sowing discord

Proverbs 6:16-19 ESV
There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Romans 16:17-18 ESV
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. 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.


The ones that sow discord are the ones that create obstacles with contrary doctrine. It is not the folks who are holding fast to the Bible that are causing discord, it is the ones who are promoting false doctrines....

is it marriage?

Two people "living together" is not marriage, it is fornication.

I have not seen where in the Bible that God explicitly prescribe a particular ceremony or ritual for marriage, other than it being a covenant between a man and a woman.

If a man and woman mutually agree to consider themselves married before the Lord and and present themselves as married publicly, then who are we to say that they are not married in the sight of the Lord?

Now, having established that, to be above reproach and "obey the laws of the land", then it would be best to publicly contract the marriage (at least obtain a marriage license). You can then quell any questions and present the best witness.

If you truly love someone, care about them, and are committing yourself to them, then why would you not publicly contract the marriage? In this way you can legally protect your mate if something happens to you.

Often at this point, people start giving the following rationalizations:

Rationalization: I want to keep my options open
Response: It is pretty obvious if you feel this way that you are not in a marriage covenant, you are shacking up and if you do "exercise" your options it is adultery.


Rationalization: If we get married we stand to lose disability, social security, welfare, trust fund, alimony, etc
Response: Then you are lying and living a lie. I don't see in God's word where He would honor something mixed with lies.

permissiveness

Forgiveness without repentance is permissiveness

forgive 70 times 7

Forgiveness restores relationship, prevents you from holding a "grudge", and eliminates the need to take "revenge".

However, forgiveness does not mean to restore trust. Trust is earned.

If a person has been abusive or untrustworthy, we can and should forgive.

However, don't leave yourself in a vulnerable or dangerous situation - that would be foolish. Forgiveness does not mean that you need to be a doormat.

false humility

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

Col 2:16-19

tickle my ears

We love to have our ego "petted" when people comment on how open minded and tolerant we are.

We get such a charge out of this, we forget to ask, "Does God approve of what I believe?"

Does a "Miracle" Settle It?

No, antichrist will perform miracles and deceive many. (Matthew 24:24)

Anything that contradicts Scripture is not from God.

"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:8-9)."

Difference Between Faith and Mental Assent

Charles Blondin, AKA The Great Blondin, was a 19th century French acrobat and tightrope walker. In 1859 he became the first person to traverse 1100 feet across the 160-foot high gorge beneath Niagara Falls on a tightrope. In a demonstration of his skill, he then did it several more times including being blindfolded, pushing a wheelbarrow, wearing stilts, and carrying a man on his back.


After demonstration of his skill it is easy for many people to believe that Blondin could cross the wire with a person riding on his back.

It is a totally different thing to be trust him enough for you to be the volunteer to be carried on his back across the chasm...

no other way

Folks hem haw around when confronted with "how can you say yours is the right way and condemn everyone else to hell"

The thing is, it is not about you or me. It is about the truth of God's word. It will not be my beliefs and standards or your beliefs and standards that we will be judged by.

It is God's standard that we will be held to on that day. He has revealed His standard in scripture.

Don't respond and try to defend "your point of view", just refer folks to God's word.

My confidence is NOT in myself, "my beliefs", or "my way". It is not about me at all.

Instead my confidence is God's Word and what truth God has chosen to reveal to us through scripture in a way we can understand.

Don't hem haw around, remember, this is your opportunity to present the Gospel.

Man of Lawlessness

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

(Picture courtesy of my daughter who completed it as a project for her Bible class)

do you "feel" saved?

Salvation is NOT an experience...

Granted some people may report that they had some life altering experience or great emotional upheaval when they were saved. That is all well and good for those who have had an experience.

The thing to avoid is putting your faith in "experiences".

The problem comes when:

1) People don't think they were saved because they didn't have an experience

-or-

2) People think they are not saved because they do not continue to "feel" saved.


How do you know you are saved?

Because the Bible tells you so!

All you need is to put your trust in what the Lord has told us!

Mark them which cause Divisions

I hear a lot of folks say that it is wrong to "cause divisions" by pointing out something that is "wrong" or be "negative" in any way.

These folks will get in your face and say "the bible says to 'mark them which cause divisions'".

Unfortunately, this is a classic example of taking a verse out of context and not even quoting the entire verse...

Romans 16:17
Now I beseech you, brothers, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; and avoid them.

Notice that the ones who are causing divisions are the ones spreading false doctrines or teachings contrary to the simplicity of the gospel, not the people who are telling the truth.

"Mark them" means to point them out for the purpose of avoiding them.

We are admonished in the Bible to "prove all things and hold fast to that which is good" (1Thes 5:21). We can test any teachings using the light of scripture. We are then charged by scripture to point out those who teach false doctrine so that people will know to avoid them.

This is neither "positive" or "negative", it is just sticking to the truth.

Taking America Back... to where?

Taking America Back... to where?

It is a mistake to think that we can somehow "Take America Back" or return America back to some imaginary "Christian Roots".

That is not our focus. Jesus did not say "Go and make all nations Christian", He said "Go and make disciples of all nations."

Our federal government has never been a "Christian" government. There at times have been very moral and christian men in various offices, and many of our laws have a footing in selective Biblical principles -- however, our federal government is a product more of "new Atlantis" Enlightenment thinking than anything else.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as the government is limited to very specific roles and the people in general have liberty.

The only good thing about the "good old days" of post revolutionary America was that there was LESS government involvement and MORE freedom.

The thing that we definitely do not want is a government that legislates and enforces morality. The problem is, whose morality should the government enforce? It may be a great thing to have the government enforce a morality you agree with today. But, once the government has that power, what happens when the next guy takes office and starts implementing a morality you don't agree with?

The key is always LESS government authority, and ideally a government that can only exercise those powers granted it by the Constitution.

The one thing the founding fathers definitely got right was that ALL government is bad, but having at least SOME government is unfortunately necessary.

The thing to keep in mind is that the system of this world is at enmity (actively opposed or hostile) against God. (Ps 2:1-3; Eph 6:12)

According to the Bible, this world system will continue to wax worse and worse as the time approaches for the return of Messiah. A Bible believer should see these signs and look up, and realize that our time is short.


An Example

It was not BECAUSE of the government that the Bible was used in schools up until the 1960s, it was BECAUSE of government involvement that the Bible was taken out of schools.

Bibles were used in schools because the schools were managed by the local people who had children attending there, and the local populace was generally Christian or at least had a Judeo-Christian foundation.

We do not need to return the government to being "christian", we need to cut the role of government back, so that we have the FREEDOM FOR US TO BE CHRISTIAN.


We get the government we deserve.

Proverbs 28:2 says When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order.

It is when the general population has a relationship with God and adheres to the Bible that the people are able to rule themselves and so make a government for themselves that allows them to do so.

A people with a strong moral foundation do not need a government to control every detail of their life.

Instead of focusing all of our time advocating for people to adopt a particular political platform, the very best thing we can do is to preach the Gospel and introduce people to Jesus. It is only the Gospel that can change people's lives and thereby influence the culture.


Unequally Yoked

Any "movement" that does not have the true Gospel at it's center and the Bible as it's "plumb-line" is a tool of this current world system that is governed by the "god of this world".

We as Christians are not to have fellowship with darkness or be unequally yoked to unbelievers (2Cor 6:14)

Do any of these ecumenical movements advocate the preaching of the Gospel? No, of course not, it might offend someone. All these various ecumenical movements are just a distraction from what we really need to be doing.


Why harp on this?

Currently we are seeing many spiritual and "conservative" leaders compromising their beliefs in order to join together with organizations and movements that promote some of the issues they have in common. Anything less than spreading the Gospel and making disciples is just a waste of time and a distraction.


What to do

First things first. Before engaging in any political activities, be sure that we are putting a priority on learning the bible, spreading the Gospel, and making disciples.

Put spiritual duties ahead of civic duties. Only after we have prioritized our time with God can we have proper wisdom and discernment to engage the political system.

- Stay informed, however put all the information from the various voices out there through the test of scripture.

- Vote in all elections!, write your representatives and newspapers, speak out, blog, and, if called, run for public offices.

- Don't compromise Biblical truth in order to join with a political, ecumenical, or quasi-religious group.

The Gospel will never be "Popular"

The message of the gospel will never be popular in the world because "the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness....unto the Jews [it is] a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness...." (1 Corinthians 1:18,23).

Furthermore, rather than drawing the multitudes to Christ by example, Scripture states, "...all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12).

Jesus declared, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you" (John 15:18-19).

-T. A. McMahon

Gifts of the Holy Spirit 2 of 2

Who benefits from the Gifts of the Holy Spirit?

They are for the edification of the church (1Cor 12:17; 14:12)


All too often we think that the "gift" is given to us so we can use it. You can know this is wrong by where the "focus" lies. The focus is on the self.

Love focuses on others.

Really it is the Holy Spirit using us to manifest His blessing on someone else.

For example, a "gift" of healing is a benefit to the person who is sick, not the willing vessel through whom the Holy Spirit ministered healing.

We are motivated to be willing vessels through love.

I do not find anywhere in the Bible where we are supposed to be spending ANY TIME "finding" our gifts...

All I find in the Bible is that we are to love God, and love one another, and by that love we are willing to be used by God as He purposes...

So while it is important that we are aware of the gifts and even desire their manifestation, we do not need to spend any time hung up on figuring out which gift we have. Instead, we can spend our time in God's word and being willing vessels to be used by God has He wills.

How can we know God?

There are really only two possible religions


1. God is not personal (god is a force or consciousness) or god is personal and has chosen not to reveal himself to us. It is impossible for us to know god, so we worship a god of our own imagination. All variations that spring from this are man-made religions. There are no absolutes, we make our own rules, and are ultimately our own "god".

2. God is personal. Because we as finite beings cannot possibly understand God on our own, He has chosen to reveal Himself to us in a way we CAN understand. We learn about Him and develop a trusting relationship with Him through His revelation of Himself to us. We come to Him on His terms and are accountable to His standard.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit 1 of 2

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are:

1. Not at our command, they are manifestations of the Holy Spirit as He wills
2. Not signs to unbelievers, it is for edification of believers (the church). The gifts of the Holy Spirit are foolishness to unbelievers and like casting perls before swine.
3. They are manifested as the Spirit directs, or in other words, as the Holy Spirit determines they are needed.

We get too hung up on TV personalities thinking that for the Holy Spirit to be working in our lives that we should be at some "level of faith" such that we are manifesting the gifts of the spirit on command.

More often than not, the TV personalities are manifesting occultic "miracles" and not the working of the Holy Spirit. You can know them by their fruits, and whether they drawing attention to themselves or to Jesus.

The truth is, all we are to do is desire the gifts, be willing vessels, and be motivated by love to help other believers. When there are times that a manifestation of a Gift would benefit a believer, then we trust that the Holy Spirit will manifest it through us. We are basically "out of the loop" in deciding when and where a gift manifests, it is only important that we desire to be used.

Religious Left

Religious Left started by Judas Iscariot

"Should not this expensive perfume have been sold and the money given to the poor?"

Judas was trying to tell Mary what to do with HER money, when all along it was just a ploy for HIM to get HIS hands on it.

Deliberate Connotative Transfers (Puns)

Q: You know what a kilobyte and a megabyte is. What is a Moabite?

A: It's a Lot.


Q: Where did Cain get his wife?

A: He married his brother's sister because he was Able.



I've been asked if I take the Bible "literally". This is often a trap, as there are many literary devices used in Scripture.

Where the Bible gives accounts of historical events, yes it can and should be taken literally.

Where the Bible employees poetry, such as Psalm 91 where it says that God has wings and feathers, it should be taken figuratively.

The problem with liberal theology is that they want to "spiritualize" and "allegorize" everything. When you do that, you can make the Bible say anything you want.

80% of lemmings can't be wrong

I've heard folks say that they rely on the statistics for what is true. How can a majority of people be wrong? How comes the Bible goes against the "common intuition" of man?


This actually proves the Bible as true!

Scripture says that the heart of man is decietful. Man has a fallen natutre. The wisdom of man is at odds with the wisdom of God. God uses the simple to confound the wise, that no man can take credit.

Jesus said that the path to destruction is wide and many travel it, while the path to life is narrow and there are few that find it.

Keep in mind that in spite of Noah spending 100 years building the Ark and preaching to the people of the day, nobody got on the boat except Noah's 8 member family.

What about those who have not heard?

What about people living in remote places where they never hear the gospel?

This is a good question that I often hear, and often ponder myself. While I don't have an answer that will satisfy most people, here is what I have found so far in scripture...


1. People don't go to hell because they havn't accepted Jesus, they go to hell because of sins they have committed. Jesus came to save the world, but people still choose to reject Him. (Romans 6:23)

2. Everyone is without excuse, because the evidence for the Creator can be clearly seen in His creation. (Romans 1:20)

3. God foreknows who will respond to the Gospel, and He arranges for them to learn what they need to know about God. (Romans 8:29, 11:2) All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13)


How can a loving God send anyone to hell? He doesn't send anyone to hell. God is not willing that any should perish. (2Peter 3:9) Hell is the alternative to being in God's direct presence for those who willingly reject God. God originally created hell for the rebellious angels (Matthew 25:41) and hell was enlarged to accommodate rebellious man. (Isaiah 5:14) The truth is God Himself, motivated by His Love, took our place and died for our sins so we would not have to go to hell.

The real question, is how can anyone reject a Loving God?

Man in Charge

Power corrupts [man], and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Power attracts corrupt power-hungry men the way a lamp attracts moths.

The more centralized and concentrated the power, the more corrupt the men in charge.

In a nation, the leaders tend to be the most corrupt and power-hungry in that nation.

Once we have a world governance body, the men in charge will be the most corrupt in the world.

What God says about rejoicing over the fall of an enemy

“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.” (Proverbs 17:17-18)

“Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?” (Ezekiel 18:23)

“Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’ (Ezekiel 33:11)

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? … Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:44-48)

First Sign of Falling Away: Ingratitude

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Romans 1:21

Titanic Freedoms

"... Here is the reason why we have a moral breakdown in every area of life. The titanic freedoms which we once enjoyed have been cut loose from their Christian restraints and are becoming a force of destruction leading to chaos. And when this happens, there really are very few alternatives. All morality becomes relative, law becomes arbitrary, and society moves toward disintegration. In personal and social life, compassion is swallowed up by self-interest. ..."

Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer



Proverbs 28:2
For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.


The consequence of a nation transgressing against God is that the people of that nation will suffer under the hand of many rulers (police state).

The Dangers of "Seed Faith"

"Seed Faith Prosperity" is a false teaching that in order to receive anything at all from God, one must first donate money, known as a 'seed-faith' offering. You reap what you sow, the claim goes. In this case you must send your money to - usually - a televangelist, some of whom promise a 'hundred-fold return.'

If this scam worked as advertised, televangelists would be sending you money.

The concept of the seed faith offering was invented by James Eugene Ewing, who has long run a direct mail scam that has gone under many names but mostly known as "St. Matthew's Churches".

In 1968, when Oral Robert's donations were down due to his joining the United Methodist Church, Ewing sold his program to Oral Roberts and Robert's ministry doubled its income within 1 year. This was so successful, that many other ministries began adopting this methodology.

Just because something is "successful" by the world's standards, that does not necessarily mean that it meets with God's support or approval.

Though "successful" in making the promoters of this lie very wealthy, it is a very thorough perversion of God's Word. The "seed" talked about in the bible is not money.

In the Bible (Luke 8:11) Jesus Himself explains that the "seed is the Word" and it is sown into different types of soil which represents the hearts of men. (see Luke 8, Matthew 13).


Promoters of the lie of "seed faith" just seek to take your money and make merchandise of you.

2 Peter 2:3
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

We are not to take things related to God and use them as a source of profit for ourselves.

John 2:16
And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

If a ministry is truly spreading God's Word and is working within God's will, then the ministry should not need to beg for money.

People hear the message that they can get rich by giving money to such and so ministry. When that doesn't happen, they think that everyone who talks about God is just a charlatan, so they close their hearts and ears. All that these so-called ministries do by preaching "seed faith" is to inoculate and harden people's hearts against the Gospel.



Additional reading:
http://www.raptureready.com/rr-evil.html

fiery trials

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy

1 Peter 4:12-13

Storm Preparation

It is easier to build before the storm comes, rather than try and build during the storm.


http://shapedbytruth-prepare.blogspot.com/

Compassion

Folks don't care to hear how much you know

Until they know how much you care...

America in Trouble

This is a persuasive speech my daughter wrote as an assignment in Jr. High school.

There are many evidences that America is in trouble. A close look at threats to our national security, the dumbing down of our education system, and the constant erosion of our freedoms will reveal the dangerous path our country is on.

There are many things in today's world that pose a threat to our national security. The worst threats are caused by our own irresponsibility. At the present time our economy is on a down hill spiral. The runaway spending by our government is creating debt of historic proportions. To find examples of this overspending one needs to look no further than the 89 percent increase in expenses in running capitol hill. They have spent $51 million of taxpayer's money on electricity, $3.27 million for office supplies, and over $4.6 million on sewer and water. To top it off, over $200 thousand dollars was spent on bottled water in just the first quarter of this year alone!

Another example of government funding irresponsibility involves a study called “Malt Liquor and Marijuana: Factors in their Concurrent versus Separate Use”. This study pays people to drink beer and smoke marijuana, all at taxpayer's expense!

And, these are just a few of many examples of the government's out of control spending. Run away spending has caused America's debt to soar over the last few years. In 2007, the debt was $8.67 trillion. As of Tuesday, October 26th, it was over $13.6 trillion. This amounts to every citizen owing a debt of $43 thousand dollars – yes, every student in this classroom currently owes $43 thousand dollars, and we don't even have jobs yet!

Currently, our economic system is being kept afloat by other countries funding our debts. For example, China has bought over $867 billion of our debt and is the biggest foreign holder of U.S. Treasuries. On August 9th, a Chinese general implied economic retaliation against America over a U.S. Carrier in the Yellow Sea when he said: “Imagine what the consequence will be if China’s biggest debtor nation challenges its creditor nation.” As the proverb goes: “the borrower is slave to the lender”. With most of our manufacturing jobs going overseas and our liabilities being controlled by other countries, we are finding ourselves more and more at their mercy. This poses a clear and present threat to our national security.

An area that has also become a part of America's downfall is the education system. The history that is being taught today isn't always the whole story. Many of the founding fathers have become just a bunch of names on some document whose identities, ideas, and beliefs have been lost. Many people are never taught the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence. An example of this is that many people are taught and believe that the only reason the 13 colonies separated from England was because of taxation without representation. However, the real reason they separated from England was due to England's abuse of governmental powers. In fact, in the Declaration of Independence, abuse of governmental powers was mentioned 11 times more often that taxation without representation, which was only mentioned once out of 27 reasons.

Kids nowadays are taught more about political correctness and environmental stuff than they are taught reading, writing, and math. Now these kids are growing up and becoming teachers, and principals. So now we have people who don't even know how to write, read, and do math teaching kids how to write, read, and do math. An example of this has to do with a principal of a middle school. He does not think that the kids in his school need textbooks. So he writes and sends out a memo defending his policy of not providing textbooks for his students. What is so bad is that in his memo he made a lot of spelling and grammar mistakes and he could not even even support his topic. Because of America's declining education system, there are kids in junior high and even in high school, that still do not know how to read or write. Kids that do not know reading, writing, and math are at a disadvantage in today's world.

A final example of how America is going the wrong way is that U.S. Citizens are loosing more and more of their freedoms – and often giving them up willingly. Every day our freedoms are being challenged. For example, we have increasingly intrusive firearm registration and restrictions on ownership, all in violation of our constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Similarly, our freedom of speech is being silenced because of the fear that someone might be offended by what we have to say.

A clear demonstration of how our freedoms are being legislated away was with healthcare reform. Most everyone agreed that we needed changes made to the healthcare system. However, what they stuck into the bill that was passed does little to truly address the problem. For example, the bill forces people, just because they are a member of society, to buy a service that is regulated by the government. Additionally, in section 9,006 of the healthcare bill there is a policy that has credit card companies sending credit card transaction records to the IRS. This begs the question: What business does the IRS have in knowing what we buy with credit cards? And, what exactly does this have to do with healthcare?!? We all wanted healthcare reform, but we ended up giving up our freedom and still not getting the reform we needed.

Benjamin Franklin wisely said: “Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”

Our irresponsibility threatens our national security. The dumbing down of our education system handicaps future generations. And, the constant erosion of our freedoms will lead to tyranny. Any reasonable person, when presented with these facts, should come to the conclusion that America is indeed in trouble.

Christianity Rotting from Within

Main areas in which the church is under attack from within...


1. Liberation Theology / Social Gospel / Green Gospel


2. Dominion Theology / Kingdom Now / Latter Rain / Manifest Sons of God


3. Emerging Church / Pagan Spirituality / New Age / Mysticism


4. Universalism / Ecumenicalism / Syncretism / "Chrislam"


5. Happiness Gospel / "Seed Faith" - Give to Get - Greedy Gospel

Born This Way

We are indeed born into sin and the flesh...


However, God does not leave us that way.


He made a way for us to be born again of the spirit.

Intelligence

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction."

Albert Einstein

Does Your Church Practice Astrology?

I was surprised when my daughter showed me a survey she got from her Sunday school class concerning a program called "S.H.A.P.E."

I recognized it immediately as while I was in the Air Force we went through a program in the mid-1990's that was then called "Total Quality Management" (TQM) that used a very similar survey. Over the years, the same TQM program has undergone many name changes (currently called AFSO21), even though the methods and materials are the same.

This program is geared toward "evolutionary" changes to business processes to promote "continuous improvement". One aspect of this program is for organizational members to take personality surveys and teaches them a psychological system to promote "self-knowledge" so they know where they fit within the organization and then "self-improvement" by knowing and overcoming their weaknesses.

Part of this psychological system uses personality profiles that goes under many names and forms including Myers-Briggs, Ned Herrmann’s Whole Brain, DiSC assessment, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, and Galen’s four temperaments.

I did some digging, and It turns out this program is currently being employed at many Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) churches and is based on a book available at Lifeway by Erik E. Rees called SHAPE

While the program I went through did not have the "friendly" animal names, the handout my daughter recieved would categorize the participants personality as one of "four temperaments" as follows:

• Lion (Choleric/Dominance)
  Strengths - Visionary, practical, productive, strong-willed, independent, decisive, leader
  Weaknesses - Cold, domineering, unemotional self-sufficient, unforgiving, sarcastic, cruel
  
  
• Otter (Sanguine/Influence)
  Strengths – Outgoing, responsive, warm, friendly, talkative, enthusiastic, compassionate
  Weaknesses – Undisciplined, unproductive, exaggerates, egocentric, unstable
  
  
• Golden Retriever (Phlegmatic/Steadiness)
  Strengths – Calm, easy-going, dependable, quiet, objective, diplomatic, humorous
  Weaknesses – Selfish, stingy, procrastinator, unmotivated, indecisive, fearful, worrier
  
  
• Beaver (Melancholy/Compliance)
  Strengths – Analytical, self-disciplined, industrious, organized, aesthetic, sacrificing
  Weaknesses – Moody, self-centered, touchy, negative, unsociable, critical, revengeful

Occultic Origins

Empedocles (495-425 B.C.) taught concerning the four elements and how they related to cosmology and personalities of the gods and goddesses. Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) expanded on Empedocles and taught on the four humors and he is generally credited with the "humoural temperament theory of personality", since he connected the types with both mental and physical states. While Hippocrates focused on applying these concepts to treatment of physical ailments, Plato (427-347 B.C.) would begin applying the concepts of the four humors to treatment of mental ailments.

Plato’s student Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) would continue in this vein, but it was Claudius Galen of Pergamum (A.D. 130-200) who wrote more fully on the relationship between humors and temperaments. He sought to explain emotional and behavioral differences between people and to develop treatments that would be suitable to those of varying temperaments. It is Galen's work from which we get "Galen's four temperaments" described earlier.

According to R. W. Coan's entry "Personality Types" in the Encyclopedia of Psychology (Volume 3, 1984, p. 24):

Central to astrological views of personality is a system of 12 patterns or types that correspond to the 12 signs of the zodiac. The 12 types may be viewed as including three modes of expression of each of the four elements noted by Empedocles, as there are said to be three air signs, three earth signs, three fire signs, and three water signs. This typology has enjoyed some popularity for over 2000 years.

And K.J. Shapiro's entry "Temperaments" in the Encyclopedia of Psychology (Volume 3, 1984, p. 410):

Synthesizing ideas from classical Greek medicine and astronomy, a theory of temperaments prevailing well into medieval times held that, for example, a sanguine disposition reflected a particular combination of humors in the body and that, in turn, this combination had been fixed by a certain configuration of the stars at the time of an individual’s birth.

In his book Psychological Types (Princeton University Press, 1971, p. 531.), Carl G. Jung, clearly notes the relationship between astrology and the four temperaments. He says:

From the earliest times attempts have been made to classify individuals according to types, and so to bring order into the chaos. The oldest attempts known to us were made by oriental astrologers who devised the so-called trigons of the four elements-air, water, earth, and fire. The air trigon in the horoscope consists of the three aerial signs of the zodiac, Aquarius, Gemini, Libra; the fire trigon is made up of Aries, Leo, Sagittarius. According to this age-old view, whoever is born in these trigons shares in their aerial or fiery nature and will have a corresponding temperament and fate. Closely connected with this ancient cosmological scheme is the physiological typology of antiquity, the division into four temperaments corresponding to the four humours.

What was first represented by the signs of the zodiac was later expressed in the physiological language of Greek medicine, giving us the classification into the phlegmatic, sanguine, choleric, and melancholic. These are simply designations for the secretions of the body.

As is well known, this typology lasted at least seventeen hundred years. As for the astrological type theory, to the astonishment of the enlightened it still remains intact today, and is even enjoying a new vogue.

The signs of the zodiac further refine and break down each of the four elements into "trigons" or "triplicities" as follows:

Element	Humour	Temperament	Zodiac
Air	Blood	Sanguine	Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Fire	Yellow Bile	Choleric	Aries, Leo, Sagittariu
Earth	Black Bile	Melancholy	Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Water	Phlegm	Phlegmatic	Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

For a greater detailed description of the link between the four temperaments and astrology, see the e-book by Martin and Deidre Bobgan at this link:
http://www.psychoheresy-aware.org/e-books/4temp-ebk.pdf


It is interesting to note that Erik Rees is a pastor and leader of the Ministry S.H.A.P.E. Discovery Teams at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church. (http://www.shapediscovery.com/author.php)

It is evident that Rees has relabeled TQM with christian-ese terminology and made it palatable for the church. It is also a book recommended to be used in conjunction with a Purpose Driven Life.

This program is a very subtle way to introduce astrology, psychology, Rick Warren's program, and Total Quality Management into mainline evangelical churches.

Turns out there are many variations of this program all using the same features, just repackaged under different names.

After speaking with my in-laws who live in another state, their church (also a SBC church) is doing a program called P.L.A.C.E. which follows the same purpose-driven, TQM model and uses the same personality assessment with the 4 DISC personality types (Choleric, Melancholy, Sanguine, Phlegmatic) as the S.H.A.P.E. program.

It is great to encourage people to particpate in the ministry. However, considering that these programs are targeted to new believers and new church members, it is taking these folks and using psychological profiling (which can only measure attributes of the "flesh") and tries to involve them in the ministry of the church so they are more likely to continue attendance (translate: church growth). This, combined with slogans such as "if you can read, you can lead", is how we end up with "carnal christians" leading other "carnal christians" in feel good cliques (er, I mean "life groups").

I don't find where this is based on anything in the Bible. What happened to discipleship, Bible training, and concepts such as sanctification? I thought that we needed to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and the washing of the word (Eph 5:26; Rom 12:2)? While God can use us at all stages of development, everything I find in the Bible talks of finding leaders who are of good reputation, full of the Spirit, and wisdom (Acts 6:3). Programs such as S.H.A.P.E. and P.L.A.C.E. do none of that.


Great Articles:
Discard the DiSC
http://www.psychoheresy-aware.org/discarddisc13_5.html

Personality Cult
http://www.psychoheresy-aware.org/personality_cult13_2.html

More Information:
http://www.psychoheresy-aware.org/e-books/4temp-ebk.pdf
http://www.pamweb.org/missionsbk_online.html
http://www.shapediscovery.com/
http://www.placeministries.org/
http://www.worldviewweekend.com/book/chapter12.shtml
http://www.worldviewweekend.com/worldview-times/article.php?articleid=3377
http://www.ericbarger.com/pdl/Examining_The_Purpose_Driven_Philosophy-by_Eric_Barger_All_rights_reserved_copyright_2006,_2007.pdf

Blaspheme

Psalm 139:20
For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain.

Religion of Peace

When they find a so-called moderate muslim to answer questions in interviews and he says that scriptures in the Koran and Hadiff do not condone terrorism, that is like asking a Presberterian if the Bible condemns homosexuality.

Jesus was not "Cool"

The bible says that there was nothing particularly "cool" about Jesus.

Isaiah 53:2 puts it this way, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.”



It was the Holy Spirit that drew people (John 6:44). Except that The Sprit draws people you labor in vain.


When we try and flirt with the world in order to "be cool" we end up drawing people who need constant stimulation and end up wasting time on false converts so that nobody gets a firm foundation in the Word of God.

Why Settle for Less?

Satan is a deciever and seeks to pervert everything of God.

Keep in mind that Satan has a false, perverted version of most every work of the Holy Spirit.

Examples include: the laying on of hands is biblical and for today, however false religeons such as Reiki also use laying of hands to impart a demon spirit that imparts false healing.

Now, just because Satan has a falsified version of it does not mean that all healing or laying of hands is "of the devil" -- it is just doubly important that you know and follow the Bible when it comes to these things and not get duped into the wrong thing.

As I have said before, Satan's parlor tricks and false spirituality is a very pale and poor substitute to what we can experience through a rich and biblical relationship with the Holy Spirit.

It is sad thing that so many folks choose to settle for less than the best that God has in store for us.

On one hand you have folks who say that the work of the Holy Spirit ceased in the time of the Apostles. They live a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof.

Many who grow up in that environment have a rightful hunger for spirituality, but think they can't get it from the Bible -- so, they make easy converts to forms of false spirituality.

On the other hand, you have folks who seek nothing but spirituality and spiritual signs and experiences without a grounding in the Bible. They too can be duped by money hungry false teachers (2Peter 2:1-3)

When we study the Bible and cultivate a relationship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit there is more than enough true spirituality to go around.

Treasures in Heaven

You cannot take it with you, but you can send it on ahead

Matthew 6:19-20
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."
-Jim Elliot


Think about it...

Q: What is the only thing you can build today that has the potential to last forever?

A: Relationships.

Emerging Cultural Spiritism

Several movies are coming out with a common theme that reveals the rising popularity of spiritism in our culture.

The previous century was the hallmark of modernism where science and materialism was supposed to be the end all and answer to all of mankind's problems. Examples of modernism in the culture would be things like Sherlock Holmes or Scooby Doo, where, due to people's superstitions, they believe that something supernatural is taking place. However, the scooby gang comes along and unmasked the villain who is really using some kind of technology to fool people.

After two world wars, people have become disillusioned with the concept that modernism, science alone, and materialism can solve all their problems. Hence, the rise of "post-modernism", which reintroduces the supernatural into culture.

What we see in many of the movies coming out in early 2011 are examples of skeptical modernists having to come to terms with confrontations with the supernatural.

(Please note I have not seen the movies referenced below nor recommend anyone see them, this commentary on societal trends is based only on press releases made by the producers.)

In "Season of the Witch", Nicolas Cage's character, Behmen, is a disillusioned knight, who questions his own faith, returning home from the crusades to find his homeland ravaged with the plague. He is given the task of escorting a girl accused of witchcraft to what will probably be her death. Behmen doubts that witchcraft even exists, but later is confronted with and has to fight against the supernatural.

In a similar vein "The Rite" involves a seminary student, Kovak, who has doubts about faith and the supernatural, believing that things like demon possession are really psychiatric problems that should be dealt with using medical treatment. He is then confronted with very "real" manifestations of the supernatural and demon possession that are dealt with using exorcism.

Both of these examples show a trend of converting skeptics into believers in the supernatural, and then the heroes fighting evil using their "faith" and inner strength.

This is the new age, emergent spiritism, where seeking supernatural experiences and seeking out your own "inner star" are the promoted practices.

Of course, evil can only be defeated by Jesus. Faith in anything else is idolatry.

Homophobia

It's official, I'm not "homophobic"

43 - Your score rates you as "non-homophobic."

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/assault/etc/quiz.html

It has never been about hating people, it has always been about hating sin.

People that choose to succumb to temptations and participate in homosexual acts are sinners in need of a savior the same as myself and everyone else.

What is most important is that we do not call, for any reason, something acceptable that God has declared in His Word to be an abomination.

No I do not hate or fear anyone, instead love insists that I do anything and everything I can to share the Good News that everyone can be delivered from the bondage to sinful behaviors through belief and trust in Jesus.


Psychology does not make right

The Frontline article referenced in the link above states that "For much of this century, homosexuality was defined by the medical and scientific community as a psychiatric disorder."

This is true. The APA changed its position not based on scientific research or data, it changed its position in 1973 due to political pressures and infiltration of its leadership positions by homosexual activists.

Homosexuality continues to become accepted more and more as "normal" and it is religion that is seen as the "mental illness".

Researchers treating religious, moral obsessions
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=13855078

The recongized "father" of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, believed that people who follow their "natural" desires (read "sin nature") that are truly sane. Dr. Benjamin Wiker in the book "10 Books That Screwed Up theWorld: And 5 Others That Didn't Help" explains:

He [Freud] claimed that psychological disorders were the result of the unnatural repression of our naturally unholy and anti-social desires, and that some people just couldn't handle the repression... Therefore, neurotics are the only sane people because they react to unnatural frustration by training to reclaim their original, natural, asocial and amoral state. The result: the anti-social psychopath who kills without conscience is the most natural of all. The interesting effect of Freud's proclamation that evil is natural was the seemingly unintended consequence of making psychopathic insanity natural.

Since psychology/psychiatry is limited to man's "wisdom" and man's determination of what is right and wrong, psychology can be used to redefine anything in service to a purpose.

There is ample evidence that Psychiatry has been used for political purposes by communist countries. Basically, political and/or religious dissenters are labeled as "mentally ill" and imprisoned in maximum-security psychiatric hospitals.

Political Abuse of Psychiatry in the Soviet Union and in China
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/reprint/30/1/136.pdf

We are already seeing this happen in the U.S., and can expect it to wax worse.

Those of us who look to God's revelation as to what He considers to be right and wrong are being labeled, marginalized, and more and more demonized. This is in fulfillment of prophecy as the world comes together under one universal religion that leaves no room for God.


Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!


3 John 1:11
Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.


Romans 12:9
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

Out of an Infinite Universe

Question: Isn't it prideful and against christian "humility" to believe:

1) that out of the infinite size of the universe, the millions of stars and planets we think we are special?

2) out of all that, how can we presume to think that God should love us?


This line of questions presumes on at least two fallacies:

1) Love is based on "what's in it for me"
2) That the Christian wordlview should have anything to do with the size of the universe


The truth is:

1) What Christians say is based on what God Himself has chosen to revealed to us in His Word. God's Love is based on His choice and His convenent to us. He chose to love us when we were unlovable. So when Christians talk about God's love for us, it is not out of some haughtiness or prideful self worth thing, it is about God's grace extended toward us as revealed by God Himself!

2) The size and majesty of the universe is not there to reflect on our value or earth's value or position in it -- the size and majesty of the universe is there to reflect the magnificence, power, and glory of God!

True humility is to put God's Word and His wisdom ahead of our own vain philosphies and limited wisdom.

The Jewish Wedding Model

Excerpt Taken from "Pattern is Prologue" by Chuck Missler
http://www.khouse.org/articles/2003/449/

All through the Gospels, Jesus relied on the ancient Jewish wedding pattern for many of His parables, climaxing in His promise in the Upper Room in John 14 (as reviewed in our previous article). Many of us miss the full import of these allusions if we aren't familiar with the model of ancient Jewish wedding practices.


Jewish Wedding

The first step, the Ketubah, or Betrothal, was the establishment of the marriage covenant, usually when the prospective bridegroom took the initiative and negotiated the price (mohair) he must pay to purchase her.

Once the bridegroom paid the purchase price, the marriage covenant was established, and the young man and woman were regarded as husband and wife. From that moment on, the bride was declared to be consecrated or sanctified - set apart - exclusively for her bridegroom. As a symbol of the covenant relationship that had been established, the groom and bride drank from a cup of wine over which the betrothal had been pronounced.

After the marriage covenant was established, the groom left his bride at her home and returned to his father's house, where he remained separated from his bride for approximately 12 months. This afforded the bride time to gather her trousseau and prepare for married life.

During this period of separation, the groom prepared a dwelling place in his father's house to which he would later bring his bride. At the end of the period of separation, the bridegroom came - usually at night - to take his bride to live with him. The groom, the best man, and other male escorts left the father's house and conducted a torch-light procession to the home of the bride. Although the bride was expecting her groom to come for her, she did not know the time of his coming. As a result, the groom's arrival was preceded by a shout, which announced her imminent departure to be gathered with him.

After the groom received his bride, together with her female attendants, the enlarged wedding party returned from the bride's home to the groom's father's house, where the wedding guests had assembled.

Shortly after their arrival, the bride and groom were escorted by the other members of the wedding party to the bridal chamber (huppah). Prior to entering the chamber, the bride remained veiled so that no one could see her face. While the groomsmen and bridesmaids waited outside, the bride and groom entered the bridal chamber alone. There, in the privacy of that place, they entered into physical union for the first time, thereby consummating the marriage that had been covenanted approximately one year earlier.

After the marriage was consummated, the groom came out of the bridal chamber and announced the consummation of the marriage to the members of the wedding party waiting outside. Then, as the groom went back to his bride in the chamber, the members of the wedding party returned to the wedding guests and announced the consummation of the marriage.

Upon receiving the good news, the wedding guests remained in the groom's father's house for the next seven days, celebrating with a great wedding feast.18

During the seven days of the wedding feast, the bride and groom remained hidden in the bridal chamber (Cf. Genesis 29:21-23, 27-28) for the seven days of the huppah. Afterwards, the groom came out of hiding, bringing his bride with him, but with her veil removed so that everyone could see her.


The Ultimate Bride

The New Testament portrays the Church as the Bride of Christ in Ephesians 5:22-33 (Paul even quotes Genesis 2:24 as the union at the Parousia of the Bridegroom in v.31!); cf. Romans 7:4; 2 Corinthians 11:2; James 4:4. In the opening verses of John 14, the marriage covenant is confirmed. Paul continually reminds us of the purchase price and the covenant by which we, the Bride, are set apart, or sanctified.


The Departure of the Bridegroom

The Bridegroom has departed, and His return to gather His Bride is imminent. He has gone to prepare a place for you and me. (He has been at it for 2,000 years! It must be a spectacular abode!)

This very doctrine of "imminence" is taught throughout the New Testament and is a cornerstone of the "pre-tribulational" view: there is no event which is a prerequisite condition for His gathering of His Bride.


Full article and references:
http://www.khouse.org/articles/2003/449/

I Thought I Knew My Bible

I THOUGHT I KNEW MY BIBLE

Yes, I thought I knew my Bible
Reading piecemeal, hit or miss

Now a part of John or Matthew
Then a bit of Genesis

Certain chapters of Isaiah
Certain psalms, the twenty third.

First of Proverbs, twelfth of Romans
Yes, I thought I knew the Word

But I found that thorough reading
Was a different thing to do

And the way was unfamiliar
When I read my Bible through.

You who like to play at Bible
Dip and dabble here and there

Just before you kneel all weary
Yawning through a hurried prayer.

You who treat this crown of writings
As you treat no other book

Just a paragraph disjointed
Just a crude impatient look.

Try a worthier procedure
Try a broad and steady view;

You will kneel in awesome wonder
When you read the Bible through, and through, and through.

http://www.thebereancall.org/node/1031


2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness

No Other Name

Acts 4:12

There is none other name under heaven given among me, whereby we must be saved.

Poisoned Wells

A righteous man who falters before the wicked
Is like a murky spring and a polluted well.
Proverbs 25:26

reformation

I think it is laughable that so-called "reformed" thinkers accuse anyone who is not an hyper-five-point-calvanist of being an "un-reformed" promoter of a "man-centered" gospel.

These are folks who regularly demonstrate their ignorance of history and lack of understanding about what the reformation was about. Thier brand of theology would accuse even Calvin of not being "calvanist enough".

One of the "last straws" that kicked off the Reformation was about trying to reform the Catholic Church and stop practices such as people buying "indulgences" from priests (paying money for forgiveness of sin).

The reformation was a reaction against the abuses of the Roman Catholic church, and the writings of the reformers reflect this.

Here's a quick timeline to consider:

1384 - Wycliffe English Bible
1509 - John Calvin born
1517 - Martin Luther's "Nintey-Five Theses"
1536 - Calvin's reform work begins, publishes "Institues of the Christian Religeon"
1542-1546 - Calvin's Reign of Terror in Geneva
1564 - John Calvin dies
1610 - Five articles of Remonstrance
1619 - Five Points of Calvinism

The Five Articles of Remonstrance were a reaction to hyper-calvanism.

The Five Points of Calvanism were a reaction to the Five Articles of Remonstrance.

As with anything that is "a reaction to something", all to often exaggerated statements are used in order to emphasize distinction.

Typically this is not too much of a problem unless people baseline their reasoning on these exaggerated statements instead of on scripture alone.

Folks all too often veer away from one ditch only to land themselves into another ditch.

The best thing to do, is put away all pre-conceived notions and "traditions of men" and just read the Bible and follow what scripture says.


Mark 7:8-9
"For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men-—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do." He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition."

Mark 7:13 "Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that."

Colossians 2:8
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.


[NOTE: Interestingly enough the Five Points of Calvanism did not come about until over 100 years after the start of the Reformation. Many modern "reformational thinkers" act as if Calvin (or at least their idealized understanding of Calvin) was the only reformer, when in fact there were many. Of course Calvin was the only one to become a theocratic dicator of his own city-state where he oversaw the execution of 58 people--many just for being critical of his "Institutes of the Christian Religeon". So, that may have something to do with it. Interesting that while other reformers were willing to die for what they believed, Calvin was willing to kill for what he believed...]

where are these in the bible?

1. The eyes are the window to the soul.

2. The family that prays together stays together.

3. Neither a borrower nor a lender be.

4. A fool and his money are soon parted.

5. Cleanliness is next to godliness.

6. God helps those who help themselves.

7. Money is the root of all evil.

8. To thine own self be true.


(hint: they aren't!)

making merchandise of you

And through covetousness shall they, with feigned words, make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not

2 Peter 2:3

10 Commandments

1. Do not have any other gods before Me

2. You shall not make for yourself an idol

3. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God

4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy

5. Honor your father and your mother

6. You shall not murder

7. You shall not commit adultery

8. You shall not steal

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor

10. You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor

Exodus 20:2-17
Deuteronomy 5:6-20

vision of hell

I propose that it is not so much the sinner that needs a realization of the everlasting punishment of hell...

It is the christian who needs a vision of what hell is, and a realization that possibly 7 out of 10 or up to 9 out of 10 people they know are going there when they die.

Enough of a vision to get them up and out there preaching the gospel to the lost.

love and tolerance

The contemporary definition of tolerance is that you are expected to agree with, validate, affirm, indulge, coddle, adopt, and consider as equally true the contradictory opinions of everyone around you.

This is particularly bogus, because the tolerant crowd is conspicuosly tolerant of everything except Biblical Christianity. Try it, just say "Jesus is the ONLY way" in a crowd and see what happens...

The classical definition of tolerance is: "I don't believe you should die or be imprisoned simply because we disagree."

People should be able to discuss, compare, and contrast their differing views and then still be able to go out to lunch together afterwards even if they never reach an agreement.

Unfortunately, in this post-modern culture, if you don't agree with and affirm someone's opinion, they get all huffy and take it as a personal attack on them.

Everyone is so used to having their egos stroked and their self-esteem built up by other people.

Teacher: Johnny, what is 2+2?
Johnny: 5?
Teacher: Oh, Johnny, spoke so well in your answer. Didn't he class? Why Johnny, you are such a smart little boy, here have a sticker.

BALONEY!

The whole self-esteem psychobabble has accomplished nothing but raise two generations of milktoast mamby pamby wimps who need constant coddling from an enabling nanny.

Instead, it would be far better--and far more beneficial to the person--to correct them when they are wrong.

People need to get their confidence from KNOWING THE TRUTH. Jesus said, "You will know the TRUTH and the TRUTH will set you free" (John 8:32).

It is the TRUTH that sets you free, anything else is BONDAGE.

The post-mods need have to have thier self-esteem artificially inflated because they are taught that everything is relative, that everyone's opinion is equally valid and true. Having no foundation of their own, they are enslaved to the need of someone else constantly around to affirm and build them up.

When challenged, they fall apart. They take it as "you don't like me", and as a personal attack directly on them.

They have no concept of: "I love you and care about you enough to tell you the truth".

There is a horrible misconception about what it means to love someone.

If you love someone, you want what is best for them. Sometimes what is best is not what that person wants, and can even be painful.

Love is NOT about:

- "whatever you want, as long as it makes you happy"
- avoiding making waves or offending people
- wanting people to like you
- supressing the truth because it might make them feel bad
- making people feel good about being wrong
- making people feel relaxed and comfortable on their roadtrip to hell


Love IS ABOUT:

- letting people know when they are heading in the wrong direction
- pulling people out of the fire


Speaking the truth in love is NOT about watering down the truth or sugar coating it.

It IS ABOUT speaking the truth motivated by love for that person.

You don't tell people the truth because you want to impress people, demonstrate how smart and holy you are, or bring attention to yourself. It is also not about being obnoxious for the sake of being obnoxious. Apply what is necessary to get the person's attention and make the point.

You tell people the truth because you care about them and don't want them to burn eternally in hell.

Lamp

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

many will come in my name 2 of 2

Luke 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, "I AM Christ"; and "the time draweth near": go ye not therefore after them.

An interesting take on this concerns the fact that the words in italics (or sometimes braces or parenthesis) in many translation signify words that did not appear in the original text, but were added for understandability.

Considering that Jesus referred to Himself several times as the "I AM"

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."

"I AM" is reserved exclusively as the name of God. In Exodus 3:14, God refers to Himself as "I AM, that I AM" because He is the ultimate standard, there is nothing else for God to compare Himself with or describe Himself as other than Himself.

It is open blasphemy for anyone but God to refer to Himself as "I AM". Jesus could apply the name "I AM" to Himself because He is God.

A case could be made either way concerning Luke 21:8 whether Jesus was talking about others coming claiming to be messiah or others coming claiming to be god. Since there are other scriptures indicating that there will be many false messiahs as well as people seeking to become gods, both are end time indicators.

What we see happening before our eyes is the oldest temptation of man:

Gen 3:4-6 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Gen 11:4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

Also, what we are seeing is the one-world religeon of the last days that has been steadily on the increase, especially over the last 30 years. It is the New Age pantheism that proclaims the "god within all of us". It has crept into mainstream popular culture, and is now the "in thing".

Oprah Winfrey has been the leader in bringing the new age into the popular culture, particularly by promoting "The Secret" and the "law of attraction". Now, Joel Osteen has been introducing it into popular christianity. The fruit of this is now revealing itself in widespread blasphemy.

It seems rampant right now in popular music. A handful of examples include: Madonna's documentary "I AM because WE ARE"; Rapper "will.i.am"; Christina Aguilera has a song entitled "I AM"; Beyonce is currently promoting her 2010 "I AM" tour and also has a song "I AM" that has featured Lady Gaga. P-Diddy's twitter account is "iamdiddy", and he too has a song "I AM DIDDY".

Mormonism believes that it is possible for men to become gods. This concept of man being god or becoming god meshes nicely with new age thinking. Is it any wonder then when in Glenn Beck's monologue on October 29th, 2010 he starts out describing how "I AM" is God's name and should not be taken in vain, then immediately invites the audience to apply that name to themselves in self-affirmation:

I want you to answer. "I am," what — fill in the blank. "I Am," the name of the God ... Why do I say you can do it? Because you say, I am worthy, I am strong, I am smart, I am loving, I'm charitable, I'm able, I'm creative, I'm peaceful. These are the things "I am."

Countless other examples can be found in everything from advertising, modern psychology, contemporary education theory, and liberal theology. I'm quite certain that you will begin seeing more and more examples.

Be on the look out, see that you are not decieved, and go ye not after them.

many will come in my name 1 of 2

John 6:51:"I AM the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever;"

John 8:12: Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I AM the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

John 8:23: And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I AM from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

John 8:24 "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I AM (He), you will die in your sins."

John 10:9: "I AM the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."

John 10:11: "I AM the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

John 10:36: "do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I AM the Son of God'?

John 11:25: Jesus said to her, "I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

John 14:6: Jesus said to him, "I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 15:1: "I AM the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

John 19:2: Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'He said, "I AM the King of the Jews."'"

Acts 7:32: Stephen speaking of Moses' encounter at the burning bush "saying, 'I AM the God of your fathers-- the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' And Moses trembled and dared not look."

Acts 9:5: And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And the Lord said, "I AM Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads."


And in case there is any doubt at all...

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."

"I AM" is reserved exclusively as the name of God. In Exodus 3:14, God refers to Himself as "I AM, that I AM" because He is the ultimate standard, there is nothing else for God to compare Himself with or describe Himself as other than Himself.

This principle can be seen also in:

Hebrews 6:13 (KJV) For when God made promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself


In any case, it is open blasphemy for anyone but God to refer to Himself as "I AM".

Jesus could refer to Himself as "I AM" because He is God. He is the Word, the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity made flesh.

foundation on the rock

Matthew 7:24-29

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and
does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.


One thing that I never really considered before was that there is a prophetic element to Jesus' teaching on this.

Great storms are coming, even greater than those we experience now. Those who are offering strange fire in worship of a god of their own imagination will be washed away by the storms.

Five "isms" that undermine faith

Five beliefs that undermine Biblical Christianity

1. Secularism - god is irrelevant

2. Relativism - no absolute truth, absolutely!

3. Selfism - the world revolves around me

4. Materialism - essence of life is accumulation of stuff

5. Mysticism - subjective experience is more valid than objective truth

Post-Election

Now we get to see how long it will take before this new crop of politicians get corrupted by the system. I reckon the only thing we can hope for "politically" is that there will be at least some gridlock to slow down the progressive's socialist agenda.

While we should and will continue to fight against the corruption, the one-world socialist machine will continue the long march toward disembowling the American economy. America represents two things to the globalists: 1) the globalist agenda cannot move forward as long as America stands as a superpower, it must be brought down and made to kneel; and, 2) a pile of wealth to be looted for the purpose of funding their agenda -- socialism works great until you run out of other people's money to spend...

Is this at all surprising? I've always been puzzled as to, if we are indeed in the end times, why a "superpower" like America is not mentioned in Bible prophecy.

There will be a world government, but it cannot come to power until America steps down and falls in line as one of the 10 regional governorships.

My hope is that the final straw will be the rapture of the church. America will likely be the one that is hit hardest from a loss of possibly 10-25% of its productive population. This, however, is not a requirement.

It is quite possible, and I believe likely, that we may have to live through some of the rough ride leading up to the tribulation. The tribulation, especially the second half, will be worse than anything that has ever happend in history. While we have the promise of being spared from the worst of the tribulation, the times leading up to the tribulation will likely be at least as "bad" as any that history records.

Today, evil is called good, and good is called evil. Coalitions never thought possible are joining together against Israel and biblical christianity (I recently learned a new term called "Syncretism"). The times are dark, and getting darker.

It is when evil is darkest that the light of truth shines brightest.

Regardless of how long we have left here, we must continue to hold on to the blessed hope that only we as believers have. Our job in the meantime is to be salt and light, to take a stand, stand firm, and speak the truth.

When we see these things begin to happen, we look up, for our redemption draws nigh. When people see that hope in us, our job is to be ready to give an answer to them.

new garments

Matthew 9:14-17

Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”

And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.

Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”


Our righteousness is as filthy rags, and just trying to patch it will not work.

Isaiah 64:6
But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.


If we attempt to enter into God's kingdom "wearing" the filthy rags of our own righteousness, then we will be cast out...

Matthew 22:11-14
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are chosen.”


Like the woman with the issue of blood, we need to touch the hem of His garment and be made whole...


Matthew 9:20-22
And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.


Matthew 14:36
and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.


We are to put on the new garment of Jesus' righteousness.


Isaiah 61:10
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness

condemed already

John 3:18

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.


John 3:36

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.


Preachers of the Gospel get accused all the time of "judging" people. However, the fact of the matter is, folks are "condemed already". It is not my judgement they are judged by. They don't need me to judge them, they are already judged according to God's judgement. We are all measured against God's standard, and found wanting.

Imagine a fellow who is very generous, kind, and well thought of. He does all sorts of really great things for people and is an all around great guy. For whatever reason, one day he commits murder. When he is arrested and goes before the court for judgement, it won't be for the good things he has done, it will be for the crime he has committed.

The same is for us. We will not stand before God on Judgement day for all the good things we have done.

We will stand before God because we have broken His commandments.

We have lied, and so we will be judged as liars. We have stolen, so we will be judged as thieves. We have coveted, we have blasphemed, we are adulterers and murderers at heart.

There is no way we can save ourselves or ever be "good enough" to make up for our sins. We are utterly guilty and condemed.

However, there is GOOD NEWS. Our debt has been paid! Jesus took our place and died for our sins. He paid the fine for us. Because of who He is and as perfect, sinless sacrifice, He is the only one who ever could. He then rose again in victory over sin and death.

See, I'm not out saying I'm better than anyone else. No, I'm not in a place to judge. I'm just telling folks about God's standard and the fact is, I'm in the same boat and in need of the Savior as much as they are. I'm just telling folks about the truth I've found.

All I know is, I was blind, and now I can see.

cursed

Numbers 21:9

And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

I've wondered "why a snake"? Then I remembered it was the serpent that was cursed "above all cattle".


Genesis 3:14

And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

And "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree"


Deuteronomy 21:23

His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.



Galatians 3:13

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."


John 3:14-15

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Purity

I'm more in the category of one who loves much because he has been forgiven much.

My first kiss, my first experiences were not saved for marriage. In youth, ignorance, and foolishness, I wasted purity in an occassion for the flesh and was used as an instrument to ruin it for someone else.

Because of the work of Jesus on my heart, and through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, I have repented, sought forgivness, and been forgiven.

Like the harlot who was brought before Jesus to be stoned to death, she was forgiven but commanded, "Go and sin no more."

I now am committed to purity in my life.

What I am left with is not so much as guilt as it is a mourning for loss. I mourn the loss of purity in my life as I would mourn the loss of a friend or loved one.

When I am in a position to encourage someone else to live a life of purity, I can speak from experience that it would be better to wait. When accused of "well, you didn't wait", I can reply "true, but had I had understood and counted the cost, I would have done different"

Understanding the fear of the LORD

Proverbs 2:1-5

My son, if you

1. receive my words,
2. treasure my commands within you,
3. incline your ear to wisdom,
4. apply your heart to understanding;
5. cry out for discernment,
6. lift up your voice for understanding,
7. seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures;

Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

It's what sells...

It's a matter of what sells and what can be produced cheeply to get the biggest bang for the buck.

It is very costly to hire really good and talented writers for shows.

Whereas, it is does not take any talent or thought to appeal to the viewer's fleshly appetites. The more base, racy, and "edgy" a program, the more attention a program will get.

In a very competitive marketplace, programmers know that they have to keep pushing the envelope further and further to cut through the noise and get people's attention.

Additionally, people tend to gravitate toward entertainment that requires the least amount of mental involvement

This sets up a self-perpetuating spiral where the media pushes the "edge" (translated: lowers the values), viewers are "hardened" and their values lowered, then the media has to go down to the next level, and so on...

The majority of viewers just want to sit, turn off their mind, and absorb whatever garbage happens to be spewing out of the TV at the time.

It is our job as Christians to be salt and light and do everything we can to break this sprial.

First and foremost by not participating in this spiral in the first place.

Next, by shining the light of truth and calling people's attention to the fact that what is wrong and immoral is, well, wrong and immoral.

What we can also do is vote with our dollars and support family-friendly programming anywhere we can find it.

allies in culture war

Christians can be a very dissappointing bunch of people.

Thankfully, I know to keep my eyes on Jesus and my nose in the Bible. Otherwise, I would end up like most folks: turned off of Christianity by the shenanigans of those purporting to be "christians".

In recent news articles, it has been the Catholics and Mormons who were the most vocal in opposing the homosexual agenda. Where have the "evangelicals" been?

Consider that the U.S., Britain, and the Soviet Union joined in alliance against the Axis in WWII. Just because these countries were allies, does not mean that they had to compromise their national distinctives in order to join together against a common enemy.

Similarly, there should be some way that Christians can stand in alliance with Catholics and Mormons to fight cultural, social, moral, and political battles without compromising what we believe.

I don't follow Glen Beck or the Pope when it comes to matters of spirituality or doctrine. But I do agree with them on many cultural, social, moral, economic, and political matters. It is on those matters that we can be allies without compromising our core beliefs.

The danger of course is that many not well grounded in their faith may think that if we are allies in moral issues, that it somehow legitimises these other religeons and they may be lured away into these false religeons.

A sad truth is that more Christians convert to Mormonsim than any other group. I can understand why, as most "evangelical christians" are at best convenient, sunshine christians whose behavior is wishy washy and hypocritical. So "works based" religeons such as mormonsim and catholicism, or the "mysticism" offered by the emerging church movement become very appealing.

At this point my only solution is to spend 2 hours studying the Bible for every 1 hour spent fighting the culture war.

Eventually, the real solution becomes more about preaching the gospel and making disciples. After all, that is what we are commanded to do.

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”- John Adams

Absent from the Body

What happens to believers when they die?

Corinthians 5:6-10

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Philippians 1:23

For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

already judged

John 3:30-36

He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Yep, now when I get accused of "judging others" I can say, "too late, your already judged".

Last Days Scoffers

2 Peter 3:2-6

That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished

Folks today are surrounded with the evidence of God's handiwork, however they are willfully ignorant--driven by their own lusts to ignore the truth and seek a lie.

Consider a child whose very clothes they are wearing, toys they play with, house they live in, protection from harm, and the very food in thier belly has been provided by a loving parent. Yet the child stands there shaking their fist at the parent screaming that they do not need them and they can take care of themselves.

We are the same way. Consider that the very oil, coal, and natural gas that powers our electric plants, moves our cars, and is a key ingredient to countless products was laid down during the global flood of Noah's time. They are so keen to deny the flood, however they cannot demonstrate any contemporary natural process that is replenishing these fossil fuels.

So far I've found no-one who better sums up today's post-modern attitude than the following from Aldous Huxley:

"I had motives for not wanting the world to have meaning; consequently, assumed it had none, and was able without any difficulty to find satisfying reasons for this assumption....

"Most ignorance is vincible ignorance. We don't know because we don't want to know. It is our will that decides how and upon what subjects we shall use our intelligence. Those who detect no meaning in the world generally do so because, for one reason or another, it suits their books that the world should be meaningless....

"The philosopher who finds no meaning in the world is not concerned exclusively with a problem in pure metaphysics; he is also concerned to prove there is no valid reason why he personally should not do as he wants to do....

"For myself, as no doubt for most of my contemporaries, the philosophy of meaninglessness was essentially an instrument of liberation. The liberation we desired was simultaneously liberation from an certain political and economic system and liberation from a certain system of morality. We objected to the morality because it interfered with our sexual freedom; "(1)

(1) HUXLEY, Aldous, Ends and Means, Chatto & Windus, London; The Macmillan Company of Canada, Limited, Toronto, 1937, pp 270/272/273.

Religion

I really don't want to have much to do with religion.

Religion is:

Man creates god after man's image

Man decides what is right/wrong

Man reaches up to god, trying to impress god with his "goodness"


Instead we are to have a relationship with God who created us in His image.

God decides right/wrong

We can in no way reach up to God, our righteousness is "filthy rags"

God came down and dwelt among us, gave Himself for us so that we can have a relationship with Him.

Repentance

Attrition - A feeling of regret for one's sins or misdeeds in the sense of "I regret that I've been caught"

Contrition - A feeling of regret for one's sins or misdeeds in the sense of sincere repentance and disgust for one's own behavior.

be fruitful and multiply

Concerning propagation of the human spirit/soul

We are to be fruitful and multiply.

Not divide, such as when God breathed into Adam's nostril's and he became a living soul, the decedents of Adam are not a dividing up of one big "soul-pie".

Also, it is not a distribution or allocation of pre-existing souls waiting in line for the next body to be birthed.

It is multiplication of life, much the same way that fire multiplies itself.