Facing Difficult Situations or Sore Trials

        
        Photo source

“Are you faced with some difficult situation, some pressing emergency, some sore trial? Then place it not between yourself and God, but rather put God between it and you. Meditate afresh on His wondrous perfections and infinite sufficiency: ponder His precious promises which exactly suit your case: beg the Holy Spirit to strengthen your faith and call it into action."

(“The Life of Elijah” A.W. Pink).

Holy Living Is Not An Option

1Th 4:1  Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.
1Th 4:2  For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
1Th 4:3  For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;
1Th 4:4  that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,
1Th 4:5  not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;
1Th 4:6  that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 
1Th 4:7  For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 
1Th 4:8  Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. 

The will of God is shown in His commands, namely here, to walk in obedience of a holy life. This truth is knowable and is a command. It is not optional. God  does not allow for the excuse of imperfection, being human, He doesn't not say to merely try if you can, He does not allow for an excuse for not obeying. Rather, what God demands is holy living from the heart, having self control, honor, and thinking of others so as not to defraud your brother. To disregard this command of holy living is to disregard God. It is NOT optional.

Giving Your Heart to Christ

         
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If you claim to be a child of God, be prepared to prove it

      
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Joh 15:8  By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

1Pe 1:14  As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15  but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16  since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."
1Pe 1:17  And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,

Jas 2:14  What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 

Jas 2:17  So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is DEAD. 

1Th 1:3  remembering before our God and Father your WORK OF FAITH  and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

2Th 1:11  To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and EVERY WORK OF FAITH by his power,

1Jn 1:6  If we SAY  we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7  But if we WALK IN THE LIGHT, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

1Jn 2:4  Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 

Victoria Osteen: Just Do Good For Your Own Self, Not For God

            
            photo source: Pulpit and Pen

Victoria Osteen, preacher wife of Joel Osteen actually says,


“I just want to encourage every one of us to realize that when we obey God, we’re not doing it for God. I mean that’s one way to look at it- we’re doing it for ourselves. Because God takes pleasure when we’re happy. That’s the thing that gives him the greatest joy this morning. [unintelligeable] So I want you to know this morning, Just do good for your own self. Do good because God wants you to be happy. When you come to Church, when you worship him- You’re not doing it for God, really, you’re doing it for yourself, because that’s what makes God happy. Amen? Let’s open our hearts to him today “
~Pulpit and Pen (video also provided)
She then proceeds to lead the congregation in prayer to "the Father". Utterly unholy.

She sounds just like Piper and his hedonistic "Christianity" where his god wants us to find self fulfillment and pleasure too, only Piper tries to sanitize it with some Christianese, but the center is man and the fruit is bad just the same. Driscoll anyone?

She blasphemes God and usurps the pulpit which God says only men are to stand in as His Word is being taught to men and women. Then again, this is a false church, with a false gospel, with a false God, and false teachers.

Pedophilia: the next "civil liberties" issue

Quote:

EVIDENCE has emerged that the views of the Paedophile Information Exchange influenced policy-making at the National Council for Civil Liberties when it was run by former Labour Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt.

PIE members were lobbying NCCL officials for the age of consent to be reduced and campaigning for “paedophile love”.

Their view that children were not harmed by having sex with adults appears to have been adopted by those at the top of the civil liberties group.

Today we publish extracts from an NCCL report written for the Criminal Law Revision Committee in 1976 when Mrs Hewitt was general secretary.

It says: “Where both partners are aged 10 or over, but under 14, a consenting sexual act should not be an offence. As the age of consent is arbitrary, we propose an overlap of two years on either side of 14.

“Childhood sexual experiences, willingly engaged in, with an adult result in no identifiable damage.

End quote.

~The Daily Express

As history has proven, what a bunch of "scientists" (read: propagandists) have approved of as "normal" will in fact be adopted by "Christians" and enter the churches. Case in point: sodomy. Once the APA removed it (by vote) from the DSM in 1973, it "normalized" this heinous sin. Now "Christians" are telling the rest of us to accept sodomy (their sanitized label is "Same Sex Attraction") as any other sin like stealing. They try to equalize the sin by declaring humanity: who's perfect?

As some of us warned years ago, the next step after accepting sodomy and it's claim to legitimacy via unions (it is NOT marriage because by definition marriage is between one man and one woman according to Scripture), the next step would in fact be the acceptance of pedophilia.

Once the perversion and heniousness of such a sin like pedophilia is removed by claiming it's just like any other sin and that no one is perfect (the mantra of "you who is without sin, cast the first stone" will ensue shortly--twisting the very text that would in fact deal with such a heinous sin, btw), the churches will be told to accept pedophiles like any other sinner. Support groups for those who desire to have sex with children will be adopted in Pagan Friendly and Emergent churches, where pedophiles of the heart, can wallow in their identity of sinful perverted desires.

Past articles I wrote in discussing this can be found here.

The Unholy Spirit of Charismatic Churches

            
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The Charismatic churches (WOF and NAR too), are focused on the Holy Spirit. A friend told us that his NAR church "is all about the Spirit, it's all about the Spirit!". This proves it is NOT about the Spirit because Jesus Himself said:

Joh 16:13  When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Joh 16:14  He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

The real Holy Spirit will guide all the elect into all Truth, and He will glorify Christ doing so. The focus of a true church and a true Christian is Jesus Christ. Anything other than HIM, and it's not of the Spirit of Truth whatsoever. These Charismatic churches, then are without the HOLY Spirit because they are being led AWAY from biblical Truth, from Scripture, and from the focus of the biblical Lord Jesus Christ.

When A Professing Christian Gets In the Way of Evangelizing: today's anti-biblical "evangelism"

I saw this on Facebook and it really struck a chord with me. A very bad chord. A young woman addresses Todd Friel who was preaching the Gospel, on how horrible a thing he was doing. Here are my observations.

What she was proclaiming what phariseeism. Good works = gospel= salvation. This is Roman Catholic Liberation theology which is cursed by God (see Gal. 1:7-9 for one example).

No silent witness

16 times “heard” or “spoken” is used i several NT passages about the Gospel.

Here are some examples:

Act 4:4  But many of those who had  HEARD THE WORD believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

Act 13:46  And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, "It was necessary that  THE WORD OF GOD BE SPOKEN first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47  For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, "'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'" 44  The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD. 48  And when the Gentiles  HEARD this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the THE WORD OF THE LORD, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 49  And  THE WORD OF THE  LORD was spreading throughout the whole region.

Act 19:10  This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia HEARD THE WORD OF THE LORD, both Jews and Greeks.

Act 24:24  After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him SPEAK ABOUT FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. 

Persecution for preaching the Gospel

Persecution came to Christians for preaching the risen Lord Jesus Christ, not for silence or good works, otherwise they would not have been murdered. This false notion of getting the world to like you so they will like Jesus is absolutely untrue.

Joh 15:18  "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.19  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.20  Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

Act 5:40  and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41  Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42  And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. 

Act 5:17  But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18  they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19  But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20  "Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life." 

Act 9:28  So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. 

Wrong doctrine leads to a wrong Gospel and a wrong Jesus

The point missed by those who seek the world's approval of Jesus is that they don't know the basic doctrine of Total Depravity, which shows how horrific today's "churches" are. In rejecting or ignoring biblical doctrine it directly affects their evangelism efforts.  Romans 3 and Eph. 2 for example, clearly and repeatedly demonstrate that all men are born sinners, hostile toward God, therefore they are not neutral and merely need to be won over. They are in actuality, haters of Christ Jesus.

Rom 8:7  For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8  Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 

What you win a person with is what you win them to. If you win them with a lie about a loving Jesus who doesn't really mind their sin and that they are worthy of His love, and they just need to like Him, then that's what they just might end up believing and trust in for "salvation" and then die on the hill for such an atrocity.

What angers me about this woman's blocking and judging of the preaching of the Gospel is that 1) this IS today's "Christianity" and 2) it's biblical Christians  that end up having to deal with the fruit of this nonsense in our local churches. It's truly a war inside the churches because of this post-modern, satanic lie about not talking about the biblical Jesus, just engage in social justice and if you can get people to like you, why, they might like Jesus. This is truly blasphemy. She was sitting in the seat of scoffers, that of the Ancient Serpent, "Hath God said?" or in her words, "That's not how Jesus did it, I think". Moreover, she was getting in the way of the proclamation of the Gospel, which is exactly what Satan does.

It struck me too, that this professing Christian woman has no idea who the True God of Scripture is. She's ignorant yet claims to speak on HIS behalf and on what He did/would do. She is not acquainted with the Holy One of Israel at all, nor does she bother to read Scripture (hence the bad fruit), which would definitely be a good fruit for those who truly love God. 

Jer 6:14  They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace. 

She wants to proclaim the love of God to the wicked and ignore their wickedness, not telling them the truth of the wrath of God that presently abides upon them as well as awaits them in eternal punishment if they don't repent. 

She wants John 3:16 (as if that's the gospel) without John 3:36:

Joh 3:36  Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. 

Bad Form

It's horrible that she's rebuking an older Christian man who's been preaching the Gospel (thus, judging, rebuking, and correcting this older man on something she doesn’t even do herself) in front of Christ haters. Really bad form, on top of everything else.

Black Victimhood Fantasy

Angela Graham West addresses two examples of the claim about black victimhood as presented by two women (one is a young black woman and the other is a white mother).

Quote:

She somehow believes that it is inevitable that failure will visit the Black boy or man and these events are beyond his/her control. She is certain of the inevitable “victimhood” of Black people -- especially Black men. It is beyond their control to graduate from high school and not engage in activities that will encourage suspension from school, arrest, or incarceration.

This point of view is bolstered by journalists who write things such as “80 percent of the traffic violations in this town are waged against Black people” while neglecting to tell you that 90 percent of the town's population is Black. Or when they report that “2/3 of all suspensions are of Black children” while neglecting to mention that the school might be 78 percent black and 22 percent Hispanic. The reality is that in many of the inner city public schools, there are little to no white children to suspend.

There is no mention of personal responsibility, familial responsibility or objectivity. Such is the culture of victim-hood....

The press will seize upon an iconic symbol such as the hoodie or the throwing of the hands in the air because every good story needs a symbol, every good riot a rally cry. And then we are off to the Jackson/Sharpton races with one side against the other. Black against White/rich against poor. When a situation arises that does not match this script, it is forgotten. For example, when a black police officer shot and killed a reportedly unarmed white man named Dillon Taylor in South Salt Lake, Utah earlier this month, there was no outcry. In fact, there was very little news about this at all.

The “real story” is this: Every society needs a level of behavioral restraint. The police by definition provide this service. They serve and protect. Also, society also has standards. When you operate outside of those standards, life will be difficult. For example, if you do not graduate from high school, you might not “make out” very well in this society. You might find yourself short on money and long on time, both of these conditions just might lead you to do things that you might otherwise not have the time or want to give the effort to. The responsibility is yours. No one wants to talk about the young Black children growing up in single-parent households, no one wants to speak about the fact that a disproportionate amount of criminal acts -- violent or not -- consists of Black people preying on other Black people.

Certainly, there are instances of prejudice and bigotry, and some are certainly egregious.  We cannot control for that behavior, however, the bullet flying over any Black boy's head is more likely to be fired from a firearm brandished by another Black person than by a cop.

~Excerpts from Angela Graham West, American Thinker 

Please read the whole article.

Drs. Thomas Sowell and Walter Williams  (both grew up poor and by way of good morals and personal responsibility and high expectations, these men went on to become doctors in their fields of higher education)  as well as Larry Elder have also addressed these same issues for years as well. None of these black men see themselves or others as victims.

The Professing Christian

“If the professing Christian supposes that no matter what the character of his walk may be, he has but to plead the name of Christ and his petitions are assured of an answer, he is sadly deluded. God is ineffably holy and His Word expressly declares, “If I regard iniquity I my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psa. 66:18).

It is not sufficient to believe in Christ, or plead His name, in order to ensure answers to prayer: there must be a practical subjection to and daily fellowship with Him: “If ye abide in Me and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7).

It is not sufficient to be a child of God and call upon his heavenly Father: there must be an ordering of our lives according to His revealed will: “Whatsoever we ask we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (1John 3:22).

It is not sufficient to come boldly unto the Throne of Grace: we must “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22) – that which defiles being removed by the cleansing precepts of the Word (see Psa. 119:9).” 

-“The Life of Elijah” A.W. Pink

The Lordship of Christ

Christ's lordship is a blessed hope for some & a terrifying nightmare for others. Regardless of our response, it is an unalterable reality.

~Paul Washer

Doctrinal Preaching Is Necessary

             

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"Doctrinal preaching is designed to enlighten the understanding, to instruct the mind, to inform the judgment. It is that which supplies motives to gratitude and furnishes incentives unto good works. There can be no soundness in the Faith if the fundamental articles of the Faith be not known and, in some measure at least, understood."

~ Arthur Pink, "Practical Christianity"

These are more reasons why biblical doctrine is never an option to believe or not believe like a mere theory.

Trivializing "Homosexuality" As "Just Another Sin"

“Many believers, fearful of being called ‘haters,’ are trivializing the threat by calling homosexuality ‘just another sin,’” it says.

“But from Genesis to Revelation, the Bible teaches that homosexuality is NOT ‘just another sin.’ It is a symbol of extreme rebellion against God and harbinger of His wrath.”

Listed are multiple biblical condemnations of homosexual behavior.

~WND

Most "Christians" today use humanity as the sin-equalizer, rejecting the particular sins God has set forth as especially egregious. This itself is sinful, and ignores the severe warning of those who either commit sodomy or defend it. It treats such a sin and desire as a medical issue just like the lie of "alcoholism", claiming it's genetic (it is not). Therefore such a view by "Christians" makes the sodomite of the heart, a person who is enslaved to that unnatural, perverted sin, a matter of the physical instead of the spiritual. It denies God's judicial verdict of such a heinous crime against HIS holiness and HIS law. And it rejects true agape love that tells the sodomite of his enslavement to sin and it's just wage of death, as well as the only hope OUT of it which is by salvation in Christ alone (this means abandoning that sin altogether, which is what we do in Christ--we are, after all, more than victorious in HIM).

Seven Strands Which Bind The Elect To God

Real men read Pink (A.W. Pink)

THE SEVEN STRANDS WHICH BIND THE ELECT TO GOD.
A.W. Pink

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand.” – (John 10:27-29)

"No stronger passage in all the Word of God can be found guaranteeing the absolute security of every child of God. Note the SEVEN STRANDS in the rope which binds them to God.

FIRST, they are Christ’s sheep, and it is the duty of the shepherd to care for each of his flock! To suggest that any of Christ’s sheep may be lost is to blaspheme the Shepherd Himself.

SECOND, it is said “They follow” Christ, and no exceptions are made; the Lord does not say they ought to, but declares they do. If then the sheep “follow” Christ they must reach Heaven, for that is where the Shepherd is gone!

THIRD, to the sheep is imparted “eternal life”: to speak of eternal life ending is a contradiction in terms.

FOURTH, this eternal life is “given” to them: they did nothing to merit it, consequently they can do nothing to demerit it.

FIFTH, the Lord Himself declares that His sheep “shall never perish,” consequently the man who declares that it is possible for a child of God to go to Hell makes God a liar.

SIXTH, from the SHEPHERD’S “hand” none is able to pluck them, hence the Devil is unable to encompass the destruction of a single one of them.

SEVENTH, above them is the FATHER’S “hand,” hence it is IMPOSSIBLE for them to jump out of the hand of Christ even if they tried to. It has been well said that if one soul who trusted in Christ should be missing in Heaven, there would be one vacant seat there, one crown unused, one harp unstrung; and this would grieve all Heaven and proclaim a disappointed God.

But such a thing is utterly impossible!"

~Source

Hamas Executes Palestinians

A Muslim is a Muslim no matter the country. Their loyalty is to Allah and Muhammad.

As reported:

18 Palestinians were killed by Hamas forces in Gaza; Witnesses say several Gazans executed by Hamas in public square.

                              

                                        Hamas operatives in Gaza. Photo: REUTERS
~Jerusalem Post 

Keller's Wrong View of Creation

In his discussion of "Why We Are Here" we next come to Keller's view of the created order: "God made a good, beautiful world filled with beings who share in this life of joy and peace by knowing, serving, and loving God and one another." First of all, it is ironic that Keller, a promoter of theistic evolution, would say that "God made a good, beautiful world" when his evolutionary position entails billions of years of suffering and death to reach the present state of the world - in which suffering and death predominate. The theistic evolutionary view has no place for a "good and beautiful world" - a perfect world that could be launched into chaos by man's sin.

~Teaching The Word

Tim Keller Changes The Definition of "Sin"

In his writings and teachings, Keller avoids the word "sin" and rejects the Biblical definition of the term. In fact, one of the chapters in Keller's book The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith is titled "Redefining Sin". In an interview for USA Today Keller explained his position:

When Keller, author of The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, speaks about "sin" to his audiences, which are 70% single and younger than 40, "I use it with lots and lots of explanation, because the word is essentially obsolete."

"They do get the idea of branding, of taking a word or term and filling it with your own content, so I have to rebrand the word 'sin,' " Keller says.

"Around here [in his Redeemer Network churches] it means self-centeredness, the acorn from which it all grows. Individually, that means 'I live for myself, for my own glory and happiness, and I'll work for your happiness if it helps me.' Communally, self-centeredness is destroying peace and justice in the world, tearing the net of interwovenness, the fabric of humanity."²

Is this how the Bible speaks of sin? Can any true preacher of the Gospel dare to "rebrand the word 'sin' "? Never!

Is sin merely, as Keller puts it, "I live for myself, for my own glory and happiness, and I'll work for your happiness if it helps me"? Is sin merely "self-centeredness [that] is destroying peace and justice in the world, tearing the net of interwovenness, the fabric of humanity"? No. Scripture defines sin as any lack of conformity to, or violation of, the law of God (1 John 3:4, Romans 4:15). As such, it is the most serious problem in the universe. Sin isn't merely an offense against God's law, which emanates from the holiness of God. That is bad enough. Beyond that, sin is an offense against God the Lawgiver Himself (Exodus 32:33, Deuteronomy 32:51, Psalm 51:4), and it is an offense by creature against Creator (Ezekiel 18:4). Sin is a doubly-deep problem, and man is doubly condemned.

End quote.

~Teaching The Word

How is this the Gospel? Yet this man, his ministry, his views, his interpretations, his teachings, his church,is all infested with his false gospel. Being the founding father of The Gospel Coalition, this is his consistent view of "the gospel". To be a participant and a council member of TGC is to accept this false teaching.

Practicing Al-Takeyya (Lying for Islam)

                 
               

The #Quran contains at least 109 verses that call#Muslims to war with nonbelievers for the sake of Islamic rule. The Quran is a #terrorist instruction manual, written by a #Jihadist for Jihadists. 
The Quran is the source of the #ISIL problem. So how can#Obama say that no religion commands people to kill?

~Source and Photo source


I've been saying this for years now. I hope people WAKE UP and realize Islam is a Political religion, not merely a religion. It has its branches of military personell, it's weapons of warfare, its government and its rules.

Al-Takeyya    http://www.islamreview.com/articles/lying.shtml :

"Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from Allah: except by way of precaution (prevention), that ye may Guard yourselves from them (prevent them from harming you.) But Allah cautions you (To remember) Himself; for the final goal is to Allah." Surah 3: 28

"Allah will not call you to account for thoughtlessness (vain) in your oaths, but for the intention in your hearts; and He is Oft-forgiving, Most Forbearing." Surah 2:225

"Any one who, after accepting faith in Allah, utters Unbelief, except under compulsion, his heart remaining firm in Faith - but such as open their breast to Unbelief, on them is Wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a dreadful Penalty." Surah 16: 106

According to this verse a Muslim can pretend to befriend infidels (in violation of the teachings of Islam) and display adherence with their unbelief to prevent them from harming him.

Under the concept of Takeyya and short of killing another human being, if under the threat of force, it is legitimate for Muslims to act contrary to their faith. The following actions are acceptable:

Drink wine, abandon prayers, and skip fasting during Ramadan;Renounce belief in Allahl Kneel in homage to a deity other than Allah;Utter insincere oaths. 

Would This Get Obama's Attention?

       
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John Piper and Oral Sex Questions: absolutely inappropriate

Well now it's published, not merely in audio form. This is absolutely inappropriate to be speaking about in a public setting that bears NO edification. And this is occuring in large part because Piper's friend Mark Driscoll, the uncouth, disgraced pastor over at Mars Hill and Acts 29, is all about sex. Piper was supposed to be mentoring Driscoll but the reality was that Driscoll has taught Piper much more---impurity. The reality is that bad company really does corrupt good character, as Scripture states. Moreover, I believe that Piper has found a door through which he can learn to be hedonistic.

This is not fruit of a mature, wise, sober minded, discerning Christian "leader". Quite the opposite. Please excuse the topic--I don't even like posting it, but I do so in order to show the increasing apostasy of this man the older and more rebellious he gets. Some just won't believe it unless, I guess, they are shocked out of their complacency. 

"We get a lot of questions about relationships, dating, marriage, and of course sex. And that leads to episodes that may not be suitable for all listeners and are really designed to be listened to by married couples. Such is the case today. In the last month ten questions have arrived on the question of oral sex. The question is always the same: Pastor John, is this practice permissible in a Christian marriage, or is it always sinful?"

~Desiring "God"

This also shows why the LOCAL church is the biblical way to deal with issues--not by a paper pope who is a renegade yet has a hold over millions of minds of professing Christians.

The Jr Varsity Team Is Pretty Darn Sophisticated

Oh but they're merely a Jr. Varsity team, not to be taken seriously, Obama said.

"They are an imminent threat to every interest we have, whether it's in Iraq or anywhere else," Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told reporters at the Pentagon."

Asked if the hardline Sunni Muslim organization posed a threat to the United States comparable to that of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Hagel said it was "as sophisticated and well-funded as any group we have seen."

"They are beyond just a terrorist group. They marry ideology, a sophistication of ... military prowess. They are tremendously well-funded. This is beyond anything we've seen."

~Reuters

Encouragement In Trials

               
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"When the tree is soundly shaken, the rotten apples fall to the ground. Just so, in great trials, unsound professors will fall away."

First, trials and afflictions test me, that I may see how far my supposed graces are real and vital. Those which are unsound will soon be lost; only the living and growing graces will remain.

Secondly, trials and afflictions relieve me, for it is a hurtful thing to the tree and to its living fruit to be cumbered with rottenness, in which may breed noxious worms, which when they multiply may come to be devourers of the tree's life!

We are enriched when we lose fabricated virtues. Stripping of filthy rags, is an advance toward cleanliness--and what are counterfeit graces but mere rags, worthy to be torn off and cast into the fire?

In the end, such a result of affliction also beautifies me. For as rotten apples disfigure the tree, so would the mere pretense of virtue mar my character in the sight of God and holy men. It is always better to be openly without a virtue, than to bear the form of it without in reality possessing it.
A sham--is a shame!
An unreal virtue--is an undoubted vice!

Lord, I thank you for shaking me, since I now perceive that all this good and much more is designed by the process; and is, I trust, in some measure accomplished thereby. Oh that your Holy Spirit may bless my adversities to this end!

(Charles Spurgeon, "Flowers from a Puritan's Garden" 1883)

Jas 1:2  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 

2Co 1:9  Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 

Rom 8:28  And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 

He Has Not Forgotten You

             
             Photo source

"Child of God, you cost Christ too much for Him to forget 

you."



~Spurgeon

Sin Is Not Always Ugly And Is Often Mesmerizing and Seductive: I am called to hate it down to every last part of it

           
           (Photo: hemlock. Photo source)

"But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate!" Revelation 2:6

So I must live, with equal aloofness from every wicked and dubious way--with equal abhorrence of all which my divinely enlightened conscience may not approve. Christ expects me to hate the works of the Nicolaitans!

If I am to escape the seductions of sin--I require such intolerance and hatred.
There is great enticement in sin's gaieties, fascinations, and charms!
It beguiles!
It entraps!
It enthralls!

It is not always ugly--often it has a mesmerizing enchantment. My one safety is have an unflinching opposition to that which is both so fair and so foul at the same time. If I dull the keen edge of my hostility to sin--the plausible and insinuating foe will quickly have me at his mercy!

There is a type of weakness which is all for concession and clemency in the presence of evil. It parleys with sin, and it dallies in its society. It can say a great deal in sin's defense--perhaps it discerns admirable qualities in it.

But the holiness to which I am called, is more manly and soldierly. It will have no friendship with the foul adversary!

If I am to imitate Christ--I require such severities and aversions to sin. He also hates the works of the Nicolaitans. I misread Him if I think of Him as altogether meek and gentle. He sends a sword, He kindles a fire, upon the earth. Before His pure gaze, sin blushes, and droops its proud head, and withers away! He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and He will not rest until He has trodden every iniquity under His feet!

"I hate every false way!" Psalm 119:128

(Alexander Smellie, "The Secret Place" 1907)

Evangelism Attempts By Young Converts

          

                 (photo source)

“Equally pitiable is the hand religion of the day, when young “converts” are put to teaching a Sunday school class, urged to “speak” in the open air, or take up “personal work.” How many thousands of beardless youths and young girls are now engaged in what is called “winning souls for Christ,” when their own souls are spiritually starved! They may “memorize” two or three verses of Scripture a day, but that does not mean their souls are being fed. 

How many are giving their evenings to helping in some “mission,” when they need to be spending the time in “the secret of the Most High”! And how many bewildered souls are using the major part of the Lord’s day in rushing from one meeting to another instead of seeking from God that which will fortify them against the temptations of the week! Oh, the tragedy of this hand “Christianity.”

How subtle the Devil is! Under the guise of promoting growth in “the knowledge of the Lord,” he gets people to attend a ceaseless round of meetings, or to read an almost endless number of religious periodicals and books; or under the pretence of “honoring the Lord” by all this so-called “service” he induces the one or the other to neglect the great task which God has set before us:

“keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).” 

 —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)

Taken from “Practical Christianity” by A. W. Pink (1886-1952)

Trying To Disciple A Goat Into A Sheep: the devastation of today's "evangelism"

                

                                                                                                     (photo source)

ALS Ice Bucket Fundraising Supports Embryonic Stem Cell Research

(RNS) With celebrities, athletes and a handful of religious leaders on board, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has raised millions for research for ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

In an email to Religion News Service, Carrie Munk, a spokeswoman for the ALS Association, said that the organization primarily funds adult stem cell research.

“Currently, The Association is funding one study using embryonic stem cells (ESC), and the stem cell line was established many years ago under ethical guidelines set by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS); this research is funded by one specific donor, who is committed to this area of research,” she said. “The project is in its final phase and will come to an end very soon.”

~Religion News

The ALS speaks in very positive ways about Embryonic stem cells. They clearly value it. They haven't stated they will not ever use any embryonic stem cells in further research. And if they value it, the likelihood that they continue to use it in their research is quite high.

This should cause the Biblical Christian to not support this group until they reject all embryonic stem cell research as well as usage in any way, since embryos are human babies and such stem cells require the death of the baby. This is an impossible position for a TRUE pro-life Christian to maintain.