Why controlling the border w/ Mexico matters. But Obama and border state governors and/or senators don't care.
Daily Mail UK reports:
U.S. border guards got a surprise when they searched a Mexican BMW and found a hardline Muslim cleric - banned from France and Canada - curled up in the boot.
Said Jaziri, who called for the death of a Danish cartoonist that drew pictures of the prophet Mohammed, was being smuggled into California when he was arrested, along with his driver Kenneth Robert Lawler.
The 43-year-old was deported from Canada to his homeland Tunisia in 2007 after it emerged he had lied on his refugee application about having served jail time in France.
End quote.
Tunisia is where they were rioting and overthrew the government recently.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Piper's The Bethlehem Institute Promoting Roman Catholic CS Lewis and Federal Vision Heretic Doug Wilson
The Bethlehem Institute:
New Course: Live Like An Narnian (starts Feb. 9)
The Chronicles of Narnia are some of the most beloved children's books of all time. But are they really just for children? Or is there more in Narnia than meets the eye? This twelve-week course will examine the Chronicles book by book as powerful stories designed to shape the hearts and minds of their readers. In the process, we will explore C.S. Lewis' motivation for writing The Chronicles, as well as probe the connections between The Chronicles and Lewis' other writings. From characters to plot, from symbolism to structure, we will seek to 'breathe the air' of Narnia in hopes of both contemplating and enjoying the Christ-saturated world conceived by Lewis. Our goal will be to heed the words of Aslan:"This was the very reason you were brought into Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you might know me better there."Live Like a Narnian: Christian Discipleship in C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia isbeing offered. . .
Wednesday evenings,6:50-8:15 PM (Downtown Campus)February 9-May 11, 2011 (no class on March 23 or April 20)
Instructor: Joe Rigney (Instructor, Bethlehem College & Seminary)
Tuition: $60.00/person ($90.00/married couple)
Required Text (available for purchase from BCS's online store:http://astore.amazon.com/bcsbookstore-20):
The Narnia Code: C. S. Lewis and the Secret of the Seven Heavens by Michael Ward
Recommended Text:
What I Learned in Narnia by Douglas Wilson
End quote.
CS Lewis was not a Christian, but rather a Roman Catholic Anglican.
Doug Wilson, a past teacher at Desiring "God" Conference, is a heretic. He teaches the Federal Vision heresy.
And yet here we go again, Piper's church is promoting two heretics.
New Course: Live Like An Narnian (starts Feb. 9)
The Chronicles of Narnia are some of the most beloved children's books of all time. But are they really just for children? Or is there more in Narnia than meets the eye? This twelve-week course will examine the Chronicles book by book as powerful stories designed to shape the hearts and minds of their readers. In the process, we will explore C.S. Lewis' motivation for writing The Chronicles, as well as probe the connections between The Chronicles and Lewis' other writings. From characters to plot, from symbolism to structure, we will seek to 'breathe the air' of Narnia in hopes of both contemplating and enjoying the Christ-saturated world conceived by Lewis. Our goal will be to heed the words of Aslan:"This was the very reason you were brought into Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you might know me better there."Live Like a Narnian: Christian Discipleship in C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia isbeing offered. . .
Wednesday evenings,6:50-8:15 PM (Downtown Campus)February 9-May 11, 2011 (no class on March 23 or April 20)
Instructor: Joe Rigney (Instructor, Bethlehem College & Seminary)
Tuition: $60.00/person ($90.00/married couple)
Required Text (available for purchase from BCS's online store:http://astore.amazon.com/bcsbookstore-20):
The Narnia Code: C. S. Lewis and the Secret of the Seven Heavens by Michael Ward
Recommended Text:
What I Learned in Narnia by Douglas Wilson
End quote.
CS Lewis was not a Christian, but rather a Roman Catholic Anglican.
Doug Wilson, a past teacher at Desiring "God" Conference, is a heretic. He teaches the Federal Vision heresy.
And yet here we go again, Piper's church is promoting two heretics.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Watchman On The Wall
This speaks my heart so well.
The Watchman
by Scottish pastor, Horatius Bonar (1808-1889)
Thy way, not mine, O Lord, however dark it be;
Lead me by Thine own hand, choose out the path for me.
“…if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’ … I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me.” Ezekiel 33:6-7
“Some one, then, must undertake the ungracious task of probing and laying bare the evils of the age; for men must not be allowed to congratulate themselves that all is well. If others will not, he will.
If others shrink from the obloquy of such a work, he will not…. He loves his fellow-men too well. They may upbraid him; they may call him a misanthropist, or a prophet of evil; they may ascribe his warnings to the worst of motives, such as pride, or arrogance, or self-esteem, or malice, or envy; but he will give no heed to these unjust insinuations.
He will prefer being thus misunderstood and maligned, to allowing men to precipitate themselves upon a ruin which they see not. Rather than that they should perish, he will allow his own good name to be spoken against. He will risk every thing, even the hatred of brethren, rather than withhold the warning. If they give no heed to it, he has, at least, saved his own soul. If they do, he has saved both his own soul and theirs.
He would rather take up the glad tidings of peace, and tell men of Him who came the first time for shame and death, and who is coming the second time for glory and dominion; but he feels as one who has a special and personal message to deliver, which cannot be postponed.
He must remember that he is a watchman; and, having seen danger pressing on, he must not hesitate to make it known. He must speak his message of forewarning and rebuke, sparing no arrows, and neither smoothing down nor hiding any form of sin, but laying his finger upon every sore, and beseeching men to turn from their ungodliness. The evils around him press upon him sadly; the coming evils are foreshadowed upon his spirit, and, therefore, he lifts up his voice like a trumpet.
Satan has many snares which need to be detected; the world has many spells and lures which must be disenchanted; religion has many guises which must be unmasked, many devious paths of inconsistency which must be pointed out, many cherished errors which must be condemned, many carnal taints which must be abhorred and shunned. All these he must protest against without fear or favour.”
Posted by Lighthouse Trails Research.
The Watchman
by Scottish pastor, Horatius Bonar (1808-1889)
Thy way, not mine, O Lord, however dark it be;
Lead me by Thine own hand, choose out the path for me.
“…if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’ … I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me.” Ezekiel 33:6-7
“Some one, then, must undertake the ungracious task of probing and laying bare the evils of the age; for men must not be allowed to congratulate themselves that all is well. If others will not, he will.
If others shrink from the obloquy of such a work, he will not…. He loves his fellow-men too well. They may upbraid him; they may call him a misanthropist, or a prophet of evil; they may ascribe his warnings to the worst of motives, such as pride, or arrogance, or self-esteem, or malice, or envy; but he will give no heed to these unjust insinuations.
He will prefer being thus misunderstood and maligned, to allowing men to precipitate themselves upon a ruin which they see not. Rather than that they should perish, he will allow his own good name to be spoken against. He will risk every thing, even the hatred of brethren, rather than withhold the warning. If they give no heed to it, he has, at least, saved his own soul. If they do, he has saved both his own soul and theirs.
He would rather take up the glad tidings of peace, and tell men of Him who came the first time for shame and death, and who is coming the second time for glory and dominion; but he feels as one who has a special and personal message to deliver, which cannot be postponed.
He must remember that he is a watchman; and, having seen danger pressing on, he must not hesitate to make it known. He must speak his message of forewarning and rebuke, sparing no arrows, and neither smoothing down nor hiding any form of sin, but laying his finger upon every sore, and beseeching men to turn from their ungodliness. The evils around him press upon him sadly; the coming evils are foreshadowed upon his spirit, and, therefore, he lifts up his voice like a trumpet.
Satan has many snares which need to be detected; the world has many spells and lures which must be disenchanted; religion has many guises which must be unmasked, many devious paths of inconsistency which must be pointed out, many cherished errors which must be condemned, many carnal taints which must be abhorred and shunned. All these he must protest against without fear or favour.”
Posted by Lighthouse Trails Research.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Justin Taylor Promoting Reformergents
Joh 7:24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."
2Co 11:4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.
Justin Taylor promoting Reformergents /POMO "conversations" with:
James MacDonald - pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows, IL
Mark Driscoll - pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA
Perry Noble - pastor of NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC
Matt Chandler - pastor of The Village Church in Dallas, TX
Steven Furtick - pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC
Greg Laurie - pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, CA
David Platt - pastor of the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, AL
~ Source
Purpose:
"The purpose of The Elephant Room is to unify the church on essential truths and overcome the polarizing of others that comes from using differing methods. As Proverbs 27:17 instructs us that iron sharpens iron, so we want to sharpen each other for effective ministry. You'll be stretched and challenged in your convictions and gain practical insights from a variety of pastoral perspectives."
Who should attend this event?
The Elephant Room is intended for church leaders but encourage them to bring their ministry teams. Seating will be arranged around tables to encourage dialogue and interaction.
End quote.
Methodology reveals if a person truly and biblically believes in the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit and in the very words of Scripture as infallable, true, clear, and binding.
John MacArthur says in “Ashamed of the Gospel” about approaches or methodology:
p. 81 "Some will maintain that if biblical principles are presented, the medium doesn't matter. That is nonsense."
p. 89 “ …any end-justifies-the-means philosophy of ministry inevitably will compromise doctrine, despite any proviso to the contrary. If we make effectiveness the gauge of right and wrong, how can that fail to color our doctrine? Ultimately the pragmatist’s notion of truth is shaped by what seems effective, not by the objective revelation of Scripture."
p. 92-93 on pragmatism:"Do you see how the new philosophy necessarily undermines sound doctrine? It discards Jesus' own methods---preaching and teaching--as the primary means of ministry. It replaces them with methodologies utterly devoid of substance....In fact it avoids dogma or strong convictions as divisive, unbecoming,or inappropriate. It dismisses doctrine as academic, abstract, sterile, threatening, or simply impractical. Rather than teaching error or denying truth, it does something far more subtle, but just as effective from the enemy’s point of view. It jettisons content altogether. Instead of attacking orthodoxy head-on, it gives lip service to the truth while quietly undermining the foundations of doctrine. Instead of exalting God, it denigrates the things that are precious to Him. In that regard, pragmatism poses dangers more subtle than the liberalism that threatened the church in the first half of the century."
Justin Taylor is promoting Reformergent Tim Keller:
"If you ever wanted to eavesdrop on an hour and a half conversation with Tim Keller in his living room, look no further. Here’s a great conversation with DG Executive Director Scott Anderson where Keller talks about his upbringing, conversion, shaping of his understanding of the gospel, influences, marriage, and his new book Generous Justice. I think it’s well worth the time."
Here's why Tim Keller is not only not worth listening to, he needs to be whole-heartedly rejected.
Justin Taylor endorses the horrendous The Theology Program.
Here's why Michael Patton is a false teacher. As I state in the article, Patton doesn't believe the biblical account of Genesis. This isn't surprising, considering Patton has already declared war on the Word in doubting Its inerrancy (clearly he is VERY Post-Modern and even tries to redefine "inerrancy" accordingly). He actually says that there's a DANGER to holding to the inerrancy of Scripture. So with this war started, he now battles against Genesis' account of Creation. In addition he feeds on doubt and skepticism, rather than the Truth we KNOW. Scripture doesn't deal with probabilities, but knowable Truth. This is the epitome of the Post-Modern view. So why would Justin Taylor promote such garbage?
Rom 16:17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
2Co 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
Is. 8 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
2Co 11:4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.
Justin Taylor promoting Reformergents /POMO "conversations" with:
James MacDonald - pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows, IL
Mark Driscoll - pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA
Perry Noble - pastor of NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC
Matt Chandler - pastor of The Village Church in Dallas, TX
Steven Furtick - pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC
Greg Laurie - pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, CA
David Platt - pastor of the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, AL
~ Source
Purpose:
"The purpose of The Elephant Room is to unify the church on essential truths and overcome the polarizing of others that comes from using differing methods. As Proverbs 27:17 instructs us that iron sharpens iron, so we want to sharpen each other for effective ministry. You'll be stretched and challenged in your convictions and gain practical insights from a variety of pastoral perspectives."
Who should attend this event?
The Elephant Room is intended for church leaders but encourage them to bring their ministry teams. Seating will be arranged around tables to encourage dialogue and interaction.
End quote.
Methodology reveals if a person truly and biblically believes in the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit and in the very words of Scripture as infallable, true, clear, and binding.
John MacArthur says in “Ashamed of the Gospel” about approaches or methodology:
p. 81 "Some will maintain that if biblical principles are presented, the medium doesn't matter. That is nonsense."
p. 89 “ …any end-justifies-the-means philosophy of ministry inevitably will compromise doctrine, despite any proviso to the contrary. If we make effectiveness the gauge of right and wrong, how can that fail to color our doctrine? Ultimately the pragmatist’s notion of truth is shaped by what seems effective, not by the objective revelation of Scripture."
p. 92-93 on pragmatism:"Do you see how the new philosophy necessarily undermines sound doctrine? It discards Jesus' own methods---preaching and teaching--as the primary means of ministry. It replaces them with methodologies utterly devoid of substance....In fact it avoids dogma or strong convictions as divisive, unbecoming,or inappropriate. It dismisses doctrine as academic, abstract, sterile, threatening, or simply impractical. Rather than teaching error or denying truth, it does something far more subtle, but just as effective from the enemy’s point of view. It jettisons content altogether. Instead of attacking orthodoxy head-on, it gives lip service to the truth while quietly undermining the foundations of doctrine. Instead of exalting God, it denigrates the things that are precious to Him. In that regard, pragmatism poses dangers more subtle than the liberalism that threatened the church in the first half of the century."
Justin Taylor is promoting Reformergent Tim Keller:
"If you ever wanted to eavesdrop on an hour and a half conversation with Tim Keller in his living room, look no further. Here’s a great conversation with DG Executive Director Scott Anderson where Keller talks about his upbringing, conversion, shaping of his understanding of the gospel, influences, marriage, and his new book Generous Justice. I think it’s well worth the time."
Here's why Tim Keller is not only not worth listening to, he needs to be whole-heartedly rejected.
Justin Taylor endorses the horrendous The Theology Program.
Here's why Michael Patton is a false teacher. As I state in the article, Patton doesn't believe the biblical account of Genesis. This isn't surprising, considering Patton has already declared war on the Word in doubting Its inerrancy (clearly he is VERY Post-Modern and even tries to redefine "inerrancy" accordingly). He actually says that there's a DANGER to holding to the inerrancy of Scripture. So with this war started, he now battles against Genesis' account of Creation. In addition he feeds on doubt and skepticism, rather than the Truth we KNOW. Scripture doesn't deal with probabilities, but knowable Truth. This is the epitome of the Post-Modern view. So why would Justin Taylor promote such garbage?
Rom 16:17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
2Co 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
Is. 8 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Darrin Patrick
John MacArthur recently took Emergent Darrin Patrick to task for statements made in his book. People are getting upset about this but MacArthur is right. Here's a summary of the issue.
"Here’s the essence of John’s concern, not just with that paragraph, but with the whole book: It’s unwise for Darrin Patrick to encourage young church planters to develop their own theological beliefs. It’s especially unwise when it’s coupled with promoting radical individualism in the ministry." ~ full article here.
Let's take a closer look at Darrin Patrick:
His close connection with Mark Driscoll's Acts 29:
"Patrick serves as lead pastor of The Journey in Saint Louis, Missouri, which he founded in 2002. Darrin also serves on the board of directors of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network as Vice President and is a regular contributor at the Resurgence. His passion is to help the church understand and live the gospel in the world. Today, The Journey runs eight services across four campuses and continues to aggressively plant new campuses and churches in the Saint Louis region and beyond."
Patrick has taught at Driscoll's reTrain in 2010He taught at Rick Warren's Saddleback 12Cities12 Conversations in 2010 (hosted by Ecummenical Lausanne Congress).
Patrick was a panelist at the ecumenical gathering of Lausanne Congress back in March 2010.
Speaker at Emergent Exponential 10: alongside: Ed Stetzer, Ken Blanchard (New Age/Contemplative promoter), Alan Hirsch, Darrin Patrick, Francis Chan, Shane Claiborne, Matt Chandler. This conference includes women "pastors" and head over various church ministries. Also speaking: Tim Stevens, head Goat-Herder at X-rated Granger Community "Church".
Patrick was speaker at Emergent innovation3.
Let's look at Patrick's church, The Journey:
Emergentspeak all over the place. For example, the grammatically incorrect "God is eternal community. " More to follow.... But you can see how that is an odd way of describing God. Its Post-Modern (POMO) verbage.
Quote:
Evangelism, or mission, is not just another program that the church carries out. It is not some peripheral activity. The church is mission. Yes, the church gathers as people being called out (ekklesia) of the world. But the church is at the same time being sent out (apostolos) into the world. The church certainly must be called out from the world, but it also must certainly go back into the world. We are to be holy, set apart and different in our character than those who do not know God. But, we should also refuse to believe the lies the “churched” culture tells us: avoid hanging out with the people in the world because you will be corrupted. We also need to reject the lie that we have to create our own Christian sub-culture and insulate ourselves from the big, bad world. Mission demands that we follow Jesus, friend of sinners, by being immersed in relationships with those far from God, and thus, bring light to lost people in dark cultures. We are called out, but we are sent. It is only in the context of being sent do the metaphors “salt of the earth,” “city on a hill,” and “light of the world” make sense in describing the church. We are to be people who have been encountered by God through the gospel, and then we are to enter the world with the gospel.
Mission is intrinsically connected to community...
Living the gospel, ie – being on mission, can take many forms: explaining the gospel to a friend or stranger, carrying out acts of compassion, or by being faithful to sacrificially love those in your church. The challenge is for all of us to stay in “mission-mode” and not to default to “maintenance-mode.” When it comes to being missional, it is easy for Christians and local churches to be content in our bible studies, worship services and small groups and to forget the world. We do not drift toward mission, we drift away from it. It is not easy to be missional, it is hard work, it takes intentionality. It is much less stressful to hang out with people who look the same, smell the same and believe the same things we do. It is uncomfortable and challenging to intentionally spend time with people who hold differing world-views. But we must push through this discomfort because we are the church. We are the church, the called-out ones. We are the church, the sent-out ones. We are the church, on mission for the sake of the world.
End quote.
The Journey has a Board of Directors. For one that claims to be the pattern from a man who writes and speaks about church planting, this is UNbiblical:
Quote:
Board of Directors "This team ensures The Journey operates in accordance to the law while implementing best practices, policies and procedures regarding business, finances and facilities for a church of our size/complexity."
Executive Elders "This team leads The Journey by setting the overall vision and strategy, overseeing the health and development of the entire church."
Oddly, Darrin Patrick isn't listed under any church. I'm not sure if he just floats around, however he's continually listed as an elder there, on the board there, as senior pastor as well as founder of Journey.
Remember Patrick's church is the fruition of his church planting theology and practice....
Beer and Theology: as reported by " 'Christianity' Today" back in July 2007:
Church planters who receive money from the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) must now teach alcohol abstinence. The policy change was sparked by the Journey, a growing interdenominational church that borrowed $200,000 from the MBC to renovate a church two years ago. One of the Journey's outreach groups meets in a St. Louis microbrewery.
"Theology at the Bottleworks was started to reach people who are actively opposed to Christianity, by discussing contemporary cultural issues in a neutral environment," explained Darrin Patrick, founding pastor of the Journey, which attracts about 1,500 people weekly to three sites. Those who attend Theology at the Bottleworks grab a beer and discuss political or spiritual topics, such as the role of women in society, the legal system, or animal rights.
End quote.
And so they continue on their church blog of upcoming events:
Upcoming Events
Theology at the Bottleworks: Have a good conversation on important issues with people both inside AND outside of Christianity at this lively monthly discussion. Our topic is "Should Animals Have Rights?"Wednesday, January 19, 7-9 PM at Schlafly Bottleworks.
If you need additional assistance in getting involved at The Journey Tower Grove please contact our Campus Administrator, Rachel Moskal and she will be glad to help.
Bottleworks is a brewery in St. Louis.
This violates many verses on promotion of drinking and being sober-minded. It also violates the Bible on commands to be salt and light--different and distinct from the world, not like the world. This is so fundamentally opposed to sound doctrine and practice, its incredible anyone has to even discuss it. Yet this is what its like to be a "church planter". Paul never did this. He was the last one to be pragmatic. Consider who hangs out in bars. Is using that which perpetuates drunkenness to promote that which is spiritual, even considered in Scripture? No! How about as a "church"- to promote this--they aren't considering the brother who may either have drunkenness in his past and so is very cautious to be in a bar, but to have that thought put out there--promoted, isn't helping him grow in Christ. The MATURE believer would know this from Scripture.
To drink and talk about theology (notice, not doctrine), is justification for wallowing in worldliness. How can one "show" (as they claim that's what this is about, "living the gospel") the striking and polar differences between Light and Dark, between Death and Life, as well as the call to the Lordship of the Lord which IS part of the Gospel, if they are hanging out in bars drinking?
1Pe 4:3 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.
1Pe 4:4 In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you;
1Pe 4:5 but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
1Pe 4:6 For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.
1Pe 4:7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
1Ti 3:2 Therefore an overseer MUST BEabove reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
1Co 15:31 I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
1Co 15:32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE.
1Co 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."
1Co 15:34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
Gal 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Rom 14:15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.
Rom 14:19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
Rom 14:21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
Rom 14:22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves.
1Th 5:3 While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.
1Th 5:4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;
1Th 5:5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;
1Th 5:6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
1Th 5:7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.
1Th 5:8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
2Ti 4:4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
2Ti 4:5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Scott Brown Liberal: ain't no surprise
In the catagory of DUH:
This was clear when he won his election. Yes, the darling hope of the GOP for MA. Yeah, how's that working out for ya?
Washington Times exerpts:
BOSTON Scott Brown ran for the Senate vowing to rein in government spending and cut the federal budget deficit. A year later, he is open to increasing the national debt limit so the government can both spend and borrow more.
The clash between his campaign rhetoric and voting record underscores the theme of the Republican's first year replacing a liberal icon, the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.
To the frequent surprise of Democrats, and often the chagrin of conservatives and tea party activists, Mr. Brown has largely kept his pledge to be a bipartisan legislator. He has voted bills up or down on the merits, if not with one eye on his 2012 re-election campaign.
Last month, he voted for President Obama's tax compromise, even though its tax-cut extension and unemployment benefits will add nearly $1 trillion to the deficit. And he could vote soon to raise the debt ceiling from $14.3 trillion.
End quote.
This was clear when he won his election. Yes, the darling hope of the GOP for MA. Yeah, how's that working out for ya?
Washington Times exerpts:
BOSTON Scott Brown ran for the Senate vowing to rein in government spending and cut the federal budget deficit. A year later, he is open to increasing the national debt limit so the government can both spend and borrow more.
The clash between his campaign rhetoric and voting record underscores the theme of the Republican's first year replacing a liberal icon, the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.
To the frequent surprise of Democrats, and often the chagrin of conservatives and tea party activists, Mr. Brown has largely kept his pledge to be a bipartisan legislator. He has voted bills up or down on the merits, if not with one eye on his 2012 re-election campaign.
Last month, he voted for President Obama's tax compromise, even though its tax-cut extension and unemployment benefits will add nearly $1 trillion to the deficit. And he could vote soon to raise the debt ceiling from $14.3 trillion.
End quote.
The Apocrypha Is Not Part of Scripture Nor Has Truth To Be Studied Or Used In Studying Truth
Quote:
Now there were many attempts made by Satan to infiltrate the Old Testament Canon with uninspired books. At least 14 of them have been accumulated and together they are called the Apocrypha. You find them in a Roman Catholic Bible. They are not a part of our Bible. They are not inspired books. They are books: 1 and 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, the rest of Esther, the Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus (not to be confused with Ecclesiastes), Baruch, the Song of the Three Holy Children, the History of Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, the Prayer of Manasses, and 1 and 2 Maccabees. All spurious. We call them Pseudepigrapha--false writing. They were clearly fakes. How do we know they were fakes? They were written long after the canon was completed and they lacked the prophetic quality and authorship to stamp them as inspired Scripture. None of their writers claimed divine inspiration and some openly disclaimed it. And Apocrypha books contained errors of facts, errors of ethics, errors of doctrine. For example, some of the Apocrypha books advocate suicide. Some of them advocate assassination and some of them teach praying for dead people. Therein lies one of the reasons you find them in a Catholic Bible. The Old Testament Canon was unquestioned; it is still unquestioned because it is so evident what was inspired.
End quote. Source
Mat 4:4 But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
Pro 30:5 Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. 6 Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and you be found a liar.
Is. 8: 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
Now there were many attempts made by Satan to infiltrate the Old Testament Canon with uninspired books. At least 14 of them have been accumulated and together they are called the Apocrypha. You find them in a Roman Catholic Bible. They are not a part of our Bible. They are not inspired books. They are books: 1 and 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, the rest of Esther, the Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus (not to be confused with Ecclesiastes), Baruch, the Song of the Three Holy Children, the History of Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, the Prayer of Manasses, and 1 and 2 Maccabees. All spurious. We call them Pseudepigrapha--false writing. They were clearly fakes. How do we know they were fakes? They were written long after the canon was completed and they lacked the prophetic quality and authorship to stamp them as inspired Scripture. None of their writers claimed divine inspiration and some openly disclaimed it. And Apocrypha books contained errors of facts, errors of ethics, errors of doctrine. For example, some of the Apocrypha books advocate suicide. Some of them advocate assassination and some of them teach praying for dead people. Therein lies one of the reasons you find them in a Catholic Bible. The Old Testament Canon was unquestioned; it is still unquestioned because it is so evident what was inspired.
End quote. Source
Mat 4:4 But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
Pro 30:5 Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. 6 Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and you be found a liar.
Is. 8: 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
Piper Endorses Chesterton's Orthodoxy (Roman Catholicism)
Piper celebrates Roman Catholic philosopher G.K. Chesterton.
Quote:
May 29 is G. K. Chesterton’s 134th birthday. He was a British journalist and brilliant writer. Nobody exploits the power of paradox like Chesterton.
I celebrate his birthday by recommending his book Orthodoxy.
The title gives no clue as to what you will find inside. It had a huge influence on me forty years ago in ways that would have exasperated Chesterton. He did all he could to keep me from becoming a Calvinist, and instead made me a romantic one—a happy one.
If I thought his broadsides against predestination really hit home and undid true biblical doctrine, I would keep my mouth shut or change my worldview. But his celebration of poetry and paradox undermines his own abomination of the greatest truth-and-mystery-lovers around today, the happyCalvinists.
Nothing in this Calvinism-abominating book came close to keeping me from embracing the glorious sovereignty of God. On the contrary, the poetic brightness of the book, along with the works of C. S. Lewis, awakened in me an exuberance about the strangeness of all things—which in the end made me able to embrace the imponderable paradoxes of God’s decisive control of all things and the total justice of his holding us accountable.
One of the reasons that Calvinism is stirring today is that it takes both truth and mystery seriously. It’s a singing, poetry-writing, run-through-the-fields Calvinism.
End quote.Truth in everything, even a false church (the RCC), false teacher (Chesterton, and Lewis). Piper wants people to find truth in the lies. No wonder today he tweeted a quote from Chesterton, and so far was retweeted 100 times.
The RCC has a false gospel and a false Jesus. How dare a pastor, much less a Christian, sing the applause of anti-Christs and then say we must embrace some sort of mystery????
Piper Applauds Roman Catholic Philosopher Chesterton
Piper's tweet: "A man can no more posses a private religion than he can possess a private sun and moon." (Chesterton) Chesterton was a Roman Catholic philosopher. Why would a "Reformer" find truth in him? B/c "Truth in everything" is the mentality. Dangerous: Retweeted by 100+ people
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Birthright Citizenship -- A Fundamental Misunderstanding of the 14th Amendment
14th Ammendment and other cases clarify that illegal aliens and their spouses and children are not "birthright citizenship".
Excerpts:
This amendment’s language was derived from the 1866 Civil Rights Act, which provided that “[a]ll persons born in the United States, and not subject to any foreign power” would be considered citizens. Sen. Lyman Trumbull, a key figure in the adoption of the 14th Amendment, said that “subject to the jurisdiction” of the U.S. included not owing allegiance to any other country.
In the famous Slaughter-House cases of 1872, the Supreme Court stated that this qualifying phrase was intended to exclude “children of ministers, consuls, and citizens or subjects of foreign States born within the United States.” This was confirmed in 1884 in another case, Elk vs. Wilkins, when citizenship was denied to an American Indian because he “owed immediate allegiance to” his tribe and not the United States.
American Indians and their children did not become citizens until Congress passed the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924. There would have been no need to pass such legislation if the 14th Amendment extended citizenship to every person born in America, no matter what the circumstances of their birth, and no matter who their parents are.
Even in U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark, the 1898 case most often cited by “birthright” supporters due to its overbroad language, the Court only held that a child born of lawful, permanent residents was a U.S. citizen. That is a far cry from saying that a child born of individuals who are here illegally must be considered a U.S. citizen.End quote. Go to the full article by By Hans A. von Spakovsky ( a Senior Legal Fellow at the Heritage Foundation and a former Justice Department official). Its brief but good.
"Christian" Kids Humanistic In Thinking Due To Public School Indoctrination
Study Shows Public Schools Indoctrinate Even Christian Kids
This isn't a surprise for some of us, but should be a dire warning to all parents who subject their kids to the growing influence of demonic wisdom of the world in our society.
"Undoing Dewey -- that's the goal of the program, according to Smithwick. He refers to the secular humanist principles of John Dewey (1859-1952), the philosopher and education reformer whose principles have shaped public education in America. Dewey promoted a philosophy of education with the premise that learning by doing (experimentalism) should form the basis of education, and any idea or concept is validated by its practicality (pragmatism)."
This is more evidence of the world's influence over "Christians" and the pulpits. Pragmatism has taken over most churches today, which necessarily denies biblical doctrine as absolute. A low view of Scripture leads or reveals rebellion against God.
The first battle on earth against God via attacking His Word was in the Garden of Eden when the Serpent attacked,"Has God said?" Remember what Eve did in the Garden--she gazed upon the forbidden Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and considered it to be GOOD, when God said it would only bring DEATH.
Scripture teaches infallably how to deal with all things pertaining to life and godliness. HIS wisdom is first pure, the world's wisdom is demonic and produces rotten fruit, which is why God told Adam and Eve not to eat from that tree of knowledge. Today, "Christians" continue to want that knowledge when God has already given us all we need to know on how to live life that glorifies Him. But like Eve, "Christians" think there's something more, better, something God isn't telling us or something God left out. So they seek that which is NOT GOOD FOR THE SOUL but rather, BRINGS DEATH (of course since the Fall, all are born dead in their sins and tresspasses). The fruit bears death, rebellion, dissension, and is demonic, James says.
Jas 3:11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?
Jas 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.
Jas 3:13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.
Jas 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.
Jas 3:15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.
Jas 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
It matters what you hear and read and what you subject yourself and your children to.
1Co 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."
Besides being subjected to the world's view of life and thinking in the classroom by the teachers and textbooks, children are also being influenced by their classmates at school. This compounds the problem. How many biblically-thinking Christians are in public schools? How strong is their influence? How bold are they? No, they are being drowned out by the masses of God-hating souls who are growing up with a hardened heart like what Romans 1 describes.
There might be a few Christians in the public schools, but they have no say over content and behavior of the entire school. Their influence is not strong, not necessarily by their fault, but because the world will not and cannot hear them. As Christians, its not our job to change society anyway, right? The world will always hate Christ and therefore hate His childeren. And as the days grow darker, it will get worse, not better.
I speak as one who has observed the change in my particular city which used to be conservative, but now is getting very liberal. On top of that the state of California is getting worse as it dictates wicked values in the classrooms and textbooks and eliminates sound thinking (no more use of "mom and dad" or "mother and father"--by law the teachers and textbooks can ONLY USE a non-gender word like "parent" or "guardian"). The Lord confirms constantly that His way of leading us OUT of the state school system was the righteous way.
Consider that besides the indoctrination of the government school system of unbelief and post-modern thinking in everything over your children, this is also happening in the local churches on a large scale (as well as conferences, seminars, and seminaries).
This isn't a surprise for some of us, but should be a dire warning to all parents who subject their kids to the growing influence of demonic wisdom of the world in our society.
"Undoing Dewey -- that's the goal of the program, according to Smithwick. He refers to the secular humanist principles of John Dewey (1859-1952), the philosopher and education reformer whose principles have shaped public education in America. Dewey promoted a philosophy of education with the premise that learning by doing (experimentalism) should form the basis of education, and any idea or concept is validated by its practicality (pragmatism)."
This is more evidence of the world's influence over "Christians" and the pulpits. Pragmatism has taken over most churches today, which necessarily denies biblical doctrine as absolute. A low view of Scripture leads or reveals rebellion against God.
The first battle on earth against God via attacking His Word was in the Garden of Eden when the Serpent attacked,"Has God said?" Remember what Eve did in the Garden--she gazed upon the forbidden Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and considered it to be GOOD, when God said it would only bring DEATH.
Scripture teaches infallably how to deal with all things pertaining to life and godliness. HIS wisdom is first pure, the world's wisdom is demonic and produces rotten fruit, which is why God told Adam and Eve not to eat from that tree of knowledge. Today, "Christians" continue to want that knowledge when God has already given us all we need to know on how to live life that glorifies Him. But like Eve, "Christians" think there's something more, better, something God isn't telling us or something God left out. So they seek that which is NOT GOOD FOR THE SOUL but rather, BRINGS DEATH (of course since the Fall, all are born dead in their sins and tresspasses). The fruit bears death, rebellion, dissension, and is demonic, James says.
Jas 3:11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?
Jas 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.
Jas 3:13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.
Jas 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.
Jas 3:15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.
Jas 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
It matters what you hear and read and what you subject yourself and your children to.
1Co 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."
Besides being subjected to the world's view of life and thinking in the classroom by the teachers and textbooks, children are also being influenced by their classmates at school. This compounds the problem. How many biblically-thinking Christians are in public schools? How strong is their influence? How bold are they? No, they are being drowned out by the masses of God-hating souls who are growing up with a hardened heart like what Romans 1 describes.
There might be a few Christians in the public schools, but they have no say over content and behavior of the entire school. Their influence is not strong, not necessarily by their fault, but because the world will not and cannot hear them. As Christians, its not our job to change society anyway, right? The world will always hate Christ and therefore hate His childeren. And as the days grow darker, it will get worse, not better.
I speak as one who has observed the change in my particular city which used to be conservative, but now is getting very liberal. On top of that the state of California is getting worse as it dictates wicked values in the classrooms and textbooks and eliminates sound thinking (no more use of "mom and dad" or "mother and father"--by law the teachers and textbooks can ONLY USE a non-gender word like "parent" or "guardian"). The Lord confirms constantly that His way of leading us OUT of the state school system was the righteous way.
Consider that besides the indoctrination of the government school system of unbelief and post-modern thinking in everything over your children, this is also happening in the local churches on a large scale (as well as conferences, seminars, and seminaries).
Summary of Piper Endorsing Rick Warren Before And After His Teaching at DGC
Piper defends why he invited Warren to teach at DGC: Here Warren tells Piper what he knows Piper needs to hear in order to keep the speaking engagement. What Piper says Warren told him is actually untrue (I have evidence to the contrary for many of the claims made in this video: ).
Mike Ratliff correctly identifies Warren as a heretic who taught pelagianism at DGC.
Q&A from DGC after Warren taught: :
Quote:
1. Can you give us your initial reflections on the message we just heard from Rick Warren?
Burk Parsons: I saw a man with character and with simple, childlike dependence on Christ.
John Piper: "An unbelievable communicator with incredible application. Be encouraged and relax with who you are, and give it all to Jesus while learning all you can from Rick."
8. What would you say to our "non-thinkers" who are here tonight? Surely the conference isn’t made up completely of those who consider themselves "thinkers," right?Piper: There are people in here who love to think and there are others who don’t like to think. This conference is a pain in the rear end to them. They’re just here to see Warren and Piper fight. Here’s how I would say the question: What do you have to say to people who don’t want to think?
End quote.
Mike Ratliff correctly identifies Warren as a heretic who taught pelagianism at DGC.
Q&A from DGC after Warren taught: :
Quote:
1. Can you give us your initial reflections on the message we just heard from Rick Warren?
Burk Parsons: I saw a man with character and with simple, childlike dependence on Christ.
John Piper: "An unbelievable communicator with incredible application. Be encouraged and relax with who you are, and give it all to Jesus while learning all you can from Rick."
8. What would you say to our "non-thinkers" who are here tonight? Surely the conference isn’t made up completely of those who consider themselves "thinkers," right?Piper: There are people in here who love to think and there are others who don’t like to think. This conference is a pain in the rear end to them. They’re just here to see Warren and Piper fight. Here’s how I would say the question: What do you have to say to people who don’t want to think?
End quote.
After the whole conference in "'Christianity'Today" interview:
Quote:
You invited Rick Warren; would you say he exemplifies "thinking"?
No, I don't think he exactly exemplifies what I'm after. But he is biblical. He quoted 50 Scriptures from memory. Unbelievable, his mind is Vesuvius. So I asked him what impact reading Jonathan Edwards had on him. What these authors like Karl Barth and Edwards do for him is give him a surge of theological energy that then comes through his wiring. What I wanted to do with Rick is force him to talk about thinking so pragmatists out there can say, "A lot of thinking goes into what he does."
You received some negative feedback for inviting him.
It was real risky. I don't even know if I did the right thing. If somebody said, "Are you sure you should have invited him?" "No." I think the first thing I'd say—maybe the only thing—is I think he's been slandered. I think we probably need to work harder at getting him right.
End quote.
Friday, January 07, 2011
Third Day To Participate In Papal Rally in April
Third Day to entertain and promote Roman Catholicism by performing at a papal youth rally. Time to dump the group if you are a fan.
Quote:
Nashville, Tenn.) March 31, 2008 – When Pope Benedict XVI arrives in the United States in April, he will visit several cities including New York City and Washington, D.C. He is scheduled to attend open-air masses, deliver an address to the United Nations and visit to the World Trade Center site.
One of the key stops will be an April 19 visit to St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, NY, where he will preside over a youth rally; encouraging youth to seek vocations within the church.
Third Day, GRAMMY winning and multi-million selling rock band, was asked to perform at the youth rally by St. Joseph’s Seminary. “It’s not every day that you’re invited to perform for a crowd being presided over by Pope Benedict XVI,” shares lead vocalist, Mac Powell. “This is a great honor for us.” ~Source
End quote.
RCC has slaughtered myriads of Christians for centuries and denies the only Gospel and only Savior and Master that can save: by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone. Third Day is promoting the apostate church that adds:
Mary to Jesus
Works to grace
Purgatory to the Cross of Christ
Pope to the authority of Scripture
It blaphemes Christ Jesus each time it slaps Jesus' name onto the Eucharist and the Mass.
This is exactly why it MATTERS who you listen to and what music you subject yourself and your children to!
Quote:
Nashville, Tenn.) March 31, 2008 – When Pope Benedict XVI arrives in the United States in April, he will visit several cities including New York City and Washington, D.C. He is scheduled to attend open-air masses, deliver an address to the United Nations and visit to the World Trade Center site.
One of the key stops will be an April 19 visit to St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, NY, where he will preside over a youth rally; encouraging youth to seek vocations within the church.
Third Day, GRAMMY winning and multi-million selling rock band, was asked to perform at the youth rally by St. Joseph’s Seminary. “It’s not every day that you’re invited to perform for a crowd being presided over by Pope Benedict XVI,” shares lead vocalist, Mac Powell. “This is a great honor for us.” ~Source
End quote.
RCC has slaughtered myriads of Christians for centuries and denies the only Gospel and only Savior and Master that can save: by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone. Third Day is promoting the apostate church that adds:
Mary to Jesus
Works to grace
Purgatory to the Cross of Christ
Pope to the authority of Scripture
It blaphemes Christ Jesus each time it slaps Jesus' name onto the Eucharist and the Mass.
This is exactly why it MATTERS who you listen to and what music you subject yourself and your children to!
Half-Hearted In Seeking Christ?
"What is the reason that people are so half-hearted in seeking Christ? Why are they so soon deterred and discouraged in drawing near to God? The answer is short and simple. They do not feel sufficiently their own sins." ~ J.C. Ryle
The object of God's tender, perfect and ceaseless care!
James Smith, "Divine Care!" 1865
"Casting all your care upon Him--for He cares for you!" 1 Peter 5:7
Our cares must be cast upon our God, or they will prove a burden too heavy for us--they will depress, bewilder, and make us wretched!
WHO is it that cares for us?
It is the Lord Almighty--the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy!
It is He whom the angels obey, the seraphim adore, and all creation glorifies!
It is the Lord--who is so great, that we have no adequate conception of His greatness!
It is He who is so good--that it is impossible fully to set forth His goodness!
It is He who is so glorious--that no sinner can see His face and live!
It is He who created all things with His Word!It is He who governs all things by His wisdom!
It is He who upholds all things by His power!
It is He whose resources are infinite!It is He whose compassion is exquisite!
It is He whose patience is without limit!
But though He is so exalted, so happy, and so unspeakably great--He cares for you!
He cares for you--as base as you are.
He cares for you--as sinful as you are.
He cares for you--as depressed and discouraged as you are.
HE cares for YOU!
May I pass through the present world under the impression, "I am the object of God's tender, perfect and ceaseless care!"
"Casting all your care upon Him--for He cares for you!" 1 Peter 5:7
Our cares must be cast upon our God, or they will prove a burden too heavy for us--they will depress, bewilder, and make us wretched!
WHO is it that cares for us?
It is the Lord Almighty--the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy!
It is He whom the angels obey, the seraphim adore, and all creation glorifies!
It is the Lord--who is so great, that we have no adequate conception of His greatness!
It is He who is so good--that it is impossible fully to set forth His goodness!
It is He who is so glorious--that no sinner can see His face and live!
It is He who created all things with His Word!It is He who governs all things by His wisdom!
It is He who upholds all things by His power!
It is He whose resources are infinite!It is He whose compassion is exquisite!
It is He whose patience is without limit!
But though He is so exalted, so happy, and so unspeakably great--He cares for you!
He cares for you--as base as you are.
He cares for you--as sinful as you are.
He cares for you--as depressed and discouraged as you are.
HE cares for YOU!
May I pass through the present world under the impression, "I am the object of God's tender, perfect and ceaseless care!"
Thursday, January 06, 2011
Vaccines Connected To Austism Found To Be A Fraudulant Study
"The British Medical Journal on Wednesday accused a disgraced British doctor of committing an "elaborate fraud" by faking data in his studies linking vaccines with autism....The journal's editors said it was not possible that Wakefield made a mistake and that he must have faked the data. They supported their position with a series of articles by a journalist who used medical records and interviews to show that Wakefield falsified data." ~Reuters
Becareful with studies you hear about. How a study is done (or faked), by whom, if everything is revealed (who's funding the research), and HOW ITS REPORTED can help you decide if what is being alleged is true or not. Remember, there's no such thing as an UNBIASED study, even the questions are slanted to get a result. This is true about the supposed, but totally unproven "report" of a "gay gene". NPR reporters didn't know to read the research and therefore wrongly reported about the existance of a "gay gene". Go here for the important article "Gay Gene?" by Dr. Jeffrey Satinover. Here are other articles also.
Becareful with studies you hear about. How a study is done (or faked), by whom, if everything is revealed (who's funding the research), and HOW ITS REPORTED can help you decide if what is being alleged is true or not. Remember, there's no such thing as an UNBIASED study, even the questions are slanted to get a result. This is true about the supposed, but totally unproven "report" of a "gay gene". NPR reporters didn't know to read the research and therefore wrongly reported about the existance of a "gay gene". Go here for the important article "Gay Gene?" by Dr. Jeffrey Satinover. Here are other articles also.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
The World's Wisdom Is Not Good Food For The Soul Of The Christian
Gen 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
Gen 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her
Going to anywhere but Scripture for wisdom is folly. This was Eve's problem. She sat there and pondered how "good" the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil would be (good according to whom? Satan, not God), even though God PROHIBITED it as a SOURCE FOR FOOD. Why do people continue in her sin?
2Co 11:3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.
Jas 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"?
Gil Rugh states:
Friendship with the world:
James shows the seriousness of these believers' selfish, pleasure-oriented lives by identifying them as adulteresses. With their Jewish background they would have quickly understood the significance of what James was writing.
do you not know - The problem is not a lack of knowledge but a failure to live according to the knowledge they have.
friendship with the world - They have entered into a relationship with the world that makes them unfaithful to God.
friendship (philos) - This is the word for "love," and means beloved, dear, loving, kindly disposed, devoted, and then is used for friend. These believers have developed a relationship of love and affection with the world.
world (kosnos) - "World" stands for the world-system in its alienation and hostility to God (cf. 1 John 2:15-17; 5:19).
hostility (echthra) - This person has set himself in opposition to God (cf. Rom. 8:5-8 [esp. v. 7]).
The person who chooses to enter into a relationship of love and affection with the world makes himself an enemy of God.
The context makes clear what is involved in worldliness or being a friend of the world. The basic issue is a life that centers on self. A selfish determination to satisfy my desires and cravings, to have things my way, identifies me as a friend of the world.
We should note that this involves a deliberate choice (wishes to be) to become involved with the world. A person decides that, rather than submit himself to God and His Word, he is going to do what he wants; he is going to have it his way.
In the next two verses James demonstrates the validity of what he has just said.
4:5- James now challenges his readers concerning their attitude toward the Scriptures.
to no purpose (kenos) - Do the Scriptures mean what they say, or are they empty and hollow?
Gen 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her
Going to anywhere but Scripture for wisdom is folly. This was Eve's problem. She sat there and pondered how "good" the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil would be (good according to whom? Satan, not God), even though God PROHIBITED it as a SOURCE FOR FOOD. Why do people continue in her sin?
2Co 11:3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.
Jas 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"?
Gil Rugh states:
Friendship with the world:
James shows the seriousness of these believers' selfish, pleasure-oriented lives by identifying them as adulteresses. With their Jewish background they would have quickly understood the significance of what James was writing.
do you not know - The problem is not a lack of knowledge but a failure to live according to the knowledge they have.
friendship with the world - They have entered into a relationship with the world that makes them unfaithful to God.
friendship (philos) - This is the word for "love," and means beloved, dear, loving, kindly disposed, devoted, and then is used for friend. These believers have developed a relationship of love and affection with the world.
world (kosnos) - "World" stands for the world-system in its alienation and hostility to God (cf. 1 John 2:15-17; 5:19).
hostility (echthra) - This person has set himself in opposition to God (cf. Rom. 8:5-8 [esp. v. 7]).
The person who chooses to enter into a relationship of love and affection with the world makes himself an enemy of God.
The context makes clear what is involved in worldliness or being a friend of the world. The basic issue is a life that centers on self. A selfish determination to satisfy my desires and cravings, to have things my way, identifies me as a friend of the world.
We should note that this involves a deliberate choice (wishes to be) to become involved with the world. A person decides that, rather than submit himself to God and His Word, he is going to do what he wants; he is going to have it his way.
In the next two verses James demonstrates the validity of what he has just said.
4:5- James now challenges his readers concerning their attitude toward the Scriptures.
to no purpose (kenos) - Do the Scriptures mean what they say, or are they empty and hollow?
The Danger of Conferences: Passion 2011 Is An Example
**Update at the bottom of the page**
I think part of the issue is that everyone's busying going to all these conferences which elevate pastors to celebrity status, and pastors are busy speaking at these conferences which can bloat their ego (Piper, Chan, as examples, but not the only ones). Conferences also tend to usurp the authority, giving, and fellowship that is to be found in the local church, but without any accountability.
The Passion conference is a good example of what I mean. The Passion Conference had billing of celebrity teachers/pastors/singers. Chan, who speaks at countless Emergent conferences and has a very man-centered "gospel" video, was one of them. That would be the man who got bored being a pastor and wanted to do something else ("restless" was his word). He has no problem trapsing around the world feeding other shepherd's sheep, but he does have a problem tending to his own (John Piper was also there--and we all know the problems of late with him).
Secondly, the Passion Conference has women teaching men spiritual things, which is a violation of Scripture, and this is exactly the problem. Beth Moore, a proponent of Contemplative Spirituality and a horrific Bible teacher, was one of teachers at the conference. She was teaching men and women. Conferences get away with violating Scripture because they are outside the local church and therefore people justify what's going on. Conferences are actually a very popular way to introduce others to error that they then bring back to their churches. That's why I said they usurp the authority of the local church --there is no accountability. Besides, these things are expensive.
Hillsong UNITED provided some of the music at this conference. Joel Houston, leader of Hillsong UNITED is in leadership at his parent's church, Hillsong Church. Joel's mother, Bobbie, and Joel's sister Laura, are both co-pastors at that church. http://brianandbobbie.com/about-us
Found this article on Hillsong's pastor Brian Houston, father of Hillsong UNITED's frontman, Joel. Aparently Hillsong embraces Ted Bently and the Lakeland Revival heresy. They also other bad teachers at their own Hillsong conferences like Priscilla Shirer, Nicky Gumble (Alpha Course) and John Maxwell.
***UPDATE***
This year's Passion Conference 2013 according to Apprising Ministries and Do Not Be Surprised:
I think part of the issue is that everyone's busying going to all these conferences which elevate pastors to celebrity status, and pastors are busy speaking at these conferences which can bloat their ego (Piper, Chan, as examples, but not the only ones). Conferences also tend to usurp the authority, giving, and fellowship that is to be found in the local church, but without any accountability.
The Passion conference is a good example of what I mean. The Passion Conference had billing of celebrity teachers/pastors/singers. Chan, who speaks at countless Emergent conferences and has a very man-centered "gospel" video, was one of them. That would be the man who got bored being a pastor and wanted to do something else ("restless" was his word). He has no problem trapsing around the world feeding other shepherd's sheep, but he does have a problem tending to his own (John Piper was also there--and we all know the problems of late with him).
Secondly, the Passion Conference has women teaching men spiritual things, which is a violation of Scripture, and this is exactly the problem. Beth Moore, a proponent of Contemplative Spirituality and a horrific Bible teacher, was one of teachers at the conference. She was teaching men and women. Conferences get away with violating Scripture because they are outside the local church and therefore people justify what's going on. Conferences are actually a very popular way to introduce others to error that they then bring back to their churches. That's why I said they usurp the authority of the local church --there is no accountability. Besides, these things are expensive.
Hillsong UNITED provided some of the music at this conference. Joel Houston, leader of Hillsong UNITED is in leadership at his parent's church, Hillsong Church. Joel's mother, Bobbie, and Joel's sister Laura, are both co-pastors at that church. http://brianandbobbie.com/about-us
Found this article on Hillsong's pastor Brian Houston, father of Hillsong UNITED's frontman, Joel. Aparently Hillsong embraces Ted Bently and the Lakeland Revival heresy. They also other bad teachers at their own Hillsong conferences like Priscilla Shirer, Nicky Gumble (Alpha Course) and John Maxwell.
***UPDATE***
This year's Passion Conference 2013 according to Apprising Ministries and Do Not Be Surprised:
"Passion targets the younger generation with such high-profile names as Beth Moore, John Piper, Francis Chan, rapper Lecrae and this year, pastor Judah Smith of The City Church in Seattle and popular Christian band, Jesus Culture....
Judah Smith has been profiled briefly here before when, in May of this year, Smith invited Word Faith teacher Brian Houston of Hillsong Church (who, incidentally, just preached weekend services at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church) to preach at The City Church. Oddly enough, New Calvinist pastor Mark Driscoll was excited about the invitation, even encouraging his Twitter followers to attend.
Judah Smith co-pastors his church with his wife, Chelsea, making the Reformed Driscoll’s endorsement even more perplexing. The presence of a pastrix at The City Church ought not surprise, though, when it is considered that this church was founded by Judah’s parents, pastor Wendell and pastrix Gini Smith....End quote.
This conference continues to demonstrate why these speakers are to be rejected. They deny clear Scripture prohibiting false doctrine, false teachers, and women teaching men.
Monday, January 03, 2011
Kay Arthur: study material for a pastor
I've heard a report that a pastor uses Kay Arthur's Bible study material for his sermons. This is wrong on so many levels. But this shows, however, another reason why these high profile/celebrity women teachers end up violating Scripture--- not just because they are actively teaching both men and women in their conferences/seminars, and on radio and tv, but because men use them to learn and teach churches, which Scripture prohibits. In other words, Kay Arthur is having authority over men because of her "ministry"; not that she can control who uses her matieral--but she does appeal to the masses, not specificuall women but men and women, as Beth Moore does, unlike the lesser known Martha Peace for instance who specifically keeps to teaching women.
1Tim. 2: 11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
1Tim. 2: 11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
Sunday, January 02, 2011
Adrian Warnock
Rom 16:17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; AVOID THEM.
2Jn 1:9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting,
Reformer (or I thought he was--maybe he's no longer Reformed---neither his website nor his church's website offer a statement of faith and doctrine) blogger , speaker, and church leader (his church promotes the Alpha Course--a highly UNbiblical Charismatic program),Adrian Warnock is a good example of how so many believe "truth in everything".
Warnock says:
Quote:
In some circles it is fashionable to knock N.T. Wright. I do have some significant concerns about his views on justification. But as this clip will show you, even if he is indeed wrong about the cross, he sure is “wright” about the resurrection!
I found his “big green book” incredibly helpful as I wrote my own. I would commend it to anyone. The only possible draw back is that it is very long. But the investment of time to read it is worthwhile for sure. Wright defends the historicity of the resurrection in such a way that if unbelief was merely a rational problem, everyone would be convinced.
End quote.
Say what? And that's worth promoting as true? Sorry, but if someone is wrong on the Gospel, then it doesn't matter what they think about the resurrection. Wright is a heretic, holding to a false gospel by Warnock's own admission. Wright denies Justification by faith alone and adheres to the "New Perspective On Paul". So who cares if he has a false gospel, to Adrian, truth in everything is the mentality, and so heretics and false churches and false gospels still have truth and therefore worth using and promoting. And now Warnock has a book out on the resurrection of Jesus--influenced by the lost Anglican priest.
Gal. 1: 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! 10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
1Ti 6:3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.
I suggest reading A.W. Pink's article, from which I quote and link to here.
It is often a long time before God's children are able to account for this. They blame themselves; they are exceedingly loath to say, "This message is not of God." They are afraid to act in the spiritual, as they do in the natural, and condemn and discard that which is worthless.
Those who are partakers of this Divine power (and they are few in number) can never be satisfied with a powerless ministry, either oral or written. "Those who live according to the flesh—have their minds set on what the flesh desires," (Romans 8:5). They are charmed with oratorical eloquence, catchy sayings, witty allusions, and amusing illustrations. On just such "husks", do the religious "swine" feed!
But the penitent prodigal can find no nutriment therein! Men "of the world"—and they may be graduates from some "Bible Institute" or possessors of a diploma from some Bible Seminary, now styling themselves "preachers of the Gospel"—will speak of the things of the world and "the world hears them" (1 John 4:5). But those who are seeking to "work out their own salvation with fear and trembling" obtain no help therefrom, yes, they perceive clearly that such sermons and periodicals are "broken cisterns, which can hold no water" (Jer. 2:13).
"Take heed what you hear" and read! More than forty years ago the saintly Adolph Saphir wrote, "I think the fewer books we read—the better. It is like times of cholera, when we should only drink filtered water." What would he say if he were on earth today and glanced over the deadly poison sent forth by the heterodox, and the lifeless rubbish put out by the orthodox? Christian reader, if you value the health of your soul, cease hearing and quit reading all that is lifeless, unctionless, powerless, no matter what prominent or popular name be attached thereto. Life is too short to waste valuable time on that which does not profit. Ninety-nine out of every hundred of the religious books, booklets, and magazines now being published, are not worth the paper on which they are printed!
To turn away from the lifeless preachers and publishers of the day—may involve a real cross. Your motives will be misconstrued, your words perverted, and your actions misinterpreted. The sharp arrows of false report will be directed against you. You will be called proud and self-righteous, because you refuse to fellowship empty professors. You will be termed censorious and bitter—if you condemn in plain speech—the subtle delusions of Satan. You will be dubbed narrow-minded and uncharitable, because you refuse to join in singing the praises of the "great" and "popular" men of the day. More and more, you will be made to painfully realize—that the path which leads unto eternal life is "narrow" and that FEW there are who find it. May the Lord be pleased to grant unto each of us—the hearing ear and obedient heart! "Take heed what you hear" and read!
End quote.
2Jn 1:9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting,
Reformer (or I thought he was--maybe he's no longer Reformed---neither his website nor his church's website offer a statement of faith and doctrine) blogger , speaker, and church leader (his church promotes the Alpha Course--a highly UNbiblical Charismatic program),Adrian Warnock is a good example of how so many believe "truth in everything".
Warnock says:
Quote:
In some circles it is fashionable to knock N.T. Wright. I do have some significant concerns about his views on justification. But as this clip will show you, even if he is indeed wrong about the cross, he sure is “wright” about the resurrection!
I found his “big green book” incredibly helpful as I wrote my own. I would commend it to anyone. The only possible draw back is that it is very long. But the investment of time to read it is worthwhile for sure. Wright defends the historicity of the resurrection in such a way that if unbelief was merely a rational problem, everyone would be convinced.
End quote.
Say what? And that's worth promoting as true? Sorry, but if someone is wrong on the Gospel, then it doesn't matter what they think about the resurrection. Wright is a heretic, holding to a false gospel by Warnock's own admission. Wright denies Justification by faith alone and adheres to the "New Perspective On Paul". So who cares if he has a false gospel, to Adrian, truth in everything is the mentality, and so heretics and false churches and false gospels still have truth and therefore worth using and promoting. And now Warnock has a book out on the resurrection of Jesus--influenced by the lost Anglican priest.
Gal. 1: 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! 10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
1Ti 6:3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.
I suggest reading A.W. Pink's article, from which I quote and link to here.
It is often a long time before God's children are able to account for this. They blame themselves; they are exceedingly loath to say, "This message is not of God." They are afraid to act in the spiritual, as they do in the natural, and condemn and discard that which is worthless.
Those who are partakers of this Divine power (and they are few in number) can never be satisfied with a powerless ministry, either oral or written. "Those who live according to the flesh—have their minds set on what the flesh desires," (Romans 8:5). They are charmed with oratorical eloquence, catchy sayings, witty allusions, and amusing illustrations. On just such "husks", do the religious "swine" feed!
But the penitent prodigal can find no nutriment therein! Men "of the world"—and they may be graduates from some "Bible Institute" or possessors of a diploma from some Bible Seminary, now styling themselves "preachers of the Gospel"—will speak of the things of the world and "the world hears them" (1 John 4:5). But those who are seeking to "work out their own salvation with fear and trembling" obtain no help therefrom, yes, they perceive clearly that such sermons and periodicals are "broken cisterns, which can hold no water" (Jer. 2:13).
"Take heed what you hear" and read! More than forty years ago the saintly Adolph Saphir wrote, "I think the fewer books we read—the better. It is like times of cholera, when we should only drink filtered water." What would he say if he were on earth today and glanced over the deadly poison sent forth by the heterodox, and the lifeless rubbish put out by the orthodox? Christian reader, if you value the health of your soul, cease hearing and quit reading all that is lifeless, unctionless, powerless, no matter what prominent or popular name be attached thereto. Life is too short to waste valuable time on that which does not profit. Ninety-nine out of every hundred of the religious books, booklets, and magazines now being published, are not worth the paper on which they are printed!
To turn away from the lifeless preachers and publishers of the day—may involve a real cross. Your motives will be misconstrued, your words perverted, and your actions misinterpreted. The sharp arrows of false report will be directed against you. You will be called proud and self-righteous, because you refuse to fellowship empty professors. You will be termed censorious and bitter—if you condemn in plain speech—the subtle delusions of Satan. You will be dubbed narrow-minded and uncharitable, because you refuse to join in singing the praises of the "great" and "popular" men of the day. More and more, you will be made to painfully realize—that the path which leads unto eternal life is "narrow" and that FEW there are who find it. May the Lord be pleased to grant unto each of us—the hearing ear and obedient heart! "Take heed what you hear" and read!
End quote.
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