You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘religion’ category.
Question: “Would the discovery of Noah’s Ark be important?”
Answer: There have been numerous claimed discoveries of Noah’s Ark in recent years. The discoveries have been in various locations, ranging from Mount Ararat in Turkey, to a mountain range in Iran, to an entirely different location on Mount Ararat (with a visitors’ center). It is not the purpose of this article to evaluate whether or not the Noah’s Ark discovery claims are legitimate. Rather, the question at hand is: If Noah’s Ark was discovered, would that be significant? Would the discovery of Noah’s Ark cause people to turn to God in faith?
The discovery of a boat-like structure in the mountains of the Middle East, carbon dated to approximately the time of the biblical account of Noah’s Ark (2500 B.C), with evidence of animal life once having been aboard would surely be a tremendous discovery. For those who believe in God and trust in the Bible as His inspired Word, it would be powerful confirmation that the Bible is true and that early human history occurred precisely as the Bible describes it. A verified discovery of Noah’s Ark would likely cause many seekers and open-minded skeptics to at least re-evaluate their beliefs. For the close-minded critic and hardened atheist, however, the discovery of Noah’s Ark would not make one bit of a difference.
Romans 1:19-20 declares, “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (ESV). If a person is rejecting the clear evidence of God in the universe, no biblically-related discovery would change his/her mind. Similarly, in Luke 16:31, Jesus declared, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” No discovery, no argument, and no miracle will change the mind of a person who has been blinded by Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4) and is, with a hard heart and closed mind, rejecting the light of the Gospel.
Conversely, would it matter if Noah’s Ark is never discovered? No, it would not matter because the Christian faith is not built on every biblical account being explicitly/conclusively proven. The Christian faith is built on faith. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). With that in mind, though, there are two primary explanations for why Noah’s Ark might never be discovered. First, the wood of the Ark would have been very valuable post-Flood. Noah and his family would have needed wood to build their homes. It is possible that Noah and his family, or their descendants, deconstructed the Ark and used its wood for other purposes. Second, even if Noah and his family left the Ark intact, approximately 4500 years have passed (if the biblical account is interpreted strictly literally). A wooden structure exposed to harsh elements for 4500 years would, for the most part, decompose/decay into virtual nothingness.
While the discovery of Noah’s Ark would be a tremendous and powerful archaeological find, it will never be something Christians should place their faith in. The discovery of Noah’s Ark, or the Ark of the Covenant, or the Garden of Eden, or any other biblical artifact will not prove the Christian faith and will not change the mind of anyone whom God is not drawing (John 6:44). “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
BONO SAYS JESUS AND MOHAMMED ARE BOTH TRUE (Friday Church News Notes, April 9, 2010, http://www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) –
Bono, frontman for the popular rock band U2, is held up as an idol by many Christians. But while he does make a profession of faith in Christ, he doesn’t have a biblical testimony, doesn’t attend church with any regularity, and has lived the worldly rock & roll lifestyle to the hilt. He is the ultimate “cool Christian,” but is he really a Christian? A couple of years ago I read the book Bono on Bono: Conversations with Michka Assayas (Hodder & Stoughton, 2005), which contains an interview with a music reporter that extended over a long period of time.
Nowhere in this 337-page book does Bono give a scriptural testimony of having been born again, without which Jesus said no man can see the kingdom of heaven. He says that he believes Jesus is the Messiah and that He died on the cross for his sins and that he is holding out for grace, but the Pope says that much. Bono’s “grace” is a grace that does not result in radical conversion and a new way of life; it is a grace without repentance. Nowhere does he warn his myriads of listeners to turn to Christ before it is too late and before they pass out of this life into eternal hell. In fact, the only thing he says about heaven or hell is that both are on earth. “I think, rather like Hell, Heaven is on Earth. That’s my prayer … that’s where Heaven for me is…” (Bono on Bono, p. 254). It sounds like Bono has been listening more to John Lennon than the Bible, and in fact he says that when he was 11 years old he listened to Lennon’s album Imagine and it “really got under my skin, the blood of it” (p. 246). On this album Lennon sang, “Imagine there is no heaven above and no hell below.”
As for church, Bono says that the older he gets the more comfort he finds in Roman Catholicism. “Let’s not get too hard on the Holy Roman Church here. The Church has its problems, but the older I get, the more comfort I find there. … murmuring prayers, stories told in stained-glass windows, the colors of Catholicism–purple mauve, yellow, red–the burning incense. My friend Gavin Friday says Catholicism is the glam-rock of religion” (p. 201). Though he speaks positively of Romanism, Bono has nothing good to say about “fundamentalism,” falsely claiming that it is a denial that God is love (p. 167) and calling it vile names (p. 147).
He praises singers who have produced some of the filthiest music, such as Prince and Mick Jagger, insinuating that they are good people who are only making innocent art (pp. 153, 156). He says his favorite lyric in a song is Kris Kristofferson’s immoral “Help Me Make It through the Night” (p. 129). He admits that U2’s music is “sexual” and even pretends that “erotic love can turn into something much higher,” admitting that he seems “to segue very easily between the two” (p. 120). The truth is that Bono’s Christianity is a heretical mixture of Bible (the smallest part) and rock & roll philosophy (the largest part).
He is a study in contradictions. On one hand he says that Jesus is the Messiah who died on the cross for man’s sins, while on the other hand making statements by his mouth and lifestyle that blatantly deny the Jesus of the Bible. In fact, he says that Jesus and Mohammed are both true.
At U2’s Madison Square Garden concert in 2005 Bono led the crowd in the chant “Jesus, Jew, Mohammed–all true. Jesus, Jew, Mohammed–all true.” Tara Cobble, who attended the concert, testified that this chant destroyed her ill-placed devotion to Bono. “He repeated the words like a mantra. Was Bono, my supposed brother in Christ, preaching some kind of universalism? As I looked around, I saw all the people standing and chanting with him–it was disgusting … When he stated that lie so boldly, it devastated me. It was, without question, the most disturbing experience of my life; I felt like I’d been covered in bile. The reality is that Bono held too high a place in my heart. And I don’t think I’m alone there. I’ve wrongly held him up as the heroic ideal–the cool representative for Christianity; he may have been my ‘Christian idol’, but he was my idol nonetheless” (Tara Leigh Cobble, “How to Dismantle an Idolized Bono,” Relevant magazine, Dec. 19, 2005). We appreciate her candor, but from a biblical standpoint there is no such thing as a cool representative of Christianity. If a man takes the Bible seriously, he will not be cool by any worldly standard! In fact, he will be some sort of thrice-hated fundamentalist!
I loved the following excerpt from Dave Hunt’s – Search the Scriptures Daily
The Day of the Lord…When and How Long?
He said, “Don’t lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt, thieves break in and steal, but lay up treasures in heaven, for where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”
Now, that’s not easy to illustrate and you stop me if I already told this story of the lady that died and went to heaven, you remember? And, Saint Peter is showing her around and she comes to, what looks like the Beverly Hills of heaven, if there were such a thing—such a fabulous mansion and she says, “Well, who is that for?” Peter says, “That’s your maid, Jenny.” And then she comes, if there is such a thing, to the slums of heaven and there is this little shack there that is so pitiful she can’t resist asking, “Well, who does that belong to?” Peter says, “That’s yours.”
This was a very wealthy lady on earth. She says, “Well, how could that be?” Peter says, “Well, we can only build with the material you sent up here.”
So, I think this is what Jesus is saying. “Lay up treasures in heaven where moth and rust doth not corrupt.” How do we do that? Well, we do that through winning souls for Christ, through our steadfastness in the faith and serving others…..
source
Kim Clement, Haiti, and the ElijahList
Prophecies after the fact are not true prophecies
by Bud Press, Director
Christian Research Service
http://www.christianresearchservice.com
February 14, 2010
How many times have we heard of a disaster, then listened to a modern-day “prophet” inform the public about his prophetic warnings months or even years before the disaster occurred?
“God gave me a vision a long time ago about that terrible disaster,” the prophet announces, “and I feel led to share it with you now.”
Not only do the prophet’s followers believe it, they do back-flips praising his name.
Then, someone pops up and asks, Why didn’t the prophet shout the warning publicly months or even days before the disaster? Good question, and one that needs to be asked more often.
Making a prophecy public after a situation occurs is prophecy after the fact. The more wrong a false prophet is the more it occurs. While Christians are commanded by Scripture to test all things (1 Thessalonians 5:21), prophecy after the fact is a claim that is almost impossible to test or validate. False prophets know this, and rely on their audience of followers to nod their heads in approval and take their word for it.
Prophecy after the fact is also prophecy of convenience. How convenient it is for the modern-day wannabe prophets, especially those whose popularity is suffering in the ratings department.
‘Spirit of unity’ or devastation?
Out of curiosity, I went to Kim Clement’s website, did a search on the word “Haiti,” and found the following, dated July 17, 2009: “In Haiti a spirit of unity is being released” ( http://tinyurl.com/yggadgy ).
But unfortunate for the Haitians, that “spirit of unity” turned into a devastating earthquake, where the death toll is reportedly 230,000 (“Haiti death toll same as Asian tsunami,” http://tinyurl.com/ylm3rtz ).
The earthquake in Haiti took place on Tuesday, January 12, 2010, but where was Kim Clement before the earthquake occurred? Powerless to prophesy. And where was Clement’s “god” beforehand? Without the authority and ability to predict the future.
While there are numerous references to earthquakes on Clement’s website, the above quote is the only reference to Haiti (as of this writing, that is).
My next stop was the ElijahList, where exists a den of more modern-day false prophets than I care to count. While there, I typed-in the word “Haiti” into the search window and came up with seven articles, the most recent dated February 9, 2010.
Out of the seven articles, there are only three general references to Haiti: one by Kim Clement (cited above), one from Francis Frangipane’s September 27, 2004 article, “From Little Children to Sons,” and one from Luke Holter’s February 9, 2010 article, “Opportunity for Great Awakening with the Lord of the Harvest.” Yet, there are more references to “earthquake(s)” on the ElijahList than I care to count.
Haiti is east of Cuba and north of South America, and shares the same island with the Dominican Republic. I also searched for references to the “Dominican Republic” on Kim Clement’s website and the ElijahList. There is nothing on Clement’s website, but there is a general reference on the ElijahList, dated March 2005.
It is true that time is an enemy to a false prophet. False prophecies return to haunt false prophets–they always do. Kim Clement’s prophecy for a “spirit of unity” in Haiti turned into a tremendous devastation, and returned to haunt him.
Kim Clement would do well to heed God’s Scriptural warnings, and leave prophecy to those who were called to be prophets of God in the first place
( http://christianresearchservice.com/God&FalseProphets.htm ).
Dropping the prophetic ball
Give false prophets an inch of opportunity and they will take a mile of advantage. Such is the case with Steve Shultz, Publisher of the ElijahList (the internet’s laundry list for heretics, false prophets, and false healers). Note Shultz’s after the fact comments on the earthquake in Haiti:
“Contrary to many who ask us to do so, we don’t normally post how we ‘got a prophetic word right’ after the event comes to pass. To do so COULD sound like we are more interested in being right than in being righteous and compassionate. Please know that we are wanting to be Righteous and Compassionate before we care about being right. Having said that, these words were all given BEFORE the earthquake in Haiti. It lets you know that we serve a God who is in control and a compassionate Savior who has a plan for the people of the earth—all of whom HE LOVES far more than we do. On July 17, 2009, while prophesying about Chicago, Kim Clement suddenly mentioned this line about Haiti: “In Haiti, a spirit of unity is being released.” –Kim Clement” ( http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word/8407 , emp. theirs).
Goodness gracious! Kim Clement mentioned a “line about Haiti.” So? What does that validate? Nothing!
Since the ElijahList contains zero prophetic warnings specific to the earthquake in Haiti, Shultz played the catch-up damage control card to protect the prophets and let his readers know the ElijahList is on the ball–even when they all drop the prophetic ball.
Further, while Shultz wants his readers to “Please know that we are wanting to be Righteous and Compassionate before we care about being right,” the fact is that righteousness, compassion, and being right work together in harmony for those who serve Jesus Christ and trust in God’s written word.
Nonetheless, it appears that as far as Steve Shultz is concerned, all a prophet has to do is mention a word or a name in a prophecy, and when that word or name makes headlines, BOING! it’s a fulfilled prophecy. As such, the prophet is elevated and vindicated, and the ElijahList survives another day to seize an inch of opportunity and take a mile of advantage.
Prophecy after the fact is a desperate grabbing at straws. But, since the competition between modern-day prophets is fierce, they do what they must to stay on top and in the game. And, pathetic as it is, jockeying for a top position in the prophetic is the name of the game.
False prophets do what they do best: they serve a false “god,” fabricate and deliver false prophecies, drop the prophetic ball, and spend an incredible amount of time in the Department of Excuses and Damage Control. False prophets are opportunistic, and grab at anything that appears to validate their claims.
And while the gullible and unwary stumble over each other to get to the false prophets, God’s warnings are as valid today as they were thousands of years ago:
The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it? (Jeremiah 5:31).
Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles encountered their share of false prophets, and dealt with them according to God’s instructions. Right now, God is allowing this foolishness to continue to test those who claim to love Him (Deuteronomy 13:1-4; Deuteronomy 18:19-22).
Don’t kid yourself, God is against false prophets (Jeremiah 23:31-32; Ezekiel 13:9; Matthew 7:21-23; 2 Peter 2:1), and He will deal with them severely at His appointed time.
After the fact…how convenient!
In her article, “Kim Clement Says Haiti Quake Was Actually Meant for America,” Chrystal, Director of Slaughter of the Sheep blog, reveals that self-proclaimed prophet Kim Clement “claims that God told him that the Haiti earthquake was actually intended to hit America…” ( http://tinyurl.com/yf69ral ).
In fact, beginning at 2:07 into the YouTube video included in Chrystal’s article, Clement, backed by emotion-stirring music, states that,
When even as the earth shook-ka, in Haiti, and some have cursed and they’ve said, “This is the judgment of God.” God said, “Be careful what you say! For you see, I diverted.” Now listen carefully. “I diverted the earthquake, for it was due to happen in this nation.”
See what I mean? Prophecy after the fact is a prophecy of convenience. Both work hand-in-had, and false prophets capitalize on it to stay in the game.
Prophecies after the fact are not true prophecies. They are, however, a pathetic attempt to elevate the prophet, exploit a situation or disaster, and gain favor with the gullible and unwary.
How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart, who intend to make My people forget My name by their dreams which they relate to one another, just as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal? (Jeremiah 23:26-27)
Zero tolerance
I have seen the damage false prophets cause to the spiritual, physical, and mental welfare of their followers. Some recover to serve the real Jesus of the Bible. Others go into seclusion–shipwrecked and feeling betrayed–nursing their pain and sadness, taking months or years to recover.
Then, there are those whose hearts are filled with anger and hatred over anything that resembles “Christianity” They not only blame Christians and God for being conned and deceived by heretics and false prophets, they actively campaign against God and the Bible, and cause others to stumble and mock God in the process. It is a vicious cycle, and a whirlpool that leads to destruction.
God is not asleep. He is moving within the darkened alleys of the “prophetic movement” and revealing the true nature of its so-called prophets, teachers, apostles, and healers.
God has zero tolerance for false prophets and false teachers, and so should we.
Related reading and viewing:
“By His Grace” (YouTube video by VinnieActs2030)
Kim Clement’s ongoing prophetic Promises
http://www.letusreason.org/Latrain58.htm
Is Kim Clement a New Age Prophet?
http://letusreason.org/Popteac14.htm
Kim Clement Prophesies Assassination Attempt on Obama in 2010
What God Has To Say About False Prophets
http://christianresearchservice.com/God&FalseProphets.htm
Word of Faith Movement: Birthed in the Bowels of Hell
http://www.christianresearchservice.com/Word_of_Faith_Movement.htm
FALSE PROPHETS & FALSE TEACHERS: Pictorial of Modern-Day Wolves in
Sheep’s Clothing
http://www.christianresearchservice.com/Wolves_Pictorial.htm
— You are encouraged to reprint and distribute this article. Please review the CRS Article Reprint Guidelines at
By Kim Olsen
Am I in God’s will? Am I doing the right thing? Lord, what job shall I take? Does God even hear me? How can I hear from God to get the answers I need?
Common questions. I hear them all the time and have asked the very same questions over and over again. It is human nature to want to know the future. What a comfort it would be to know everything on a day to day basis. Or would it?
In the Old Testament, the Israelites followed the cloud, the Lord, in the desert. Now here they knew that they were following God. In fact they were led for every moment. But picture this scenario…..
A family is settled in because the cloud has stopped moving. They unpack. Set up the tent. Make a fire pit. Put away all their belongings. But wait….the cloud has started moving again….hey, everybody….start packing. Let’s go..go! What questions might the Israelites had asked….
Where are we going? How long will we travel before we stop again? Why do we stay in one location for three days then the next for three months? Will we stop somewhere that has shade? When we do stop, how long will we stay at that destination? Where will our water come from? Should I continue to follow this cloud that does not seem to be taking us anywhere? Where is this promised land? How long till we get there? I see the cloud but is God really in it? Where is Moses when you need him?
It is not indicated in scripture that the Israelites were given any answers to these questions. They were to just follow the cloud when it moved.
At Bible study we were asked, “Is this really how you want to be led by God?”. It gives us pause to remember the freedom we have in Christ. Even though the Israelites were visibly directed by God, they rebelled and complained saying more than once that they thought they were better off back in Egypt. Did they forget that they were slaves there? In fact they wanted to replace Moses. “Let us make a captain, and let us return to Egypt.” Numbers 14:3. So, it seems that even those directly led by God, rebel.
We were given a mind to make our own decisions. In fact when we look at scripture there is no indication that the general believing population, after reaching Canaan, was given any special direction at all. They just served the Lord in everyday situations, just like we are to today.
Sure, it would be nice to know if we should take a certain job or move to a new city, but we are not entitled to any special revelation from God. He may give us a peace about a decision, check our spirit, or provide providentially, but we are to be wise and make the best decisions possible based on how we are to live our lives based on scripture.
Once we begin to seek hidden knowledge, or wait for a voice boom from above, we get ourselves into trouble of waiting on extra-biblical aid. I do believe there are times when God intervenes supernaturally. Yes, indeed I do. And I also believe that God can and will lead with that small still voice. But this is not the normal way God speaks daily to us or works in our lives. He speaks to us through His written Word.
So, how do you know God and His will? Genesis to Revelation. There is no easy answer here but one has to start walking with Jesus because He is the Word. He is the Way.
If you are truly hungering for God, then you will hunger for the Word because it is through study and prayer that God will reveal Himself to you. I wish there were shortcuts, but it just isn’t so.
1 John 5:3 says “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,”
To know God is to study His Word. Set aside time each day to read scripture. After you pray, open your Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you in all His ways.
We know from John 1:1 that the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And Jesus is God in the flesh. But the Word or the manna was not enough for the Israelites. They rejected the manna and wanted meat. It was in this way that they rejected God. This of course angered God. “The Lord became exceedingly angry”. Numbers 11:10.
The people became just like the world, like the rabble, they craved more than what God was offering them freely and on a daily basis. Aren’t we just like the Israelites? We are no different. That is why this biblical account is available for us to read and study today.
Are you angering the Lord today by complaining that His Word is not enough? This gives new insight to the statement, “Be careful what you ask for!” The Lord gave the people what they wanted. It was meat they wanted so He sent quail, three feet deep. They were now wading in the very desire that would soon destroy them. They wanted more than what God offered, and so God sent a plague and killed those who “craved other food” besides the manna.
Open your Bible now…and hear the Word of our Lord, and then prayerfully walk in obedience.
(reposted)
Well, half of it anyway…..
It was in September 2009 that my Pastor told me he was unhappy with the church because of the new ELCA resolution allowing gay ministry.
I wasn’t even aware that a vote had taken place but the outcome has affected all Lutheran churches everywhere. Those who are affliated with the ELCA have had to make some decisions. Many who have ended up in a ELCA church not really knowing the programs behind it are now aware.
I believe the Lord led me to the Lutheran church I was attending. I just did not know why. It was way too liberal for me, which caused discontent. Knowing that one is not to be discontent in a situation that the Lord has ordained, I stayed.
Our Pastor gave notice and a few of us started looking for a new location. There was the possibility of renting a hall, meeting in someone’s home, or looking at vacant buildings. Then me and husband noticed a church that seemed to have only a few worshippers on Sunday. We contacted the Pastor there and then the Lord cleared the way for us to be able to use this facility. The congregation there disbanded and we were able to take over the premises.
After months of prayer for the Lord to lead and guide us, He supplied a fully-stocked church facility to rent. He sent us a benefactor for start-up costs and necessary repairs.
And He sent worshippers.
We installed the sign early in the evening anxious to see our church in lights. The next day people driving by stopped and asked, “Are you part of the ELCA?” When the Pastor said “NO”, they said, “Good …we will be attending your next service.”
We have not even advertised yet and we already think we will have to start planning a second service. Half of the people from the old church, people from other ELCA congregations that are dragging their feet on a vote, and people looking for a biblical church.. have come.
We will not be a perfect church for we are imperfect sinful people..yet God answered our prayer because we wish to serve Him in spirit and truth.
*UPDATE*
check out Paul’s new blog
http://iftruthbeknown.wordpress.com/
War on the Saints
Never since the days of the Reformation has there been such pressure upon the true body of Christ. No longer can a man even speak of being a Christian without making some form of doctrinal clarification to define what he means. Protestant Christianity is in an absolute upheaval as the majority of the prominent leaders claiming to represent the true Christian church tend to be liars, cheats or teachers of dubious doctrine.
The Bible itself as God’s infallible Word is bombarded daily by false accusations questioning its credibility, authenticity, accuracy and recently its clarity. ( The argument is that the scripture may be God’s word but who can truly understand what it is saying??)
The Deity of Christ is questioned and rejected in many sectors. The virgin birth of Christ is scoffed at. The doctrine of hell is no longer taught by those embarrassed at its reality. Many reject it altogether. Men claiming to be the restored apostles and prophets are now a dime a dozen and the heretical nonsense that they spew out is not worth a dime. Sin is rarely mentioned and error of judgement is the preferred condition of man before the Holy God. Man has become elevated to the lofty position of lord of the earth and the One enthroned in heaven can do little without the interaction and partnership of his church. The Lord God Almighty can now be addressed as Allah. Many call God Papa or Daddy and their familiarity with the Almighty has bred the inevitable contempt towards His terrifying holiness. Music that stirs the emotions has replaced the actual presence of God by his Holy Spirit. Man for all intents and purposes has been deified for almost every sermon is geared towards how man can become more blessed. Preachers have forsaken the scriptures and become personal coaches using the modern pop psychology of self improvement. The unity of heretical doctrines under the banner of a new age Jesus is the One untouchable golden Cow in today’s modern apostate church. The Pentecostal and charismatic’s have immersed themselves with the New Age movement. The Holy Spirit has been replaced by a deceiving spirit for the most part and very few cry foul!
Many traditional denominations have blessed same sex unions and so have blessed what God deems an abomination. Lev 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Worse in my opinion are the traditional denominations that have remained silent and not delivered a clarion call concerning the righteousness of God and the sanctity of the church. These cowards do more damage in the long run as they string along many misguided saints who are not ready to break fellowship with their traditional church as long as they do not directly approve of what is evil. The fruit of this is an ineffective witness and a snail paced apostasy.
Cowardly pastors should not be in the pulpits today. May the God of scripture judge them for they have done more damage by their people pleasing, world loving silence than the legions of hell who have been unleashed upon the saints.
Papal Rome has all but conquered the reformation. Protestantism has been sold out by such traitors as the Billy Graham association and Chuck Colson’s Evangelicals and Catholics together organisation. Some of the evangelical signatories of that abomination included Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ, Os Guinness of the Trinity Forum, Richard Mouw of Fuller theological Seminary , Mark Noll of Wheaton College , Jim Packer of Regent College, Pat Robertson of Larry Lewis of the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Richard Land of the Christian Life Commission, Jesse Miranda of the Assemblies of God, and John White of Geneva College.
Somewhere between Vatican Two ( 1962 ) and 1994 these so called Christian leaders must have concluded that Rome preaches a gospel of salvation for they agreed that they would cease to attempt to convert the Roman catholic faithful to the true religion of biblical Christianity. They in essence helped seal the fate of the hundreds of millions of Catholics by refusing to preach the truth to them.
In a nutshell the church is at rock bottom. All that can get worse will be the increasing measure of the evil mentioned above. I ought to be weeping but an ugly spin off that the scripture mentions is that the love in my heart has grown cold.
Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. May the Lord soften my own angry heart so that I might pray for the saints rather than prey upon them.
What then can be done or what will the end of this be? Surely the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is one of hope. Where sin abounds grace also abounds, so says the apostle Paul.
Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
There is an abundance of grace for the Saint who grieves at the church’s current state. The rejection, isolation, separation misunderstanding and accusations that become our daily bread are in essence our crown in glory. We are sharing in the sufferings of Christ. As the writer to the Hebrews has well put it.
Hebrews 13:12 -14 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
The Lord Jesus suffered outside the camp and this needs to be our current estate while within the camp apostasy abounds. We in our rejection and isolation are in good company. Currently our pain is the payment for our eternal crown. One that some day by God’s grace we can lay at the feet of our saviour when we see him in his glory. We ought to be rejoicing for we have been found worthy of suffering for His names sake.
It is possible that once again the Lord may decree a final reformation of biblical orthodoxy but if he chooses not to then things will certainly get worse. When Elijah thought that he alone stood against the spiritual whorings of Israel, the Lord informed Him that seven thousand had not bowed the knee to, or kissed the hand of Baal. Biblical Christian you are not alone! Elisha’s servant thought so when the city of Dothan was surrounded. He was wrong!
2 Kings 6:15-17 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
Whatever the future unfolds we must pray for grace to persevere and be a bold witness regardless of the cost. These are days in which the true saints of God will shine like the stars in the universe. The current evil around us is actually making the mediocre flicker of our candle shine like a lighthouse on a moonless night.
There is indeed war being waged against the saints but tell me friend when has there ever not been? As the Psalmist says:
Psalm 149: 5-9 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; 8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
Have no fear Christian, we win in the end.
by Paul Gowdy
Printed by permission.
I rarely watch television anymore.
Remember the old Dick Van Dyke Show? Laura and Dick could only be shown in twin beds. How times have changed. Today, some of the favorite TV characters and personalities have become beloved solely for their homosexuality. People laugh and tolerate the sinful lifestyle.
The church has succombed to this tolerance. The ELCA of the Lutheran church has declared that homosexuals can preach from the pulpit. Those who reject this resolution are being persecuted by the church itself by accusations of being unloving and intolerant. I know this first hand, for I am one being persecuted by the rejection of the ELCA and leaving my current church. I have gay friends. I do love them. I love them enough not to alter the truth. That the Bible says their lifestyle is an abomination to Him.
It may be difficult to stand up and hold to biblical truth. But one must.
My accusers call me divisive. Yes, they are right. I am dividing and separating myself from the world.
Please read:
TELEVISION IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE – David Cloud
It is getting progressively worse, and the majority of Christian homes are succumbing to Hollywood’s siren song. Like the frog in the gradually-heated pot, God’s people who are careless about separating from Hollywood’s filthy fare become desensitized by it.
A missionary friend was eating a meal with a fundamental Baptist pastor and his wife some years ago when the topic of the movie Titanic (rated PG-13) came up. When the missionary expressed his opinion that the movie is ungodly, the pastor’s wife said that they had seen it and had enjoyed it. The missionary asked what they thought of the nudity in the movie, and the pastor’s wife said it was “tastefully done.”
This illustrates how worldly many fundamental Baptist churches have become. If pastors and their wives are enjoying movies featuring premarital affairs and partial nudity, what are the other members of the church watching!
The Bible says the pastor is to be the example to the flock (1 Peter 5:3). Woe unto those multitudes of worldly pastors and deacons and Sunday School teachers who are comfortable with Hollywood’s cesspool and who do not teach their people the fear of God and separation from the world.
source –
Friday Church News Notes, January 8, 2010, http://www.wayoflife.org
DiscernIt 
Recent Comments