except through me.” It is not because we are cold, arrogant, bigoted people. If anything, we should be the most opposite to that description you can get! No, it is because we believe God’s word, and those of us who have laid our lives before Him have had our lives transformed!
Rick Warren sits on the advisory board of Blair’s organization. And not only this, but Rick Warren, and Bill Hybels, pastor at Willow Creek, support and are linked to many of the leaders in the Emergent Church. This form of church has been very controversial, and very popular among the younger generation. These churchs deny much of the traditional hymns, that give so much theological substance to our praise. They also minimize or ignore the work of Christ done on the cross for our salvation. These are the ones who are promoting a Kingdom Now theology. The Kingdom Now theology says that God’s will is for there to be an ideal society on earth, but they disregard the teachings on the return of Christ, and teach instead that it is God’s will to eradicate poverty, fight AIDS and work toward peace. While these things in and of themselves are good, they do not teach on MAN’S MOST ESSENTIAL NEED, a relationship with the living, soon returning God! And they accept the practice of homosexuality as good and normal, along with many of the once devout protestant religions, which now ordain gay clergy, in direct contradiction of Scripture’s teachings!
My brothers and sisters, how much further do I need to go in telling you WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF THE GREAT APOSTASY!!! The Church, which once burned with flames of righteousness, has now given in to the ways of the world, Divorce, sexual promiscuity, Homosexuality, Witchcraft! And they have fallen into the condemnation of what Paul said to the Romans of such ‘religious’ people: Romans 1:25 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for 1a alie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, bwho is blessed 2forever. Amen.
These people also exploit you. The other night I saw Rick Warren interviewed by Sean Hannity, and Mr. Hannity repeatedly congratulated him on the 25 million books he’s sold of ‘Purpose Driven Life.’ Oprah Winfrey and her colleagues have made millions through their books and internet classes. The leaders of the emergent church have also produced and made thousands through books that they are putting out and conferences they hold. So through all of this, they exploit you. And you only need ONE book, TRUTH BE TOLD! But we would rather go out and read books about the Bible instead of sitting down and looking at the Bible itself, and plumbing into its riches. In chapter one of 2 Peter. we are told that grace and peace will be multiplied to us THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE of our God and our Lord Jesus Christ. And this comes through reading God’s word! Hosea 4:6 tells us that God’s people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Secondly, Peter tell us of the Unbeliever’s Punishment. He gives us three examples of this: First he tells us that God did not spare the angels when they sinned. This is a reference to Genesis 6 where it says ‘the sons of God’ married the daughters of men, and gave birth to mutant humans called the Nephilim, which were a race of gigantic men. Peter tells us that because these angels left their proper abode, they were sent to prisons in Tarturus, a dark region of the underworld supposedly located below hell.
Peter also tells us how God didn’t spare the ancient world when he sent the flood on the ungodly people of that time. Genesis 6:5 every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And Peter reminds us that God did not spare the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which were burnt by fire from heaven. These he tells us, were shown to be an example of what is going to happen to those who live ungodly lives.
But God is faithful and he Protects the Righteous, those who have the sinless blood of Jesus applied to their lives through faith. The next thing we notice in the text is Thirdly, Peter tells us of the righteous ones whom God spared in his judgments upon a wicked culture. (*story - who preached for 120 yrs. and never saw a convert)!
We see that God delivered his servant Noah, and his family safe, through earth’s Catastrophe above all catastrophes!!! (*At the creation Museum, they had clay models of scenarios from the flood, where people had scrambled to the top of rocky crags, crying out, and you could see people struggling to swim in the turbulent waters – the flood was not a pretty, peaceful event. It was the worst devastation upon the planet that has happened up till this point. You think a tsunami of 2004 is bad, multiply that by x 1000!)
We see earlier in Genesis, when God was going to pour out his wrath on the inhabitants of two wicked cities, God knew of only one righteous person in Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham’s nephew Lot. And God brought Lot and his family out safely, delivering them from the judgment that utterly destroyed both wicked cities.
Fourthly, Peter tells us, the LORD knows how to rescue the righteous from trials, and to hold the unrighteous under punishment awaiting the great judgment. There is no alternative. There is no limbo-like state after death that is taught in the Bible. When we die, we are either taken to be immediately with the LORD, or immediately we go to a dark prison to await eternal judgment. There are no second chances.
It’s interesting that when Jesus gives his description of the end times, he says that it will be just like it was in the days of Noah. And it’s also interesting how Peter closes out in verse 10, referring to those who will be punished. He says, “especially those who follow the corrupting desires of the flesh, and despise authority.” What were the people like both in Noah’s day, and in Lot’s time? They followed the corrupt, sinful desires of the flesh, and through their wicked sexual immorality, they despised God’s authority over their lives by silencing the conviction of conscience that God had placed in them to guide them between right and wrong.
So in all three examples, of fallen angels, of humanity before the flood, and of the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah, ALL THREE are examples where beings followed the sinful desires of the flesh instead of God’s righteous plan for humanity. Sound familiar? What characterizes our culture today? You see it in every aspect of our society! Just the other day, we were informed that a homosexual group of students at Cambridge High tried to put up a Rainbow flag for their group under the American flag. Folks, It’s reaching even to here! I dare say it’s in this church.
Who are you following in your life today? Are you following the LORD, and His righteous plan for your life? Or are you selling yourself short for the temporary, fleeting desires of this life, only to gain an eternal future of agony and torment? Don’t sell yourself short! You can come to God today. Today is the day of God’s favor, today is the day of God’s grace.
Friday afternoon, I came home a little early because Tara had a severe crick in her neck, and as I came in the house, the news was reporting a bus in NJ that ran off a bridge and crashed onto an embankment below. I don’t know where they were going or where they were coming from, but I bet they didn’t expect that the day the boarded the passenger bus, they would go flying off a bridge and seal their eternal destiny. Where are you going today? When you leave this site, what is your eternal destiny?
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Response on War and End times scenario - part I
The following is a response I wrote to a young woman who just moved out of our youth group and is now in the military. She just found out that she had to go to Iraq, and has the noramal reservations about killing other people. I thought my response to her might be good to remind us all of what is taking place today!
****************
M, I didn't know you're going to Iraq!!! I'm very proud of you and of your service. It is a terrible thing when you have to kill another human being... the Bible tells us in Romans 13 that God ordained government for the punishment of evildoers, and as an employee of government, your task will require that at times. You will see horrible things there. Probably the worst I saw in my missions experience was a drunken man who had his arm chopped off by a airplane propeller blade in Sudan. But you'll see much worse. We weren't intended by God to see or deal with this... but because of sin it is sometimes now necessary. You are not sinning by killing in war ordered by your country in a just war. If there was ever a just war, Pres. Bush eradicating Saddam and having troops work to establish democracy in Iraq [despite the lies of news media] is the closest instance of it I've seen. But remember Michelle, in God's eyes, any sin will send someone to hell apart from repentence and salvation in Jesus. 1 Jn 1:9 says "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
M, as you go to Iraq, you're going to NEED to walk with God and spend time with Him every day by studying his word to make it and grow in your faith. If you neglect prayer and God's word in such an environment it [or Satan] will tear you apart emotionally and spiritually. God is our refuge and strength. I mean, that's true for anywhere, but so much more as you go in to Iraq. I hope and pray you will be involved with other strong believers and a worship service on your base. "I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jer 29:11.
M, and not only this, but the Messiah's return is sooo close. Israel is the timeclock for the Messisah's return. They were returned to the promised land in 1948 as prophesied throughout the OT (Ezek. 36,37). Jesus said in Matt. 24 that generation will not pass away till all these [end time signs] take place. Ok, how long's a generation? Well, the Bible has different uses of generation, but in Ps. 90, Moses said 'a man lives 70 years, or if he has the strength, 80.' So Moses defines it as more or less 70 years. This year the Jews celebrated their 60th anniversary! :-D That leaves 10 years before the return of Christ! But before he returns (for good), the 7 yr peace plan and antichrist must appear. So minus 7 yrs, that puts us at 2011!!!
I'm not saying that it's going to be that year, but ALL the many prophetic indicators that inidicate His return are coming true! Go to www.100prophecies.org and www.prophecynewswatch.com to get an indication of how quickly prophetic signs are being fulfilled every day around us. And in the military, where you're going, did you realize you're going to the very place much of the Bible was written and speaks about in the last days!!! How awesome! :- D
****************
M, I didn't know you're going to Iraq!!! I'm very proud of you and of your service. It is a terrible thing when you have to kill another human being... the Bible tells us in Romans 13 that God ordained government for the punishment of evildoers, and as an employee of government, your task will require that at times. You will see horrible things there. Probably the worst I saw in my missions experience was a drunken man who had his arm chopped off by a airplane propeller blade in Sudan. But you'll see much worse. We weren't intended by God to see or deal with this... but because of sin it is sometimes now necessary. You are not sinning by killing in war ordered by your country in a just war. If there was ever a just war, Pres. Bush eradicating Saddam and having troops work to establish democracy in Iraq [despite the lies of news media] is the closest instance of it I've seen. But remember Michelle, in God's eyes, any sin will send someone to hell apart from repentence and salvation in Jesus. 1 Jn 1:9 says "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
M, as you go to Iraq, you're going to NEED to walk with God and spend time with Him every day by studying his word to make it and grow in your faith. If you neglect prayer and God's word in such an environment it [or Satan] will tear you apart emotionally and spiritually. God is our refuge and strength. I mean, that's true for anywhere, but so much more as you go in to Iraq. I hope and pray you will be involved with other strong believers and a worship service on your base. "I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jer 29:11.
M, and not only this, but the Messiah's return is sooo close. Israel is the timeclock for the Messisah's return. They were returned to the promised land in 1948 as prophesied throughout the OT (Ezek. 36,37). Jesus said in Matt. 24 that generation will not pass away till all these [end time signs] take place. Ok, how long's a generation? Well, the Bible has different uses of generation, but in Ps. 90, Moses said 'a man lives 70 years, or if he has the strength, 80.' So Moses defines it as more or less 70 years. This year the Jews celebrated their 60th anniversary! :-D That leaves 10 years before the return of Christ! But before he returns (for good), the 7 yr peace plan and antichrist must appear. So minus 7 yrs, that puts us at 2011!!!
I'm not saying that it's going to be that year, but ALL the many prophetic indicators that inidicate His return are coming true! Go to www.100prophecies.org and www.prophecynewswatch.com to get an indication of how quickly prophetic signs are being fulfilled every day around us. And in the military, where you're going, did you realize you're going to the very place much of the Bible was written and speaks about in the last days!!! How awesome! :- D
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
The Difficulty of Being Saved
21 Then, looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” 22 But he was stunned at this demand, and he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.
23 Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 But the disciples were astonished at His words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
Mark 10:21-25 (HCSB)
Jesus told the rich man what was required to enter the kingdom of heaven. Was it that you must sell all your possessions, give it to the poor, and follow Christ in a state of poverty? No. This young ruler worshipped his wealth, his possessions. The apostle John tells us later that we are not to love the things of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of possessions, is not from the Father, but is from the world (1 Jn 2:15-18).
Immediately after this situation, Jesus’ first word to his disciples was, “How hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!” These were amazing words! His disciples were astonished! Jesus, seeing their incredulity, didn’t soften his words. He said it again, if not with more emphasis this time. Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.
What Jesus was telling the rich young ruler, and the disciples, is that he requires absolute allegiance! Many times we read these stories and think that they are for other people, not us. But this scripture should hit home with, if anyone, most certainly us!!! Though economically, we are going through a hard time, yet the average American household still has more “possessions” than the average household anywhere else in the world.
If there is anything that takes God’s place in our lives, that is the one thing that we must get rid of us. The rich young rulers idol was his wealth. Jesus told him to sell all his “stuff,” and follow God. He made him get rid of the idol that was in his life, so he could follow God.
Let me talk to you now. What keeps you from God’s word, or from attending and serving in the church? Do you have time to get on the internet to check you email, and your five websites, but don’t have time for reading the Bible? Do you have time to train and practice for sports or band, but can’t come to church? Can you text 40 friends in 30 minutes, but can’t read the Bible for 10!?? Children, HOW HARD it is to enter the kingdom of God!
What keeps us out of heaven is that we all have idols in our lives. Sometimes, even after we are saved we will get idols… What idols do you have in your life? What things are part of your daily schedule that keep you from spending time in God’s word? Our lives must unreservedly given to and following the LORD Jesus Christ if we are to enter heaven. My Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of heaven! Do you need to surrender your life to Christ today?
23 Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 But the disciples were astonished at His words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
Mark 10:21-25 (HCSB)
Jesus told the rich man what was required to enter the kingdom of heaven. Was it that you must sell all your possessions, give it to the poor, and follow Christ in a state of poverty? No. This young ruler worshipped his wealth, his possessions. The apostle John tells us later that we are not to love the things of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of possessions, is not from the Father, but is from the world (1 Jn 2:15-18).
Immediately after this situation, Jesus’ first word to his disciples was, “How hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!” These were amazing words! His disciples were astonished! Jesus, seeing their incredulity, didn’t soften his words. He said it again, if not with more emphasis this time. Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.
What Jesus was telling the rich young ruler, and the disciples, is that he requires absolute allegiance! Many times we read these stories and think that they are for other people, not us. But this scripture should hit home with, if anyone, most certainly us!!! Though economically, we are going through a hard time, yet the average American household still has more “possessions” than the average household anywhere else in the world.
If there is anything that takes God’s place in our lives, that is the one thing that we must get rid of us. The rich young rulers idol was his wealth. Jesus told him to sell all his “stuff,” and follow God. He made him get rid of the idol that was in his life, so he could follow God.
Let me talk to you now. What keeps you from God’s word, or from attending and serving in the church? Do you have time to get on the internet to check you email, and your five websites, but don’t have time for reading the Bible? Do you have time to train and practice for sports or band, but can’t come to church? Can you text 40 friends in 30 minutes, but can’t read the Bible for 10!?? Children, HOW HARD it is to enter the kingdom of God!
What keeps us out of heaven is that we all have idols in our lives. Sometimes, even after we are saved we will get idols… What idols do you have in your life? What things are part of your daily schedule that keep you from spending time in God’s word? Our lives must unreservedly given to and following the LORD Jesus Christ if we are to enter heaven. My Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of heaven! Do you need to surrender your life to Christ today?
Thursday, August 14, 2008
The Demonic Unfolding Among Us
Revelation 12:9 9 The great dragon was hurled down-- that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
Revelation 20:10 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Brothers and sister, loved ones in the Lord... I just came upon on online book written by Hannah Newman as a report to the Jews in regards to the anitsemitic plan of the New Age. This should make us all draw near to God and let us treat and love our Bibles like cell-pnones!
2. The Plan for Reviving the Cosmic Religious War
This aim of the "Masters" to eliminate "the orthodox Jewish faith" is a continuation of an ancient war between the "White Lodge" (the Hierarchy) and the "Black Lodge" (source of Jewish/Christian teaching). Bailey describes it (_Externalisation_ II, p.71-77) as "the great struggle between the Lords of Light and the Lords of Material Form, also called the Dark Forces." [See more on this in the "Gods" section.] In spite of the direct intervention of the "Shamballa energy" itself (or Sanat Kumara himself), the Hierarchy was defeated, bringing about the fall of the Atlantean civilization and immanent global destruction. Bailey refers to the final end of Atlantis in a catastrophe which obliterated all traces of the far superior civilization: "This historical event has been preserved for us in the universal legend of the great flood", she confesses, referring specifically to Noah's ark. (p.124) [Since Bailey relies on the Jewish Bible for information about that time, surely we may also do so - noting the state of humanity during the period the "Masters" held control of earth. It is also revealing that the rainbow, the symbol which declared an end to that war, has been commandeered by the losers as a symbol of their return to fight again.] But it wasn't that the "Masters" were driven out by their Archenemy; "for the good of humanity, the Hierarchy withdrew into the background, leaving man to find his own way out...." (p.125) [A great example of responsible nurturing, to leave mankind alone with the chaos of a world disaster. But perhaps they had their own wounds to lick.]
...
After the Atlantean destruction, the masters of the White Lodge were forced to withdraw into space and leave earth in control of the Black Lodge. But they saw to it that White Lodge teachings were preserved in Babylon, [probably entrusted to the one named in the Torah as founder of Babylon, Nimrod, whose name in Hebrew means "we will rebel"] to be passed down to "guardians of the ancient wisdom" in each generation (collectively called "the White Brotherhood") - Egyptians, Aztecs, Incas, Mayans, Hindus, Buddhists, Chinese (Taoism), American Indians, and assorted enlightened ones who were branded as heretics by "restrictive Judaism and Christianity" . Among the last two, certain groups are identified: the Cathars, the Knights Templar (both connected with "Holy Grail" lore), Freemasons (held to have been established by King Solomon in his more "enlightened" years), Gnostics and Kabbalists (Jewish Lurians, and Christian or "Hermetic Qabalists").
While both Black and White Lodges consist of disembodied spirit beings, they each seek partnership with human beings. The Hierarchy who left is now returning (from a spiritual hideout identified in NA as "Shamballa") to reclaim their "inner government" on planet earth, which will finally put the 'Black Lodge' out of business. In short, they plan to launch (or re-open) a religious war-to-end-all-wars, without which the New World Order cannot be fully established. That is why the "worn-out Jewish dispensation", which includes a certain strain of Christianity as an offshoot, is to be outlawed and replaced by the "New World Religion". This will be mandatory and will have to be imposed ("in any way possible") for the good of all. [emphasis mine]
http://www.lermanet.com/rainbow-swaztika/naD.htm
To deal with this "cancer" which is humanity, not only is the quality of human life to be strictly controlled, but the quantity as well. Drastic reduction of the human "plague" is a NA mandate of the highest order, and therefore (human) over-population is sold by the Western media and government as the greatest menace facing the Earth today, beginning with the landmark book, _The Population Bomb_, by Paul Ehrlich: "We must cut out the cancer of population growth. Coercion? Perhaps, but coercion in a good cause." (p.11) The Georgia Guidestones, a tourist site dubbed "America's Stonehenge", is a monument to New Age priorities, and over-population gets attention from first to last - literally. Engraved on huge granite slabs in 12 different languages (including Hebrew) are a NA equivalent to the Ten Commandments, said to be dictated by anonymous "guides". Guideline Number One specifies that earth's population must be reduced to 1/2 billion in order to "balance with Nature", implying that at least 80% of humanity must be eliminated. Guideline Number Ten reads: "Be not a cancer on the earth - leave room for nature, leave room for nature." While the Guidestones were erected by an anonymous group which cannot claim to represent NA leadership worldwide, prominent figures concur that catastrophic population reductions are necessary for humanity's advancement: "The total world population should be not more than 2 billion, rather than the current 5.6 billion [in 1994]." (Cornell University professor David Pimentel, speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science) The UN was even more specific: "A reasonable estimate for an industrialized world society at the present North American material standard of living would be 1 billion. At the more frugal European standard, 2 to 3 billion would be possible." ("UNEP Global Assessment Report", Phase One Draft, sec.9) [According to the UN Population Census table, its 1 billion limit would take us back to the global population of the year 1804, and 2 billion to 1927.] At the "State of the World Forum", sponsored by the Gorbachev Foundation and attended by many world leaders (San Francisco, 1995), Dr. Sam Keen, a respected NA philosopher, proposed the more stringent Georgia Guidestones level of 1/2 billion: "Cut the population [of roughly 5.8 billion that year] by 90% and there aren't enough people left to do a great deal of ecological damage." (William Jasper, "Global Gorby", _The New American_, Oct. 30, 1995) Al Gore, U.S. Vice President at the time, went so far as to blame over-population in Third World countries for global warming. (_Washington Times_, "Third World Birth Control Tops Gore's List of 'Global Warming' Cures", Oct. 1997) [How an abundance of dark-skinned babies can affect global temperatures more than an abundance of American cars, power plants, shopping malls and air conditioners is a mystery I'm still pondering. The fact that the man wasn't laughed out of office provides yet more food for thought.] [emphasis mine]
http://www.lermanet.com/rainbow-swaztika/naB.htm#guidestones
To see the entire book, go to: http://www.lermanet.com/rainbow-swaztika/default.htm#toc
I praise the LORD that I know the outcome of these things! The time is dark, we live in this present darkness [sic]... and we know that things are going to get rough... possibly very soon for us! Paul tells us in Philippians 1 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, and again:
Philippians 3:20-21 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Amen, so be it, Come, Lord Jesus!
Revelation 20:10 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Brothers and sister, loved ones in the Lord... I just came upon on online book written by Hannah Newman as a report to the Jews in regards to the anitsemitic plan of the New Age. This should make us all draw near to God and let us treat and love our Bibles like cell-pnones!
2. The Plan for Reviving the Cosmic Religious War
This aim of the "Masters" to eliminate "the orthodox Jewish faith" is a continuation of an ancient war between the "White Lodge" (the Hierarchy) and the "Black Lodge" (source of Jewish/Christian teaching). Bailey describes it (_Externalisation_ II, p.71-77) as "the great struggle between the Lords of Light and the Lords of Material Form, also called the Dark Forces." [See more on this in the "Gods" section.] In spite of the direct intervention of the "Shamballa energy" itself (or Sanat Kumara himself), the Hierarchy was defeated, bringing about the fall of the Atlantean civilization and immanent global destruction. Bailey refers to the final end of Atlantis in a catastrophe which obliterated all traces of the far superior civilization: "This historical event has been preserved for us in the universal legend of the great flood", she confesses, referring specifically to Noah's ark. (p.124) [Since Bailey relies on the Jewish Bible for information about that time, surely we may also do so - noting the state of humanity during the period the "Masters" held control of earth. It is also revealing that the rainbow, the symbol which declared an end to that war, has been commandeered by the losers as a symbol of their return to fight again.] But it wasn't that the "Masters" were driven out by their Archenemy; "for the good of humanity, the Hierarchy withdrew into the background, leaving man to find his own way out...." (p.125) [A great example of responsible nurturing, to leave mankind alone with the chaos of a world disaster. But perhaps they had their own wounds to lick.]
...
After the Atlantean destruction, the masters of the White Lodge were forced to withdraw into space and leave earth in control of the Black Lodge. But they saw to it that White Lodge teachings were preserved in Babylon, [probably entrusted to the one named in the Torah as founder of Babylon, Nimrod, whose name in Hebrew means "we will rebel"] to be passed down to "guardians of the ancient wisdom" in each generation (collectively called "the White Brotherhood") - Egyptians, Aztecs, Incas, Mayans, Hindus, Buddhists, Chinese (Taoism), American Indians, and assorted enlightened ones who were branded as heretics by "restrictive Judaism and Christianity" . Among the last two, certain groups are identified: the Cathars, the Knights Templar (both connected with "Holy Grail" lore), Freemasons (held to have been established by King Solomon in his more "enlightened" years), Gnostics and Kabbalists (Jewish Lurians, and Christian or "Hermetic Qabalists").
While both Black and White Lodges consist of disembodied spirit beings, they each seek partnership with human beings. The Hierarchy who left is now returning (from a spiritual hideout identified in NA as "Shamballa") to reclaim their "inner government" on planet earth, which will finally put the 'Black Lodge' out of business. In short, they plan to launch (or re-open) a religious war-to-end-all-wars, without which the New World Order cannot be fully established. That is why the "worn-out Jewish dispensation", which includes a certain strain of Christianity as an offshoot, is to be outlawed and replaced by the "New World Religion". This will be mandatory and will have to be imposed ("in any way possible") for the good of all. [emphasis mine]
http://www.lermanet.com/rainbow-swaztika/naD.htm
To deal with this "cancer" which is humanity, not only is the quality of human life to be strictly controlled, but the quantity as well. Drastic reduction of the human "plague" is a NA mandate of the highest order, and therefore (human) over-population is sold by the Western media and government as the greatest menace facing the Earth today, beginning with the landmark book, _The Population Bomb_, by Paul Ehrlich: "We must cut out the cancer of population growth. Coercion? Perhaps, but coercion in a good cause." (p.11) The Georgia Guidestones, a tourist site dubbed "America's Stonehenge", is a monument to New Age priorities, and over-population gets attention from first to last - literally. Engraved on huge granite slabs in 12 different languages (including Hebrew) are a NA equivalent to the Ten Commandments, said to be dictated by anonymous "guides". Guideline Number One specifies that earth's population must be reduced to 1/2 billion in order to "balance with Nature", implying that at least 80% of humanity must be eliminated. Guideline Number Ten reads: "Be not a cancer on the earth - leave room for nature, leave room for nature." While the Guidestones were erected by an anonymous group which cannot claim to represent NA leadership worldwide, prominent figures concur that catastrophic population reductions are necessary for humanity's advancement: "The total world population should be not more than 2 billion, rather than the current 5.6 billion [in 1994]." (Cornell University professor David Pimentel, speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science) The UN was even more specific: "A reasonable estimate for an industrialized world society at the present North American material standard of living would be 1 billion. At the more frugal European standard, 2 to 3 billion would be possible." ("UNEP Global Assessment Report", Phase One Draft, sec.9) [According to the UN Population Census table, its 1 billion limit would take us back to the global population of the year 1804, and 2 billion to 1927.] At the "State of the World Forum", sponsored by the Gorbachev Foundation and attended by many world leaders (San Francisco, 1995), Dr. Sam Keen, a respected NA philosopher, proposed the more stringent Georgia Guidestones level of 1/2 billion: "Cut the population [of roughly 5.8 billion that year] by 90% and there aren't enough people left to do a great deal of ecological damage." (William Jasper, "Global Gorby", _The New American_, Oct. 30, 1995) Al Gore, U.S. Vice President at the time, went so far as to blame over-population in Third World countries for global warming. (_Washington Times_, "Third World Birth Control Tops Gore's List of 'Global Warming' Cures", Oct. 1997) [How an abundance of dark-skinned babies can affect global temperatures more than an abundance of American cars, power plants, shopping malls and air conditioners is a mystery I'm still pondering. The fact that the man wasn't laughed out of office provides yet more food for thought.] [emphasis mine]
http://www.lermanet.com/rainbow-swaztika/naB.htm#guidestones
To see the entire book, go to: http://www.lermanet.com/rainbow-swaztika/default.htm#toc
I praise the LORD that I know the outcome of these things! The time is dark, we live in this present darkness [sic]... and we know that things are going to get rough... possibly very soon for us! Paul tells us in Philippians 1 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, and again:
Philippians 3:20-21 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Amen, so be it, Come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
In the House of my God
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
Psalm 84:10
Psalm 84:10
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Hamas leader's Son Becomes Christian!
HALLELUJAH!!! Even when a time of wickedness grows greater and greater on the earth, God continues to pour out His mercy and show His ever-amazing Grace! I pray He continues to pour out His mercy and grace upon the Muslim peoples who have little or no access to the gospel.
Masab Yousef, son of West Bank Hamas leader Sheik Hassan Yousef, revealed for the first time in an exclusive interview with Haaretz newspaper that he has left Islam and is now a Christian. Prior to the interview’s publication last Thursday, Yousef’s family did not know of his faith conversion even though he is in regular contact with them.
“[T]his interview will open many people's eyes, it will shake Islam from the roots, and I'm not exaggerating,” Yousef, who now resides in the United States, said. “What other case do you know where a son of a Hamas leader, who was raised on the tenets of extremist Islam, comes out against it?”
Yousef, who is now 30-years-old, was first exposed to Christianity eight years ago while in Jerusalem where out of curiosity he accepted an invitation to hear about Christianity. Afterwards, he became “enthusiastic” about what he heard and would secretly read the Bible every day.
“A verse like ‘Love thine enemy’ had a great influence on me,” Yousef recalled. “At this stage I was still a Muslim and I thought that I would remain one. But every day I saw the terrible things done in the name of religion by those who considered themselves ‘great believers.’
to read whole article, go to http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080804/top-hamas-leader-s-son-converts-to-christianity.htm
Masab Yousef, son of West Bank Hamas leader Sheik Hassan Yousef, revealed for the first time in an exclusive interview with Haaretz newspaper that he has left Islam and is now a Christian. Prior to the interview’s publication last Thursday, Yousef’s family did not know of his faith conversion even though he is in regular contact with them.
“[T]his interview will open many people's eyes, it will shake Islam from the roots, and I'm not exaggerating,” Yousef, who now resides in the United States, said. “What other case do you know where a son of a Hamas leader, who was raised on the tenets of extremist Islam, comes out against it?”
Yousef, who is now 30-years-old, was first exposed to Christianity eight years ago while in Jerusalem where out of curiosity he accepted an invitation to hear about Christianity. Afterwards, he became “enthusiastic” about what he heard and would secretly read the Bible every day.
“A verse like ‘Love thine enemy’ had a great influence on me,” Yousef recalled. “At this stage I was still a Muslim and I thought that I would remain one. But every day I saw the terrible things done in the name of religion by those who considered themselves ‘great believers.’
to read whole article, go to http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080804/top-hamas-leader-s-son-converts-to-christianity.htm
The Role of God’s Servants
I was pondering about how Christian pastors in third world countries or communist countries have little or no access to commentaries or biblical study tools, but only have the scriptures, and sometimes not even that. Concerning a believer’s work with God, Paul says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth (1 Cor. 3: 6-7).
The one thing that believers do have in these countries where they do not have access to other teaching or to commentaries, is that they have God’s word and God’s Spirit, and they are often much more reliant on prayer. “It is God who gives the growth.” When we, with our fancy commentaries and laptops that have Bible programs with maps, illustrations, devotions and so on, tend to rely more on our skill and message layout. But God even tells us in chapter 1 of 1 Corinthians, “God has chosen the world’s weak things to shame the strong. God has chosen the world’s insignificant and despised things – the things viewed as nothing – so He might bring to nothing the things that are viewed as something” (1:27b,28) When we truly seek the LORD in prayer, He is the one who gives the growth to our ministries. Oswald Chambers said something to the effect that “Prayer is not preceding the work of God, Prayer IS the work.”
The one thing that believers do have in these countries where they do not have access to other teaching or to commentaries, is that they have God’s word and God’s Spirit, and they are often much more reliant on prayer. “It is God who gives the growth.” When we, with our fancy commentaries and laptops that have Bible programs with maps, illustrations, devotions and so on, tend to rely more on our skill and message layout. But God even tells us in chapter 1 of 1 Corinthians, “God has chosen the world’s weak things to shame the strong. God has chosen the world’s insignificant and despised things – the things viewed as nothing – so He might bring to nothing the things that are viewed as something” (1:27b,28) When we truly seek the LORD in prayer, He is the one who gives the growth to our ministries. Oswald Chambers said something to the effect that “Prayer is not preceding the work of God, Prayer IS the work.”
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Mission in Baltimore
This past week at Baltimore was both frustrating and good. It was frustrating dealing with the spiritual opposition and resistance in the lives of our young people. But overall, it turned out good for the youth (and leaders) who went. They are now excited and understand the need for church planting and are ready to get involved in serving the community. I’m really excited, and excited for them!
I had a revelation this past week being involved in the community service projects. I have often spken and taught on how love is action. I also taught on how Christ instructs is to live a life of love, and how he said, “obedience to God is to walk in love.” “He has shown you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).” “We are saved by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. We were created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God predestined before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 2:8-10).
That passage right there says it all. God wants us to live lives of service, both to the believing and unbelieving world. But of the unbelievers, Paul says, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the time” Col 4:5 (HCSB). So with the unbelieving communities in which we inhabit, we must live lives of service, opening them to the gospel and engaging them in love.
With the LORD's SOON return, we've all got to be busy engaging and serving our communities. I think that's where many of us as churches have dropped the ball. We focus on doing programs and courses and looking inward at the church and the health of the body, while losing focus on the community right around us. Being part of this church plant for the Gallery church in Baltimore (www.gallerychurchbaltimore.com) was refreshing and opened my eyes to this.
Another thing that was really cool, and that the youth thought was really cool, was that we got interviewed and had an article wrote up about us in yesterday's Baltimore Sun paper. If you'd like to check it out, see http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.ci.youth04jul04,0,5831783.story. They even quoted moua!
I had a revelation this past week being involved in the community service projects. I have often spken and taught on how love is action. I also taught on how Christ instructs is to live a life of love, and how he said, “obedience to God is to walk in love.” “He has shown you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).” “We are saved by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. We were created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God predestined before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 2:8-10).
That passage right there says it all. God wants us to live lives of service, both to the believing and unbelieving world. But of the unbelievers, Paul says, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the time” Col 4:5 (HCSB). So with the unbelieving communities in which we inhabit, we must live lives of service, opening them to the gospel and engaging them in love.
With the LORD's SOON return, we've all got to be busy engaging and serving our communities. I think that's where many of us as churches have dropped the ball. We focus on doing programs and courses and looking inward at the church and the health of the body, while losing focus on the community right around us. Being part of this church plant for the Gallery church in Baltimore (www.gallerychurchbaltimore.com) was refreshing and opened my eyes to this.
Another thing that was really cool, and that the youth thought was really cool, was that we got interviewed and had an article wrote up about us in yesterday's Baltimore Sun paper. If you'd like to check it out, see http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.ci.youth04jul04,0,5831783.story. They even quoted moua!
Monday, June 23, 2008
The Church Deceived?
"Imagine one Sunday morning you go to your local Christian church and find that something very odd is going on. As you approach the church building, a stranger wearing a "Gay Pride" T-shirt opens the door for you and says, "Come in. God loves you just the way you are!" Confused, you hurry to the worship service and find that a New Age guru has been invited to preach. After the error-filled sermon, you stagger to your Sunday School class and hear the shocking claim that Christ is NOT the only way to heaven, but that eternal life can be found in all religions. You are then asked to seek a spirit guide to verify this "truth" through Eastern meditation."—Chris Carmichael, When Churches Promote Books Instead of the Book
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/willowcreek.htm
It seems that this is taking place in the church all around us. We already know that the mainline churches are filled with apostasy and compromise. But it seems that deception is even deeper than we realized, certainly than I realized. Evangelical leaders all around us are buying into new age mysticism couched in Christian terminology "Contemplative Prayer." Rick Warren is a proponet of this, and has went so far as joining arms in the cause of the "kingdom of god" with Buddhists and Hindus and Gay activists. Bill Hybels at Willow Creek has also incorporated a 'paradigm shift' into the mystical with their spiritual disciplines.
I would like to cite one more paragraph that I think says it well:
For those who realize that contemplative spirituality is the vehicle through which the kingdom-now, emerging church, dominionist views draw their strength and momentum, Willow Creek's "shocking confession" will indeed be very shocking. As Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, and most other major leaders in Christianity today, stand arm and arm with contemplatives and emerging spirituality, those who understand biblical prophecy about the days prior to Christ's return will realize that history is being made. But unfortunately, Scripture warns that Satan will deceive the whole world (Revelation 12:9) and that a great falling away will occur. Let us be sober-minded and diligent to stand for biblical truth and the Gospel that alone can save the soul that turns to Jesus Christ in humility and repentance, acknowledging Him to be God, Lord, and Savior. [
by: Editors at Lighthouse Trails
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?p=878&more=1&c=1
If any of thes terms seem 'big' to you, don't feel bad. At the following link, their research site main page, they define terms. http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/willowcreek.htm
It seems that this is taking place in the church all around us. We already know that the mainline churches are filled with apostasy and compromise. But it seems that deception is even deeper than we realized, certainly than I realized. Evangelical leaders all around us are buying into new age mysticism couched in Christian terminology "Contemplative Prayer." Rick Warren is a proponet of this, and has went so far as joining arms in the cause of the "kingdom of god" with Buddhists and Hindus and Gay activists. Bill Hybels at Willow Creek has also incorporated a 'paradigm shift' into the mystical with their spiritual disciplines.
I would like to cite one more paragraph that I think says it well:
For those who realize that contemplative spirituality is the vehicle through which the kingdom-now, emerging church, dominionist views draw their strength and momentum, Willow Creek's "shocking confession" will indeed be very shocking. As Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, and most other major leaders in Christianity today, stand arm and arm with contemplatives and emerging spirituality, those who understand biblical prophecy about the days prior to Christ's return will realize that history is being made. But unfortunately, Scripture warns that Satan will deceive the whole world (Revelation 12:9) and that a great falling away will occur. Let us be sober-minded and diligent to stand for biblical truth and the Gospel that alone can save the soul that turns to Jesus Christ in humility and repentance, acknowledging Him to be God, Lord, and Savior. [
by: Editors at Lighthouse Trails
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?p=878&more=1&c=1
If any of thes terms seem 'big' to you, don't feel bad. At the following link, their research site main page, they define terms. http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Contemplative Spirituality/Emergent Church
Hey everyone, sorry I've been gone so long. I had to fill in for the senior pastor one week, and then I seemed to become absorbed into what is happening to the the North American church. And really, this has been going on for some time, and I've even posted on some of it. It seems there is a huge move of mysticism infiltrating the church in the name of "contemplative prayer." This practice was carried out by the 'Desert Fathers' in the early middle ages, but derives its source and main practice from Eastern Religions. This contemplative prayer is Christian terminology for what the Hindus call Transcendental Meditation or TM. It has also been toyed with in the Church in the name of "Christian Yoga," which I hear is on the website for Barrack Obama's former Church under church ministries!
Lighthouse Trails publishing company includes this definition of Contmplative Prayer or Spirituality on their site:
Contemplative Spirituality: A belief system that uses ancient mystical practices to induce altered states of consciousness (the silence) and is rooted in mysticism and the occult but often wrapped in Christian terminology. The premise of contemplative spirituality is pantheistic (God is all) and panentheistic (God is in all). Common terms used for this movement are "spiritual formation," "the silence," "the stillness," "ancient-wisdom," "spiritual disciplines," and many others.
To see instructions on how to go about it, see the website for the International House of Prayer: http://www.ihop.org/Publisher/Article.aspx?id=1000000385
Now I don't know about you, but I don't have to meditate for 20 minutes to find the presence of God, I just bow my head in prayer, and I'm in His presence by the substitutionary work my Savior did for me on the cross, which covers my sin and gives ME His righteousness through faith!
What is shocking is the rate at which all this is occurring and being accepted! When looking at the list of Chrisitans now promoting this New Age/Mystical movement in the Church, my wife started crying! "It seems like everyone is falling!" she said. Indeed, it's quite disturbing. And maybe you know of this movement, or have picked up on it. I was shocked how many books I had from people who are now part of this movement. Chances are, if you've read Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life, you've been touched by it.
Let's see who some of these people are: John Ortberg, Erwin McManus, J. P. Moreland, Dallas Willard, Brennan Manning , Henri Nouwen , Philip Yancey, John Eldredge, Gary Thomas, Richard Foster (Celebration of Discipline and Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home); Bill Hybels, Brother Lawrence, Larry Crabb, Lance Witt, Max Lucado, H.B. London , Erik Reese, Donald Miller , Eugene Peterson, Michael Casey .
If you're anything like me, you're in a bit of shock right at the moment! I own books by several of these people, books I really liked! Wow. This list of names is from the Saddleback church's library of works that contain "strong contemplative propensities." All of these people are aligning themsevles with the contemplative prayer movement that is taking our churches by storm. I got this list of names at Lighthouse Trail's newest newsletter, http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/newsletter061608.htm#LETTER.BLOCK11
As if this isn't enough, the emerging church, the 30s something church, is focusing more on a social/marxist/Kingdom Now theology, and not emphasizing the substitutionary death of Christ for the payment of our sins. It's as if they think Jesus was a good example to follow for a better life here and now. Nevermind the fact that you've sinned and grieved a holy, infinite, omnipotent and just God, of whom scriptures say, "It's a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God!" (Heb. 10:31).
You know how a few months back Tony Blair got religion, his wifes religion, Roman Catholicism? Well, in his zeal (and lack of knowledge, Hos. 4:6) he formed an institution aimed at bringing all the religions arm in arm in peace. One stated purpose of this organization of what they will not tolerate is religous groups who are exclusive to other religons (my paraphrase). HELLO??? Southern Baptist? Any Bible Believers out there? Jesus said "I AM the way the truth and the Life, and NO MAN comes to the Father but through ME" (Jn 14:6). For there is salvation in no one else, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). And guess who sits on the advisory board for this great, ecumenical organization? Rick Warren. Yep. So Warren, and the emergent church leaders (Brian Mclaren, Robb Bell, Shane Clairborne...) are all working to unite world religions (nevermind the exclusivity of the gospel, that's an archaic issue) for the betterment of all mankind. Can anyone say ONE WORLD RELIGION? HELLO!!?
One man went to a conference held by emergent leader Brian Mclaren, and reflecting back on it, had this to say:
I found that the essence of these statements are still proving to be axiomatic after my experience at the “Everything Must Change” conference held at Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana with emergent church leader Brian McLaren. I sat through session after session listening to the emergent “gospel;” complete with medieval chants and choruses of despair, apologies to the Native American Indians of the St. Joseph River Valley, as well as to “Mother Earth” for scarring her through our mining and oil drilling operations. The sarcasm with which traditional Scriptural positions were discussed, coupled with repeated swipes at Christians who were (in McLaren’s opinion) waiting to be “snatched away,” “evacuated,” or “beamed up,” brought one particular Scripture passage constantly to my heart and mind. 2 Peter 3:3-13 captures the essence of the conference:
...
The music was all original and was performed by a very gifted young woman. The tonality was “modal” and a-rhythmic; reminiscent of the “coffee house” styles of the 1960s; a sort of “Hillsong meets Joan Baez” blend. Very prosaic in nature, with quickly spoken recitations over guitar and violin, seven or eight words to every two or three beats; all crying out about our rape of “Mother Earth” and other human rights violations. The thing that stuck out to me was that there was no worship poetry extolling the Glory of God or the beauty of Christ in creation. Everything was directed towards an inward, subjective, and very mystical experience, coupled with a worldview which represented more of the Gospel of “Marx” than of “Mark.” Reflecting back to the opening “worship chorus” inspired by Francis of Assisi; Mr. McLaren stated that in one particular city a man rose from his seat and walked out because the song sounded “New Age.” He then scoffed, “Not New Age, but Middle Age”… a comment that drew delighted laughter from his admiring congregation.
http://herescope.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-everything-must-change.html
His article goes on and is very interesting as it gives us a glimpse into the practice and belief of much of the emergent church. My wife kept telling me, "No, no, I don't want to see this. I want the LORD to return and take us, I don't want to see this happen." I didn't feel very sympathetic as I said "I know, but it was written about in the Bible thousands of years ago that it would happen this way." And in an effort to encourage her, I said, "This should cause us to be encouraged, to look up, because our Lord is soon in returning!" So, for all I could muster, I wasn't very encouraging. And I think it will continue to get worse. All I can say is "lift up your heads, for your redemption is drawing near!" (Lk 21:28).
Amen.
Lighthouse Trails publishing company includes this definition of Contmplative Prayer or Spirituality on their site:
Contemplative Spirituality: A belief system that uses ancient mystical practices to induce altered states of consciousness (the silence) and is rooted in mysticism and the occult but often wrapped in Christian terminology. The premise of contemplative spirituality is pantheistic (God is all) and panentheistic (God is in all). Common terms used for this movement are "spiritual formation," "the silence," "the stillness," "ancient-wisdom," "spiritual disciplines," and many others.
To see instructions on how to go about it, see the website for the International House of Prayer: http://www.ihop.org/Publisher/Article.aspx?id=1000000385
Now I don't know about you, but I don't have to meditate for 20 minutes to find the presence of God, I just bow my head in prayer, and I'm in His presence by the substitutionary work my Savior did for me on the cross, which covers my sin and gives ME His righteousness through faith!
What is shocking is the rate at which all this is occurring and being accepted! When looking at the list of Chrisitans now promoting this New Age/Mystical movement in the Church, my wife started crying! "It seems like everyone is falling!" she said. Indeed, it's quite disturbing. And maybe you know of this movement, or have picked up on it. I was shocked how many books I had from people who are now part of this movement. Chances are, if you've read Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life, you've been touched by it.
Let's see who some of these people are: John Ortberg, Erwin McManus, J. P. Moreland, Dallas Willard, Brennan Manning , Henri Nouwen , Philip Yancey, John Eldredge, Gary Thomas, Richard Foster (Celebration of Discipline and Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home); Bill Hybels, Brother Lawrence, Larry Crabb, Lance Witt, Max Lucado, H.B. London , Erik Reese, Donald Miller , Eugene Peterson, Michael Casey .
If you're anything like me, you're in a bit of shock right at the moment! I own books by several of these people, books I really liked! Wow. This list of names is from the Saddleback church's library of works that contain "strong contemplative propensities." All of these people are aligning themsevles with the contemplative prayer movement that is taking our churches by storm. I got this list of names at Lighthouse Trail's newest newsletter, http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/newsletter061608.htm#LETTER.BLOCK11
As if this isn't enough, the emerging church, the 30s something church, is focusing more on a social/marxist/Kingdom Now theology, and not emphasizing the substitutionary death of Christ for the payment of our sins. It's as if they think Jesus was a good example to follow for a better life here and now. Nevermind the fact that you've sinned and grieved a holy, infinite, omnipotent and just God, of whom scriptures say, "It's a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God!" (Heb. 10:31).
You know how a few months back Tony Blair got religion, his wifes religion, Roman Catholicism? Well, in his zeal (and lack of knowledge, Hos. 4:6) he formed an institution aimed at bringing all the religions arm in arm in peace. One stated purpose of this organization of what they will not tolerate is religous groups who are exclusive to other religons (my paraphrase). HELLO??? Southern Baptist? Any Bible Believers out there? Jesus said "I AM the way the truth and the Life, and NO MAN comes to the Father but through ME" (Jn 14:6). For there is salvation in no one else, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). And guess who sits on the advisory board for this great, ecumenical organization? Rick Warren. Yep. So Warren, and the emergent church leaders (Brian Mclaren, Robb Bell, Shane Clairborne...) are all working to unite world religions (nevermind the exclusivity of the gospel, that's an archaic issue) for the betterment of all mankind. Can anyone say ONE WORLD RELIGION? HELLO!!?
One man went to a conference held by emergent leader Brian Mclaren, and reflecting back on it, had this to say:
I found that the essence of these statements are still proving to be axiomatic after my experience at the “Everything Must Change” conference held at Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana with emergent church leader Brian McLaren. I sat through session after session listening to the emergent “gospel;” complete with medieval chants and choruses of despair, apologies to the Native American Indians of the St. Joseph River Valley, as well as to “Mother Earth” for scarring her through our mining and oil drilling operations. The sarcasm with which traditional Scriptural positions were discussed, coupled with repeated swipes at Christians who were (in McLaren’s opinion) waiting to be “snatched away,” “evacuated,” or “beamed up,” brought one particular Scripture passage constantly to my heart and mind. 2 Peter 3:3-13 captures the essence of the conference:
...
The music was all original and was performed by a very gifted young woman. The tonality was “modal” and a-rhythmic; reminiscent of the “coffee house” styles of the 1960s; a sort of “Hillsong meets Joan Baez” blend. Very prosaic in nature, with quickly spoken recitations over guitar and violin, seven or eight words to every two or three beats; all crying out about our rape of “Mother Earth” and other human rights violations. The thing that stuck out to me was that there was no worship poetry extolling the Glory of God or the beauty of Christ in creation. Everything was directed towards an inward, subjective, and very mystical experience, coupled with a worldview which represented more of the Gospel of “Marx” than of “Mark.” Reflecting back to the opening “worship chorus” inspired by Francis of Assisi; Mr. McLaren stated that in one particular city a man rose from his seat and walked out because the song sounded “New Age.” He then scoffed, “Not New Age, but Middle Age”… a comment that drew delighted laughter from his admiring congregation.
http://herescope.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-everything-must-change.html
His article goes on and is very interesting as it gives us a glimpse into the practice and belief of much of the emergent church. My wife kept telling me, "No, no, I don't want to see this. I want the LORD to return and take us, I don't want to see this happen." I didn't feel very sympathetic as I said "I know, but it was written about in the Bible thousands of years ago that it would happen this way." And in an effort to encourage her, I said, "This should cause us to be encouraged, to look up, because our Lord is soon in returning!" So, for all I could muster, I wasn't very encouraging. And I think it will continue to get worse. All I can say is "lift up your heads, for your redemption is drawing near!" (Lk 21:28).
Amen.
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