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Great Discernment Tools!


When The Ends AND The Means Are Unjustifiable
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.


Way back in 1976 C. Peter Wagner had already expressed a foundation of sand upon which his entire "apostolic" kingdom is built.  To back up his notions, he and his friends such as John Wimber, Paul Cain and many others began to get the cart before the horse.  They tried to create revival where there was none with unbiblical and even heretical ideas.  They imported occult ideas from false religions into the churches, such as "slain in the spirit" and called the results "revival".  The means they used were the counterfeit  revivals of the Word Of Faith Movement, the Vineyard movement, the Toronto "Blessing", the Brownsville "Outpouring" and on down the line to latest Todd Bentley "Lakeland Revival".  The proof that the means have all been unjustifiable is in the unjustifiable ends.  Lakeland has now come to an apparent abrupt end due to false healing and dead raising claims, many false teachings, a false "transferable" anointing, and sexual misconduct.  You can read about these things in our Todd Bentley section. Yet the leadership of the New Apostolic Reformation has not even been slowed by yet another bad end brought about by the self-destruction of the means.  In the latest ElijahList the false prophets are prophesying even greater revivals to come.

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The Handkerchief Phenomenon
Addendum to “A Whole Lot Of Wishful Thinking These Days

by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

There is a new phenomenon especially among some island churches where handkerchiefs are being handed around a congregation claiming that they have an anointing that can cause people to be healed and other miraculous things happen to them. The problem with this idea is especially evident in two things: (1) that this can and is being considered by many to be Christian magic and (2) that it is being taught as being something that should be a normal part of the Christian experience.  It is taught that if you have faith you will believe in touching the handkerchief that you will be healed, freed from demons, or get a special anointing.  But faith is not proven by signs and wonders.

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Baha’i & YWAM's "Indigenous People's Movement" (IPM)
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

This chart should be of grave interest to those in YWAM and those supporting YWAM and its agenda with the IPM or "First Nations" movement led by people like Daniel Kikawa (Perpetuated In Righteousness), Don Richardson (Eternity in Their Hearts:Startling Evidence of Belief in the One True God in Hundreds of Cultures Throughout the World), John Dawson (Taking Our Cities for God: How to Break Spiritual Strongholds), Richard Twiss (One Church, Many Tribes : Following Jesus the Way God Made You), Terry LeBlanc (Creating Christian Indians: Native Clergy in the Presbyterian Church) and many others.  You will notice a very close comparison in this chart between false religion and so-called "Christian" leaders.  Please read what YWAM, The Emerging Chuch, the WCGP and others are teaching that are almost exactly what the Baha'i teach.

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Three Fallacies Of Third Wave Spiritual Warfare Teachings 
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

When so-called Christians employ Biblical pagan methods to rid themselves of demons, they end up giving the enemy an opportunity to deceive them and a foothold in their lives.  When Israel disobeyed the Lord's command to come down to Jerusalem and worship Him in the temple under the Law, and instead chose to set up altars in the high places, the result was that they ended up worshiping demons.  They thought they were worshiping God, but ended up worshiping Baal and Ashtoreth.  You cannot live a life glorifying to the Lord unless you obey Him.

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The Duties of Christian Leadership 
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Christians, and especially Christian leadership, are called to be salt and light in a dark world.

Matt. 5:13-16  "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

When the Lord tells us to be salt and light, He states both the positive and the negative.  That is the way with all Scripture.  We can’t just take the positive and be done with the subject.  We have to consider all the ramifications of being salt and light.  Salt is used to season food and make it taste good.  It was and still is used as a preservative.  In the same way Christians are to be salt in the world.  Without the witness of Christ, without standing for the truth, life is ultimately tasteless and rotten.  Anyone here who was a sinner for any length of time without the Savior knows what I am talking about.  But the flip side is that salt can lose its saltiness.  Christians can lose their saltiness by diluting the Gospel message to the point where it is useless.  Let me give you an example of a washed out Gospel often preached in churches today. 

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Smack Dab in the Middle of the Apostasy 
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Christianity Today ran the following article:

'Antichrist' No More: Evangelicals Praise Pope
Most are unreserved in their praise on political, social,
and even theological matters, but critique of papacy remains.
Compiled by Ted Olsen, 04/05/2005 04:30 p.m.

Among the names mentioned, who praise the Pope in this article, were "Evangelical" leaders such as: Evangelical Episcopalian Fred Barnes; Wheaton College's Mark Noll; Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod President Gerald B. Kieschnick; National Association of Evangelicals President Ted Haggard; Focus on the Family President James Dobson; Charles Colson who organized the evangelical side of the Evangelicals and Catholics Together; Paige Patterson, President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; Presbyterian Church in America Pastor-brothers David and Tim Bayly; Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Al Mohler; Dallas Theological Seminary President Mark Bailey; Credenda Agenda Editor Douglas Wilson; and Evangelical Alliance, the United Kingdom's version of the stateside National Association of Evangelicals.

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Marriage
 A Biblical Illustration Of Our Faith Commitment To Jesus Christ For Salvation 
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Marriage as a metaphor for our relationship to Jesus Christ.

Marriage is used as a metaphor for our relationship to God many times in the Bible.  Let's look at the picture God wants His people to see about their relationship to Him, and His relationship to them.

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The New Powerless Gospel
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

TI have been challenged lately to think again about what the Gospel message is all about.  This has come as a result of hearing what I considerto be, at the very least, "gospel lite" and at the most no gospel at all being presented by a number of neo-evangelicals, Third Wavers and outrightheretics.  The interesting thing is that many seem to be preaching the same message.  What is most intriguing is that false teachers like Benny Hinn, ecumenicals, and even some preachers I would considerto be orthodox in their theology are preaching a "gospel" that is very similar.The question is: Is this new gospel message really the Gospel at all?

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Leviathan

by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

This creature that existed, and may yet exist, is used as a description of the might and power of the enemy.

 

Isaiah 27:1 In that day the LORD will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, With His fierce and great and mighty sword, Even Leviathan the twisted serpent; And He will kill the dragon who lives in the sea. (NASB)

 

Speaking of the “day of the Lord”, when the Lord comes back again to rule and judge the earth, Isaiah says that the Lord will punish Leviathan the dragon.  Satan is likened to leviathan, a serpent, and he is said to live in the sea.

 

Revelation 13:1 And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. (NASB)

 

Again the dragon comes out of the sea, which is symbolic of the nations of the world, but perhaps is also tied to a literal meaning.  He has multiple heads which are symbolic of the heads of the nations of the end times, but he is also said to have multiple heads before the symbolism of the nations of the revived Babylon come into being, as recorded in Ps. 74:14 and Job.

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Pre Millennial and Post Millennial Doctrines Do Not Mix 
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Many Christians today (having allowed themselves to be diapraxed by false teachers on TV, in books, in seminars and on tape) have begun to accept a mixture of Pre Mil and Post Mil doctrines.  Many claim they still hold to a Pre Trib Rapture (or another Pre Mil scenario) and at the same time would claim that Christians are in a great end times revival, that "Transformation" is taking place all over the world, and that our mandate is to retake dominion over the whole world including its businesses, social agendas and political arenas (a Post Mil scenario).  But what many "Christians" today do not realize is: the mixture they have accepted is oxymoronic.

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New Age & Eastern Mysticism in the Churches
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

There are two kingdoms being taught in many churches today. Teaching about one of the kingdoms is on the decline while the other is being promoted all over the place.  I am warning Christians that they need to check out who is using the word "kingdom", the books they have been reading and recommend on building "the kingdom", the people they have been hanging out with at conferences, and what they mean by "the kingdom".

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"He Was A Murderer From The Beginning" 
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

John 8:44  You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning,

not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Revelation 21:8  But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters

 and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

Revelation 22:15  Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers,

the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

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Exposing the "I Am God" Blasphemers 
by Sandy Simpson
Downloadable

This DVD is a message based on this article.

There are so many people who claim to be Christians today, claiming that they are God.  Not just a “little god” but God Almighty.  I hate to tell them but there is only one God/man who could ever claim that and His name is Jesus Christ.

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Why False Teachers Have So Many Followers 
by Sandy Simpson
Downloadable

This DVD is a message based on this article.

1 John 4:4-6  You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit {Or spirit} of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
The reason why false teachers, who deny one or more of the core doctrines of the Faith, gain so many followers is that they are saying what the world wants to hear.  They organize their churches so that they cater to unbelievers, and once non Christians come in they are fed a diet devoid of the essential nutrition of the Gospel and sound doctrine.  False teachers conduct surveys to see what non-believers are looking for in a "church" and then provide those things.  False teachers claim they are bringing people into the Kingdom when in fact they are bringing them out of the world and back into the world, the only difference now being that they are spending their money in support of some apostate leader and/or group.

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False Apostles
  of the New Apostolic Reformation
by Sandy Simpson
Downloadable

This DVD is a message based on this article.

The NAR proponents claim to be foundational Apostles to the modern church.  This claim is exactly what Paul warned the Church about regarding false apostles.  The term "false apostles" is used only once in the Bible in 2 Cor. 11:13.  False apostles are identified as those who claim they are equal with the the foundational Apostles.  The NAR proponents go even further! They claim to be GREATER than the original Apostles.

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  Jude Study
6 DVD Series
(DVD 1) Jude Lesson 1 - Verses 1-4
 (DVD 2) Jude Lesson 2 - Verses 5-10
(DVD 3) Jude Lesson 3 - Verse 11
(DVD 4) Jude Lesson 4 - Verses 12-15
(DVD 5) Jude Lesson 5 - Verses 16-19
(DVD 6) Jude Lesson 6 - Verses 20-25

 by Sandy Simpson
Downloadable

This DVD set is a message based on this article.

Jude 1:1-2 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. Jude was the brother of Jesus Christ. But it is significant that he calls himself the brother of James. Jude wants everyone to know that, though he is a half-brother of Jesus Christ through his mother Mary, he considers himself to be a servant of Jesus. I’m sure there were those who tried to idolize him for being the brother of Jesus Christ. If he had the character of some of the current large crop of false teachers, he would have written “Jude, the brother of Jesus Christ.” I’m sure if some of these modern heretics could trace their roots back to Christ, they would use that information to get support for themselves and power over people. But Jude does just the opposite. He calls himself the servant of Jesus Christ. He is addressing this letter to those who have been called, and who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ. So he is addressing this letter to Christians. God has called every true believer.

You can get more information here.


A Word of Encouragement from Paul
Run the Race, Win the Prize

by Sandy Simpson
Downloadable

This DVD is a message based on this article.

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.  Jesus Christ is coming again.  We are citizens of heaven, not this earth, and Jesus will come to take us to our homeland.  So true believers eagerly await His coming, unlike those who oppose the cross of Christ who think they must take dominion over the earth or laugh at the idea of the Rapture.  There are many of them today.  We know that when Jesus comes, by His power, He will bring everything under His control.  We are not called to do that as the Church.  Jesus will do that when He comes, and when He comes we will be changed and receive our everlasting bodies that will never wear out.

1 Cor. 15:51-57 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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ESC Vs ISC

Entertainment-style Christianity
vs. Interactive-style Christianity
by Sandy Simpson
Downloadable

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Today, in a majority of churches, we see the result of the seeker-friendly,"purpose-driven", church  growth, Third Wave, New Apostolic Reformation methods and teachings and their product I am calling"Entertainment-style Christianity" (ESC).  But ESC churches are not only missing out on the cutting edge of true Christianity, but areheading down the road to apostasy.

True biblical Christianity is "interactive".  Those in ESC are taughtto be spectators at mega-church entertainment events.  They are not taught the Bible but rather to be enamored with the oratoricalskills of the preacher, and to not dare question anything that is shoved down the throats of the "laity" by the ruling "anointed"elite.  They are treated to a circus atmosphere including wild CCM music with people flailing around and acting like they are on drugs, topreachers who tell endless stories about themselves and joke about everything while actually making profundity mundane, to hula dancing,to banners and marching in the church and around it, to the blowing of shofars, to slain in the spirit and wild manifestations.  Theirsears are tickled by guest speakers who make up sermons out of their own imaginations instead of the written Word.  They are entertainedwith gold dust, gold fillings, "angel" feathers, "angel" footprints, drunk in the spirit antics, and during these displays they can go outand get a latte and a snack at the church snack bar.  They come into these mega churches and leave without being personally challengedother than with tired worldly psychology, and without anyone being able to find out what they are doing in their private lives.  A smallpercentage attend "cell groups" where they are diapraxed into consensus instead of challenged to be Bereans and think and act forthemselves.  They live like the world during the week, then come to church where the world is not only welcomed but accommodated.

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Drunk

Saturate 2020 adherants are those who are drunk and think they can save the planet
by Sandy Simpson
Downloadable

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Commentators seem to think that this section of Habakkuk was addressing the Ceasars and their drunken desire for power.  Seems these two things often go together.

 

Those who love drunk in the spirit are no exception.  They are trying to get others to share in their debauchery and the false hope of an end-times worldwide revival, currently through the Saturate 2020 events.  Though these were two of the heretical distinctives of the New Order of the Latter Rain, these ideas are nothing new.  The righteous continue to live by faith, while the proud boast in their drunken state.

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Saturate
                  2020
A Warning about Saturate 2020
by Sandy Simpson & Marco Quintana
Downloadable

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Saturate 2020 is another in a long line of Latter Rain revivals which do not meet the criteria of a Biblical revival at all (Acts 3:19).  The Toronto “Blessing” and Brownsville “Revival” both came into towns all over the world with the promise that people were getting saved and nothing weird was going on at their meetings.  This was always a lie as the true Gospel was not preached but instead people were invited forward to have hands laid on them in order to transfer an impartation.  Meanwhile false doctrines were laid down in order to get people involved in churches like Bethel Church in Redding, CA.  We are warned in Scripture about this.
Galatians 2:4 But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage.

2 Peter 2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
The fact that some formerly Biblical churches have joined this circus is a testament to their lack of teaching discernment.  Some of these denominations were warned repeatedly about the Latter Rain, Word of Faith and the New Apostolic Reformation yet they apparently wanted to remain “willfully ignorant”.  The people advertised as being involved with this latest “revival” are almost all associated with Bethel in some way and promoters of what they teach.  This is not a true Biblical revival but rather a revival of the occult and New Age among Christians.  This meeting is actually hurting the cause of Christ and will not have any real beneficial effect on the culture of California, which has turned decidedly evil for decades.  These Dominionists
will not be saving the planet, but are rather setting people up for the coming antichrist.  Nor will they rid the world of coronavirus, but rather likely add to it.

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Christocentric
Should Biblical Churches Be Christocentric?
by Sandy Simpson
Downloadable

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Should biblical Christian churches be Christ-centered (Christocentric)?  Should the doctrines of the Father (Patriology) and the Holy Spirit (Pnematology) also be equally emphasized?  Can a church be Patriocentric or Pnemacentric and be biblical?

The answer to these questions are quite simple from a biblical perspective.  There have been charges leveled at some movements such as the Pietist Movement in Germany and other movements that they place too much emphasis on Christ to the exclusion of the Father and the Holy Spirit.  This may be true to a certain degree.  The doctrines of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit must be taught with equal emphasis so that Christians will know what they believe.

But should a church be Patriocentric or Pnemacentric?  No.  For instance, there are far too many churches today, having been influenced by hyper-Pentecostalism and the Latter Rain, that are Pnemacentric.  They spend most of their time focusing on the Holy Spirit to the exclusion of preaching the Gospel while, in fact, they don't even have a biblical doctrine of the Holy Spirit.  I believe that because classic Evangelicals, to a certain degree, dropped the ball in defining the Person and role of the Holy Spirit it gave an opening to Third Wavers to step in with their erroneous ideas of Pnematology.

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Laodicea

The Letter to Laodicea
Is a Warning to the TRUE Church Today
by Sandy Simpson
Downloadable
This DVD is a message based on this article.

Rev. 3:14-22  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Much has been made of this passage, using it to point out what is happening today in the apostate churches around the world.  It is true that they believe they are rich in spiritual things when they are very poor.  It can be applied in one sense to the 
Word of Faith movement.  It is true that the "River" movement of Latter Rain teachings do think they are hot when actually they are cold.

But this letter to the end times church of Laodicea is actually talking to biblical Christians who are born again.  The apostate movements of the Latter Rain, Third Wave, Toronto "Blessing", Vineyard, Brownsville "Outpouring", Word of Faith, New Apostolic Reformation, World Gathering on Indigenous People, Manifest Sons of God, Seeker Friendly, Church Growth, Emerging Church and many others have already had their lampstands removed (Rev. 2:5) because of their apostasy and have already been spit out of the Lord's mouth (Rev. 3:16).  We can know this because of what the Bible says about those who teach false doctrines (1 Tim. 6:3-5, 2 Tim. 4:3) and make false prophecies (1 John 4:1). These false churches, false movements and false brethren (Gal. 2:4) are already under the judgment of the warnings of the seven letters, as all but two of the original first century churches are today (only the two who Jesus did not warn still survive today).  Therefore the letters to the churches apply to those churches who have not had their lampstands removed and been spit out of the mouth of God because of heresy and false prophesy.  So the warning to the true biblical churches today remains.  Why is this warning significant to us?

It is significant because, by in large, it is the true Church today that has allowed the movements mentioned above to infiltrate and take over the agenda for what is called "Christianity" today.

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 Overseer
The Overseer
A Study Of Titus 1:6-11

by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

In Titus 1:6-11 Paul tells Titus to appoint "overseers" in the churches.  The word "overseer" is episkopos in Greek and means bishop, curator, superintendent, guardian, watchman. Overseers are to be shepherds to the sheep, watchmen, guardians.

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Jesus Cares
Jesus Cares for You
by Sandy Simpson
Downloadable

This DVD is a message based o
n this article.

Read Passage: John 6:1-15

The story of the feeding of the 5000 is found in all the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John. When something is repeated in the Bible it means that it is important and is something we must try to understand. There is often a deeper meaning in sentences or stories that are repeated.

In this same story repeated in Mark 6:34 it says:

"When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things."

One of the main things that Jesus is... is compassionate. He cares for His people. He was compassionate then and He is still compassionate today. Jesus came and saw the needs of the people. So He did two things. He met their physical need of hunger for bread, and He also met their spiritual hunger for the bread of life. As Jesus told us in John ... He is the bread of life. The Bible, the Word of God, being the word of the Father and the Son, is also the bread of life.  Jesus is the living example of the Word as it also says in John "The Word was made flesh and lived among us".

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Boykin DVD

General Jerry Boykin and his ties to The Knights of Malta and Rick Joyner

compiled by Sandy Simpson
Downloadable

This DVD is a message based on tis article.

This paper exposes what General Boykin has been doing in Calvary Chapels and his associations.

He is Grand Chancellor of the Vatican's Jesuitical "Knights of Malta", an ecumenical society under the leadership of Rome where Catholics, Protestants and a plethora of others unite in what cannot be a unity of the Faith.

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Jonah
Two Lessons from Jonah
by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

We just finished as study in the book of Jonah in our Bible study groups.  As we studied through that true story I became aware of an application for Church leaders today.

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Synergy
What Does The Bible Teach About "Synergy"?

by Sandy Simpson
Downloadable

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Synergy is also a concept being adapted and taught today as a major tenet of the Third Wave, New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) movement.  Dutch Sheets was one of the first to introduce this concept to that movement back in the National School of the Prophets - Mobilizing the Prophetic Office Conference at Ted Haggard's New Life Church in Colorado Springs, CO on May 12, 2002. 

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Uprade your Old Hymns
Upgrade Your Old Hymns For The New Paradigm!
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

HUMOR: Time for a rewrite of the old hymns.  In this day and age of Third Wave revival movements and Word-Faith dominion, the old hymns just aren't cutting it anymore.  Not only are they old fashioned musically, but the lyrics are, for the most part, particularly depressing. They talk of sin, death, repentance, the cross, the blood of Jesus and a whole host of other disgusting subjects.  There are also too many lyrics in them, frankly, which takes away from the "worship" atmosphere. Repetitiveness is what we need, not dead doctrinal concepts. The old hymns are just too biblical. Give us a beat to move our feet, not concepts to move our hearts and minds!

Here is a list of some hymns that could be "upgraded" to meet the criteria of the Third Wave, Word-Faith, Latter Rain, Manifest Sons Of God, New Apostolic Reformation.  This list is by no means complete.  If you don't recognize the hymns mentioned perhaps it would be worth your time to go back and read them, then compare what they say to the new doctrines.

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Almost Saved
Almost Saved
by Sandy Simpson
Downloadable

This DVD is a message based on this article.

“To be almost saved is to be totally lost.” – Adrian Rogers

There are many so-called “Christians” today who are clearly “almost saved” by their testimonies and/or actions.But to be “almost saved” is to be completely lost.A person who is drowning and almost saved drowns.A woman who is almost pregnant is not pregnant.King Agrippa said, “You are almost persuading me to be a Christian (Acts 26:28)” but being almost persuaded is not enough to be saved.

The word “almost” means “very nearly”, “not quite.” In light of this we may conclude that to come close to the target, or “almost” hit it, means to completely miss the mark. (Shalem Evangelical Church Bush Hall Yard Gap, St. Michael)

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Noise
"Silence the noise of your songs"
by Sandy Simpson, 5/26/19
Downloadable

Amos 5:21-27 “I hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.  “Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; and I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. “Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. “But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel? You also carried along Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun, your images, the star of your gods which you made for yourselves. Therefore, I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts. When I first reread this passage in Amos, a few things struck me.  First of all the Lord is bringing judgment on Israel for carrying on religious ceremony without true dedication to the Lord.  They sing songs and present their offerings while harboring idols.  I was reminded of how the Lord must view the heretical apostate mega church celebrations of today.  There is a lot of pomp and circumstance, yet little or no obedience to the Word of God.  The Lord does not look favorably upon worship of that type, no matter the hype, no matter the noise, no matter the show.  He actually “hates” it.

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Good Church
How To Find A Good Church
by Sandy Simpson, 2003

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Here’s how to find a good church.  What you need to find is a church that not only has orthodox doctrinal statements but teaches, both explicitly and implicitly, in line with the core doctrines of the Faith.  These are Bible-believing Christ-centered churches that are balanced in their theology.  Be sure to test all churches before you become involved.  It is acceptable to get involved with a house church or Bible study as long as there is someone who has the gift of teaching there to lead the study of God’s Word. 

Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

The Christian life is not one to be lived alone.  Trust me; I have sympathy for those who have been spiritually injured by false churches, false prophets, false teachers and false apostles.  It is often a long road back from the diaprax of heresy.  But to undo the brainwashing you will need help, especially from those who are already ahead of you on your journey back.  The first century church was known for the following:

Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

This is a good gauge to tell if you are involved in an effective assembly of believers, no matter how small.  Remember that the first century churches were in homes.  In my experience smaller churches are much better at doing the above and more.  Avoid mega churches.

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Walking the Waves

This book was written by my mother and is about my family's experience as missionaries in Micronesia.  Juanita went to be with the Lord in August of 2018.  This book has been a blessing to many people around the world and I want to share it with you. - Sandy Simpson 

This is the story of a young woman who goes to the ends of the Earth with her pastor husband and two small children. While describing the hardships of living in a remote village on a remote Pacific Island in the 60's, it also gives us a vision of the joy the family experienced as well. The heart of the book is the story of how the author survives the death of her husband and goes on to serve God and the Micronesian people in her own right.This book reveals a woman of great faith and courage. In addition, the book is well written and a pleasure to read.Having met the author, I will add that there are thousands of people throughout Micronesia who love her and who have benefited by her faithfulness and commitment over the years. Read the book and get to know this wonderful woman. Review by Richard D. Shewman on Amazon.

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Deliverance
Deliverance! 
A Biblical Guide To Freedom from "Another Spirit" 
The Possible Consequence of the Unbiblical Practice of "Slain In the Spirit" 
by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

The cases are legion.  Let's look at John (a pseudonym) as one case in thousands that I read through the years in the emails sent to my site.

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Dominionism
A Short History of Dominionism
by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

In order to understand where the modern fusion called “Dominioism” comes from, I want to first give you definitions of Kingdom Now, Dominionism and Reconstructionism.

Dominionism is sparsely defined as follows: 

“Dominion Theology (also known as Dominionism) is a group of Christian political ideologies that seek to institute a nation governed by Christians based on their personal understandings of biblical law. Extents of rule and ways of achieving governing authority are varied. For example, Dominion Theology can include theonomy, but does not necessarily involve advocating Mosaic law as the basis of government. The label is applied primarily toward groups of Protestants in the United States.” [1]

It is more closely defined this way: 

Dominionism, or Christian Dominionism is a term coined by social scientists and popularized by journalists to refer to a subset of American Christianity that is conservative, politically active, and believes that Christians should, and eventually will, take control of the government. The term is sometimes used as a “catch-all” by bloggers to describe any politically active Christian, but not every conservative, politically minded Christian is a Dominionist. Christian Dominionists believe that God desires Christians to rise to power through civil systems so that His Word might then govern the nation. The belief that “America is a Christian nation” is sometimes called “soft dominionism”; the idea that God wants only Christians to hold government office and run the country according to biblical law is called “hard dominionism.” [2]

“Hard Dominioism” as it is called in the above definition, is what C. Peter Wagner (deceased) of the New Apostolic Reformation (a term he coined) have been advocating, following the teachings of the New Order of the Latter Rain and Reformed Theology “Reconstructionism”.

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Maturity Training
Maturity Training
by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

Heb. 5:14 But solid food is for the MATURE, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

At the core of maturity in Christ is the issue of training to be able to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong. But in today’s churches this issue has not only been downplayed, but actually swept aside.

I run a website and get hundreds of emails every week. Since the website deals with apologetics against false teachers and false prophets, about half the email I receive is blasting me for even bringing up the issue. These emails are from “Christians” who claim I am not “anointed”, don’t understand the work of the Holy Spirit, etc. I am forced to remind them of Hebrews 5 and Ephesians 4 and the biblical definition of maturity in Christ. Maturity is not defined as following dynamic speakers, running after people who claim the ability to perform signs and wonders, those with wealth, charismatic teachers with large numbers of followers, those with name recognition, and prophets who make wild prophecies. It is defined simply as training ourselves to know the difference between good and evil.

Where do Christians get solid food? From voices in their heads, intuition, imaginations, flights of fancy, signs, wonders? No. Solid food is consumed by feeding on the meat of the written Word of God.

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Johnson
Bill Johnson Quotes
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

In this article, I will detail some false ideas, especially from Johnson’s books.

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The Use of Invective
The Use of Invective
in Apologetics
by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

This article is about the use of invective while attempting to do apologetics or teaching discernment.  Invective is defined as a noun: insulting, abusive, or highly critical language ie. "he let out a stream of invective".  I admit to using invective at times in the past.  My goal is to stop that practice and focus on the facts, not attack an individual’s ability to comprehend. 

In the case of Christians, the first thing to consider when doing apologetics is our mandate to reconcile people to Christ, no matter who they are.

2 Cor. 5:18-21 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

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10 Questions
Ten Questions
For those who Claim the "Supreme Beings" of the Nations are the True God
by Sandy Simpson

This booklet is taken from this article

I have some questions for those of the World Christian Gathering of Indigenous People (WCGIP) adherents such as Don Richardson, Daniel Kikawa, Richard Twiss (deceased), Terry LeBlanc, Danny Lehman, Aloha KeAkua, YWAM as well as many in the Emergent Church (EC) ... the questions arise from their claim that the "supreme beings" of the nations are all the True God, YHWH, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  You can read more on this subject in our book "Idolatry In Their Hearts" or in the WCGIP section of my site. 

My main question for them is this: When did ANY of the Patriarchs and Prophets in the Old Testament and the Apostles or Jesus Christ in the New Testament EVER claim that the "supreme beings" of the nations were Elohim/YHWH, the one True God?  Let's look at some examples in the form of questions and you can check out the source links as well.

10 Questions  is available is now available in booklet format.  You can order here or at Lighthouse Trails here.  $1.95 per copy, bulk orders get a discount.

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Real
                  Revival DVD
Real Revival
by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

Acts 3:19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;

There has been so much hype of "revival" in our modern day that it is easy to forget the true biblical criteria and definition of revival. Revival cannot be brought about by signs and wonders or "laying" on of hands to transfer apostolic or prophetic "anointings". In fact there is no such thing in the Bible.The Biblical criterion for revival has, as a precondition, repentance. The word "refreshing" is also defined as "revive".

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Peter Popoff
Peter Popoff
Back to his old tricks!
by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

I received a letter from Peter Popoff. This infamous televangelist, in the past, was found to be guilty of wearing an earpiece so that his accomplices in his sound booth could feed him personal information on people in his audience while he was claiming to get personal messages directly from God.  This letter proves that, not only is he back as a regular on TV, he is also back to his old tricks.

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Occult DVD
Occult Practices in the Churches
How the occult has been fully integrated into many Christian lives and fellowships
by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

The Bible is quite clear about occult practices.Neither Israel nor the Church is to have anything to do with the way the world tries to gain secret knowledge.The Gnostics were and are known for promoting new revelation that is either loosely tied to Scripture taken out ofcontext or not at all.The Israelites seeking information from the dead or in omens were judged harshly by the Lord who had warned them numerous times to stay away from that stuff.

Yet due to the influences of heretical teachers in the New Apostolic Reformation, Word of Faith, Emergent Church, and the New Age many have been successful in getting lots of churches and denominations into occult practices that have been thinly disguised as “Christian�?.Many of those who follow these people, I’m sure, have no idea how far they have strayed into the occult.

First I want to give the dictionary definitions and then Biblical warnings against these practices.Then I will give examples in the churches taken mainly from the ElijahList e-newsletter.

List of Practices Detestable To God

Deuteronomy 18:9-12 “When you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things the Lord your God will drive them out before you.

Isaiah 8:19When they say to you, “Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,�? should not a peopleconsult their God?Should theyconsultthe dead on behalf of the living?

Using the above list from Deuteronomy and Isaiah, let’s take a look at each individual practice.

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New Important Book!
Dominion Book
Dominionism!
How Unbiblical Action Can Change The Churches
by Dr. Orrel Steinkamp & Sandy Simpson
Downloadable

Preface
By Sandy Simpson

The title and cover art of this work are a play off of the book by C. Peter Wagner entitled “"Dominion! How Kingdom Action Can Change The World".  In contrast to this specious claim we have titled this book “Dominionism! How Unbiblical Action Can Change The Churches�?.  We think that is far more in keeping with what we will present in this series of articles and essays on the subject of Kingdom Now/Dominionism.

Indeed, many churches have already been changed by accepting the false teachings that constitute Dominionism.  This started decades ago under Reformed Reconstrucionism and Latter Rain theology, but even before that in the Roman Catholic Church (RCC).  The attempt of Constantine to protect Christians from being persecuted, since he claimed he had become one of them, turned out to begin a journey in syncretism and Dominion.  It wasn’t long before corrupt church officials began to try to seize power all over Europe and beyond as the “Holy Roman Empire�?.  The Reformation itself was a reaction to the lengths to which the RCC had gone to take control over the Scriptures, the nations, the kingdoms, and the people for financial gain.  They sold indulgences, promising those who came up with enough money a much shorter time in Purgatory.  Those same ploys are being used today on what has been loosely called “Christian television�? by the sale of trinkets and promises of healing, financial gain and even salvation.

These ideas all coalesce in Dominionism.  If it were true that the Church needs to take over the planet, then we would be seeing the unstoppable plans of God’s physical Kingdom unfolding.  But we do not.  All we see are failed prophecies, empty edicts and declarations coming from false apostles and false prophets.  They love to fool Christians with talk of the “kingdom�? when it is clear they are talking about a different “kingdom�?; a Kingdom Now not a Kingdom come.  Jesus taught us to pray: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven�?.  The implication is that we are to be about building His spiritual Kingdom while praying for and expecting His physical Kingdom to come.  The only way we can do that is to continue in the Great Commission till He comes, not attempt to rule where God has not given the Church the authority to rule.  Jesus will do that when He returns. If we go off on the tangent the Dominionists want us to go, we will not only miss out on the blessings of His Kingdom to come, but may well be deserving of judgment.

This book is online and available as a download at this time for $15.  The printed books are now here!  They are $20. each plus s/h

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Seeds, Soil & Fruit
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.
Downloadable

Bad seeds from a bad tree yield bad fruit.

Matt. 13:38-39  The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Matthew 7:17  Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

Original sin is the bad seed in everyone.  We all start with a bad seed.

Jer. 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Rom. 3:23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Rom. 5:12  Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned

We need to have the bad seed destroyed and replaced with good seed.

Gal. 5:24  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
Rom. 6:6  For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin
1 Pet. 1:23  For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

The good seed is the Word, the Gospel.

Luke 8:11  "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.
1 John 3:9  No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.

Bad seeds are from the enemy and are full of false doctrine and a false gospel.

Matt. 13:38-39  The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

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Will the Real Blasphemers Please Stand Up?
by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

This subject is one so serious that I do it with great fear and trepidation. Nonetheless, because I get so many e-mails accusing me and other Bereans of blasphemy, among other serious charges, I felt it was necessary to clear up some issues on this topic. Because of my stand for the truth of God's Word juxtaposed against all the false teaching that is going on today, I think it is important to do a quick study on what blasphemy is actually all about from a biblical standpoint.  There are many references to blasphemy in the Bible and from them we can find out how and why that term was used.

You will see that the word "blasphemy" in the Scriptures is the very definition of what the false teachers and false prophets are doing today!

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"Glitter Christians"
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Glitter Christians. 

This is a name I came up with for people attending and teaching at Oral Roberts University in the 70s.  Even back then I had come to realize that their way of representing Christianity was not in line with the Scriptures.  At that time I didn’t know that Oral Roberts was carrying on the Word of Faith traditions of New Thought practitioners such as Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Essex Kenyan, Norman Vincent Peale, Robert Schuler, and many other false teachers of the time.  Though I didn’t know anything about Word of Faith or New Thought then I knew that the way they were representing Christianity was just not right somehow.  Their desire to portray Christians as rich, beautiful, healthy, perfect, and virtually sinless (holiness) went directly against the example of Jesus, the Apostles and the early church. 

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The articles below are now also available on MP3 CD or MP3 DVD!
Perfect travel listening material!

"Transformed By The Renewing Of Your Mind" (Rom. 12:2)
Studies in worldview.
By Sandy Simpson

(1) "They Will Believe The Lie"
(2) Satan, The First Postmodernist
(3) A Tale Of Two Kingdoms
(4) One Of Satan's Final Masquerades
(5) Nightmarchers And UFOs On The Big Island
(6) The Missionaries Brought A Foreign God
(7) Monotheism In Ancient Cultures
(8) The History Of The Knowledge And Worship Of God
(9) Replacement Theology On Steroids
(10) Catholic Syncretism
(11) The Gospel Entrusted To The Saints
(12) The Responsibilities Of A Good Shepherd
(13) "... and all liars"
(14) Four Books That The Enemy Has Used To Corrupt Christianity
(15) Glitter Christians
(16) Is It Possible To Believe In Jesus ... And NOT Be Saved?
(17) Testing The Spirits


Studies in Worldview MP3 CD
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Studies in Worldview MP3 DVD
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Screwtape Legacy
by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

The book by C.S. Lewis called "Screwtape Letters" was a clever idea in exposing a number of tactics of the enemy.  Those principles are still at work today in many churches.  Following is a list of some of the things the enemy wants to see in churches and Christians in order to bring them down.

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Bradford Pear Christianity
by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

I was driving along and noticing that spring has sprung here in North Carolina. One of the first trees to bloom is the Bradford Pear. I began to notice how that tree has proliferated almost everywhere and then my wife looked up the information on this tree on the web. As she began to read the facts about this tree and its proliferation I began to see an allegorical parallel to what is going on in much of Christendom. But before I get into what the Bradford Pear can show us about the churches, I need to present the facts about the tree.

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The Lord's Prayer, Our Prayer
by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

Matt. 6:9-13  This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

This model prayer that Jesus taught the disciples to pray contains many important precepts.  It should probably be called "The Disciple's Prayer".  It starts with a very important concept in the first verse.

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The Fallacious Arguments of Neo-Universalists
by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

The new Universalists are not as vocal about their Universalism ideas but are far more deadly to the Church as they are not rejected like classic Universalists were decades ago.  The new Universalists would include Emerging Church leaders like Brian McLaren, Leonard Sweet, Spencer Burke, Alan Jones and others like Wycliffe, Society of  Biblical Literature, World Christian Gathering of Indigenous Peoples, Richard Twiss, Daniel Kikawa, Terry LeBlanc, Rick Warren, Henry Nowen, YWAM, Tony Campolo, Robert Schuller, George Otis Jr., and even Billy Graham.

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The future of apologetics and discernment ministries
by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

I admit that I am very skeptical about the future of discernment and apologetics ministries. I don't see the next generation coming up to replace those who have stood for the truth for so long. Fortunately many apologists have gone to be with the Lord but who will replace them? I don't see replacements coming up who will take the place of those who have been fighting the fight the years. I run a web site where I collect articles and materials from all over the world and present them in a sort of Reader's Digest format so that people can come to one place to get the latest information on heresies in the churches as well as research past ones. What I've seen in the last couple of years is that the production of regular materials is declining to the point where it's becoming difficult to find one article for my site to post every day. Of course I write my own articles but don't have enough time to write an article on a daily basis. I am very concerned because of the tsunami of false ideas from the enemy in the churches. At the same time, unfortunately, I see a lot of younger people who don't even recognize anymore that something is wrong. 

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Church History & The Core Doctrines
by Sandy Simpson
Downloadable
This 4-DVD set is a combination of a condensed study on Church History and the Discernment Toolkit series which deals with the core doctrines of the Church and how to use them to discern error.  The Church History DVD takes a different approach to Church History in that it does not celebrate the Catholic Church but rather exposes it as false Christianity.  It covers World religions, false Christianity and finally a study of the true remnant Church through history following the story of the many martyrs who stood up for true Biblical faith. 

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Weight of Glory

The "Weight of Glory"
by Sandy Simpson
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This DVD is a message based on this article.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (KJV)

This is both an incredible source of hope for Christians who are downtrodden, and a source of escalating heresy in many churches.It is critical that we understand what Paul was talking about when he wrote the phrase “weight of glory�?.Jacob Prasch has repeated this phrase in his teachings over the years … “A text, out of context, in isolation from co-text is always a pre-text."A huge problem today is that individuals and movements tend to yank verses out of their context and build a cult of heresy around them.This is called eisegesis or plugging your own ideas into the Scriptures instead of exegesis, gaining understanding and interpretation of the Bible by studying it in context and in the scope of the whole written Word.

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Eternity
Did God Put "Eternity In Their Hearts"
or "The World In Their Hearts"?
by Sandy Simpson
Downloadable
This DVD is a message based on this article.

In the introduction to Mike Oppenheimer's and my book "Idolatry In Thier Hearts" I exposed the fact that Don Richardson pulled the phrase "Eternity In Thier Hearts" to use as his book title from it's context in Ecc. 3:11.  He did this to support his thesis, which actually contradicts the second part of that verse, where it states that man cannot fathom what God has done. Richardson, rather, sets forth what has become the foundation for the false teachings of the WCGIP, YWAM, a number of Bible translation societies and the Emerging Church ... the propostion that men from Gentile cultures have always been seeking God and that Gentile cultures were already worshipping the true God before missionaries came with the Gospel.

But as I further investigated this verse I found that Richardson even ignored the true meaning of the FIRST half of the verse in favor of a few translations that use the phrase "eternity in their hearts".

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Christians who “turn away�? 
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

  Jeremiah 3:10-11 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD. And the LORD said unto me, “The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.�? (KJV) Israel had turned away from the Lord and had gone after the gods of Canaan, namely Baal   and Asherah.  Because Israel had prostituted herself with false gods in worshipping the polytheistic gods that started at Babel, God had declared He was divorcing Israel and would send them into exile until they again returned to the true God. But Judah prided itself in doing what God had commended as they had Jerusalem and the Temple.  They disdained Israel for setting up altars to Baal and Asherah poles on high hills.  Yet God was not fooled by Judah’s pretence.  In the KJV it says they were not worshipping God with their whole heart but “feignedly�?. 

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Prophets for profit
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

2 Cor. 2:17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

There are many false teachers on TV these days who peddle the word of God for profit.  They make promises of healing that do not come true by claiming if they are given a financial gift the person will receive healing and riches.  When what they promised does not happen the person is blamed that they did not have enough faith. This often destroys the faith of people who fall into the traps of these snake oil salesmen.  I have no problem with people charging for their materials if they cost to be produced, even though it is hoped that when a person cannot afford to pay for books and DVDs they will receive them free of charge.  But the charges levied on people for conferences and speaking engagements is often excessive.  A minister of God can ask for support and deserves it if they are being diligent in their study and proclamation of the Word.  But experiences and feelings often come with a price today and that is not right. 

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"Mistake" or "Sin"?
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Today we often hear the word "mistake" coming from pulpits, and especially in defense of false teaching and false prophesy.  "Cut him some slack!  He just made some mistakes".  "We all make mistakes, so don't judge lest you be judged."  We even hear the word "mistakes" being substituted for the word "sin" in many presentations of what I have termed "Gospel Lite" today. So is it proper to substitute the word "mistake" for the word "sin"?  We'll look at the problem of one word "mistakenly" being used for the other. 

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Holy Ghost IGNORED!
by Sandy Simpson

This 3-DVD set is a message based on this movie review.

"Holy Ghost Reborn" is the second film in the "Holy Ghost" series released by Bethel Church in Redding, CA.  Tim Wirth and I reviewed the first "Holy Ghost" film and that review is freely available on YouTube here:

Holy Ghost Movie Expos"
Reviewed by Tim Wirth & Sandy Simpson
A Simply Agape Project Production

I am sorry to say this but Bethel is clearly a cult of Christianity holding to most of the teachings of the Latter Rain and Word of Faith.  They have demonstrated repeatedly a manipulative atmosphere targeting young people in particular while preaching rank heresy.  This new film is a continuation of those false teachings and practices.  I pray for the young people in that church that they will come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and thus come to know the true Holy Spirit. 

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Holy Ghost IGNORED! Part 4 - Addendum with Tim Wirth & Sandy Simpson
This "Holy Ghost IGNORED! Part 4 - Addendum is part of a 3-DVD series by Sandy Simpson reviewing the film "Holy Ghost Reborn". This addendum features a number of false teachings of Bethel Church in Redding, CA that I was not able to include in the 3-Part series. Get the whole thing! It is very important to see what has become the "new" Christianity. 

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Servant Authority
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

The world system has always been a "top down" structure, starting at the apex of the pyramid and going down to the bottom. In kingdoms we have the king at the top, then the princes, common people, slaves. In a democracy we have the President at the top, the VP, the Sec. of State on down to the citizens. In business we have the CEO at the top, upper management, lower management, office workers and the janitors.  Unfortunately, sometime in the third century, the church started to have a top down structure. This is also when the church began to be in error. The church of Rome began to have a "top down" structure that started with the pope, then cardinals, then bishops, then priests, then the people. Well, what about that?  Eph 4:11  It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,  This all sounds like a "top down" structure. But the problem is that people have not seen an important fact about these gifts of the Spirit -- man looks at function and title, God looks at aim and goal! Read on. Eph. 4:12  to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. These are not gifts given for title or to give people job descriptions. They are given because there are people out there who need our help! The church needed the Apostles. They were the ones who were the foundation of the church. They were the ones who saw Jesus in the flesh and were taught by Him personally. They wrote the New Testament Scriptures. Though the gifts of apostle and prophet are different today than in biblical times, the gift of evangelism, pastoring, teaching and others are still the same. A person who is an evangelist does not just have a title so he can rule over people. The reason that he has the gift to be an evangelist is so that he can tell others the good news. Why do we have pastors? Are they supposed to rule the church and get everyone to support them and bow to their demands? No. They are to serve the church by helping people to come to a fuller knowledge of Jesus Christ, to equip the saints to become more like Jesus every day.

The true structure of Christianity is symbolized as an inverted pyramid! 

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�Overtake you like a thief�
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

1 Thessalonians 5:4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; How serious will it be for a person to be overtaken in �that day� like a thief overtakes a household when he slips in and steals?  Will it just be a surprise for those who claim to be Christians who will get a slap on the wrist by the Lord but still proceed to heaven?  Will they simply lose rewards but still gain the ultimate reward?  What is this darkness that the brethren are not in?  1 Thessalonians 5:3-5 While they are saying, �Peace and safety!� then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night or of darkness; 

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Generic and Specific
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

In my article �Blasphemizing the Bible� I give a number of examples of how a lot of modern Bible translation societies are putting the names of �supreme beings� in the Bible in the place of God or YHWH. In this article I'm going to examine two of the excuses they make for making those substitutions in the Bible in many hundreds of different languages today. 

(1) They claim that God has many different names and therefore they think they are justified in putting the names of various gods of various cultures in Bibles, as long as they are considered �supreme beings�.

(2) The second excuse they give is that the names of the �gods� they are placing in the Bible are generic terms for God, like the words �God�, �Theos�, �Dios� and �Elohim�. By generic I mean a word that can be used for any deity whether of the one true God or other false gods who claim to be God. 

I will go through both of these excuses and show that they are both unbiblical, therefore the Bibles they have translated with names of other gods in them, or names they claim are generic, prove that they have �blasphemized� those Bibles.

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The Ugly Side of Diaprax
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

There has been a concerted effort by the false teachers from many movements inside the church such as Word of Faith, New Apostolic Reformation (NAR)/Latter Rain, World Gathering on Indigenous People and Emerging Church among others to diaprax people into thinking that the church has been ineffective until they came along with their new and improved ideas on how to take over the world.  This is always a feature of the Hegelian Dialectical process put into action by praxis, thus diaprax.  In order to form a new paradigm or worldview the leadership of these movements must vilify orthodox Biblical Christianity.

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Deluded!
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

There are so many "Christian" leaders out there that teach delusional teachings.  These teaching are dangerous and can lead a person to shipwreck their faith.

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Healer?
Heal Thyself!
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

A good subtitle for this article might be "Practice What You Preach!"  There is no doubt that God can and does heal people today.  But the false doctrines of the Word-Faith Movement about "declaring" healing, "name-it-and-claim-it", etc. have been proven to be lies by the very people who sell this deceit.  If you don't know about where these famous "faith healers" go when they need healing, you may be surprised.  Why couldn't they heal themselves when they purported to be able to heal others by virtue of their superior faith?  What happened to the extraordinary faith they claimed to have, enough faith to heal and be healed?  Since they are the ones who taught that all you have to do is claim the healing that is in the Atonement (Is. 53:5) why did they not do so?  Don't their deaths prove that what they were preaching was a lie and pragmatic witchcraft rather than biblical relality?

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God�s Attitude toward the �Supreme Beings� of the Nations
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

It is quite clear from Scripture that YHWH does NOT consider the �supreme beings� of the nations to be Himself, the One True God.  This is in opposition to the teachings of Don Richardson, Daniel Kikawa, Richard Twiss and many others promoting the World Christian Gathering of Indigenous People movement, Emergent Church and Liberal theologies.  I have proven this time and time again in my articles on the subject but I am going to consolidate the information from the Bible in this article by studying the false gods named in the Bible.  I am sure I will not be able to cover every instance of supreme beings mentioned in the Bible but I (1) want to deal with some of the major ones (2) show you where they are found in the Word, and (3) prove that they were the �supreme beings� of those nations named by the patriarchs, prophets and Apostles and that they were not monotheistic gods but polytheistic in the tradition of Babel where the false religion of polytheism first took root through the worship of Nimrod and Semiramis.

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You need to "nip it in the bud"!
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

I am writing this article to address a subject that I have often observed.  It is the fact that if you do not get the leaven out of your church the leaven will become the leadership.The Bible teaches quite clearly that if you let the leaven in you will leaven the whole lump.

 Galatians 5:9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.

 We see this often in the case of many �Christian� movements that have allowed a small error to exist in their churches and have not dealt with those issues.  It then ends up metastasizing into worse and worse problems as time goes by. 

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The New Panentheistic "God" Of Christendom
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Now, I bet you read the title of this article and thought I had misspelled the word "pantheism".  Just so that those of you who write to me advising me of words I have misspelled in articles (and I do often) I want to tell you that I am using the term "panentheism" as coined by Karl C. F. Krause.  You can read more about this word and concept in an excellent book called "A Time Of Departing" by Ray Yungen.

There is a new "God" being promoted in the Third Wave, New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and Word of Faith movements whose teachers are regularly seen on TBN, Daystar, SkyAngel, CBN and other "Christian" TV networks.  Some of those teachers even have, what would be considered, a fairly typical statement of faith or doctrinal statement they endorse.  But by what they teach they end up promoting a false unbiblical view of God, especially through their actions and experiences.  The whole phenomenon of "slain in the spirit" and all the antics that go with it are brainwashing an entire generation of Christians to put their faith in another Jesus, another Spirit, another Gospel.  This new "Jesus" and "Holy Spirit" is clearly pantheistic or panentheistic in nature.  Though some of these teachers would claim to be believing in the God who is One God in Three Persons, by what they teach they deny the very revealed character of God from Scripture.

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What Should I Say?
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this booklet.

How do you answer an invitation to attend a meeting where you know nothing about the speaker or what will be done there? What happens if they want to announce the meeting at your church and invite everyone? What do you say to a person who tells you that you don�t have the Holy Spirit even though you are a Christian? What should you do if you think something is wrong, or your conscience is bothering you about something that was said or done?  The answer?

 Go to the Scriptures! 

The Bible has all the answers to your questions. This little booklet is an attempt to deal with a few of the typical statements you will hear from people who have become involved in the Third Wave revival movement. By �Third Wave� I am referring to teachers, �prophets� and any meeting associated with the Toronto �Blessing�, Brownsville Assemblies of God, Rodney Howard-Browne, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Rod Parsley, Marilyn Hickey, Joyce Meyers, Bethel Church, Lakeland and many others who appear on the Trinity Broadcasting Network and the 700 Club on TV. 

Hopefully the statements and answers in this booklet will set you off on an investigation of your own in the Word. If you need help, and you have access to the Internet, you can visit my web site called �Deception In The Church� that deals with these issues and has the articles mentioned in this booklet.

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Luring People To Destruction
By The Unscrupulous Use Of The "Gospel" Message
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

    Phil. 1:14-18   Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.  It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.  The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,

If you see what I see in this passage, this argument cannot be used for people like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and the hundreds, even thousands of Third Wave ministers today who are not merely envious and self ambitious, but are also teaching outright false doctrine. Paul was not talking about heretics in this statement, but "brothers in the Lord" who preach the Gospel with wrong motives. Third Wave teachers not only have wrong motives, they also have the wrong message.  This argument cannot be used for people like Hinn, even if they manage to preach enough of the "Gospel" for people to come to a saving knowledge of the Lord, because they are also teaching and practicing heresy.

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One of Satan�s Final Masquerades
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

   2 Corinthians 11:14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

 Satan often disguises himself with the purpose of deceiving people.  One way in which I believe he is putting on a masquerade is by appearing as �Mary� to millions of people worldwide. 

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Attack Of The Enemy 
On The Churches
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

So much heresy is entering the churches these days.  As you would suspect, sometimes it is due to a pastor attending a conference or reading a book and becoming diapraxed with unbiblical ideas.  He then starts to weave those ideas into his messages and begins to invite speakers to the church who expound on those ideas.  Then when confronted by someone in the church who has reservations about the new stuff being taught, they are told to not talk about it and just go along with the program.  If that person does not they are ostracized, slander behind their back, and often told to leave (which is what they should do in any case). 

But my observation is that it is not only the pastor who causes unbiblical changes to influence a church.  Often the pastor is blissfully unaware of influences coming into his church.  They often come in through (1) the worship team (2) women�s groups (3) bookstore (4) children�s programs (5) interdenominational prayer efforts and (6) relief and mission organizations.  If unchecked this type of infiltration is much more subtle and can become deeply rooted.

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Marks Of False Religion
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

In context Paul is especially addressing, though perhaps not to the exclusion of other false religion, what had become the false religion of the Pharisees and Jewish leadership.  There were many Jewish so-called �Christians� making the rounds among the fledgling early churches who were trying to get the Gentiles to come under the Law from which Christ had purchased their freedom.  John Gill states this case well in his commentary.

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Universalism in the World 
has Permeated the Church
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

The current fad of interfaith solidarity and unity is simply a thin guise of inclusivism, Universalism and pluralism. 

Universalism is defined by Dictionary.com as: The doctrine that emphasizes the universal fatherhood of God and the final salvation of all souls. (Source) Universalism is a religion and theology that generally holds all persons and creatures are related to God or the divine and will be reconciled to God. (Source)

Pluralism is defined as: The doctrine that reality is composed of many ultimate substances.  � The belief that no single explanatory system or view of reality can account for all the phenomena of life. (American Heritage Dictionary, (Source)

Inclusivism is: "Inclusivism posits that even though the work of Christ is the only means of salvation, it does not follow that explicit knowledge of Christ is necessary in order for one to be saved. In contrast to pluralism, inclusivism agrees with exclusivism in affirming the particularity of salvation in Jesus Christ. But unlike exclusivism, inclusivism holds that an implicit faith response to general revelation can be salvific. God expects from man a response proportional to the light given. Saving faith is not characterized so much by its cognitive content as it is by its reverent quality." (Ken Keathley, None Dare Call It Treason:  Is an Inclusivist a Paul Revere or a Benedict Arnold? (Ken Keathley, Assistant Professor of Theology and Philosophy New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, (Source)

We deal with these old heresies brought forward to modernity, these ideas that all men have have a relationship with God that will cause them to be able to avoid judgement in our book on the teachings of the World Gathering on Indigenous People movement called �Idolatry In Their Hearts�.  The idea that all men who worship a �god� are worshipping the true God, YHWH, has bubbled up to the very top of our societies and religions, and even Christendoom, and should sound a warning alarm to true Biblical Christianity.  Instead, as usual in our day, most Christians are asleep at the wheel while Universalists claim that you can pray to a �god� like Allah and be praying to the true Trinue God, YHWH. I also dealt with the fact that Allah is not YHWH, both in our book and in the article �Is Allah The Same As YHWH?�. 

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What We Need Is A Reverse Paradigm Shift!
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

I'm going to warn you now.  I am going to let you in on some information tonight that is going to radically change your world view.  You are likely going to experience the beginnings of a reverse paradigm shift and after tonight there will be no way to go back the way you came.  You will be faced with choices that you may never have known you had.  You will be faced with a new way of looking at things that is going to cause you to rethink everything that is being taught in the Emerging Latter Rain churches.  It is going to be radical because the basis for this message doesn't come from Jesus Christ visiting my room last night bodily, but from His holy written Word.  So buckle down your seat belts, you're likely in for a bumpy ride!

    Matt. 7:15-23 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep�s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. "Not everyone who says to me, �Lord, Lord,� will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, �Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?� Then I will tell them plainly, �I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!�

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False Teachers Revisited
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

I often receive requests to present updated false teachings and false prophecies by the myriad of heretics out there.  We do try to keep up with all the latest.  But I have to remind people that those we have exposed as false on our site have not repented of what they have already done in the past, which is why they are still on our site.  So what they are doing now has no relevance as to whether or not they are now to be considered a true Biblical teacher.  If and when they repent, that is renounce their false teachings and false prophecies, make restitution to those they have deceived, and begin to teach sound Biblical doctrine we will give you that information.  As of now NONE of the people we have exposed have repented of their Latter Rain, Word of Faith teachings, heretical practices or their false prophecies.  But in the interest of helping you to respond to a person who inquires by saying: "Those articles are old and you need newer materials" well, here is some newer stuff you can add to the pile.  For you and me this really makes no difference, but for those who are living in deception perhaps it might demolish one of their arguments against the truth. 

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Testing The Spirits 
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Sometimes I really wonder why someone who claims to be a Bible believing pastor, for instance, refuses to listen to the truth.  It frankly boggles my mind.  I don't know if it is as a result of the postmodern paradigm or just that they have no love of the truth left.  I don't know how that can happen in a truly regenerate person.  You would think that the Holy Spirit would confirm the truth to them, first in their conscience, and finally through the written Word.  But these days it is a miracle if it gets that far.  I don't know if their conscience has been so seared that they don't hear the Spirit or if they just don't want to know the truth because then they would be responsible for it.  I know that I cannot know their motives or the reasons why they reject truth and refuse to talk about false teaching, but I do know one thing: we are called as true believers to test the spirits.  We must do this even if the result is not to our liking or befuddles us as to the reasons.

    1 John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

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Questions for Those Who Claim the "Supreme Beings"
Of the Nations Are the True God
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

I have some questions for those of the World Christian Gathering of Indigenous People (WCGIP) adherents such as Don Richardson, Daniel Kikawa, Richard Twiss (deceased), Terry LeBlanc, Danny Lehman, Aloha Ke Akua, YWAM as well as many in the Emergent Church (EC) ... the questions arise from their claim that the "supreme beings" of the nations are all the True God, YHWH, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  You can read more on this subject in our book "Idolatry In Their Hearts" or in the WCGIP section of my site. My main question for them is this: When did ANY of the Patriarchs and Prophets in the Old Testament and the Apostles or Jesus Christ in the New Testament EVER claim that the "supreme beings" of the nations were Elohim/YHWH, the one True God?  Let's look at some examples in the form of questions and you can check out the source links as well.

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How To Discern, Test & Judge Rightly
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

In running a web site with thousands of articles, 1-2 million hits per month from all over the world, and hundreds of e-mails per week, I have come to realize, with time, that there is a terrible problem in Christendom today. The problem stems from an existential subjective view of the world that has filtered into the church from secular society, but also from the teachings of heretical wolves who have taught an entire generation of churchgoers completely unbiblical methods of discernment or to get rid of any discernment altogether.

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We need a firm foundation to weather the storm of false ideas
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Matthew 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. (KJV)
Matthew 7:24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
� 1787 Joseph Funk & Robert Keene

A house built on the rock will stand.  The Rock is God and in particular, Jesus Christ.  Therefore His written Word is the teachings of the His Holy Spirit and a Rock we can depend on.  Anyone who wants to prove anything theologically, historically, scientifically or anything else needs to start with correct information.  If you start with a faulty foundation, as you build your arguments, they begin to fall apart because they are not supported in God"s truth.  If you want to build on a firm foundation, you need to start the process by a careful study of God"s Word in context of the verse and according to the whole counsel of God"s Word.  The Bible is the best commentary on the Bible.

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Karma (by any other name)
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

According to Wikipedia: 

"Karma means action, work or deed; it also refers to the principle of causality where intent and actions of an individual influence the future of that individual.  Good intent and good deed contribute to good karma and future happiness, while bad intent and bad deed contribute to bad karma and future suffering.  Karma is closely associated with the idea of rebirth in some schools of Asian religions.  In these schools, karma in the present affects one's future in the current life, as well as the nature and quality of future lives - or, one's samsara. With origins in ancient India, it is a key concept in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Taoism, Shintoism, Ching Hai and others."(emphasis mine)

Mirram-Webster defines it this way:

the force created by a person's actions that is believed in Hinduism and Buddhism to determine what that person's next life will be like: the force created by a person's actions that some people believe causes good or bad things to happen to that person

Given the definitions of "karma" above, this same idea, usually without the reincarnation aspect in Christian circles, has been taught for decades in New Thought movements such as the Positive Thinking/Positive Confession teachings of Norman Vincent Peale & Robert Schuller, the Word of Faith ideas of Essex Kenyan, Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn, the mixture of Eastern Mysticism and Christianity by Korean false teachers such as the "force of faith" Paul Yongii Cho, and newer renditions and fusions by people like Joel Osteen, Joseph Prince, T.D. Jakes (recently agreeing with Oprah Winfrey who teaches karma on her WHO network), and others such as Ernest Angley, John Bevere, Markus Bishop, Juanita Bynum, Morris Cerullo, Kim Clement, Paul Crouch, Creflo Dollar, Jesse Duplantis, Marilyn Hickey, Brian Houston, Rodney Howard-Browne, Larry Huch, Bishop Eddie L. Long, Clarence McClendon, Joyce Meyer, Myles Munroe, Steve Munsey, Mike Murdock, Rod Parsley, Peter Popoff, Fred Price, Oral Roberts, R.W. Shambach, Robert Schuller, Karl Strader, Robert Tilton, Paula White, Ed Young and many others.

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His Name, The Only Name
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Zechariah 14:9 NIV The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.

 The reason I wrote this article based on Zech 14:9 is that I was reminded of how many so-called Christians, who are influential in the churches, are promoting the worship of God in the names of other gods.

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Replacement Theology On Steroids
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

So, as you can see, the root of this teaching is that Israel no longer holds the distinction of being the tree from which the Root of David (Jesus-Rev. 5:5, 22:16) came.  They are no longer the "natural branches" (Israel-Rom. 11:21) on to which Gentile Christianity (the wild shoots-Rom. 11:17 or wild branches-Rom. 11:24) are grafted in (Rom. 11:17-24).  According to Replacement Theology, Christianity has now become its own branch apart from Israel (the natural branch) that produced the Root and all the promises of the Bible to Israel have been taken away from them and given to the Gentile Church.  This is why you hear so many false teachers taking verses out of context from the Old Testament and willy-nilly applying them to the Gentile Church.  This methodology has been going on for decades in liberal churches and has been popularized by many false teachers on TV. But the fact is that Replacement Theology is utter false doctrine.  It denies promises made to Israel, some of which have already been fulfilled and some which are yet to come to fruition. But when you add the fact that the Inclusivist WCGIP proponents are now saying that God planted hundreds of different trees, cultures all over the world, that are not connected to the natural branch, tree and Root, you have what can only be termed Replacement Theology on steroids!

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Those Who Do Not Lead Christians to Maturity
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

The Scriptural definition of maturity is to learn to discern truth from error so that the Christian will no longer be double minded, blown about by every wind of teaching and by the schemes of crafty people.  But the problem today is that so few Christian teachers are feeding their flock's solid food.  They are serving up milk and, because of that, people are starving. Yet they often don't even know they have been on a starvation diet.  Amos 8:11 "The days are coming," declares the Sovereign Lord, "when I will send a famine through the land -  not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord."

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"... and all liars"
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Lying is a problem for all people (Ps. 116:11).  We are all sinners (Rom. 3:23).  Those of us who are Christians are "sinners saved by grace" (Eph. 2:8) indwelt by the Holy Spirit in our "new self" (Col. 3:10). But we still live in our "old self" which we must "put off" (Eph. 4:20-25) by taking up our cross daily and following Christ (Luke 9:23).  The difference between unbelievers and those who are truly born again is that believers no longer "practice sin" (1 John 3:9, see my Bible study on 1 John!)  They have the indwelling Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:11) who convicts them when they lie (John 16:8). True believers then repent (1 John 1:9) and go on to "practice righteousness" (1 John 2:29) with the Lord's help.  The unregenerate, the false brothers, or those who have fallen away (Gal. 5:4, Mark 4:17), practice lying.  They practice a lifestyle of lying because their consciences are seared (1 Tim. 4:2) and the Holy Spirit, when convicting them, cannot break through the hardness of their unrepentant hearts (Eph. 4:17-19, Heb. 3:13). 

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Four Books That the Enemy Has Used To Corrupt Christianity
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

The four books that have changed the church by giving an introduction to the false teachings of the New Apostolic/Latter Rain (NAR), the Emerging Church/Contemplative/Catholic Mysticism (EC), pragmatic Church Growth (CG) methodologies of C. Peter Wagner, Robert Schuller and Peter Drucker, and the teachings of the World Christian Gathering on Indigenous People (WCGIP) are as follows:

Surprised by the Power of the Spirit by Jack Deer, Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster, Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren & Etnerity In Their Hearts by Don Richardson.

 These four books were widely read by Christians from virtually every denominational background before their ramifications and the movements they would spawn were known.  They lay error alongside truth so were considered not to be a threat to churches.  Therefore these books then became part of the consciousness of many Christians and churches, thereby laying the basis for the introduction of the modern day false teachings of the NAR, EC, CG and WCGIP that have become part of the landscape of Christendom today. 

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Night Marchers and UFOs on the Big Island 
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

With the resurgence of the old religion of Hawaii and the continual invocation of Pel� and other "deities" for years in the secular culture and even in churches with regards to worshipping 'Io, is it any wonder that those beings are beginning to manifest again?  In a story called "Night Marchers" on the Kawaihae site and in a YouTube video on the same subject, eyewitnesses claim all kinds of sightings that they think are the warriors, ancestors and demi-gods of Hawaii coming back.  Interestingly the first book the Hawaiian Heritage site recommends in its "Suggested Reading" list is "Perpetuated in Righteousness" by Daniel Kikawa that we reviewed in our book "Idolatry In Their Hearts" by Sandy Simpson and Mike Oppenheimer. Since Kikawa claims that 'Io is the True God and one that the Hawaiians worshipped in secret, we have to wonder if Kikawa also thinks 'Io is showing up in these night marches? Since YWAM, Aloha Ke Akua and Hilo New Hope participated in worshipping 'Io at the "edge of Hale-ma'uma'u Crater" it sounds like they have all been inviting the old "gods" to return to Hawaii. 

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"They Will Believe 
The Lie"
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

I am doing a Bible study right now on what I would call "renewing our minds".  It is based on this verse:

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The only way to renew our minds is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, confess our sins, and be saved, then to study the written Word and allow the indwelling Holy Spirit to teach us.  Our minds are corrupted by virtue of the sin nature and what we have learned in life because our filters are off. I gave an illustration of straining coconut to make coconut milk.  If you use a 1 inch screen everything will pass through.  Even if you use a quarter inch screen you will get mostly coconut meat in your milk.  You have to use a fine screen in order to separate the milk from the leftover.  Our filters are off and the first thing God begins to do is correct our worldview, because if your worldview is off you will not understand God's reality.  We need to learn to see things from His perspective.  This is why I started this study by going back to an original problem.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

This has always been an interesting passage to me for a few different reasons.  What is "the lie" that is talked about here in verse 9 and 11?  What are the ways that "wickedness deceives those who are perishing" and how long has this been going on or does this only begin to happen at the coming of the lawless one?  In what way does "the lie" cause those who do not believe the truth to "delight in wickedness"?

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Updated!
The First Nations Movement
Deceiving The Nations!
4-DVD Series

Critical Missiological Issue!

The "Indigenous People's" (IPM) or "First Nations" movement is an unbiblical movement teaching heresies and doctrines of demons. It is being spread worldwide by YWAM, Don Richardson, John Dawson, Richard Twiss, Terry LeBlanc, Daniel Kikawa and many other adherents.  The IPM or World Christian Gathering On Indigenous People is full of the false teachings of the Third Wave, New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), Word-Faith, Dominionism, Latter Rain and many other false theological systems.  But it does have it's own distinctives that are driven by the works of Daniel Kikawa, Richard Twiss, and Don Richardson in particular.  They are teaching Christians to "redeem" their cultures by worshipping their former gods, pretending they are YHWH.

Go here for ordering information. Only $10. per DVD or $35. for the 4-DVD set, plus s/h. for US. 
The First Nations Movement 4-DVD Set

The First Nations Movement DVD 1
(1) Perpetuating Nations' Myths - Mike Oppenheimer
(2) 11 Reasons To Reject This Movement, Part 1 - Sandy Simpson
The First Nations Movement DVD 2
(1) The Fingerprints Of God? - Mike Oppenheimer
(2) 11 Reasons To Reject This Movement, Part 2 - Sandy Simpson
The First Nations Movement DVD 3
(1) The New Indigenous "Christian" Religion - Sandy Simpson
(2) Did God Put Eternity In Their Hearts? - Sandy Simpson
(3) The Missionaries Brought A Foreign God - Sandy Simpson
(4) Catholic Syncretism - Sandy Simpson
The First Nations Movement DVD 4
(1) "Monotheism" In Ancient Cultures - Sandy Simpson
(2) The History Of The Knowledge Of God - Sandy Simpson


"Christians" Who Try To Poke Holes In Sola Scriptura
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article: "Christians" Who Try To Poke Holes In Sola Scriptura

There are a number of the leadership of the Emerging Church (EC) who do not believe that the Bible is the highest authority for the Christian faith.  Most do not believe that the Bible is inerrant in the original manuscripts and many do not acknowledge that the Bible is our highest revelation.  Yet this is a core doctrine over which true believers and false brethren must separate. Those who try to poke holes in Sola Scriptura make excuses like (1) we need to reinterpret the Bible through the lens of postmodern culture and religion (2) the Bible never uses the words "Sola Scriptura" therefore it is not a Biblical concept (3) there is new revelation for the church through the Holy Spirit apart from what is written and the precepts of the Bible and (4) the Bible just doesn't address our postmodern situation therefore we cannot rely on it for the truth and answers for our problems today.  I will prove that all the above arguments, and more, from EC leaders and others is exactly what they are teaching.  I will give you quotes from their teachings, videos and books. The postmodern church and its "movements" are abandoning Sola Scriptura in their rush to be like the Roman Catholic Church, which takes its authority from a mix of Scripture and tradition.

"As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, "does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with EQUAL sentiments of devotion and reverence." (Roman Catholic Catechism, Given October 11, 1992, the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, in the fourteenth year of my Pontificate. Page 31).

Go here for ordering information. Only $10. per DVD plus s/h. for US. 


Updated DVD!
The Question Of Dominion
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article: The Question Of Dominion.

I am writing this article as an apologetic against the Third Wave, Latter Rain, Word of Faith and Reformed Theology teachings that the Church is to rise up and take over the systems of government, businesses and every other aspect of life. "See, the problem is, is that Satan has had too much of his way in our society because he has a government!  And the only way to overthrow a government is with a government.  It won't happen otherwise.  So therefore the government of the church has to get into place in the extended church just like we do have it very well in place, we haven't reached our goal yet ..."  (Transcript of C. Peter Wagner, Arise Prophetic Conference, Gateway Church, San Jose, CA, 10-10-2004) Wagner has substituted the "government of the church" for the coming government of Jesus Christ in the Millennial Kingdom.  Wagner is "Kingdom Now" while the Bible teaches "Kingdom Come". What I wanted to do with this article is put the issue of dominion to rest by studying the definition the Bible gives to dominion and ruling authority.  When we look at the subject we can easily ascertain what is going on today and what God requires of the Church. 

Go here for ordering information. Only $10. per DVD plus s/h. for US.


Shepherd Or Hireling?
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on the article: "Shepherd Or Hireling?"

The Bible lays out the definitions of both an overseer (under shepherd) and a hireling.  John 10:11-13  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. (KJV)  1 Tim. 3:1-3   Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. (NIV)  Titus 1:7-13  Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless, not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach - and that for the sake of dishonest gain. Even one of their own prophets has said, "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons." This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith. (NIV) A hireling does not really care about being a watchman, but is more concerned with protecting his reputation, position and income.  A true watchman will guard the flock against wolves from within (Acts 20:30) and without (Acts 20:29) no matter the cost to his reputation, position or income. Following is a little quiz you can take to see if you are a true Biblical under shepherd as a leader in your church, are becoming a hireling, or are one now. 

Go here for ordering information. Only $10. plus s/h. for US.


Testing Music In The Church
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on these articles: Testing Music In The Church, Testing Music In The Church-Part 2, and Worship Song Ratings.

Too many churches today are allowing music to be used in their services that is not glorifying to the Lord and can actually be a hindrance to the teaching of sound doctrine. Pastors and leaders should be using their leadership role to test what is being played and sung in their churches. Though some are quick to test preaching and teaching from their pulpits, many ignore the music being used in the same services. This is a tragic mistake. Music is a powerful medium. It is something that effects deeply the body, mind and emotions. It is a proven fact that music often stays with a person far longer than what is taught or preached. Songs roam around in our heads, especially if the melody appeals to us. What is often overlooked is the serious impression music makes on people, and the teaching they are getting over and over again as they allow the song to repeat in their minds and on their lips. Music teaches things much more subtly yet sometimes far more effectively. That's why the lyrical content of music in the church, as well as its effect on the spiritual lives of those who perform and listen, should be vigorously examined by the leaders of the church.  This is a 2-DVD set.

Go here for ordering information. Only $20. per 2-DVD set plus s/h. for US. 


Examine Yourselves & Hold On!
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on the articles "Examine Yourself To See If You Are In The Faith" and "Hold On!"

2 Cor. 13:5  Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.
Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test?

People who call themselves followers of Christ or "Christians" and claim they are born again must believe certain things.  If they do not then they fail the test of faith.  They can claim they are born again all they want and "once saved, always saved" but if they fail the test of faith there is no eternal security.  Only God knows who will be saved, from beginning to end, because of His foreknowledge and omniscience (Rom. 8:29, 1 Pet. 1:2).  God did not make an arbitrary judgment about who would be saved and who would not.  His Spirit is given to those He foreknew, when convicted of sin by His Holy Spirit, would choose to believe and commit themselves to Jesus Christ.  We are not God and we do not have His omniscience.  Therefore, according to Paul, we must be sure our belief system is in the right place once our eyes have been opened to the Truth.  I am not saying we do not have assurance of salvation, but our assurance comes not only because of His Atonement and promises of salvation but from our continuing in the Faith, which is always the Biblical criteria. Those who would be Bible teachers must teach according to the whole counsel of God's Word.  Let me be clear. There is only one way to salvation.  That is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.  I will deal with a few of those issues following, but it is important to recognize that being saved is not just a matter of believing that Jesus lived, or that He was a man, or simply giving mental ascent to His existence in whatever form.

Go here for ordering information. Only $10. plus s/h. for US.


"Blasphemizing" The Bible
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

I am going to go over an article I wrote back in 2006 in preparation for the book I wrote with Mike Oppenheimer called 'Idolatry in Their Hearts'.  This book is an apologetic against the false teachings of the World Christian Gathering on Indigenous People movement, the Emerging Church and the New Apostolic Reformation which got their ideas from the book "Eternity in Their Hearts" by Don Richardson.  At the time that book came out no one really saw the dangerous ideas Richardson was promoting.  All they would have had to do was look at the two subtitles of that book to understand the implications.  The first subtitle in the 1981 edition read: The Untold Story of Christianity among Folk Religions of Ancient People.  Those who read this book found some interesting cross-cultural ideas but apparently missed the false premise of the book starting with the subtitle. How could Christianity be "among folk religions" where the Gospel had not been preached (Rom. 10:14-15)? At that time Christians who read the book were apparently satisfied that, though there was some questionable material present, it made for an interesting discussion on how to do cross-cultural ministry. The subtitle it has today, which was first published in 1984, is as follows: Startling Evidence of Belief in the One True God in Hundreds of Cultures Throughout the World.  This should have been a red flag for many Christians but then, who reads subtitles?  But how could the "One True God" be known to Gentiles who did "not know God".

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Resources For Pastors
including
"Good English Bible Translations"
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

I was talking with a pastor after a Wednesday night service and he mentioned that I said I had done an article comparing English Bible translations.  He called me up later and asked me to come back and present the contents of that article I sent out in about 2002 to my mailing list for the Pacific Waves Newsletter which, unfortunately, I can no longer afford to publish and mail.  However an archive of past issues of that newsletter can be found here. In that article I detailed a number of good and bad resources for pastors including Bible translations, concordances, commentaries, Bible dictionaries, etc.  I present an edited version of part of that article on this DVD, particularly dealing with English Translations of the Bible.  Translation is a very detailed endeavor and should only be undertaken by those with a proper education in that subject and a sound doctrinal background.  I read a few books on that subject and it helped me understand the complexities involved.  Hebrew is a rich language so it is hard to distill one Hebrew word down to one English word.  Greek is a very technical language and it is also not easy to translate.  This is why it is imperative to use the good English translations out there for comparison along with a good concordance and Bible dictionary. 

Go here for ordering information. Only $10. plus s/h. for US. 


A TALE OF TWO KINGDOMS
Kingdom Now or Kingdom Come?
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

There are two kingdoms being taught in many churches today. Teaching about one of the kingdoms is on the decline while the other is being promoted all over the place.  I am warning Christians that they need to check out who is using the word "kingdom", the books they have been reading and recommend on building "the kingdom", the people they have been hanging out with at conferences, and what they mean by "the kingdom".

Go here for more information or click on the "Add To Cart" below.  Only $10. plus s/h. for US. 


BIBLES STUDIES IN DISCERNMENT
by Sandy Simpson

Bible studies in Galatians, Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John and Jude with a focus on applying timeless discernment priciples to our modern times.

Go here for more information or click on the "Add To Cart" below.  The price is $18. per book plus s/h.


BIBLES STUDIES IN DISCERNMENT
Companion CD!
by Sandy Simpson
Contains the PDF text to the book BIBLE STUDIES IN DISCERNMENT plus extra studies by Sandy & Juanita Simpson covering many issues of apologetics and discernment.

Go here for more information or click on the "Add To Cart" below.  The price is $10. per cd plus s/h.


A Whole Lot Of Wishful Thinking These Days!
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD series is a teaching based on this article.

In this DVD series I want to detail a number of beliefs people have these days that have no basis in Scripture.  I am going to roam all over the map, so to speak, and try to give fairly short answers on a number of topics and also give you useful links to articles that will help you deal with any particular issue.  It is truly amazing how many false ideas people cling to without giving a thought to what the Bible has to say on the subject.

Only $20. plus s/h. for US.  Go here for ordering details. 



Signs Of Apostasy In The Churches In The End Times
by Sandy Simpson

This 2-DVD series is a teaching based on this article.

There are many signs of the great Apostasy, or falling away (2 Thes. 2:3) indicating we are living in the end times (Mt. 24: 3-14)  I am going to go through some indications of the Apostasy in the churches as a follow up to the signs of the times in the world.

Only $20. plus s/h. for US.  Go here for ordering details. 


The Responsibilities of a
Good Shepherd
by Sandy Simpson
This CD is a message based on this article.

Gohere for ordering details! 


What's Up With Christian Bookstores?
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Go here for ordering details! 


The ElijahList
The biggest promoter of false prophecies in cyberspace!
2004-2007
by Sandy Simpson

This 2-DVD set is a message based on this article.

Go here for ordering details! 


The ElijahList
The biggest promoter of false prophecies in cyberspace!
2008
by Sandy Simpson

This 2-DVD set is a message based on this article.

Go here for ordering details! 


The Extreme Prophetic
by Sandy Simpson

This DVD is a message based on this article.

Go here for ordering details! 



Emerging Church CD & Free DVD
All the links to resources and articles we have on the Emerging Church on one CD.
by Sandy Simpson

(The Emerging Church only is downloadable!)
When you purchase the "Resource Tools - Emerging Church" CD for $10. plus s/h you will also receive a brand new free DVD called "The Emerging Church" that features Gary Gilley, Ray Yungen, Joanna Michaelson, Mike Oppenheimer and Sandy Simpson.

Go here for ordering details!


From Church To Emerging Church DVD Series
by Sandy Simpson
The issue of the Emerging Church and it's introduction into many churches and mission organizations has reached a critical point.  Many do not undersand what is being leavened into churches by the EC leadership.  Many would be shocked to know their belief systems involve Universalism, New Age, defense of postmodernism, Interfaithism, and many other false doctrines.  In order to reach out to this generation the EC leadership is proposing a whole new "map" to deal with what they perceive is a lack of understanding on the part of the churches on how to communicate.  EC proponants believe the "scripture" for today is evolving and must change in order to reach postmoderns.

Go here for ordering details on this 2-part DVD series!


Idolatry In Their Hearts
Landmark Book!
by Sandy Simpson & Mike Oppenheimer
Does having eternity in your heart mean that you know God and are His child? Could Gentile cultures understand the Gospel from the stars? Did God create man's cultures? Has God always been in the process of redeeming cultures from the time of Babel by placing in them a true revelation of Himself? Is there the worship of YHWH in all cultures and religions through the names of supreme beings?  Have all cultures always had a way to make things right between them and God? These questions and many more are answered in this book that addresses the false teachings of The New Apostolic Reformation regarding missiological methods as being carried out by many agencies including the World Christian Gathering on Indigenous People, YWAM, and many Bible societies.

Go here for ordering details. 


The New Apostolic Reformation - What is it and where is it going?
Every Pastor Needs This!
by Bill Randles, Arnold Fruchtenbaum, Jacob Prasch, Mike Oppenheimer, Orrel Steinkamp, Gary Gilley, Dave Hunt, Sandy Simpson and others.
This is a 6-DVD expose of  the NAR and it's leadership of C. Peter Wagner, Cindy Jacobs, Chuck Peirce, Dutch Sheets, Bill Hamon, Jack Deere and others.

Go here for ordering details!


Lessons In Forgiveness
Great Study!
by Sandy Simpson

Through the years I have been presented with many opportunities to forgive. Sometimes the situation was so severe that it took me some time to forgive and start the process of healing for myself, and eventually for others. I learned that a Christian needs to forgive other people even if they have not repented of their sins. That can be really hard if we let it be hard. But if we give our burdens over to the Lord, He will carry them and that frees us up to treat other people with love, compassion, and be in the right frame of mind and heart to set them up for reconciliation with Jesus Christ. That does not mean we tolerate their sin. We simply forgive them for what they have done to us, whether perceived or real, and move on to looking for ways to redeem them. We can then present to them the "truth in love" even when we have to rebuke them.

Go here for ordering information.


Finish The Race!
Go On To Maturity!
by Sandy Simpson

was written to help believers to realize the absolute necessity of growing to maturity in Christ. Many churches are urging Christians to push aside discernment in favor of experience. It is our hope that this book will inspire many believers to fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith (2 Tim. 4:7).

Go here for ordering details.


The New Apostolic Reformation - What is it and where is it going?
Companion Book!
by Sandy Simpson

is now available in book form. This is the DVD script plus commentary by Sandy Simpson. The commentary of the DVD series is not in the book, but there are many more quotes available than in the video series.  Good reference material.  Also available on CD-ROM.

Go here for ordering details.


Letters To The Church
Timely!
by Sandy Simpson

is a fitting manual for the Revelation Christian. All the precepts are in the seven letters in Revelation 1:9 - 3:22 to help us keep the faith, stay in sound doctrine, and reach out to those who are perishing. I hope and pray that this book will help the reader to be an "overcomer".

Go here for more details and how to order!


DISCERNMENT TOOLKIT
Demolish Arguments!
by Sandy Simpson

Want to be able to see your way through to clear biblical discernment? Want a set of tools that will allow you to disciple your loved ones so they will stand firm in the Faith? Want to sort out many of the false arguments and teachings that have invaded the churches? Then DISCERNMENT TOOLKIT book is for you!

Go here for more details and how to order!


DISCERNMENT TOOLKIT
DVD Study Series!
by Sandy Simpson
is taken from the book but includes a lot of footage of false teachers and false prophets. It covers the core doctrines, how we can use them to test, and examples on the DVD that can be paused for discussion.  Also includes a teacher guide and links to resources on the web.  This 3-DVD series is available now!

Go here for ordering details!


SPIRIT OF TRUTH OR SPIRIT OF ERROR?
Important Video Information
On Benny Hinn!

by Sandy Simpson, Mike Oppenheimer & Jacob Prasch
features tons of video showing the teachings and prophecies of Benny Hinn.  This is a proven tool to keep people away from heresy.

Go here for more details and how to order!


LIVING WATER 2003
Discernment Conference
Featuring Bill Randles, Gary Gilley
& Ray Yungen
3-DVD Set

Go here for information!


DISCERNMENT 2001
Conference
Featuring Dave Hunt, Duane Magnani, Mike Oppenheimer, Jacob Prasch, Jewel Grewe & Bill Randles
6-DVD Set & 2-VHS Sets

Go here for information!


THE EMPTY PULPIT
Highly Recommended!
by Mike Oppenheimer
What is Christianity? What significance does the cross have? Are there teachings that can wreck our faith? We live in an age unlike any other in the history of man. To follow the Lord among the unique challenges we must understand Scripture and live by it. Available for $20- includes shipping.  Apologetics Coordination Team HIGHLY recommends this book.  It deals with many crucial issues for the Church today.

Go here to order the book by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, P.O. Box 860683, Wahiawa, HI 96786.



Articles on rightly handling the Word of Truth.

(1) The Doctrines That Cannot Be Compromised by Mal Couch PH.D., TH.D. and Russell L. Penney Dr., 1996 
Paul's response to doctrinal errors in the church. "Sound in the faith" (Titus 1:13) means "healthy" in faith. Thus we speak wholesome words of Christ to create strong and robust and healthy believers. What about those who are weak and sickly in their profession of faith? We should rebuke those who are infected with bad principles and practices, like the physician removing the causes of disorder; and with rebuke, admonition and censuring. THIS IS ULTIMATELY FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE CORRECTED. (John Gill - TITUS, p. 351)."

(2) Accusers of the Brethren or Good Bereans? by Debra Bouey, 1995 
"It would seem that anyone who wishes to discuss the current movement proceeding forth from the Toronto Airport Vineyard in the light of the whole counsel of the Word of God has indeed become, at best, a "Pharisee", and, at worst, the enemy. There have been numerous references throughout a variety of Vineyard venues, both at Toronto, Anaheim and elsewhere, condemning anyone who calls into question biblically any of these bizarre manifestations taking place presently."

(3) Is It Right? To Judge, To Expose Error, & To Call Names? by E.L. Bynum, 1996 
"Yes, it is right to expose error and to name those who are in error. It is right to "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3). It was once delivered and it has never been recalled for revision. We had better beware of "false teachers ... who privily shall bring in damnable heresies " (II Pet. 2: 1). Faithful messengers will warn the sheep of these heretics, and identify them by name. It is not enough to broadly hint of their identity, for the young lambs will not understand and will be destroyed by the wolves. "

(4) God's Word: Our Guard and Guide? by Dave Hunt, 1997 
"The fruitful man in Psalm 1 meditates upon God's Word "day and night," and not from a sense of duty but because it is his "delight." In his heart and on his mind continually, God's Word guards and guides him. How essential this is! Common sense and logic are helpful. However, without God's Word (which transcends human wisdom) to guard and guide us, we are susceptible to temptation and error, especially when the latter is presented convincingly "in the name of God" by those looked up to as Christian leaders."

(5) Discernment of False Doctrine by Dean & Laura VanDruff, 1997 
"God has truly "not lead" most of His children "into to temptation", and those who have fallen He has "delivered from evil". But I suspect this will change in the end, and many are unprepared. Satan will be given permission to "sift us like wheat", and many will fall when the Beast unleashes his lies about God in the last days. These are sobering times."

(6) Scripture Twisting by Daniel B. Wallace, Th.M, Ph.D., 1996 
"Evangelical Christians base their lives on the Bible. We believe that the Bible is God's Word and that it is therefore authoritative for us in matters of faith and practice. The Bible indicates the great truths of who God is, how we can relate to him, how we can understand ourselves and the world. In short, the Bible contains the words of life. Believers use it to guide them in discerning God's will, from the monumental to the mundane. We read it to gain hope as well as to glean truth. It affects our beliefs, attitudes, and behavior. In short, the Bible is our pipeline to heaven: without it, we are adrift, unprotected in a hostile place. "

(7) The Authority of the Bible by Patrick Zukeran, 1996 
"No book can match the Bible when it comes to prophecy. Understand that I have only touched the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of additional proofs for the Bible, yet I have only mentioned a few. I hope this study (will arouse) your interest to further study the Word of God."

(8) Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God by Jonathan Edwards, 1741 
The sermon that brought repentance and revival in 1741. Compare it to what is being preached today in the "counterfeit" revival. "Therefore, let every one that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come. The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over a great part of this congregation. Let every one fly out of Sodom: "Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed."

(9) The Bible: Sound Doctrine by Paul Becker, 1997 
"For many years people have jumped on the band wagons of "new ideas" as they follow various pied pipers. "For the time will come [is NOW HERE, ed.] when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers and turn their ears away from the truth." (2Tim 4:3-4)"

(10) Bibliology: The Doctrine Of The Written Word by J. Hampton Keathley III, 1997 
"In the dumbing down we have witnessed in America with its happy-clappy kind of Christianity so prevalent today, we are witnessing a growing anti-intellectualism in the church. For many of the present generation, experience has become more important than truth, but experience without truth is the menace and misery of a mindless Christianity, and one of the issues we face is that God's truth is found for us in the Bible. So not only have we been faced with a battle for the inerrancy of the Bible, but for the need to return to the Bible as God's holy Word as the foundation of our faith and experience. Let me conclude with these words from the Savior: John 8: 31-32. Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." In praying for the disciples and for those who would believe after them (the church) He was praying that they might be protected from the evil influences of the world, the Savior said these vital words: John 17:16-17. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth."

(11) Obedience To God (Uzzah's Disobedience) by Sandy Simpson, 1998 
"The first obedience we should show is confessing our sins, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation, and making Him the Lord of our life. The second obedience is to serve Him the way He wants us to serve Him. Worship without obedience is futile. In fact it makes the Lord angry. Getting excited and zealous for the Lord without obedience to God by living in accordance with His law and the doctrine of Scripture is futile and meaningless, and in fact, dangerous. There's a famous hymn that says it all: "When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey. Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus. but to trust and obey."

(12) Rebuttal To John Piper's Defense Of The Term "Christian hedonism" by Deception In The Church, 1998 
"The following is a summary of John Piper's use of the term "Christian hedonism" from his books "Desiring God" and "Future Grace".  I will rebut each item as they appear in his official defense of his attempt to coin the phrase "Christian hedonism".

(13) Judge Not? by Jacob Prasch, 1998 
Judge not?  What does the Bible say?

(14) Experience Or God's Revealed Truth? by Oswald Chambers, 1927 
"Be ruthless with yourself if you are given to talking about the experiences you have had. Faith that is sure of itself is not faith; faith that is sure of God is the only faith there is."

(15) Leaven In The Bread by Sandy Simpson, 1999 
"It's time to expel the leaven from among us and separate ourselves to God."

(17) Why We All Need The ABC's by J. Hampton Keathley III, Th.M., 1999 
"We live in an anti-intellectual, anti-authority society, especially when it comes to religious matters. Ours is an existential (based on human experience, empirical) society devoted to the �warm fuzzy� feel good, self-centered mentality that is so characteristic of the New Age movement which has bombarded the country�including much of the church. As a consequence, the terms doctrine or theology are not very popular in Christian circles. In fact, they are often denigrated or belittled. We hear statements like, �We don't need to know all that theological or doctrinal stuff. We just need to know Jesus.� Or, �Well, I am not a theologian and never expect to be. I just love Jesus.� But knowing and loving Jesus in truth is dependent on the teachings of the Bible. Doctrine is simply another name for teaching and theology means �the knowledge of God.� Often the term theology is used in a general way to refer to other areas of study that relate to the knowledge of God. Biblical theology is simply the truths of God's Word that give us the knowledge of God, of man, salvation, sanctification, the church, or life and life abundantly."

(18) Bible Versions by Jacob Prasch, 1999 
"Modern Translations have been criticised by many believers, and the book by Gail Riplinger (New Age Bible Versions) has caused a stir in the Church. Is there a sound foundation to these complaints?"  We are not going to take up a lot of space on this web site with this fruitless and divisive issue.  This article articulates our view on Gail Riplinger's book which has needlessly caused all kind of division in the church over issues that turn out to be non-issues.  Also, read this article called "Why Respond To Gail Riplinger". One of the biggest apologetics against other Bible versions other than the KJV is based on the argument that there are, for instance, translation errors in the NIV.  However, there are also translation errors in the KJV. So where does that leave us?  If you want to really study the Word, by all means study the original languages and make use of all good translations!  Read this article "The Biblical Position on The KJV Controversy" by John MacArthur. For those of you who may be reading this and are KJV-Onlyites, here are the kinds of "Scriptures" you ought to be railing against, such as the "World Scripture" and also this "Good As New" Bible!  One good balanced series to read by Gary E. Gilley is The Bible Translation Debate (Part 1) and The Bible Translation Debate (Part 2). Following are some other good articles to read on this subject: 

(19) The Five Basic Doctrines compiled and written by Sandy Simpson, 1999 
A thorough examination of the five core doctrines of the Church and how they compare to the teachings of other religions, cults and the Third Wave false teachers.  This is a paper you will want on file as a reference.  It also forms the  basis for the Deception In The Church web site apologetics. 

(20) The Letters To The Seven Churches compiled and written by Sandy Simpson, 1999 
A Bible study of Revelation 1:9 � 3:22, the letters to the seven churches.  This study is especially timely for all Christians today. 

(21) The Untouchables: Are 'God's Anointed' Beyond Criticism? by Hendrik H. Hanegraaff, Viewpoint, Christian Research Journal, Fall 1991 
"During His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ exhorted His followers not to judge self-righteously or hypocritically. Is this necessarily what Christians do when they question the teachings of God's 'anointed' preachers and evangelists? Many teachers who claim such anointing would say so, and many more of their followers
commonly reply to all manner of criticism: 'Touch not God's anointed.'"

(22) How To Try The Spirits an excerpt from A.W. Tozer's book "Man: The Dwelling Place of God."
You can access Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 here.  You can also order the book here. 

(23) Beyond The Limits by Roger Oakland, Understanding The Times Newsletter, 1999 
"Recently a number of Christians have claimed that the Holy Spirit is falling upon people and causing them to do strange and unusual things. Although Bible-believing Christians readily acknowledge the miracle-working power of a supernatural God, the question is: Can such bizarre and grotesque displays actually be the work of the Holy Spirit?" 

(24) The Crucified Life by Jacob Prasch, 1999 
"People do not readily believe any more; they have seen too much hypocrisy and falsehood. The one thing that can still convince unbelievers of the truth of the gospel is a crucified life."

(25) The Sea Of Subjectivity by Jewel van der Merwe, Discernment Ministries Newsletter, March/April 1999 
"When we leave the parameters of the Word of God, we drift onto The Sea of Subjectivity. In this Sea, spirituality becomes relative to whatever new revelation or vision that comes forth."

(26) Christian? ... How Dare You?! by Greg Hartman, 11/08/99 
A series of articles that answer objections to exposing false teachers ... questions such as: What's The Problem?; Would Jesus Ever Humiliate People?; Who Asked You To Judge All The Televangelists?; Isn't Your Cure Worse Than The Disease?; Aren't You In Trouble For "Touching The Lord's Anointed?

(27) Judge With Righteous Judgment by Craig Branch, Watchman Fellowship,1995 
"A very discouraging and destructive trend has been growing in the body of Christ. The world has formed people into its mold rather than the minds and lives of people being transformed by God's word. Too many Christians have adopted pragmatism or substituted feelings and experience in place of the truth of God's word."

(28) Biblical Reasons For Leaving A Fellowship by James R Buchan, Vanguard Magazine, 1999 
"In the area of doctrine, I feel the Biblical teaching is that the Christian definitely needs to leave in situations where foundational truth is incorrect or ignored. Staying where a false gospel is preached will do us no good."

(29) Avoid Scripture Twisting: Eight Basic Rules Of Bible Interpretation by Watchman Fellowship,1995 
A good set of guidelines for correct Biblical interpretation. 

(30) "Touch Not the Lord's Anointed" - Is the Command for Today? by Thomas Williamson, Th.M, Ph.D., 1997 
"It is clear that to touch the Lord's anointed is to commit an act of physical violence against the one anointed by God. It does not refer to those who verbally attack and criticize a preacher and his doctrine. Such verbal attacks
may be quite wrong and sinful, and in some cases they may be commendable and necessary (see Jesus criticizing the Pharisees in Matthew 23, Paul criticizing Peter in Galatians 2:14-21, Paul versus the Judaizers in Galatians
5:12, Philippians 3:2, etc.) but they are not covered by the idea "Touch not the Lord's anointed." A Baptist perspective. 

(31) A Desperate Need For Correction by Dave Hunt, 1998 
"Correction is one of the most conspicuously absent yet essential ministries in the church today. There are those who seek to avoid cor-rection by hiding behind a misapplication of Christ's words, "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (Mt 7:1). It is conveniently forgotten that these words were spoken by the same One who warned the Jews to "judge righteous judgment' (Jn 7:24), told us to judge the fruit of prophets (Mt 7:16) and promised His disciples that they would sit on thrones judging Israel (Mt 19:28)."

(32) To Judge Or Not To Judge: The Rights And Wrongs Of Biblical Discernment by G. Richard Fisher, 1996 
"Proper discernment is our privilege and right. The work is worth the effort and the reward will be not only the favor and blessing of God but our ability to truly enrich the lives of others."

(33) God's Word And The Imaginations Of Men by Ed Tarkowski, 1999 
Contains three articles: The Realities Of God Versus Man's Imagination, Man's Imagination Builds Self-Exalting Structures, As In The Days Of Noah.

(34) Please Contemplate This by T.A. McMahon, The Berean Call Newsletter, 03/00 
"Have you ever found the biblical gospel in any of the
classic or modern contemplative materials? Could there
be any significance in the fact that this movement
practically died out after the Reformation, only to be
revived today! How does one discern whether or not the
God being "heard" through the subjective, experiential mode of communication is truly our Lord speaking�especially if the authority and sufficiency of His Word is downplayed, even rejected?"

(35) A Critique of Experiencing God: A Biblical Analysis of the Popular Book by Henry T. Blackaby and Claude V. King by Rev. Gil Rugh and the Pastoral Staff of Indian Hills Community Church 
"In recent years, more than a million people have been influenced by the  popular book, Experiencing God, written by Henry T. Blackaby and Claude V. King. Many hold that this book has finally given Christians the principles they need to experience God as they never have before. But do the teachings of this book accurately represent what the Bible says about experiencing God, or are its teachings in serious error? To help answer this question, Gil Rugh and the Pastoral Staff of Indian Hills Community Church have written, A Critique of Experiencing God: A Biblical Analysis of the Popular Book by Henry T. Blackaby and Claude V. King. By pointing out many startling and alarming statements within Experiencing God, this analytical review shows how the teachings of Blackaby and King depart from traditional Christianity in the areas of the nature of Scripture, the person of Jesus Christ, and how Christians can know God. "  The above is a .pdf file. In all fairness to this issue, I want to give a counterpoint here with an e-mail I received from a pastor objecting to some of Rugh's arguments against using "Experiencing God".  It also includes a response he received from Blackaby's organization that answers to rumors that have been going around about Blackaby's alleged involvement in the Third Wave movement. 

(36) Warnings Of Deception In The Bible by Hughie Seaborn, 1999 
"The Bible is replete with warnings as to what will take place in Christendom during the 'end time' or the 'end of
the age'. It speaks of a time of increasing deception and false teaching as the enemy of our souls makes a last
desperate bid to thwart the purposes of God. It describes the types of people who will deceive, and be deceived.
It also describes the types of doctrines that will be preached and how those doctrines will be received by a great number of professing Christians."

(37) Does Romans 16:17 Demand Separation On the Basis Of Doctrine? by David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, 6/10/00 
"There are two different interpretations of Romans 16:17-18 today. One understands it to be a warning about the sin of divisiveness. The other understands it to be a warning about those who teach false doctrine. Which is correct?"

(38) Should Christians Make Judgments? by Ed Vasicek, 6/00 
"Sometimes the "L" word (label) is a good word. The "D" word (discernment) is not only a good word, but is even a measurement of spiritual maturity. Truth is meant to be put to work, and you can't use it if you are afraid to get specific with it! Become a person of discernment! Gullibility is for squares."

(39) Proving All Things - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 by The Watchman Expositor, Vol. 16, No. 1, 1999 
"This scripture is arguably the most important passage in the Bible for realizing the authority of the Bible in determining doctrine and equipping Christians for salvation. Understanding what this passage teaches, and the way in which some alternative religions attempt
 to reinterpret the passage, is vital to all evangelical encounters with members of new religions."

(40) Accountability: The Way To "Touch" God's Anointed by Clete Hux, The Watchman Expositor, Vol. 10, No. 3, 1993 
"Christians are to be accurate and balanced when giving criticism. When a person or group that claims to be Christian and yet seriously departs from the historical biblical doctrines of orthodox Christianity, one cannot stand idly by in silence. (Matt. 18:15-16). To not speak out would be dishonoring to God and unloving, not only to Christians, but also to the propagators of the error. When the Word of Faith (WOF) movement's leaders, who through their own revelation knowledge, bring extrabiblical doctrines into the church, one must be prepared to respond correctly in accordance with God's revealed will in scripture. Watchman Fellowship is not the first to call attention to the unorthodox doctrines of the WOF movement, sometimes known as the Positive Confession movement. Scores of scholars for years have spoken out. Those include Dr. Walter Martin, a charismatic theologian, and D. R. McConnell, also a charismatic and author of the recent book, A Different Gospel. Michael Horton, a well-known Christian
author, has addressed the doctrinal issues in his book, The Agony of Deceit, as well."

(41) Come Ye Out From Among Them by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Morning By Morning, June 27, pg. 181, Published 1984 
"Come ye out from among them; be ye separate" (2 Corinthians 6:17).

(42) God Never Violates Our Freedom Of Choice by A.W. Tozer, Renewed Day By Day, July 5 
. . . And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.  Revelation 22:17  The fact of our creation as freewill beings goes to the heart of the false revivals we see upon the church today.  Would the Holy Spirit force people to do things against their will?  Uncontrollable laughter, shaking and other purported Spirit induced phenomena, when seen through the prism of freewill, become a moot point.  God does not force salvation or any other thing on His creation.  We are free to choose and are to be in our right minds while making those choices at all times.  This is because there is a being that roams around like a lion seeking whom he may devour.  If anything eclipses our God given freedom to choose, you can be sure that the source is not God. 

(43) The Wisdom Of God In The Face Of Tribulation by Ed Tarkowski, 7/00 
"Isaiah 26:3 "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Seeing we are going to live lives of trusting Him for all eternity, now would be a good time to cooperate with the Holy Spirit's work in us to to make us individuals who trust their God to the fullest. Thus, God can turn tribulation to do us good in the end in spite of what we will have to go through."

(44) The Dangerous Dake Bible available at Inner-City Christian Discernment Ministry, 2000 
"As a former member of the Pentecostal Church of God in Ann Arbor, I became familiar with the Dake study Bible and I was urged to save up my money to purchase one.  It is in 1,000's of homes and Finis Dake's books have helped form the beliefs of many Pentecostal and Charismatic teachers on the scene today.  Dake was called a great Bible Scholar by the late Lester Sumrall and Benny Hinn has been known to use Dake "insights" in some of his more outlandish teachings. I trust you will benefit from this Real Audio tape.  If you enjoy this teaching (and I am sure you will) I urge you to visit the PFO web site and order this cassette and their other fine materials."  Access the tape in RealPlayer format here

(45) Is It Right To Judge? by Franklin G. Huling, M.A., 8/00 
"The question �Is it right to judge?� is one that puzzles many sincere Christians.  A careful and open-minded
study of the Bible makes it clear that concerning certain vital matters, it is not only right but a positive duty to
judge.  Many do not know that the Scripture commands us to judge."

(46) A Guide To Testing The Spirits by Tom Smith, 8/26/00 
"This document was put together, as a guide to help in some simple testing of these matters. This is by no means any substitute for studying and becoming familiar with the scriptures, but it is intended to be a guide for a new Christian, or a quick summary or reminder for a Christian
who has studied scripture for a number of years. I also do not claim that what is in here is complete - it is only intended as a guide."

(47) A New Decalogue - Thou Shalt Not Disagree by A. W. Tozer, Renewed Day By Day, June 25 
"A new Decalogue has been adopted by the neo-Christians of our day, the first word of which reads, "Thou shalt not disagree"; and a new set of Beatitudes too, which begins "Blessed are they that tolerate everything, for they shall not be made accountable for anything."

(48) Bible Or Babel? by Dr. David Allen, Vanguard Magazine, Issue 12, 8/00 
"In just nine verses, at the beginning of Genesis chapter 11, the inspired writer tells a story that stands as a warning for all time � the story of the rise and fall of the Tower of Babel. A literary tour de force and the inspiration of numerous canvases, it is its message that chiefly concerns us today."

(49) How Many Gospels Are There? by Tony Pearce, Vanguard Magazine, Issue 6 
"Gnosticism dressed up as New Age presents no moral challenge to repentance and faith as authentic Christianity does. Therefore it can fit in well with the permissive immoral lifestyle adopted by our age and ceaselessly propagated by the mass media."

(50) Time To Leave The Playpen by Andrew Gould, 10/00 "When I hear the phrase �that was so unloving�, sometimes I want to scream!"

(51) The Call To Discipleship by Dave Hunt, The Berean Call Newsletter, 11/00 
"Christ didn't say, "Follow someone or some church claiming they represent Me." He said, "Follow me ... Learn of me" (Jn 1:43; Mt 11:29). We go to His Word to learn of Him. Each of us is expected to know it thoroughly. Yet many who think of themselves as Christians scarcely study the Bible seriously, expecting the pastor and Bible teachers to do that for them "

(52) Watchmen Who Are Not Watchmen by Jacob Prasch, Moriel Ministries, 1/01 
"We need people who are bible based, and who operate valid discernment ministries to alert the church and give understanding to the many, as Daniel predicted by the Holy Spirit would rise up."

(53) MOVING THE GOALPOSTS - The Unfolding Tragedy of the New Evangelicalism by Alan Morrison, Diakrisis, 2/00 
"At one time there was just one orthodox, biblical view on a number of issues which were part of the fundamentals of the faith. These were generally agreed on, throughout the entire evangelical constituency. But all that has gradually changed. We have arrived at a situation now in which people who all profess to be evangelicals can have a wide variety of opinions on what were, at one time non-negotiable, essentially fundamental matters.  How have professing evangelicals got into this situation?  It has happened because people have "moved the goalposts" -- changed the rules which determine what is truth and what it isn't. In this 17,000 word article, based on two lectures, we ask 1) In which areas have the goalposts been moved?  2) What are the motives for moving them?  3) Is there any action we can take to restore those goalposts to their original situation?"

(54) TBN's Bible Code - The Bible Code Or Babel Code? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason, 3/00 
"This is all mysticism and Gnostic interpretations. It takes us away from the clear interpretation and applicational teaching of the Bible."

(55) "Judge Rightly" Is Not Some Guy's Name! by Bob Enyart Live, Inc., Copyright � 1997 - 2000 All Rights Reserved. 
"An absurd question has stymied the Church. Should Christians judge?  Of course believers should judge. To not judge is to be indecent, not to mention inhuman. The only kingdom in which there is no judging is the plant kingdom. For of living things, vegetables do not judge. In the animal kingdom, though, judgment is a must, and members of the Kingdom of God must do the most judging. "

(55) The New Powerless Gospel by Sandy Simpson, Deception In The Church, 4/19/01 
"I have been challenged lately to think again about what the Gospel message is all about.  This has come as a result of hearing what I consider to be, at the very least, "gospel lite" and at the most no gospel at all being presented by a number of neo-evangelicals, Third Wavers and outright heretics.  The interesting thing is that many seem to be preaching the same message.  What is most intriguing is that false teachers like Benny Hinn, ecumenicals, and even some preachers I would consider to be orthodox in their theology are preaching a "gospel" that is very similar. The question is: Is this new gospel message really the Gospel at all?"

(56) Biblical New Testament Prayers by Sandy Simpson, Deception In The Church, 5/7/01 
"With all the talk about "praying the Jabez prayer" making the rounds in so many churches, I thought it was time to revisit a short section I wrote in a booklet called "What Should I Say".  It talked about biblical New Testament prayers.  These are prayers that the apostles and Christians prayed.  Since Christ and the apostles are our foundation, we ought to be emulating what they prayed and not some guy who prayed a prayer in the Old Testament that was never meant to be a model prayer.  If you are interested in a model prayer then go to the Disciple's Prayer (most often called the Lord's Prayer) in Matthew 6:9-13."

(57) The Importance Of Sound Doctrine by A.W. Tozer, The Best Of A.W. Tozer, pg. 174-176, taken from Man, The Dwelling Place Of God
"It would be impossible to overemphasize the importance of sound doctrine in the life of a Christian.  Right thinking about all spiritual matters is imperative if we would have right living.  As men do not gather grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles, so sound character does not grow out of unsound teaching."

(58) A Cross-less Christianity, A Christless Christianity by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 5/01 
"All of Christianity begins and centers upon the person of Jesus and his work on the cross.  It was Paul who said the cross was everything to him. He had a greater education, knowledge, and revelation than any other apostle, even of those who knew Jesus personally in the flesh, having been called before him. Yet all he wanted to know was summed up in one saying, �Jesus Christ and him crucified."

(59) Pragmatism Goes To Church by A.W. Tozer, "God Tells The Man Who Cares", from The Best Of A.W. Tozer, 1980, pgs. 254-256 
"...this philosophy of pragmatism has had and is having a powerful influence upon Christianity in the middle years of this century."

(60) Naming Names: A Biblical Approach by Kevin Reeves, 2/02 
"In these last days the proliferation of false teachings assaulting both the Church and Scriptural integrity requires a closer look at how those promoting such doctrines should be dealt with. While no one with a genuine desire to follow Christ should eagerly want to accuse another of error in ministry, the prophets of the Old Testament, our Lord Jesus Himself, and the apostles make it clear that many will come in the name of the Lord who profess to follow Him, yet by their teachings actually deny or present a different image of God than what is demonstrated in the Scriptures."

(61) Bible Studies at Biblical Studies Foundation 
Excellent resource for all kinds of Bible studies all the way from the ABC's For Christian Growth to studies on Bible characters, theology and many other areas for Christian growth. 

(62) Servant Authority by Sandy Simpson, 10/99 
"The church does not have the same system as the world. No lords, no kings, no dictators. Our only King, Lord and Master is Jesus Christ. The rest of us are servants -- slaves."

(63) Mistake Or Sin? by Sandy Simpson, 3/13/02 
"Words have meanings.  Third Wave false teachers are currently in the process of redefining both the English language and the truths of God's Word, and calling it "new revelation" and a "paradigm shift".  Let's all be careful that we don't take a paradigm shift into foolishness and accept new revelation that drags us further into sin."

(64)There Is A Finality In The Biblical Revelation by A.W. Tozer, Renewed Day By Day Vol. 1, April 16 
"Whoever, for whatever reason, denies the finality of the biblical revelation and insists upon a continuing revelation having the same authority as the sacred Scriptures has shut himself out from the name of Christian! He is simply not a Christian in the scriptural and historic meaning of the word." 

(65) The Biblical Basis Of Division by Jacob Prasch, Moriel Ministries, 2002 
"There are cases where biblically we must divide. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth, not of error, and He is the spirit of holiness, not immorality. And where apostasy, with its twin pillars of heresy and immorality is found, God�s true people will not be found. There are cases where divisions are permissible (howbeit not necessarily desirable), but we must exercise the greatest caution not to equate personal
differences with doctrinal differences or attempt to ascribe a biblical motive for something where none exists."

(66) How To Discern, Test & Judge Rightly by Sandy Simpson, 7/30/02
Let me start this article by telling you what methods are being used for "discernment" today that have no biblical support, then I will move on to the ways in which the Bible does tell us to test teaching, prophesy and actions.

(67) Recognizing False Teachings - A Seldom Taught Aspect of Spiritual Warfare by Greg DesVoignes, Battle Lines, Christian Research Ministries, 8/02 
One of the least paid attention to parts of prophecy are those which have to do with false teachers and doctrine. 

(68) Anti-spirits & False Teaching by Shirley Ann Miller, From the book, "Anti-Spirits and False Teaching" and Lampholder Ezine series on "Mind Control ", Lampholder Publications, 2002 
Remember: Always investigate the source and test the spirits "...to see whether they are of God...(1 John 4:1). 

(69) Strange Fire & False Anointing - How To Protect Yourself From Wolves by Jeanette Haley, Gentle Shepherd Ministries,  8/02 
Finally, ask the Lord to give you a love for the truth. Ask Him to give you a fixed heart. And pray you never, ever fall prey to any kind of delusion.

(70) THE TEACHING OF THE LORD TO THE GENTILES BY THE TWELVE APOSTLES (also known as DIDACHE) Translated by J.B. Lightfoot, Adapt. and mod. (c) 1990, ATHENA DATA PRODUCTS
This is not Scripture, but is a historical document on the teachings of the twelve apostles.  Noitce that apparently they had "televangelists" in the first and second centuries who plied people for money.  Pay attention to what is said about false prophets, especially the following: "And whosoever shall say in the Spirit, Give me silver or anything else, ye shall not listen to him; but if he tell you to give on behalf of others that are in want, let no man judge him." Obviously we are to test false prophets, but if they are found to be true then we don't judge them.  This does not mean that we do not test, discern and judge all prophesy according to the Scriptures as the Bereans tested Paul, but it means that we must accept true prophesy and stay away from false prophets who ask for money and lie in the name of the Lord." 

(71) Exposing Doctrinal Errors: Heresy Hunting or Biblical Mandate? at Truth Watch New Zealand, originally produced by the Christian Research Institute (CRI)
We would, therefore, do well to heed Scripture�s explicit warnings to be on guard for false teachings (Romans 16:17-18; 1 Timothy 1:3-4; 4:16; 2 Timothy 1:13-14; Titus 1:9; 2:1), and to point them out to brothers and sisters in Christ (2 Timothy 4:6).

(72) How To Recognize A Good Church by Mike Lloyd, based on a study by Richard W. De Haan, Truth Watch New Zealand
Within the Christian community there is a wide divergence of opinion, division, and even fierce competition among the different groups. Subsequently, many believers are confused about which church is the right one to belong to and which church being closest to the truth is therefore worthy of their support.

(73) Don't Touch the Lord's Anointed! by Chris Good, Truth Watch New Zealand, 10/02 
"Don't touch the Lord's anointed" is a common cry levelled against people who are trying to uphold Scripture by testing their leaders' teaching and practice against the Word. However, if this is a valid defence - why do we never see the Apostle or other leaders of the New Testament churches resorting to this argument? Is it possible that this phrase is being misused to justify an authoritarian leadership?

(74)Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? by Chris Good, Truth Watch New Zealand, 10/02
A common criticism levelled against those who seek to test modern claims to prophecy, miracles and healings by God's Word is that we are in danger of 'blaspheming against the Holy Spirit'. This is a very serious charge, which (if true) would mean that such people cannot be saved! Indeed, many are so intimidated by this charge that they bury any doubts, relying on the claimant's self-proclamation for proof of the validity of the claims, rather than testing it by the Word.

(75) Do not judge, lest you be judged! by Chris Good, Truth Watch New Zealand, 10/02 
There are a lot of accusations going around in Christian circles about people "judging" other people and not being "tolerant". Often the passage above (Matt. 7:1-3) is cited to support those bringing new teachings and practices into the church. Indeed, in our post-modern age - the greatest sin is "intolerance" and it seems this is also increasingly the case in many churches. Anyone who wants to critique something is instantly dismissed as 'judgemental' (so much for tolerance then!).

(76) What Is The True Gospel? by Al Dagar, Media Spotlight Ministries 
When Jesus came He proclaimed what He called the Gospel of the Kingdom. The English word �gospel� means �good news.� It derives from the Greek euangelion (Eng., �evangel�). In the Bible the Gospel is the �good news� of the Kingdom of God and of salvation to eternal life, received by faith in Jesus Christ on the basis of His expiatory death, His burial, resurrection, ascension and coming again.

(77) Apologetics And The Dying Of Reason by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 12/02
What is it and how do we incorporate it in our lives. 

(78) Discernment by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 12/02
The watchman ministry inside the church and the importance of discernment in the times we live in. 

(79) Watchmen Arise by Steve Mitchell, Answers For India,  12/02
An article that will encourage those who pursue the rejected spiritual practice of discernment.

(80) Marriage: A Biblical Illustration Of Our Faith Commitment To Jesus Christ For Salvationby Sandy Simpson, 1/26/03 
Marriage is used as a metaphor of our relationship to God many times in the Bible.  Let's look at the picture God wants His people to see about their relationship to Him, and His relationship to them.

(81) Cheap Grace vs. The Pearl Of Great Price - An Expose Of Easy-Believismby Alan P. Medinger and Regeneration, In Plain Site, 1995 
Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without discipline, communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate. - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

(82) Those Who Are Born Again by the Holy Spirit Continue In The Faith -- The Easy-Believism "Converts" Do Not by Brother Robinson, Santa Clarita Bible Baptist 
There is a heresy that is being taught that says a person may "get saved," live a Christian life for a certain length of time, and then "get lost" again.  Others teach that a person may "get saved" and live a Christian life for a time and then go back to his old ways.  He goes back to sins and cannot be distinguished from a lost person.  This school of thought affirms that such a person will still go to heaven when he dies because he is still saved (even though "carnal").  Let us look at the Scriptures which make it very clear what the truth is concerning this matter of salvation.

(83) What Constitutes "Saving Faith"? by Sandy Simpson, 1/30/03 
There are many who claim to be saved today.  Ultimately only God knows who is saved (eternal security) and we can have assurance of salvation through a commitment to holding on to faith (conditional security). But what constitutes a saving faith? 

(84) Bible Study - The Second Letter of Paul to Timothy by Juanita Simpson, 3/03 
This is a wonderful six part series on 2 Timothy.  What do we stand for as Christians?  Should we name names?

(1) A Spirit of Power, Love and Self-discipline - II Tim. 1:1-12
(2) A Soldier, an Athlete, and a Farmer - II Tim. 1:13 - 2:7
(3) A Workman Approved of God - II Tim. 2:8-21
(4) Godlessness in the Last Days - II Tim. 2:22-3:9
(5) Learning and Preaching Sound Doctrine - II Tim. 3:10-4:5
(6) Deserted but not Alone - II Tim. 4:6-22

(85) Beware The Counsel Of Gamaliel! by Dr. Peter Masters: SWORD & TROWELL, The Metropolitan Tabernacle, Issue: 1995, No. 3. 
Fellow believers--be warned and beware of the counsel of Gamaliel!

(86) The Lord's Prayer, Our Prayer by Sandy Simpson, 2000 
But this prayer is more than an outline.  It is not some thing we are to repeat mindlessly to get what we want from God.  It is a prayer that should be at the very heart of our faith in the Lord.  We show our complete worship and submission to our Father.  We ask Him to meet our needs.  We don't just expect Him to forgive us but we also forgive others.  We ask Him to protect and deliver us from the evil one.  We are completely dependant on Him for everything.

(86) The Blessed Three-in-One: The Christian Doctrine of the Trinity Proven from Scripture by Alan Morrison, 2003 
The doctrine concerning the Trinitarian nature of God is probably one of the most misunderstood teachings of the Christian faith. This is hardly surprising. Firstly, the doctrine is rarely preached on and therefore there is a great deal of ignorance about it. Secondly, because of its seeming complexity and difficulty to be adequately comprehended, people assume it must be an invented teaching with no biblical references. Thirdly, because it is such a vital teaching � the very heart and revelation of true divinity and deity � it is especially vulnerable to attack. In this brief paper, it is not our purpose to concentrate on the historical controversies. There is a great deal of theological and historical literature already devoted to this. Our main concern here is to redress the rejection of Trinitarian teaching by many sincere Christians.

(87) Tares (Darnel) by Ed Tarkowski, STAND & COMFORT Newsletter, #44 (Vol 3 No 11) 
Some are obviously darnel, while with others, it takes time to make the distinction. This I know for sure: the One who planted the good seed which bears fruit will come back to harvest His wheat, and not one grain of darnel will be found in the barn.

(88) The Role Of Women In The Church by Sandy Simpson, 7/03 
If men were exercising true biblical authority over their daughters and wives in love, the debate over the role of women in the Church would not be such an issue. If women today were submissive to their husbands, we would not have many of the problems we have today in the Church.

(89) Admit, Commit & Submit by Sandy Simpson, 7/03 
A study in the difference between the biblical Gospel and what is being preached in many churches today. 

(90) Thou Shalt Not Judge? by Paul Proctor, 7/25/03 
�Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.� - Proverbs 27:6 

(91) Exposing Error: Is It Worthwhile? by Harry A. Ironside 
Exposing error is most unpopular work. But from every true standpoint it is worthwhile work 

(92) Why Halfway Christianity Will Not Work by Dean & Laura VanDruff, Acts 17:11 
God likes the Gospel. It is one of His favorite things, His favorite melody, His overarching theme, what He thinks is really cool. It is nonsense to carnal men, but the very power of God to those who are being saved. It is oft fussed over in theory, like the tombs of the prophets decorated by the "Sons of Satan" in Jesus' day, but rarely tried. Will you, really? It works. 

(93) Measuring The Mixture by Dr. Orrel Steinkamp, The Plumbline, Vol. 8, No. 3, 2003 
The Gospel is the core of the Church's message; the Church is to proclaim the true, pure Gospel recipe with no additives, no deletions, no distortion, no reversal.  Each individual Christian (together, the Church) must "measure the mixture." That means each Christian must know the Gospel--know it well enough to realize when something is not right.  Even if it is unpopular and viewed as arrogant presumption, we must post the warning signs of clear biblical teaching.  We must, in loving and humble obedience to Christ, always be measuring the mixture!

(94)For The TRUTH by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 9/03
How important is the truth in a time of deception?

(95) Are You Tithing? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 9/03
What does the New Testament REALLY teach on the tithe and money.

(96) God Would Save Us From Spiritual Delusion by A.W. Tozer, Renewed Day By Day, September 23
THERE ARE AREAS OF CHRISTIAN THOUGHT�and because of thought then also of life, where likenesses and differences are so difficult to distinguish that we are often hard put to escape complete deception!

(97) The Truth And Nothing But The Truth by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 9/03
Truth is a rare commodity these days. In a world filled with opinions, lies and deceit, the truth is often overlooked and ignored. Relative truth has become a fixation in our society and it is no different for those seeking to be religious or spiritual; it has become their friend.

(98) Use And Misuse Of Scripture by Gary Gilley, 9/03 
Those who desire God�s approval must handle accurately, or literally, �cut straight,� the word of truth.  They diligently study the Bible in order to interpret it correctly and then apply it properly. 

(99) God Doesn't Want Your Sacrifices - He Wants Your Obedience! by Sandy Simpson, 2/9/04
1 Samuel 15:22  But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

(100) The Vanishing Gospel by Dave Hunt, The Berean Call Newlsetter, 2/04
And to attract those thus corrupted, many of the largest and fastest-growing churches mimic the world in "seeker-friendly" and "youth-oriented" services that exploit sensuality and compromise the truth.

(101) Sixteen Facts Everyone Should Know About Israel by Jacob Prasch, Moriel Ministries, 2004
If you are a Christian you need to stand by Israel, and support Israel as much as possible. God's ancient promise in Genesis 12:3 is still very much in effect: "I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse." And God, speaking to Israel, promises, "Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonoured; those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish. You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them, those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent " (Isaiah 41:11-12).

(102) Tithing by Chris De Wet, Moriel Ministries, 2004
There is a lot of confusion taking place with regard to Bible doctrines today. One of the topics, is the question on tithing. Where did it originate and what does it mean today? Read Part 1 & Part 2.

(103) Let's Take A Look At The "Judge Not" Argument For A Moment! by Sandy Simpson, 6/3/04 
It's very interesting to me how Christians are quick, these days, to pull out the old "judge not lest you be judged" excuse when they are angry at you for warning people away from their favorite false teachers and false prophets by name.  They come down on those who test the spirits (1 Jn. 4:1), discern truth from error (Phil. 1:9-11, Prov. 3:21) and judge rightly (Jn. 7:24) when those are ways in which God has told us we ARE to judge.  They use the "judge not" ploy to make themselves look like they are holier-than-thou and above the fray, and in so doing they are already in violation of Matt. 7:1 because they are judging those they say are being judgmental hypocritically.  But think about the ways in which we all tend to judge in a whole variety of unbiblical ways every day.

(104) The Overseer - A Study In Titus 1:6-11 by Sandy Simpson, 6/25/04 
There once was a shepherd who loved his flock of sheep.  He fed them and watered them.  He bathed them and tended to their hurts.  The only trouble is he did not build a protected fence around their home.  He had a habit of going to sleep at night leaving no one to guard them.  They had always been safe in the past, but one night wolves came.  In the morning when he woke up many of the sheep were missing or dead.  That day he built a fence and made sure there was always someone there to guard the sheep at night.

(105) Building Up The Body by Gary Gilley, Think On The Things, July 2004 
One of the most insightful of recent books concerning the church is actually written by an unbeliever.  Alan Wolfe, a social scientist, has been observing the changing American religious scene for years.  Last year he shared his research in The Transformation of American Religion.  The message of his book is that �religion in the United States is being transformed in radically new directions.� [1]   Wolfe claims, �Talk of Hell, damnation, and even sin has been replaced by a nonjudgmental language of understanding and empathy. Gone are the arguments over doctrine and theology�. More Americans than ever proclaim themselves born again in Christ, but the Lord to whom they turn rarely gets angry and frequently strengthens self-esteem.  [As a result] the faithful in the United States are remarkably like everyone else.� [2] 

(106) Losing My Discernmentby Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 8/31/04 
A new song the church is singing. 

(107) The Diminishing Message Of The Cross by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 8/31/04 
Welcome to a new era of rock stars, movie stars and their producers. 

(108) Seeds, Soil & Fruit by Sandy Simpson, 9/19/04 
Some seeds have been genetically altered.  Something has been added to the seed to produce a certain result.  What has been added is indoctrination, brainwashing, diaprax, false prophecy, false apostolic edicts, false anointings.  These additives produce seeds that will, in turn, grow bad trees, producing bad fruit, which in turn produce more bad seeds as the process renews itself over and over again.

(109) The Old Cross Versus The New Cross by Annonymous 
The old cross slew men; The new cross entertains them.

(110) Unity In Gospel Living by Brad Smith, 11/04 
A message on Philippians1:27-30. 

(111) LaHaye: New End Times Thriller Teaches 'Ridiculous' Views - Tyndale Defends Choice to Publish Hanegraaff's Preterist Series by Jenni Parker and Jim Brown, December 3, 2004 
(AgapePress) - A best-selling Christian author is criticizing his publisher for putting out a new fictional series by another writer whose stories postulate that the rapture occurred long ago and Revelation's prophecies have already been fulfilled.

(113) The End Of The World by Bill Randles, Believers In Grace Ministries, 11/04 
A meditation on Isaiah 24 by Pastor Bill Randles.  Read Part 1 & Part 2

(114) Paul's Mars Hill Approach by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 12/1/04
What did Paul actually do to proclaim the gospel on Mars Hill?

(115) Love for an Offensive Gospel by Gary Gilley, Think On These Things, November 2004 - Volume 10, Issue 11 
What would provoke an evangelical, evangelistic-minded church to so alter the gospel message as to gut it of, as Carson says, �its historical and biblical sense?�  Almost certainly their motivation is a noble one � the desire to see people get saved.  But they fear that very few will respond to a gospel which calls sin �sin� and identifies unbelievers as ungodly, rebellious enemies of God. 

(116) The Duties Of Christian Leadership by Sandy Simpson, 1/12/05 
Christians, and especially Christian leadership, are called to be salt and light in a dark world.

(117) Getting Glory for God�or for Ourselves? by A.W. Tozer, Renewed Day By Day, January 22 
I THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO BE MATURE enough to confess that many have been converted to Christ and have come into the church without wrestling with that basic human desire for honor and praise. As a result, some have actually spent a lifetime in religious work doing little more than getting glory for themselves!

(118) True Vine, True Fruit -- False Vine, False Fruit by Sandy Simpson, 2/2/05 
There is one true Vine, that is Jesus Christ.  Those attached to this Vine, who have a connected relationship to the Vine through obedience, will be branches that bear true fruit.

(119) Maturity Training by Sandy Simpson, 01/05 

At the core of maturity in Christ is the issue of training to be able to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong. But in today�s churches this issue has not only been downplayed, but actually swept aside.

(120) Unity Of The Faith & Maturity by Sandy Simpson, 02/05 

Those who are mature in Christ are those who are reaching unity in the Faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God. Those who are not mature strive for ecumenical or interfaith unity thinking that they are growing in the Lord, and it is usually a point of pride to them. But they have mistaken what Paul was talking about. Unity in the Faith is talking about coming to a common understanding and practice of the core truths of the Faith as taught to us in the Bible through Jesus Christ and the Apostles. 

(121) The Reign Of King Asa by Jacob Prasch, Moriel Ministries, 02/05 

The reign of King Asa, God�s warning to good men. God�s warning to good women. God�s warning to all of us, but especially God�s warning to good leaders and to good pastors. 


(122) The Biblical Definition Of Worship by Sandy Simpson, 3/05 

In many churches around the world the concept of "worship" has been redefined and narrowed to mean the time when Christians come together to sing songs, raise their hands, dance around, and get all excited about the Lord together in church.  For most of the younger postmodernist relativistic generation the concept of "worship" has become a thing you do once or twice a week to absolve yourself of guilt.  The more you can work yourself into a state of bliss in feeling like you are really achieving a state of "worship" by letting yourself go in the music and rhythm of the "worship" time, the more you can justify what you are doing the rest of the week when you are not "worshipping" God.  This "worship" then becomes an excuse and justification process whereby Christians can rid themselves of the guilt of not obeying the Lord in their lives.  This is not to say that true worship is not done in the time now called "worship".  It can be a time of worship, but worship without obedience is no worship at all. 

(123) Expository preaching necessary for true revival, Stephen Olford says by Jeff Robinson, SBA Baptist Press, May 9, 2002 

Anointed expository preaching is absolutely necessary if the church is to experience true revival, Stephen Olford recently said at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

(124) What We Need Is A Reverse Paradigm Shift! by Sandy Simpson, 3/30/05 

I'm going to warn you now.  I am going to let you in on some information tonight that is going to radically change your world view.  You are likely going to experience the beginnings of a reverse paradigm shift and after tonight there will be no way to go back the way you came.  You will be faced with choices that you may never have known you had.  You will be faced with a new way of looking at things that is going to cause you to rethink everything that is being taught in the Emerging Latter Rain churches.  It is going to be radical because the basis for this message doesn't come from Jesus Christ visiting my room last night bodily, but from His holy written Word.  So buckle down your seat belts, you're likely in for a bumpy ride!

(125) Should Biblical Churches Be Christocentric? by Sandy Simpson, 4/1/05 

Should biblical Christian churches be Christ-centered (Christocentric)?  Should the doctrines of the Father (Patriology) and the Holy Spirit (Pnematology) also be equally emphasized?  Can a church be Patriocentric or Pnemacentric and be biblical?

(126) Study In Ephesians by Sandy Simpson, 4/05 

This is a ten part study in Ephesians.  Click on the following links to go to a particular study: 

(1) Predestination And The Baptism Of The Holy Spirit
Ephesians 1:1-14
(2) Jesus Christ Rules & The Problem Of Sin And Salvation
Ephesians 1:15� 2:10
(3) A Building Of Peace
Ephesians 2:11-22
(4) A Mystery Revealed
Ephesians 3:1-13
(5) The Prayer & The Calling
Ephesians 3:14-4:10
(6) Why Were The Grace Gifts Of Servant Leadership Given?
Ephesians 4:11-13
(7) Put On The New Self
Ephesians 4:17-32
(8) Don�t Be Deceived
Ephesians 5:1-20
(9) Submission & Love
Ephesians 5:21-6:9
(10) Put On The Armor
Ephesians 6:10-23


(127) Have You Been Saved by the Gospel? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 4/26/05
Do you really understand the gospel of grace or have we come another way to Christ?

(128) A Departure from Sound Doctrine by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 4/27/05
What the church is now facing in epidemic proportions. 

(129) Current Interpretations of the Bible that are wrong by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 6/6/05
Modern interpretations from by the trends of our day.

(130) Prophecies Of Jesus Christ As Messiah by Evidence for God from Science
Prophecies of Jesus Christ and their fulfillment.

(131) The Disappearing Doctrine Of The Evangelical Church by Mike Gendron, Proclaiming The Gospel Ministries, 9/16/05
This newsletter is often used to correct the false doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church but in this issue we will address the disappearing doctrine of the Evangelical Church. Many professing Christians now think it doesn't really matter what you believe, as long as you label it Christianity. Their only test for becoming a Christian is a simple acceptance of Jesus as a historical figure. In our post-modern church, doctrine is out and tolerance is in. We are told that for the sake of unity, doctrine should not be tested or contested. We are not supposed to draw any definitive lines or declare any absolutes. Doctrinal and moral issues which were once painted black and white, are now seen as gray. The state of the church is now in a state of confusion.

(132) Philippians Study by Sandy Simpson, 10/01/05
Ten study series on the book of Philippians!

(133) Explain Or Explain Away?by Sandy Simpson, 10/25/05
A proper balance of Biblical teaching, as demonstrated by the Apostles, is to both explain God's Word (good hermeneutics, exegesis) and to explain away false teachings of any particular passage (polemics and/or apologetics).

(134) Men With No Reputation On Earth by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 12/16/05 
Those whom God recognizes are doing His work.

(135) "Every man did that which was right in his own eyes." by Sandy Simpson, 1/1/06 
This article is a warning to all those who think they can rewrite Christianity in their own image.  Think again!

(136) The Necessity of Separation from Heresy by Jewel Grewe, Discernment Ministries, Discernment Newsletter, Volume 17, Number 1, January/February 2006 
This neo-evangelical �repudiation of separation,� and its resultant seduction into heresy, is indicative of the condition of the Church in the last days. Jude 18 warns that there will be mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. Paul prepared Timothy for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables (2 Tim. 3-4). The sinful nature of man wants to justify sin, even to the extent of finding false teachers to teach ear-tickling fables. 1 Peter 1:13 advises believers to gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Peter further admonishes that the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer (vs. 4:7).

(137) Earnestly Contend by Dave Hunt, The Berean Call, 01/04/06 
Hundreds of fulfilled prophecies prove God�s existence, that the Bible is His inerrant Word, the Jews His chosen people, and Jesus of Nazareth the promised Messiah who died for our sins, has resurrected, and is coming again. Yet prophecy is neglected by most Christian preachers and writers. No wonder that the �last-days� apostasy warned of in God�s Word is now upon us with a vengeance! 

(138) How to Avoid Heresy by Discernment Research Group, Herescope, 01/05/06 
Neo-evangelicalism relies upon marketing strategies to spread its leaven. For over a century American consumers have been trained by advertising to buy anything new � a new detergent, a new vacuum cleaner, a new style of dress, a new car, a new computer. In the same way, New Evangelicalism has advertised all of its doctrines, methods and teachings as �new.� There is therefore a very simple, easy way to avoid the heresies of neo-evangelicalism.

(139) Is It Right:To Judge, To Expose Error & To Call Names? by Pastor E. L. Bynum, Tabernacle Baptist Church, Lubbock, Texas, 1/06 
Many today believe that it is wrong to expose error and to name names. Liberals have always seemed to believe this, but in recent times it has been widely espoused by evangelicals and charismatics. Now we are seeing the same fatal error being declared by those who profess to be Bible believing fundamentalists. Those who are faithful in exposing error according to the Bible are now being widely denounced, and are accused of being unloving and unkind. We intend here to present the teaching of the Bible on this vital subject. 

(140) Deviant Worship by Mark Minnick, Frontline, March/April 1997, Vol 7 N 2 
This is the age of the "designer church," the "fellowship community," the "family worship center." But is all that calls itself "worship" acceptable to God? What is the benchmark of true worship? Is it sincerity? A positive experience? A good feeling? A full auditorium? Or is there an objective standard by which we can measure what pleases God in this regard? 

(141) Pastors Who Compromise Their Call by Steve Cornell, Senior Pastor, Millersville Bible Church, 2/06 
Scripture speaks with clarity and directness about sin and salvation; godliness and ungodliness; heaven and hell. You are welcome to reject such teaching or to try to make it a matter of personal interpretation, but one day you will answer to God for offering a revision of His truth. There is a great need today for pastors who refuse to compromise their call to speak the truth in love.

(142) Satan's Six Strategic Assaults on the Christian Faith by Mike Gendron, Proclaiming the Gospel, Jan/Feb 2006 
Some evangelical leaders have been joyfully announcing there is a great spiritual revival taking place in our country. However, a closer and more discern�ing look reveals there is a countless mfiltra�tion of deceivers masquerading as messen�gers of Christ who are counterfeiting the Christian faith. �And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.� (2 Cor. 11:14). These legions of liars are all part of Satan�s insidious assault on the only true faith. Satan�s ultimate goal is to thwart God�s harvest of lost souls by holding them captive with his fatal lies. His relentless at�tacks are strategically aimed at six targets: The Supremacy of God�s Word, The Sufficiency of God�s Son, The Singularity of God�s Gospel, The Sovereignty of God�s Grace, The Security of God�s Children, The Sanctity of God�s Church

(143) The Trinity tract produced by Calvary Chapel, 2006 
The doctrine of the Trinity explained in simple terms.  A good tract to give out on the subject. For a more detailed explanation of this doctrine, read The Five Basic Doctrines here

(144) The Prayer Of Faith by Derald Skinner, Calvary Chapel, 2006 
The prayer of faith is answered because God has promised to answer our requests when we start (the following).

(145) �Touch Not The Lord�s Anointed?� � Give Me A Break!! by Michael C. Gaudiosi - The Berean Radio Network, THE NOBLE BEREAN: Volume Seven March 2006 
IN DEFENSE OF THE TBN ELITE I recently received an e-mail from a very angry person. What did I do to set off their anger? What did I say? Well, My guess is because it was due to one of my previous newsletters in regards to TBN. That�s right! I had the complete audacity to dare speak against the great spiritual giant TBN! I would like to share this e-mail with you and give my reply in this newsletter, considering the fact that this person did not want a reply from me (as you will see at the end of the e-mail). So hold on to your hats, here we go! 

(146) From Traitor to Hero? Responding to the "Gospel of Judas" by Albert Mohler, Friday, April 07, 2006 
Informed Christians will be watchful and aware when confronting churches or institutions that present spurious writings, rejected as heretical by the early church, on the same plane as the New Testament.  The verdict of Athanasius, one of the greatest leaders of the early church, still stands: "Let no man add to these, neither let him take ought from these, for concerning these the Lord put to shame the Sadducees, and said, 'Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures.' And He reproved the Jews, saying, 'Search the Scriptures, for these are they that testify of Me.'"

(147) Do you Love or Hate the truth? by Mike Oppeneheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 5/20/06 
Where do you stand on what is taking place?

(148) Holding Pastors Accountable by Steve Camp, 6/06 
Though elder-rule is a good biblical concept, the term can be misleading and doesn't accurately represent the Scriptural heart of biblical leadership. Rule too many times suggests unquestioned authority, religious despotism, or spiritual heavy-handedness. However, the office and title of elder is quite different; it is one of servant-leadership. 

(149) The Current Downgrade in the Doctrine of the Atonement by David H. Linden, Action International Ministries, 6/06 
The gospel is fading in our consciousness and understanding. It is ordinary and commonplace. It is our assumed treasure (we would all sat that!) but it is still the object of our neglect. When I say the gospel slipping, Hebrews corrects me to state the issue more sharply, that it is we who are slipping not the gospel. The gospel is the dock to which we must be tied. The dock is not floating away from us; we are drifting away from it. There is only one place to drift when we stray from the sacrifice of Christ, and that is into hell itself. Such is the warning of Hebrews. We are presented with this great salvation that must not be ignored, as in Hebrews 2, OR it is the consuming fire when the Lord will judge His people, as in Hebrews 10. It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Hebrews 10:31. Yet the gospel is that Christ by the grace of God fell into the hands of God for us. On the cross He faced the consuming fire our sins earned for Him.

(150) Imputation by Warren Doud, Grace Notes, 6/06 
Imputation is a wonderful principle of the Plan of God, and you have been involved with imputation since the day you were saved.

(151) Discernment in an Age of Deception - Defining the Believer's Biblical Call to Judge by Bob DeWaay, Critical Issues Commentary, Issue 94 - May / June 2006 
Many times, after publishing an article that disputes the claims of someone's published work, I am asked if I had talked to the person privately. There are those who claim that debating ideas in the public arena should not happen unless there was a prior Matthew 18 process of adjudication. It is my position that Matthew 18 does not apply to the public interaction of theological ideas. In this paper, I shall examine various New Testament passages that explain what we must and must not judge.

(152) Scriptures For Our Times by Berit Kjos, Kjos Ministries, 7/06 
God's people have always tended to drift toward earth-based religions (various blends of pantheism, polytheism and monism) whenever apathy dimmed their desire for Biblical truth. But never before have occult beliefs and practices been promoted as shrewdly as today--nor have God's people been more ignorant of their dangers or more vulnerable to their lures. As deception spreads, let us heed God's Old Testament warnings as well as His New Testament prophecies.

(153) Today's Christianity: Let Us Entertain You! by Michael C. Gaudiosi - The Berean Radio Network, THE NOBLE BEREAN: Volume Eleven - July 2006 
There is no mention in the New Testament that Jesus or the apostles ever tried to make the Gospel appealing to the masses by entertainment, or to make it a more positive, feel-good message. They never used gimmicks, games or free giveaways. If you want to see a great example in the Bible of how people reacted to Jesus� preaching, read John chapter six. He lost a lot of so-called �followers� because they considered His preaching of the truth as a �hard saying� which was not positive, or what they wanted to hear! Jesus was not concerned about offending people or if His numbers would drop (which of course they did!).

(154) Another Perspective For Your Consideration by Ken Silva, Apprising Ministries, 8/2/06 
In this piece I�m going to present a brief synopsis of a point of view that has become all too common in the evangelical community today concerning those of us in the field of discernment being critical of another�s ministry. 

(155) Redefining Jesus? by Chris Lawson, Spiritual Research Network, Newsletter, August 2006 
More than any other time in history, the world today is filled with false ideas and concepts of who Jesus Christ really is. What Paul the Apostle called �another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel� is plaguing the world with full force as people on all six continents and every walk of life have �redefined Jesus�.

(156) Quoting Heretics: The New Trend for Christian Authors by Ingrid Schlueter, Slice of Laodicea, 8/3/06 
Either these people do not read the material they quote, which is absurd, or they don't care that they are quoting someone who long ago left the Christian faith of the Bible. When cardinal doctrinal issues are at stake, I do not ever want to favorably quote someone to make a point. What about those who like the quotes Dr. Jeremiah uses from Sue Monk Kidd in his book, Life Wide Open and who decide to pick up her book, Dance of the Dissident Daughter, where Kidd details her journey from being a Baptist Sunday School teacher to a proponent of goddess spirituality and pantheism? Does he have no responsibility for whom he quotes? The answer to that is yes. We all do.

(157) Modern Macabees by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 8/21/06
Those who defend the temple and rescue people.

(158) The Rot of Religion...the idolatry of self-love by Steve Camp, 8/28/06 
Self has always been the most destructive and dominating plague to hinder true Christianity. Self-love (self-righteous pride) is the cancer of the church and sadly, much the hallmark of modern faith. An unfortunate example of this would be Robert Shuller's toxic tome, "Self...The New Reformation" which represents much of this move away from biblical Christianity (towards the focus on self) and, therefore, away from the worship and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and sacrifical service to others. The two great commandments of "Love the Lord Thy God" and "love thy neighbor..." has now been eclipsed with this third hell-inspired commandment: "love thyself."

(159) The Prophetic Calling of Every Believer by Bob DeWaay, Critical Issues Commentary, Issue #95, July/August 2006 
We need to return prophecy to the members of the church. Every member of the congregation, whether in a position of leadership or not, has access to the authoritative Scriptures and may bring forth valid implications and applications from them. Together, as we prophesy, we benefit from edification, exhortation, and comfort. The lost are convicted of their sins while the saved grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.

(160) God of Jacob, God of Israel - Part I by Dave Hunt, The Berean Call Newsletter, 8/06 - See also God of Jacob, God of Israel - Part II "Has The Church Replaced Israel?"
If �everlasting,� concerning Israel, doesn�t mean everlasting, then how can we trust the promise in John 3:16 of everlasting life to those who believe on Christ? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of Israel, is the only true God. The Messiah promised to Israel by Jewish prophets of God came 2,000 years ago. He is the Savior of all who believe on Him as the one who, in fulfillment of what the Hebrew prophets foretold, died for the sins of the world, rose from the dead, and ascended to the Father�s right hand. He is coming in power and glory to punish the world for its abuse of His people Israel and to rule the world from David�s throne in Jerusalem. Let us stand firm on the truth of Scripture and preach the true gospel of God, to the Jew first, then to the Gentile.

(162) Trying The Spirits by J.C. Phipot, Preached at Zoar Chapel, Great Alie Street, London, on Thursday evening, August 1, 1844 
There are two evils in the human heart, which, when thoroughly ripened and brought to a head, become, the one, gross superstition, and the other open infidelity; superstition crediting everything, however false; infidelity believing nothing, however true. These two opposite evils, being closely bound up in the heart of every man by nature, assume various shapes and gradations in different persons; and do not, in every individual, reach the same height, or attain to the same development. And, indeed, one of these evils will be usually more marked in some individuals than the other; the bias of some being more to superstition, and the bias of others, more to infidelity. Generally speaking, the weaker the mind, the more superstition preponderates; and the stronger the mind, the more docs infidelity prevail.

(163) The New Testament Gospel Without Paul by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Minsitries, 9/06 
There is a movement today (mainly coming from the sacred name camp and law keepers) telling us that God did not choose Paul, and that his gospel is false. The reason they have arrived at this conclusion is because they are mostly law keepers who do not understand the covenants, nor understand the differences in the Mosaic and the new covenant based on the grace of God and the work of Yeshua (Jesus) on the cross. There have always been attacks on the Bible and its acceptance. In the early church about A.D. 140, a man named Marcion instituted the first real controversy. He rejected the majority of the New Testament He believed God rejected Paul and accepted Peter. He threw out Matthew, Mark, and John and made a canon of his own consisting of Luke which he rewrote. There are others today who want to rewrite the Bible, add other books (Gnostic books) or reject some that we already have. There are at least 86,000 quotations from the early church records tha believed Paul�s writings were part of Scripture. These are found in several thousand Lectionaries that are church-service books. After nearly 1900 years of the canon being established these rebels are causing a lot of confusion.

(164) Tithing - Is It Taught In The New Testament And Does It Really Matter If It Is Or Isn't? by Philip Powell, CETF, Volume 12.3, Issue 37, September 2006 
Tithing was an Old Testament practice to support the theocratic governance of Israel. It is impossible to honestly duplicate it as a means of financing the New Testament church or Kingdom of God. It is not taught in the New Testament and those who try to teach it today end up like the hypocritical pharisees.

(165) The Role Of Women by Juanita Simpson, 10/06 

In conclusion, I think that we have been brought face-to-face with some of our problems as men and women in these passages. Men have been put in authority by God, both in the home and in the church. But men don't always take their God-given authority seriously and live up to it, as Adam failed to protect and correct Eve. Men have the primary responsibility of prayer at home and in the church, but that is often neglected too. Women are more easily deceived and so should be very discerning and come under the leadership of their husbands and church leaders. Women can also be very disruptive in church meetings and need to learn when to be quiet. Another problem is that women can be used by the enemy to distract men from worship and from holy living. Men need to keep their eyes on the Lord and women need to be careful not to entice them to evil. Col. 3:1-5
(166) To Dream A Dream by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/01/06
What role do dreams play in the Christian experience?

(167) ... and all liars ... by Sandy Simpson, 11/05/06
There is a lesson for all true believers in recent events.  Have nothing to do with deeds of darkness perpetrated by false brothers.  Reject heresy.  Mark and avoid false teachers.

(168) To judge or not to judge: The rights and wrongs of biblical discernment by G. Richard Fisher, 1996 
It seems clear, since Jesus Himself said, "Judge not," (Matthew 7:1), that we cannot "judge." At first glance it appears that Jesus not only forbids judging others, but that He catches Himself in a glaring contradiction. Verse 1 seems obvious, "Judge not," yet in verses 6, 15-16, we are to judge "swine," "dogs," and the "fruit" of false apostles. How do we reconcile this apparent contradiction?

(169) Dangerous Christianity - In Pursuit Of Biblical Christianity by C. Stephen David, 1/19/07 
Dangerous Christianity presents a God who is always loving, gives whatever people ask, blesses everyone, forgives whenever people sin, gives good health and wealth, offers peace and joy. Now that�s true! However, the other undeniable aspects of God�s character - such as holiness, justice, discipline and judgment are ignored in their Christianity

(170) Artificial Milk - Weaning Evangelicals Off The Word by T.A. McMahon, The Berean Call, 2/07 
Apostasy is rampant within the evangelical church today. At least that�s my perspective as one who has observed religious trends and developments for three decades. Read Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3.

(171) Stand Up For Jesus by Walter Martin 
When we see idolatry, we are supposed to be provoked.  When we see evil, we are supposed to get exercised about it.  If you can calmly walk through this upholstered cesspool of earth; if you can see evil, filth, degeneracy, and hear vile language; if you can see the corruption of the media and the perversion of the gospel; if you can see the multiple forms of idolatry�the worship of things and of the creation more than the Creator; if you can see this today and you are not provoked about it, then you are not in touch with God the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is provoked by evil, and he stirs up the Church so that we may do something about it.

(172) Is It Right To Judge? by Franklin C. Huling, MA, Fundamental Evangelistic Association 
THIS QUESTION- "IS IT RIGHT TO JUDGE?" is one that puzzles many sincere Christians. A careful and open minded study of the Bible makes it clear that concerning certain vital matters, it is not only right but a positive duty to judge. Many do not know that the Scripture commands us to judge. The Lord Jesus Christ commanded, "Judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24). He told a man, "Thou hast rightly judged" (Luke 7:43). To others, our Lord asked, "Why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?" (Luke 12:57). 

(173) The Compromising Church Of America by Michael C. Gaudiosi - The Berean Radio Network, THE NOBLE BEREAN: Volume Seventeen � February 2007
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the simplest message man has ever heard! Really, it�s true! The Gospel is so simple! Here it is, in simple plain to the point words of the apostle Paul: 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 - For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. That�s it! Jesus died for our sins, according to the scriptures, was buried and rose again on the third day according to the scriptures. How hard is that? Jesus Christ shed His blood and died on the cross to bring reconciliation back between God and man that was lost by Adam in the Garden, because of one three letter word: SIN, and has given us eternal life and kept us from going to a place of everlasting torment, and separation from God called: HELL! Simple, isn�t it? But, like most everything, man has complicated it by trying to put his own spin on God! 

(174) What Does The Bible Say About Lawsuits/Suing? by John MacArthur, The Freedom And Power Of Forgiveness, 2007 
The Bible instructs believers not to go to court against one another. 

(175) How to Identify Terrorists in the Church by John MacArthur, Wednesday, May 02, 2007 
Within the church . . . who are Satan's Al-Qaeda? What are their motives? Are spiritual terrorists out to destroy church doctrine at large . . . or might they be specifically targeting your faith and the faith of your family?  Listen to Part 1 & Part 2.


(176) Devoted To Prayer: Wrestling With God In Ernest Prayer by Virginia Stem Owens 
Christians have always interpreted the splitting of the temple veil during the crucifixion as symbolic of their liberation from the mediated presence of God. Henceforth they were �free� to approach Him directly�which is almost like telling someone he is �free� to stick his head in the lion�s jaws. For once you start praying there is no guarantee that you won�t find yourself before Pharaoh, shipwrecked on a desert island, or in a lion�s den.

(177) The Baptism Of Boldness by Walter Martin, Posted 5/6/07 
Though Wlater Martin has passed on his legacy of of standing for the truth remains.  Watch this video to get back to what the Gospel is all about. 

(178) Another Jesus? A Different Gospel? A Different Spirit? by Rita Sanders, March 25, 2007 
These are the days of great and maybe final deception! I am eternally grateful to Almighty God for granting me repentance and leading my family out of the deceptive and self-centered gospel of greed being promoted in the pulpits of the churches today. Today's believers are replacing the call to "deny themselves" with the desire to pursue "their best lives now". We have ignored the command to "test the spirits" because of the perverted use of "touch not My anointed" by today's pulpiteers. 

(179) Hank Hanegraaff's Conference on Preterism and Replacement Theology, Essay written by C.C. (LTW Research Team), Thursday, June 07, 2007 
It is obvious to any thinking Christian that Hanegraaff�s �Exegetical Eschatology� is nothing more than the use of his presuppositions to cloud the natural meaning of the holy Scriptures. If I were a teacher in Hank's position, I believe I would have trouble sleeping at night doing such a thing to Scripture interpretation.

(180) The Ongoing Need for Discernment by Prof. Johan Malan, Middelburg, South Africa, Discernment Newsletter, Volume 18  Number 4, July/August 2007 
We should be involved in a contrary movement of increased righteousness and holiness, while discerning the signs of Christ�s soon return. Fellow-believers should be assisted to correctly understand biblical doctrines. That is the only way to become discerning Christians who will not be deceived by the many wrong doctrines of our time.

(181) Does the Bible call for UNITY in spite of DOCTRINAL differences? by John MacArthur, 6/07 
Are believers who hold to DOCTRINAL PURITY divisive, intolerant, unloving and ungracious?� �False teaching will always cry �intolerance� because it can only survive when it doesn�t get scrutinized�False doctrine cries the loudest about UNITY�Listen carefully when you hear the cry for UNITY because it may be the cover of false doctrine encroaching�If ever we should follow 1 Thessalonians 5 and examine everything carefully, it�s when somebody is crying �unity, love and acceptance.�� Audio file. 

(182) Designing your own Christianity by Pastor Steve Cornell, 6/07 
Those who reject major themes of the bible have no reason to believe any of it. The God they believe in is a creation of their own imaginations. He is a custom designed deity to fulfill their own desires. But, why do such people feel compelled to hold to selective forms of Christianity? Why not reject it entirely and embrace something else? Perhaps they attend their designer Churches and listen to their appointed teachers to pacify their guilty consciences. How sad to pacify what God is willing forgive and cleanse. But such forgiveness would require a savior who saves sinners and this is just too much for proud of hearts to accept. 

(183) The Near-Beer Gospel - The Search for Pale Substitutes by Orrel Steinkamp, The Plumbline, Volume 12., No. 4, July/August 2007, Assessing Current Teachings, Issnes and Events with Scripture 
In this issue I am going to highlight two examples of how the church is unwittingly calling for pale substitutes from the faith once for all delivered to the saints. Each of these examples will be drawn from two movements, which are seemingly separated far from each other. But it is my belief that they both represent the same basic error, that the church itself can manufacture a Near Beer Gospel either apart from or in addition to the unchangeable word of God. In both cases the church has been shorn of God's actual glory as Sampson of old. The first of these could be called the "marketing and therapeutic" movement. In it's quest for cultural acceptance and numerical success, they have marginalized the "word of God" and imported marketing methodologies as the focus of ministry. Work the system and you will be numerically successful. It seems to me to echo the first half of Jesus reply to Satan when tempted in the wilderness. Rather than, man cannot live on bread alone, it has the feel of yes! we can live on bread alone, rather than every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. At the other end the spectrum, God's authorized word has been succeeded by a succession of new words from God at the hands of thousands of newly restored so-called prophets. Thus, the scriptures languish and are called by Tommy Tenney "old love letters." In the one the trust is in the new technology and tools of the culture. In the other the trust and dependence is upon a continual flow of so-called oracles from God at the hands of those who struggle to claim less than 50% accuracy. The above analogy of Near-Beer calls for some explanation. First Near-Beer. Near-Beer was originally a term for malt beverages containing little or no alcohol (one half of one percent or less by volume), which were mass-marketed during the Prohibition in the United States. Today the term "Near- Beer" has been revived by some people to refer to modern versions of non-alcoholic beer. By the use of this analogy I am suggesting the current evangelical church can be illustrated by the Near-Beer phenomena. It�s all about substitutes which only give the appearance of the real thing.

(184) A Roadmap To Apostasy by Mike Gendron, interview with Jan Markell of Olive Tree Ministries, 6/30/07 
What are the tell-tale signs? What can one do? Is it too late to stop this engine now on a slippery slope? Around the world it follows a pattern that goes in stages outlined by Mike.

(185) Berean Behavior: Naughty or Noble? by Sherry Neese, July 17, 2007 
Bereans in the trenches, Bereans in broader ministry, and shepherds � we are all on the same battlefield. Discouragement, Satan�s favorite weapon, lurks around every corner. We need to work as a team, praying for one another and valuing each other and if necessary, correcting one another, following the biblical procedure for correction and refrain from engaging in gossip. Then and only then will we see the flocks protected from wolves and the Word of God held in high esteem as did our Berean ancestors.

(186) Discernment and the Watchman by Mike Oppenheimer, 6/07 
Just as 1 Peter 3:15 commands us as Christians to always be ready to give a defense of your faith to those outside (apologetics) the church, Jude 3 to defend it within the Church (polemics). Jude had to have been aware of Peter�s proclamation because his book extends off of Peters second epistle on the false teachers who were beginning to come into the church. 

(187) Preterism - Is it an intentional lack of understanding of tprophetic scriptures? by Mike Oppenheimer, 8/08/07 
What are the different views in eschatology and why is preterism the least biblical? 

(188) Transforming The World Within by Herescope, 9/1/07 
In this day of evangelical fervor over changing the outward world, which is called "transformation," the truth of the Gospel -- the transformation of the inner man -- is neglected. This outward focus on dominionism always supplants the inner workings of the Holy Spirit upon the heart and conscience. What folly! What arrogance! True transformation of the inner man (Romans 12:1-2) is inextricably connected with the Cross. J.C. Philpot, in the excerpt from his sermon "Crucifixion with Christ" below, begins by noting that this is a mystery:

(190) Novelty and Change Will Lead Them by Orrel Steinkamp,The Plumbline, Volume 12, No. 5, Sept/Oct 2007 
There exist today hundreds of people in Christian think tanks and agencies whose whole view of ministry is to promote and induce cultural change into the church. It is called contextualization or transformation. But transformation is basically inducing change into the Christian church. Pastors who are properly trained in transformation and contextualization principles are known as transformational pastors. Pastors are also called to be "change agents." For further reading on this topic, please refer to my earlier newsletter, entitled "Transformation Thinking for Dummies." The overriding feature of seeker-sensitive and transformational activities is to change the church to resemble the culture as closely as possible and thereby insure survival and success in today's changing society. There is more to it than outward appearances. Seeker-sensitive churches low key their doctrinal statements, lest they scare away the seekers. Although doctrinal stances do not officially change, the week-by-week teaching exhibits the church as fellow travelers in the culture. The process of transformation calls not only for change but perpetual, ongoing change; in order to entice an ever-~hanging seeker population. Forgotten entirely these days, is the fact that God's people are meant to be a leaven within the culture, a pocket of resistance to the foibles and ethos of the flesh. However, I suspect there are still some seekers left who expect to find something unique and noticeably different at church than in the world at large.

(191) Was Jesus God on earth or just an anointed man? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 9/25/07 
The cults deny that Jesus was ever God before he added a human nature to His deity. The word faith movement teaches that His deity was left in heaven and He came to earth as only a man and was anointed. Because the Spirit rested upon him he was given power, and it can rest on us and we can do all the same miracles he did. They forget that he had NO sin- was perfect and was God before he was born and was God while on earth.  Not even the apostles who were given the authority directlly duplicated his miracles.

(192) Looking For A Church (According To David Foster) by The Berean Call, 9/26/07 
It is instructive to consider a recent list of questions purporting to help believers find a good church.

(193) A Desperate Need For Correction by Dave Hunt, The Berean Call, 1998 
Correction is one of the most conspicuously absent yet essential ministries in the church today. There are those who seek to avoid cor-rection by hiding behind a misapplication of Christ�s words, �Judge not, that ye be not judged� (Mt 7:1). It is conveniently forgotten that these words were spoken by the same One who warned the Jews to �judge righteous judg-ment� (Jn 7:24), told us to judge the fruit of prophets (Mt 7:16) and promised His disciples that they would sit on thrones judging Israel (Mt 19:28).

(194) Preterism by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/07 
What are the different views in eschatology and why is preterism the least biblical?

Preterism pt.1- Is it a intentional lack of understanding the prophetic scriptures?
Why Preterism fails pt.2 - Mt.24 - this generation- Has the majority of  Bible prophecies already taken place?
(195) John Piper � Giving �license for immorality� while claiming he is not? by Sandy Simpson, 10/27/07 
Not one word about Christians confessing or repenting of sin in Gutsy Guilt by John Piper. Yes Christians still sin (1 John 1:8). But the point in any true biblical exegesis of this subject is that Christians no longer practice sin (1 John 3:9) but rather practice righteousness (1 John 3:7). Those practicing sin better test themselves to see if they are in the Faith (2 Cor. 13:5). We as believers have the sacrifice of Christ for sin but we must still confess our sins and He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (which was spoken in reference to Christians) (1 John 1:9). This article is a perfect example of what Jude calls giving Christians a �license for immorality� and illustrates why 5-Point Calivinists are deceiving believers on issues like continued sexual immorality.

(196) Cracking "the Code" of Preterism  - A Review of Hank Hanegraaff's "The Apocalypse Code" and a Refutation of Preterism by Bob DeWaay, ISSUE 100, May/June 2007 
May we continue to flee to the word of God for comfort, encouragement, and preparation for what is �yet to come.� For the �coming of Christ� does not consist of Rome destroying Jerusalem, but rather the return of the risen King to consummate human history and set up His eternal Kingdom. Since our King is returning to repay the wicked and rescue His people, we are called to be both prepared and faithful in light of this reality. We must cling to the blessed hope of being resurrected to be with the risen King forever. Until this �great and terrible� Day arrives, may we live as ambassadors for the Gospel, pleading with the world to �Be reconciled to God� (2 Corinthians 5:20). For, indeed, �the end of all things is near� (1 Peter 4:7).

(197) "This Generation" and it's Preterist Exegetical Misuse by Bob DeWaay, ISSUE 100, May/June 2007 
Our range of meaning study has concluded that genea is used more often in the New Testament as a qualitative term than a chronologically quantitative one. Our study in particular of the gospel of Matthew shows that Matthew uses it in that way. We have also shown that taking the usage in Matthew 24:34 to be within that same range of meaning makes perfect sense in that context and fits with what we know about Bible prophecy from other passages. Therefore, the typical preterist interpretation is contrived and fails to consider the preponderance of evidence in the New Testament for the meaning of genea in such contexts. 

(198) Shepherds Abiding In The Field by Herescope, 12/18/07 
The shepherds to whom the Lord's Angel appeared announcing the birth of our Saviour were engaged in a most humble occupation. They were keeping watch over their flock by night, a serious responsibility. Sheep are not by nature easy to care for. They are silly and stupid, prone to wander, and incapable of helping themselves. Especially they are susceptible to danger in the night when the nocturnal predators come out searching for an easy snack. It is under the cover of darkness when so many things can go wrong. If a shepherd would slack off on his night watch by dozing, he could awaken to a disaster where it would be too late to rescue his flock. Sheep were, after all, the livelihood of these shepherds and an essential source for food and clothing for their families. 

(199) Unbiblical Ideas About Angels by Marsha West, News With Views, 12/21/07 
Why is post-modern Christianity sorely lacking in discernment? Because a large number of Christians don't read and study the Bible. As a result they have no clue what God says about mysticism � or anythinng else! Additionally, many Christians have no interest in attending a church where they'll hear expository teaching from the pulpit. What they prefer is to hear the pastor preach on is their "felt needs." Moreover, Christians spend their free time reading best-selling books and novels while God's Word goes largely ignored. So, is it any wonder the Church lacks discernment? 

(200) "Hold Firmly Till The End" by Sandy Simpson, 1/10/08 
The Bible is repleat with examples of both those believers who stood firmly to the end, and those that did not.  There is nothing sadder than to observe a believer in his or her twilight years wander away from the faith after having served the Lord. 

(201) Where Are the Elders Who Guard the Flock? by Bob DeWaay, 1/29/07 
This past weekend I received a call not unlike many dozens of previous communications from Christians concerned about unbiblical practices being introduced into their local churches. This particular one expressed a committed Christian�s concern that their large evangelical church was introducing mysticism and eastern practices under the guise of youth ministry. This church had even created a shrine of sorts in the church basement for young people to practice this mysticism. The caller had researched this subject for several months, documented her church�s new practices and described why the practices were dangerous and unbiblical. Confident that her findings would help correct the church�s direction, she brought her research to the church leadership, only to be mollified and warned about having a bad attitude. In response she asked the leaders to compare these practices to Scripture, but to no avail. The story is all too common; why does it continue to happen?

(202) �A Bible for Kitty!� by Michael C. Gaudiosi, The Noble Berean, Volume Twenty Eight � January/February 2008 
A BIBLE TRANSLATION FOR EVERYONE Even for your kitty cat! No, I'm not joking, this is real folks! There is a Bible translation for Lolcats, conveniently titled �the Lolcat Bible�. Translated by The LOLCat Bible Translation Project

(203) Have We Lost Our Fear Of God? by Forgotten Word Ministries, 2/10/08 
Have we lost our fear of God?  I believe we have.  This is such a simple matter.  Why not let the Word of God speak for itself!  The following verses are just SOME of the many verses pertaining to the fear of God and the consequences of not having a fear of God.  Read the following Scripture verses and then look them up so that you can see the context each was written in.  You should have NO DOUBT in your mind and heart after this quick study about the "FEAR OF GOD"!  It's time to get back to the truth.

(204) I Never Heard That by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 2/08 
What you will not hear is the gospel presented clearly or fully ... What you will not hear is the denial of the flesh and picking up ones cross ... What you will not see practiced is discipling people to grow mature in the Faith ... They do not teach that following Jesus will include loss or suffering ... What you will not hear is teaching on living a life of contentment ... What you will not hear is correcting brethren who are teaching false doctrine ... What you do not hear is encouraging the use of discernment and judge what is false ... What you will not hear is a rebuke for false prophets and teachers ... What you will not hear is naming names of those who are the false teachers ... You will not hear teaching on the deity of Christ nor the Tri-unity ... What you will not hear is teaching on separation instead of unity ... What you will not hear is teaching how to witness to people of other faiths (the cults and other religions). 

(205) Personal "Prophecy" In The Bible? by Sandy Simpson, 2/08 
The reason for this article is my contention that the modern day "prophetic movement", better known as the Latter Rain, Third Wave or New Apostolic Reformation, is promoting and practicing divination (personal prophecy) rather than what the Bible defines as true prophecy. 

(206) Legalism, Cultism, and the Abuse of God�s Authority by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 2/26/08 
Loyalty is good if it is based on truth, unquestioning loyalty to any person or church leadership is the mark of what a cult is made of. When you have people that follow what the one behind the pulpit says without checking the Scriptures to see if he is speaking the truth, disaster is soon to follow.

(207) Gospel Lite - Tastes Great; Less Filling by Phil Johnson, PyroManiacs, 3/3/08 
The defining principle of historic evangelicalism was an unwavering devotion to the gospel. But the broad movement that calls itself "evangelical" today no longer stands for any clear point of view and can't seem to find consensus on even the most basic of gospel truths. How did that happen?

(208) Uncivil War by Jackie Alnor, Apostasy Alert, 3/8/08 
"Goats and Sheep" � "Wheat and Tares" � "Mixed Multitude" � The Bible�s terms for professors vs. possessors of salvation. That is the sorry state of the church of Jesus Christ in the world today. The lines are being drawn and people calling themselves "Christian" are beginning to join ranks. Many on both sides of the salvation line have predicted a civil war in the church � it seems to be manifesting before our eyes, but there�s nothing civil about it. 

(209) Three Kinds Of Faith by Michael Penfold, WebTruth, 3/12/08 
The Lord Jesus constantly drew attention to the fact that it is quite possible to look, sound and act like a �Christian� without ever actually being one. 

(210) Toward The Prize by Dave Hunt, 9/30/07 
An indictment of the acceptance of psychology, the promotion of self-love, and huminism that have crept into the Church through the teachings of people like James Dobson and Robert Schuller. 

(211) The Gospel Entrusted To The Saints by Sandy Simpson, March 31, 2008 
We have a precious Gospel message to share with others.  It is the Good News that saved us and brought us peace.  We now have the hope of eternal life with Christ when before we were hopeless (Eph. 2:12).  This new life should and will motivate us to share that Good News with everyone.  But sometimes true saints lapse into a lukewarmness of complacency (Rev. 3:16).  I have done that myself at times.  It is time for the remnant, those who have not joined the Apostasy, to reach out to the world with the truth and love of the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.  But we must adhere to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Apostles to be effective.

(212) Is This About Us or About Him? by Steve Muse, Eastern Regional Watch, 4/08 
In this March 2004 Commentary, Steve Muse shares the 
importance of testing the words, visions, and fruit of those who claim to be prophets of God.

(223) The Atonement Wars by Orrel Steinkamp, The Plumbline, Volume 13. No.2. May/June 2008 
"...There was but one way to bring about the desired salvation which would be in harmony with God's character, the law of God, the nature of sin and the needs of man. This one way was by the substitutionary blood atonement of the incarnate Son of God." (Robert A. Morey, Studies in the Atonement, p.9)

(224) Three Common Errors Common Among False Teachers by Mike Gendron, Proclaiming The Gospel Ministries, 6/19/08 
Since we are now living in the age of religious tolerance and ecumenical unity, there are some people who will immediately call this article unloving and divisive. Others will ask "What right do you have to judge another religion?" The answer is given in Scripture. All God-fearing people are called to make right judgments, judgments that have already been established
by the objective principles of God's word (John 7:24). There may be nothing more important than warning people who are being deceived about their eternal destiny. If we do not lovingly confront them with God's Gospel, they may never know how to escape the eternal fire of God's punishment. Clearly, the most unloving thing we can do is to ignore them and let them continue down the road to destruction. For this reason, I am
always willing to offend people with the offense and exclusivity of the Gospel in the hopes that God may grant some of them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 2: 25). Let us look at three fatal errors of false prophets and how to handle them.

(225) Invincible Gospel and the Modern Evangelical Lie by Richard Bennett, 6/08 
Our DVD on the Invincible Gospel and the Modern Evangelical Lie I had great difficulties as a Catholic priest in listening to some Evangelists giving a salvation message. I address this topic in the DVD called "The Invincible Gospel and the Modern Evangelical Lie." While I have tried graciously in this presentation to present the Gospel as God's gift and not man's doing the response has not been great. On the contrary I think things are becoming worse. In fact, the way that 'the gospel' is often presented is that it looks as if man is sovereign and not God! Kindly watch this DVD, and refer it to others for comments and responses. Thank you, Richard Bennett

(226) Why False Teachers Have So Many Followers
by Sandy Simpson, 7/28/08 
The reason why false teachers, who deny one or more of the core doctrines of the Faith, gain so many followers is that they are saying what the world wants to hear.

(227) Why is it important to believe Jesus is coming back again physically? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 8/8/08 
According to the Bible, to say Jesus will or has already come again spiritually is the spirit of antichrist. If anyone claims he has shown up in their home or at their meeting they are denying that He will appear in glory, the same way and in the same place that he left- AS HE PROMISED (acts 1:11). If Jesus does not come back the way He promised in Scripture then we cannot trust the Scripture on what it says about anything about Him.

(229) Can we do greater works than Jesus? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 9/15/08
What John 14:12 does not say: It does not say greater signs (miezon semeion). It does not say greater miracles (miezon dunamis) power. It does not say greater wonder (miezon teras). It does say greater works (Gr. miezon ergon) ... Even when the apostles were alive all the Christians could not do signs and wonders as the apostles did, so we certainly cannot do them today.

(230) "Until the Day..." by Dave Hunt, The Berean Call, October 31, 2008 
Didn't the Lord in "the great commission" command His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature? Has that command ever been revoked? Absolutely not. It still holds for every Christian today. But which gospel should one preach? The gospel has been so perverted, compromised, and Catholicized that the power of God unto salvation has been taken out of it for fear of giving offense. Would those in hell thank us for sparing them the offense that would have taken them instead to heaven? Do we withhold the gospel from the unsaved for selfish reasons? Are some of us ashamed of the narrow gate that the gospel forces us to present to those who prefer the broad road to destruction? The Word of God is clear: "The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe" (Proverbs 29:25). Time is short and eternity is forever. We need to reexamine our hearts and begin to live as though we really believe this.

(231) The Death Of Absalom by Jacob Prasch, Moriel Ministries, 11/10/08 
This was a terrible situation: Hebrew was not fighting Philistine, Hebrew was not fighting Canaanite, Hebrew was not fighting Amalekite � Hebrew was fighting Hebrew.  There was the war between Israel and Judah, and the war in the last chapter of the book of Judges, which was a civil war that broke out when a man�s concubine was gang-raped, and her body hacked up and sent throughout the nation.  That was the worst of all the wars in Judges.  Here we see it happening again.  In the same manner, the worst battles that we as Christians will have to fight will not be against unbelievers; rather, they will be part of civil war.  The worst battles are against your own kind, where believer, as it were, raises his sword against believer.  Now, I am of course not referring to a physical sword, like the Puritans used, but rather to the spiritual sword, the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Fighting Canaanites, Philistines, no problem; fighting Moslems, Freemasons, Roman Catholics, no problem.  But what happens when brother fights brother � or, in this case, when father fights son? 

(232) Willful Ignorance by Discernment Research Group, November 23, 2008 
We live in a time of great apostasy when many choose to ignore or disbelieve the simplicity of the Gospel of Salvation, the message of the Cross. Many of the new heresies are intricate, complex, always evolving, and �emerging� with new theologies, philosophies, terminologies, eschatologies, ecclesiologies, etc. These false teachings puff up people with pride in their human knowledge and lead them to �ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth� (2 Timothy 3:7).

(233) Two Lessons From Jonah by Sandy Simpson, 11/24/08 
We just finished as study in the book of Jonah in our Bible study groups.  As we studied through that true story I became aware of an application for Church leaders today.

(235) The "Jesus" the World Loves by McMahon, T.A., December 2, 2008 
Pray that we who truly know Him would not drift from Him because of "another Jesus" conjured up by the world, our own flesh, or the devil. Pray also that the Lord will enable us to reflect the true character of Christ in our words and deeds; that He will help us to show the world the true Jesus, who, being God, came in the likeness of man, was treated as though He were sin itself, and satisfied the divine justice of God by dying upon the Cross, thus providing salvation for all of mankind. 

(236) A Storm out at Sea by Prof. Johan Malan, Middelburg, South Africa (Dec. 2008) 
This is a typological depiction of the entire church of Christ in its nightly voyage across the sea of life. The meeting between Jesus and His disciples in the fourth night watch reflects on the future meeting between Christ and His church at the rapture, when the storms of life will finally come to an end for believers in Jesus.

(237) Good Apologetics by by Dr. Martin Erdmann, posted at Herescope, 9/08 
For those desiring to hear some good instruction on biblical apologetics, we refer the reader to 4 audio seminars posted online. These four lectures were delivered back in September 2008 by Dr. Martin Erdmann.

(238) Pastoring With Both Eyes Opened - Part 1 by Gary Gilley, 12/08 
These simple instructions, if followed, would greatly reduce the friction found in many churches and thus enhance the ministries of those churches.  Yet many churches and their leaders behave as if God never anticipated such problems and has nothing to offer in way of solution. Read Part 1 & Part 2

(239) False Spiritual Warfare Teachings: How the Church Becomes Pagan by Bob DeWaay, Ciritcal Issues Commentary, November/December 2008 
A pagan is anyone who lacks special revelation from God. And had God not spoken in the manner described in Hebrews 1:1, 2, everyone in the world would be a pagan. This is to say that each of us would have to guess about the nature of the spiritual world we live in and develop techniques in order to contact or manipulate our world. We would wonder how we could manipulate the "gods" to better our situation. We would create a class of shamans with special abilities to contact and manipulate the spirits. That is what every pagan culture looks like.

(240) Religious Deception by Prof. Johan Malan, University of the North, South Africa, 2/09
The kingdom of darkness infiltrated the Christian church with a view to adulterating it by proclaiming a counterfeit Jesus, a counterfeit spirit and a counterfeit gospel.

(241) Are there spiritual gifts or have they ceased? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 3/09 
Read articles Part 1 & Part 2

(242) What is the Trinity doctrine? by Walter Martin, YouTube video, 3/09 
In this YouTube video, Walter Martin proves that what God has revealed about Himself in His word we can understand. 

(243) Be careful what you buy in Christian bookstores by Marsha West, Renew America, 3/19/09 
For hundreds of years orthodox Christianity has held that the Bible is the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, by supernatural power, and that every word in it is true. (2 Tim 3:16) Thus, Scripture has the power, or right, to command how people of faith live their lives. Then theological liberalism rears its ugly head and attempts to undermine established truths. The theological liberal pretends to be a Christian ("progressive Christian" is preferable) as he or she blatantly and unapologetically undermines the Divine authority of the scriptures in matters of faith and life. As a result of the onslaught of liberal influences, the Church is in dire straits!

(244) Expos�s on Beth Moore by Personal Freedom Outreach, 5/09 
Beth Moore is a popular author at LifeWay Christian bookstores and a fan-favorite within the Southern Baptist Convention and churches. But there are serious issues with Moore's false teachings, her lack of discernment, and more.  Personal Freedom Outreach has produced three, in-depth articles on Beth Moore that should be read by pastors, laymen, Southern Baptist Convention officials, and the folks at LifeWay bookstores.

(245) Spiritual Songs by Pastor Larry DeBruyn, 5/15/09 
Worship songs that teach and admonish must do so with lyrics containing �the word of Christ� which glorifies the Lord and promotes �one-anothering� in the local body of Christ. Absent their conveyance logos truth, reasonably discerned as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, the only basis of appeal of the music is in the mystical realm.

(246) Avoid Sleep! by Herescope, 5/18/09 
As he that watcheth doth sleep, in order to some end; so he who keepeth the spiritual watch must set himself designedly to avoid sin, upon a prospect of Christ's coming, and the uncertainty of [the timing of] it.

(247) �Christians� Who Try To Poke Holes In Sola Scriptura by Sandy Simpson, 5/18/09 
There are a number of the leadership of the Emerging Church (EC) who do not believe that the Bible is the highest authority for the Christian faith.  Most do not believe that the Bible is inerrant in the original manuscripts and many do not acknowledge that the Bible is our highest revelation.  Yet this is a core doctrine over which true believers and false brethren must separate. 

(248) Religious Excitments - The Sights, Sounds, and Spectacles of Spurious Spirituality Part 1 by Pastor Larry DeBruyn, 5/30/09 Also read Part 2, Part 3, & Part 4
... how many people really attend church to worship God? I remember reading where A.W. Tozer once questioned how many people would attend church if the only attraction was God.

(249) Recession: What? Me Worry? by Albert James Dagar, 6/21/09 
How should believers cope with recession? 

(250) Letters from Heaven by Prof. Johan Malan, 6/09 
There are seven letters in Revelation 2 and 3 which the Head of the Christian Church, Jesus Christ Himself, directed to the entire church of all centuries, through the mediation of His servant, John. The letters are undated and therefore timeless writings to all followers of Christ � the faithful and the wayward ones. The letters contain precious promises and loving encouragement to those who persevere in the right way, but also clear reprimands and serious warnings to all who started to err and subsequently departed from the truth. Many of the latter have completely lost their way.

(251) Are you Hindu yet? by Jonathan Falwell, World Net Daily, 8/22/09 
I don't want to think about our nation further abandoning the biblical principle of salvation. But the fact is that Ms. Miller may have a point. In fact, as she noted, 65 percent of respondents in a Pew Forum survey last year said they believe that "many religions can lead to eternal life." 

(252) Defining the Believer's Biblical Call to Judge by Bob DeWaay, 9/9/09 
Many times, after publishing an article that disputes the claims of someone's published work, I am asked if I had talked to the person privately. There are those who claim that debating ideas in the public arena should not happen unless there was a prior Matthew 18 process of adjudication. It is my position that Matthew 18 does not apply to the public interaction of theological ideas. In this paper, I shall examine various New Testament passages that explain what we must and must not judge.

(253) Why The Heathen Rage by Bill Randles, Believers In Grace Ministries, 9/25/09 - Read Part 1 & Part 2
�Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing? The Kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Messiah saying let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us��(Psalm 2:1-3) 

(254) What is heresy? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 9/25/09 
Heresy can be defined as any departure from Christian orthodoxy, the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). 

(255) Discernment Ministry - A Biblical Defense by Gary Gilley, Think On These Things, October/November 2009 - Volume 15, Issue 6 
These men understood, as we must today, that the �faith once for all delivered to the saints� is worth defending.  We must not allow the objections of those who lack the courage or the insight to fight for truth to cause us to cower from this important God-given obligation.

(256) In the Church: The Lordship of Christ in Control
by A.W. Tozer, Renewed Day By Day, October 26 
THE NERVOUS COMPULSION TO GET THINGS DONE is found everywhere among us and right here is where the pragmatic philosophy comes into its own.
It asks no embarrassing questions about the wisdom of what we are doing or even about the morality of it.

(257) Concerned to Discern by Pastor Larry DeBruyn, 10/31/09 
As could be agreed upon by most believers, Christians have the right, even the duty, to evaluate and hold accountable to Holy Scripture professing evangelical Christians who, for reason of their manifest beliefs and behaviors, appear to be departing from the faith.[1] Jude told his readers to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). To shirk this responsibility means that believers are being disobedient to the faith once for all delivered. To all Christians the Spirit gives His anointing which places upon them the responsibility to discern the "spirit of truth" from the "spirit of error" (1 John 4:6; 2:20-21, 27).

(258) The Evangelical Immune System Is Switched Off! by Orrel Steinkamp, The Plumbline, Vol. 14, No. 6, November/December 
The current version of evangelicalism appears to be terminal.

(259) "Feelings Driven" Christians by Larry DeBruyn, 11/12/09 
If it�s to survive, faith must be sourced outside ourselves, therefore it cannot be be based upon how we might feel or think at a paticular point in time. 

(260) A Dangerous Philosophy: Success Is Everything by A.W. Tozer, Renewed Day By Day, November 14 
THE PHILOSOPHY OF PRAGMATISM�basically, the doctrine of the utility of truth, is having a powerful influence upon Christianity in the latter half of the twentieth century.

(261) Are We Going Full Speed Backward To Paganism? by Lottie Beth Hobbs, 11/09 
Go, go go! Today�s frenzied society tends to revere speed and motion. Without a doubt, people are on the go - philosophically as well as physically - but activity is not necessarily accomplishment; and direction is far more important than speed.

(262) The Manhattan Declaration a response by Alistair Begg, 11/23/09 
In accord with others who have chosen not to sign, my reservation is not with the issues themselves, or in standing with others who share the same concerns, but it is in signing a declaration along with a group of leading churchmen, when I happen to believe that the teaching of some of their churches is in effect a denial of the biblical gospel. I wonder whether it might not have been more advantageous for evangelicals to unite on this matter, rather than seeking cooperation with segments from Rome, Eastern Orthodoxy and the Latter Day Saints.  The necessary co-belligerence, as far as I�m concerned, can never be rooted in a Gospel other than that which has been given to us.

(263) Is It Time For a New Reformation? by Ken Ham, 1/3/09 
Take one look around our world. A need for a new reformation is evident, both for our culture and for the church. We must return to the Bible as our absolute authority.

(264) Macro and micro apologetics by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 2/1/10 
The necessity for ongoing apologetics to be conducted inside Biblical churches by those who are called.

(265) A Whole Lot Of Wishful Thinking These Days
by Sandy Simpson, 2/5/10 
In this article I want to detail a number of beliefs people have these days that have no basis in Scripture.  I am going to roam all over the map, so to speak, and try to give fairly short answers on a number of topics and also give you useful links to articles that will help you deal with any particular issue.  It is truly amazing how many false ideas people cling to without giving a thought to what the Bible has to say on the subject.

(266) Three Strikes & You�re Out by MorielDanny, 2/10/10 
Show me a person, group, or organization embracing an extreme mistreatment of one or more of the foundational issues discussed above and we will find these behaviors at the root cause of the problem. Paul explained to Timothy that unfaithfulness to the everyday admonitions of God�s Word is what leads to deception where the greater foundational truths are concerned.

(267) Did Peter teach in Acts 2:38 that one must be baptized first to be saved? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 2/17/10 
We can resolve much of the confusion in Peter�s first sermon by understanding the JEWISH background. Acts 2 is addressing law observant Jews that are gathered together to observe the Jewish Feast of Pentecost (verse 1). There are no Gentiles (non - Jews) present; Peter addressing them says, v: 22 �Men of Israel,� v: 36 �Therefore let all the house of Israel know.� Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, �Men and brethren, what shall we do?� He is addressing Jews, as a NATION, not individuals. The NATION of Israel was under divine judgment for rejecting Jesus.

(268) Will people die during the Millennium when Christ is ruling on earth? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 2/17/10 
After the Judgment of separating the sheep from the goats, the saved go into the Millennial period (Mt.25) the unsaved (goats) go into the fire, which is judgment. There are two kinds of believers that will enter the Millennium. Those who have come back with Christ (1 Thess. 4:14b) who are made eternal, been transformed, and have glorified bodies. And those that are mortal that lived through the Great Tribulation and survived (sheep). Those mortals will become the non immortal race of man on earth which those who were made like Christ in the resurrection will co rule and reign over (Rev.20:6). Isaiah states, "There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed" (Isaiah 65:20). During this Millennial period a 100-year-old person will die as a child, if saved they will live to the extent of years (likened to Adams day), v.22 � for as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people.�

(269) Was Cain's sacrifice rejected because it was not like Abel�s, one of blood? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 2/25/10 
God had ordained the means of how man will approach Him in his sinful condition. The implication is that they were taught to continually sacrifice for sin. We can assume that Adam and Eve would have passed it on to their children Cain and Abel.

(270) Do you love God? by Paul Proctor, 3/4/10 
Frankly, I believe most Christians don�t have a clue what Jesus� definition of �love� is. I have alluded to it in previous columns, but it clearly needs to be addressed again to correct the confusion being taught in many churches today.

(271) 95 Theses for a New Millennium by TruthWatch, 4/16/07 
When will the Church �dare to defy the World?� Truth Watch NZ calls for a 21st Century Reformation. On 31st October 1517 Catholic theologian Dr Martin Luther pinned his famous �95 Thesis� to a church door in Germany�s Wittenberg, sparking a reformation across a Europe then dominated by the Roman Catholic Church. Luther was branded a heretic by the church he sought to reform. Out of the conflict that followed emerged the protestant churches, new democratic nation states and unprecedented freedom for evangelical Christians. On the 489th anniversary of Luther�s proclamation Truth Watch believes another reformation is needed!

(272) A Whole Lot Of Wishful Thinking These Days
by Sandy Simpson, 2/5/10 
In this article I want to detail a number of beliefs people have these days that have no basis in Scripture.  I am going to roam all over the map, so to speak, and try to give fairly short answers on a number of topics and also give you useful links to articles that will help you deal with any particular issue.  It is truly amazing how many false ideas people cling to without giving a thought to what the Bible has to say on the subject.

(273) Which �Jesus� do you worship? by The Pilgrim, Defending, Contending, March 14, 2010 
False idols of who Jesus is come in all shades and styles, but there�s nothing that�s created more false idols of who Jesus is than man�s own heart. Unfortunately, most people have created a �Jesus� of their own liking, fashioned in the recesses of their carnal minds (or created by some religious leader that they�ve submitted their lives and entrusted their souls to) and that�s the �Jesus� they serve and worship. Ironically, these false idols of �Jesus� bear a striking resemblance to those who created them (and their desires), but very little�if any�resemblance to the Jesus of the Bible.

(274) What is the gospel and what would be considered changing it? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 3/23/10 
The Bible warns about adding or subtraction. If one adds healing or speaking in tongues or baptism to the gospel for ones to be saved they are changing the gospel message. If one communicates the gospel can be learned through nature, the stars or the pyramids they have mislead where it is found and how it is given. The gospel is preached and it is about Jesus according to the Scripture: It is received by hearing and believing it - by faith. There is no other work included. Paul and the apostles preached �the cross,� �Jesus Christ and him crucified� (1 Cor. 2:2). it is the �preaching of the cross� that contains �the power of God� unto salvation, because only by believing the finished work of Jesus on the cross can save us from our sins. 1 Cor. 1:18: �For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.�

(275) Charles Spurgeon: Those who bury the Gospel with trash at Apprising Ministries, 3/28/10 
The following excerpt is from �Under Constraint,� a sermon preached Sunday morning 28 April 1878 at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London.

(276) Divination Is Forbidden By God by Chris Lawson, Spiritual Research Network, 4/7/10 
Divination: any attempt to foretell the unknown by occult means. It is very clear that the God of the Bible strictly forbids all forms of divination.  This includes all forms of mediumship, channeling, witchcraft [Wicca], occultism, psychic, fortune telling, tarot cards, reading tea leaves, etc.  Divination is forbidden by God because it unlocks the door to the world of the demonic and spiritual deception.

(277) Reflections on a Reasonable Faith by The Berean Call, 4/12/10 
A false idea exists in both the world and in the church that faith and reason do not go together when, in fact, one cannot exist without the other. When God called out, "Adam, where art thou?" it was not Adam's physical location He was asking about but his moral and spiritual relationship with his Creator. "What happened to that relationship we once had, Adam? I miss it and am grieved." As a bumper sticker says, "When you feel far from God, guess who moved?"

(278) Who Can We Trust? by Mike Ratliff, 4/15/10 
I have been in many separate discussions with friends over that last several weeks and months pertaining to the seeming escalation of growing apostasy all around us. Some have lamented that it seems that there is no one who can be trusted anymore. I made the comment last night to a friend that it was becoming increasingly more difficult to trust the fruit of those who minister for money or whose livelihood depended upon popularity. This is really nothing new. Our Lord, in His Sermon on the Mount, told us to beware of false prophets who come to us in sheep�s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

(279) What is the Spirit of Antichrist? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 4/19/10 
John is the only writer that gives the term antichrist and describes this topic in detail in his letters 1 and 2 John. Though this is not the only way to describe the false Christ working, it is insight into what His spirit will teach.

(280) The Gospel Of Self by Roger Oakland, Understanding The Times, 4/19/10 
An interesting trend is occurring in our society today. The long held Judeo-Christian belief that human beings should concentrate on a God-centered focus for living, is now being replaced by the view that self-centeredness should be the ultimate goal for man. Is there any way to help understand this strange phenomenon?

(281) Jeremiah's Prayer by Sandy Simpson, ACT, 4/26/10 
I am writing this article as an encouragement to those Christians who use discernment, especially the discernment/apologetics ministries.  This passage was an encouragement to me so I would like to pass along what the Lord showed me.  Jeremiah's prayer is reflected in our own prayers to the Lord when we find ourselves under heavy attack from the enemy and from his servants. 

(282) The Importance Of Understanding Scripture by Chris Lawson, Spiritual Research Network, 6/16/10 
A simple definition of Hermeneutics is �the branch of knowledge that deals with interpretation, especially of the Bible or literary texts.� The following article seeks to explain why a proper understanding of Biblical Hermeneutics is important. We will look at the qualities we should seek and bring to our Scripture reading and what we ought to leave behind.  We will also look at some of the hindrances to proper exegesis [interpreting Scripture].  We will then seek to explain Paul the Apostle�s reasoning in 2 Corinthians 3:16-18, and how this passage shapes our hermeneutical goal of reflecting the glory of Christ, by His Spirit, through us.  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Cor. 3:18)  When we as believers in Christ manifest the fruit of the Spirit of God (Gal. 5:22-23), we are progressively being transformed (Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:18) into the likeness of Jesus Christ.  This is the goal of the Christian walk (Eph. 4:22-23; Col. 3:10).

(283) The Works-Salvation Delusion by The Berean Call, 5/29/10 
Any attempt to merit salvation by our works is not just futile--it is impossible: "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10). Worse yet, it is a denial of the infinite penalty that God imposed, a rejection of God's "unspeakable gift," and a repudiation of what Christ accomplished for us. It used to be that most evangelicals would agree. This is no longer the case as the apostasy gathers momentum in these Last Days. Recently, a Pew Forum survey of more than 40,000 Americans found that 57 percent of those who said they were evangelicals believed that Jesus is not the exclusive way to heaven. Since Jesus is the only one who provides divine accomplishment, all that remains is the futile delusion of human achievement for salvation.

(284) The Days of Noah and Lot by Bill Randles, June 27, 2010 
Jesus warned us that the end of days would be just as it was in the time leading up to the flood and also as in the last days of Sodom and Gommorah. The saying, the Days of Noah and of Lot, has a specific meaning in scripture. We can identify the end of time by what scripture says about those times. The days of Noah have seven characteristics, according to Genesis 4-6 . God tells us that those times were marked by; rapid advances in technology, a disregard for marriage, a population explosion,a radical increase in corruption and violence, the general rejection of the call to repentance,the loss of distinction between the line of Seth and that of Cain, and open communion between Humans and fallen angels.

(285) The Shack Author Says: "The God of Evangelical Christianity is a Monster." by Lighthouse Trails Research, June 30, 2010 
This past Friday night, author and researcher Ray Yungen attended a lecture at Concordia University in Portland, Oregon to hear The Shack author William Paul Young. The name of Young's talk was "Can God Really Be That Good?" 

(286) The "Unlovely" Ministry by Marvin Fieldhouse, 7/9/10 
The minister or Christian worker who has those unlovely things called convictions is a person who seems to always be in trouble with someone. Any preacher who professes to be standing true to the whole counsel of God and who is not out of joint with all that God has an argument with, is not a true preacher of righteousness. On the one hand a Christian must needs be a "savour of life unto life," and on the other, "a savour of death unto death." He must build up and edify on the right, while tearing down and destroying on the left. The ministry of exposing error to men's hearts is the one Jesus had. The world cannot hate a convictionless Christian, because he cannot, does not, and will not testify against it that the works thereof are evil. But to expose evil and correct those who love sin--this takes a man of conviction, who is absolutely delivered from himself.

Updated! (287) The Tribulation by Mike Oppenheimer, 8/10 
Why the tribulation did not happen in 70 AD! Pt.1- Answering the the claims of Preterists. 
The Tribulation according to the Book of Revelation Pt.2 - A look at the prophetic events during this short time period. 
Did Jesus come in 70 AD? Pt.3 - Did Jesus return as Preterists claim- Are we in the Millennium now? 
Did Jesus return in 70 AD as Preterists claim Pt.4 - The literal interpretation of prophetic Scripture for accurate fulfillment. 

(288) Christianity Today's Anti-Christianity Today by The Berean Call, 8/10 
Galli is "pretty happy" driving down the road to hell? God is a Crazy Fellow? God is a Drama Queen? I have two suggestions: 1) Send your reaction to Galli's article to the founder and honorary chairman of CT, Billy Graham, noting what seems to be the ultimate degeneration of what he started, and 2) Pray for Mark Galli, that he will repent. "[Regarding the wicked] there is no fear of God before his eyes" (Ps 36:1).

(289) Four Ways Christians Are Being Deceived by Proclamation, Invitation & Warning, written about 1990, Posted on this site about 1998, updated 6/19/10 
The Lord put that and similar verses in his Word to warn us of a reality of world history: Global deception. And even those who profess to be Evangelical Christians are susceptible to the Serpent's lie. "In the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." 1 Timothy 4:1. Four ways that Christians are being deceived in our day are: The Repackaged Lie, Blurred Distinctions, Unequal Yoking, Following Gurus. 

(290) Excerpts from The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) 
Bonhoeffer was surrounded by lukewarm pastors and cultural "Christians" who supported Hitler. To most people in the established German Lutheran church, security and wealth had become more important that God's precious Word and faithfulness to Him. In prison, Bonhoeffer was separated from those who, like him, trusted God. Compromise was not an option, so He put all his trust in God. (Of course, so did Moses, Joseph, David, Paul and many others whose faith deepened when totally separated unto God alone). These Scriptures remind us of such tests and triumphs: "...the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one." 1 John 5:19 "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.... If they persecuted Me they will persecute you... for they do not know the One who sent Me."  John 15:19-2

(291) Discernment Is Essential by Sandy Simpson, 8/29/10 
I want to offer a concrete suggestion on how to stem the tide of leaven coming into the churches.  I do this in light of criticism often leveled at discernment ministries that they are only interesting in criticizing.  Though we as believers are to use discernment and be critical of false teaching, comparing everything to the ultimate authority in the life of the believer, the written Word, you will find that most discernment and apologetics ministries do a very good job of offering both Biblical true teaching and practical suggestions on how to implement it.  What I am going to suggest to you is something some churches are doing but I would like to see every church do ... 

(292) The Two Mysteries by Pastor Bill Randles, 9/1/10 
The very essence of Biblical spirituality is this, God had to come down to us, in the flesh, God became a man, to save us from sin. The very antithesis of Biblical spirituality is this Mystery of Iniquity, this principle of man ascending up unto God's class. The polarization of Christians along these lines is upon us, and the choice is becoming increasingly stark! In closing, Jesus poses a question which I believe is directed to the last generation of believers, that on the one hand, to some incurs serious heart searching, but on the other hand, to the "new breed," the question is almost irrelevant in the light of the great and mighty "revival" of signs, wonders and power sweeping the earth. The question is: "Will the Son of Man find faith when He comes to the earth?"

(293) Redefining Jesus Christ: The Biblical Jesus Versus The Counterfeits by Christopher Lawson, Spiritual Research Network, 9/3/10 
More than any other time in history, the world today is filled with false ideas and concepts of who Jesus Christ really is. What Paul the Apostle called "another Jesus, a different spirit, and different gospel" has plagued the world.  The purpose of this article is to point us back to the Bible and back to the Biblical Jesus!

(294) Fuller Seminary Found The World A Fickle Mistress by John MacArthur, 9/12/10 
[A] new kind of modernism is pushing Christians onto the down-grade. Why is it that biblical Christianity in modern times has been so vulnerable to doctrinal compromise and worldly influence? A fascinating historical account of the fundamentalist/evangelical movement in microcosm is found in Reforming Fundamentalism: Fuller Seminary and the New Evangelicalism, by George Marsden. Tracing the history of one influential institution, Marsden recounts in detail how Fuller Seminary compromised and ultimately abandoned its commitment to biblical inerrancy.

(295) Relationships and Religious Agendas by Paul Proctor, News With Views, September 15, 2010 
Have you ever tried to reason with a religious agenda? It�s hard to do, isn�t it? You can quote God�s Word until you�re blue in the face, but those who have fully invested themselves into it will not be easily swayed even when it doesn�t square with scripture. Often, what comes into play is a mystical mindset and performance-based pride involving a �passion� or �vision.� Persuaded with sentimental stories, tender tears and a charming demeanor, a misguided group can, over time, become spiritually deaf, dumb and blind to anyone and anything outside that vision, including God�s Word � following along with a misplaced faith in someone�s persona, position or personal experience. This happens in the Church today because Christians have largely relegated all things scriptural over to leaders for interpretation having made ministers into magistrates and pastors into priests � relying on professionals to perceive God�s Will for their lives rather than prayerfully reading and studying His Word for themselves like the Bereans of Acts 17 who �received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.�

(296) Haters of the truth by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/23/10 
The truth entered a world of darkness.

(297) Which religion is true? by Matt Slick, CARM, 9/23/10 
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and now comes the Father but by me," (John 14:6). Instead of looking at thousands of religious systems and finding internal inconsistencies, facts that contradict the belief systems, or try and determine whether or not each is falsifiable, let's take a look at Christianity.  Why?  Because Jesus said that he alone was the way to God the Father.  If Jesus is right, then all other religions are false since all other religions don't agree with what Jesus said. 

(298) Regarding the Pre-Trib Rapture argument that the Church is not mentioned after Revelation 4:1 by Sandy Simpson, 10/10/10 
I am not going to start a debate on the whether Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib, Pre-Wrath, Post-Trib or other Premillennial Rapture scenarios are Biblically correct.  They all have a basis in Scripture.  Pre-Tribers, however, sometimes try to come off as if they have a corner on the market of truth.  But one of their arguments for a Pre-Trib rapture is not correct.  I have heard the argument time and again ... that a proof of a Pre-Trib Rapture is that the "Church" is not mentioned after Revelation 4, therefore proving that since the Church is not mentioned the Church is no longer on earth.

(299) The Watchman by Scottish pastor Horatius Bonar (1808-1889) 
He must remember that he is a watchman; and, having seen danger pressing on, he must not hesitate to make it known. He must speak his message of forewarning and rebuke, sparing no arrows, and neither smoothing down nor hiding any form of sin, but laying his finger upon every sore, and beseeching men to turn from their ungodliness. The evils around him press upon him sadly; the coming evils are foreshadowed upon his spirit, and, therefore, he lifts up his voice like a trumpet. 

(300) Dangers, Toils and Snares by Allistair Begg, Truth For Life, 11/8/10 
How are things going these days? Is everything running as planned, or does it feel like you�re just barely hanging on? Maybe you�re lonely, facing illness, stressed over problems at work, or maybe you�re just overwhelmed with a never-ending stream of challenges. As you survey the landscape around you, all you can see are more troubles on the horizon. Thankfully, we don�t have to face these twists and turns alone. In this series of messages, Alistair Begg considers some of the most common dangers, toils, and snares that we encounter in our daily lives, and he shows us how a knowledge of God�s character and the Gospel will give us the tools we need to overcome both common and uncommon challenges with a Biblical attitude.  This is a series of messages on this subject in MP3 or CD format. 

(301) What is the activity we call "discernment" really all about? by Better Than Sacrifice Ministries, 11/21/10 
What is discernment? Even as I mention that word, a multitude of Bible passages leaps into our minds: Ezekiel the watchman (Ez. 3; 33); Jesus warning of the �false christs and false prophets� that will arise (Matt. 24); the Jews at Berea who �searched the Scriptures daily� to find out whether Paul was teaching them the truth (Acts 17); Paul telling the Thessalonians to �test all things; hold fast what is good� (1 Thess. 5) and instructing Titus to �reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition� (Titus 3); Peter warning about false teachers �who will secretly bring in destructive heresies� (2 Peter 2). And many, many more � all helpful to us in various ways. 

(302) New NIV Bible Still Draws Criticisms Over Gender-Related Passages at Understanding The Times, 11/27/10 
An update to the popular NIV Bible that sought to resolve problems over gender-inclusive language found in the controversial TNIV Bible is still drawing criticism from evangelicals.

(303) Doctrinal Truth Bears The Image Of Christ by Ken Silva, 12/3/10 
There are many modern professing Christians who would be quick to very, very fervently profess their love for Christ and his Word, that would also be just as quick to reject any fervent defense of doctrinal truth. They would say they love the Word, because they read it everyday; yet they simply see no need or urgency to passionately defend the truth that the Word of God contains.

(304) Here is Your God! (Audio Series) by Allistair Begg, 12/10 
If you travel to India, you�ll encounter a culture that is governed by the worship of hundreds of deities. Western society is no different, although our gods and idols tend to be much more subtle. But what are these gods and idols? Are they real? How do they measure up to the God of the Bible? Any agent of the treasury knows that the best way to identify a counterfeit is to study the real thing. The same is true with God: we can identify false gods best by studying and knowing the one true God. In this series of messages, Alistair Begg examines the character traits of God that He reveals to us in the Bible and through the incarnation of His Son, Jesus Christ. Learn how the true God differs from the false idols we all set up in our hearts and how a relationship with this God should impact every aspect of our lives.

(305) The Spirit Of Truth by Herescope, 12/13/10 
In these days of error, it is most necessary that the children of God, who would not be entangled in the snares of the enemy, should be well grounded and established in the Truth*; and this by the teaching and testimony, work and witness of the blessed Spirit. For want of this heavenly instruction, how many who are weak in the faith or ignorant of Satan�s devices are caught with some new view, some novel interpretation of a text, some subtle, plausible explanation of a passage in which, could they see into the real intention of a passage of the writer or speaker, they would at a glance perceive some abominable heresy couched.

(306) Billy Graham: "Some People Are Born Christians" by Ken Silva, Apprising Ministries, 12/23/10 
�Some people are born Christians,� at least so says renouned Southern Baptist evangelist Billy Graham according to the former President George W. Bush's book "Decision Points".

(307) Naming Names by Spirit of Error, 12/25/10 
One of the criticisms I hear most is that it is wrong for me to �name names� of people who promote false teaching unless I first go to those teachers in private to address my concerns with them. The implication is that no one should listen to me if I haven�t followed the proper order � going to the teacher first, then going public. False teachers, themselves, often promote this idea to shield themselves from criticism. But this is a misuse of the teaching on church discipline found in Matthew 18:15-17. Here�s an article I wrote about this subject three years ago.

(308) December 24th Show: Discernment Ministries vs. Apologetics Ministries: Is there a difference? by Jackie Alnor, Apostasy Alert, 12/27/10 
Over the next several years, ministries that followed Hunt�s lead, recognizing the prophesied apostasy in the church via ecumenism with Rome, became labeled as �discernment ministries.�  The view that the false teachings in the church were propelling the visible church toward a unification into a global false religious system was not seen as a valid paradigm by the academic type of apologists. So the latter tended to marginalize the former and look down their noses at those who believe we are in the end times. That idea just isn�t very scholarly to them.

(309) Witnessing with Bible Prophecy by Jackie Alnor, Apostasy Alert, 1/2/11 
The natural outcome of recognizing the signs of the times for the Christian should be the urgency to share the gospel with others. It is inconceivable to think about the looming wrath of God being poured out upon those we love who will be left behind if they do not receive the free gift of salvation before the rapture.

(310) Does It Really Matter What You Believe About God? by Ken Silva, 2/2/11 
Does it really matter what someone believes about God? That is an extremely important question, and what I�ll do now is to give you a sound answer by turning to the Bible to see what the Lord has to say the subject. Another vital question we should be asking today is: When is the church visible going to stop letting the world tell it how to live?

(311) Be Watchful! by Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) 
Many in these days of easy profession are likely to prove tares, and not wheat; hypocrites with fair masks on their faces, but not the true-born children of the living God. Christian, do not think that these are times in which you can dispense with watchfulness or with holy ardor; you need these things more than ever, and may God the eternal Spirit display his omnipotence in you, that you may be able to say, in all these softer things, as well as in the rougher, �We are more than conquerors through him that loved us."

(312) Is the Trinity taught in the Old Testament by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/1/11 
From the beginning God introduces himself to man as Elohim. In Gen .1:26 God (elohim) said �let us make man in our image, according to our likeness�� those engaged in this conversation were all the same in nature and image. God could not have been speaking to any heavenly creatures because none of them possesses a divine nature like his. We know later there were Divine Persons. Each person of the Godhead can think and communicate with the other. This verse shows independent thought and cooperation within a plurality of his being. This means whoever elohim is speaking to has the same power as him.

(313) Beck's Bogus Beliefs by T.A. McMahon, The Berean Call, 3/1/11
Glenn Beck, the television and radio talk show host who is best known for his conservative political views, isn't someone whom we would normally address in our newsletter. Our concerns are usually directed at individuals, programs, or organizations that promote spiritual or theological views contrary to the Word of God. Beck, of late, seems to be making himself at home in that realm, and he's attracting many who call themselves Bible-believing Christians.

(314) "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the Faith" by Sandy Simpson, ACT, 3/3/11 
2Co 13:5  Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you� unless, of course, you fail the test? People who call themselves followers or Christ or "Christians" and claim they are born again must believe certain things.  If they do not then they fail the test of faith.  They can claim they are born again all they want and "once saved, always saved" but if they fail the test of faith there is no eternal security.  Only God knows who will be saved, from beginning to end, because of His foreknowledge and omniscience (Rom. 8:29, 1 Pet. 1:2).  God did not make an arbitrary judgment about who would be saved and who would not.  His Spirit is given to those He foreknew, when convicted of sin by His Holy Spirit, would choose to believe and commit themselves to Jesus Christ.  We are not God and we do not have His omniscience.  Therefore we must be sure our belief system is in the right place once our eyes have been opened to the Truth.  I am not saying we do not have assurance of salvation, but our assurance comes not only because of His Atonement and promises of salvation but from our continuing in the Faith, which is always the Biblical criteria. Those who would teach must teach according to the whole counsel of God's Word. Let me be clear. There is only one way to salvation.  That is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.  I will deal with a few of those issues following, but it is important to recognize that being saved is not just a matter of believing that Jesus lived, or that He was a man, or simply giving mental ascent to His existence in whatever form.  The Bible gives this as the only criteria to be saved:  Ac 16:31  31  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (KJV)

(315) Hold On! by Sandy Simpson, 3/7/11 
1 Tim. 4:1-2  But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron ...  (NASB) If we are to pay attention and obey the written Word we must listen to what the Holy Spirit says.  It is not I who wrote the above.  I am simply reminding Christians that in the end times some will fall away from the Faith.  Clear and simple.  This is why the Lord reminds those who claim to be His followers that we need to hold on till the end. The word for "hold on" is katecho meaning hold, hold fast, keep, possess, stay, take, have, make.  The Bible tells believers to hold on and keep what they have till the end.   But what are we to hold on to?

(316) Standing for the Gospel � It is a Small Price to Pay by Roger Oakland, Understand the Times International, 3/16/11 
According to the Scriptures and the events that we see happening around us, we are living in the last days. The Bible states that the last days will be perilous. Webster�s Dictionary defines the word perilous to mean dangerous, grave, threatening, unsafe, and unhealthy. Does this not describe the world today? "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." 2 Timothy 3:1 There will be many deceivers during this time. The blind will be leading the blind. There will be wolves in sheep�s clothing that desire to devour the sheep and drive them to market. These wolves may know they are wolves, or they may not. They are under strong delusion. The world is under strong delusion as well.

(317) The Solomon Syndrome by Roger Oakland, Understanding The Times, 3/28/11 
Recently, a number of circumstances have happened impacting my walk with Jesus Christ. This has forced me to search my own heart and try to understand my own behavior as well as the attitude and behavior of those who are attacking me. I have come to the conclusion the best way to do this is to study the Scriptures.  All of us know Christian leaders who were once respected and used by God as faithful servants. How is it possible then, you may ask, that someone who started out dedicated to Christ and His Word and taught the Word, can end up being trapped in a state of delusion? How can such a person be convinced that he or she is above the Word of God and does not need correction?  This malady that permeates and infects Christian leadership in our world today is what I call the Solomon syndrome. Great leaders are only great if they faithfully follow Jesus and abide in His Word. Often great leaders become great deceivers because they end up following Satan and their own flesh. Because they have large followings, they are looked up to as great men of the faith. Further, while they have led many astray, they may or may not know they have done this because they are convinced they are God�s agents.

(319) 40 Irrefutable Signs of the Last Generation by Dr. Noah Hutchings, Date: April 19, 2011 �  Host: Vic Eliason  �  Guest: Usama Dakdok 
Dr. Noah Hutchings is president of Southwest Radio Ministry in Oklahoma City. He has written more than 100 books and booklets covering many Bible related themes. He has traveled to many places around the world in his lifetime and his 40 trips to Israel and the Middle East helps to make him uniquely qualified to speak on the issue of signs related to last-days events. While Dr. Hutchings doesn�t set specific dates for Christ's return, Christians can�t ignore the fact that 40 is the biblical number of probationary judgment. In light of that, Dr. Hutchings uses his time on Crosstalk to explain how he�s been able to document 40 signs that he believes point to the last generation that will see the return of Christ; signs that are relative to today's world. 
Listen: RealAudio | Windows Media | MP3

(320) The Old Rugged Cross by Crossroad, 4/23/11 
To a world bent on social unity and moral laxity, the cross stands as a divisive and humiliating obstacle. Attempts to minimize its offense through laws and intimidation have bullied both secular and church leaders into continual compromise. Public crosses are demolished or hidden; Bibles are forbidden in schools, the traditional days for celebrating the resurrection have been renamed "spring break;" and countless corporations and government agencies ban cross-shaped pins or jewelry. Even Jesus Himself has become a popular target for media mockery and ridicule!

(321) What Have We Become? by Paul Proctor, News With Views, April 27, 2011 
The command from Jesus was so simple: �Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.� (Mark 16:15) How complicated is that? The world is right outside our door; and yet, look at the �church� today and what those claiming to be His disciples and witnesses are actually conveying to that world just in the latest headlines alone:
� 'Church Sucks' But Come Anyway? 
� Many Born-Again Christians Hold Universalist Views
� Utah church offers free Korans in Easter gesture
� Worst place to Celebrate Easter Is in Church, Says Pastor
� Nashville-area church offers drive-thru prayer
� Church's 'Dance Your Shoes Off' video goes viral
� Survey Reveals Decade-Long 'Erosion' of Traditional U.S. Congregations
� 'A Massive Shift Coming in What it Means to Be a Christian" 
Is it any wonder there is so much confusion about Who Jesus is, what He did and what He taught � and that so many frustrated Bible believers are wandering from church to church these days looking for someone to simply preach it and teach it as it is written?

(322) Does God continue to give us new Revelation, new words to Scripture? by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/4/11 
You are not led by the Spirit to challenge the word as true or disobey it. You are led by the Spirit to accept it and live it.
Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him."He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.(John 14:23-24) So to show you love the savior means you keep, believe, obey his word (which is written for us), not anothers. It is then we can be fruitful and have the joy that he wants to give in our lives.

(323) Living in an age of lies by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/10/11 
We are in the time of lying, in both politics and religion. The lie is told so easily and boldly and the truth is told so weakly and inefficiently. We have been fed lies portion by portion, piece by piece for so long that the lie has become as the truth. And no one wants to believe lies have encompassed the way the church conducts her practices.

(325) The forgotten command of Discipleship for personal growth, multiplication and health of the church by Mike Oppenheimer, 6/14/11 
We are to be �Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught� (Titus 1:9). Paul explains God�s preservation process for the church is to continue, �The things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also� (2 Timothy 2:2). The modern church has a problem: few are able to teach, few are faithful men.

(326) This Is A War Breifing by T.A. McMahon, 6/15/11 
It is imperative that everyone who follows Jesus Christ understands that we are in a war. It's a war that is spiritual, but it may have physical consequences. If you're not aware that you are in that kind of war, you very likely have already been taken captive. If you are a pacifist in this war, you have been at least effectively neutralized. Neutrality is capitulation. There is no fence-sitting as the battle rages. Jesus said that he who is not with Him is against Him (Matthew 12:30). So, if we are indeed in a war, what's it all about? It's a war for the hearts of humanity--and the adversaries are God and Satan.

(327) Critical To Know Your Bible by Ken Silva, 6/16/11 
Sadly, by the way we live today�and the ease in which a rapidly increasing number of serpentine deceptions are slithering into the mainstream evangelical camp�we are demonstrating that there�s far too much of our opening text within the visible Christian church today. Take for example the sinfully ecumenical Emergent Church aka the Emerging Church; this was from its evil inception a rebellion against the proper Christian spirituality of sola Scriptura and has now with its postmodern form of Progressive Christian theology raised a barrier up against the genuine Gospel of Jesus Christ.

(328) Back To Basics�Rob Pue Commentary on VCY America, 6/16/11 
Rob described how Christians reflect far too many of the world�s values.  This is most obviously seen in today�s seeker-friendly church movement.  However, if seeker friendliness isn�t what the Bible calls us to, what is our responsibility as Christians?  Are there some basics we can begin with that we need to get back to?  Find out what Crosstalk callers had to say as well when you review this timely edition of Crosstalk.

(329) Is The Trinity A Philosophical Contradiction? by Jacob Allee, CARM, 6/20/11 
Many people who reject the biblical doctrine of the Trinity do because of confusion and misunderstanding. They think we are saying the Bible teaches that God is one person and God is three persons at the same time and in the same way. If that was actually what we were saying then the Trinity would indeed be a logical contradiction. However, when properly understood that God is one �being� who exists as three �persons,� and we understand the difference between the words �being� and �person,� then there is no logical contradiction in the Trinity. The fact of the matter is that God is simply a different kind of being than human beings, containing more persons in His existence than humans. Some will say �but there is nothing else like this to which we can point!� We as Christians say �Amen. There is no one like our God!� It is exactly for this reason that we should not try to explain God by comparing Him to things in this world, because there is nothing to which He can be compared.

(330) Testing the Ego For Discernment by End Time Delusion, 6/25/11 
Ever since his resounding victory over man in the Garden of Eden, the enemy has recognized that the best place to attack is at the weak point in human nature � man�s sense of pride and ego. The more Satan can inflate man�s sense of pride and attack his sense of humility, the more victories will be won in his name.

(331) The Value of Our Souls � What Price Are You? by Lighthouse Trails, 6/27/11 
In our last article, How Much Does the Gospel Weigh?, we examined the idea of placing a value on the Gospel. We saw how the prophet Zechariah had predicted centuries before that the price man would place on Jesus would be �weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver� (Zechariah 11:13). All of this was predicted and then happened about five hundred years later as if God was making a profound statement on how Jesus, who was despised and betrayed by man for so very little, from God�s perspective had immeasurable value. What Jesus did for us at Calvary cannot be measured by monetary value; in fact, as we have seen, the Gospel becomes the standard by which everything else is valued and measured. Now, for the moment, let�s turn our thoughts to ourselves, and again using the idea of placing a value on something, examine our value, both from man�s perspective and God�s perspective.

(332) Seduction: A Primer for Persecution? by T. A. McMahon, The Berean Call, 7/1/11 
For the last three decades, Dave Hunt and I have addressed many trends and teachings that have influenced the evangelical church, particularly in the United States. Our concern has focused primarily on unbiblical beliefs and practices that were turning Christians away from the Word of God. Twenty-five years ago, we wrote The Seduction of Christianity, a rather controversial book that was motivated by feedback from those who had read Dave's earlier books and had watched the film documentaries to which I had contributed in the early eighties. Some dealt specifically with religious cults (Cult Explosion, The God Makers, etc.). Responses from Christians who read those books and watched the films, however, alerted us to the fact that the cult beliefs that we identified were also being taught in their churches, which were being influenced by leading Charismatic and Word/Faith teachers. Those same false teachers were also spreading cultish doctrines throughout the country on Christian television networks.

(333) The Warning by Roger Oakland, 7/26/11 
There is a pattern we find throughout the Word of God.  God always warns before He brings judgment on sinful man. God is merciful and never reacts quickly without giving sinners a chance to repent. While He hates sin, He has often allowed men to carry on even if they do not respond.  However there are always consequences of sin.  The Bible states that the wages of sin is death. Often sin is exposed publically, and others are reminded to get right with God.

(334) SENSUAL or SPIRITUAL? - Dance and Worship by Pastor Larry DeBruyn, 8/12/11 
�It�s difficult to get people to come to church� said A.W. Tozer, �when the only attraction is God.� So churches now offer enticements. Driven by the �wants� and �needs� of the audience, people come to church for �therapy.� Expository preaching from the Bible is down, but entertainment is up. Welcome to �the church of Me.�

(335) "Are We Fundamentalists?" by Dr. Peter Masters, 8/14/11 
THERE ARE NOW TWO KINDS OF EVANGELICAL.... The old is the authentic, biblical position.  The new is far off the track, not in its basic view of salvation, but in its readiness to compromise with doctrinal error and worldly ways. The new is selling the faith for earthly respect and recognition... and churches are being ruined.

(337) The Less Than Truthful "Truth Project" by T. A. McMahon, 9/1/11 
In summary, The Truth Project, in our view, is akin to a troop support ship with a mixture of supplies aboard that need to be carefully scrutinized. More importantly, if the ship's compass is off even a few degrees, the vessel will not reach its intended port. TTP has some excellent content along with some erroneous teachings, but its "intended port" of transforming the world is not on the course set by the Scriptures.

(338) �Touch Not Mine Anointed� by Kevin Reeves, 9/1/11 
Perhaps the single biggest factor hindering acknowledgment and genuine repentance of false doctrine is the unwillingness for believers to relinquish the superstar status of their spiritual heroes. And how many times had our [church] leadership supported this by telling us not to name names? It was the one thing above all others that tied my hands and put a gag in my mouth. Although I was told to go ahead and speak to whomever I wanted to within our group, such presentations were always followed up with appropriate damage control by the leadership. And I was forbidden to breach the unwritten hyper-charismatic code and expose people like Kenneth Copeland during the times I filled the pulpit ...

(339) Defending Apologetics by Sandy Simpson, 9/7/11 
Why is it that "Christian" leadership, when documented as having taught false teachings or having done unbiblical things publicly and then those things are exposed publicly, have a conniption fit?  They berate those who want to warn them and others not to teach falsely and want you to contact them personally or want to have a private meeting to talk about it.  But then if you do contact them personally or have a meeting all you meet with is "attitude" and nothing gets changed.  What is the use of that?  Why do people who may have been true biblical teachers turned false teachers assume they have the right to air what they do in public but those who refute do not have the same rights?

(339) An Examination and Critique of Claimed Visits to Heaven and Hell by Justin Peters, Worldview Times, 9/21/11 
These accounts are extra-biblical and often unbiblical.  They divert attention away from the true power of God, the Gospel (Rom. 1:16), and emphasize subjective experiences.  They may be motivational in a superficial sense but they are not capable of convicting people of their sin and need of the Savior.  In the words of hymn writer John Keith, "How firm a foundation ye saints of the Lord is laid for your faith in His excellent Word.  What more can He say than to you He hath said? To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?"  What more can He say to us, dear friends, than what He has already said?

(340) Dangers, Toils and Snares: End Time Warnings by Jenn Lawson, 9/26/11 
The 2011 Women on the Watch Conference entitled �Dangers, Toils and Snares in the End Times� was held in the middle of the southland on the border of Orange County and Los Angeles county, in the city of Cypress in mid-September.  One would expect thousands of women to show up, but it was a small turn out with about 200 people.  Speakers with pre-Christian backgrounds in the New Age/New Spirituality movement, witchcraft and the occult gave their testimonies and warned about how these things have not only crept into Christian churches, but are boldly and blatantly being accepted by many undiscerning people who attend these churches.  This begs the question - Are Christians being deceived and falling away from Biblical truth?

(341) Is Your Eschatology Showing? by T. A. McMahon, 10/10/11 
What does the Bible say regarding the living out of a Premillennial eschatology? First of all, the doctrine is characterized primarily as a believer's "blessed hope": "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:12-13). Verse 12 indicates what our lives should be like as we are "looking for that blessed hope": "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;" John, the beloved, and likely the last of the apostles to go to be with Jesus, gives us this exhortation, which no doubt he himself lived out: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (1 John 3:2-3).

(342) The Tragedy of Self-deception by Gary Gilley, Think On These Things, August/September 2011 - Volume 17, Issue 4 
The fact that we are easily self-deceived should surprise no Christian for, as the inspired prophet Jeremiah wrote centuries ago, �The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick, who can understand it� (Jere 17:9)? Jeremiah quickly adds, I, the Lord, search the heart and I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds.� (v.10). However, this deceitful heart, which each of us inherits as a result of the fall, leaves us in a bit of a quandary. How are we supposed to function so as to walk authentically before the Lord? If even the best and most sincere can be deceived by their own hearts, then how can we have confidence that any of our actions, thoughts or motives are pure? How can we be sure that we are not deluding ourselves no matter how hard we try to live in integrity?

(343) Spiritual Warfare by Berit Kjos, 10/24/11 
We don't hear much about spiritual warfare these days. Most churches seem to ignore the reality of Satan and the depravity he inspires. God's warnings about compromise with a corrupt world simply don't fit the new image of Jesus as a gentle, tolerant, pluralistic helper. Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4

(344) The Day Christ Was Born by Dave Hunt, The Berean Call, 12/1/11 
Regardless of the day, Christ's virgin birth into this world as a babe was an event of such stupendous proportions that Paul declared: "great is the mystery..." (1 Tm 3:16)!

(345) Never Trifle With False Doctrine by J.C. Ryle, 12/12/11 
The whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible, must be our rule of faith nothing added and nothing taken away. Finally, let us draw a broad line of distinction between those things in religion which have been devised by man, and those which are plainly commanded in God�s word. What God commands is necessary to salvation. What man commands is not. What man devises may be useful and expedient for the times; but salvation does not hinge on obedience to it. What God requires is essential to life eternal. He that wilfully disobeys it ruins his own soul.

(346) What has become of apologetics and why do it? by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/24/11 
Apologetics is to be a defense of the faith; it is about the gospel and anything that pertains to the Bible. Basically it is answering objections and challenges to the word and the one way to God made through Jesus Christ. We are told by Peter �But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear� (1 Peter 3:15)

(347) The Symptoms of Seduction by Spirits by Discernment Research Group, 1/18/12 
The warning is plain. There are false voices, impressions, experiences, prophecies, and signs and wonders that cleverly counterfeit themselves to be authentic-experiential encounters with the afterlife. These spiritual experiences can seem genuinely real, perfectly timed and intimately personal as they speak to our needs and comfort our hearts. But even as they may seem to meet our emotional and spiritual needs, we must acknowledge our vulnerability to spiritual deception and therefore measure these experiences by the full counsel of God�s Word, all the while knowing that such encounters are unprecedented in and therefore unsanctioned by Holy Scripture, which reveals to human hearts the true work of the Holy Spirit (See John 5:39; 15:26).

(348) �Judge not, that ye be not judged.� by William MacDonald, One Day At A Time, 1998 
People who know little else about the Bible often know this verse and use it in a most bizarre way. Even when a person is criticized for unspeakable wickedness, they piously gurgle, �Judge not, that ye be not judged.� In other words, they use the verse to forbid any condemnation of evil.

(349) President Obama and the Bible by Michael Youssef, One News Now, 2/4/12 
Many of us who are biblical scholars have watched Mr. Obama's use, or should I say abuse, of the Bible with dismay.

(350) Churchianity, Christianity or Christ by Mike Oppenheimer, 2/20/12 
Our faith is to be toward our savior, our walk is with our savior; our life is about our savior Christ Jesus, who is God. He came to rescue us from a fallen world, that had death and evil as the result of the fall which has become the natural way of life. Christ taught what is right or wrong from the Old Testament and gave us further teachings as our New Testament. Christianity is about Jesus, the living savior, the first to rise from the dead and live eternally. This is what Paul meant by �We preach Christ crucified� and yet he would tell the church �I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.� (2 Cor. 11:3)

(351) Why stories of trips to heaven are unscriptural by Justin Peters, 3/1/12 
Video on the subject of people claiming they went to heaven. 

(352) Do The Truths Of Ezekiel 13 Still Apply Today? by Sandy Simpson, 3/1/12 
God is going to bring down the false global religion that is already here consisting of ecumenism, interfaithism and false teachings and prophecies of all kinds, just as He promised to break down the whitewashed wall the false prophets built up to deceive Israel.  God will ultimately protect both His Church and those who actually belong to it who have not been turned aside by myths and false teachings. Do you think this chapter still applies or is it ancient history?  Let me illustrate how these timeless truths apply just as much today as to when God had repeatedly told Israel they were headed for captivity if they listened to the counsel of false prophets.  God has warned us ahead of time that we of the end times churches will see a falling away and many will be deceived.

(353) Beware Of Angels From The Dark Side by Marsha West, 3/28/12
Angels fascinate people.  For years we�ve been inundated with books, calendars, stationery, folklore, jewelry, knickknacks, lunch boxes, tattoos, even cherubic trash containers.  People can�t get enough of angels!  Stories of angelic encounters abound on the Internet.  You ask, �Do you have a problem with angels?� Well, yes.  And herein lies the problem. The messengers are not necessarily �angels of light� as people have been led to believe.  Many angel enthusiasts have actually met heavenly visitors from the dark side.  Even self-professed Christians are deceived.  How can this be?  Shouldn�t Christians be able to discern what�s real and what�s counterfeit?  Not necessarily.  Biblically illiterate Christians are easy to fool.

(354) Spiritual Abuse and the Book of Galatians by Barb Orlowski, 4/4/12 
Therefore, though Galatians initially looks like it is dealing with legalism in the Christian churches there, what Paul was correcting was a far deeper problem�an entirely erroneous belief that was fraught with the potential to undermine the true Gospel of Christ. Once the reader of the Book of Galatians grasps what the main issue at stake was, then this book will hold a far richer understanding. From that key perspective, the idea of church leaders �changing� Christian beliefs today, by adding or subtracting from the true Gospel message, can be followed with interest. The need is to question if there is anything that would lead a follower of Christ away from sole reliance on him as Savior and Lord. This would gauge if a belief system is sub-Christian and, therefore, would need to be condemned. 

(355) Refute False Doctrine Or Adapt It by Ken Silva, 4/5/12 
Unfortunately, today too much of the church visible is not willing to refute those who oppose sound doctrine and instead has become more like Peter was before back in Mark 8:33. This would lead to a most startling rebuke from our Lord; Who clearly told His disciple that he actually held a view that originates from Satan � �Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.�

(356) Old or Just Sensitive? - The New (Age) Music in the Churches Today by Pastor John Shipman, 4/10/12 
I�m a forty year old but one would think I�m eighty years old! That is if you listen to worship in today�s churches. Gone are the days of lovely, Word inspired hymns. No, it will not attract the young crowd! See why I am feeling old? The well-dressed choir has been replaced with head-banging young children, jumping up and down. The song with words that you can hear and understand has changed into a blur of noise with screams that hurt my ears (Old Gump!)

(357) Concerned to Discern by Pastor Larry DeBruyn, 4/16/12 
As could be agreed upon by most believers, Christians have the right, even the duty, to evaluate and hold accountable to Holy Scripture those who profess the evangelical faith but who, for reason of their manifest beliefs and behaviors, appear to be departing from the faith.

(359) The Gospel Test: Do Your People Really Know the Good News by The Berean Call, 4/27/12 
Imagine waiting outside the doors of the sanctuary of any evangelical church in America with a video camera and a microphone at the end of the Sunday morning service. Your mission? To interview 10 random members of the congregation with a simple question, "If I were not a Christian and you were to explain the gospel to me what would you say?"

Updated! (360) Outcome-Based Conversion: By Man's Machinations or God's Ministration? by Larry DeBruyn, 5/4/12 - Read Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3.
In America over the last two centuries, no event has become more associated with the evangelical-fundamentalist movement than the altar call. In evangelistic campaigns, revival crusades, and many church services, the altar call is synonymous with winning souls to Jesus Christ, or calling backslidden believers to repent and return to the Lord.

(361) Discernment Detractors: Calling Good Evil by Warren Smith, 5/17/12 
While our Adversary furiously attempts to undermine the importance of discernment by ridiculing it, we are not ignorant of his devices (2 Corintians 2:11).

(362) Don't Be Fooled By Deluded Deceivers by Ken Silva, 5/24/12 
Since God cannot change, the spiritually mature should see that the point is still the same: It�s one thing to say you belong to God, but it�s quite another to have the life to back it up. You don�t think that the Pharisees had any good works; of course they did, but they loved the approval of men, just the same as Rick Warren and Rob Bell and Joel Osteen and Pope Benedict XVI seem to today. I exhort you, don�t be fooled by deluded deceivers any longer because this is what the Lord says to those who are ...

(363) Isaiah 1:18 speaks to us today by Mike Oppenheimer, 6/5/12 
God invites unreasonable people to reason with Him. It is God that initiates the conversation.

(364) As Iniquity Abounds by ApostasyWatch, 6/7/12 
There can be little doubt that we live in a culture in which iniquity abounds. Much of the visible church here in the west is busily engaged in a great culture war, attempting to stem the tide of evil that has enveloped our nation. We are told that every political election today is the most important of our lifetime. If only we will elect the right leaders and expel the evil doers from positions of power, our nation will be restored to its former greatness. The church has come to believe that engaging the culture in this manner is what being salt and light is all about. I believe we have greatly missed the mark.

(365) The Authority Of Scripture by William Webster, 6/12/12
Jesus clearly taught that Scripture is inspired by God. He regarded it as truth�infallible, inerrant, historically reliable, authoritative for living, and an all-sufficient rule of faith.

(366) Resources For Pastors by Sandy Simpson, 6/17/12 
This article was originally written and published in my Pacific Waves Newsletter Volume 2, Issue 1 - March 2002 sent out to hundreds of pastors and church leaders in Micronesia.  It contains recommended resources as well as those that are not recommended.

(367) The Spirit of Error by J.C. Philpot, 6/27/12 
Whether we set forth truth or whether we expose error, and we can scarcely do the one without at the same time performing the other, the Word of God must ever be the grand armoury whence we take the weapons of our spiritual warfare. This is both apostolic precept and apostolic practice. "Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" (Eph. vi. 17). "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God" (1 Pet. iv. 11). "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds" (2 Cor. x. 4).

(368) The Watchman by Horatius Bonar, 7/29/12 
"Some one, then, must undertake the ungracious task of probing and laying bare the evils of the age; for men must not be allowed to congratulate themselves that all is well. If others will not, he will.

(369) Was Paul a Pragmatist? by Pastor Larry DeBruyn, 8/3/12 
All of the aforementioned, and more, seek justification from a statement in the Bible where Paul wrote, �I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some� (1 Corinthians 9:22b). Contortedly, contemporaries interpret this verse to provide apostolic endorsement to do anything to reach anyone. Such a ministry motif is pragmatism, a belief that legitimates any practice so long as it achieves the presumed result of saving some. To the pragmatist, the end justifies the means.

(370) Vain Imaginations - Speculative Ideas and Enthusiastic Visionary Ramblings by J.C. Philpot, 8/8/12 
"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:13.)  "Be sober," adds the Apostle, or, as the word might be translated, be "watchful." Sobriety in religion is a blessed gift and grace. In our most holy faith there is no room for lightness. The things which concern our peace are solemn, weighty matters, and if they lie with any degree of weight and power on our spirit, they will subdue that levity which is the very breath of the carnal mind. 

(371) The Evils Within the Church by Horatius Bonar, 8/17/12 
His voice (Jude) is that of Elijah or John the Baptist. It is �the voice of one crying in the wilderness.� He speaks to the declining churches of his day. He speaks to the Church of the last days. It is against the evils within the Church that he specially warns. What a picture does he draw of error, licentiousness, worldliness, spiritual decay, and ecclesiastical apostasy! Who could recognize the image of the primitive Church in the description he gives of prevailing iniquity? The world had absorbed the Church, and the Church was content that it should be so�

(372) Can Liberal Christianity Be Saved? at The Berean Call, Douthat, New York Times Online, 7/14/12 
Today, by contrast, the leaders of the Episcopal Church and similar bodies often don�t seem to be offering anything you can�t already get from a purely secular liberalism. Which suggests that perhaps they should pause, amid their frantic renovations, and consider not just what they would change about historic Christianity, but what they would defend and offer uncompromisingly to the world.

(373) Judge Not�Judge All Things by Cornelius R. Stam, 9/1/12 
Away, then, with the use of such passages as II Timothy 2:24 and Matthew 7:1 merely as excuses for irresponsibility and for the criticism of those who seek to stand true to God and His Word. Let us rather consider prayerfully all that God says about judging, that we might truly please and honor Him.

(374) Question: We are trying to stand to defend the faith and have come across people believing in the evidence of gold dust, jewels from heaven.... If we stick to the Word-based miracles only�is that limiting God? by The Berean Call, 9/2/12 
God�s servants are not validated by the most amazing miracles. �To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them� (Isaiah:8:20To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.). Some point to Acts:16:20And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,, which reads, �And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.� Please note, however, the �signs� confirmed the �word.� The  word  remains the focus. There may be all sorts of wonderful signs, but if the word is deficient, the signs are of no value.

(375) When lies become more abundant than the truth by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/20/12 
What is a lie? It is like darkness to the light. A lie does not contain the truth �no lie is of the truth (I Jn 2:21). Light does not contain darkness, they are not a mixture. A lie distorts the truth and makes it into something other than its nature. Truth is often understood as the opposite of what is false; more accurately it is the absence of falsehood. It takes integrity and courage to tell the truth, especially in place of an opposition. The truth can hurt but it will always yield good fruit when it is accepted and adhered to. It takes integrity to tell the truth. Unfortunately, in our day, lies are more common than the truth. There is a raging battle of truth against lies.

(376) Why should You believe the Bible is the source for all we need to live and grow for a spiritual life? by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/7/12 
�It is written,� is a common used phrase in the Old Testament. So when we come to the New Testament it would be expected for Jesus to constantly state �it is written,� along with "Have you not read� as well as numerous other statement that referred to looking to the Scripture. He did not mention anything else to look to. Even after His resurrection when he met his disciples He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures� (Luke 24:44-45). The Scriptures alone were pointed to verify who he was what he said and what he would fulfill.  Read Part 1 & Part 2.

(377) The Bible Literacy of Teenage Believers by The Berean Call, 10/13/12
Youth ministry researcher Chap Clark says, �I�m convinced that the single most important area where we�ve lost ground with kids is in our commitment and ability to ground them in God�s Word.� As a result, Barry Shafer says, �The church today, including both the adult and teenage generations, is in an era of rampant biblical illiteracy.� Duffy Robbins takes this one step further when he says: �Our young people have become incapable of theological thinking because they don�t have any theology to think about. � And, as Paul warns us, this � leaves us as �infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching� (Ephesians:4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;).�

(378) What is the difference between exegesis and eisegesis? by GotQuestions?.org, 10/22/12 
Answer: Exegesis and eisegesis are two conflicting approaches in Bible study. Exegesis is the exposition or explanation of a text based on a careful, objective analysis. The word exegesis literally means �to lead out of.� That means that the interpreter is led to his conclusions by following the text. The opposite approach to Scripture is eisegesis, which is the interpretation of a passage based on a subjective, non-analytical reading. The word eisegesis literally means �to lead into,� which means the interpreter injects his own ideas into the text, making it mean whatever he wants.

(379) Testing the Genuineness of our Faith by Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) 
Untested faith may be true faith, but it is sure to be small faith, and it is likely to remain little as long as it is without trials. Faith never prospers so well as when all things are against her: Tempests are her trainers, and bolts of lightning are her illuminators.

(380) Evangelicals Rejecting God's Word by The Berean Call, 10/30/12 
I believe fundamentalist defection has more to do with a spiritual heart condition rather than home schooled kids being unable to defend YEC in college. It wasn�t a matter of bad �science� being challenged by unanswerable evidence. It was a matter of an unconverted heart.

(381) Spiritual Warfare by Berit Kjos, Crossroad, 11/4/12 
Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4

(382) The Gospel as the True Armor of God � Deliverance from Demons as Transfer of Dominion by Bob DeWaay, Critical Issues Commentary, 11/8/12 
It is not where demons are in relationship to us; it is where we are in relationship to Christ � that is the worldview of the Biblical writers. Those who have believed the gospel are transferred from one spiritual domain to another. But while we physically reside in this world, we are surrounded by spiritual forces of darkness. My thesis is this � the gospel is the armor of God in which we must stand.

(382) A Trip To Hell? by Sandy Simpson, 11/8/12 
I am writing this article to expose yet another �trip to hell� story making the rounds on the web.  There is a PowerPoint presentation about it and people who get it are being urged to forward it to ten more people.  Before I get into commenting on this story, which is quoted in full from the PowerPoint, I need to help you understand how to discern these types of stories.  One of the most important ways is to compare what is said with what the Bible teaches, both in the actual account of hell we have there as well as comparing it to what the Bible teaches doctrinally and about Jesus Christ.  The full text of the PowerPoint is in red while my comments are in black.

(383) Raping Old Testament Narratives To Promote False Teaching by Dr. Orrel Steinkamp, 11/17/12 
This title is purposefully alarming in order to get the attention of the reader. Perhaps a little less volatile word could be abuse. Rape or abuse is to take something by force that is not yours for the taking. It is abuse when Scripture is mislabeled and misapplied. Violence is done to the message and meaning of Scripture

(384) Confronting Abusive Leaders from Chris Lawson, Vimeo video, 11/29/12 
Are abusive leadership tactics and "the fear of man" pressing you down into submissive silence?

(385) Judge Not! ... and you will not be judged by Philip Powell, CWM, 12/6/12 
�Judge Not� or �Do Not Judge� is an often-quoted verse of the Bible � by Christians, pseudo-Christians and non-Christians alike. This is especially true in the today�s neo-pagan, politically correct Western world, where �judge not� has been elevated to the status of the �golden rule�. Similarly, the second half of the verse of Scripture, from which this phrase comes, seems to have been re-hashed into a �get out of jail free� card type idea. But does this verse, Matthew 7:1, say, or mean: �Do not judge AND you will not be judged�?

(386) The Queen James Bible, the Gay Bible by Matt Slick, CARM, 12/22/12 
The Queen James Bible, also known as the gay Bible, is a new assault on biblical orthodoxy and sexual purity. This is to be expected in a world of moral relativism and sexual perversions.  the 1769 King James Bible has been reproduced with only a very few select verses altered. Those verses are listed below and analyzed. I hope that you will see that the Queen James Bible is a perversion of the original text and is the result of obvious prejudices against the truth of God's word.

(387) Postmodern Infiltration: The Neoevangelical Heretical Idea by Herescope, 12/28/12 
Separation is not a passive activity. In these perilous times, believers are called upon more than ever to be on guard against the seductions of heretical teachings and their teachers. It is a defensive posture that requires standing firm on the Word, and continually filtering every teaching through the lens of the whole counsel of Scripture. To avoid heresy requires active resistance on the part of the believer. Sometimes a believer must physically flee from temptation and its circumstances.

(388) Can A Goat Be A Sheep? by Rick Frueh, 12/30/12 
This is a dangerous and eternally diabolical situation. How many church members are not born again? How many preachers are hirelings? How many churches are offering factories? How many church members go prayer less and without ever once witnessing for Jesus? I do not say these things from high atop a pinnacle myself. But how can we remain silent when precious souls are being deceived? They are not being led into Mormonism, or the Watchtower, or Christian Science, but let us be painfully frank. They are being led into a cult just as insidious as the ones we love to identify. And because these churches are considered mainstream, their deceptive practices can be even more subtle and eternally dangerous. It will only get worse as time goes on.

(389) 2012 Was Not The Apocalypse! But When Is It? by Sandy Simpson, 1/1/2013 
When asked by a number of people if the Mayan prediction was going to come true for the end of the world to occur on 12/21/12 my answer was �What makes you think the Mayans could predict the end of the world if they could not even predict their own demise?�  Likely they simply ran out of space in the scribbling of their calendar on their cave walls.  But is there any reliable source of information about when the Apocalypse will occur?  Yes there is.  The Bible prophecies have been accurate all through history so it is our only source of reliable prophecy regarding the end times.  If you want information on how close we are to the end you need look no further than what Jesus told His disciples when asked that very question in Matthew 24.

(390) Rapture Already by Pastor Larry DeBruyn, Guarding His Flock Ministries, 1/4/13 
As such, Christians should not attempt to fill in any void of knowledge regarding the afterlife by engaging in occult activities (Leviticus 19:31) or paying attention to the reports of the OBE or NDE experiences of others because curiosity can kill the Christian and �we walk by faith, not by sight� (2 Corinthians 5:7). Seeking voices other than the Prophet�s regarding matters of the afterlife betrays a heart of unbelief. By His words and His works, the Prophet (Jesus) has informed us about all we need to know of Heaven and how to go there when we die. So in conclusion, I would ask us, who name the name of Christ and have put our faith in and given our allegiance to Him, are His promises not enough? If the answer is negative, then maybe we need a heart, or should I say . . . faith check-up. After all, Jesus counseled His disciples, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father�s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:1-3) So we see that in the face of death, Jesus� words are sufficient.

(391) The gospel and the kingdom of God by Mike Oppenheimer, 1/8/13 
Jesus Christ must return to establish His authority and rule on earth for His kingdom to officially commence. To do this He separates the sheep from the goats (Mt.25), removes those who do evil and came against his people. Then the faithful church will rule and reign under his leadership which will be centered in Jerusalem.

(392) The Demise of Biblical Discernment by T. A. McMahon, The Berean Call, Volume 28, Issue 2, February 2013 
In last month�s issue of this newsletter we exhorted our readers to discipline themselves to read the Word of God daily. The emphasis was on developing a habit, the best and most necessary habit�one that every believer should have. Of course, we encouraged reading the Bible as a basis for living one�s life by what it teaches, which is the only way that one who is born again spiritually can mature in the faith. Yet, here is the simple truth that too many Christians have missed: if we don�t read God�s Word for ourselves, we can�t truly know its instructions. If we don�t know God�s instructions, we can�t follow Him, and we therefore can�t do what pleases Him. Tragically, many if not  most  Christians  haven�t  considered that  simple  truth. Their  spiritual  beliefs tend to be a collection of things they�ve heard (sermons, radio, TV, books, movies, etc.) mixed with what they may or may not have gotten from the Bible. They have been spoon-fed rather than getting their spiritual meals directly from God�s Word.

(393) The Bible: Too Low, Too Human, Too Safe? at The Berean Call, 1/18/13 
More than once I have been accused of being a bibliolater , a person who idolizes the Bible, who has excessive reverence for the letter of the Bible. I�m sure many other Christians have been accused of this as well. In my experience, this charge tends to be leveled against those who affirm the infallibility or inerrancy of Scripture; it may also be leveled against those who affirm the sufficiency of Scripture. People who level such a charge are objecting to what they see as a woodenness of faith and practice that stems from an understanding of Scripture they deem too literal.

(394) The Mission of Creating "the Third Testament" as "part of the 'I AM' that we are" - An excerpt from Tamara Hartzell's new online book: "Reimagining" God: Turning the Light off to Look for "Truth" in the Corner of a Dark Round Room, 1/21/13 
A mission that seeks to �continue the work of Scripture� and even �recreate� it is astounding. And yet it shouldn�t be surprising at all given that people in today�s shifting Christianity quite openly would rather make it up as they go along instead of believe and obey God and His Word. If they just make up �scripture� as they go along then they can thus justify today�s preferred �make-it-up-as-you-go-along process� of self-regulation, right?

(395) Who Shapes Our Conscience and defines RIGHT or WRONG in today's corrupt culture? by Crossroad, 1/21/13 
What determines our values in today's fast-changing world? Who imprints its values on our conscience?  Do parents? Teachers? The Media? Or our omnipotent God? It depends! In former times, the Christian conscience played a leading role in American schools and families. Parents who trusted God treasured His Word and taught it to their children. With His Word imprinted on their conscience, they would know whom to follow when faced with a challenge. We live in a new era! The Bible-trained conscience has largely been replaced by contrary guidelines that twist, scorn or deny God's truth. Some still point to a conscience, but most people redefine it to match today's cultural values and personal inclinations. 

(396) �Babylon Rising� and Canon in Crisis by Pastor Larry DeBruyn, 1/27/13 
Lewis Sperry Chafer (1871-1952), the first president of Dallas Theological Seminary, once reportedly said that all heresy is either the Bible plus, or the Bible minus. The work of radical higher criticism, as it has affected, even determined, the liberal view of the Christian faith since the late 1800s, has seen to it that there�s a lot of Bible-minus ideology amongst professing Christians now-a-days, even among so-called evangelicals. Now however, voices are emerging which advocate a Bible-plus view of Holy Scripture.

(397) Marinated Christianity by Rick Frueh, 2/2/13 
For two thousand years Christianity had marinated inside a cauldron of earthly culture and that process has eventually made this remarkable faith appear innocuous and unremarkable and even culturally assimilated. While the first community of faith seemed to humbly eschew the pleasures of the culture, this new breed seemed to embrace them. And while the earliest followers of Jesus remained humble even under the severest of persecutions, this modern day church fights fire with fire and complains loudly at the appearance of even what would seem to be a harmless secular slight against them. No longer would they pray and fast for their enemies and trust Jesus to take care of them. Now they would do verbal, legal, and political battle with those in darkness.

(398) Jesus is the Way by Crossroad, 2/3/13 
Jesus is the Way -- the only way -- through the pain, fears, losses and challenges of our times!  What's more, He is the only Way to a victorious life with God today and forever. 

(399) Those Who Resist by Kevin Reeves, 2/15/13 
These are critical days for the body of Christ. We are in the epoch of church history spoken of by the apostle Paul as �perilous times� (II Timothy 3:1). What makes the danger all the more imminent is that not much of the church believes it. Many of us have owned the glorious but erroneous vision of an end-times remnant walking in unconquerable power, transforming entire societies. The result has been nothing short of catastrophic. How soon we forget. Every cult in the world has sprouted from the fertile soil of deception, always initiated by a drastic move away from the primacy of the Word of God into the nebulous, self-defining atmosphere of experience. At New Covenant, our desire to accumulate otherworldly wealth (i.e., supernatural power) had ushered us into a contrived system of personal spiritual elevation much like such active cults as Mormonism and the Jehovah�s Witnesses.

(400) God's Help for Hard Times - Biblical Keys to Overcome Pain, Fear and Hardship by James L. Morrisson with Maria Kneas, 2/17/13 
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12 :2) In order to deal with pain and hardship, we must think Scripturally instead of thinking the way that the world does. The theme of transformation runs throughout the New Testament. God does not want us to stay where we are. He wants us to change -- radically. Change is often difficult and can be painful. But it is what God wants and expects of us.

(401) Add-Ons: Augmenting Scripture With Diverse and Strange Doctrines by Herescope, 2/18/13 
It is an age-old deception. Adding to the Scripture is one of the easiest ways to deceive believers. Why? Because error is cleverly brought in as "new information" that it is claimed will "illuminate" the Word and enrich the life of a believer. Sola Scriptura is being challenged by many new modes of augmentation. Adding to Scripture with supplemental "diverse and strange doctrines" is a form of heresy.

(402) Discernment Detractors: Calling Good Evil by Warren Smith, 05/12 
While our Adversary furiously attempts to undermine the importance of discernment by ridiculing it, we are not ignorant of his devices (2 Corintians 2:11).

(403) The Doctrine of Church Discipline by Pastor Daryl Hilbert, 2/24/13
There is a battle to be waged in the Christian life. The war has been won by our Champion-Savior, but there are myriads of skirmishes that must be fought in the battle with sin. Do not grieve if you find yourself always in the midst of skirmishes with sin. Rather fret, grieve, and awaken if you hardly ever hear the trumpet sound and you have no bruises to show for your worth as a soldier in the King�s army.

(404) Hungering for truth or succumbing to the lies which only bring deception by Mike Oppenheimer, 2/25/13 
Is everyone in the world becoming deceived? Deception can now be found in every facet of life at various degrees. The military, businesses, food, the news, school education, the church. Yes the place you may gather for worship may not be as safe as you thought. We need to guard our heart with all diligence in these days.  Read Part 1 & Part 2

(405) Setting Aside the Power of the Gospel for a Powerless Substitute by David Dombrowski, 3/6/13 
If I were to say to you that much of the church today has set aside the power of God, would you be shocked? After all, we live in a time where having the power of God in your life is a major theme preached from pulpits across the country. And book after book, sold in massive quantities, pour off the presses promising a special connection or intimacy with God that will revolutionize your life and make it more dynamic. Yet, I believe I can prove that in fact, the power of God is being laid aside, and I will tell you how.

(406) Backsliding From the True Jesus by Prof. Johan Malan, 3/16/13 
The world is under strong pressure to turn their backs on the true Christ of the Bible in order to advance a multireligious receptiveness to the appearance of the false Christ of all faiths. The coming Messiah-King of the deceived world will be the Antichrist, the great adversary of the true Christ. An increasing number of people are positively inclined towards his coming, and are completely ignorant of the fact that they were deceived by the devil to engage in paving the way for the appearance of a false prince of peace for all of humanity.

(407) Radical Music for Radical Times: Has Christian Music Gone Too Far? at The Berean Call, 3/25/13 
TBC: In finding "refuge in the lyrics of current gospel music" the Church is bypassing the real refuge. Old and now mostly forgotten composer Ira Sankey wrote in 1885, "The Lord's my rock, in him we hide, a shelter in the time of storm." He was simply pointing to our true refuge. Psalm:1:1-2 [1] Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. [2] But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. tells us, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." Not all modern music is without merit, but for those who "push the envelope," they compromise with the world and in doing so very likely shortchange their listeners, leading them away from the Rock which is our refuge," our "shelter in the time of storm."

(408) Kabbalah, Cahn, and Hebrew Mysticism by David James, 4/1/13 
Jonathan Cahn has over 1,700 of his messages available through the Hope of the World website. The descriptions of many of these messages are quite revealing about his approach to handling the Word of God�which appears to be mystical at its core:

(409) The Error Of A-Millennialism by Andrew Robinson, 4/4/13 
Augustine is the Charles Darwin of the Church, who abandoned biblical literalism in favour of allegory, and pioneered a survival-of-the-fittest theological system which centred on the Church as the New People of God. He believed Israel was finished and that all unfulfilled Old Testament prophecies were to be reinterpreted spiritually or allegorically in favour of the Church. Consequently, references to Israel, Zion and Jacob, with their attendant promises, no longer referred to the Jewish nation.

(410) The Death of Reason and the Return of Jesus by Jacob Prasch, Moriel Ministries, 4/7/13 
Due to this suspension of reason, the stage is being set for Jesus' warning that "For this reason" He will come at an hour when He is not expected.

(411) Does the Bible allow lying? Is it ever permissible? by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/11/13 
The Scriptures expressly condemn lies calling the Devil the Father (originator) of them to man (John 8:44). It was Satan who first distorted God�s instructions to Adam and Eve. By having them disobey it affected not just them but all of us through history.

(413) The Need for Discernment by Mike Gendron, 4/18/13 
When asked, "What will be the signs of your return?', the Lord Jesus mentioned several signs, but he repeated one sign three times. There will be false teachers, false prophets and false Christs who will deceive even the elect if possible (Mat. 24:4,11,24). Knowing this we must examine everything carefully so that we can hold fast to that which is good and abstain from every form of evil (1 Thes. 5:21). We need to identify and expose religious leaders who are servants of the devil carrying out his goal is to deceive the world (2 Cor. 11:13-15).

(414) Overcoming Obstacles to Trusting in the Lord by Maria Kneas, 4/21/13 
How can we increase our trust in God? One way is to identify some of the obstacles to trusting so that we can deal with them. We can ask God to: (1) make us aware when we fall into these ways of thinking or reacting, (2) deal with things in our hearts that are fertile ground for these hindrances, and (3) give us practical strategies, and grace, to overcome these problems.

(415) The Real Spiritual Warfare taking place by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/23/13 
The invisible world is not a separate supernatural realm, it is not a realm of evil spirits. It is the same dimension we live in except the spirits are invisible to us, both God's and Satan�s angels use it. They (fallen angels) have influence on men�s minds who are darkened by sin. They influence us in writing, in art, in education and especially in spiritual matters since this when people come closest to the truth. The warfare is not about finding what demon is doing what as modern teachers of spiritual warfare are tecahing, but it is found in the church just as the Bible warned it would be.

(416) Understanding the Mixture by Jacob Prasch, 4/28/13 
Can you explain God�s reasoning behind Leviticus 19:19?

(417) Biblical Literalism by Crosswise, 5/2/13 
It�s time the Church, most especially the Emergent and hyper-charismatic wings, came back to true Biblical Literalism  -  instead of engaging in eisegesis, thereby taking Scripture out of proper context in order to fit one�s own interpretation.  Teaching congregants how to apply proper exegetical principles will alleviate this sort of thing and bring forth Biblical literacy.  Any subjective experience or thought must be measured against the literal, plain sense of the Bible, and, if not found to be congruent with Scripture, it must be rejected as not of God.

(418) Going against God "just for fun" by Marsha West, RenewAmerica, 5/2/13 
Christian � take Paul's instructions to heart and daily put on the full armor of God to protect against the rulers of the darkness of this world.

(419) Shepherds Or Wolves? by Roger Oakland, 5/3/13 
If you belong to a church that has a good shepherd who teaches the Word and follows Jesus, support him in every way. However, we must always remember that a shepherd is just a man. I have known cases where shepherds have gone astray and they didn�t even know it. This is because they are human. If you know a shepherd like this pray that God, by His grace, will open his eyes.

(420) Making Christ's Last Command Our First Concern by Mike Gendron, 5/8/13 
There are few things that should be more exciting to Christians than being used by God to draw others to Himself. Those who know and love their Savior will not be content to attend church and hear the Word preached; they will have a compelling desire to share it with others. Everything we learn from God's Word should make us more committed to making Christ's last command our first concern.

(421) In Him All Things Hold Together - A Look at Colossians 1:16-17 by Dr. Bruce K. Alcorn, 5/14/13 
It does not take much of an imagination to understand that major problems would arise if God no longer held together those forces He used when He made our atoms, our molecules and our cells. If the electrons stopped orbiting around their nuclei we would be in deep trouble just like we would be if the earth stopped orbiting around the Sun.

Updated! (422) The Serpent seed - Teaching "from the Serpent" by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/23/13 
One of the most deceptive doctrines that has slithered into the church is the serpent seed teaching. First popularized by William Branham and currently held by Arnold Murray of the Shepherds Chapel and his followers that have adjusted some of its meanings.  Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4

(423) Has Bible Prophecy Already Been Fulfilled? by Thomas Ice, 5/27/13 
Like many of the arguments presented by preterists, they appear to have some initial merit when looked at by the biblically uneducated, but upon closer examination prove to be without merit. Preterists falsely built upon the misguided assumption, that they attempt to "prove" from various prooftexts, that Bible prophecy had to have its fulfillment within about 40 years of Christ�s first advent. There are many implications, both theological and practical, that would require a major adjustment to the Christian faith if they are right. Since their arguments are incorrect, so are the implications that flow from such thought. Because of the recent spread of Preterism, pastors and teachers need to be prepared to defend orthodox eschatology from this attack. Those who believe that Christ came in a.d. 70 will certainly not be found looking for our Lord's any-moment return when He does rapture the church without any signs or warning before this blessed event. Are we looking back at the past or forward to the future? Maranatha!

(424) How close are we to the Second Coming? by Sandy Simpson, 5/27/13 
Matt. 24:34  "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened." This verse from Jesus' famous exposition on the destruction of the temple and what would happen to precede the end times and His return has intrigued many through the generations.  But it is not until this generation that it's meaning has become clearer. 

(425) Shepherds Or Wolves? by Roger Oakland, 5/28/13 
The Bible provides a model for leadership. The model is quite simple. Jesus Christ is the good shepherd. The good shepherd is in charge of the sheep. Christians are sheep who belong to the flock. Unlike what some religious groups teach, the sheep should have personal access to the good shepherd. There is one mediator between God and man. We don�t need a priest to intervene.

(426) Risky Things to ask your Pastor by Mike Oppenheimer, 6/3/13 
I have been watching a biblical change take place that is not beneficial, and can bring harm to the pastor member relationship. Unfortunately there were patient, caring pastors that have changed their attitude toward sheep that ask questions that may be uncomfortable to them. There are an increasing number of pastors that want only smooth sailing in their ministry without any rocking the boat. If you ask them hard questions they will either look at you as a trouble maker or shut down their relationship they have with you. That is not how they are to treat the sheep that are under them. Those who have this leadership position are to be just as accountable as any other member, not less. We should all be equals in the body of Christ.  Pastors are not to be like politicians that go around and kiss babies and schmooze with everyone and not really be involved in their lives. Pastors are part of the body; and though they have a different position they are to be there for you, really there.

(427) Making a Fable into Jesus; A different way to present the Gospel, or a different gospel? by Mike Oppenheimer, 6/19/13 
Nonetheless, we have what some are calling the Superman gospel. It is what is called a recontextualization. Instead of concentrating on the gospel message from the Bible - our need to be forgiven for sin, they find correlations from another story (in this matter, the movie) and use it to illustrate the person of Jesus. Once you remove the integral parts for the gospel to be proclaimed, you can shuffle the pieces around and fit anything into the self-made mode, even portions that are not from the Bible. One is reduced to banter as they post modernize the message for an audience that is not be receptive to biblical truth.

(428) Superman: Flying to a church near you at The Berean Call, 6/19/13 
TBC: This isn�t a new development. Jerry Siegel and Joseph Shuster, both Jewish, were the creators of Superman. Superman�s original Kryptonian name was �Kal-el, which borrowed Hebrew names which can be taken to mean "voice of God." Siegel and Shuster were borrowing the terminology and themes of Scripture for their own use from the beginning. Furthermore, we see continuing evidence of the (marketing) world using the church for material gain (2 Peter:2:3And 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.). This is indeed one more example of shepherds fostering "showtime for the sheep."

(429) Don't Defile True Doctrine by Allistair Begg, 7/14/13 
God's altar was to be built of unhewn stones, that no trace of human skill or labor might be seen upon it. Human wisdom delights to trim and arrange the doctrines of the cross into a system more artificial and more congenial to the depraved tastes of fallen nature; instead, however, of improving the Gospel carnal wisdom pollutes it, until it becomes another gospel and not the truth of God at all.

(430) Entertaining Blasphemers by The Berean Call, 7/18/13 
We are increasingly concerned with a number of reports seen regarding evangelical churches inviting false teachers into their services. For example, singer Joel Hemphill, writer of the popular song �He�s still working on me,� has for several years emphatically denied the deity of Christ. His �revelation,� according to his own statement, was progressive. "Along with many other things that He told me, He said for me to study the Scripture, as He was going to reveal Himself to me in His word. This seemed strange as I was forty-six years old, had been saved since I was ten, had been a minister of the Gospel since the age of nineteen and thought I had a pretty good grasp on who He was. I was Mistaken!"

(431) Replacement Theology: Disdaining God's Character by David Ettinger, Zion's Fire, 7/25/13 
For most of Church history, the place of Israel in God�s present and end-times scenario has been controversial, divisive, and egregiously flawed. It was the Catholic theologian Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 354-430), better known as St. Augustine, who spread the teaching that though God had chosen the Jews as a special people, their dispersion by the Roman Empire in A.D. 70 was a fulfillment of prophecy. Augustine believed that God allowed the Jewish people to survive this �scattering� as a warning to Christians regarding the consequences of disobedience to God. Subsequently, Augustine began to question those portions of the Bible relating to Israel and erroneously surmised that those passages were allegorical rather than literal. He concluded, for instance, that the thousand-year kingdom of which Revelation 20 speaks cannot be literal, but rather spiritual. The kingdom of God, he declared, is �in the hearts� of faithful believers, but was never intended to find its fruition in actuality � a physical kingdom on the earth over which Christ will rule.

(432) Christians Are Exhorted To Judge by Mike Gendron, 7/29/13 
Many Christians are unaware of their responsibility to judge and test all things. Paul exhorted: "I pray that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ" (Phil. 1:9-10). Christians need to take judgment seriously in this life because of the great responsibility that awaits us in the future.

(433) Can Christians Be Spiritually Deceived, and How Can They Avoid it?  by Roger Oakland, 8/4/13 
If our battle is not against flesh and blood, then why is it that when we are in conflicts here on this earth that flesh and blood always show up? What are the reasons for this? Is it possible for believers to be agents for darkness and not even know it? Is it possible for entire organizations to be misled because they have not kept their focus on Jesus Christ and His Word? How is it possible for believers and even leaders to believe they are following Jesus, when instead they are following man?

(434) How To Do An Exegesis by Moriel Ministries, 8/7/13 
Correct biblical exegesis is the second most vital aspect of studying and understanding God's Word second only to illumination of The Holy Spirit and prayer.

(435) A �Cleavage� in the Church by Sarah Leslie, Discernment Ministries Newsletter, July/August 2013
Recently Charisma magazine � of all places! � published an article by a female writer, Jennifer LeClaire, who asked a very simple and bold question: �Why Do So Many �Born-Again, Spirit-Filled� Women Show Off Cleavage in Church?� (7/25/13).

(436) Paine & Ware - A false eschatology that is plainly heretical, potentially cultic and ultimately lethal by James Jacob Prasch, 8/14/13
In the last several weeks Moriel has received multiple inquiries and flat out expressions of serious concern regarding the eschatological paradigm of Paine & Ware. The source of this teaching (which we can only conclude to be erroneous and dangerous) on the important subject of the return of Jesus is the hypothesis postulated by Frank Paine and Arthur Ware in the last century derived from their writings �Restored Vision� and �Miracle of Time�.

(437) Today's 21st Century "Christianity" - No Bible Required! by Paul Proctor, 8/19/13
This may come as a shock to most Christians, but if you do a search of the less contemporary translations of Scripture, the word �feelings� is virtually nonexistent. Where it does appear, it is cited as more of a superficial, even negative attribute than a positive; and yet, as we watch and listen to many from today�s churches, be they leaders or laymen, not only do we see a clear fixation on feelings, both physical and emotional, we notice that those feelings have by and large become a replacement for faith. In fact, if you substitute the word �feelings� wherever you see the word �faith� in those older Bible versions, it will become clear to you what motivates and guides the average �Christian� today � point being: most of us are not following the Living Word of God by faith, we�re simply following our feelings and calling it �faith.�

(438) The Error of Replacement Theology - Part 1 by Andrew D. Robinson, CWM, 8/20/13
As we move ever closer to the return of the Lord Jesus, Scripture teaches us to anticipate an escalation of opposition against Israel from the international community. Zechariah speaks particularly of the rise of the nations against Jerusalem (the heart of the Middle East conflict), a development that is well advanced and which will climax after the Rapture. Tragically, many Evangelicals, to their shame, have joined ranks with the enemies of Israel, in what must be one of the ugliest and most pernicious partnerships ever witnessed in the history of the Church. It defies belief to see so-called Bible believers arm-in-arm with unbelieving Catholics, Quakers, Muslims, (Islamists), Humanitarians, Secularists, Politicians, and a host of other lobby groups, in drumming up support for their virulent anti-Israel cause.

(439) Spiritual Warfare by Crossroad, 9/1/13
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." 2 Corinthians 10:2-6

(440) Does the Bible teach that there was a pre-Adamic race? by Matt Slick, CARM, 9/26/13
No, the Bible does not teach that there was a race of people before Adam. 

(442) Can Christians Be Spiritually Deceived, and How Can They Avoid it? by Roger Oakland, 9/29/13
If our battle is not against flesh and blood, then why is it that when we are in conflicts here on this earth that flesh and blood always show up? What are the reasons for this? Is it possible for believers to be agents for darkness and not even know it? Is it possible for entire organizations to be misled because they have not kept their focus on Jesus Christ and His Word? How is it possible for believers and even leaders to believe they are following Jesus, when instead they are following man? These and other questions intrigue me. Only the Bible has the answers. And though, I am sure, not all of these questions will be answered fully in this life, we can gain the vital insights that we need from the Word of God. The book of Revelation, which has often been ignored for a lack of understanding, will prove to be more and more insightful in these last days before Jesus returns.

(443) Panentheism and the Trinity by Crosswise, 10/2/13
Panentheism is an English word derived from Greek roots: pan = �all�, en = �in�, the, from theos = �God�.  This is in distinction from pantheism, meaning �all God�, or �all is God�.  Before more fully defining panentheism, we�ll briefly review the Christian Trinity in order to compare and contrast.

(444) Sin is at the heart of what is wrong in your life by Marsha West, Renew America, 10/9/13
In today's pop culture it's all about a person's "felt needs." So if a minister's message fails to meet those perceived needs, disgruntled consumers, like the aforementioned Beth, go looking for a church where sin is swept under the rug. Pastor Brent Riggs reminds us that "Sin is the essence of everything bad, wrong, ruined, spoiled, messed up and broken in your life. Therefore, you should be educated about it."

(445) Biblical Signs Of A Work Of God adapted from Jonathan Edwards, 10/17/13
I will now show positively what are the sure, distinguishing scriptural evidences and marks of a work of the Spirit of God. By these marks we may judge any operation we find in ourselves or see among people without danger of being misled. In this I shall confine myself wholly to those marks that are given us by the apostle John in the fourth chapter of his first epistle. 

(446) Walking with God Selected excerpts from a message by J.C. Philpot, Preached at North Street Chapel, Stanford,
on Lord�s Day Morning, Jan. 23, 1859
The Lord will perfect His work; what He has begun, He will carry on and complete. And as salvation is all of his grace, it opens a way of escape for every sinner sensibly in his own conscience condemned by the law, and reveals a mode whereby God can not only save him, but be eternally glorified thereby in the Son of His love.

(447) Did Jesus have a physical body when He resurrected and will He return in this body? by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/20/13
In the Old Testament The Angel of The Lord (known as the covenant maker) appeared as a Christophany, as a man. Jesus took up a actual human body of man in the New Testament through the virgin conception. He, the Son of God became a man. He took up a human nature to house His deity, the Son of God became the son of man. Jesus rose with the same body but it is glorified, He is unable to die now (Rev. 1:18). This will be the body we will have, as he is the firstfruits to eternal life in the body (1 Cor.15:20). He is now as Scriptures states in his high priestly ministry in his body making intercession (1 Tim.2:5). And He will return in this body with God�s glory, as Scripture states every eye will see him (Rev.1:7) � they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory� (Mark 13:26; Mt.24:30;26:64) He does not return as spirit, nor does He exist only as Spirit but He has added a human nature to His deity since He was incarnated on earth. Thus God became man but is not limited to the body. So Jesus keeps His humanity and at no time discarded it, either in death or in resurrection.

(449) The Accuser of the Brethren - Overcome and Cast Down by J.S. Philpot, preached on Lord's Day morning, August 15, 1852
Look not then to any other quarter for help or hope; but trust wholly and solely to the Lord, who can bring you through every trial and difficulty, and give you to live in His glorious presence for ever.

(450) Who is blamed for bringing sin into the world? by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/4/13
Read Part 1 - Who is blamed for bringing sin into the world?, Part 2 - Who and what comes first? - 2 Thess.2 and the apostasy and rapture and Part 3 - The Devil is in the details - On the antichrist

(451) Come Back to the True Living Water by David Dombrinski, 11/10/13
Jesus is that well of living water, offered freely to whosoever will invite Him into their lives and hearts to be Lord and Savior. To the unbeliever, He is the invitation, �let him that is athirst come� (Revelation 22:17). To the new believer, He is that new life where, �old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new� (2 Corinthians 5:17). But to those who have known Christ for awhile, even a long while, He is the reminder to come back and be refreshed again to the only water that �shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life� (John 4:14). When we partake of that water, it does us much good. And when we share that water with others, it does no harm to our neighbor. It is the only water that is clean and pure and flows from the throne of God.

(453) The Critical Value of the Bible by T.A. McMahon, The Berean Call, 11/15/13
Those of us who have been Christians for a number of years can sometimes lose sight of the critical value of the Bible in our lives. I�m not referring to those whose walk with the Lord could be characterized as lukewarm at best. I�m thinking more of those who consider themselves to be Bible-believing Christians, who attend and participate in a Bible-based church, who enjoy fellowship with committed believers, and who generally see the fruit of the Spirit in themselves and in their families. As great as those things might be, however, they can also dull to some degree (call it a creeping complacency) one�s awareness of how miraculous and necessary the Scriptures are. What I have in mind for this article is to underscore some things about the Bible that perhaps we�ve heard before and some things of which we may not have even been aware. The goal is to refresh our thinking and our thankfulness for God�s supernatural communication to mankind.  Read Part 1 & Part 2.

(454) �Another Gospel?� by Harry A. Ironside 
THE SOLEMN FACT IS THERE IS NO OTHER GOSPEL. Every pretended substitute is but a Satan-devised delusion meant to turn men away from the strait gate which alone leads into the narrow way, and make them contented as they crowd down the clear side of the broad way to eternal perdition.

(455) Good News, Bad News (Audio) by Allistair Begg, 11/19/13 
Committing to follow Jesus is not a guarantee of an easy, trouble-free life. On the contrary, believers are to expect unjust suffering and be prepared to respond rightly. Alistair Begg demonstrates from Genesis 40 that the godly response is not to give up or seek revenge, but to trust God and care for others, even in the midst of personal struggles.  Listen to Part 1 and Part 2

(456) Selfie Scriptura by Herescope, 12/6/13 
[(Selfie: high tech, publicly-displayed self portrait, Oxford Dictionary word of the year 2013). (Scriptura: Middle English and Latin scr?pt?ra, writing. See script, -ure). Literally: self scripture.] 

(457) Can Satan, the devil be saved? by Matt Slick, CARM, 12/6/13 
... there is no atonement for the angelic realm. Heb. 2.16-17, "For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. 17Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." Therefore, since the Bible tells us that there is no help to angels which means or is no atonement for them, then fallen angels, the devil included, cannot be saved.

(458) Wicked Idolatry by Rick Frueh, Following Judah's Lion, 12/9/13 
If this raises a lot of money watch for more preachers to put out their own Bibles. Today we have the Jimmy Swaggart Bible, the John MacArthur Bible, the Max Lucado Bible, the Schofield Bible, the Ryrie Bible, the Dake Bible, the Joyce Meyers Bible, the C. S. Lewis Bible, the Henry Morris Bible, and many, many more who added their name to God�s Word and profited by their sale.

(459) The �Work Crew� of the Church�the ministry of discernment by Barbara Wilhelm, 12/15/13 
On today�s stage ministries engaged in biblical discernment are often beleaguered and harassed as being critical and judgmental. Yet the Bible holds the ministry of discernment to be one of the finest tools in establishing and maintaining biblical purity. 

(460) Taking Care of God's Flock by Chris Lawson, 12/20/13 
Christian maturity is about obeying our LORD Jesus Christ personally, obeying His message of righteousness on a daily basis, obeying Christ's doctrine, and being willing to defend God's truth regardless of the cost. It is only when Christians are able to discern between good and evil and practically live out a godly Christian life that they will be fully equipped and useful "for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Our hope and prayer is that the following articles will help you be a more discerning Christian, that you will mature in your faith properly, and that you will be equipped so that you can help instruct others. There is absolutely no reason for biblical compromise and spiritual dullness, even in an age of apostasy and deceit. God has given us His Life, His Son, His Spirit, and His Word - what more do we need?

(461) Should we use genderless terms when referring to the God of the Bible? by Matt Slick, CARM, 12/22/13 
No, we should not use genderless terms when referring to the God of the Bible.  The Bible tells us that every word is inspired. Everything that God has given us is there for a reason. If we adopt the politically correct ideology and impose it upon the Bible regarding the use of the masculine, feminine, or neuter pronouns, then what is to stop others from altering other words in Scripture that don't suit their politically correct, gender equality perspective as they relate to things such as male eldership (1 Timothy 2:12-13)?

(462) Question: Are you familiar with Randy Frazee [co-editor Max Lucado] and his book called The Story? by The Berean Call, 12/25/13 
Question: Are you familiar with Randy Frazee [co-editor Max Lucado] and his book called  The Story ? Our church is promoting it for small group study and I have a few concerns. Would appreciate any information you may have. Response:  We have been going through a copy of  The Story  for some time. When  someone condenses the Bible into what they perceive are the important parts, what becomes quickly apparent is the truth of Paul�s inspired statement that � all  scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness...� (2 Tm 3:16-17). What some deem to be unimportant often contains the most pertinent details.

(463) Warning All Churches by The Berean Call, 12/26/13 
Over this year, there have been a number of news reports on another movement in the church advocating for the acceptance of homosexual behavior and same-sex relationships. Matthew Vines, an openly homosexual 23-year-old student at Harvard University, posted a video on YouTube of a speech he gave on homosexuality and the Bible. In the talk, he claims repeatedly that God�s Word does not condemn monogamous same-sex relationships. Now, a recent report from the Christian Post highlighted the amount of compromise happening within the church on this issue. The headline of the article explains, �50 �Hand-Picked� Christians Trained To Convince Churches To Re-Interpret Scripture�s Gay Boundaries.� Vines apparently hosted a training conference recently in his home state of Kansas for Christians who want to convince their churches to accept same-sex relationships.

(464) Three Kinds of Groups by Crossroad, 1/4/13 
A helpful chart comparing Christian, Pluralistic and Dialectic church groups. 

(465) "They Will Believe The Lie" by Sandy Simpson, 1/16/14 
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 "The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness." This has always been an interesting passage to me for a few different reasons.  What is �the lie� that is talked about here in verse 9?  What are the ways that �wickedness deceives those who are perishing� and how long has this been going on or does this only begin to happen at the coming of the lawless one?  In what way does �the lie� cause those who do not believe the truth to �delight in wickedness�?

(466) Being Encouraged in God�s Word: Facing the Unexpected by Maria Kneas, 1/19/14 
We can ask God to increase our trust in Him and our love for Him. We can ask Him to make us faithful. We can ask Him to enable us to stand with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego�to be determined to be faithful to our God no matter what happens to us and the people we love. "The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds� feet." (Habakkuk 3:19)

(467) Denominationalism - The Sin of Party Spirit Masquerading as Christian Unity that Ultimately Unites with Apostasy and Unbelief by Jacob Prasch, 1/21/14 
When we, the Body of Christ, have unity of The Spirit we only need a fellowship of fellowships for practical cooperation in things like missions, Christian education, and charity, not any hierarchical structure other than the headship of Christ and doctrinal supremacy of scripture devoid of any organised or institutional monolith. One Faith, One Baptism. Once a movement fragments doctrinally it is fragmenting spiritually. Theological fragmentation is symptomatic of spiritual dissolution, and spiritually dissolution will conversely always result in doctrinal disharmony. When this happens it is inevitable that the movement morphs into a denomination that is theocratically held together by a combination of administrative, legal, and financial priorities and considerations. There is an artificial unity that is cohesive only by the glue of temporal factors that displaces and replaces doctrinal and authentic spiritual unity.

(468) Biblical Discipleship � the Scriptures by Gary Gilley, Think On These Things, January/February 2014 - Volume 20 Issue 1 
As we consider the means by which spiritual change, growth and development takes place we find that the Scriptures constantly point the believer to the very inspired words it contains. We need not look to extra-biblical sources such as those found in the Spiritual Formation Movement, among others. Growth in godliness comes primarily through the power of the Holy Spirit who enables believers to understand and apply the Word of God to our lives.

(469) A Final Response to Phil Johnson�s Defense of John MacArthur�s False Teaching That Worshipers of the Anti Christ Taking the Mark of the Beast Can be Saved by Jacob Prasch, 2/2/14 
What John MacArthur does in pneumatology with cessationism, what he does in soteriology with Calvinism, he now does in eschatology. Like the Sanhedrin � he nullifies direct literal teachings in The Word of God with the inventions of men. This is John MacArthur. That is what he is, and that is all he is. Please tell him and Phil Johnson that I said so.

(470)  Biblical Discipleship � Prayer by Gary Gilley, Think On These Things, November/December 2013 - Volume 19, Issue 5 
The Spiritual Formation Movement has rocked the church. Ancient disciplines, most often practiced within the monastic movement in the early centuries of Christianity, have been dusted off, repacked, and resubmitted to believers as the means for obtaining spiritual growth. There is increasing discussion about fasting, journaling, pilgrimage, simplicity, solitude, silence, contemplative prayer, and spiritual direction in Christian literature. What can be learned from this renewed interest in spiritual formation and what are the dangers? The last eight editions of �Think on These Things� have been written to interact with the history, teachings and dangers of the Spiritual Formation Movement. I want to now turn from the disciplines practiced in modern spiritual formation to the biblical alternative to spiritual formation, as described in the earlier articles. We will examine the means, or disciplines if you choose, which the Word of God clearly identifies as ways God has designed for His people to be transformed into Christ-likeness and to experience intimacy with Him.

(471) Blood Moon Madness at The Berean Call, 2/24/14 
There ARE a lot of prophetic signs being fulfilled in our lifetime. But there's no Biblical basis for tying the Blood Moons into predicting the return of Jesus--they mean zilch!

(472) The New Tolerance Is Cruel� by Bill Randles, 3/1/14 
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. (Proverbs 12:10) Currently, there is  an alternative to the judeo christian concept of love for our fellow-man, which is called tolerance. It looks like love and perhaps more importantly to many it actually feels like love, but it�s not love at all.

(473) Treason in the Church: Trading Truth for a "Social Gospel" by Berit Kjos -  September 2006 
Infiltration and deception have been tools of conspirators through the ages, and the Church has been a primary target! After all, God warns us that "the whole world is under the sway of the evil one." (1 John 5:19) One of his most effective schemes is to redefine God's Word and divert Christians from His unchanging Truth to man's shifting ideals. For example, God calls us to serve the poor and fills our hearts with love for the needy. That's why His true followers around the world have willingly given their lives to share His truth and love in perilous places. But today's world-centered church illustrates a different kind of service. Designed to please man rather than God, it trains its servers to hide the "offensive" truths of the gospel. Like Rick Warren, it uses the Bible to validate its purposes but emphasizes organizational behavior rather than Biblical beliefs -- in short, deeds instead of creeds.[3] Behind its noble appearance hides a postmodern version of the century-old "Christian Socialism."

(474) A World In Revolt�Psalm 2 by Bill Randles, 3/9/13 
The first two Psalms go together. Perhaps it isn�t immediately apparent, because in some ways they are completely different, but I believe the Holy Spirit led those who placed them side by side as the opening of the Psalter. Read Part 1 & Part 2

(475) Faithful Ministers Versus False and Corrupt Ministers - A Brief Overview with Compiled Resources by Chris Lawson, 3/21/14 
In an age of mass confusion as to what a "Christian Minister" actually is and does, the following compilation is given in order to help clarify what the Bible teaches about what a biblical "minister," or "servant" is, and does, as opposed to what false, corrupt and deceitful ministers are and do.

(476) Question: How to Find a Biblical Teaching Church? by Lighthouse Trails, 3/23/14 
We have often been asked, �How do I find a good Bible-believing church?� There are many believers who are struggling to find one in their own communities. We usually recommend they make phone calls to potential churches and ask a few concise questions such as ...

(477) The Holy Spirit and Holy Scripture by Pastor Larry DeBruyn , 3/29/14 
Jesus told His disciple/apostles: �When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify [about Me] also, because you have been with Me from the beginning� (Emphasis added, John 15:26-27, NASB).

(478) Redeemed From the Law by Harry A. Ironside, 4/6/14 
Audio file. 

(479) Measuring The Experience by Roger Oakland, 4/12/14 
While visiting the home of Joseph Smith near Palmyra, New York, the location where Mormonism originated, I met a Mormon girl at the information center by the name of Sadie. When I expressed interest in knowing more about her faith, she gave me a booklet. Later in the day, I read through the information Sadie had given me. 

(480) Four Blood moons are coming - Significant or not? by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/13/14 
For something spoken of in prophecy to be fulfilled all the elements, the descriptions must be included. This means those points not just found in one particular scripture but others that also give information on the same event and time period. If the sun is darkened or the moon turns red it does not mean fulfillment has occurred unless the other points mentioned coincide. This is where prophecy teachers get ahead of themselves and make something out of near nothing. We should be careful not to say this will be fulfilled or is fulfilled when it is not.

(481) Has the Genesis Account of Noah's Ark Been Discredited? by The Berean Call, 4/14/14 
Does a �Recently Deciphered 4,000-Year-Old Tablet� Discredit the Genesis Account of Noah's Ark? �But forget all those images of a long vessel with a pointy bow�the original Noah�s Ark, new research suggests, was round.� Those words highlight the AP article discussing the tablet that just went on display at the British Museum on January 24. This recent assault on God�s Word comes from Irving Finkel, the assistant keeper of Ancient Mesopotamian script, languages, and cultures at the British Museum. According to reports, Finkel received the tablet a few years ago from the son of an amateur historian named Leonard Simmons, who had acquired it in the Middle East following World War II. The cell-phone-sized tablet is also the subject of Finkel�s new book, The Ark Before Noah.

(482) We need a firm foundation to weather the storm of false ideas by Sandy Simpson, 4/15/14 
Matthew 7:24 �Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock." "How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!" � 1787 Joseph Funk & Robert Keene.  A house built on the rock will stand.  The Rock is God and in particular, Jesus Christ.  Therefore His written Word is the teachings of the His Holy Spirit and a Rock we can depend on.  Anyone who wants to prove anything theologically, historically, scientifically or anything else needs to start with correct information.  If you start with a faulty foundation, as you build your arguments, they begin to fall apart because they are not supported in God�s truth.  If you want to build on a firm foundation, you need to start the process by a careful study of God�s Word in context of the verse and according to the whole counsel of God�s Word.  The Bible is the best commentary on the Bible. There are many false ideas floating around out there that have been there, some from long ago.  Those ideas were formed in lieu of God�s Word, not from it.  I am going to give some examples of false ideas in history, science and theology and show how they could have been avoided if the Bible had been consulted.  Yes, the Bible is accurate for more than just theology.  Keeping it in context we can accurately understand history, science and a whole host of other subjects.

(483) Why Is the Church Powerless? by William MacDonald (1917-2007) 
Spiritually we are in a shocking condition. The status of many local fellowships is bad news, and deteriorating by the minute. 

(484) Does the Bible really say we're not to judge? by Marsha West, 5/9/14 
Some professing Christians become infuriated when a "watchblogger" has the chutzpah to report on a false teacher by name, as if naming names is unbiblical. High-profile leaders and bloggers who mention heretics by name are often accused of demonizing or judging them.

(485) Discernment by Acts 17:11 Bible Study, 5/11/14 
Are we to "judge" teachings, situations, and even people in the church? Many Christians are fearful of making judgments, and unclear if this is the mission and duty of the church. After all: "Judge not!..." (We will consider hypocritical judgment, or criticism, in a moment.) This fear of using proper judgment may come from a simple lack of understanding of God's will, or from superstition (Col 2:18-19), or even from a lack of the Holy Spirit (Jude 17-19). Scripture is useful for correcting such conditions (2 Tim 3:16-17).

(486) Those Who Do Not Lead Christians to Maturity by Sandy Simpson, 5/11/14 
Eph. 4:12-14 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
Heb. 5:13-14 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

(487) What is Redemption? by Dr. Harry Ironside, 5/18/14 
The word �redemption� is one that runs all through the Bible; in fact, we can say without any suggestion of hyperbole that it is the great outstanding theme of Holy Scripture. This important truth runs through the Book like the proverbial red strand that, we are told, runs through the cordage of the British navy. Everywhere, from Genesis right on to Revelation, you find God in one way or another presenting to us the truth of redemption�redemption in promise and in type in the Old Testament; redemption in glorious fulfillment in the New Testament.

(488) The End Of The World (re. Blood Moons) at The Berean Call, 5/21/14 
TBC: A number of those promoting Blood Moons theories also pushed warnings in 2012 based upon the Mayan calendar (see: http://www.thebereancall.org/content/question-i-ve-been-astonished-how-s...). Other dates have also been singled out in recent years with the same results as seen as in the eclipse occurring in April�i.e., nothing. In short, these predictions are based upon unbiblical foundations that cannot stand.

(489) Flocking to other Christianities at The Berean Call, 5/23/14 
That's why scholars took to the "Jesus's Wife" fragment and various so-called "gospels" like, well, seagulls to trash piles. That's why Taussig can insist, as the Washington Post put it, that the fragment is "ostensibly as important as documents that make up the accepted New Testament."

(490) Keep Thy Heart With All Diligence by David Dombrowski, 5/25/14 
It is all too easy in the busy world in which we live today to get caught up in worldly concerns that would tend to draw our hearts in a different direction than God intends. A Scripture that comes to mind is the one in Proverbs that says: Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

(491) Biblical Discipleship � The Transforming Life by Gary Gilley, Think On These Things, (May/June 2014 - Volume 20, Issue 3) 
Other forms of spirituality, both in biblical times as well as today, may have the appearance of �wisdom in self-made religion� (2:23), but in the end they are mere detours from the real life found in Christ. Like the Colossians, Paul was concerned that the Corinthian church was being led to a spiritual dead-end. He writes, �But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ� (2 Cor 11:3). Spiritual formation, mysticism, New Age spirituality and a host of other influences draw believers today away from the simplicity of Christ. Our Lord would have us cling tenaciously to Christ Himself, shedding the weights that slow us down and the sins that so easily entangle us, so that we can run the race set before us with endurance, �fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith� (Heb 12:1-2).

(492) A Response To To The Larry De Bruyen Follow Up Article To Mark Mullins On Herescope by Jacob Prasch, Moriel Ministries, 6/11/14 
Here , unlike Mark Mullins, Larry De Bruyen rightly distinguishes between the Haggadik midrash (based on a hermeneutic employed by Jesus and Paul) and the Halakik midrash (rejected by Jesus & Paul),  but then muddles the two. The fundamental failure to address the Midoth of the School of Hillel where Paul was trained in the New Testament (which Longenecker - his quoted scholarly source insists to be true) would (as with Mark Mullins) get his paper automatically dismissed by academic peer review in a scholarly forum or academic institution and contributes to his convoluted speculations in the issues he labeled as 1 & 2 in his propositions and  conclusions. His conspicuous avoidance of the use of the very term Midrash where it is found in scripture though ranks as absurdity.

(493) Is The Drum Beat Of Rock Music Demonic? by Watchorn Church, 6/13/14 
A Scriptural, Musical, & Historical response to the assertions of Larry De Bruyen with ragards to rock music.  Six WMA audio tracks downloadable. 

(494) Christian Marching Orders by Charles Spurgeon
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, �All power is given to me in heaven and in earth; go, therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.� (Matthew 28:18)

(495) Bright Hope in Dark Days by Charles H. Spurgeon 
The path of the Christian is not always bright with sunshine. He has his seasons of darkness and of storm. True, it is written in God's Word, "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace," and it is a great truth, that religion is calculated to give a man happiness below as well as bliss above.

(496) SRN April 2014 Newsletter (PDF) by Chris Lawson, Spiritual Research Network, 6/27/14 
Gateway to Ghosts, Hauntings and Apparitions (Part 1): Occultism and the Paranormal - By Chris Lawson 
One of Satan�s Final Masquerades - By Sandy Simpson 
Mantra Meditation: A Warning! - By Chris Lawson 
Mantra Meditation - By Ray Yungen

(497) What is inerrancy and why should we care? by Biblical Inerrancy, 7/4/14 
These are the professors of some of the finest evangelical schools in the nation, who are responsible for training the pastors of today and future generations, and they are saying that they are comfortable with these verses not being factual. This is an outright departure from the historic definition of inerrancy.

(498) Biblical versus Cultural Christianity - Oswald Chambers comment on Modern Christianityat Crossroad, 9/8/14 
Biblical Christianity means being joined to Jesus Christ through faith in what He did for us at the cross, then allowing Him to live His life through us, so that others might know Him and see His love. (That love may include sharing His warnings as well as His promises with those in need.) The established Church, like Old Testament Israel, has always tended to drift away from its devotion to God and become just other institutions, subject to the same human impulses and painful consequences as the rest of the world. Please don�t blame human evils on a "straw-man" or a convenient cultural distortion of Christianity. Consider some of the differences between Biblical faith and today's cultural deviations.

(499) Leviathan by Sandy Simpson, 9/22/14 
This study is up for interpretation but I find descriptions of leviathan in the Bible fascinating.  This creature that existed, and may yet exist, is used as a description of the might and power of the enemy.

(500) Worship More Pagan than Christian? at The Berean Call, 10/15/14 
There is a great misunderstanding in churches of the purpose of music in Christian worship. Churches routinely advertise their �life-changing� or �dynamic� worship that will �bring you closer to God� or �change your life.� Certain worship CD�s promise that the music will �enable you to enter the presence of God.� Even a flyer for a recent conference for worship leaders boasted: "Join us for dynamic teaching to set you on the right path, and inspiring worship where you can meet God and receive the energy and love you need to be a mover and shaker in today�s world�Alongside our teaching program are worship events which put you in touch with the power and love of God." The problem with the flyer and with many church ads is that these kinds of promises reveal a significant theological error. Music is viewed as a means to facilitate an encounter with God; it will move us closer to God. In this schema, music becomes a means of mediation between God and man. But this idea is closer to ecstatic pagan practices than to Christian worship.

(501) The Need of Discernment in the last days (DVD series) by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/18/14 
We are told in the last days that false prophets will increase, that deception will be pervasive in the world and IN THE CHURCH. What are the New spirit movements and methods that are consistently springing up and entering the church? Discernment is the need of the hour for our survival and keeping the faith of Biblical Christianity. In this video we use some of the worst examples to show the dumbing down of the church in discernment, resulting in deceiving the church. We will learn where and from whom this originated in modern times. Revelations that contradict the Bible, new books in heaven, glory services, Dominion goals of the New apostles and prophets, people claiming to go to heaven, prophetic interpretation of tattoos and piercings, new age healing, drunken stupors, becoming frozen and silent. What is passing for revelation and Bible teaching is astounding. We need to understand what is taking place and stand in the faith to be victorious. How do we identify it or refute it?  How can we protect ourselves and others. Discernment is a gift that accompanies the Holy Spirit who is our umpire that keeps us awake to distinguish truth from error. The Bible tells us to grow in discernment, so that we can mature and help others who are easily deceived. Being grounded in the core doctrines of the faith and building on them makes one immune to the many deceptions that surround us today, this is what this video series is about.

(502) What Is Christian Palestinianism? with Paul Wilkinson at The Berean Call, 10/31/14 
Program Description:  Tom McMahon discusses the dangers of Christian Palestinianism with Dr. Paul wilkinson of Hazel Grove Full Gospel Church as they critique Hank Hanegraaff's interview with Dr. Gary Burge.  Listen to the MP3 or read the transcript of Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4

(503) Take Heed To Yourselves And All The Flock by Dr. Harry Ironside (1876-1951) 
Objection is often raised even by some sound in the faith - regarding the exposure of error as being entirely negative and of no real edification. Of late, the hue and cry has been against any and all negative teaching. But the brethren who assume this attitude forget that a large part of the New Testament, both of the teaching of our blessed Lord Himself and the writings of the apostles, is made up of this very character of ministry-namely, showing the Satanic origin and, therefore, the unsettling results of the propagation of erroneous systems which Peter, in his second epistle, so definitely refers to as "damnable heresies."

(504) Characteristics of Cults and Cultic Influences! by Chris Lawson, 11/7/14 
Four patterns found in CULTS and CUTLIC movements that can shipwreck your Christian faith and destroy you and your family!

(505) EXPECTATION (He is Coming!) by Dr. Harry Ironside
This, then, is our expectation; this is our hope! And the Lord would have us living day by day in view of the possible fulfillment of the promise of His coming again. When you get up in the morning, cultivate the attitude of soul that leads you to say, �Christ may come today; and if He were to come today, I want Him to find me walking in obedience to His holy Word.� And when you go to sleep at night say, �Christ Jesus may come tonight, and I can rest in perfect peace, knowing that when He comes I shall be caught up to meet Him.�

(506) Evangelicals that promote the mystical power of communion by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/24/14 
Lets begin with a general in the NAR of Pierce and Wagner, Ana Mendez Ferrel who teaches. �He told His disciples that the bread was His body broken for their sins, and the wine was His blood, sealing the covenant of forgiveness. Even more important, He said His body was real food and His blood was real drink. If our spirits don't take in their needed food and drink, is it any wonder we are weak?� So then the covenant was sealed before Jesus went to the cross? Why does anyone listen to this kind of nonsense that is clearly Catholic teaching. She claims we need to understand the Jewish feast of the Passover- does she? No one was healed by participating in the feast, it was a shadow of Christ the genuine light who redeemed us with his own blood. (ACT Note: This is the same lady who allegedly climbed up Mt. Everest and killed the Queen of Heaven and the devil there.) 

(507) Howling at the Moon by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/7/14 
The false teaching teaching of blood moons occurring today.\

(508) Watchmen Who Are Not Watchmen by James Jacob Prasch, 12/10/14 
What Ever Happened To Matthew 24? On Your Walls O Jerusalem I Have Appointed Watchmen; All Day And All Night they Will Never Keep Silent. You Who Remind the Lord Take No Rest For Yourselves (Isaiah 62:8). The prophetic watchman of Jerusalem and Judah, then and now: It was Isaiah who first prophesied God would raise up watchman concerning the forthcoming events in the history of the Hebrews generally, and their country Judah specifically, with special reference to their capital Jerusalem, where the Temple and Holy Ark were located - God's presence with them. As the events prophetically predicted by Isaiah unfolded we indeed see God calling the Prophet Ezekiel as the definitive watchman in the scriptural usage of the word (Ezekiel 3:17, 33:7), and it is Ezekiel that biblically most demonstrates what a watchman is and what he does. But first we must note that it is not a term found in the New Testament, it firstly was an office for the ancient Hebrews. Therefore, although there are without doubt those functioning as 'watchmen' in the church, in order to grasp their raison d'etre we must first grasp their Old Testament nature exemplified in Ezekiel (the only individual specifically called a 'watchman'). We need to understand some of the differences between Old and New Testament prophets (which despite the license that cessationists effectively issue themselves to pronounce passages of scripture not to their liking null and void, still do exist in the church - eg. 1 Corinthians 12:29 & 14:32).

(509) Fight the spiritual forces of wickedness -- and win! by Marsha West, 12/11/14 
Satanism...religious liberty...beheadings...gender confusion...ecumenicalism. My tendency is to fret about such things, even though God reminds us in His Word: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6-7) Likewise, 1 Peter 5:7 commands believers not to be anxious but to lay all our worries on God because He cares for us. So is there any question that His people are to go to Him with the hard things, lay them at His feet, and trust that we can literally "let go and let God"?

(510) Temptations, Tests and Triumph - The Victory of the Cross by Crossroad, 12/14/14 
"Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." James 1:2-3 "...the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul." Deuteronomy 13:3

(511) Discernment or Criticism? by Roger Oakland, 12/16/14 
Taking a stand from a biblical perspective with regard to purpose-driven-emerging Christianity is not very popular these days. Those working towards establishing the kingdom and �getting closer to Jesus� through contemplative practices rooted in eastern mysticism are very outspoken. If you are not in favor of what they are promoting, you are labeled a hater and against everything.

(512) Certain Men Crept In by Roger Oakland, 12/24/14 
What would Paul and Jude write to the church if they were here today? Would their message have changed in any way? Based on current trends that dilute the simple gospel of Jesus and make it into a �social-humanistic-psychological-what�s-in-it-for-me� gospel that rejects the imminent return of our Lord�  I don�t think so. Let the book of Jude be a wake up call for us today!

(513) Another Jesus or the True Jesus � Whom Are You Serving? by Roger Oakland, 4/10/09 
The apostle Paul was a man with a passion for the truth. While his ministry clearly focused on proclaiming the saving grace of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he was also concerned when he saw the truth being compromised by Satan�s subtle deceptive plan. While Paul made every effort to teach the church at Corinth the truth about Jesus and His death on the Cross to save them from their sins, false teachers and false doctrines had infiltrated the church. Obviously some were being led astray. 

(514) When Change is Expressly Forbidden by Danny Ison, 2/13/15 
There are those who try to tell us that the warning at the end of the Book of Revelation applies exclusively to revisions attempted to only that book of the Bible and not the rest, but as with all things biblical, our understanding of any principle of the Lord comes from the whole of Scripture and not by lifting out and highlighting just a single reference. Moses, Solomon and Paul, at various points of history, provide the foundation for what is finalized in the last verses of the Bible on behalf of the whole of Scripture, that God�s entire Word is closed canon and provides no option for human editing, be it in any form of redaction or embellishment. And yet something has taken place within the walls of the Church since the turn of the new millennium for which I can find no previous historic parallel: openly changing God�s Word in spite of the express mandate otherwise.Some of the most popular leaders within Christianity have altered God�s Word in ways that no Christian cult, no rival religion, nor any enemy of the cross I know of has dared to do. If such distortions of God�s Word had been engaged in by the usual suspects working against the true Church, I would characterize it as some kind of desperate attempt to fabricate their lie to give it an outward appearance of authority. But how one explain this coming about at the hands and from the mouths of those whom most of the present-day Church�s membership recognize as their own?

(515) I can�t be deceived because I�m a Christian! by Mike Oppenheimer, 2/23/15 
The Bible speaks of a certain time at the end of the age where deceivers will become commonplace and there will be so much confusion that truth will become rare, few will speak it.Matt 24:4-5 And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you."For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.� To those who believe. Luke 21:8 And He said: "Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.' Therefore do not go after them. The word he is not in the original translation. So we have Jesus warning of mean saying they are Christ (or christed- anointed) and men saying �I am�, saying they are God (i.e. the new age and word faith teachers)

(516) Is there a rapture? Is there a resurrection? by Mike Oppenheimer, 2/27/15 
What is called the rapture (the removal of the believers upwards, the church meets Jesus in the air) is when the living saints are transformed to be in immortal like Christ. If you do not believe in the rapture then you cannot believe in the resurrection, they are both joined together as the same event, nearly simultaneously.

(517) Disingenuous Hermeneutics by Sandy Simpson, 2/23/15 
I was reminded of a comment by Rev. Gary Gilley made on our 6-DVD series called �The New Apostolic Reformation � What is it and where is it going?�.  He was addressing proper exegesis versus wrong ways to interpret the Bible.  He said that those who inject their own ideas and doctrinal methodologies on the Bible, making it into their own image and to their own liking, are using �Fairytale Hermeneutics�.  I always liked that definition and will now add one of my own with regards to how people lie about what the Bible says when it comes to their own preconceived notions, upholding mistaken Biblical interpretations.  When you find yourself having to make up false definitions and other interpretations that are not according to the clear teaching of Scripture, you end up being a type of false teacher.  I learned long ago that if you want to teach the Bible correctly you let it interpret itself.  You teach what Jesus, the Apostles, Prophets and Patriarchs did, with the help of the Holy Spirit instead of trying to plug in manmade doctrinal systems on top of Biblical truths

(518) God's Method of Consistently 'Warning' and 'Teaching' (Video) by Chris Lawson, 3/12/15 
One of the ways God expresses this is through his consistent warnings against satanic spiritual deception, false teachers, false prophets, deceivers, the enemies of Israel, liars, deceivers, spiritism, sorcerers, the tools of the occult, the enemies of the Church, false gospels, counterfeit "Jesus's," false apostles, false brethren, doctrines of demons, the antichrist spirit that dominates each age and the world's system, Mystery Babylon, end-times deception the coming personal Antichrist and his false prophet (Rev. 13) and more.

(519) They will reject truth and believe The Lie! by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/15/15 
John 14:16-17 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. This is what separates believers from the world, keeps them from the world and the enemy who rules over it, TRUTH. We are kept by the Spirit of truth.

(520) The Danger of "New Revelation" by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/15/15 
Paul writes in 1 Cor. 4:6, �that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. Once someone is allowed to tell people stories like; Jesus appeared to them in their room or they visited heaven and they were given new revelation, the rest comes easy. They become as if lost at sea, adrift with their fantasy revelation that makes them more important. They have something to say that no one else does because they were chosen.

(521) Those Who Are Spiritually Deceived Are No Longer Able to Think for Themselves by Kevin Reeves, 3/18/15 
Some may think it is extreme to compare the spiritual deception and control tactics within the church today to that of the Nazi regime and the death camps, but we should remember that the church in Germany in the 1930s was very much like the church is today�having a head in the sand mentality about spiritual deception and turning religious leaders into super-human heroes who can do no wrong. Perhaps we are not all that different than Christians in Germany back then. We should not fool ourselves and think we would never be duped like that. 

(522) The Old Rugged Cross by Crossroad, 3/29/15 
"...the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18) To a world bent on social unity and moral laxity, the cross stands as a divisive and humiliating obstacle. Attempts to minimize its offense through laws and intimidation have bullied both secular and church leaders into continual compromise. Public crosses are demolished or hidden; Bibles are forbidden in schools, the traditional days for celebrating the resurrection have been renamed "spring break;" and countless corporations and government agencies ban cross-shaped pins or jewelry. Even Jesus Himself has become a popular target for media mockery and ridicule!

(523) Noah�s story...will it become our story? by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/1/15 
Noah�s story is one of separation as he kept himself and his family from the defections and corruption of the society he lived in. He gave a testimony to all those who would ask about the boat he was building, not doubt being mocked as it was being built. The people watching him do this year after year for their whole lives until it was completed. 

(524) Warning! Spiritual Deception Abounds! (MP3) by VCY America, 4/8/15 
Today more than ever we seem to be bombarded with individuals who are intentionally attempting to get people to believe lies regarding Christianity, our Lord and Savior and His word, the Bible. One example is Reverend John Shuck, who ministers at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Beaverton, Oregon.  Reverend Shuck claims he doesn't believe in God yet defends his 'Christianity.'  He also claims that the Bible is a human product and that while Jesus may have been a historical figure, most of what we know about him is legend.  To Reverend Shuck, God is a symbol of myth-making and isn't credible as a supernatural being or force.  This is just one example that Vic presented of people today who, while standing in their pulpits wearing their religious garb, propose ideas that have nothing to do with the Bible. The result?  A survey of more than 4,000 adults shows that Americans are conflicted regarding Jesus, the central figure of Christianity.  The survey showed that the idea that Jesus is God just doesn't register well with 'millennials' (those born between 1984 and 2002). This edition of Crosstalk also mentioned a new Bible that replaces the name of God with that of rap star Kanye West, Vic retells the story of The Modernist Preacher Entering Hell and callers share their comments as well.

(525) Is the Bible Better on T.V.? with J. B. Hixson and Tom McMahon, 4/11/15 
On this program and next week, the subject is the upcoming NBC special broadcast on Easter Sunday titled A.D.: The Bible Continues . It is a followup to the series aired on the History Channel and its theatrical spinoff Son of God , and my guest to discuss this production and the problems with translating the Bible visually is J.B. Hixson. J.B. is the author, Bible teacher - he�s a Bible teacher and radio host. His ministry is Not By Works, and can be found at www.notbyworks.org, and you can go on his website to order his latest book The Great Last Days Deception . Read Part 1 & Part 2

(526) The Unseen Foe Behind Rising Evil by Berit Kjos, 5/1/15 
We don't hear much about spiritual warfare these days. Most churches seem to ignore the reality of Satan and the evil he inspires. God's warnings about compromise with a corrupt world simply don't fit the new image of Jesus as a gentle, tolerant, pluralistic helper. Since the 18th century's birth of the "Age of Reason," an increasing number of "enlightened" Western leaders and influential "change agents" have tried to discredit the Bible and silence Christian believers. More recently, a vast number of politicians, media masters and educators have joined the battles against Biblical truth and morality. 

(527) God�s Desire and A Warning and a Plea by Ray Yungen, 5/5/15 
Just what exactly is God�s desire for mankind? Does He want to send people to Hell? Does He want anyone to live eternally without Him? Scripture is very clear about this when it says: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (II Peter 3:9) God makes a strong plea to all people, giving them every opportunity to receive Him. It is God�s desire that none should perish eternally. That�s why he offered His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ�the only perfect sacrifice for mankind�s sin: Therefore as by the offence of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [Jesus] the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (Romans 5:18) What it comes down to is the preaching of the higher self versus the preaching of the Cross. The New Age is saying that God is the higher self in man�that God is just a meditation away.

(528) The "New Model" Gospel by Dr. Orrel Steinkamp, 5/15/15 
For over 50 years at least, a new message to call the unconverted to Christ has been inching it's way virtually undetected into a dominant place among evangelicals. 

(530) Knowing Our Triune God by T.A. McMahon, The Berean Call, 5/23/15 
The doctrine regarding the Trinity (the three Persons of the Godhead) isn�t something that any finite individual can fully comprehend. The concept is beyond the grasp of our mortal minds. And yet, God has given to mankind a great deal of information about the Trinity throughout the Scriptures�information that His created beings may and must understand, albeit imperfectly. Although the term �Trinity� isn�t found in any Bible verse, that which the Trinity comprises is found from Genesis through Revelation.

(531) The Necessity of Biblical and Discerning Pastors (MP3) by Chris Lawson, 5/27/15 
This audio includes a brief overview of Ephesians chapters 1-3 and an expositional study of Ephesians 4:11-16. It also serves as a clarion call to pastors and church leaders to "Prove [test] all things, hold fast that which is good" (1 Thes. 5:21).  Based on Ephesians 4:11-16, the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul makes is very clear that pastors are to equip the saints for the work of ministry. Many pastors and church leaders in our day, including countless church elders and youth leaders, are not only not teaching the whole counsel of God, they are allowing many aberrant and heretical teachings into the Body of Christ. This leaven of false teaching comes through in sharing speaking platforms with false teachers, the allowance of false teaching in church �book� studies, conferences and compromised bookstores. This study will help church leaders take a closer look at their own lives as well as the doctrines they profess to believe.

(532) Raising Up Biblical and Discerning Leaders (MP3) by Chris Lawson, 6/3/15 
The Fear of the Lord; Repentance; Dealing with heresy; Revering God instead of man; Consistent Bible reading; Seeking out Bible teaching leaders and ministries; Avoiding excesses and extremes; Defining your terms; Interpreting Scripture with Scripture; Using the Bible and Bible study tools instead of pop-Christianity books and fads; Defining biblical terminology in context; Knowing the basic essentials of the Christian faith and teaching them; Teaching the basics of biblical discernment; Using the proper rules of biblical interpretation; Understanding what a �cult� is, what �the occult� is, what �aberrant� means, and what a �pseudo-Christian cult� is; Finding out what leads to heresy and why; Educating yourself on the threats and dangers that are in the church today; Learning what biblical hermeneutics is all about; Educating your spouse and children in Scripture; Understanding schools of Interpretation and the dangers of �allegorizing� and �spiritualizing� Scripture; Testing all things by the Word of God; Avoiding all appearance of evil; Recognizing the signs and symptoms of cults, spiritual abuse; and more.

(533) "...whether things on earth or things in heaven" by Sandy Simpson, 6/2/15 
Col. 1:19-20  For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. I ran across this verse again the other day and it made me stop and think.  Why would Jesus Christ have to reconcile things in heaven?  I understand fully why He had to do that on earth where sin took control, as well as the physical universe which was also affected by sin, but in the third heaven?  In looking at the various commentaries on this subject it is apparent that people have different ideas about what this means. 

(534) Marks of False Religion - A study of Colossians 2:8 in context with applications for today by Sandy Simpson, 6/11/15 
Christians, in order to remain faithful, need to take seriously the repeated admonitions of the Apostles to stay true to Jesus Christ, the Gospel and sound doctrine.  This is the only way to protect ourselves from the wolves who continue to invade the churches. Matthew 7:15  "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep�s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

(535) The Reality of Spiritual Warfare: The Invisible War & the Victory of the Cross by Berit Kjos, 6/20/15 
God's creation is truly amazing!  We may be familiar with life on planet earth, but the dimensions of His unseen habitations reach far beyond our human comprehension. That heavenly realm -- including God's armies of supernatural angels -- is mentioned throughout the Bible, but few of us seem to take it seriously. Usually hidden from our earth-bound eyes stand two kinds of warriors: God's faithful angels and Satan's malicious demons. God uses His loyal angels to guide, fight, protect and watch over His people. He uses Satan's demonic hordes to enforce His justice, punish the wicked, and train us in spiritual warfare. While He calls us to follow Him, share His Word and spread His love, He also prepares us to face spiritual battles that involve evil forces as well as the good.  "Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call; this I know, that God is for me.... In God have I put my trust: I shall not be afraid. What man can do unto me." (Psalm 56:9, 11)

(536) Noah�s story, will it become our story? by Mike Oppenheimer, 7/6/15 
Matt 24:38-39 "For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark," and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.� Noah�s story is one of separation as he kept himself and his family from the defections and corruption of the society he lived in. He gave a testimony to all those who would ask about the boat he was building, not doubt being mocked as it was being built. The people watching him do this year after year for their whole lives until it was completed. 

(537) Is Psychological Counseling Biblical? with Martin and Deidre Bobgan (Part 1) by The Berean Call, 7/11/15 
On today�s program and next week, as well, we�ll be discussing what the Scripture has to say about believers ministering to one another, which, sad to say, is foreign to the way most churches with rare exceptions go about counseling, even under the label of �biblical counseling.� My guests to discuss this important subject are Dr. Martin and Deidre Bobgan. They are prolific writers with more than 20 titles to their credit, nearly all addressing the scriptural problems with psychological counseling and Christian psychology, so-called. Many of their books can be downloaded from their website, which is www.pamweb.org, or you can order their books, their hardcopies, from The Berean Call.

(538) A Brief Review Of The Theological Paper Of Daniel R. Jennings Entitled �Except For Fornication� by James Jacob Prasch, 7/14/15 
In his public paper freely available on the Internet, Daniel R. Jennings, (without doubt a sincere and genuine brother in Christ) represents himself as one formerly holding to the doctrinal belief that adultery provided scriptural grounds for divorce based on the teaching of Jesus in Matthew�s Gospel, (Matthew 5:31-32 & Matthew 19: 3-12) but that based on further primarily linguistic study, he now maintains that this is not the case and that the only New Testament grounds for divorce is a case of pre-marital fornication by a wife who deceitfully misrepresents herself as a virgin. 

(539) The Danger of New Revelation by Mike Oppenheiimer, 7/18/15 
Paul writes in 1 Cor. 4:6, �that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. Once someone is allowed to tell people stories like; Jesus appeared to them in their room or they visited heaven and they were given new revelation, the rest comes easy. They become as if lost at sea, adrift with their fantasy revelation that makes them more important. They have something to say that no one else does because they were chosen. The reality of demons should not be dismissed, or underestimated, they are deceptive. They have one think they are in contact with God and pride is always the bait on the hook. Encapsulated in their new teaching is God is with me as they present to the hearers their new revelation.

(540) The Queen James Bible Release: a Story of Malice and Deception by Lighthouse Trails, 7/19/15 
We believe this article, written by a Lighthouse Trails reader, goes hand in hand with our recent article, �4 Reasons Why Holman Publishers Should Not Have Inserted an Article by a Contemplative Author into Their King James Bibles. � Both that and this article below show that the King James Bible is being exploited because it is in the public domain. While the so-called Queen James Bible may be an extreme case, it is still another case in point regardless.

(541) Will Catastrophe Strike The Earth In September? by Al Dagar, 8/2/15 
Will it be an asteroid, a comet or a meteor that will strike the earth? What of the Four Blood Moons, the Year of Shemitah, Jade Helm 15? Christians are hearing that prophets are predicting terrible things to occur this coming September, 2015. Some claim that God has given them prophecies about calamities that portend His judgment upon the earth and the imminent return  of  Jesus.  It  is  even  reported  that  the  Rapture will occur on September 23, 2015. Christians around the world are being moved to move. Someplace, anyplace, to escape God�s wrath. What to do? What to do? Even before John Hagee brought the message of Mark Biltze�s four-blood-moons theory to the forefront of Christians� consciousness, there has arisen a new fervor of expectation that �God is about to do something!�

(542) Sunday Morning: �Another Gospel?� by Harry A. Ironside, 8/3/15 
Note carefully: The Gospel is God�s wonderful story of His beloved Son. It is a message of grace to be received in faith. It is not a code of laws to be obeyed or good advice to be followed. It is not a system of ritual observances or a call to submit to certain ordinances. It does not set forth the claims of any human church organization, however venerable, nor does it exhort men to seek after experiences, however remarkable, though a blessed experience follows its acceptance. It simply sets forth Christ crucified and risen as the Savior of all who believe in Him.

(543) Spiritual Warfare: The Foe We Prefer to Ignore by Berit Kjos - January 2010 
Our two centuries of peace, freedom, and relative comfort in America may soon come to an end. But God invites us to train our minds with His Truth and our hearts to follow Him in the hard times ahead. Only by trusting Him and walking by His strength can we share in His victory. So let's pray that He will encourage and equip us for the times ahead.

(544) The Armor of God by Berit Kjos, 8/10/15 
God's armor brings victory because it is far more than a protective covering. It is the very life of Jesus Christ Himself. "Put on the armor," wrote Paul in his letter to the Romans, "...clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 13:12-14) When you do, He becomes your hiding place and your shelter in the storm -- just as He was to David. Hidden in Him, you can count on His victory, for He not only covers you as a shield, He also fills you with His life. "I am the vine; you are the branches," said Jesus. "If a man abides in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)

(545) Considering Him Who Endured the Cross: Scriptural examples for daily living (Hebrews 10:32-12:1-3) by Chris Lawson, 8/22/15 
God Spoke and He Has a Faithful Remnant (Hebrews 10:32 - 11:29) 1. God spoke to His people through His Word. 2. The lives of the people were changed and they were moved to action. 3. They sought to obey God and do His will. 4. God has borne witness in His own Word about them. Considering Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-3) 1. Looking at the example of faithful believers who have gone before us. 2. Let us lay aside every weight and sin that is entangling us. 3. Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith.

(546) Spiritual Warfare and Guarding Your Soul by Chris Lawson, 9/2/15 
Spiritual warfare, trials, suffering, affliction, persecution�are we forgetting that we are in a spiritual battle? The valiant-for-truth believer in Christ ought to never forget that there is an unseen spiritual world that is in hostile opposition against Jesus Christ and His Church. This study is meant to help the believer consider the reality of the Christian warfare and the the importance of doing the will of the Lord in the strength that God provides. You must know: 1. Your own weakness, and the weakness of your enemy. 2. Your own strength, and the strength of your enemy. 3. Your victory through the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 4:16; 2 Kings 6:8-23; Ephesians 6:10-24; Romans 12:1-2

(547) The people Perish from a lack of Knowledge of Scripture - The unity of Spiritual zombies by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/9/15 
There are those who deviate from being accurate in doctrine and take advantage of the sheep. The distinction of those who teach things contrary on purpose or those who teach by mistake are known because the latter repents. Hosea 4:6 "My people are destroyed (perish) for lack of knowledge ." Here God is referring to what they should learn from the Scripture from the priests and the prophets. They will be destroyed spiritually first. Israel's lessons are ours to learn and correct if we listen. Today, the knowledge of God in is in a closed book to some, but it can be opened at any time and applied to change their conditions. One needs courage to do this and if prevented, resisted by those who oppose the them, they need to stand on the truth.

(548) The Reappearance of the Bethlehem star? by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/9/15 
The wise men were led to Jesus by a radiance in the heavens, they were Biblical, these men teaching this canard are not. As the end times escalates we will find spiritual paranoia present and many will try to connect the dots making up their own picture[s] from Scripture. This is the same reason why people will be deceived by the signs from the antichrist and the false prophet as they convince people of their mission. They are not interpreting the Scripture but conforming it to what they think it should mean.

(549) The Mystery of iniquity by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/12/15 
Great is the mystery of righteousness; (God was incarnated in the flesh�) God was manifested in the flesh, (God appeared; was revealed in the flesh to mankind). He who became man was made a priest after the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 5:6, Psa. 110:4), both a king and a priest (Heb. 7:1-2). This intriguing subject of Christ�s priesthood is fully explained in Hebrews chapters 7-9. The mystery in Christ is made known. God�s Mystery is simple: it is belief in Christ as the God/man: that God became man. Who came from above (heaven) to live on earth as a man (Called the mystery of godliness 1 Tim.3:16). To those who disbelieve, the Messiah would be a �rock of offence� and a �stone of stumbling.� Peter explains the mystery by showing that all depends on one�s attitude toward Christ, whether they have faith or unbelief: �God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?� (Num. 23:19) Man lies, God always tells the truth. God�s characteristic, attributes are infinite. We are to become like God in his moral qualities and character but we cannot become God as in His nature. The image of God in man is a moral image / likeness but there is another image that is foreign that was introduced when the first couple sinned. It came to us by God's enemy who lied to them and continues to lie to all mankind. There is no mystery mentioned in the Old Testament like the New Testament has mysteries, one mystery is the Gospel (Rom.16:25), which was concealed. There are two specific mysteries we face in the last days, The Mystery of Iniquity and Mystery Babylon. Babylon is where all false religion of the people began (Cain was the first) to be dominant over the true religion that was passed on through Noah and his family. 

(550) You need to �nip it in the bud� by Sandy Simpson, 9/18/15 
I am writing this article to address a subject that I have often observed.  It is the fact that if you do not get the leaven out of your church the leaven will become the leadership.

(551) Rejoicing Through It All - What The Scripture Tells Us (Booklet) by Warren B. Smith, 9/28/15 
As challenging as it may seem at times, God�s Word tells us to rejoice always (Philippians 4:4) and evermore (1Thessalonians 5:16). The various Hebrew and Greek words for rejoicing range in meaning from calmly happy to exceedingly glad and jumping for joy. The Bible reminds us that God�s people should be a �happy� people because our God is the Lord (Psalm 144:15). We know that �though our outward man perish� yet our �inward man is renewed day by day. Therefore, we rejoice and give thanks for the �abundant grace� so mercifully bestowed upon us by God our Savior.

(552) What is your covering? by Sandy Simpson, 10/3/15 
The question every human being must ask themselves is this: �What is my covering?�  Is it fig leaves or animal skins? I state this not literally but figuratively.  Are you depending on your good works or the blood of Jesus Christ to save you?  This is the ultimate question all the way from the Garden of Eden.  It is apparent that those who are truly saved are �in Christ� (Rom. 6:7, 8:1), washed in the Blood (1 Cor. 6:11, Rev. 7:14), crucified and buried with Christ (Gal. 2:20, Rom. 6:4) and born again (John 3:3, 1 Pet. 1:23), anticipating eternal life (John 17:3, Rom. 6:23). But there are also those who rely on their works (2 Tim. 1:9). Every person will be judged according to their works (Eph. 2:8-9, Rev. 20:12), whether they were relying on them to be saved or relying on the work of Christ on the cross for their salvation.  Even many people who call themselves Christians will end up trying to rely on works instead of grace.

(553) The Devil's Algebra (Video) by Jacob Prasch, 10/5/15 
What happens when someone adds to or takes away from the Word of God?

(554) The Unseen Foe Behind Rising Evil by Berit Kjos, 10/11/15 
Satan's captivating lies have sparked wars and cruelty through the ages. Ever since Eve chose to follow her feelings rather than God's wise guidelines, humanity has faced assaults from "the evil one" -- often through his human pawns. Call him Devil, Deceiver, Satan, or serpent; it doesn't matter. It's all the same haughty oppressor: "...that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world..." Rev. 12:9

(555) The teaching of unclean spirits (demons) being the spirits of pre-Adamic man: A short Lesson in demonology by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/13/15 
You will not find any biblical texts that mention (fallen) angels or demons together, because they are different titles of the same creatures. The demons, unclean spirits (which are the fallen angels), both seek to possess men, both war against God�s will and ways and want to use humans in this fight.

(556) The Five Wonders of the Gospel: The Truth Proclaimed by Johan Malan, Mossel Bay, South Africa (October 2015) 
John 3:16 is one of the most widely quoted verses from the Bible. This famous verse is also called �the Gospel in a nutshell� because it is considered a summary of the foundational New Testament doctrine of salvation: �For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.� Five core truths in connection with our salvation are mentioned in this verse, which are all five divine wonders. They are the wonder of divine love, the wonder of a heavenly Savior, the wonder of faith in God, the wonder of salvation from perdition, and the wonder of eternal life. The Bible offers a full exposition of these supernatural works of God, and emphasizes the fact that Jesus Christ is the only Savior of the world and that no person can save himself from his state of spiritual deadness and moral depravity. 

(557)  Praying Circles, Think On These Things (Volume 21, Issue 5 Sep/Oct 2015) by Gary Gilley, 10/23/15 
This latest prayer fad stems from the teachings of Mark Batterson, lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington D.C., and in particular his 2011 book, The Circle Maker. The publisher claims that Batterson is offering a new way of praying (see advertisement on page 233 of The Circle Maker) based on a Jewish legend of Honi the Rainmaker, also called Honi the Circle Maker (pp. 11-13, 226). Honi, who lived a century before the ministry of Christ, supposedly drew a circle in the dirt, stepped into that circle and prayed for rain to end a devastating drought. He told God that he would not leave the circle until the Lord sent rain and, according to the myth, God soon sent rain. It should be noted that the story of Honi is at best a legend and most likely a myth. There is no independent or historical evidence that anything like this event ever took place. Even more importantly, this account is not drawn from Scripture. Nevertheless, when Batterson discovered the story he claimed it forever changed the way he prayed (p. 21). Now he circles his prayers, either by stepping into a drawn circle (it is recommended that a circle be drawn on the ground with chalk) like Honi, or by walking around the object of his desire, as the Jews walked around Jericho in the Old Testament. 

(558) When a False Teacher Calls America "Israel" by The Berean Call, 10/26/15 
Jonathan Cahn, a popular Christian author, claims that his books reveal mysteries and predict the future. He thus portrays himself as like the Biblical prophets, including the claim of having new revelations. The main point of his book is that America is a second Israel and that she is being judged according to the seven-year Sabbath law called "shemitah" that was given to ancient Israel. This judgment manifests itself in seven-year cycles of stock market collapses or other cataclysmic events.

(559) Is Jesus the Abomination that makes desolate, the covenant breaker of Dan.9? by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/29/15 
A number of years ago I sat down with some preterist�s who were convinced in their view of Daniel 9.25-27 is Jesus breaking the covenant and becoming the abomination that makes desolation. This view becomes one of the most distorted errors of the Scripture I have ever encountered. Since then it has come up a number of times and needs to be addressed.

(560) Do you gather or scatter? by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/29/15 
Many use the parable of the wheat and the tares for not judging. That we are to let the tares grow amongst the wheat inside the church. But, this is NOT what this parable is about. Matthew 13 is part of the mystery kingdom parables. Jesus tells us �The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.� 

(561) The Importance of the Rational Mind by Ed Tarkowski, 11/5/15 
When God speaks to a man in his spirit, he understands with the mind the will of God, and can thus perform it with the full use of his faculties and in full assurance that he is doing what God expects of him.  The occultist or spiritist must bypass the mind by shutting down his thinking processes in order to reach a passive state, at which point contact with a spirit is made. One way of doing this is with a mantra; that is, repeating the same word, word segment, or phrase over and over again. There is no such practice found in Scripture. 

(562) What Seems Right Might Be Wrong by Roger Oakland, 11/12/15 
Every Christian wants to see the church grow. Jesus made it clear before He ascended to the Father that His followers are to be His witnesses. Believers are called to share the good news of the gospel until He returns. We want to see our churches filled to overflowing. This is right. But what happens when the Christian church, in its zeal to reach the unconverted, begins to embrace methods to attract the lost that are extra-biblical?

(563) �Overtake you like a thief� by Sandy Simpson, 11/13/15 
1 Thessalonians 5:4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; How serious will it be for a person to be overtaken in �that day� like a thief overtakes a household when he slips in and steals?  Will it just be a surprise for those who claim to be Christians who will get a slap on the wrist by the Lord but still proceed to heaven?  Will they simply lose rewards but still gain the ultimate reward?  What is this darkness that the brethren are not in?  1 Thessalonians 5:3-5 While they are saying, �Peace and safety!� then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night or of darkness; 

(564) The Bible Anticipates Islam . . . Islam and the Bible by Bill Randles, 9/20/14 
Islam as a world religion didn't burst onto the world scene until the 7th century AD. But in the 14 plus centuries since, it has played a major role in world affairs, as a foil to the Judeo Christian world, and a scourge on India, the Levant, Persia, Southern Asia, much of Africa, the Caucasus, and even part of China.

(565) Biblical versus Cultural Christianity (Chart) by Crossroad, 11/15/15 
This chart is an attempt to answer those who judge Christians by the atrocities committed in the name of "Christianity" through the ages -- including our own times. Those wars, persecutions, and cruelties had little to do with Biblical Christianity. They had everything to do with man's greedy, power-hungry human nature which seeks its own ways rather than God's. The ungodly expressions of our human nature may change from culture to culture, but the result is usually the same: the people imagine a god that fits their new cultural wants and values, and they learn to see this distortion of Christianity as the true church. Biblical Christianity means being joined to Jesus Christ through faith in what He did for us at the cross, then allowing Him to live His life through us, so that others might know Him and see His love. (That love may include sharing His warnings as well as His promises with those in need.) The established Church, like Old Testament Israel, has always tended to drift away from its devotion to God and become just other institutions, subject to the same human impulses and painful consequences as the rest of the world. Please don�t blame human evils on a "straw-man" or a convenient cultural distortion of Christianity. Consider some of the differences between Biblical faith and today's cultural deviations.

(566) Famine in the Land Yet God Remains Faithful by Chris Lawson, 11/18/15 
Psalm 89 - A psalm (Maskil) of Ethan the Ezrahite. Author: Ethan (or one of his descendants) is the author of this Psalm. Ethan is possibly the Levitical leader and one of the head musicians/singers in the Temple (1 Chronicles 6:42; 15:17-19). Historical context: God had promised to make David the mightiest King on earth (2 Sam. 7;  1 Kin. 8:23; 1 Chr. 17; 2  Chr. 21:7; Ps. 110). In doing so, God would protect David and David�s descendants (2 Sam. 7:13; 16, 18), and ultimately Messiah Jesus would reign from David�s throne  - forever (Luke 1:31-33). Even though Jerusalem was destroyed and no kings were reigning in Jerusalem at this time, God remained faithful and He continues to carry out His promises. God�s promises are - and forever will be - fulfilled through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Messianic descendant of David (Matt. 1:1; Luke 3:23-28) and the Eternal Prophet, Priest and King of Israel (Heb. 1:1-10:18). Looking beyond the pale of the author�s personal national dilemma - the apparent total ruin of the Davidic monarchy - the author chooses to focus on the LORD and His greatness, regardless of his own personal circumstances and future. As always, man is humbled, and God is glorified. In one word, with restored confidence in God and His Word, the author closes with, �Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.� (Psalm 89:52) The Lord�s Covenant with David and Israel�s Afflictions (89:1-37) Praise and remembrance of God�s love and faithfulness (89:1-4). God�s worthiness to be praise and adored (89:5-14). God�s covenant blessing and protection upon David (89:15-37). God�s Seeming Neglect of the Davidic Covenant (89:38-52) The Psalmists heartfelt cry (89:46-51). The Psalmists heartfelt distress (89:46-51). The Doxology - �Blessed be the LORD forever!� (89:52) Scriptures: Psalm 89; Luke 1:30; Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 26:16; Psalm 135: 1-4; Deuteronomy 14:2; Titus 2:11-15; 1 Peter 2:9; Psalm 89:52.

(567) The Fall of Satan resulted in the fall of many by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/21/15 
A Spiritual war wages all around us, and Satan is a master planner, he constantly feeds the world false information about himself and of Christ, their only means of escape. Many people dismiss his existence. Some see Satan as a mythical invention and stay completely unaware of his plans.  The Bah�'� 's do not believe Satan exists, the devil is a metaphor for man�s base nature. Charles Fillmore of Unity church said the Devil is a state of consciousness adverse to the divine good. The Devil is overcome by denying his existence. Mason's see Lucifer got a bad rap and that he is good and that they need to learn to use his energy. So they do not see the need to resist him not consider his deceptions in their lives. They have no clue what is coming to this world.

(568) Should Christians Expose Error? by H.A. Ironside, 11/22/15 
Objection is often raised�even by some sound in the faith�regarding the exposure of error as being entirely negative and of no real edification. Of late, the hue and cry has been against any and all negative teaching. But the brethren who assume this attitude forget that a large part of the New Testament, both of the teaching of our blessed Lord Himself and the writings of the apostles, is made up of this very character of ministry�namely, showing the Satanic origin and, therefore, the unsettling results of the propagation of erroneous systems which Peter, in his second epistle, so definitely refers to as �damnable heresies.�

(569) Making God�s People Trust in a Lie� by Bill Randles, 11/29/15 
It is happening all over again. In the church, as in the last days of Judah, immediately preceding the devastation of the Babylonian captivity and the destruction of the temple, Christians are  being  inoculated  to conviction and preparedness by the soothing Words of false prophets like Hananiah. 

(570) The Bible's Amazingly Accurate Account of the Flood by Creation Moments, 11/30/15 
Genesis 8:7 "And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth." On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens exploded, devastating over 200 square miles in Southwestern Washington State. The heat spewing from the volcano melted the snow that covered its heights, creating mud flows that covered the surrounding area. The grim prediction was that forests and wildlife would never be found on or near the mountain within our lifetimes. Mount St. Helens' recovery from the devastation provides us with a comparatively small-scale model of the recovery from the great Flood at the time of Noah. Only ten years after the eruption, much of the plant and animal life in the devastated area had returned. Today, evergreens stand taller than a man, fish swim in the lakes and rivers, and frogs are in the ponds. Even larger animals like elk can be found in the once-desolate area. This suggests that it would not have taken generations for the foliage that God preserved in the Flood waters to re-grow forests and jungles, providing homes for the growing, migrating population from the Ark. Before that could happen, Noah had to know that there was somewhere for the animals to go. So he first sent out a raven. Mount St. Helens illustrates why Noah decided to send a raven first. Among the first new colonizers at Mount St. Helens was the raven. They are part of God's army of scavengers to remove the dead and can live in a wide variety of conditions. Here again we see that even the small details recorded in the Bible are true to real life.

(571) The Gospel in the Last Days by Jacob Prasch, 12/7/15 
We�re looking, of course at �The Gospel in the Last Days�. In a sense what we�re doing now is a sequel � a part two � to something we did a number of years ago. You may remember a number of years ago people were talking about �prepare for blessing�, and �revival�s coming�, and �prepare for the victory� and all this kind of stuff, and of course it didn�t happen. And we had a conference at that time telling people to prepare for persecution and we�ll have to see which has happened: Has persecution come or has revival arrived? Well, revival has certainly not arrived, but as we�ll look at in a minute, persecution has. We�re preparing for persecution. And at that time we pointed out to people the same kinds of challenges that were faced by the Early Church will be faced by the church in the Last Days. The same things happen. I�m not going to go into it in any depth, just very briefly review. Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10 & Part 11

(572) Is Jesus the Abomination that makes desolate, the covenant breaker of Dan.9? by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/20/15 
A number of years ago I sat down with some preterist�s who were convinced in their view of Daniel 9.25-27 is Jesus breaking the covenant and becoming the abomination that makes desolation. This view becomes one of the most distorted errors of the Scripture I have ever encountered. Since then it has come up a number of times and needs to be addressed.

(573) Paul�s Conduct in Ministry and Appeal for Scriptural Separation by Chris Lawson, 12/23/15 
Do they see beyond our words? A practical look at being set apart for the Lord and living for Him so that the Gospel may not be maligned, blasphemed and hindered. Various topics covered in this message include Paul's sufferings, his personal vindication of his ministry, God's appeal to His church - through Paul - to "be ye separate" from the world, and what true repentance looks like and does. 2 Corinthians 6:1-4 � �We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses�� Scripture:  2 Corinthians 6:1-7:12.

(574) The Priority of Not Neglecting Jesus Our First Love by Chris Lawson, 12/31/15 
Jesus Rebukes the Church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7) Christian ministry and service should never replace our personal love and devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ. This message is a reminder for each of us to personally consider what priority we individually place on our personal relationship with Jesus Christ, our obedience to His Word, and whether or not we are neglecting Jesus as our �first love� (Rev. 2:4). This sermon is not intended to needlessly offend Christians, nor is it an attempt to drive people into more �service� for the Lord. Rather, it is a compelling message intended to encourage believers to remember the goodness of the Lord, to repent from spiritual apathy, and to love Jesus and adore Him, thereby returning to Him as one�s first love - in sincerity and in truth. Scriptures: Revelation 1:1-2:7; Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; Colossians 1:18, 24; 2:9; 1 John 5:4-5. Revelation 2:1-7 (KJV) - 1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name�s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

(575) Pray Always and Don't Forget - Luke 18 (Video) by Bill Randles, 1/15/16 

(576) See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ by Mike Ratliff, 1/17/16 
When we do word studies in the Greek New Testament it is vital that we pay very close attention the verb tenses. From these we learn that some statements are commands (imperatives) while others, which some Bible translations render as if they are commands, are actually statements of fact (indicatives or aorists). Confusing these has caused a very large amount of confusion and bad doctrine to pollute the church. 

(577) Setting Aside the Power of the Gospel for a Powerless Substitute by David Dombrowski, 2/13/16 
We are living in a time of mass deception and delusion. If you were to fall off a cliff and only had a rope to hold you, would you not hold onto that rope more tightly? That is what we must do with the Gospel. Jesus� death on the Cross purchased our salvation; we have also been bought by His blood, sealed in a new covenant, and His indwelling presence empowers us to live the Christian life. There is no other power to save!

(578) Bright Hope in Dark Days by Charles H. Spurgeon, 2/15/16 
The path of the Christian is not always bright with sunshine. He has his seasons of darkness and of storm. True, it is written in God's Word, "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace," and it is a great truth, that religion [i.e. Biblical Christianity] is calculated to give a man happiness below as well as bliss above. But experience tells us that if the course of the just be "As the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day," sometimes that light is eclipsed. At certain periods, clouds cover the believer's sun, and he walks in darkness and sees no light.

(479) Mythicism by Robert Stewart, Ph.D. & Marilyn Stewart, M.Div., Watchman Fellowship, Inc., 3/17/16 
The claim that Jesus never existed is virtually unknown prior to the 18th century. Up to that time even Christianity�s fiercest detractors did not deny that Jesus was a historical person. Most New Testament scholars have viewed the arguments behind this claim as too weak to merit a response or to merit anything more than a reference in a footnote. The radical English Deist Lord Bolingbroke in the late 18th century is known to have promoted this idea, followed by French Enlightenment thinkers Constantin-Francois Volney and Charles Francois Dupuis who argued that Christianity borrowed from ancient Persian and Babylonian myths.

(480) Scoffers Will Come by Roger Oakland, 3/18/16 
Bible prophecy is being fulfilled as I write this commentary. While many professing Christians ignore the connection between current events and portions of the Bible that were written thousands of years ago, my advice is that it would be wise for these scoffers to wake-up.

(481) What to do when Biblical counsel is not received? by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/20/16 
The bottom line, if you have a pastor who lacks or refuses to exercise discernment and integrity, this is dangerous to the sheep they are entrusted to protect. The church is their spiritual family. Read Part 1 - What to do when Biblical counsel is not received? and Part 2 - Who's in charge of your church? Do you have a pastor or a politician? 

(482) Elektos by Jacob Prasch, 4/5/16 
So often it is the extremists that divide the body of Christ and cause unnecessary problems, it really is.  You�ve got people who are ultra-Pentecostal or extreme Charismatics who confuse spirituality with mysticism, who confuse basic emotion with the leading of the Holy Spirit; emotional impulse.  Their doctrinal theology is so often a false theology based on experience, not based on the Word of God and we know the Charismatic movement, having been around since the late 1960�s, has never brought any revival.  There was a revival among the hippies but the Charismatic renewal has not renewed these denominations.  These denominations are far worse off now than they were a generation ago; they are ordaining homosexuals, lesbians, and everything else.  The Methodists, the Reformed churches, the Presbyterians, pick any church you want that had the Charismatic renewal and you would be hard pressed to find one of them that has been renewed or restored to biblical foundation.  Now this is in no way a denial of the authenticity of Holy Spirit baptism or a properly understood manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit practiced scripturally.  It is just to say, as we pointed out many times, too much, in fact probably the majority of what we see today, in terms of Charismatic phenomena, is not genuine charismata but the term Chuck Smith once coined, �charismania.�  The theological term for charismania, the actual term, again if you don�t know, is neo-Montanism.  The kind of disorder and chaos you saw at Corinth resurfaced in the early Church with people called the Montanists and this kind of thing has happened at other times. 

(483) Can Bad Hermeneutics Lead to Heresy? with Rob Congdon (Part 1), 4/16/16 
Hermeneutics is one of these words we don't speak about every day in our life, but actually we experience it. Every time you read a book or read a newspaper, you apply a system of hermeneutics. It�s a method to interpret what you�re reading. You expect certain rules, whether you realize it or not, to be applied to that. So, hermeneutics is really, as we use it, a method of biblical interpretation � a system, if you will.

(484) Almost Saved ... But Entirely Lost! by Dr. C. L. Cagan, 4/23/16 
You can�t be changed from a little devil to a real Christian by simply coming to church. You can�t have a conversion by learning things. Your heart is wrong. You are wrong inside. Your heart is �desperately wicked� (Jeremiah 17:9). You cannot change yourself from a goat to a sheep, from a little devil to a real Christian. �With men it is impossible� (Mark 10:27). And with you it is impossible. You need God�s grace! You need a miracle of conversion from God. You are almost saved, but entirely lost. Without a miracle from God, you will always be entirely lost � lost in this life and lost forever in the next world.

(485) A time to weep Eccl. 3:4 by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/8/16 
Israel, the Jewish people and nation has become the dividing line for the church in the last days. There are more that reject God keeping His covenant with them than those who believe God will never forsake Israel because of his covenant. Called by many names, known as replacement theology, this predominant false teaching today is infecting many in various ways.

(486) Slackerly Sloths by Herescope, 5/12/16 
The opposite of the biblical diligence is the idea of sloth.  The sloth mammal was aptly named because its habits so matched the biblical description! 

(487) The Key to being able to teach both Predestination and Free Will by Sandy Simpson, 5/14/16 
When I was in college one of the favorite all night jam sessions was the Predestination vs. Free Will debate.  We would stay up all night and never resolve the problem.  Though I was a Christian I was somewhat immature at the time and had not learned the principle of not imposing manmade constructs on the Scriptures (eisegesis) but rather letting the Bible interpret itself (exegesis) since it consists of the Word of God as breathed by the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16) through the prophets, Apostles and of course, the Word incarnate, Jesus Christ.  There is a famous saying that states: "A text, out of context, in isolation from co-text is always a pre-text."  It certainly was a �pretext� for our lengthy useless arguments on this subject. 

(488) Discernment Detractors: Calling Good Evil by Warren B. Smith, 7/14/15 
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven:��Matthew 5:11-12

(489) Biblical Texts Older Than Estimated at The Berean Call, 6/13/16 
Studying ancient handwriting reveals biblical texts are older than estimated. By using handwriting analysis technology, Israeli scholars from a number of fields have concluded that certain ancient biblical texts are older than originally thought.

(490) Spiritual Warfare: The Unseen Foe Behind Rising Evil by Berit Kjos, 6/14/16 
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron�� 1 Timothy  4:1-2 We don�t hear much about spiritual warfare these days. Most churches seem to ignore the reality of Satan and the evil he inspires. God�s warnings about fellowship with the world�s alluring thrills doesn�t fit the contemporary image of Jesus as a tolerant, easy-going friend.

(419) The Message �bible� butchers Psalm 1:1 by My Word Like Fire, 6/15/16 
Eugene Peterson�s horrendous translation (?) of Psalm 1:1 compared to the genuine thing.

(420) Christians who �turn away� by Sandy Simpson, 6/22/16 
Jeremiah 3:10-11 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD. And the LORD said unto me, �The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.� (KJV) Israel had turned away from the Lord and had gone after the gods of Canaan, namely Baal and Asherah.  Because Israel had prostituted herself with false gods in worshipping the polytheistic gods that started at Babel, God had declared He was divorcing Israel and would send them into exile until they again returned to the true God. But Judah prided itself in doing what God had commended as they had Jerusalem and the Temple.  They disdained Israel for setting up altars to Baal and Asherah poles on high hills.  Yet God was not fooled by Judah�s pretence.  In the KJV it says they were not worshipping God with their whole heart but �feignedly�. 

(421) God�s Word: The Only Protection against the Winds of Theology at The Berean Call, 6/29/16 
Jaw and hands clenched, knuckles white, I fought the sporadic gusts of wind that threatened to wrest the wheel from my control. With each renewed gale the Explorer threatened to skate off the corridor of ice that now constituted I-29. Every quarter mile�or less�we saw yet another car, truck, or semi that had careened into one of the ditches on either side of the interstate. Others were pulled off, idling on the shoulder. I continued on, determined to reach home after a long winter weekend in Minnesota. Despite the relative chill of the vehicle�s cabin, I felt a thin sheen of sweat on my brow as I glanced over at my wife who was similarly on edge and frequently checking on our frightened children in the back seat. One false move and we would join the other travelers, waiting out the blizzard in a ditch. Perhaps you have had a similar driving experience, perhaps not; but if you are a fellow traveler through the life after Adventism, then you�ve almost certainly had a parallel journey. In Adventism you have �the Truth� on nearly every topic imaginable, and you have the assurance of being in God�s true remnant church. Things aren�t nearly that simple after Adventism, though. In fact, there�s a good chance that you, like me, have spent some time lurching back and forth between one ditch or another. When I first came out of Adventism, I found myself flirting with some of the more fringe elements at the edges of the charismatic movement. Over-steering back from the brink of that ditch, I went in the opposite direction and drove straight down into a liberalized version of the seeker-sensitive movement. I spun my tires in that ditch for quite a while before God pulled me and my family out and got us back on the road of our spiritual journey. So how did God get us back on track and where He wanted us? The answer is through a focus on the Word. Early in my journey, God had introduced me to the line-by-line exegetical teaching of a pastor named Bryan Clark�.I continued to listen to Bryan�s sermons online while attending church elsewhere. Hearing the Bible taught like that was the equivalent of refocusing on the road and allowing the ditches to fade into peripheral vision. At the risk of pushing the analogy too far, the Bible paints the solid white lines at the edge of the highway. It tells us what is in bounds, what is out of bounds, and where the ditches are. It also highlights the center line, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which keeps us focused on moving forward in the right direction. Having these guides, we can let off the gas, relax our grasp, and enjoy the ride, secure in the knowledge that God is in control. I see so many former Adventists who, like me, seem to go from one questionable belief system to another, tossed about by the winds of theology. There is really only one remedy: getting deeply immersed in the Word while being plugged into a healthy, well-balanced community of believers. We need the Word and, as we recover from Adventism, we need the guidance the Holy Spirit provides through the church so that we can see and understand the Word in the way He intended. I eventually found that Word-centered community in my home church, and I pray that you will too. It�s time to start living the life after!

(422) What is the Gospel? (Excerpt from An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith by Dave Hunt), 7/1/16 
What is the gospel that saves�and from what does it save us? In order to answer that question, we must go back to the Garden of Eden. It was there, in the most perfect environment that God�s heart of love and His creative power could provide, that man�s rebellion against his Creator had its awful beginning. Eden is not mythology but history, as human experience, selfish ambition, and false religions continue to demonstrate to the present day. Surrounded by beauty, satisfied by abundance, and enjoying the fellowship of their Infinite Friend, our first parents, nevertheless, fell to the seductive lies of Satan. �Ye shall be as gods� was his deceitful promise�and to realize that delusion has been man�s passion ever since. False religions, such as Hinduism and Mormonism, are based upon this lie. Though not deceived himself (1 Timothy:2:14And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.), Adam, in loyalty to Eve, joined in his wife�s disobedience and ate of the forbidden fruit. Thus, �by [this] one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned� (Romans:5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:).

(423) The lack of expository preaching and consequences of sin by Mike Oppenheimer, 7/4/16 
Many stand behind the pulpit who should not be there. So many teach extra-biblical nonsense, stories that are not the focus of the Bible, or their experiences. Either they were not called, or if they were called to ministry they did not allow the time for training and education and have found themselves neglecting the call. 

(424) Do you gather or scatter? by Mike Oppenheimer, 7/8/16 
Many use the parable of the wheat and the tares for not judging. That we are to let the tares grow amongst the wheat inside the church. But, this is NOT what this parable is about. Matthew 13 is part of the mystery kingdom parables. Jesus tells us �The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.� Jesus explains, Matt 13:27-30 "So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' "He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?' "But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 'Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."' The theme in this parable is the field, which is the world, not the Church (the church is in the world). Paul explicitly tells us to purge out leaven from the Church, remove what is false and wicked. The field, which is the world has both believers and unbelievers in it, this separation is done by Christ. And we find only the wheat will go into the Millennium (Messianic Kingdom).

(425) The Nature and Tactics of Satan by Crossroad, 7/14/16 
"...the whole world is under the sway of the evil one." 1 John 5:19 "Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness..." 2 Cor.11:14-15 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world...." 1 John 4:1

(426) The Two Ways - Matthew 7 ~ 6/15/16 by Bill Randles, 7/17/16 
A message on Matthew 7. 

(427) Does Doctrine Matter Anymore? (Video) by Gary Gilley, 8/6/16 
A recent front page article featured in our local (Springfield, Illinois) newspaper was entitled �Mega-Growth.� The article described the phenomenal numerical increase of three of the largest churches in our area. What is it about these churches that have sparked their growth? Why are people flocking to these churches rather than to others? In response one of the pastors said, �Understanding budgets and balance sheets is as important as understanding church doctrine.� Another pastor said, �Church members are more interested in relational issues than doctrine. People care less about questions pertaining to what a church doctrine is and more about the question, �Does this church care for me?��[i] We should not minimize the importance of fiscal responsibility, organizational needs and loving community, but not too many years ago Christians sought out churches that reflected what they believed the Bible taught. No longer. As is evident by what these pastors said, the average Christian today simply does not care much about theology; they are seeking a community that cares for them, or a particular style of music, or an intimate experience, or a service project they can plug into, or any number of things. For the most part they are not choosing to become a member of a church on the basis of what it teaches. To be sure, certain managerial and practical elements are important to the operation of a local church. And the church should be a community, even a family, composed of those who love one another in such a way that the world stands up and notices (see John 13:35). But this almost-wholesale dismissal of doctrine as unnecessary baggage has been uncommon throughout church history. Watch Part 1 - Does Doctrine Matter Anymore? and Part 2 - Does Doctrine Matter Anymore - To Pastors?

(428) The development and origins of modern pre wrath & inter seal positionsby Jacob Prasch, 8/25/16

The first author to identify himself as "Pre Wrath" was CS Lovett in his book "The Latest Word on the Last Days" (1980). It was probably Lovett who actually invented the term 'Pre Wrath'. His view of Pre Wrath combined the Post Tribulational views of Dr. Samuel Tregallis with a Pre Wrath position because he placed the wrath of God only at the very closing phase of the final 7 years preceded by the rapture.


(429) Do Gentiles become Jews when they believe? by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/1/16
As a believer (Gentile) you become part of the body of Christ, not Israel. You are a spiritual Gentile, not a Jew.  Israel is a nation consisting of Jews, Hebrews are an ethnicity who are from the linage of Abraham Isaac and JACOB (the twelve tribes). A Gentile (both believer and non believer) is from Abraham not Isaac and Jacob. Being Abraham�s seed does not make one Jewish. This is where people have been taught wrong. It's Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, (from whom came the 12 tribes) otherwise the Arabs are Jewish too. selah

(430) Blessed are those (Audio) by Gary Gilley, 9/2/16
Psalm 119:1-16

(431) Great Tribulation (Video) by Bill Randles, 9/3/16

Matthew 24.
(432) The Father's House and the Way There by H.A. Ironside, 9/5/16 
Oh, don�t talk about many ways. There is only one�Jesus is the only way. There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus. Have you come to Him? Are you trusting Him? If you are, you are on the way to the Father�s house, and now you can wait with equally glad expectation for the hour of His return, for He said, �If I go, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself.� When will He come? We can�t tell that, but we are waiting for Him day by day. 

(433) Jesus and the gospel - A Bible exposition on what the gospel is and how to use it effectively by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/12/16 
If one says Jesus did not rise physically from the dead but came back in a spiritual body, this is a denial of a core teaching that is related to the gospel of salvation - the resurrection. It changes the 3rd point of the gospel. 1. He (Jesus) died for our SINS. 2. He was buried (proving He actually died), 3. He rose again, resurrected. Taking up the same body He was born and lived in, and still exists in today (in a glorified state). It is this gospel Paul said He delivered to them in. The Gospel concerns God�s only Son and His work on the cross (the crucifixion) on our behalf to forgive our sin. If its focus is on something else, no matter how sacred or from the Bible, then it is not the gospel of Christ.

(434) Casting Our Cares on God by Maria Kneas, 9/19/16 
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7) The parable of the sower in Scripture reveals a condition (the third kind of soil) that can be especially problematic for the Christian who is trying to serve the Lord and be fruitful for the Kingdom�namely that of seed sown among thorns (weeds) that would choke out one�s effectiveness. In explaining this part of the parable, Jesus said: And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Mark 4:18-19, emphasis added)

(435) When God said all of creation was very good in Genesis 1:31, did that include homosexuality? by Luke Wayne, 9/19/16 
No, when God declared creation "very good" in Genesis 1:31 that did not include homosexuality, nor did it include any number of other diverse human behaviors or inclinations that would be found in mankind after the fall.

(436) Are we in Acts 29? by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/12/16
The church is built upon the "foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone" (Ephesians 2:20). While it continues to grow upon this foundation to compare our time period to the early gospel history among those who were alive with Jesus is a mistake and can lead to many errors. While we can draw from it and see modern application in the persecution of Christians and the gospel continuing we must keep this written record inspired of the Holy Spirit as a unique time in the the history of the Church. We are not all apostles that can duplicate or do even greater miracles than Jesus, they didn't. 

(437) Sins of the Fathers, Nepotism, and Apostasy in the Church by Roger Oakland, 10/21/16
There is an obvious pattern observed from a brief study of genealogies found in the Old Testament. When a father follows God and leads the people, overseeing in the right direction, there is absolutely no guarantee this virtue will carry over to the next generation. In other words, the saying �he is a chip off the old block� is not always the pattern we find when it comes to biblical history.

(438) Can water wash away sins, forgive sins? by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/25/16 
If baptism saves, that would be the first thing we would have to do, not believe, but do. We would be told to believe in our baptism, then Jesus could not be the savior but our act of immersion would be saving us.

(439) The Sabbath is not in the New Covenant by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/3/16
You do not get grace or peace through the law, but by only through the Father and Jesus Christ, through the NEW COVENANT. Those who insist on requiring the Sabbath in the new covenant as it was for Israel (only) in the Old Covenant, show their bad bible interpretation skills. They have not been taught the new covenant of grace accurately; some not at all.  Some think the Old Testament laws have been synthesized to the new covenant, some even think they as Gentiles become Jews. Where did the apostles teach the Sabbath was mandatory as it was in the Old Testament? They cannot point to one Scripture after the new covenant is ratified that requires the Church to keep the Sabbath as Israel kept the Sabbath under the Old Covenant. It was personal choice.

(440) On Those who claim to have trips to Heaven by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/6/16 
On the authority of the Word I can say when you hear someone�s personal heavenly experience; remember the bible. Those who claim they are making visits to heaven are not telling the truth, but have departed from it (1 Cor. 4:6).

(441) What of those who claim they died (NDE) and went to heaven and returned by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/20/16 
John, who was the last living apostle was allowed to write his vision as he relayed the future for all the believers to read throughout the centuries. He gave to us the revelation of Jesus Christ which brought the Bible to its conclusion, closing the canon on what God would reveal to man of the future. There are no others that went to heaven (no young children, no adults). From these two apostles we have all the insight we need to have faith of what is waiting for us as pilgrim believers on earth. There is no one else’s word we can trust on this except God’s. 

(442) The truth versus THE Lie - When the truth becomes a lie and the lie becomes the truth by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/6/16 
True believers are to not only to know the truth, but should be able to tell the difference of a lie from the truth. The indwelling Spirit of God is called the Spirit of truth (Jn.14:17; 15:26; 16:13.) He gives them discernment to cut away the chaff from the wheat. The same ways that are used in advertising are being used to lay the groundwork for this Lie that will unite the world to accept the fake Messiah. The biggest lie from self - help and human potential, new age and heretical teachers is that when you find yourself you find God. Or that you are God, or a god, as it is being taught from the false teachers inside the church. There is only one true God. The only way one can stretch this to be acceptable is to tell everyone we are all part of Him, he is us, thus we are all god!

(443) What happened to you after YOU received the gospel? by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/17/16 
Life is filled with changes, accepting Jesus as ones Lord, savior is the greatest change, for it changes everything. So many things took place in our life after we accepted the gospel as the truth. First our eternal destination, direction changed, we are now promised heaven at death whereas before we did not have this hope. Our present relationship with the world changed because we have God personally working in our lives. We have God's Holy Spirit residing in us guiding us. We are now spiritually, not carnally minded as we read the Bible and allow it to inform us and conform us to Christ. Christ’s nature is deposited in every believer to transform us. As we live by His word we spiritually grow. The Holy Spirit reveals the nature of God, transforming His children to be like the Son by this new nature residing in us. Too many struggle with surrender. Many do not want to give up their control, even if they made tremendous mistakes, bad decisions in life. The want to stay in charge, so it becomes a matter of trust. But there is no one you can trust better than the Lord. No longer do you depend on yourself to find the answers, God has given them to you. The gospel does not just have you believe in Jesus, it changes your life into service for Him. Your affections for the world changed, before you were attracted to it and had no power to resist it, now you struggle against them are repelled by sin. Now you have a power inside you that you did not before, to resist and overcome. You have come under new ownership. Jesus is no only your Lord, your savior but he is now your master. You are bond servant.

(444) Filling Up the Sufferings of Christ — Colossians 1:24-26 (Video) by Bob DeWaay, 12/18/16 
This difficult passage has often been misused by those who claim that the “merits of Christ�? can be added to. We explain and defend the eschatological view that Christian suffering is necessary and eventually reaches the limit that God has set for it. What is lacking that is being filled up are sufferings that will ultimately reach that limit and God will avenge His righteous ones. God reveals His truth to those who are like infants and not wise in their own estimation. We must contemplate the claims of the gospel and respond with faith and obedience. 

(445) He is Wonderful by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/19/16 
Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 700 years prior, in Isa 9:6 where the son is promised to be given, born as a man there are a number of descriptions of our Lord, one of them is wonderful. It is what begins of the many names the Son is to be called.Wonderful means Indescribable beyond comprehension to fully grasp. He is the perfect one that is beyond description.We find this name wonderful applied to God in the Old Testament.

(446) Babylon is Fallen - Revelation 18 (Video) by Bill Randles, 12/4/16 
Rev. 18:2 2 With a mighty voice he shouted: “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.

(447) Cultic Practices of the Evangelical Church (Audio) by Jacob Prasch, 12/24/16 
A study on where cultic practices are to be found today while looking at the early church. 

(448) Why I expose error and warn believers by Andy Neckar, Christian News & Views, 1/3/17 
I am grieved for those who cannot understand my concerns and my warnings. I am not "attacking" the ministers who are obviously in error. I have nothing against them personally. I praise the Lord for every good thing in them and for every soul saved under their ministries. But souls saved are "in spite of ", not "because of " many of their messages. God’s Word will not return to Him void. (Isaiah 55:11) I cannot and will not ignore the things they are doing "publicly" which I believe will eventually destroy thousands of sound churches and which will break down Godly walls between truth and error. 

(449) What Is The Second Pentecost? (Audio) by Roger Oakland, 1/8/17 

(450) Does Doctrine Matter Anymore – To Pastors? by Gary Gilley, Think on these things, (Volume 22, Issue 4, July/August 2016) 
All pastors do not have the same giftedness or interests.  Some are excellent shepherds and love direct involvement with people.  Others could spend all of their time behind closed doors in intense study, or in pursuit of any number of advanced degrees (I had a professor at Moody Bible Institute who had master’s degrees in a number of totally unrelated areas, including engineering, just because he loved to study anything. But he lacked people skills that would have enabled him to be a pastor). A good pastor should have a shepherd’s heart but also a student’s mind. Pastors need to take seriously Paul’s admonition to Timothy, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth�? (2 Tim 2:15).  Still, not every pastor will envision himself as a theologian, although all must be pursuing expertize in both the understanding and the communication of the Scriptures. Many, who lack the skills or interest to move beyond basic theological understanding, nevertheless are often fine pastors who feed and protect the flock with which the Lord has entrusted to them.  My hope, however, is that more pastors will take seriously the need to be pastor-theologians so that God’s people will be spared, as much as possible, the many deceptions that are everywhere, and that they are aided in walking in the light of God’s truth.  After all, with the apostle John, we “have no greater joy than this, to hear of [our] children walking in the truth�? (2 John 4).

(451) Certain Men Crept In by Roger Oakland, 1/19/17 
Paul saw Satan’s plan clearly and warned what was coming. Jude saw it happening in his day. Further, these warnings which are included in the inspired Word of God are timeless and are for the church right now. What would Paul and Jude write to the church if they were here today? Would their message have changed in any way? Based on current trends that dilute the Gospel of Jesus and make it into a social-humanistic-psychological-what’s-in-it-for-me gospel, definitely not! Let these same warnings be a wake-up call for us today!

(452) Psalm 22 - The Tola Worm by Mike Oppenheimer, 1/20/17 
Psalm 22 is known as the Psalm of the crucifixion, written nearly 1,000 years before Jesus cries my god my God why have you forsaken me, David prophesies of the crucified one’s words that says in v.6 “I am but a worm and not a man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people." The word worm is not just describing any worm. Here it is tola, an insect that they crushed to get the die color of red/scarlet and used to color the robes of royalty.

(453) How to win the battle by Jacob Prasch, 1/23/17 
Whenever you see a superhuman villain in the Bible, somebody distinct from other people who is a nefarious creature, and you see a combination of three sixes in association with him, we’re looking at a type of the Antichrist. Let’s again look at the dimensions of Goliath’s armor. Height was six cubits – one span, then the weight was five. Then of course, we get down to the weaver’s beam, the size of the spear, which it’s weight was six hundred. So you put it together, obviously you have six-six-six. There’s three sixes. Whenever you see a play on numbers adding up to three sixes where it’s multiples of eighteen in association with a nefarious creature, we’re looking at someone who typifies Antichrist in some way. And not infrequently when you find someone who typifies Antichrist you’ll find someone going before him. Here it’s the armor bearer. Of course the false prophet goes before the beast. There are many, many clues about the Antichrist and what he will be like and what he will do throughout Scripture, but we should always be looking for the number of the beast. Among other things you're looking for somebody who's not just a villain but a villain of superhuman quality because he’s trying to counterfeit Christ – a superhuman.

(454) Biblical Illiteracy: Its Tragedy and Remedy by Gary Gilley, 1/28/17 
Both statistical research and anecdotal observation come to the same conclusion – America, a nation once steeped in Scripture if not always living in obedience to God, has joined the ranks of the biblically illiterate from around the globe.  Theologians and sociologists both speak of our “post-Christian�? culture, while to some extent is still being fueled by the capital of Christianity, which is now all but coasting on empty. Albert Mohler, in a short article entitled “The Scandal of Biblical Illiteracy: It’s Our Problem,�? quotes pollsters George Gallup and Jim Castelli as saying, “Americans revere the Bible—but, by and large, they don’t read it.  And because they don’t read it, they have become a nation of biblical illiterates.�?[1] As a result Mohler documents that fewer than half of all adults can name the four Gospels, identify more than 3 disciples or name even five of the Ten Commandments.  Eighty two percent of Americans believe that “God helps those who help themselves�? is in the Bible.  More comical are the studies that reveal 12 percent of adults believe Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife, a considerable number think Billy Graham preached the Sermon on the Mount,  and 50% of graduating high school seniors think Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife. From a survey not referenced by Mohler it was discovered that some believe that the epistles are the wives of the apostles.  These findings and stories drawn from secular society should not surprise us too much – after all, biblical instruction is seldom found today in our schools, media, clubs or any place else apart from the church.  But sadly the church is catching up to society.

(455) The Calling of the Church by Harry Ironside, 1/30/17 
Now we are sitting “in�? Christ, not “with.�? “With�? Christ will be our happy portion by and by when Christ comes and takes us home, that in the ages to come He may show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Show means that He might exhibit. The church, then, called out of sin and darkness, redeemed to God with the precious Blood of Christ, and linked to the Head with the Spirit, will be one with Christ throughout all the ages to come, and so whatever experiences our Lord may be called upon to go through we shall go through with Him. We shall reign with Him and be with Him when He is all and in all. Our portion will be with Him through all eternity. Let us, therefore, walk worthy of the calling wherewith we are called.

(456) Jesus on Prayer (Video) by Bill Randles, 2/5/17 
Luke 11. 

(457) The Job Description of a Good Shepherd by Roger Oakland, 2/19/17 
Both the Old and New Testaments consist of numerous references that provide the guidelines required for a leader to be classified as a good shepherd. It makes sense that we would look to the Scriptures for guidance because the Bible is the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16) and should be our ultimate authority when it comes to discussing this topic.

(458) Yeast and the Kingdom (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 2/24/17 
Moriel TV is active in the area of discernment withstanding the popular apostasy in the contemporary church that The Word of God warns would precede the return of Jesus. We remain firmly aligned to the conviction that contemporary events in The Middle East , Europe, and in the church make the present time in history different from other eras when people thought it was the last days. We affirm the belief that Jesus is coming again and prophecy of His return is radically being fulfilled increasingly.

(459) Bradford Pear Christianity by Sandy Simpson, 2/28/17 
I was driving along and noticing that spring has sprung here in North Carolina.  One of the first trees to bloom is the Bradford Pear.  I began to notice how that tree has proliferated almost everywhere and then my wife looked up the information on this tree on the web.  As she began to read the facts about this tree and its proliferation I began to see an allegorical parallel to what is going on in much of Christendom.  But before I get into what the Bradford Pear can show us about the churches, I need to present the facts about the tree.

(460) Two-Domain Theology: How We Escape Satan's Dominion by Bob DeWaay, 3/19/17 
"to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me." (Acts 26:18)  People are concerned that they may be demon possessed, cursed, or are somehow suffering because of Satan's activity. They often look for someone who can change their situation by casting out demons, identifying and breaking curses, and taking authority over Satan to stop whatever harm he may be doing. They typically do not realize that their concern should be about what spiritual domain they are in. Pagan shamans perform deliverance, break curses and have techniques to try to affect the well-being of their religious clients. But what they can never do is remove someone from the domain of Satan into the domain of Jesus Christ. Temporarily alleviating symptoms while remaining in Satan's domain does nothing about one's eternal destiny. True escape from Satan is not about symptom relief or geographical boundaries. It is about leaving Satan's spiritual realm and entering the spiritual reign of God in Christ. This is a relational issue and nothing else. The two spiritual domains exist simultaneously and throughout the entire geographical world. There are physically sick and healthy people in both realms. There are happy people with happy lives in both domains. There are sad people with many difficulties in both spiritual kingdoms. But the spiritual well-being and eternal destinies of people are totally opposite depending on whether they are in Satan's darkness or God's kingdom of light. Which kingdom is dependent solely on their relationship to Christ through the gospel.

(461) Dying with Christ by James Jacob Prasch, 3/26/17 
Oh, He is crucified, I have no doubt about that; He is crucified, but how much of Jacob Prasch is crucified with him.  He is risen, I have no doubt He is risen.  I am absolutely convinced of the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  There is no question in my mind, he is indeed risen.  What I question is, how much is Jacob Prasch living and walking in the power of his resurrection, have I risen with him?  He is speaking to me but am I hearing what He is saying?  He is trying to explain the scriptures but do I understand it?  I am on the road to Emmaus, but he acts as if he would go further.  He’s just going to keep going!  They had to invite him. 

(462) Heresy and Biblical Thinking (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 3/30/17 

(463) Gideon’s Army - Judges 7 by James Jacob Prasch, 4/2/17
We are afflicted in every way, crushed? No, just afflicted.  Despairing?  No, just perplexed.  Persecuted, but not forsaken.  Struck down, but not destroyed.  Always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.  We are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our mortal flesh.  We have this treasure in earthen vessels.  We have the light in the vase, it has to be smashed that the light will shine.  The enemy will be defeated.  Life comes from death, death to self.  The victory comes by the few, not by the great.  That is the way it was for Gideon and that is the way it is for us today, this day, right here. 

(464) Biblical Literacy by Gary Gilley, Think on These Things, Volume 23, Issue 2, March/April 2017 
I have found an amazing thing: when believers feed on a steady diet of biblical truth they have little craving for cotton candy fads.  Why would anyone trade in the fountain of life for cisterns that can hold no water (Jeremiah 2:13)?  Of course many have and do, but the solution is not to crawl into the cistern, it is to showcase the fountain.  Church growth gurus tell us today that people have little interest in the Word of God and we will never build a “great�? church if teaching truth is the focus of our ministries.  They have a point.  In most cases big churches have grown due to church growth techniques, marketing, excellent music, exciting programs, and mirroring the culture by telling people what they want to hear.  But no matter the size, whether 20 or 20,000, a great church must be defined by God, not culture.  It must never be forgotten that it was the richest and most prosperous church of Asia that the Lord said He would spit out of His mouth (Rev 3:16), while those churches which seem to be insignificant received the Lord’s commendation (Rev 2:8-11;3:7-13).  Let us strive to please our Savior by obeying His instructions to proclaim the Word and making disciples.

(465) “Just as in the days of Noah …�? by James Jacob Prasch, 4/7/17 
There will be demonoids on the earth again in the Last Days, ultimately pointing to Antichrist, the Beast of Revelation who will be something approximating an incarnation of Satan, not in the sense that Jesus was incarnate but approximating it.  It is moving in that direction, demonoids, demonic beings.  That is what happened in the days of Noah.  Now, something else happened in the days of Noah.  God said to build an ark.  It’s dimensions all meant something in Biblical numerics; 30 cubits by 50 cubits, look at the dimensions again: “Three hundred cubits shall be it’s length, it’s breadth 50 and it’s height 30.�?  Three hundred cubits in the Bible is the number of the Elect, as in Gideon’s Army was 300, 50 is the number of the Holy Spirit, hamashim in Hebrew, the day of Pentecost, and 30 is the number of spiritual maturity.  David began to reign as king when he was 30; Jesus began his ministry at the age of 30.  Three hundred, fifty, thirty—a picture of the Church, what it is meant to be.  Pitched within and without—indwelt with the Spirit, the Spirit outside and in, outpoured.  It is the place of safety.  When God’s people got on that ark, when the whole number of those to be saved were in, God closed it.  Now is the appointed time.  Today is the day of salvation.  Get on that ark and beginning with your families, get as many people on that ark as you possibly can.  The hour is coming when the hand of God is going to close that door.  “Just as it was in the days of Noah.�?

(466) Evidence for the Resurrection by James Jacob Prasch, 4/10/17 
I wish I could tell you “Happy Easter�? and in one way I can.  He is risen.  He is coming again but if you don’t know him, your future is not happy, be you Gentile or be you Jew.  The evidence is there.  Please do not walk out that door today without giving your life to the Messiah, Jesus, Yeshua.  When the Romans nailed him to that cross it was by the prophetic ordaining of God that he would pay the price for your sin and mine.  When he rose from the dead it was to give us eternal life.  He did it, he did it.  But now he wants to show you.  Please, if you don’t know him, please stay and talk to Marco or myself.  Chronos and kairos, the clock is ticking away.  My friend, if you don’t know Jesus the Messiah, I can tell you one final thing.  For those who do know him, we don’t have to be afraid to go to sleep, but if you don’t know him, you’d better be afraid to die.  Don’t be a fool, don’t be a loser, the price is already paid, he has already made the way, that is Easter, that is the Resurrection; that is the truth! 

(467) Salt free Christianity, the way of  today's Church by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/19/17 
We hear of all different kinds of ingredients in food that we should avoid for our health. Salt is high on the list. Today salt is used as a flavor enhancer, but in biblical times it had a more important purpose, it preserved meats. It was the most available way to keep meat from going bad. Lev. 2:13 “and every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.’  Rom. 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.�?  Your body is a living sacrifice to God when you are employed in his service. This is why Paul follows this with not being conformed to the world; if we are conformed to the world we are no longer having salt in our sacrifice.

(469) Joseph and Jesus - Genesis 37 (Video) by Bill Randles, 3/8/17 

(470) The goal of man: Lessons in basic Christianity by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/23/17 
There is no greater goal or ideal than for man to be in sync with God, and do His will instead of sinful mans. It is God that gives us new life by our response of acceptance to his Gospel. 2 Cor. 5:17 if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away�? Eph. 2:4-5 “even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)�? We learn that by faith which he has initiated by his grace we are appointed to do his will, that God has a plan for our life.

(471) Reject The Benedict Option: We Must Affirm Scripture Alone by Bob DeWaay, 5/14/17 
"Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) Conservative author Rod Dreher has written a popular book that promotes the claim that we must rebuild a Christian culture by learning from the 6th century monastic, Benedict.1 The underlying premise of the book is that Christianity needs a Christian culture in order to insure that our children are not assimilated into a culture of barbarism. This will likely involve removing ourselves from the current culture as much as possible. He compares this to the Jews coming out of Babylon (Dreher: 18). The danger, according to Dreher, is that our faith will not survive more than a couple generations. This warning is particularly aimed at Christians in America. Dreher names the current culture "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism" (45 and elsewhere). This means that we try to find happiness and direction fully disconnected from God. Since Deists were part of the founding of America, he assumes that Deism is our key problem (35). Dreher includes a brief history of religion and philosophy in order to set the stage for "Saint" Benedict and what we are to learn from him. Dreher presents a rather romantic view of the Middle Ages and apparently sees their view of "God in everything" as desirable. Consider his glowing description of Medieval man ...

(472) This Week In Prophesy, including introduction of a new book (Video) by Jacob Prasch, 5/15/17 

(473) Why Definitions Matter by Gary Gilley, 5/19/17 
It was Mark Twain who famously said, “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.�? Used by Twain, the distinction between being a mediocre author and great one, such as himself, was the choice of words.  If this is important to a novelist, how much more important it is to the Christian attempting to communicate timeless truths given to us by our Creator God. Words and their meanings matter.  Unfortunately, in our Christian lingo, we tend to use sloppily thrown out words and terms which can mislead others and, in time, some of these terms take on lives of their own.   While often harmless in their intent, I would contend that when we do so we unknowingly miscommunicate important truths that our Lord has revealed to us, and/or mislead ourselves and others as a result.  We need to give serious attention to our terminology in order to avoid such things. In this paper I want to identify a few words or terms bandied about in Christian circles which need some consideration.

(474) What is Satan's greatest ploy? by The Berean Call, 5/21/17 
We are born again by the Word of God. Well, if that’s the case, Satan is going to do whatever he can to destroy the Word of God. Then it goes on a little…well, without going into the details, the verses in between – verse 25 says: “And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.�? So here we find out why we must preach the gospel, because if you don’t believe the gospel you are lost. You can’t be born again except through believing the gospel. It’s that simple; this is what the Bible says. So the importance of the Word of God…we are to earnestly contend for this faith that comes through the Word of God.

(475) Few Americans Believe The Bible Is The Literal Word Of God at Understand the Times, 5/26/17 
Fewer than one in four Americans ¯ just 24 percent ¯ believe the Bible is “the actual word of God, and is to be taken literally, word for word,�? according to a new survey by Gallup. 

(476) A Review Of Randy White's Article Delegitimizing Discernment Ministries by James Jacob Prasch, 5/28/17 
As requested I have carefully read Randy White's article with its summary dismissal of all Discernment ministries. As with most deceptive agendas , the opening paragraphs of his article reveal his motive: He is attempting to misrepresent his heretical view as a non essential (Gnat instead of a Camel), when in fact it is a fundamental distortion of the scriptural Gospel as per Galatians chapter 1: 6-9. The New Testament unambiguously teaches that believers are indeed already under the New Covenant (eg.2 Corinthians 3:6, Hebrews 7:22) and the denial of this is not the biblical Gospel.

(477) Baptism & Resurrection - Exodus 14-15 (Video) Bill Randles, 5/3/17 

(478) How to Win the Battle (Series) by James Jacob Prasch, 6/8/17 
There are many, many clues about the Antichrist and what he will be like and what he will do throughout Scripture, but we should always be looking for the number of the beast. Among other things you're looking for somebody who's not just a villain but a villain of superhuman quality because he’s trying to counterfeit Christ – a superhuman. Read Introduction, How Do You Defend Against the Invasion?, The Commanders of Saul, The Primary Opposition, The Preparation of God's Shepherds, The Lord's Weapons, Don't Wear Saul's Armor, First the Stone, Then the Sword, and Not Just a Children's Story

(479) What Does it Mean to Repent and Be Saved? by Dr. Harry Ironside, 6/12/17 
LTRP Note: Lighthouse Trails believe that one of the reasons so many proclaiming Christians are turning to contemplative mysticism is because they have been following a non-biblical “Gospel�? that has kept them from a true born of the Spirit (born-again) relationship with Jesus Christ. Thus, mystically-induced experiences take the place of that relationship. The following article by Dr. Harry Ironside explains what repentance (a requirement for salvation and being born-again – “except ye repent�? – Luke 13:3-5) entails. It may surprise a number of people when they discover what repentance really is.

(480) The Silent Church in the Day of Apostasy by Warren B. Smith, 6/16/17 
Traditional Christian believers frequently mention the analogy of the frog that is so slowly and gradually boiled in a kettle of water that it dies before ever realizing what is going on. Yet many believers fail to realize that the very same thing is happening to them as they tell that story. How else do you explain the rapid rise of the “new gospel�? movement with hardly a word of concern within the church about what’s been happening? As “new gospel�? advocates continue to publish bestselling books and flock to the airwaves in ever-increasing numbers to advance their cause, there is a strange silence in the church. Does the church have any idea what is going on?

(481) Election of Israel: True Israel, True Prophecy by James Jacob Prasch, 6/19/17 
In the past we have spoken of those who have the most radical positions against the prophetic purposes of God for Israel and the Jews and for the election of Israel, the most extreme radical or most radical Replacementists.  You have people like John Piper in America, a man who is misled and who misleads others on this point and on others.  But, in more recent years, you have Hyper-Charismatics, people caught up in Post-Millennialism, Dominion Theology, influenced by people like George Eldon Ladd, the Theologian, and extrapolating things from what he wrote.  Many of these people began right but then began going off.  One of them who began right and began going off was someone called Arthur Wallis.  His earlier books were quite good; then he went off.  It is not always easy to see where these people really began to go off.  They will always attribute things to people like Austin Sparks.  Now Austin Sparks said many good things, but whether Austin Sparks really believed all the things that these people, in retrospect, attribute to him is debatable.  Clearly, however, George Eldon Ladd was misled and so John Piper is misled and so are a number of these people.  It is not our purpose now, but some of you are new so I have to point something out.  We have a recording called “The Twin Pillars of Madness�? and we explain about Hyper-Charismatics who get into Replacement Theology.  Now, I myself believe in all the gifts of the Spirit, understood and practiced biblically. I don’t believe in the deceptions and counterfeits happening today.  I don’t believe in Charismania, but I do believe in charismata.  Cessationism is an un-biblical doctrine.  However, are we talking about charismata?  No we are talking about Charismania.\

(482) Children of the Light by James Jacob Prasch, 6/25/17 
If the light is dark, how great is the darkness? It should not overtake us. It should not! But if you are swallowing these false proclamations of global peace and false plans to achieve peace you are on the very slippery slope; you have already got your head in the trap. If you are not being alert—if you are not watching the prophetic significance of the times in which we live, certainly events in the Middle East. If you’ve got your head in the sand, you’ve got your head in the trap. If you are caught up in these counterfeit revivals that are not revivals, if you are following these false prophets and these crazy people teaching heresy, you’ve got your whole body in the trap. You better pray that God sends an angel with an acetylene torch to get you out of there because you are in trouble. If you believe that stuff you will believe anything—not forearmed, not putting on the armor! You are vulnerable and not understanding what the Lord is saying to churches that once had the truth and have gravitated away from it. Discernment evaporates. This should not happen to sons of light. This day should not overtake the sons of light. It shouldn’t happen to us, it shouldn’t. But friends, I can tell you something, those foolish virgins are going no place! This is dangerous. I see this in my own life. I struggle with it every day. Brother Jacob Prasch the preacher, or whatever you are…. If you are a son of light, why don’t you try living like it? Knowing the theology and the doctrine is one thing; picking up your cross daily and following Jesus and living it out is another. Oh, the devil is a deceiver, the world is a deceiver. Even sin has an innate capacity to deceive, sin itself deceives. But there is nobody who can deceive us like ourselves. There is nobody who can lie to you like yourself. There is nobody who can con you like yourself; there is nobody who knows you better than your old nature. The darkness. They don’t know where they are going. Glen Beck does not know where he is going. Those politicians don’t know where they are going. THEY DON’T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE GOING! How can we tell them when we don’t know where we are going either? Once the light gets dark, how dark is the dark. We, by the grace of Jesus and only by the grace of Jesus, we are sons of light. By the grace of Jesus, in these last and perilous days, may be enable us to live like it. God Bless.

(483) “Eugene Peterson on changing his mind about same-sex issues and marriage�? by Jonathan Merritt, Religion News Service, 7/14/17 
LTRP Note: The following news story from Religion News Service is posted for informational and research purposes and not as an endorsement of the source or the content. The Message “Bible�? has had a huge impact on Christianity. Famous pastors, like Rick Warren, have quoted from it extensively, which has played a huge role in developing the present-day nearly apostate church. It’s too bad more Christians didn’t take heed to some of the warnings about Eugene Peterson and The Message over the past several years (see article links below).

(484) Heavy Shepherding and the Moses Principle (Video) by James Jacob Prasch-Live Via Skype, 7/18/17 

(485) How to spiritually grow in the times we live in by Mike Oppenheimer, 8/8/17 
Emergent church, the word-faith movement, positive confession, prosperity movement; Postmodernism; Inter-faith, ecumenism, the list is long as to what is being introduced as genuine. You can choose your teaching, these are the various choices of today’s poisons. Many have already found out they have been lied to by their involvement with these aberrations but it becomes the most hurtful when it takes place to the youth as it is disguised being in the church.

(486) The Counterfeit Bible And Prophecy (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 8/21/17 

(487) Understanding Ahab and the spirit of Jezebel (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 8/24/17 

(488) This Week In Prophecy (Video) by James Jacob Prasch via Skype, 9/11/17 
September 9, 2017 Are the hurricanes God's judgement on America? Wars and Rumors of Wars.

(489) The end is never ending…And there will be false prophets among you by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/20/17 
Too many people have seen the solar eclipse of this last month as a sign of the end. Numerous news sources are reporting on Christian numerologist David Meade, a self-proclaimed “researcher,�? predicting that a series of apocalyptic events will begin on Sept. 23 and, “a major part of the world will not be the same.�? David Meade, a theoretician and researcher, told The Washington Post that an astronomical event will occur September 23, 2017, and it will lead to Earth’s destruction. He explained that his reasoning is because of several Bible verses and a series of numerical codes Some take this to mean the world is beginning to end, others actually think it is the end. Does anyone read the Bible on this subject or are they are flying in cloud 9 with their instrument panel broken?

(490) Don’t Expect The Rapture On September 23, 2017 by Scott Pruit, 9/22/17 
There are many popular Bible teachers making the assertion that September 23, 2017, will be a significant date in Bible prophecy. Some are saying that on that date the rapture may or even will occur. They even claim this idea has strong Biblical support. Let’s take a look at this claim and see what the Bible really says about it.

(491) Our pilgrim’s journey by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/24/17 
Life for everyone is a journey, there are only two destinations. We are all pilgrims on earth. No one gets out of here without suffering, being injured or scarred. We all face hardships and tragedies in a fallen world. It’s what we do with life’s travesties that make a difference in our character now and what we will be later. The world will suck the life out of you, it’s not your friend; The Bible says whoever loves this world is an enemy of God. Does bad talk offend you, does cussing, are you offended by some of the things in our culture and the music? I hope so. If not you may have become too friendly with the world.

(492) The Second Rock Incident - Numbers 20 (Video) by Bill Randles, 9/20/17 

(493) They wanted him dead by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/30/17 
From the beginning they wanted to kill Jesus, the first day he read the scriptures in the synagogue they wanted to throw him off a cliff Luke 4:28-30 "So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff.  Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.“ Jesus being in control of the elements was able weave his way through to escape because there was a certain time he would give his life. Mark 9:31-32 For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.�? Jesus told his closest disciple how the end of his life would come, he was in complete control of everything that would take place. Although Satan and religious men wanted him gone it would not happen until he allowed it to. John 5:16-19 “For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working." Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

(494) Is the Blessed Hope The Rapture? Expose on J.D. Farag (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 10/28/17 

(495) A Prayer God Will Answer by James Jacob Prasch, 11/1/17 
And so becomes the question--Why is it that God heard the prayer of Moses? Why is it that it was the incense of Moses and Aaron that God took into account? What was it that made God hear their prayer? Not once, not twice, three times. What was it? The thing that made God hear the prayer of Moses is the thing that will make God hear your prayer and mine. The thing that caused God to inhale the incense of Moses is the thing that will make that same God find your incense and mine acceptable. Why did God hear the prayer of Moses? Did God hear his prayer because he was called? Yes God heard his prayer because he was called but there was more to it than that. Did God hear his prayer because his doctrine was correct? Yes his doctrine was indeed correct and God heard his prayer but there is more. Did God hear his prayer because his motives were pure? Yes God heard his prayer because his motives were pure, but there is more than that. Did God hear his prayer because he did not abuse or exploit his position? Yes God heard his prayer because he did not abuse or exploit the sheep misusing his position. All those things are true; all those things are indefensible and if someone lacks those things I would not expect God is going to hear their prayer. It says in James "You can ask and not receive it you don't ask with a right motive." That is all true but there is something more than that. As crucial, as vital as each of those things are there was another reason, an even greater reason that God heard the prayer of Moses. Because when they turned against Moses, indeed, when they rebelled against God himself, when they were not called, when their doctrine was false, when their motives were not pure, when they followed scoundrels what did Moses do? He fell on his face and said "Spare thy people, O Lord." He did what Jesus did. He said "Forgive them." Why should God become a man and hang of the cross for a cocaine dealer and a campus radical from New York like me? Why? I do not know why. Maybe someday he will tell me why. In heaven I will know why, but right now I don't know why he did, I just know that he did! He hung between the place of the living and the dead. When he hung there, despite all the things I did to him, despite the terrible things I had done, he said "Father, forgive him. Father forgive them, they know not what they do." These people don't know. Do you think these people in Frangipane’s church...they don't have a clue, they don't know. They have never been to a Bible study in the sense that you would know what one is. They don't know. Does it get me angry? I am sure it got Moses angry. It certainly got God angry. But there was another side of God. Before his judgment came he wanted to show his mercy. He wanted to give people a chance to repent and be saved. And so God heard the prayer of Moses. Of course he was called. Was his doctrine right? Absolutely. Where his motives pure? Yes! Did he exploit or abuse God's people? No, never. Are all these things true? Certainly, yes but there was more to it. The reason God sniffed that incense, the reason God heard that prayer is the one reason God will hear your prayer and mine. We must be called, our doctrine must be right, our motives must be pure, we must not exploit or abuse his people, that is a given. But the capacity to say "Dear God, they have rebelled against you, they've turned against me, they have cursed me, they have unjustly accused us when we were only doing your will. Please forgive them." That is why God heard the prayer of Moses. That is the one prayer, as it were, that God himself cannot turn a deaf ear to. That is the one prayer that God can never say no to. "Father, forgive them." 

(496) Shocked by "shocked by the Bible" by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/19/17 
When one come along with a best selling book and is interviewed on radio (Christian) claiming he is teaching what the church does not understand or is missing, I pay attention. Joe Kovacs may need an addendum to his book title “Shocked by the Bible�?, such as “shocked by his interpretation.�? I certainly am as I read and hear his explanations. Read: (1) Shocked by "shocked by the Bible" p.1 - Joe Kovacs errors of Interpretation(2) Shocked by the bible p.2 -  Mankind being made gods (3) Shocked by the Bible p.3 Becoming Children, becoming gods (4) Shocked by the Bible p.4 Works for salvation?

(497) Guarding the Gospel with Discernment by Mike Gendron, 12/6/17 
What is the greatest attack on the church today? That was the weighty question asked of the speakers at a recent conference. I promptly responded, "The greatest attack we are seeing today is on the exclusivity and purity of the Gospel." The exclusivity of the Gospel declares all other faiths are false because no one can come to God except through the atoning death of Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). The exclusivity of the Gospel also humbles the pride of self-righteous people and calls them to repentance.  This is why many pastors are compromising the Gospel. They want to make it more inclusive in order to draw a larger following, gain more influence and be loved by more people. This man-pleasing gospel makes people comfortable in their sin but it has no power to save them.  It has become popular because it exalts man and his importance and diminishes God and His significance.  It also emphasizes God's love while ignoring His holiness, justice and hatred of sin. 

(498) Jerusalem – A Cup of Trembling to the Nations by Bill Randles, 12/8/17 
In view of last week’s UN Vote on the day the UN designates “Palestinian day,�? in which 151 nations voted that Israel has no claim on Jerusalem,  and of last week’s six UN anti Israel resolutions ,and  and in view of today’s historic declaration by President Trump that Jerusalem is the Capitol of Jerusalem, I  thought it fitting to re-run this 2010 exposition of Zechariah 12. Prophecy is being fulfilled this very day! 

(499) Jerusalem - The Capital of Israel by Roger Oakland, 12/9/17 
Anyone who has read the Bible knows that Jerusalem has been the capital of Israel since the nation’s foundation. So why is there such a controversy following President Donald Trump’s decision to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel now? 

(500) When Error Leads to Destruction by Danny Isom, Walk with the Word, 12/11/17 
One of the primary reasons that a Holy Spirit-filled, born again Christian is supposed to devote themselves to Scripture, is because it reeducates us where we have been deceived by the world by the very words that we use. Nearly every definition of a term found in God’s Word is manipulated or outright redefined by the world’s dictionary so that it does not resemble that which God’s Word originally intended. And thus we learn the true meaning of such things as “love�?, “faith�? or “hope�? through Scripture, whose respective biblical definitions are a measurable contrast to the world’s meaning. But even lesser, more ordinary words can be misconstrued because we still assume that God’s Word is using them in the fashion most familiar to our worldly upbringing. It would not be unusual to read the above passage and interpret the phrase “to their own destruction�? as merely meaning, “potentially harmful�? or “not beneficial�?. That is not how Scripture uses the term “destruction�? at all. When someone distorts Scripture, the eventual consequences are far more serious than most realize.

(501) The Spiritual Seduction of Satan (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 12/29/17

(502) What is That verse doing There? by Sandy Simpson, 1/12/18
I want to preface this article by saying that there are elements of eschatology that are debatable among true believers, in particular the Rapture.  The debate among Premillennial Rapturists (Preterists, Amillennialists and Postmillenialists are in grave error) has long been a topic of conversation.  I am not stating that my view is the only one among true Christians.  What I am saying is that the presence of the following verse in the narrative of Revelation is curious and needs careful consideration. Revelation 16:15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.�?)

(503) The Forbidden Chapter (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 1/20/18

(504) The Doctrine of Christ by Bill Randles, 1/22/18

(505) True & False Repentance - 2 Corinthians 7 (Video) by Bill Randles, 1/3/18

(506) Where will Christ return to? (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, Live via Skype, 2/9/18

(507) Why Brokeness is Necessary - Hebrews 12 (Video) by Bill Randles, 2/7/18

(508) What dies ... the Spirit or the body? by Mike Oppenheimer, 2/23/18
Unfortunately there are some who are not confident but confused. The Bible has spoken, Christ is in heaven and so all believers go because of his grace gift to be where He is.

(509) Did God break His Covenant with Israel? (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, Live Via Skype, 2/24/18

(510) The Way, the Truth & the Life - John 14 (Video) by Bill Randles, 2/11/18

(511) Response To Questions On The "Pure Word" Translation by James Jacob Prasch, 3/6/18
Frankly, it is a ridiculous piece of junk that is hard to believe anyone literate in Greek could defend or endorse. It interpolates translated terms not found in the original Greek manuscripts as if they were included in the original. It is sort of like 'The Amplified' Bible in that it tries to represent the nuances or possible meanings to the original text, except that the Amplified sticks to the text as a valid 'study bible' and places the expanded possible meanings grammatically and linguistically into brackets etc. This hideous thing goes beyond the original text and fails to make parenthetical, italicize, or footnote, but re-writes the text into English as if the insertions were found in the ancient manuscripts.

(512) The Poison of Augustine (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 3/9/18

(513) Two Kinds of Blindness - John 9 (Video) by Bill Randles, 1/31/18

(514) Saturday or Sunday (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 3/13/18

(515) Avoiding Counterfeit Violins from After Darkness, Light - Part 9, 1 John 2:26-27 by Stephen Davey, 3/24/18
The truth is, the 21st century is really no different than the 1st century. So much so that the Apostle will warn the church of counterfeit ministers, counterfeit gospels, counterfeit doctrines and counterfeit Christians.iii The average Christian might be left to worry – “How can I tell the difference in a world spiritual counterfeits – I’m not a theological expert – I never took Cults 101 or How to Spot a Spiritual Deceiver 102. What kind of equipment can I possibly have to enable me to tell the genuine item from a forgery . . . a cheap imitation? How can I avoid an imitation violin, in the spiritual world?

(516) Do we establish the kingdom by power or force? by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/2/18
In our day many wrong things are taught within the Spiritual warfare movement, one of them that is crucial is the aggressiveness the church is to have, like a military army for establishing the kingdom on earth. Matthew 11:12-13 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.�? It is this particular scripture that is the basis of this movement. I have heard a number of explanations on this passage that do not seem to fit the meaning when one takes into account what Jesus himself said about the kingdom and who enters it. So I want to offer a different view that I hope can give light to a perplexing scripture. Who was in charge until John the Baptist came on the scene? It was the religious leaders, particularly the Pharisees. When John came to preach repentance, the Pharisees came out to see him and reacted (strongly) against his message. The kingdom of heaven suffered violence, because Pharisaic Judaism was violent. It lacked compassion, mercy and fairness. John was the beginning of something new. Matt 11:13 “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John, this was the dispensation of law under Moses’ old covenant. John was preaching of the Christ who was to come. A new dispensation where a new covenant will be instated. Matt 3:1-2  “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" In other words his answer went against the Pharisaic practices of the day. It was what all of Israel had been anticipating, waiting for, but it was not to come through the Pharisees Judaism.

(517) Yoma: The Day Of Atonement by James Jacob Prasch, Luke 4:14-26, 4/16/18
Obviously, there is one Messiah, two comings, and this is how we understand in large part, the 69th and 70th week abridgment in the Book of Daniel, but we see it here. He comes into the synagogue and notice certain things; it refers to him as the “Son of Joseph,�? other places he is called “Son of David,�? here he is called “Son of Joseph�? in the town where he grew up. Now, most of you know “HaMashiach ben Yosef,�? HaMashiach ben David,�? “the Messiah the Son of Joseph, the Messiah the Son of David.�? Here he is called “Son of Joseph.�? Now remember, Joseph was accepted by Gentiles but rejected by his Jewish brothers. He was rejected in his own land and they threw him out, they got rid of him and Gentiles accepted him. So it is here when Jesus is identified as “Son of Joseph�? where he begins telling two stories of Elijah and Elisha, whom the Gentiles accepted when the Hebrew people rejected them. He is making that comparison of himself to them which has the people quite indignant. Yet his words were gracious. But once he told them the truth about himself, they were not so gracious. Once they found out where he was really coming from, they became indignant and became angry. It is the same thing today. You can preach a good sermon or present a good gospel message, teach an interesting Bible study and people will like it, but once you begin to deal with what is wrong with the church and what is wrong with them, those same people will very quickly turn on you like a rat with rabies, in an instant. Now what happened here in Nazareth was a foreshadowing of what would happen to him in Jerusalem after the triumphal entry. He compares himself to Elijah and Elisha and what took place with them.

(518) The Original Lie by Michael Penfold, 4/18/18
Humanity’s first sin stemmed from hell’s first lie when, in Eden’s garden, Satan tempted our first parents with a powerfully attractive but ultimately deceptive proposal: “Disobey God and look what will be yours�?.

(519) "Beware of" by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/1/18
The word carries the meaning to be aware and to avoid. It means we must identify things to be safe. Jesus spoke numerous times of what to beware of. He said what these were for our own safety. Matt 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.�? These are those who look like anyone else on the outside but inside, their heart is filled with sinful thoughts, even evil. They have agenda’s and they do not make your life better but what they do is always best for themselves. They manipulate while sounding religious or spiritual. Since wolves eat sheep these are our enemy and we are told they are among us, and will increase. They are in the church and to bring harm spiritually and even physically to God’s children. Matt. 10:16-20 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.�? These are those who betray you and want to bring physical harm because of your religious beliefs are in opposition to theirs, they exercise vengeance on you. This may not be a common occurrence in America now but it is in the world. In America they want you silenced, gone. If you stand up for Christ in any way, speak of the Bible, or speak the truth and threaten to expose them they want you quiet.

(520) Fall of the House of Saul by Jacob Prasch, 5/5/18
1 Samuel 28:6: "And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets." We are not certain what Urim and Thummim were, but we do know they were two kinds of stones in an ephod case on the high priest's chest. Urim has to do with the Hebrew word for lights; this is how they discerned God's leading and direction in some circumstances in Old Testament Israel. We see in 1 Samuel 28:6 that God stopped giving light to King Saul; He stopped hearing King Saul. Saul's leadership was at this point totally backslidden, and had become treacherous. When leadership backslides, something else happens: God stops speaking to that leader or those leaders. God would not speak to Saul by prophets – perhaps God would send him false prophets, but no longer any true prophet, such as Samuel. One of the things that take place in this kind of situation is that God removes prophetic voices.

(521) Nests in the Altars by Harry Ironside, 5/6/18
Millions of Christians could testify to the fact that He has never failed one who commits all things into His hands. If we have never done it before, if we have never yielded ourselves and all our affairs, oh, that we might do it today. He is waiting to have us do that very thing. He longs to undertake for us; and then, indeed, we shall know the meaning of these words, “The sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.�? Then, too, we shall enter into and understand the next verse, “Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house: they will be still praising Thee.�? Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin; The blood of Jesus whispers peace within. (Edward Henry Bickersteth, Jr., 1875)

(522) Go Teach All Nations - Matthew 28 (Video) by Bill Randles, 4/15/18

(523) The Knowledge of God: Father, Son & Holy Spirit - Matthew 28 (Video) by Bill Randles, 4/29/18

(524) Nehushtan (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 5/19/18
John 3:14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;

(525) Theologians Warn Andy Stanley's Message to 'Unhitch' Old Testament Is Heresy by Stoyan Zaimov, The Christian Post, 5/22/18
Megachurch pastor Andy Stanley's recent message in which he urged Christians to "unhitch" their faith from the Old Testament continues to draw flak, with some calling it heresy. Both Kevin DeYoung of Christ Covenant Church and Wesley Hill of Trinity School for Ministry are calling Stanley out for what they contend is heretical teaching — namely, Marcionism — that stems from the early church days.

(526) More Parables of Warning - Luke 12 (Video) by Bill Randles, 5/20/18

(527) 2 Thessalonians (3 Videos) by James Jacob Prasch, 5/26/18 - Watch 2 Thessalonians 1, 2 Thessalonians 2 and 2 Thessalonians 3.

(528) Spiritual Discernment What It Is and How to Get It by Dr. Shelton Smith, 5/27/18
Spiritual discernment! What is it? Where do you learn about it? Is it something we need? If so, how do we get it? Okay, let’s see if we can find the answers to these questions.

(529) Spiritual Thirst - Psalm 42 (Video) by Bill Randles, 5/27/18

(530) Does God only heal or does he afflict and take life? by Mike Oppenheimer, 6/2/18
1 Tim. 6:13 “God who gives life to all things.�? Rom. 4:17 who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.�? So many focus on God being the healer, which he does out of his graciousness, but they ignore and some even deny that God will afflict and take life. A cursory look at the Bible proves them wrong. The first recorded instance of Gods judgment he pronounces to Adam and Eve that they would die. He later pronounced judgment on the human race when sin and wickedness rose to its zenith, yet he gave mercy through Noah which they refused. The Lord throughout history has afflicted man for his sin though he often accompanied it with mercy. Here are just few instances of his judgment. Isa. 30:20 “and though the Lord gives you The bread of adversity and the water of affliction�?, Ps. 119:67 David says "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep thy word."V.75 "In your faithfulness you have afflicted me." David attributed his affliction to God Deut. 32:39:“Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal.�? Numbers 12 Mariam was afflicted with leprosy because she disobeyed the Lord, she was healed when she repented of her rebellion.

(531) Principles of Persecution by James Jacob Prasch, 6/4/18
When persecution comes, some people will stand that you would not expect. Other people will fall away, whom you think would stand. It is amazing to read the history of the English martyrs in "Foxe's Book of Martyrs," and see those people you thought would have stood, but who ran away; and other people who you thought would have run away, but they stood. God judges the heart. He knows what is really in us. If there is one thing that is going to bring out what is really in us, it is persecution. When persecution comes, we are really going to find out who is who. Fire brings out what is inside someone.

(532) Combating Error—Whose Job Is It? (in answer to  “Francis Chan Warns Those Who Criticize Christian Leaders: “God Will Destroy You.�?) by Victor Scipioni, 6/7/18
But where does combating error fit in to pleasing God? It fits in through obeying the instructions in His Word to do so. We are told specifically to be prepared at all times and in all seasons to rebuke those who do not adhere to sound teaching (doctrine). That constitutes combating error. Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. (2 Timothy 4:2-3) Combating error is a fight in which we must be willing to engage just like a boxer contends to try to win the title belt from the one who holds it. It is necessary.

(533) Why does He come in the clouds? (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 6/11/18

(534) Occult Practices in the Churches - How the occult has been fully integrated into many Christian lives and fellowships by Sandy Simpson, 6/7/18
The Bible is quite clear about occult practices.  Neither Israel nor the Church is to have anything to do with the way the world tries to gain secret knowledge.  The Gnostics were and are known for promoting new revelation that is either loosely tied to Scripture taken out of context or not at all.  The Israelites seeking information from the dead or in omens were judged harshly by the Lord who had warned them numerous times to stay away from that stuff.   Yet due to the influences of heretical teachers in the New Apostolic Reformation, Word of Faith, Emergent Church, and the New Age many have been successful in getting lots of churches and denominations into occult practices that have been thinly disguised as “Christian�?.  Many of those who follow these people, I’m sure, have no idea how far they have strayed into the occult. First I want to give the dictionary definitions and then Biblical warnings against these practices.  Then I will give examples in the churches taken mainly from the ElijahList e-newsletter.

(535) Antichrist, Antichrist's, and the spirit of Antichrist (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 7/3/18

(536) God of Truth and Mercy - Psalm 85 (Video) by Bill Randles, 6/10/18

(537) Elijah: The man who could make it rain (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 7/13/18

(538) The Future Of Israel - 1 Samuel 4 (Video) by Bill Randles, 7/15/18

(539) Emunah Jewish Understanding of Faith (Video) by Jacob Prasch, 8/2/18

(540) Why did Jesus speak to Paul in the Hebrew Language? by Mike Oppenheimer, 8/4/18
On the way to his next roundup of Christians Saul is confronted by a light. Acts 9:3-5 and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul , Saul , why are you persecuting Me?" 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." We later discover from Paul’s testimony to Agrippa in  Acts 26:14-16 And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' "So I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Jesus spoke this language, Saul’s native language for Saul to know he is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who has stopped him and chosen him for a lifetime mission. Hebrew was the language spoken in the religious services in the synagogues and Temple, Aramaic, along with Greek was spoken in everyday life outside the religious meetings.

(541) Principles of Persecution by James Jacob Prasch
God judges the heart. He knows what is really in us. If there is one thing that is going to bring out what is really in us, it is persecution. When persecution comes, we are really going to find out who is who. Fire brings out what is inside someone.
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this: "I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and youwill have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He, who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death" (Revelation 2:8-11).

(542) Redemptive-Historical Hermeneutics Part 1 by Gary Gilley, 8/17/18
Redemptive-historical hermeneutics (RH), sometimes called Christocentric hermeneutics, has gained a lot of traction in recent years, almost exclusively within Reformed circles. It is the interpretive system used by those embracing Liberate Sanctification and is important to understand in light of recent TOTT papers on that subject.  RH is also accepted by a broader spectrum of theologians, many of whom reject Liberate Theology, but to my knowledge virtually all would be adherents of Covenantal Theology.  It seems to have emerged, in its modern form, from Reformed churches in the Netherlands in the 1940s in an attempt to understand how the narrative and historical sections of the Old Testament should be understood and preached. It appears to be a reaction to those who viewed the stories and individuals within Scripture as merely examples to imitate or shun.  Instead the RH founders saw these narratives, and in fact all of Scripture, as speaking directly of Christ.

(544) Who Does Jesus Dwell Among? (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 8/30/18

(545) Updated 8/30/18! Deliverance! - A Biblical Guide To Freedom From "Another Spirit" - The Possible Consequence Of The Unbiblical Practice Of "Slain In The Spirit" by Sandy Simpson, 2/08 
The cases are legion.  Let's look at John (a psuedonym) as one case in thousands that I read through the years in the emails sent to my site.

(546) Willful Blindness (Video) by Jacob Prasch, 9/10/18
God's judgment on willful blindness: In an age of deception, the only problem bigger than the deceivers is self deception. Prolonged disdain for truth will warrant God's judgment. Jacob Prasch speaks about the problem of willful blindness and God's judgment. This message was given during his recent trip to South Africa on August 7, 2018.

(547) The Mystery Of Iniquity - 2 Thessalonians 2 (Video) by Bill Randles, 9/09/18

(548) Did Jonah die in the whale or did he survive three days? by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/20/18
First, it may not have been a whale, the word is a great fish which means it was one of considerable size. Also we find that God appointed this fish to swallow Jonah, as he appointed many other things of his creation that are recorded in the book of Jonah. Many people believe that Jonah stayed alive in the fish for three days and that is the miracle but this is not what the Scripture portrays of this event. It says he cried from “Out of the belly of Sheol�? not just the whales belly. The Hebrew word for belly of Sheol is different than the belly of the fish, indicating two different areas.

(549) Putting On The Armor of God - Ephesians 6:10-17 by Dr. Stephen Daveys, 10/6/18
God has not given the Christian final victory over sin, but the potential for repeated victory over sin. So don't be caught off guard. Don't expect one victory over temptation to mean that you have conquered that temptation. It will come back again. When you hear the bullets of lust, anger and pride stop firing, it's not because the Devil's given up . . . it's because he's loading a bigger gun.

(550) The Day of the Lord by Jacob Prasch, 10/8/18
We’re looking at the “Day of the Lord�?. Now, in Hebrew the day of the Lord is not called “the Day of the Lord�?, it’s actually called the “Day of Yahweh�?. From the fall of man, until that time, it is “the time of Satan�?. Jesus said directly that Satan is the god of this world. This will intensity in the Last Days. Certain things happen. What happens is this: God is the God of history. He exercises lordship over history. But with the manifestation of Antichrist, we’re told in the book of Daniel he will think to change the laws and the times. (Daniel 7:25) And they will be given into his hand for two “times, a time, and a half time�?. Revelation and Daniel both break the last seven years of history into two halves of two “times, a time, and a half time“ – 3-1/2 lunar years, 1,260 days by the lunar calendar, thereabouts. There are a number of things that teach about this “times, time, and a half time�?, one of which foreshadows it – prefigures it – is what happened in the days of Eliyahuw Hanawbe, Elijah the prophet. Remember, it was 3-1/2 years when it did not rain. During that time he was in conflict with Ahab and Jezebel. Understand the pattern – this is Jewish midrash. Naboth‘s vineyard was coveted. Jezebel turns the king Ahab against Elijah because Elijah tries to defend Naboth’s vineyard. The wicked woman turns the king against Elijah.

(551) “Contextualization�? of the Gospel – A Free-Falling Catastrophe by Roger Oakland, 10/11/18
You may not have heard the term before, but contextual theology is a prominent message from the emerging church. In his book, Models of Contextual Theology(1992), Stephen B. Bevans defines contextual theology as: . . . a way of doing theology in which one takes into account: the spirit and message of the gospel; the tradition of the Christian people; the culture in which one is theologizing; and social change in that culture, whether brought about by western technological process or the grass-roots struggle for equality, justice and liberation.1 In other words, the Bible in, and of itself, is not free-standing—other factors (culture, ethnicity, history) must be taken into consideration, and with those factors, the message of the Bible must be adjusted to fit. As one writer puts it, “Contextual theology aims at the humanization of theology.�?2 But two questions need to be asked. First, will the contextualizing of Scripture cause such a twisting of its truth that it no longer is the Word of God, and secondly, is Scripture ineffective without this contextualization? To the first, I give a resounding yes! And to the second, an absolute no. The Word of God, which is an inspired work of the living Creator, is far more than any human-inspired book and has been written in such a way that every human being, rich or poor, man or woman, intelligent or challenged will understand the meaning of the Gospel message if it is presented in their native language; and thanks to the tireless work of missionaries for centuries, the Gospel in native languages is becoming a reality in most cultures today.

(552) The Use of Invective in Apologetics by Sandy Simpson, 10/16/18
This article is about the use of invective while attempting to do apologetics or teaching discernment.  Invective is defined as a noun: insulting, abusive, or highly critical language ie. "he let out a stream of invective".  I admit to using invective at times in the past.  My goal is to stop that practice and focus on the facts, not attack an individual’s ability to comprehend.   In the case of Christians, the first thing to consider when doing apologetics is our mandate to reconcile people to Christ, no matter who they are. 2 Cor. 5:18-21 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. We must always be cognizant of our duty to not just “demolish arguments�? for the sake of demolishing them but to do so with the hope and prayers that the person teaching falsely will repent and return to Christ.

(553) Mysteries Of The Kingdom - Matthew 13 (Video) by Bill Randles, 10/14/18

(554) The Abandoning of True Bible Eschatology by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/1/18
Latter Rain adherents believe in a last day’s revival unlike any other in history taking place today. This view is an outgrowth of the “kingdom now�? restoration movement. It wrongly applies eschatological passages for Israel to the church today. To many, the nation of Israel is no longer an integral part of God’s end time plan and rejected as forsaken, despite the warnings in Romans 11:18-29 and Genesis 12:3.

(555) Redemptive-Historical Hermeneutics by Gary Gilley, 11/7/18
As stated in Part One of this series, redemptive-historical (RH), or Christocentric hermeneutics, is becoming increasingly popular, especially within Reformed and Covenantal theological circles. In short, RH is the idea that all of Scripture speaks of Christ.  This does not mean that Christ is found under every rock but that all Scripture concerns Christ. The Bible should be read through the lens of Jesus and Christ should be preached from every text.  Christ and His redemption plan, therefore, become the rubric through which all Scripture is to be interpreted and preached. In the previous paper I challenged these assertions, pointing out that once we accept this hermeneutical system the exegete no longer uncovers the meaning of the original authors (both human and Divine), but now imposes upon the text a forced meaning that is often not there and not intended.  To be sure, a great deal of God’s Word focuses on Christ and redemption, but that is a far cry from claiming that this is the only theme and that every passage must somehow be interpreted around that theme. Read Part 1 & Part 2.

(556) A Synopsis for why we  no longer keep the Old Testament law by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/9/18
Let’s begin with a crucial question. Was the law given to all people or only to the nation of Israel? What is the believer’s relationship to the Law or the Sabbath today after the new Covenant was made? Can anyone show a Scripture written to the church after the new covenant was made by Christ’s death and resurrection that required anyone to keep the Sabbath as they did in the Old Testament (both Jews and gentiles of the church)? Of course I have heard the law keepers make thousand dollar offers in the opposite referral, asking where we are told not to keep the Sabbath, and they never pay up when they shown to be wrong. When one requires themselves and others to keep the Sabbath because of the Old Testament law they are denying themselves of living by the new covenant. They become a new covenant grace breaker. One can keep the Sabbath or certain laws by choice, but when they think it is mandatory then they become a judge of others.

(557) Beatitude twisted beyond recognition in The Message “Bible�? by The Word Like Fire, 11/12/18
The Beatitudes found in Matthew 5 are the very words of Jesus Christ. Consider the following verse from the KJV and the NASB: Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5, KJV) Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. (Mathew 5:5, NASB) The word “gentle�? in the NASB can also be translated as “humble�? or “meek.�? But once again, as we have seen so many times before, The Message version of this verse is strangely altered: You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are–no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought. (Matthew 5:5, The Message) Huh?

(558) The Divine Aristocracy by James Jacob Prasch, 11/19/18
Let us look at a few verses in Proverbs before turning to our main text in E
cclesiastes. Proverbs 8:6-11 "Listen, for I shall speak noble things, and the opening of my lips will produce right things. My mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All of the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing crooked or perverted in them. They are all straightforward to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge. Take my instruction, not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; for wisdom is better than jewels, and all desirable things cannot compare with her." Instruction from God, we are told, is better than silver. Knowledge of Him and of His Word is better than gold, and wisdom is better than jewels. The world has its aristocracy; they will always look for gold, silver, jewels, annuities, investment portfolios, securities, etc. The world will look to material wealth – its aristocracy must and will have all of these things that will not matter in eternity. God says, however, that only the things that last forever are real riches. Silver, gold and jewels will not get you off the road to hell, nor will they get you into heavenly Jerusalem.

(559) What is God, how is he described in Scripture? by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/30/18
There are two classes of beings in the universe, created and non-created. God is in the non-created class and He as Spirit is all by himself, as the one God. The Bible teaches that God alone is eternal (Deut. 33:27). “From everlasting to everlasting you are God�? (Ps.90:2). Isa. 57:15 thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place.�? God is infinitely eternal, having no causation. All that is finite, that is created has a cause and is dependent on what caused it to exist. God is the uncaused cause of all things. So only what is infinite is unlimited and must be the cause of all things. This is the being called God who did not have a beginning of Himself, if he had a beginning no matter how far back in time he could no longer be infinite. God is not dependent on another but is a self - contained, self - sufficient. God said his name forever is “I AM that I AM,�? which means He is the self-existent one, always being who he is, omniscient, never changing, all knowing never needing to learn. He has no limitations. He is called the living one that has life eternal. This is the God of the Bible. God always existed. He is eternally existent. We as human beings had a beginning. Eternity if described in human terms stretches backwards and forwards it is of perpetual duration neither having beginning nor end. This concept of eternity cannot be fully comprehended but only apprehended.

(560) Social Justice by Gary Gilley, 12/27/18
The present debate hinges on the answers to these two questions.  I believe the New Testament is abundantly clear that the church has a unique message and mission.  It is to spread the gospel and disciple believers.  Believers in turn are to be the salt and light to the world which in many instances will bring about social changes in society, but that is not the Christian’s direct calling.  Yes, the church should preach, and stand against sin, all sins, including societal evils such as racism, injustice, greed, slander and hatred.  We should be concerned for this planet for after all we are citizens not just of heaven but of this earth as well. But one will search in vain to find in the New Testament examples of, or instructions to, the church attempting to change culture through political involvement, poverty reduction, rebellion against government, or social programs, and the like.  Those who argue otherwise do so without the support of Scripture.  Let us stand against sin; let us show compassion for the needy; let us take the opportunities the Lord gives us to demonstrate the love of Christ; let us condemn social injustice, and let us actively take our place in society.  But let us not dilute the unique message of the cross, or the unique ministry of discipleship, by adding social justice issues to Christ’s gospel or mandate.  This has been done before, always with the same results.  What begins as a mere addition to the biblical message and mission soon becomes equal to them, and then overwhelms them, and ultimately replaces them.  May we carefully consider these issues before we head down this pathway again.

(561) Jesus: The Great High Priest - Psalms 110 (Video) by Bill Randles, 11/25/18

(562) God remembers by Mike Oppenheimer, 1/14/19
The Bible tells us God who is omniscient in His nature sees all and knows all. Therefore he would remember all. All the works we have done in Christ will be rewarded on that day, and all the works of the flesh will be burnt up and not follow us into our eternal state. All the New Testament doctrines point to the one who made the new covenant will be the judge of all, the Son of God sent from heaven, who is Jesus Christ. He remembers in fairness and is perfectly just in his judgments. At the Bema seat judgment Jesus judges our works, not our eternal destination which is already settled. It’s an evaluation of our works in Christ, where we get rewarded for doing what is good in life, what we did for him. In fact he knows many things that we do not, the injustices we did without thinking and the ones that were done against us that unthinking or were purposeful. He also knows our attempts to reconcile and the people that refuse to enter into any process and continue to do harm. There is only so much we can do to make things right. It is up to the other party to respond in the correct way. As Jesus said where there are two or three gathered in his name. Which means they are willing make things right. Sometimes Christians can be no different than those who live in the world for themselves, “the Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." (James 4:5-6) Anyone who has lived long enough knows the way of the world, our life does not always go the way we expect. There is no yellow brick road for the Christian, only a narrow road for the pilgrims of this world, and it is difficult, we can suffer like anyone else. So while on earth we work, and it not for naught for we are rewarded. Not that the reward is our motivation otherwise it is for nothing. We work and do what is written because we love him and want to be with him and our brothers and sisters in the future kingdom He will bring to earth. That is such a great hope that will soon be realized.

(563) False Brethren Secretly Brought In by Sandy Simpson, 1/15/19
Galatians 2:4 But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. (NASB) Galatians 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in,
who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: (KJV) The context of this passage is when Paul went to Jerusalem to meet with the Apostles and he was addressing the Judaizers who were bringing in legalistic heresy by adding works to salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.  These men, not unlike their counterparts today, were “hypocrites. They were actors pretending to be Christian, but they were not. They, in effect, wore a mask or a religious costume, and imitated the speech of true Christians, learning all the Christian words like an actor playing a role. They gave the outward appearance of being godly, but inwardly they were ungodly.�? (Mike Storti, False Brethren) We know that the apostles themselves were almost duped by these ideas and if it weren’t for Paul and Tutus we would likely have a different version of Christianity today.  Jewish false brethren believed that followers of Christ must be circumcised as per the Law of Moses.  They had ignored what Jesus stated at the Last Supper: Luke 22:20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. Hebrews 8:13 When He said, “A new covenant,�? He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

(564) Heresies Past: What were they and where are they now? by Sandy Simpson, 2/20/19
You might be surprised to find out that many of the heresies of the early centuries are still around today.  Many of them have been modified to some degree, but they are mostly the same unbiblical heretical ideas.  When you toy around with core doctrines like the Trinity and the Hypostatic Union, you prove yourself to be a heretical false teacher.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 
That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.


(565) Changed By Beholding Him by Harry Ironside, 3/4/19
But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay. (2 Corinthians 1:18) The opening verses of this chapter are, I think, a bit ironical. The apostle Paul had been used of God for the conversion of these Corinthians. Into that godless city—one of the vilest cities in the ancient world—Paul came, preached the glorious Gospel of the grace of God, determined, as he says, “not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). And that old Gospel worked, as it always works when it is presented in the power of the Holy Ghost. There is no other message needed to change men and women, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. Under Paul’s ministry for a year and a half, a number of them were converted. You remember he cites a great list of sins of which he says no one given to these things shall inherit the kingdom of God. Then he adds, “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Having been saved, they were brought together as a Christian company, a Christian ecclesia, a Christian church. They were a wonderful church in many ways. They came behind in no gift; all sorts of spiritual gifts and graces were manifested among them, so much so that eventually a spirit of envy and jealousy came in, and teacher was set against teacher, preacher against preacher, and exhorter against exhorter; and by and by, parties came into the church. Some said, “I am of Paul; I like one who gives deep teaching.” Others said, “I am of Peter; I like one who can stir up our pure minds, a real exhorter.” Others said, “I am of Apollos—the eloquent man, one mighty in the Scriptures, a real evangelist.” So, they were dividing into groups according to their appreciation of the ministry God had given, and Paul rebuked them for that. Then there came among them certain men from Judea who tried to undermine Paul’s influence over them. These brethren hated the plain, simple Gospel of the grace of God, so they undertook to try to destroy the confidence of the saints in the one who had led them to Christ in order that they might turn them away from the liberty of grace to the bondage of law. You have a good idea of how that kind would come in. I can imagine a couple coming from Jerusalem to see a few of the brethren. Perhaps, it was prayer-meeting night, so there might only be a few. They would say “We are very pleased to see you, brethren. So, you are Christians? We are Christians too.”


(566) Why God Hates The Occult by Bill Randles, 3/10/19
When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.  There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.  Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.  For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.  Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.  For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. ( Deuteronomy 18:9-14) When God set up a theocracy, He very strictly warned and threatened against any who would ever touch the occult. There was a death penalty for those who participated in any form of the dark practices of the pagans. The various occult practices were considered to be abominable to the LORD, and so also were the practitioners. Both the sin and the sinner were and are considered utterly detestable to the Holy God. It was to be eradicated from Israel, completely rooted out and eliminated. Anyone sympathetic with it was to be tried and executed, for trafficking in the Occult was treated as a special kind of treason in the Kingdom of God being established in Israel. What was it about the occult, that provoked such a strong warning in so many places in the scripture?  Read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.


(567) Entertaining Devils Unawares by Jackie Alnor (Orig published Feb, 2003 Apostasy Alert), 3/12/19
The Bible instructs us to be kind to strangers because we could be entertaining angels unawares. But the flip side to that is that we could be entertaining fallen angels unawares. Nowhere in church history is that more evident than in the Roman Catholic Church. Fallen angels, or what the Bible calls “devils,” often come on the scene wearing various disguises. The best way to test any paranormal claim is by the Word of God because any newer revelation, if it is from God, will not contradict what He has already revealed in Scripture. The Apostle Paul warned the Ephesian elders in Acts 20 what would soon happen in the church. “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things. . .” (Acts 29:30).


(568) The foundation we build on by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/16/19
We in the church are united by our Christian distinctive. Christ is the foundation for the church. The core doctrines are our foundation of knowledge. If the foundation which we build on is not straight then it will be crooked. Think about how a house would look, if the house was slanted, and how long would it last?  Now ask how many people you know that have fallen away that looked like they built on the foundation of Christ. Why are they no longer among the church? The answer is simple and obvious. They never really understood, so how could they hold to the core teachings. I can’t say it is wholly their fault, because many in the church do not teach the core doctrines.  So then how are the new believers being disciple? And furthermore how can they disciple others. This one of the main reasons evangelism as it is given is failing.


(569) Is The Bible Historically Accurate? A Dave And Tom Classic by Dave Hunt and Tom McMahon, 3/17/19
Well, this is what the Bible says. The Bible claims to be God’s Word. If it isn’t God’s Word, what’s the point? There’s no point for you and for me to sit here and discuss what we think God may have said. Then we’re going to decide what religion is right or wrong—on what basis would we decide that? The Bible says all of the rest of them are wrong. Let’s go to the Bible first. It claims to be God’s Word, and if we can prove it, and we can, then we’ve saved a lot of time!


(570) Learning to walk in the Light and not in darkness (Video) by Marco Quintana, 3/23/19
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do because you are His dear children (Eph. 5:1).


(571) Who is the Word, and did the Word became the Son? by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/25/19
Refuting those who claim there is no eternal Son and that he is the word.


(572) The foundation we build on by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/14/19
We in the church are united by our Christian distinctive. Christ is the foundation for the church. The core doctrines are our foundation of knowledge. If the foundation which we build on is not straight then it will be crooked. Think about how a house would look, if the house was slanted, and how long would it last?  Now ask how many people you know that have fallen away that looked like they built on the foundation of Christ. Why are they no longer among the church? The answer is simple and obvious. They never really understood, so how could they hold to the core teachings. I can’t say it is wholly their fault, because many in the church do not teach the core doctrines.  So then how are the new believers being disciple? And furthermore how can they disciple others. This one of the main reasons evangelism as it is given is failing. Of the 4 soils the seed falls on Matt 13:23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." Luke 8:11-16 “The seed is the word of God.” He speaks basically the same as Matthew and in v.15 “But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.” It is important whom you learn from, how you learn to interpret scripture. If you learn to apply it all to yourself you will then take scriptures that are historical and used for a certain time or person and spiritualize them, allegorize them. Then on the other hand if you do not learn the difference between what is historical and what can be applied to you, you may never walk with the Lord and grow into what He has for you. Because the majority of the church is not grounded in scripture they have no defense for what is false. So they allow Yoga, eastern type meditation, even blatant occult teaching such as words have power, or new revelation from so called prophets to be taught in their church. This is where we find ourselves today, where many do not use the word in context as the basis for living. When God gave the task for Israel to build the tabernacle he gave specific instructions on how it was to be built. It would be like someone saying they are going to build the house you want from a picture without any measuring and hope of their accuracy.


(573) The Lord’s Supper Part 1 by Gary Gilley, 5/4/19
During the formative days of the Reformation, when Martin Luther and Huldrych Zwingli were at the height of their influence, they came together to discuss some of the theological differences that had surfaced between the various leaders of the movement.  As they sat down to hammer out these matters they would check off doctrine after doctrine in which they were in basic accord. The two men were in agreement concerning salvation by God’s grace through faith alone, that the Scriptures were the only authoritative revelation from God, and the issues of eternal life.  As a matter of fact, they could join hands over virtually all the essential beliefs – what have been termed the non-negotiables of the faith.  The discussion came down to one final issue that of the Lord’s Table.   Zwingli went first, laying out a very detailed formation of his understanding of this particular doctrine.   In the meanwhile Luther sat at the other end of the table in silence, seemingly doodling on the table. When Zwingli was done, Luther pulled back the tablecloth to reveal a simple statement which he had written.  It simply read, “This is My body.”  In Luther’s mind, this quote from Jesus disproved everything Zwingli had said.  As a result, the Reformation was splintered.


(574) Setting Aside the Power of the Gospel for a Powerless Substitute by David Dombrowski, 5/12/19
If I were to say to you that much of the church today has set aside the power of God, would you be shocked? After all, we live in a time where having the power of God in your life is a major theme preached from pulpits across the country. And book after book, sold in massive quantities, pour off the presses promising a special connection or intimacy with God that will revolutionize your life and make it more dynamic. Yet, I believe I can prove that, in fact, the power of God is being laid aside, and I will tell you how.


(575) Who is the Word, and did the Word became the Son? by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/13/19
No other gospel speaks of Jesus as the Word, and neither does the Old Testament. It is John who used the Greek concept of his day to clarify who the Word is. 1 Jn.5:20 "And we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternal life." If the Son is the true God then doesn’t that make him eternal, possessing eternal life as his personal nature? Prior to this John writes 1 Jn.5:10-12: "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." If you do not believe in an eternal son of God who is Jesus when he incarnated as man you have not received eternal life. You must have the correct Son, the one who is the true God as John writes in v.20. So many like complicating what God made simple in his own words. Be careful of the distortions of the cults and the heresy teachers that deny an eternal Son and Father.


(576) What is Your Authority for Knowing Truth? by Mike Gendron, 5/18/19
One of the most important decisions anyone makes in this life is choosing which authority to trust for their eternal destiny. We can be wrong about a lot of things in this life and still survive, but if we are wrong about which authority to trust for our life after death, we will pay for that mistake for all eternity. As ambassadors for Christ, we must ask people if they have a reliable source for discerning truth from error. Has that source ever been wrong before? Is it possible for that source to ever mislead or deceive people? Since every religion has an authority, and every person has an opinion, we need to ask people about their source for truth when we share the Gospel. Some will say their authority is a person, a book, a religion, a spirit, or their own understanding. Some will say they rely on their popes, rabbis, religious leaders,  religious traditions, human reasoning,  church history, church fathers,  or Google. Any of these sources might be right some of the time, but there is only one source that is right all the time. Our holy and omniscient God has never been wrong, and He has given us His Word as our only infallible source for truth. Scripture's supreme authority is established by its divine origin. There is no higher authority than our almighty God and creator.


(577) Those who try to deconstruct the Trinity by Sandy Simpson, 5/13/19

These days every core doctrine of the Church is under extraordinary attack.  One of the most important core doctrines is that of the Trinity, the Triune God …   “God is one God eternally existent in Three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit”. Another way of stating it is “God is one "What" and three "Whos" with each "Who" possessing all the attributes of Deity and personality”.  I am going to lay out the general case first against any teachings that intentionally or unintentionally try to deconstruct who God is, in particular who Jesus Christ is.  I will then move on to a few specific cases and answer their assertions individually.


(578) Missing the Mark -- Missing the Solution by T.A. McMahon, The Berean Call, 5/27/19
Most of us understand that “missing the mark” is one of the biblical definitions of sin. The Apostle Paul uses the Greek verb hamartano for sin in Romans:3:23: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” That may seem to some as a bit unfair, since rarely would we think that not measuring up to a goal or standard is sin. “Missing the mark” doesn’t seem like much of an offense, considering most sins of which we’re aware, especially the horrendous ones. An arrow that falls short of the target is sin? Seriously? To react in such a way reveals much about ourselves and the condition of our hearts in relationship to our Creator. God is perfect. Everything He says and does is perfect. Therefore, His standard is perfect. Anything that “come[s] short” of His standard must be sin. As James tells us, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James:2:10). That’s God’s criterion for being with Him. We sin, we die. And we have all sinned. Death involves physcal and spiritual separation. It may be from God—and it could be forever. One might ask, as the disciples did on one occasion, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus responded, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” (Matthew:19:25-26). God’s judgment and justice are perfect. The penalty for sin is eternal separation from Him. It’s an infinite punishment, and finite mankind can never pay the full sentence. But God can, and did! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John:3:16). Jesus, the perfect, sinless God/Man, satisfied perfect justice by fully paying for the sins of mankind—past, present, and future.


(579) Updated! The Lord’s Supper Part 1 by Gary Gilley, 6/3/19
During the formative days of the Reformation, when Martin Luther and Huldrych Zwingli were at the height of their influence, they came together to discuss some of the theological differences that had surfaced between the various leaders of the movement.  As they sat down to hammer out these matters they would check off doctrine after doctrine in which they were in basic accord. The two men were in agreement concerning salvation by God’s grace through faith alone, that the Scriptures were the only authoritative revelation from God, and the issues of eternal life.  As a matter of fact, they could join hands over virtually all the essential beliefs – what have been termed the non-negotiables of the faith.  The discussion came down to one final issue that of the Lord’s Table.   Zwingli went first, laying out a very detailed formation of his understanding of this particular doctrine.   In the meanwhile Luther sat at the other end of the table in silence, seemingly doodling on the table. When Zwingli was done, Luther pulled back the tablecloth to reveal a simple statement which he had written.  It simply read, “This is My body.”  In Luther’s mind, this quote from Jesus disproved everything Zwingli had said.  As a result, the Reformation was splintered.
Read Part 1 & Part 2.


(580) Neglecting to Test the Spirits—A Tragedy of Enormous Proportions by Lighthouse Trails, 6/10/19
If there is one thing we don’t hear much about from today’s Christian leaders and pastors, it is the importance of testing the spirits. The idea comes from the Bible in 1 John 4:1, which states: Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try [test] the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. This can relate both to the experiential and the doctrinal. With either, we need to remember that not every experience and not every doctrine is “of God” because indeed there are “many false prophets” in the world and in the “church” today, and there are many “voices” that are not from God.


(581) The Trinity Series (Audio) by Bill Randles, 6/13/19
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Father and The Son, The Fellowship With the Holy Spirit, The Doctrine of Christ


(582) Adam’s Sin made you a sinner- An explanation of why we need the Gospel by Mike Oppenheimer, 7/5/19
Rom 5:12 “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin. All die because all sin (Rom.3:23). All sin because they have the nature of fallen Adam. Paul further elucidates in v.18-19 says, "through one man's trespass, judgment came to all men, for by one man's disobedience all were made sinners."  ALL were made sinners by Adam.  We are all born with a built-in death warrant, which is our sin nature, because we have inherited this sin nature from Adam we are already born spiritually dead (separated from God) and die physically. 1 Cor. 15:22: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”


(583) What is Christianity all about? by Mike Oppenheimer, 7/23/19
Do you know what life is about? The years can go by very quickly as you live life, going through the trials and hardships that we all face. Life is a gift, Eternal life in Christ is the greatest gift to mankind. The healthiest person can die by some unknown natural cause or an accident. No one knows what tomorrow will bring for them, there are no guarantees. Many when they get older, more mature turn to a spiritual life, they understand that their body, this world is not all there is. They still feel the same youth inside though their body is wearing out. They search for answers through philosophy, religion. They turn to humanism to do good. There are those that teach a positive life attitude is what is needed for right living. There are numerous teachers of all types throughout history that have said they have the answer. Jesus is not like other religious leaders. We are not told to do good to be accepted. We were not just given a set of rules to learn and abide by. Too many people, even those who go to church have this view of him and what he delivered. Jesus said He came to give us an abundant life, not for things but for what matters. A fullness to our soul, to be satisfied in life with what really matters. To be content with little and have a peace when conflict and trials come. Where we can stay the course and not be shipwrecked with what life throws at us. Jesus said “My peace I give unto you.” It is that rest for our soul, He shares His peace with us in the midst of the worst of circumstances, in the trials of life. But one must make “peace with God” first to have “The peace of God” with them when facing these trials.


(584) Your personal Spiritual warfare by Mike Oppenheimer, 7/29/19
When we hear the term spiritual warfare it is interpreted in different ways depending on what you have been taught or experienced. In the Bible we read of our world as a battlefield, the Devils kingdom opposes God’s and the chess pieces being moved are you and I, mankind. He is after our soul, which is man’s greatest self possession. We are contending in spiritual warfare every day in various ways. Influences are all around us to have us act contrary to our new nature. We begin to enter a war in our mind that wants to solicit the heart, the flesh wars against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh, that is our personal spiritual warfare. We either react in our old nature, or in the new. This warfare can show up in relationships, where the enemy wants to divide. When we get wrong thoughts about a person we know or respect, it can either be our flesh or the devils fiery dart. If it persists after you decide it is wrong, then you know it’s not originating from you. Satan continually interferes with the believers who are at work serving the Lord, not those in neutral, he leaves them alone. So if one says everything is always fine in their life then they may be in neutral for God’s kingdom. One of the biggest threats to his kingdom is one who is praying accurately, someone who is active in serving the Lord, in any capacity.


(585) Does God Want Us To Love Ourselves? by The Berean Call, 8/3/19
The Bible never tells us to love ourselves. Now in the second— “the second commandment is like unto it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Well, obviously Jesus is not saying, “Love your neighbor as you inadequately love yourself. You don’t love yourself very well, but I want you to love your neighbor like you don’t love yourself well enough.” That’s the impression you get from the people who are teaching self-love. We even have seminars—special teaching in the church—on “you’ve got to love yourself before you can love your neighbor or you can love God.” But Jesus doesn’t say that. He says, “Love your neighbor like you already love yourself.” So, apparently, we don’t have any problem in that department. In fact, rather than teaching self-love, Jesus is saying, “What do you do in the morning when you get up? You brush your teeth, you comb your hair, you feed yourself, you clothe yourself—give your neighbor some of the attention that you are already giving to yourself. How about paying a little attention to your neighbor? Love your neighbor like you already love yourself.” So, He is not teaching self-love. He is, in fact, correcting self-love.


(586) What is Christianity all about? by Mike Oppenheimer, 8/5/19
Do you know what life is about? The years can go by very quickly as you live life, going through the trials and hardships that we all face. Life is a gift, Eternal life in Christ is the greatest gift to mankind. The healthiest person can die by some unknown natural cause or an accident. No one knows what tomorrow will bring for them, there are no guarantees. Many when they get older, more mature turn to a spiritual life, they understand that their body, this world is not all there is. They still feel the same youth inside though their body is wearing out. They search for answers through philosophy, religion. They turn to humanism to do good. There are those that teach a positive life attitude is what is needed for right living. There are numerous teachers of all types throughout history that have said they have the answer. Jesus is not like other religious leaders. We are not told to do good to be accepted. We were not just given a set of rules to learn and abide by. Too many people, even those who go to church have this view of him and what he delivered. Jesus said He came to give us an abundant life, not for things but for what matters. A fullness to our soul, to be satisfied in life with what really matters. To be content with little and have a peace when conflict and trials come. Where we can stay the course and not be shipwrecked with what life throws at us.


(587) Heresy And Biblical Authority (Audio) by James Jacob Prasch, 8/6/19


(588) Pieces of Rare Biblical Manuscript Reunited by Karoun Demirjian, AP, 8/28/19
Two parts of an ancient biblical manuscript separated across centuries and continents were reunited for the first time in a joint display Friday, thanks to an accidental discovery that is helping illuminate a dark period in the history of the Hebrew Bible. The 1,300-year-old fragments, which are among only a handful of Hebrew biblical manuscripts known to have survived the era in which they were written, existed separately and with their relationship unknown, until a news photograph of one's public unveiling in 2007 caught the attention of the scholars who would eventually link them. Together, they make up the text of the Song of the Sea, sung by jubilant Israelites after fleeing slavery in Egypt and witnessing the destruction of the pharaoh's armies in the Red Sea.


(589) We are not righteous like Jesus by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/29/19
2 Cor. 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Cor. 5:21 Him who knew no sin he made (to be) sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” (from Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament) Being “in Him” we are seen as if we never sinned. Jesus never sinned but we do. This point should not be missed as one reads that he became sin on our behalf; to fulfill all righteousness.  He suffered voluntarily thus we are not punished (judged) for our sin.


(590) How Will All Nations Come Against Israel? - A Dave And Tom Classic by The Berean Call, 9/30/19
Right.  Well, when the prophet Zechariah spoke these words under the inspiration of God, Jerusalem was in ruins, having been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Now, to say that one day Jerusalem would be a cup of trembling, isn’t that a little farfetched? Tom: Well, they couldn’t even rebuild the temple! I mean, the walls were down, there was nothing going on there. The people even became apathetic, so this was hardly a threat to anybody. Dave: Exactly. So he’s saying, “One day…” And when you go down to verse 3: “In that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone to all the nations—all the nations of the world.” So, what God is saying is, “Jerusalem is in ruins, but let Me tell you something: one day the eyes of the world will be upon Jerusalem in fear and trembling,” knowing that the next world war, when it breaks out, it’s going to break out over Jerusalem. It’s going to be a nuclear holocaust. “You guys, you’ve got to get busy, and somehow solve the problem of Jerusalem.” The problem is the nations of the world, the EU, the UN, and the USA and Russia and so forth, they are determined to impose their own solution in defiance of what God has said.


(591) “This Generation” How does Jesus explain Mt.24:34? by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/10/19
This teaching is not about the length of a generation but what this particular generation sees that identifies them as the generation Jesus is speaking of. How is Mt.24:34 explained by Jesus? That "this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place." One needs to understand the larger picture before they can put the details together.


(592) Having Ears to hear by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/19/19
This was a common saying of Jesus. Ears to hear is Jesus stating for one to listen carefully to the truth so that they can change their mind and repent to fix the error of their ways. Matt 11:15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear! Matt 13:8-9 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" Luke 8:8 “But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold." When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" Those who have understanding of what they heard are fruitful, those who do not understand do not have the seed (the word) take root and the devil rips the seed off in various stages.


(593) Bad News and Good News While Waiting for the Bridegroom by David Dombrowski, 10/22/19
More and more, as I hear news of what is happening in the world, my only conclusion can be that we must be living in the last days. And contrary to “replacement theology,” the Jewish people and the nation of Israel will have a key position in the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Ironically, fewer and fewer Christians seem to think that Bible prophecy has anything to do with the time in which we live. They may say the Book of Revelation has already been fulfilled (Preterism), or they may say it is a figurative book (not literal) in which the grueling events described therein only serve as exhortations for the church to focus on “unity” and “oneness.”


(594) When does life begin? by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/1/19
The church should not be ignorant on science and Scripture, too many today many still believe the baby is not alive until it breathes outside the womb. Unless life begins before birth, at conception, then abortion is not the taking of human life.


(595) Poor Analogies and Illustrations Used to Teach the Trinity Which May Teach Heresy Instead by Gary Giley, 11/10/19
Without question, the Trinity is one of the most complicated, mysterious and difficult doctrines for God’s people to comprehend.  The core doctrine of Old Testament Judaism was monotheism as expressed in the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!” And while there are scattered references to the three members who composed the Godhead in the Old Testament, those references are better understood in the light of New Testament revelation.  We look back now with clarity and recognize the Father, Son and Holy Spirit all are present prior to the incarnation, but it is doubtful that many Old Testament saints grasped the idea of a Trinity, at least not with the precision that Christians do today.  So it is not surprising that when the Patristics attempted to understand and define the Triune God that there was much confusion and difference of opinion. When the dust had settled and the creeds, such as Nicene, Athanasian, and the Apostle were inked, a definition for the Trinity had been formulated that all true Christians would accept.  A representative definition would be: “Within the one Being that is God, there exists eternally three coequal and coeternal persons, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”


(596) The goal of man, Lessons in Basic Christianity by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/4/19
There is no greater goal or ideal than for man to be in sync with God, and do His will instead of sinful man's. It is God that gives us new life by our response of acceptance to his Gospel. 2 Cor. 5:17 if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away” Eph. 2:4-5 “even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” We learn that by faith which he has initiated by his grace we are appointed to do his will, that God has a plan for our life.


(597) Those who Deny the Deity of Christ “the only begotten Son” by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/18/19
There are those who deny the only begotten son, which always affects the Trinity teaching, affecting the person of Jesus. Kenneth Copeland who is copied by many says " Jesus is no longer the only begotten Son of God... Jesus is known as the first begotten from the dead. If there is a firstborn, then there has to be a secondborn, a thirdborn, a fourthborn , etc." (Copeland: "Now Are We in Christ Jesus", p.24, Kenneth Copeland Publications, Texas. 1980,) “… he’s no longer called the only begotten son of God .” No, no, he’s called the firstborn son of God, the first begotten of many brethren and we are the fullness of him.” (Kenneth Copeland, guest on Benny Hinn’s January 28, 2004 broadcast This is Your Day telecast.) Larry Huch and Paula White discussing Jesus as the high priest, and that we have a priestly anointing take a hard left turn as Huch actually says what Copeland teaches “Jesus is not the only begotten son of God, he is not, I’m a son of God, White interjects he is the firstfruits (which refers to be first human to be resurrected to eternal life) Huch he is the firstfruit, the firstborn of many. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyLPUnXV2_U) Is Jesus no longer the only begotten son? A term used for him before he was born. They apparently do not understand what the Bible says of the Son of God being unique. They demote him to be like them, adopted sons instead of the Son with the Father.


(598) ",,,to all people" by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/28/19
Luke 2:10-11the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” We are told by John who identifies Jesus more than any other writer. Jn.1:10-11“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” How heartbreaking this must have been, his own people he trained through the word and feasts days and customs that they rejected him. He was first announced to the shepherds in the field by angels and they were prompted by this to seek this out. Luke 2:11-12 “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”


(599) What God wants of you by Daved Hunt & T.A. McMahon, 1/25/20
In the 18th Century, the hymn writer Charles Wesley wrote these incredibly wonderful words: “Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?” That act of love is beyond our ability to fathom, yet it is even more incomprehensible to understand why anyone would not want to receive it. In John chapter 15 verse 13, Jesus informs us of what that act means even for sinful humanity: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John:15:13
). Who would not want to be His friend for all eternity?

(600) The Crucified Life by Jacob Prasch, 1/31/20
Some people try to tell us that signs and wonders and miracles will cause the unsaved to believe. At Passover in Jesus' time, famous rabbis would come together and debate. At one particular Passover the rabbi who everybody wanted to see was someone who could feed thousands of people with a little boy's picnic basket, who could walk on water, who could heal the sick and even raise the dead. The people wanted Him to put on a show. They had a “signs and wonders” gospel. They also wanted somebody to get rid of the Romans, the way the Maccabees had gotten rid of the Greeks. They had a “Kingdom Now” gospel. And, if you understand the Hallel Rabbah from Psalm 113 to 118, which they sang to Jesus, they were singing "give us prosperity now." They had a “prosperity” gospel.

(601) The Holy Bible— It's All Importance at Spiritual Research Network, 2/3/20
This article is transcribed from the torn frontispiece pages of a very old, well-read, large print family Bible. Printed in Britain, the Bible’s original publishing date was previous to 1824 (Hall-End, Halifax). The paragraph and poem were initially published, over two hundred years ago, in the Christian Journal and Literary Register (New York, 1819). This small introductory statement and poem were initially printed with no separate paragraphs. I have transcribed them with small spaces between for better readability.—Chris Lawson

(602) Can You Be Deceived? - Why People are Duped and How Not to be by G. Richard Fisher, 2/7/20
‘‘‘Will you walk into my parlor?’ said a spider to a fly; ‘Tis the prettiest little parlor that you ever did spy’’’ (Mary Howitt). The inspired Apostle Paul warned us: ‘‘Let no one deceive you’’ (2 Thessalonians 2:3). It is apparent that we are vulnerable to deception and we must not forget it. We must be on guard and protect ourselves against it. There is deception everywhere in the religious world. We must be alert. Deception can only deceive if it looks somewhat like the real thing. Apologist Craig Hawkins explains: ‘‘We must realize that the way to deceive people with counterfeits is to imitate the genuine article as closely as possible. For example, if counterfeiters want to pass off fake one-hundred-dollar bills, they do not print Donald Duck’s picture on purple paper. Instead they attempt to duplicate a true bill. Similarly, despicable persons who try to deceive others attempt to appear genuine and sincere. They do not walk up to you and inform you that they are there to deceive and defraud you. The far more effective method is faking friendship and fidelity.’’1

(603) Our Adoption is what happened and will happen by Mike Oppenheimer, 2/12.20
Our adoption into the family of God begins by our regeneration which comes from believing the gospel.

(604) Choosing which covenant to live by by Mike Oppenheimer, 2/28/20
The Covenant of Moses “written and engraved with stones,” became void when Christ died and the veil of the temple was rent. The New Covenant replaced the Old. Only the New Covenant is eternal. Those who go back to be under the Old Covenant, practicing the law are rejecting all that the new covenant has to offer. They forfeit grace which only comes by the new because as Paul said you cannot be under law and under grace at the same time, one annuls the other.

(605) A time to pay attention to Prophecy by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/4/20
At a time when prophecy needs to be taught and studied, we have leaders like Rick Warren who says there is no need, Warren teaches prophecy is a distraction for the church, and many agree. Thousands of churches follow his program.

(606) What of those who claim they died (NDE) and went to heaven and returned by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/8/20
There are numerous stories, books and movies being produced of those who have visited heaven because they had died for a short time.  Some call these NDE near death experiences. Many claim to have a story of meeting God and his giving them a choice to stay or return to earth with a mission (which is not the gospel but something else, usually not related to the Bible. This experience is often based on good people go to heaven at death. Sometimes descriptions of going to heaven in the Christian vernacular is not much different from the New Age movement’s practice of astral travel and their own personal stories of coming to a bright light and having a conversation. Most return with a new message and will almost always say Death is not to be feared for anyone. They speak of beautiful creatures, angels, Satan masks his lies by beautiful "experiences" to deceive them. From this experience there whole life changes. Believers in Christ are not supposed to lie or perpetuate lies, but some do. Either by being deceived by an experience they cannot explain or seeing an opportunity to get money by a story they can use.  In fact the days we live in lies of the supernatural certainly outnumber the truth, so we should expect them. But it becomes offensive and insulting when one shares an experience that was not true about the most holy place the Bible calls heaven. The fact is everyone who claims to have died and gone to heaven should have their story scrutinized. As Christians we should be suspicious of someone having such an experience that was exclusive and unique to the Apostles (Paul and John). Somehow the church has been convinced that what happened to anyone in the Scripture can happen to us today. Even one going to heaven. John 1:18 says, “No one has seen God at any time.” Yet we have stories of people saying they did and go and describe him and the holy place in great detail.

(607) The Gospel of Self-Esteem: Are We Really Better Than We Think? by David M. Tyler, PFO, 3/10/20
If the advocates of self-esteem are right, we must change our emphasis from man’s unworthiness and focus on man’s worthiness and his right to esteem himself. The Church will need to recognize the tremendous significance that this teaching will have in the lives of its members. But if the advocates of self-esteem are wrong, then clearly the Church’s fascination with self-esteem is heretical. Jesus called His followers to imitate Him in denying themselves (Matthew 16:24). While not endorsing all of his positions, we agree with T.B. Maston when he stated: ‘‘The cross, with all that it symbolizes, permeates and gives meaning and unity to all the ethical teachings of Jesus.’’11 Jesus consistently tied together selfdenial and the cross. The call of God into the Christian life is a call to self-denial. The cross — self-denial — is the path of every Christian. The antithesis of the cross is self-love. Therefore, self-love is classified as a ‘‘different gospel’’ (Galatians 1:6), opposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

(608) Points Against A Double End Times Theophany by Scott Noble, 3/11/20
The Two Witnesses of Rev 11 are not the Father and the Holy Spirit.

(609) Out of context Christianity by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/14/20
One can only be grounded in Scripture by reading the Bible chapter by chapter, book by book and understanding the overall meaning. You cannot understand the details until the overall meaning is first understood.. Today few are taught how to read or study devotionally, or theologically. They are not grounded in the core doctrines of Christianity which has them become open to being misled. And this continues to be repeated and compound the already exiting problem. This next generation will be even more divorced from sound Bible teaching unless we turn it around. The devil’s emissaries are about changing Gods word so it is no longer is the truth, it becomes out of context Christianity.How did we get here? Read Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3.

(610) A Time of Sorrows by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/23/20
Matthew 24:4-14 And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. ” This is the first of his warnings. We have already seen many come claiming to be Christ, a Christ, or Have his anointing in authority. The point he is making is that they are deceiving people on a massive scale. v.6 “ And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” World wars began early in the 20th century and we have had wars taking place all over the globe in various sizes. Since World War 2, there have been over 200 conflicts. V.7 “ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.” Conflict of nations will become the norm. What Jesus is expressing are worldwide increases. Famines will be on a scale not seen before. Earthquakes will be seen in various places it was not before and will increase in frequency and strength. One thing to note in the Matthew account is that the word pestilence (diseases, virus’) is not found in this manuscript, according to the interlinear Bible it was added. It was probably added because it was recorded by Luke who was a doctor and would certainly make sure this was included if this was spoken as he recorded the same account.

(611) Teach me to number my days by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/24/20
Do you know how much time you have on earth? None of us do. There are no guarantees even for the healthy. Do you know how your time is being used? You can get an estimate by calculating how long you sleep and work. From the beginning after the fall man was able to live to his 900 plus years (Gen.5). As time went on  lifetimes diminished in years to one hundred thirty, spanning one hundred fifty years as common. King David wrote in the Bible of the time settled for man by God – he speaks of us having 75 years possibly 80 years to live our life. Ps. 90:10-12 “ The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. So teach us to number our days. That we may gain a heart of wisdom.” The fear of the Lord is an important component, not a fear that would have us cringe, but have a healthy respect for our maker and overseer of our life. Job 12:10  “In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?”

(612) The big question of living again by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/28/20
Sooner or later every human being has to face, was asked long ago by a man named Job. If a man dies, will he live again? (Job 14:14). Job from his knowledge of God proclaimed “ For I know my redeemer lives And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me ! (Job 19:25-27) Without the resurrection, Christianity carries no meaning for humanity—its founder would have been a fraud and a failure for he said he would rise from the dead on the third day (numerous times). Furthermore, his followers would have no hope of the same resurrection. Jesus said he would raise himself. This is quite an accomplishment if you go out of existence like the world, Buddhism or Jehovah Witnesses believe. Thus the importance of the resurrection to Christian faith cannot be underestimated.

(613) The tree and fruit of Psalm 1 by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/30/20
The fruit of the Spirit is multifaceted. Just like trees take time to grow and mature to produce fruit, it does not come in one season, it takes many seasons. And this is why God tells us to have patience and endurance that we can produce fruit unto eternal life. For the farmer, the fruit of a tree is measured over lifetime of its production. Fruit is not the same as gifts which are used in someone’s calling and ministry. Fruit is what every Christian produces, 30, 60 a 100 fold. We can be meta fruit trees when we begin to produce. It is the work of the Holy Spirit changing our nature to be as like Jesus, the Son of God. It depends on our submission, yielding to Him and our faith to do something that will be part of that fruit bearing. This is why there are variables in our fruitfulness. Scripture speaks of the fruit in the singular because these are all characteristics of the Lord which the Holy Spirit produces. It is God’s nature working in man and out from him to others.

(614) A.B. Simpson on Palm Sunday, 4/5/20

Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried. This is the promise for the Lord's coming. It is more than purity. It is to be made white, lustrous or bright. To be purified is to have sin burned out; to be made white is to have the glory of the Lord burned in. The one is cleansing; the other is illumination and glorification. The Lord has both for us, but in order for us to have both we must be put into the fire to be tried. We must be led into difficult and strange places where Christ shall be more to us because of the very extremity of the situation. We are approaching these days. indeed, they are already around us, and they are the precursors of the Lord's coming. Blesssed is he that . . . keepeth his garments lest he walk naked (Revelation 16:15).

(615) A ride on a donkey by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/6/20
Matt 21:1-9 “ now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them." Luke 19:30 adds you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat.” “All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying : Zech. 9:9 is then quoted "Tell the daughter of Zion,' Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.' "So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.” Most kings ride on white horses into a city as they conquer, here Jesus comes into the Holy city before all humbly, in fact more humble than any other man, in a humiliating way, why? Notice there were two animals, Jesus sat on the colt that was led by the parent donkey. A colt is a child of the parent, the father. It was an animal that was never used to serve man yet. Christ rode into Jerusalem on it, he was separated for this useful purpose.

(616) April 4 Morning, Morning and Evening by C.H. Spurgeon, 4/10/20
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." {#2Co 5:21} Mourning Christian! why weepest thou? Art thou mourning over thine own corruptions? Look to thy perfect Lord, and remember, thou art complete in him; thou art in God’s sight as perfect as if thou hadst never sinned; nay, more than that, the Lord our Righteousness hath put a divine garment upon thee, so that thou hast more than the righteousness of man—thou hast the righteousness of God. O thou who art mourning by reason of inbred sin and depravity, remember, none of thy sins can condemn thee. Thou hast learned to hate sin; but thou hast learned also to know that sin is not thine—it was laid upon Christ’s head. Thy standing is not in thyself—it is in Christ; thine acceptance is not in thyself, but in thy Lord; thou art as much accepted of God today, with all thy sinfulness, as thou wilt be when thou standest before his throne, free from all corruption. O, I beseech thee, lay hold on this precious thought, perfection in Christ! For thou art "complete in him." With thy Saviour’s garment on, thou art holy as the Holy One. "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Christian, let thy heart rejoice, for thou art "accepted in the beloved"—what hast thou to fear? Let thy face ever wear a smile; live near thy Master; live in the suburbs of the Celestial City; for soon, when thy time has come, thou shalt rise up where thy Jesus sits, and reign at his right hand; and all this because the divine Lord "was made to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

(617) Only One True Victim (Video) by Jacob Prasch, 4/12/20

(618) The Disowned by Mike Ratliff, 4/13/20
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:21-23 (NASB)  The best test of everything is not how it appears here and now. Unlike those preachers who draw throngs of people to hear their, “Have your best life now!” sermons, those with real godly wisdom know that the best tests of everything is how it will appear in the moment of death, in the morning of resurrection, and at the day of judgment. Thankfully, the Word of God does give us the truth about these things. Let’s take a long slow look at Matthew 7:21-23 where our Lord lays it out very clearly about people who will find that what they believed to be true about their eternal state is nothing more than the product of self-deception.

(619) THE ABSENT CROSS by CETF Newsletter, Issue 71, 4/10/20
I take, O cross, thy shadow For my abiding place;I ask no other sunshine than The sunshine of His face; Content to let the world go by,To know no gain nor loss, My sinful self my only shame, My glory all the cross.

(620) Sound Doctrine Through It All by Warren B. Smith, 4/16/20
Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass. (Deuteronomy 32:1-2) How precious is the Book divine, by inspiration given! Bright as a lamp its doctrines shine, to guide our souls to heaven.—John Fawcett; How Precious is the Book Divine (1782) It is not very popular these days, but the Bible tells us to study and to rightly divide the Word of God: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

(621) The Importance of Obedience by Ligonier Ministries, 4/18/20
“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king” (vv. 22–23). - 1 Samuel 15:10–35 Human beings are naturally religious, and part of that religious impulse involves following religious rituals. In most of the world’s religions, central importance is placed on the proper following of ritual while less attention is devoted to right belief. Orthopraxy—rightly following regulations and rituals—tends to take precedence over orthodoxy—right beliefs and theology. Biblical Christianity stands out as the exception. Various regulations and rituals have been important in church history, but Christian theology tends to focus more on getting our beliefs right than on enforcing adherence to a set of religious rituals. Yet, God’s people have sometimes elevated external conformity over heart-motivated belief and obedience. King Saul committed that error when he disobeyed God’s command to annihilate the Amalekites and their livestock (1 Sam. 15:1–9). He preserved the Amalekite king, Agag, and several of the best Amalekite animals. And when Samuel came to confront Saul for his disobedience, Saul explained that he spared the animals so as to make the best sacrifice to the Lord (vv. 10–16). Saul was so focused on the external letter of the law—giving the best animal for sacrifices—that he violated the Lord’s explicit will for dealing with the Amalekites. For this blatant disobedience, God rejected him as Israel’s king, pledging to give the throne to another (vv. 17–31).

(622) Restoring the Image of God in man by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/23/20
God’s image in Adam was a moral image, man’s conscience was alive and he would learn to do what is right. Each day the Lord would meet Adam and Eve in the garden later in the day and converse with them. It was their time of fellowship. That is, until that fateful day when Adam chose to side with Eve, eat the fruit from the tree they were told not to. Then hid from the Lord when he came to fellowship in the afternoon. The Lord knew he and Eve were disobedient, that they ate from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil because they hid from him instead of being there to meet him. Eve was deceived to eat from the tree, but Adam made a choice to eat with her. From that time forward mankind had a severed relationship passed on. Their image of God was flawed, marred as they reproduced in each generation. Man’s conscience could no longer distinguish what is right from wrong as it was intended. His limited abilities that were like God were diminished and more so after every proceeding generation. A man was chosen to whom a nation would be made. Abraham would be God’s chosen of whom was told to leave his land and family “ I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed ." Gen 12:2- This was done so that this future nation would be given the moral law that would distinguish them from all other nations in the world. No longer did man understand instinctively the ways or things of God, he had to have it explained.

(623) Humility in our walk by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/23/20
The Spirit will always have us yield to what is right, good and true. Humility means one does NOT think more highly of themselves, they know their strong and weak points. They are able and willing to receive truth from another, even if it is correction. God ordained authority is living by humility, to consider oneself being equal with others takes a surrendered soul. To humble oneself in the sight of the Lord God can be difficult and is often a fight against pride that may be present. It’s our duty to examine ourselves. A servant is someone who spends time in God’s presence by reading His Word, praying and willing to minister to others even when it is uncomfortable. This does not always end in agreement. The more aware we become of who the Lord is, how holy He is, the more we become aware of our sins and flaws and our daily dependence on Him. This trains us in humility, that is when we understand in a personal way His grace and mercy to us.

(624) The Current Confusion Between what is false and what is true by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/26/20
In our time lies seem to be everywhere, in every facet of society. There is an increase of confusion which exemplifies that we live in a day of increasing evil. And because of the increasing darkness it can become harder to distinguish what is right from wrong. It can be frustrating trying to distinguish or explain matters of importance. We should be able to explain why someone is wrong about something without berating them calling them names to humiliate their intelligence, education, spirituality or reputation. This shows someone is immature and is unable to walk away from a disagreement and not turn it into a feud. We are told Col 4:5-6 “ Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” Wisdom is applying knowledge which must come first. Prov. 2:10 “ When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul ” Prov. 3:13 “ Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding ” Wisdom is peaceable not antagonistic. It may offend some by speaking what is true, as James 3:13-18 tells us, “ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

(625) Are you being taken for a ride? by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/1/20
Being chauffeured is not the same as being taken for a ride. The prophecy extremists are hard at work, they want you to think we are either in the tribulation, that the rider on the white horse is now taking place or the mark of the beast has begun or is about to begin. None of these are taking place. The mark is a number of a man, he is the world president (a dictator) and he is the one that issues the mark, in the middle of the tribulation (Rev.13). The mark of the Beast, the number is a numerical value of this man’s name. The number is the same for everyone, so what is taking place by chips or codes is not it. We do not have an established new world order which must come first (and takes time to develop), nor do we have the person that is the Son of Perdition, the Antichrist in power. So there is no way for this to be taking place now. For the Tribulation to begin Jesus must unseal the 7 seals and the riders commence one after another.  It will be quite noticeable. Read Part 1 & Part 2.

(626) Was man first made androgynous? by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/13/20
The Hebrew word baanaah from the side of the man God builds the female, through whom the human race is to be built up by the male. Gen 1:27-28 “He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them” “The distinction drawn between ‘otow (OT:853) (in the image of God created He him) and ‘otaam (OT:853) (as man and woman created He them) must not be overlooked. The word ‘otaam (OT:853), which indicates that God created the man and woman as two human beings, completely overthrows the idea that man was at first androgynous” (cf. Gen 2:18ff.). (from Keil & Delitzsch Commentary) Adam was created mature in mind and body and he was made with age, as was all of creation. How did Adam become a human being? Gen.2:7 The Hebrew is nephesh chayah means a living being. Nephesh does not mean a soul, as in a separate entity. The man that was formed from the ground became a breathing creature, having a life of its own. Because of the breath breathed into him, he became alive. He had a unique personality all his own. Man then was made of two distinct parts, physical and non- material, substantially made a tri-part being consisting of spirit, soul and body. Adam became a creature by his natural body and his spiritual nature. The image of God was directly given to man by the breath of God that gave him life, spiritual life. Gen. 2:7 “ And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life”-literally, lives in Hebrew. Adam was endowed with the property of continuing life, his nature passed to his offspring. God made a woman from Adams side for this to occur.

(627) The consequences of the Lack of expository preaching by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/15/20
Many stand behind the pulpit that should not be there. So many teach extra biblical nonsense, stories that are not focused on the Bible, but their experiences, usually made up. Either they were not called, or if they were called to ministry they did not allow the time for training and education. Jesus picked regular men who had enough Bible knowledge of Judaism and personally trained them for 3 years. They were not Pharisees who memorized all these extra laws invented by man, so they were eager to learn the truth. Later when they were given the Holy Spirit to empower them for their mission, Jesus sent them out - to preach, evangelize and disciple. Preach the word Paul told young Timothy. Yet today we hear people give a Scripture and they launch into various stories that may or may not have anything to do with the Scripture or be true. Going through the Bible systematically teaches us the character of God. It helps understand completely what the writer meant in his book. We are to use the Bible as the authority - which takes the emphasis off man, off of self. The Scripture has less of a tendency to be manipulated when the basis of our preaching is founded in the Scripture, book by book. Hearing the word preached preserves us from sins influence, it changes our affections from being attracted to sin and the world, to instead be obeying God. When the Gospel in the Church is not accurately taught or explained, people end up not understanding the message of sin, repentance and their response which brings them to saving faith. This affects their daily walk with the Lord. So the answer is to get back to the basics and really know them as our foundation to build upon. Once a church gets a certain size and popular, the danger is things become automatic, and they become very busy to keep it going. And that’s when we can stop paying attention.

(628) The necessary work of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/17/20
Romans 5:5 “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” That love is the same Jesus had for the people, it is to do the will of God and focus on serving the people. Without the Holy Spirit’s work the gospel is not understood “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance” (1 Thessalonians 1:5) The Gospel preached and being accepted depends on the Holy Spirit working to enlighten a person “the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit” (1 Peter 1:12) You cannot have the confession of Romans 10 without the Holy Spirit at work. No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit (meaning God has come in the flesh 2 Cor. 5:19).

(629) God gave Man a Woman, or Women?: On the subject of polygamy by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/19/20
How many wives did Adam have? In Gen.2:24 it says One. God took from his side to make one woman, he did not take two wives out from his side. Jesus in Mt.19 refers to this about marriage. In Gen. 2:18 “And the LORD God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helpmate for him .” This is singular. V. 22 relates the creation of Eve, again showing that there was to be just one woman for each man. Jesus taught Mark 10:6-8 " But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'' For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 'and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh .” God always spoke of man's “wife,” as singular, not wives. Notice it also states one father one mother (Gen. 2:18, 22-23; Matt. 19:5-6; Eph. 5:31; I Cor. 7:2; Deut.17:17; I Tim.3:2, 12). God-established one woman for one man, this was to be the order for the human race throughout time (Gen. 4:1). Gen 3:20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living .” This was the first family of mankind. Adam was faithful to one wife his whole life. It wasn’t until man sinned, became fallen (Gen. 4:23) that polygamy occurred. This came from Lamech, a descendent of Cain. He is the first to practice polygamy, being the first to break God’s law of one man and one wife? The first time a polygamous relationship is found in the Bible is in a thriving rebellious society of sin; when a murderer named “Lamech [a descendant of Cain] took for himself two wives” (Gen.4:19, 23) Adah and Zillah. Polygamy was never a command of God, it was allowed as divorce was allowed (Mt.19:8).

(630) The Triune God of Scripture by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/22/20
According to oneness Jesus is God because He is the Father, but if he is the Son he is not God. As the Son a man, the son of man. But at the same time Oneness teaches that there is no triunity, that The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are ALL manifestations (offices) of the one God. So then how can the Farther be God and the Son is not? How can the Father be eternal and the Son not eternal? So they have an immediate contradiction in their belief system. The fact that the Bible makes the point that the Son was with the Father before the world began does solidify the Trinitarian position but does not satisfy Oneness with answers. One cannot be with another unless they exist (not as a thought in the mind, that is not with another). And the fact that the Bible teaches that God was there by himself before anything was created (Jn.17:5) does assert that the Son must be God if he co-existed with the Father before the world was made. For the world was the first physical thing made. Numerous other passages also uphold this teaching, such as when it tells where the Son of God would be born Micah 5:2 " But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting ." God is speaking (the Me) who is calling forth another who is from eternity.

(631) “Charge That to My Account” – True Freedom to the Captive and Downtrodden by Harry Ironside (1876-1951)
None other could have met the claims of God’s holiness against the sinner and have come out triumphant at last. He alone could atone for sin. Because He has settled every claim, God has raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His own right hand in highest glory. Have you trusted “the stranger’s Surety”? If not, turn to Him now while grace is free.

(632) “Awaiting Our Rescue” by Jackie Alnor, 6/9/20
“Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” I think this applies to our day and age as we await the Bridegroom’s rescue. I was asked the other day if I believe in the pre-trib rapture. I responded that it is my greatest hope, but I’ve never been dogmatic about it. Perhaps that’s because I was weaned as a new believer on Chuck Smith and Walter Martin whose Bible studies I frequented in my first decade as a believer. Chuck was dogmatically pre and Walter just as post. The preemies jokingly referred to their post friends as “Post-Toasties” and the posties called them “Escapists.” I learned their biblical arguments and all the ones in-between. All base their understanding on several passages, not just one. But we loved one another as brothers and sisters in Christ and did NOT divide over the topic.

(633) The Message “Bible” erases Salvation in Romans passage by The Word Like Fire, 6/17/20
For whosover shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (KJV) for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” (NASB) Here is The Message version of Romans 10:13: “Everyone who calls ‘help God!’ gets help.” (The Message) There is a vast difference between being helped and being saved. The Message “Bible” strikes again.

(634) What were believers in Christ called before “Christian? by Mike Oppenheimer, 6/19/20
The followers of Jesus called themselves disciples, believers, brethren, saints, those of the Way, also Nazarenes (Acts 24:5).

(635) Broken Vessels for Christ by H.A. Ironside, 7/31/20
Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. (2 Corinthians 4:10,11) This fourth chapter of 2 Corinthians is the apostle Paul’s statement of power for ministry. He  shows us in these stirring verses that God is not looking for brilliant men, is not depending upon eloquent men, is not shut up to the use of talented men in sending His Gospel out in the world. God is looking for broken men, for men who have judged themselves in the light of the Cross of Christ. When He wants anything done, He takes up men who have come to an end of  themselves, and whose trust and confidence is not in themselves but in God.

(636) God has no favorites by Mike Oppenheimer, 8/23/20
This may be true but he does approve of people that seek His counsel and ways -- that are walking in His Spirit. There are those that He gives power to because they want what God wants. So in this sense He may not have favorites but he does give more to those who want to do His will. God does not necessarily have to use the word favorite to express this sentiment. There are those whom God calls beloved whom He places hand upon, and gives the power of His Spirit for a particular task so that they may be equipped to accomplish it, because of obedience prior, they have grace for obedience today. Even Jesus showed us the need to obey “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him”

(637)  The principle of return- Humble yourself - pray - seek the Lord - Repent by Mike Oppenheimer, 8/26/20
2 Chron. 7:14: " if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land .” This scripture has been used so often you would think it’s the churches national anthem. “My People” was a common phrase for Israel in the Old Testament, this is a specific promise to Israel, not to the Church under the Old covenant. Only Israel was a theocracy, the Church is not the nation of Israel and we are under a different covenant. They, Israel were under a conditional covenant; if they would obey, God would do what He promised, if they did not obey he would punish as he also promised. God has given us a glimpse of what is in the heart of man unless he is ruled by God. He gave a country an opportunity unlike any other country. America is not a theocracy like Israel but an experiment in freedom, as they implement Judeo Christian principles in governing. America was originally created to worship God without a state religion controlling them, now we have secular humanism competing. We now see those who are opposed to God in open rebellion trying to bring chaos and ruin to peoples lives.

(638) Dead to Sin and Perfect in Love by H.A. Ironside, 8/27/20
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:16-17) WHAT is it to be dead with Christ, dead to sin, and to the rudiments of the world? Upon the answer to this question hangs the truth or error of the “perfectionist system.”

(639) Is your church changing? by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/12/20
Change can be good, or, it can be bad. It’s becomes bad when your church has done things biblically and now is open to doing things other ways, using models of expansion from other church programs or bringing in certain men whose modus operandi is to produce a revival that are of the Latter Rain, then it has become not good. The fact is there are so many changes introduced to churches in our day it’s hard to know where to begin to list them. There are so many non-biblical practices that have become ingrained in churches. The most important need of the hour is to know the Word in its truth, and this comes by discernment. But this is also the most attacked and belittled activity from those who want to bring the wrong changes.

(640) By grace or… not by Grace by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/13/20
It amazes me to hear Christians defend their works and obedience as part of their receiving salvation. The Bible makes it explicit, in no uncertain terms if one is relying on their works, they are condemned. Their works will then measure their punishment, you cannot be given salvation by anything you do, only be believing in what Christ did for you.

(641) I can’t be deceived because I’m a Christian! by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/16/20
The Bible speaks of a certain time at the end of the age where deceivers will become commonplace and there will be so much confusion that truth will become rare, few will speak it because few know it. Matt 24:4-5 And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you."For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.” Jesus spoke several times in his discourse on deception. To those who believe. Luke 21:8 And He said: "Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.' Therefore do not go after them . The word he is not in the original translation. So we have Jesus warning of men saying they are Christ (or christed- anointed) and men saying “I am”, saying they are God (i.e. we find this among the new age and word faith teachers). There is no question this is taking place.

(642) “Awaiting Our Rescue” by Jackie Alnor, 9/22/20
I think this applies to our day and age as we await the Bridegroom’s rescue. I was asked the other day if I believe in the pre-trib rapture. I responded that it is my greatest hope, but I’ve never been dogmatic about it. Perhaps that’s because I was weaned as a new believer on Chuck Smith and Walter Martin whose Bible studies I frequented in my first decade as a believer. Chuck was dogmatically pre and Walter just as post. The preemies jokingly referred to their post friends as “Post-Toasties” and the posties called them “Escapists.” I learned their biblical arguments and all the ones in-between. All base their understanding on several passages, not just one. But we loved one another as brothers and sisters in Christ and did NOT divide over the topic.

(643) How well will the church survive this end-time turmoil? by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/2/20
The great rebellion is upon us, we see this in both the world and in the church. If we are in the middle of an apostasy, “the great apostasy” as many of us believe. The only ones that survive are those who adhere to the word, who love the truth (2 Thess.2). These are called the remnant. So who are the remnant? Those who hold to word of God and try to live by it through the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s not about how successful they do this but it is a matter of their heart, their willingness to press forward and resist the spirit of deception that is gaining strength in the world. The term is used profusely in the Old Testament. We are also told that at this time the love of many will grow cold. It’s many, not all. We see this taking place in every facet where people no longer have care for each other. They don’t listen to another person’s views, what they are going through, they have their minds made up before you say a word (this is especially seen in politics, a religion unto itself). Respect is gone as Paul wrote in his list in 2 Tim 3 of what will be lacking or change. Love also contains within it doing good. That takes effort, doing sin and evil take no effort, it comes naturally to man.

(644) Ironside: Some Difficulties That Hinder Full Assurance of Salvation at Lighthouse Trails, 10/13/20
It is now my purpose to consider some of the difficulties and perplexities which keep souls from entering into peace and enjoying the full assurance of salvation. The following questions and objections are some that have come to me again and again from earnest seekers after light, and are therefore, I have good reason to believe, fairly representative of the troublesome thoughts that hinder many from seeing the simplicity of God’s way of life as set forth in His holy Word. Perhaps if my reader has not a settled rest of heart and conscience, he may find his own peculiar trouble dealt with here.

(645) Biblical Discernment in Christian Literature by Gary Gilley, 11/1/20
These men understood as we must today, that the “faith once for all delivered to the saints” is worth defending.  We must not allow the objections of those who lack the courage or the insight to fight for truth to cause us to cower from this important God-given obligation.

(646) Daniel 2 and the USA Election (Livestream Video) by Jacob Prasch, 11/4/20
Jacob hosts a zoom prayer and teaching program from Daniel Chapter 2 regarding the 2020 USA election.

(647) Watch out for the animals and Beasts of Scripture by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/6/20
Throughout Scripture people are represented in different ways, sometimes as trees or branches that bear fruit, other times as animals’ beasts. In Genesis the word beasts are used for species of creatures God made, later they are divided into being clean and unclean. There are Wild beasts and domesticated beasts, wild beasts are mostly identified as beasts of prey (2 Kings 14:9; 1 Sam. 17:34–35; Job 39:15; Ps. 80:13; Hos. 13:8) A wild beast is a symbol of tyrannical rulers. EX: The four beasts in Dan. 7:3, 17, 23, represent four kingdoms (Ezek. 34:28; Jer. 12:9). Numerous time they are used symbolically to represent man, or an animalistic nature.

(648) The Menace Of The Religious Movie by A.W.Tozer (1897-1963)
When God gave to Moses the blueprint of the Tabernacle He was careful to include every detail; then, lest Moses should get the notion that he could improve on the original plan, God warned him solemnly, "And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shown thee in the mount." God, not Moses, was the architect. To decide the plan was the prerogative of the Deity. No one dare alter it so much as a hairbreadth. The New Testament Church also is built after a pattern. Not the doctrines only but the methods are divinely given. The doctrines are expressly stated in so many words. Some of the methods followed by the early New Testament Church had been given by direct command; others were used by God's specific approval, having obviously been commanded the apostles by the Spirit. The point is that when the New Testament canon was closed the blueprint for the age was complete. God has added nothing since that time. From God's revealed plan we depart at our peril. Every departure has two consequences, the immediate and the remote. The immediate touches the individual and those close to him; the remote extends into the future to unknown times, and may expand so far as to influence for evil the whole Church of God on earth. The temptation to introduce "new" things into the work of God has always been too strong for some people to resist. The Church has suffered untold injury at the hands of well intentioned but misguided persons who have felt that they know more about running God's work than Christ and His apostles did. A solid train of box cars would not suffice to haul away the religious rubbish which has been brought into the service of the Church with the hope of improving on the original pattern. These things have been, one and all, positive hindrances to the progress of the Truth, and have so altered the divinely-planned structure that the apostles, were they to return to earth today, would scarcely recognize the misshapen thing which has resulted. Our Lord while on earth cleansed the Temple, and periodic cleansings have been necessary in the Church of God throughout the centuries. Every generation is sure to have its ambitious amateur to come up with some shiny gadget which he proceeds to urge upon the priests before the altar. That the Scriptures do not justify its existence does not seem to bother him at all. It is brought in anyway and presented in the very name of Orthodoxy. Soon it is identified in the minds of the Christian public with all that is good and holy. Then, of course, to attack the gadget is to attack the Truth itself. This is an old familiar technique so often and so long practiced by the devotees of error that I marvel how the children of God can be taken in by it. We of the evangelical faith are in the rather awkward position of criticizing  Roman Catholicism for its weight of unscriptural impedimenta and at the same time tolerating in our own churches a world of religious fribble as bad as holy water or the elevated host. Heresy of method may be as deadly as heresy of message. Old-line Protestantism has long ago been smothered to death by extra-scriptural rubbish. Unless we of the gospel churches wake up soon we shall most surely die by the same means. Within the last few years a new method has been invented for imparting spiritual knowledge; or, to be more accurate, it is not new at all, but is an adaptation of a gadget of some years standing, one which by its origin and background belongs not to the Church but to the world. Some within the fold of the Church have thrown their mantle over it, have "blessed it with a text" and are now trying to show that it is the very gift of God for our day. But, however eloquent the sales talk, it is an unauthorized addition nevertheless, and was never a part of the pattern shown us on the mount. I refer, of course, to the religious movie.

(649) How Should We Deal With Apostates? by Mike Ratliff, 11/15/20
3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. 4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Jude 1:3-4 (NASB)  Carefully read the passage above my brethren. The writer of the Epistle of Jude is the brother of James, the well-known leader of the Jerusalem church (Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21;18; Galatians 2:9) and, therefore, the half-brother of our Lord Jesus Christ…. In v3 we read that Jude had intended to write a letter on salvation as the common blessing enjoyed by all true believers. This intent was probably to emphasize unity and fellowship among believers as he reminded them that God is no respecter of persons, however, his plans were changed. He doesn’t say why he “found it necessary” to write something else, but what we have in this letter is actually a call to battle for the truth in light of the appearance and infiltration into the Church of apostate teachers.

(650) What are the seven woes of Matthew 23? by GotQuestions.org, 11/16/20
The seven woes of Matthew 23 were dire warnings to the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. But they also serve to warn us against religious hypocrisy today. We are called to true godliness, sincere love, and enduring faith. Pretension, affectation, and hypocrisy will only lead to woe.

(651) The Words That Keeps Believers From Stumbling by Mike Ratliff, 11/25/20
Ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν ἵνα μὴ σκανδαλισθῆτε. John 16:1 (NA28) 1 “These things I have spoken to you that you not be caused to stumble.” John 16:1 ( translated from the NA28 Greek text) In our post, The True Vine, we looked at John 15. When our Lord spoke of the “things” He spoke of in order that believers “not be caused to stumble,” He was referring to John 15:18-25, which is the fact that those who are truly in Christ will be hated by the world just as our Lord was. Our Lord made it an imperative that we understand that this is true, but also that we do not have to contend with this alone. In John 15:26-27, the promise of the Helper, the Holy Spirit, is given again. Those who have the Holy Spirit are genuine believers and they bear witness about Christ because that is what the Holy Spirit does.

(652) Hell needs “reframing” says The Bible Project co-founder by The Word Like Fire, 11/29/20
What hell is and how it fits into the story of the Bible is itself complex and needs a lot of reframing from our modern distortions of it. –Tim Mackie, Heaven and Earth Q&R Transcript And if you’re familiar with the story, how it works, hell–or evil or sin, the various names it’s called in the Bible–is something that humans have created by our decision to seize autonomy from God. (Tim Mackie, 32:01 in video below) Open your Bible. Did humans really create hell? (Matthew 25:41) Open your Bible. Is hell really a synonym for evil or sin? “Hell” is seemingly used in this manner numerous times throughout the sermon. How many new or young Christians have been confused or affected by this? More than 425,000 people have now watched the Compelled: Speaking and Living the Gospel video. Tim Mackie is co-founder of The Bible Project, an organization that produces numerous videos on biblical topics and figures. Many churches have gratefully used this free resource. Below you can read (or view if you wish) every reference to hell throughout Mackie’s sermon. He states that God didn’t make hell; that hell is a human creation; that hell isn’t just in the afterlife but exists here and now; and that God wants to remove the hell from the earth and from us. He states that through Jesus we can be hell free in the here and now as well as in the future.

(653) Justified by Faith by Mike Ratcliff, 12/12/20
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “ BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” Romans 1:17 (NASB)  The Protestant Reformation was used by God to restore the lost doctrine of Justification by Faith. Also, all of the reformers were adamant that the Bible be available to all people in a language they could read and understand. The Roman Catholic Church of that era was apostate and taught a corrupt gospel based on works. The Bible was kept locked up and away from non-scholars. It was always read verbally to the people in Latin, which few understood. As the Bible was translated from Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek into German, English, French, etc. the doctrine of Justification by Faith became central. Why would our enemy and his seed seek to bury this doctrine within religion?

(654) Faith Under Fire: Are You Growing in It or Fleeing From It? by Cedric H Fisher, 12/14/20
God’s Word gives us examples of faith in the fire, faith in the flood, faith when outnumbered by the enemy, faith when facing an indomitable foe, faith in prison, faith during torture, faith when destitute, hungry, and thirsty, faith on stormy seas, faith to lose everything and faith to receive it all back again, faith to procreate though infertile, and faith to die. Every instance of faith thus described is manifested in adversity or great need. To find examples in Scripture of faith operating in a peaceful and bountiful climate would be a difficult task. I’m not sure there are any at all.

(655) Does The Bible Actually Teach That We’re Not To Judge Others? by Marsha West, 12/18/20
In the work I do I often name names. When I expose a false teacher, invariably someone will call me judgmental. When that happens it is always best to respond with Scripture: “The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. ‘For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’  But we have the mind of Christ.” Some professing Christians become infuriated when those of us in a discernment ministry has the chutzpah to report on a false teacher by name, as if naming names is unbiblical.  High-profile leaders and bloggers who mention heretics by name are often accused of demonizing or judging them.  Invariably someone will cite Matthew 18:15-17.

(656) The Lion and The Lamb by Christian Research Network, 12/20/20
4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; 5 and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.” 6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.  Revelation 5:4-8 (NASB) Read verses 7&8 on the site.   What is referred to as “the Church” and “Christianity” in our time sometimes makes me very angry. Why? It is all about something or someone other than our Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever religion they are about, it isn’t Biblical Christianity…. They don’t even seem to know who Jesus is or what His Advent, ministry, Death on the Cross, and Resurrection were all about. Instead, they have come up with all forms of religiosity (idolatry) and have even made it about social issues like social justice. No, sorry, none of that is why my Lord Jesus Christ is who is and why He did what did and will come again to make everything right.

(657) Those That Drift (Audio) by James Jacob Prasch, 12/28/20

(658) WEA head: Biblical illiteracy 'utmost problem' facing global evangelicalism at The Christian Post, 1/1/21
The biggest crisis facing the evangelical, global church today is the growing lack of biblical literacy worldwide, according to Thomas Schirrmacher, the newly elected secretary-general of the World Evangelical Alliance. “Our biggest problem is that Bible knowledge is fading away,” Schirrmacher told The Christian Post. “This is the utmost problem we have beyond all theological differences, financial problems, and political questions."

(659) Why Your Church Should Practice Church Discipline by Jesse Randolph, For The Gospel, 1/3/21
“Church discipline, then, is essential because the Lord commands it. Jesus Christ has declared church discipline to be essential, and churches must treat the process accordingly by committing themselves (and training their people) to follow the steps mentioned above.”  One of the more-frequently misapplied passages of Scripture is Matthew 18:20, where the Lord Jesus is recorded as saying: “For where two or three have gathered in My name, I am there in their midst.” Whether this verse is thrown around at a men’s prayer breakfast, a church potluck, or a small group conversation in a living room, the subtle suggestion is that Jesus is not going to bother to show up when one of His followers is flying solo. The transcendent and immanent King of Kings somehow needs at least two Christians gathered—and perhaps three—before He can make His way into their midst.

(660) The difference of what is positional and what is practical by Mike Oppenheimer, 1/5/21
The Lord often speaks of the believer in terms that are present yet are still to be accomplished. God sees the end from the beginning and does not see time in a linear fashion and it is sometimes expressed this way. We can say we are now without sin in a judicial sense because we are in Christ, God has pronounced us not guilty and will not judge us as He will judge the world for their sin. But to say we are sinless in a practical sense of everyday living in a fallen world shows a self deception, of being unaware of our unperfected state as creatures. We are justified but we are still being sanctified. If we did not need to be sanctified we would be in the last stage, the conclusion of the lifelong process - glorification, where we are made sinless, immortal in the body now. We are both Justified (a one time event) and sanctification (a life long process) begins with our justification, it is a daily conforms us to Christ’s likeness (moral likeness). This means we still sin and the Holy Spirit has work to do in us.

(661) God’s Word Declares the Importance of Being Watchful and Discerning by Warren B. Smith, 1/9/21
Without a watchful and discerning heart, we are too easily deceived by a crafty adversary. While we rejoice, praise God, give thanks, and remain hopeful through it all, we must be alert to the deception that is all around us. Jesus said—“Take heed that no man deceive you.” Be watchful. Be discerning. Keep looking up. Keep pressing on.

(662) Paul and Silas in Philippi by Mike Ratliff, 1/12/21
11 And having set sail from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the next day to Neapolis 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a prominent city of the District of Macedonia, a colony, and we stayed in this city some days. Acts 16:11-12  (translated from the NA28 Greek text) As you know, Paul’s friend and companion Luke wrote the book of Acts in the New Testament. In Acts 16:10, we read that after Paul and seen the vision to leave Asia and come to Europe after seeking the will of God for next focus of his missionary journey, Luke includes himself in the narrative as an eyewitness, therefore, his account of what happened to Paul and Silas in Philippi are given as one who was there. In the passage above, Troas was a major Aegean port 14 miles south of ancient Troy and the primary Asian harbor for ships bound for Macedonia. Samothrace was an island on the direct route between Troas and Neapolis, the port for Philippi, which lay 8.5 miles inland. Philippi was a Roman colony, which means that is held the most privileged status for provincial cities.

(663) World by Mike Ratliff, 1/15/21
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:4 (NASB)  Depending upon a given context, world (κόσμος (kosmos)) can mean several things: earth, human race, et cetera. In some 188 occurrences, however, it usually speaks of the “world system” or “world order,” that is, the values, pleasures, inclinations, philosophies, goals, drives, purposes, attitudes, and actions of society. This system is totally man-centered and is quite vivid in the humanistic and relativistic society of today. Think about this contrast: Jesus’ words were “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done. ”However, man’s words are, “Not your will, but mine be done!” As Martyn Lloyd-Jones put it, “They think as the world thinks. They take their opinions ready-made from their favorite newspaper. Their very appearance is controlled by the world and its changing fashion.”

(664) Do Not Give Up by Mike Ratliff, 1/18/21
12 in whom we have the boldness and access in confidence through our faith in Him. 13 Therefore, I ask you not to give up over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory Ephesians 3:12-13 (translated from the NA28 Greek text) In this post let us look at an important word from Ephesians 13 which many Bible translations render as ‘faint,’ ‘discouraged, ‘ or ‘lose heart.’ The words “not to give up” above translate μὴ ἐγκακεῖν. Μη (mē) expresses absolute denial. Paul is expressing his desire to the Ephesians that they DO NOT do something…. That something is ἐγκακεῖν that is the Present tense, Infinitive mood, Active voice form of ἐκκακέω (ekkakeō), which literally means, “to turn out to be a coward, to lose one’s courage, to faint or despond in view of trial or to be utterly spiritless.” So perhaps my translation of “do not give up” seems insufficient in light of this, but what we must see is that the verb structure Paul used here is speaking of a way of life not a one-time action. This sort of encouragement would make no sense in the theology of most of those who preach Your Best Life Now or Name It and Claim It or Health, Wealth, and Prosperity as the focus of Christianity. However, anyone with any depth to their Biblical knowledge knows that those are heresies and not Biblically sound at all. Instead, what we learn is that the true Christian will be persecuted in this world because he or she will not be of the World. He or she will be in the World, but not be of the World. The World loves it own and hates the real Gospel because it condemns all that are of the World and not of Christ. You see, no one can be of both. Therefore, Paul is telling us that we can be persecuted. He wrote this letter to the Ephesians from prison. Paul is challenging all of us to not faint, not to sink into despondency not to become so dispirited and cowardly that we just quit.

(665) What is an Almost Christian? by Mike Ratliff, 1/24/21
16 They profess to know God, but by their works, they deny Him, being detestable and as to every good work, unfit. Titus 1:16 (translated from the NA28 Greek text) In Puritan Matthew Mead’s The Almost Christian Discovered we find the very definition for what is plaguing the visible church in the 21st Century.  If Pastor Mead was alive today preaching as he did in the 17th Century, he would be quite controversial, but isn’t that what we who are called of God to stand for His truth in the lost and dying world supposed to do?… In our time we lament what cheap grace and easy-believism and post-modernism have done to our churches’ ecclesiology, watering down the Gospel and doing away with rightly dividing the Word of Truth while turning the what should the weekly gathering of the local church into some sort of sales promotion or entertainment event. Those terms would be unknown to Pastor Mead, but he would have been quite familiar with one coined by Martin Luther, antinomianism. This describes those who desired to be called Christian, with all of its benefits, but shunned all of its obligations.

(666) Ironside: What Does It Mean to Be Justified Before God? by Harry Ironside, 1/25/21
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38-39) Justification! It is a big word, and very often people miss its true meaning. What is it to be justified? It is to be cleared of all blame, to be freed from every charge. It is the sentence of the court in favor of the prisoner. The prisoner stands there, charged with certain things; the evidence is all heard, and the jury brings in a verdict of “Not guilty.” The man is justified.

(667) Waking Up the Church by Ken Ham, 1/27/21
When you look at what is happening in the culture, I believe we see God’s hand of judgment (Romans 1). But I also believe we are seeing God’s hand of judgment and warning on the church. (For instance, is the church really taking notice of what the COVID-19 situation has resulted in?) Now don’t get me wrong, there are some great Bible-believing, Bible-teaching churches in America. There are thousands of churches and some Christian institutions that use AiG resources and support our ministry. But they are nonetheless a minority compared to the rest. So, I trust you all understand why in 2021 we are going to increase an emphasis we’ve always had—and that is to challenge and equip the church. Our 2021 theme will be “Waking up the church.” Yes, the church in America (and the whole Western world) needs to wake up from its lukewarm position, repent of compromise and lack of teaching before a Holy God, diligently teach all generations to be “understanding of the times” (like the men of Issachar in 1 Chronicles 12:32), be equipped to impact the culture for the Lord Jesus Christ (be real salt and light), and raise up godly generations.

(668) Resisting evil, self defense and war by Mike Oppenheimer, 2/15/21
Solomon wrote “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.” We in America and throughout the world are now in a time of WAR. Does the Bible forbid or encourage us to defend ourselves, or to go to war against an enemy? This is one of the more controversial and difficult subjects to settle as Christians. I know that none of us will agree on all aspects of this subject but there is much to consider. Are we allowed to defend ourselves and family against attackers or enemies? The Old Testament teaches that it is right to use force in order to restrain evil and wickedness in the world. It is also allowable to defend a nation and ones family. When we come to the New Testament it is not as clear. What is clear is that the Bible does not teach pacifism, we have numerous examples to defend ourselves against evil-- personally, and for others.

(669) Spiritual Adultery by Mike Ratliff, 2/23/21
4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4 (NASB)  Worship is that vital part of the relationship between God and His people that we see so often corrupted and wrongly focused in our time to the point that the end result is that even if people believe they are “worshiping” God they are actually guilty of spiritual adultery. The division line between what true worship is, that which glorifies and pleases God, and that which is no more than spiritual adultery is actually very easily drawn…. Those on the side that is “friends of the world” and are, therefore, making themselves enemies of God, are part of “systems” whose values, loves, and deeds are wholly at odds with what pleases God (1 John 2:15-17). Carefully read James 4:4 (above). Those whom James was accusing were betraying Christ and following after the world by embracing the worldly way of treating people because they were being motivated by the things of this world in this rather than the mandates of Christ. One way that “churches” do this in our day is to seek to meet people’s felt needs first rather than preaching the truth of the Gospel. In these churches, the focus becomes all about the people in “worship” instead of about God and His glory. How can that be called “worship?”

(670) Three Vital Questions to Navigating Discernment by Harry A. Ironside, 2/27/21
Objection is often raised—even by some sound in the faith—regarding the exposure of error as being entirely negative and of no real edification. Of late, the hue and cry has been against any and all negative teaching. But the brethren who assume this attitude forget that a large part of the New Testament, both of the teaching of our blessed Lord Himself and the writings of the apostles, is made up of this very character of ministry—namely, showing the Satanic origin and, therefore, the unsettling results of the propagation of erroneous systems which Peter, in his second epistle, so definitely refers to as “damnable heresies.”

(671) One stone and a Giant falls by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/1/21
Giants still fall with a right placed rock (the Word). Jer. 23:29 " Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces ?” Ps. 18:31 “ who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God” 2 Sam. 22:32 1 Sam 17:1 begins by telling us “Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, v.4 And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. Decked in heavy armor from head to toes, he was huge v:7 the “staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekel (which makes it 12 plus pounds) The challenge went out V:8-9 “Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” V,10-11 “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together." When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid .” V.16 he did this for 40 days. They looked at the outward appearance and were intimidated by his size. When David heard what was taking place he went to the battlefield. His own brothers mocked him for leaving the sheep and coming to the battle (1 Sam. 17:28), Little David came forward for the challenge. David could not wear the king’s armor, it was too heavy for him, he had to be able to move and fight the way he was trained. Goliath was large but not quick. The giant mocked David as he came out with no armor and only a sling.

(672) Faith is the ONLY way into the New Covenant by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/3/21
The New Covenant rests upon the death of the one who made it, Jesus. Covenants can be conditional or unconditional. The new covenant is different from the old in that it requires faith, and it is unconditional. The old covenant was conditional and had laws kept by works for one to receive a blessing. The New covenant has all the work done to please God and receive salvation buy Jesus. How do we enter the New covenant?

(673) Some quick direct and efficient answers to everyday witnessing by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/7/21
Unless one is born again you cannot receive the word of God to have an understanding of Spiritual things. One can only believe the Bible in piecemeal but a fuller complete understand comes from the Holy Spirit teaching us. This take study It was shortly after I was rescued out of the New Age movement I realized how many others are involved in false beliefs inside the church that I once entertained as truth. How do we have answers for so many different religions and sects and cults? They all have differences but they also have similarities. The most common similarity in near 99% of all these is they believe in works either by itself will save an individual (obedience to a person or system of religion) or works with faith, not faith alone. Over 200 times Jesus explained that they need to believe, to have faith. This faith is in him, in his work and not rely on them self.

(674) “For we cannot but SPEAK” by Herescope, 3/20/21
The “dark winter” that has been predicted is not just political speech. It is also a spiritual indication of the rampant moral depravity both within and without the church. Never was there such a time as this when people desperately need to hear us SPEAK the TRUTH that Jesus died for their sins, so that they can confess and repent, and experience the cleansing joy of His shed blood on the cross for their sins, bringing them to His salvation and the LIGHT of a new life. Read Part 1 & Part 2.

(675) Unless You Are Born Again You Are Not Able To See The Kingdom Of God at Christian Research Network, 3/21/21
3 Jesus answered and said to Him, “Amen, amen I say to you, unless one is born again, he is not able to see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:3 (translated from the NA28 Greek text) What causes corruption of the Gospel message? As we have gone back to the source, the root, which is the Word of God, as we exegeted from the Greek, John’s account of our Lord’s contention with the Jewish religious leaders during His earthly ministry, wasn’t it apparent to all that Jesus came to Israel to reveal the Father to them proving that He, the Son, was deity, to live a perfect, sinless life and then lay His life down voluntarily to purchase those who were chosen before the foundation of the world with the price of His blood?

(676) Resurrection! by Harry Ironside, 4/3/21
He preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection . . . And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:18, 30-31) Apart from the great fact of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, we would have no Gospel to preach. By “resurrection,” we do not mean that our Lord’s spirit continued to live after His body died but that He was actually raised from the dead by the glory of the Father and came forth from the tomb in the very same body that had been impaled on Calvary’s cross. In that body, now glorified, He sits at God’s right hand, and in that same body, He is coming again as the Judge of both living and dead—the saved and lost. This is what is emphasized for us in the seventeenth chapter of the Acts of the apostles.

(677) Spiritual Blindness by Mike Ratliff, 4/8/21
1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. Ephesians 2:1-3 (NASB)  Not that long ago whenever I learned of a pastor or other “church leader” going off the rails morally I would be shocked as did most other believers I know. However, now, it seems that some things have changed….

(678) True Godliness: Separating Regenerate Christianity From Counterfeit Christianity by Mike Ratliff, 4/8/21
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; 36 and A MAN’S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD.37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 10:34-39 (NASB)  For those of you reading this who have also read my series on the Counterfeit Church, I pray you will also read this post. God is sovereign. I believe God is a Covenant God who has not relinquished any of His sovereignty nor has He left His people’s eternal status up to their fickle, fallen natures….

(679) The pattern of prophecy that culminates in the Tribulation period by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/27/21
Prophesy has patterns that are repetitious until the final culmination takes place for its fulfillment. There is a season in the last day period when all the events take place and then synchronize. Mt. 24 Jesus says see to it- to watch- Why? Because there will be deception. Mt 24 the gospel that is preached encompasses the prophecies of the end of the age. Mark 13:13-14 " And you will be hated by all men for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. "So when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not" (let the reader understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ” Endure to the end of what? The Tribulation...

(680) God Detests The Worship Of The Wicked by Jordan Standridge, 5/7/21
When you see people on their knees praying to Allah, on their knees praying the Hail Mary, or on their knees doing any religious ritual, your first thought shouldn’t be “man, I wish I took my religion as seriously as they do” it should be, “man, what a tragic waste of time! God despises what they are doing, I hope I can tell them about Christ”. (Jordan Standridge – The Cripplegate)  One of the most difficult truths for people to believe is that God rejects worship. Billions of people on earth pray, fast, beat their bodies, cry real tears and yet God rejects all of it. I know it sounds harsh to our sin-minimizing ears but it is such an important truth for us to grasp. He doesn’t “appreciate the effort”. He doesn’t give half-credit. He doesn’t say try again you’re so close. He utterly rejects it. In fact, He despises it. From the beginning of the world God has rejected people’s worship. He rejected the first attempt to worship Him. Recently as I listened to a great message on Able’s faith in Hebrews 11, I was reminded about this very truth. God rejected Cain’s act of worship. (Gen. 4:5)

(681) Let No One Mislead You by Mike Ratliff, 6/2/21
17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. 19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. Romans 16:17-19 (NASB)  The visible church is overrun with false teachers and their doctrines. There is a mindset in the Church right now that is actually part of the problem in that it ostracizes and attempts to isolate and silence those who, in their obedience as watchmen, reveal the truth about certain false teachers and why their doctrines are unbiblical….

(682) Follow the Path by Sarah Leslie, 6/5/21
“Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments; for therein do I delight.” (Psalm 119:35) Why would a Christian want to warn about the dangers of heresy? Are discerners just being busybodies, acting like know-it-alls, minding other people’s business, looking for trouble, trying to agitate, or being contentious? (We should work very hard to not be like this!)  A good motive for warning someone about the dangers of heresy is because we love them and we are concerned for their walk with the Lord. Another good reason for warning is because it is a duty found in the Scriptures. The Apostle Paul provides a good example to us of a loving warning in Acts 20:31: “Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” Another good reason to warn is because we may happen to understand the dangers of a particular heresy. We may have a prior firsthand experience that cannot be easily discounted or dismissed.

(683) Anti Semitism in the world and the church? by Mike Oppenheimer, 6/9/21
The Jewish people have been targets of persecution since God formed them as the only theocratic nation. Many do not like the idea that God chose them with a mission, to carry his laws and ways to the nations. Israel began by God separating one man, Abraham. Through his sons, Isaac and then Jacob they became the Hebrews (Gen.12), and through Jacob's sons they became the 12 tribes of Israel (Gen. 35:22). Since Jacob (who name was changed to Israel), nations have hated them and their God. Yet they have survived persecution that has tried to extinguish them.
Read Part 1 & Part 2.

(684) JESUS & the "FACT" CHECKERS by Herescope, 6/16/21
“Today [the] objective basis for knowledge has been undermined and the distinction between reality and fantasy has become difficult –sometimes impossible – to maintain."
Dr. Francis Schaeffer, The Church at the End of the 20th Century (1970), p. 10. Forensically, Jesus Christ was DEAD. He DIED in a moment of time, and He DIED in a specific place (Luke 28:33,44). Ensuring that Christ was brutally killed on Calvary should have settled the matter. His cruel DEATH was seen as the success of the LYING NARRATIVE of the Religious Leaders that He wasn’t the Son of God. He DIED. End of the STORY. The Religious Establishment had effectually squashed the TRUTH. Or so they thought… The Bible account of the DEATH of Jesus is straight forward and FACT-BASED. Scripture contains various accounts of the DEATH of Jesus Christ from reliable EYEWITNESSES who could ATTEST to the FACTS.
Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4.

(685) The Qur’an or the Bible—Which One Has the Authentic Account? (Booklet)  by Tony Pearce, 7/3/21
Muslims tell us that: Muhammad is the last and greatest prophet. The Qur’an is Allah’s final revelation sent down to Muhammad. It has never been changed from the time it was given by revelation to Muhammad. Islam is the final religion, based on Muhammad’s life and teaching and sayings. Because Islam is the final religion, it replaces all that has gone before it, especially Judaism and Christianity, and the account written in the Bible. The Qur’an contains stories about Bible characters, including Abraham (the patriarch of the Jewish people) and Jesus (the Messiah of the New Testament). But these stories are changed in the Qur’an. The Muslim interpretation of the stories of Abraham makes Ishmael the promised son, not Isaac. This means that the line of promise goes through Ishmael to Muhammad and the Arab people, not through Isaac and Jacob to the children of Israel. The Muslim “Jesus” is not the Son of God but the last prophet before Muhammad, and that Jesus did not die on the cross and rise from the dead to save man from his sins. According to the Muslim belief, someone like Jesus was crucified while he was taken to Heaven from where he will return in the company of another figure called the Mahdi to make the world Islamic (and in the process abolish Christianity and Judaism).

(686) The UFOs & the Nephilim by Herescope, 7/14/21
Over the years the most requested topic in our e-mails has been about an extensive article series we ran on the UFOs, the nephilim, the space aliens and end-time eschatology. Recently the UFOs and space aliens has been in the news again. Below is a compilation of all of our articles on these topics so that you can research this issue for yourself.

(687) As the spirit of the age Strengthens by Mike Oppenheimer, 7/17/21
There are two spirits at work in the world. One is of God, the other is not; but opposes God. One is Holy, the other is anything but Holy; it leads to sin and evil being done. This is not time to be sitting on the fence wondering whom you will serve. As Bob Dylan sang many years ago ‘ You're gonna have to serve somebody Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you're gonna have to serve somebody.’ Which is exactly what Jesus told the people and what the whole Bible is about. Luke 16:13 “ No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.” Jesus came to serve man by being obedient to God, he was God’s servant (Isa.53), in ministry he showed us what we were made for, and be like. Luke 4:18 Jesus at the beginning of ministry speaks of being anointed, and one of the main reasons is “To proclaim liberty to the captives.” While God gives man freedom by his Spirit it is not freedom to sin, and do whatever we want but to have the ability to live a life pleasing to God which is also beneficial to us. Today there is great rebellion (some call it the great reset), it is about having the freedom to sin, to do whatever they want to. 
Read Part 1 & Part 2.

(688) The Watchman by Scottish pastor, Horatius Bonar (1808-1889)
This is an ode to those of you who defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ and warn others of impending spiritual danger, speaking the truth in love, strength, and courage, by His grace.

(689) What is hedonism? What is a hedonist? by GotQuestions, 8/11/21
Hedonism is a philosophy of life that supports pursuing all kinds of pleasure. Hedonists pursue a lifestyle of self-indulgence. The term hedonism comes from the ancient Greek word for “pleasure.” Our concept of the philosophy of hedonism largely stems from the ancient Greeks. Aristippus of Cyrene, a student of Socrates, is believed to be the first to preach this philosophy. Aristippus believed that the ultimate meaning of life is pleasure and, thus, pleasure should be man’s greatest pursuit. Aristippus’s ideas may not have taken such hold if he were not succeeded by his more famous student, Epicurus, who also subscribed to hedonism. Epicurus taught that there is no afterlife and so one must enjoy pleasure as the ultimate end, though he acknowledged occasional restraint could lead to greater pleasure later. The Epicurean school of thought went on to flourish, and Epicureans debated with the apostle Paul in Athens (Acts 17:18). Hedonism reemerged with prominence in the 18th century under philosophers like Jeremy Bentham. With its newfound popularity, it developed into a more nuanced psychological and ethical theory, but the base remained the same: one should pursue the greatest pleasure. The hedonistic outlook is not supported by Scripture. In the book of Ecclesiastes, the writer delves deep into the folly of chasing pleasure: “I said to myself, ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.’ . . . I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure” (Ecclesiastes 2:1, 10). But in the end the verdict was that “everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:11).

(690) Waiting, Not Running by Mike Ratliff, 8/12/21
Yes, we are to be discerning. Yes, we are to be Christlike. Yes, we are to have godly convictions and not be in love with this world. All that describes us as we we mature into the believers our Lord wants us to be. However, the path is not always a smooth one. No, part of this journey to the Celestial City takes us through severe tests of our faith as well as having to deal with people, governments, and even religious people who are under the control of our enemy…. Therefore, we must become those living sacrifices, Holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12:1) who live our lives as Spirit-led, obedient slaves δοῦλοι (douloi) of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we do this the Holy Spirit will transform us according to the will of God. (Romans 12:2). It is through this along with confessing and repenting of our sins (1 John 1:9) and taking everything to the Lord in prayer with a repentant heart by drawing near unto God so He will draw near to us (James 4:7) that we learn to to be humble and walk before our Lord as His abiding disciples (John 15). As we do this we will not try to hurry through our walk with our Lord, but will learn to wait as Charles Spurgeon shows us in todays Faith check Book.

(691) The deception of a flawed eschatology called Preterism by Mike Oppenheimer, 8/25/21
This is a listing for our Preterist friends of the many (not all) things that are supposed to have already happened that didn’t. Whether one holds to a full or partial Preterist position of Eschatology. They must have answers that agree with the numerous main Scriptures (and sub scriptures) for their no future fulfillment of prophecy. Prophecy is to be fulfilled as it is written, or, it is not being fulfilled. Some questions, dozens of them must be answered to prove their view is an accurate teaching of prophecy from the Scripture.
Read Part 1 & Part 2.

(692) I Doubt My Salvation by Bob Deffinbaugh, 8/27/21
Q. I fear that the sins I committed before trusting in Christ were unpardonable, and thus I doubt my salvation. Could I have committed the unpardonable sin and yet have also sought to trust in Jesus? A. Dear Brother, John 6:37 clearly states that if one comes to Jesus, He will certainly not cast him out. And, if we look at the first part of this verse, we must also conclude that the one who comes to Jesus is one whom the Father has given our Lord. When we look at Mark chapters 3 and 4 we see that Jesus spoke in parables so that those who committed the unpardonable sin would not understand the gospel, and thus would not trust in Jesus: 28 “Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin “-- 30 because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit” (Mark. 3:28-30, NAU). 11 And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, 12 so that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN” (Mark 4:11-12). Obviously, you have come to understand the gospel, and to have trusted in Jesus, so you must not have committed the unpardonable sin.

(693) Christian Epistemology: What is the Christian view of truth? (Video) by Bible.org, 8/29/21

(694) The Spirit of Fear by Mike Ratliff, 9/4/21
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) Over on Gab today I watched a video of how the whole world has been deliberately dumbed down through consumerism. What I mean is those who bought into loving the world and the things of this world have never really matured as our parents or grandparents did who were much more self-reliant.

(695) Christian Activism—Is It Biblical? by Dave Hunt, Originally published November 1, 1989
“Christian activism” is not Christian. It represents a detour from the straight path the church is to walk before the world. It can confuse the real issues, lead to compromise and unholy alliances, and divert time and effort that would better be used in proclaiming the gospel. Weigh the demands upon your time and set priorities. Be fully engaged in rescuing souls for eternity.

(696) Biblical Beliefs Take A Nose Dive by Smart Faith, 9/12/21
“If the Christian church is to have any hope of reversing this decline in biblical beliefs, it must make solid biblical theology a central focus of its preaching. Biblical theology is not something that can be absorbed via osmosis – it must be taught, intentionally and incrementally. If sound, deep theology is not preached from the pulpit, where else will the average person hear it?” A newly released American study draws attention to a “striking decline” in traditional biblical beliefs among those who claim to be evangelicals. The study by Probe Ministries discovered that 60% of those claiming to be ‘born again’ Christians in America, aged between 18 and 39, believe that Buddha and Muhammad are equally valid paths to salvation. Furthermore, 30% say that Jesus was not perfect and probably sinned.

(697) What is the biblical view of inspiration? (Video) by Michael Patton, Bible.org, 9/13/21

(698) Four Characteristics of a False Convert by Jordan Standridge, 9/15/21
Of course, no amount of time spent discipling people is wasted time, but there is a sense in which we want to use our time wisely and be able to water where the grass is green, rather than spend our time watering dead grass. Is there a way to tell? Is there a way to be able to recognize the sheep from among the goats in this life? Well, Simon had four red flags that Luke points out in the short story of Acts 8:9-24. Open in Logos Bible Software (if available) which we can apply to all false converts. These don’t encompass all the red flags, but they are a helpful start. So, here are four characteristics of a false convert.

(699) Sodom And Gomorrah: Researchers Find Stunning Evidence Of The Ancient Cities Destroyed By God by FaithPot, 9/28/21
Researchers have found evidence to prove the story of God’s wrath on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to be true in the Bible. “Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens” (Genesis 19:24). The only explanation for this discovery is that burning debris fell on the buildings from the air. But how could such a thing happen?

(700) The Counterfeit Church by Matt Ratliff, 10/10/21
4 I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; 5 for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Revelation 18:4-5 (NASB) The world system, for the most part, is extremely tolerant of religion as long as it is not evangelical Christianity. However, it has no problem with that version of Christianity that is politically correct.

(701) "Everyone did what was right in his own eyes" at CRN, 10/11/21
25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25 (NASB) We live in an evil time. There are large numbers of “Christian” leaders who claim to be ministers of God, but prove by their words and actions to have thrown off the authority of God. They do what is right in their own eyes while claiming that they are only following the leading of the Holy Spirit.

(702) Enoch by Sandy Simpson, 10/13/21 I was thinking about Enoch the other day and what it must have meant to the Lord to have someone in the Ancient World actually spend time with Him.  So many had walked away after Adam and Eve stopped walking with the Lord, and Cain departed for the land of Nod.  Apparently, Cain, who fathered the first Enoch, established a city named after his son but he and his descendants did not follow the Lord but instead followed human pursuits and became one of the sources of violence and sexual dalliance with demons that caused God to send the flood.

(703) The Mind Of The New Man Rooted In Christ by Mike Ratliff, 10/14/21
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB) All forms of Liberal (so-called) Christianity are another religion, not True Christianity. Why? They are rooted in worldly, humanistic, and non-Christian presuppositions. On the other hand, the Word of God clearly directs believers to avoid these philosophies and/or ideologies, instead, their presuppositions must be the precepts and doctrines of Christ, not the futile traditions of men (Col. 2:3, 4, 22; 3:1-2)

(704) The Weapon We Need For Spiritual Battle by Jonathan Noyes, 10/16/21
“There is a battle raging. We have a powerful enemy who seeks to devour, but we have a weapon that is more powerful and allows us to fight back—the truth. Armed with the truth of God, we can withstand Satan’s assaults. As ambassadors for Christ, we can stand firm against the devil’s lies in the culture.” Beneath the surface of the visible world, a battle rages in an unseen realm. Dark, wicked, supernatural powers seek to rule the world by force. The carnage and the casualties lie all around us.

(705) ‘If Satan Wrote An Article About The Bible, It Would Look Just Like This.’ by John Knox, Not the Bee, 10/30/21
Relevant Magazine, now apparently run by the devil himself, says we’ve made the Bible into an “idol”: [See the tweet on the site] "The Bible says it, I believe it, and that settles it. You’ve heard that phrase before. You’ve read it on bumper stickers. You may have even said it a time or two. It’s an odd little religious mantra that perfectly captures the strange, often paradoxical relationship we modern Christians have with our mysterious ancient text ..."

(706) Judging Correctly And Incorrectly by Mike Ratliff, 11/1/21
1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-2 (NASB) It is impossible to walk through one’s day without having to make judgments. In fact our Lord Jesus who made the oft misquoted and misunderstood command found in Matthew 7:1 and Luke 6:37 to “Judge Not!” also made the following command.

(707) Perfectionism and the Second Blessing by Mike Ratliff, 11/7/21
There is no “second blessing” so what is it that I experienced in 2004? I believe God circumcised my heart as He gave me the spiritual ability to do this work. Therefore, I must not squander it. I must press on in shining God’s light of truth into the darkness so His children can find their way. This also includes telling the truth in the face of extreme resistance from those who love to corrupt the Gospel thereby leading many astray. This also means that, to keep me from being proud and thereby becoming useless in the Kingdom, He gives me thorns in the flesh. Some are physical. Some are spiritual. Some are people who are tools of the enemy. Each of these are designed to humble me and I definitely need that.

(708) Happy Thanksgiving (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 11/15/21
This a re-post from the 2020 Thanksgiving message. Jacob explains the real story of Thanksgiving day, the pilgrims' escape from England, and the holiday's biblical counterpart.

(709) Walking in love; to walk in the truth is to walk in the Spirit by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/16/21
We are to walk in his truth Ps 26:3 ‘ For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth.” I Jn. 3:18- 21 “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.’ When we know we are doing things according to his Word we are guiltless. We do what we say and we mean what we say, we keep our word. This is so important in the time that we live in. People want to see we care not just talk about it. They know we speak the truth when our actions compliment our word, they will have respect and be more apt to listen.

(710) Theological terms and definitions by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/19/21
Some of these are grouped in categories. But most of the terms and explanations are listed in alphabetical order.

(711) How To Teach Your Kids To Spot A False Gospel by Alisa Childers, Servants of Grace, 11/21/21 
When my daughter was young, I would make quinoa, oatmeal, and flax seed “waffles,” and she loved them. It wasn’t until we were visiting family in California that she experienced the hotel breakfast bar and loudly exclaimed, “Mom, these waffles are so much BETTER THAN YOURS.” The jig was up. The dry and grainy imposter waffles would no longer be tolerated. Now she had tasted the real thing and would never again be fooled by a counterfeit.

(712) Is Jesus “Woke”? by Ken Ham, 11/23/21
Would Jesus be declared “woke” by political conservatives if he came to earth today, instead of 2,000 years ago? According to a recent tweet, the Democratic lieutenant governor hopeful of Texas, Matthew Dowd, believes so. Is Dowd right? Is Jesus “woke”? Well, “woke” means many things today. In his tweet, Dowd appears to define it with the following statement: How about we just say it is human decency to treat all with respect and dignity and that it is constitutional to say all men and women are equal. Now, in his tweet he’s basically defending being “woke” as thinking like Jesus thinks and treating everyone with “respect and dignity.” Of course, that’s not how most people are using the term “woke.” Generally, it refers to being “awakened” to the so-called “issues of our day,” such as presumed LGBTQ rights, abortion, CRT, and so on. Dowd’s tweet is an example of the common practice of those who don’t really know or believe Christ and the Bible, using the Bible or Christ to affirm whatever they want! When we look to God’s Word, we see that Jesus taught against many of the teachings of his day, particularly the false, self-serving doctrines and practices of the religious elites of his day. Often he did this by teaching from the Scriptures and showing them their error and sin. And he would do the same today—indeed he is doing so each and every day through his eternal, unchanging Word! So, we don’t have to wonder if Jesus is “woke.” Jesus, who is God, gave us his Word, filled with everything he wants us to know about who he is, who we are, what he has done for us, and what he expects of us. And much of what he taught is upside down to what our sinful hearts expect or want—and that certainly includes today’s “woke” crowd.

(713) Testing the Spirits by Marsha West, 11/29/21
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. 4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 1 John 4:1-6 (NASB) It is one thing to confess Christ or profess to be a Christian and quite another to live and walk before the face of God within that confession or profession in obedience to God and His Word. There are so many in our time who claim to be Christians, but whose lives are marked by them speaking and living according to the world and its ways.

(714) When did the church begin? by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/3/21
First we need to understand the Holy Spirit living in believers is what the church is. There was no Church in the Old testament (there was an assembly of the Jews) before Jesus time nor during Jesus’ time until he went away, ascending, after he made the new covenant. The church is made of both Jews and Gentles. Gentiles do not become Jews but spiritual Gentiles. The Church of God Jesus had purchased with his own blood (Acts 20:28), which means he had to die first. After Christ raised from the dead and ascended he sent the Holy Spirit to birth a new entity, the church. The Greek word is ekklesia (which is used 114 times in the New Testament) which means a called out assembly (Ek = out of, Kaleo= to call). It is never used of a building, or of the kingdom of God. The Church is not the kingdom, but included in it. The Church is an invisible living spiritual organism, composed of all the believers worldwide, from the time of its inception on Pentecost, until it is taken away at the rapture. The church did not begin in the middle of Acts, neither in Acts 9 or Acts 13. It began in at the feast of Pentecost with the Holy Spirit sent, as Jesus said I will build my church. On the feast of Pentecost as they were baptized in the Spirit and Gods glory was seen above their heads for the first time on people temporarily showing what is taking place.

(715) What Is The Offense Of The Cross? by Mike Ratliff, 12/11/21
30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; 31 but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 just as it is written,“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” Romans 9:30-33 (NASB) The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ must always be offensive to the unregenerate. It is that offense that makes it clear to people that they have nothing with which to bargain with God.

(716) Do we have a sin nature or NOT? by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/13/21
Some doctrinal positions that have been taken in the church just do not need to be debated or questioned if one would look at the Scripture and use Bible logic. If one is born without a sin nature then they are sinless, then Christ is not the only one born without sin. Why would he need to be brought into the world by a virgin conceiving him by the Holy Spirit. In fact all this becomes meaningless when one takes this position that sin was not passed down from Adam. But the Bible explicitly says 1 Cor. 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. “And Paul explains the wages of sin is death, thus we are sinful and are severed from a relationship with God the creator; and the only way to change this is to believe in Christ to have this severed relationship reversed. We can choose not to sin in a very strong exercise of our will and go against our nature, but we will choose to sin more often (like gravity) because we have a sin nature. This does not exclude that we can make right decisions but without God we naturally make wrong decisions. And God’s instructions from his Word one is our standard, one cannot know what to choose what is good or right without knowing it (Rom.5:12 the law). One does not become a sinner because they have sinned, they sin because they are a sinner.

(717) When the Unthinkable Happens By Maria Kneas (an excerpt from Maria’s book, Strength For Tough Times), 12/18/21
God promised to make everything work out for our good if we love Him (Romans 8:28). When the pain and the tears come, will we trust God to bring good out of our situation? We can ask God to increase our trust in Him and our love for Him. We can ask Him to make us faithful. We can ask Him to enable us to stand with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—to be determined to be faithful to our God no matter what happens to us and the people we love. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet. (Habakkuk 3:19)

(718) The Gospel: The Balancing “Tool” for Discernment by David Dombrowski, 12/23/21
From the onset of Lighthouse Trails in 2002, we have always endeavored to be connected with the body of believers scattered throughout the world who are very concerned, as we are, with the state of the church today. Many of our readers have told us they feel very alone and even ostracized in witnessing the apostasy in the churches today prior to their finding our website and realizing there were other Christians who saw what they did. We know firsthand how it feels to be labeled troublemakers for having legitimate concerns about what is happening in the church today. We too have felt disillusioned as we have witnessed a gradual departure in the churches from the Word of God. Pulpits throughout the land, many of which formerly proclaimed the biblical Gospel of God’s saving grace through the sacrifice on the Cross now espouse an assortment of pseudo-gospel, pop-psychology, seeker-friendly, Purpose-Driven, Calvinistic, progressive, New Age, mystical/contemplative spirituality that may be chicken soup for the soul but what God calls an abomination (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). It is no wonder that God, in referring to the lukewarm, warns that He is ready to “spew thee” out of His mouth” (Revelation 3:16). How much better it would have been if churches and their pastors had stuck with John 3:16!

(719) I Will Strengthen Thee by Mike Ratliff, 12/24/21
10 ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10 (NASB) I saw a Christian encouragement meme a few days ago that went something like this, “When you see a Christian who is at peace in the midst of chaos what you are witnessing is a mature believer who has been through the fire and has learned where their strength comes from and in whom to trust.”

(720) Do Not Grow Weary by Mike Ratliff, 12/27/21
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (NASB) When things appear dark and perhaps the bottom just fell out of a major part of our lives, we may fall into doubt about God’s sustaining grace. However, God is faithful. He is also Sovereign and never taken by surprise by the good and bad events in the lives of His people.

(721) Carry the cross by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/29/21
The first man to walk with Jesus carrying his cross (literally) was an African Jew who came do the feast of Passover when Jesus was crucified. Simon of Cyrene is mentioned in three of the Gospels, except John’s. Mark 15:16-23 after the soldiers brought Jesus to Praetorium, they mocked him. They clothed Him with purple; twisted a crown of thorns onto His head, and saluted Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, as if they worshiped Him . After this humiliation they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.’ V.21 Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross. And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.” A Roman guard would place their sword on one’s shoulder and expect them to obey their command (Matthew 5:41). This is what they did to Simon. Simon was not involved in the crowd gathering for his sentence but on their way up the hill he was suddenly chosen for this horrendous task of his demise by Rome. What was someone doing In Jerusalem at this time from Africa? In all likelihood he too was a Jew at the Passover celebration. Cyrene is a city in North Africa, Libya where large number of Greek-speaking Jews lived.

(722) From Archived Biblestudy To Live Is Christ, To Die Is Gain! Phil. 1:20-30 by Sandy Simpson, 1/2/22
How many believers can truthfully say that their whole reason for living is Christ, and to die is gain?  What I see more often would be more like: for me to live is gain, and to die is Christ.  Do we truthfully live to serve Christ instead of our own sinful appetites?  Paul was persecuted to the point where I am sure he would have preferred to die on numerous occasions.

(723) The Battle for God by Gary Gilley, 1/10/22
While most conservative evangelicals were resting comfortably in the Trinitarian understanding of the Godhead, as stated in the Nicene Creed (AD 381), a storm was brewing on the theological horizon of others.  In just the last few years, a major war over the very nature of God has erupted with the potential of leaving in its wake much doctrinal and spiritual damage. For this reason, I want to discuss this debate, not necessarily with the hope of solving all the issues (after all, some of the greatest theological minds within Christianity are weighing in on this subject), but at least to bring some clarity to the discussion and perhaps to map a way forward. With these aspirations in mind, I will prepare three articles on the subject.  This first paper will lay the foundation by addressing the origin of the debate, as well as the role that complementarianism is playing, and documenting accusations that have highly elevated the stakes. The second article identifies several doctrinal issues that play dominant roles in the discussion. Finally, the third paper addresses a few more theological issues, especially the place that Scripture has, or perhaps does not have, in the discussions. Read Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3.

(724) Are You In God’s Light Or The World’s Darkness? by Mike Ratliff, 1/17/22
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. John 1:1-34 (NASB) Read verses 9-34 on the site. The New Testament book of John is profound. The thirty-four opening verses (above) set the stage for us by making sure we understand whom Jesus Christ really is. Who is He? He is God! He is the Word, the Logos, who preexisted creation.

(725) Unable To See The Forest For The Trees by Mike Ratliff, 1/22/22
6 And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 7 ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’ 8 Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” Mark 7:6-8 (NASB) About 15 years ago before my old church in Kansas was taken over by the PDC madness, it became a haven for several families and single adults from a Fundamental Baptist church in our area that had forced them to leave. They were disciplined and expelled from membership because they refused to sever relationships with others in their families who the leadership in that church determined “were in sin.” I became close to several of the couples and taught them in my Bible Study class and what I discovered was that they were actually starved for the Word of God. They were not being fed the truth regularly as they should have been, but, instead, were fed the commandments of men.

(726) “Truth or Consequences” in an Untruthful World by Warren B. Smith, 1/30/22
Truth or consequences. The stakes are high, but one thing is for sure: Truth prevails in the end because Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6) and His truth endures forever (Psalm 117:1-2). May we pray that His truth will shine forth in our lives and that many will be turned to righteousness (Matthew 5:16; Daniel 12:3). And when it is all said and done, let us be able to say that we have “chosen the way of truth” (Psalm 119:30), that we have “walked” in God’s truth (Psalm 26:3), and that we have always “rejoiced” in God’s truth (1Corinthians 13:6).

(727) Bible On Trial: Speaking Truth, Scripture Now Hate Speech? by David Fiorazo, 1/31/22
"Elections have consequences, and if this piece of radical legislation passes in the Senate, truth proclaimers and Bible-believing Christians will face persecution here that most of us didn’t think would happen in our lifetimes. Don’t think the left won’t gleefully criminalize followers of an entire worldview to advance its godless agenda.” Another male athlete competing against young women is annihilating the competition. Olympic gold medalist and swimming champion, Michael Phelps weighed in saying everyone should have an equal playing field.

(728) The tree of good and evil in the garden of Eden Gen 2:9 by Mike Oppenheimer, 2/5/22
Genesis contains the record, the most important story for all to understand why the world is the condition it is in. It becomes the main understanding of why there is a gospel. The tree of knowledge of good and evil was near the tree of life in the garden where Adam and eve were made from and occupied. The command was a test of obedience to our first parents by which they would be children who obey God or break his simple command. It was Adam who was directly told by God not to eat of this tree: this prohibition was given to Adam before Eve was taken from his side (Gen.2:15-17). When God said to Adam You will die, Adam had no idea what this was - he had never seen death.

(729) Welcome to war - soldier up! by Mike Oppenheimer, 2/8/22
When we hear the term spiritual warfare it is interpreted in different ways depending on what you have been taught or experienced. In the Bible we read of our world as a battlefield, the Devils kingdom opposes God’s and the chess pieces on the board are you and I, mankind. He is after your soul, which is man’s greatest possession. We are contending in spiritual warfare every day in various ways. Influences are all around us toward those that do not believe being convinced, to those who do believe to have us act contrary to our new nature from Christ. We either react in our old nature, or in the new which gives us victory over his influence. We begin to enter a war in our mind that wants to solicit the heart, the flesh wars against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh; that is our personal spiritual warfare. But the whole world is now in the battle like never before.

(730) The Parabolic teachings of Jesus by Mike Oppenheimer, 2/12/22
In Jesus’ parabolic method of teaching a certain point or lesson is made for each story told. Parables are part of Jesus’ teaching style for the masses who congregated to listen tis teachings. he drew on the lifestyles of the people of his day to illustrate spiritual truths and the application given to live by. In Matthew 12 Jesus is rejected by the nation led by certain religious leaders on the grounds of demon possession (Blasphemy of the Spirit). The very same day, He begins teaching the masses in parables. A Parable is a figure of speech put in a story setting to illustrate a moral, spiritual or heavenly truth. The example can be taken from people’s everyday experiences. Mt.13:10 The disciples asked "why do you speak in parables". Jesus answers "It has been to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given". The principle is (Isa. 6:9-10) to reveal to those whose heart is seeking truth, and they will continue to be given more. But for those who are hard of heart it is hidden until they repent. Through parabolic teaching the truth was received to those who have spiritual understanding and it was hiddent further from those who did not, "so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them" (Mk. 4:12).

(731) The Necessity Of Sound Doctrine by Marsha West, 2/20/22
“So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and from by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” Eph 4:14 In Ephesians 4, the Apostle Paul is principally concerned with unity in the body of Christ—how the church functions as one unit for the mission and purpose to which she has been called. Paul identifies this “one body” (Eph. 4:4) as those who: Walk “worthy” of their calling (Eph. 4:1). Bear “with one another in love” (Eph. 4:2). “Maintain the unity of the Spirit” (Eph. 4:3). Equip others “for the work of ministry” (Eph. 4:12). Build “up the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12). “Attain to the unity of the faith” (Eph. 4:13). Speak “the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). These splendid features identify the body of Christ and distinguish all mature believers. Maturity is essential in achieving the purpose and call of the church. How do we produce mature believers?

(732) Five Marks Of A False Convert at CRN, 2/21/22
Being a Christian is by far the greatest blessing one could receive. Who can reject the glory of God, and the awesome love and forgiveness that Jesus has to offer? Yet, sadly, there are many out there who have convinced themselves that they are Christians, when, unfortunately, they are not. Here is a shortlist of signs that you can use to examine yourself, or someone else, to test whether or not you are truly in the faith. This is by far not an exhaustive list, nor is it meant to discourage true believers.

(733) Carry the cross by Mike Oppenheimer, 2/26/22
The first man to walk with Jesus carrying his cross (literally) was an African Jew who came do the feast of Passover when Jesus was crucified. Simon of Cyrene is mentioned in three of the Gospels, except John’s. Mark 15:16-23 after the soldiers brought Jesus to Praetorium, they mocked him. They clothed Him with purple; twisted a crown of thorns onto His head, and saluted Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, as if they worshiped Him . After this humiliation they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.’ V.21 Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross. And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.” A Roman guard would place their sword on one’s shoulder and expect them to obey their command (Matthew 5:41). This is what they did to Simon. Simon was not involved in the crowd gathering for his sentence but on their way up the hill he was suddenly chosen for this horrendous task of his demise by Rome. What was someone doing In Jerusalem at this time from Africa? In all likelihood he too was a Jew at the Passover celebration. Cyrene is a city in North Africa, Libya where large number of Greek-speaking Jews lived. Luke’s Gospel tells us that Simon carried the cross behind Jesus as he was led to his crucifixion. Jesus said in Lk.9:23 “ If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” Here we have an illustration of what discipleship is.

(734) The Deceitfulness Of Sin by Mike Ratliff, 3/8/22
15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. 1 John 2:15-19 (NASB) It is not very costly to profess Christ. Anyone can do that. Christianity becomes costly when the professing Christian stands and does not fall away in the face of persecution or pressure to conform to some position or stance that is clearly opposed in some way to God’s clear commands found in His Word…

(735) The Most Solemn Mandate by Marsha West, 3/9/22
I don’t know how many times I’ve heard parents who are members of churches say to me: "I intentionally never discuss theology or religion with my children, because I want them to believe whatever they come to believe honestly and not because they’ve been indoctrinated by us in the home. I don’t want them to be slaves to a parental tradition. I want them to experience reality on its own terms and come to whatever conclusion they are drawn from the evidence." Such sentiments mystify me because they are at such odds with the teaching of Scripture. Just consider Deuteronomy 6:4–9.

(736) How Deep Are We Into The Last Days? by Mike Ratliff, 3/10/22
1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 2 Timothy 3:1-7 (NASB) Read verses 6-7 on the site.  The title to this post is strictly a rhetorical question. I do not expect anyone to be able to answer it succinctly except the Lord and He isn’t going to do that. However, as we, those of us who are not blind to the truth that is, survey the church visible, we must honestly say that what is going on is exactly what the Apostle Paul was talking about in 2 Timothy 3:1-7.

(737) The evil day by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/25/22
People are wondering, are we seeing the end of civilization and the rule of law? Nearly every decision made coming from those higher up in government[s] is not right or good for their people, some see it as the very opposite of common sense. So it’s not unusual to wonder and question what is actually going on. In fact that would be the prudent thing to. Accusations are flying in every direction without facts, unrighteous anger is rising prompting those to succumb to its influence as emotional traps are set everywhere. People are doing whatever they want for themselves, to the extent of babies thrown in the trash, people being murdered for no reason,  for their race, just plain hatred and lawlessness influence their actions making the warnings of the last days ever so real in our present time. What are you being taught during this time of choosing sides, are you learning truth or are you compromising your morals, integrity and even your biblical knowledge? Does the Bible touch on these matters we are all living through?

(738) What did John mean by calling Jesus the Alpha and Omega? by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/30/22
It is John that uses the phrase the Alpha and Omega for Jesus , the beginning and the end. He began all things to exist and will complete them, this phrase represents the totality or entirety of all. This the same as using the aleph and the Tav in the Hebrew alphabet. The first AND last is applied to Jesus. If one believes the Father is God then certainly there is no alternative but to believe the Son is also, since he is involved in the creation just as the Father is. In fact the Father attributes the creating to the sons (Heb.1). The one being that is God (unified) is the first and the last. Otherwise we must conclude that the Father is not the first or last either. By saying one is the alpha and omega they are claiming to be the eternal one, who has control of history from the beginning to the end. In Rev.1:17-18 shows John falling down at the feet of “the first and last,” as the one “ who lives and was dead and is alive forever more.” (meaning Jesus who died and was resurrected) The Old Testaments phrase “First and the last’ is the same as the New Testaments “Alpha and Omega.” The letters Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. In the Jewish mindset, a reference to the first and last letters of an alphabet (in Hebrew, the Aleph and Tau) would include all the letters in between, meaning Jesus is the summation of all. The title “Alpha and Omega” means he is the beginner and end of all things. It means he is eternal, the originator.

(739) Twisting Scripture by Mike Ratliff, 4/3/22
Martin Luther’s ministry as a reformer was in the early 16th Century. However, even back then people were trying to force their own man-made doctrines on the Bible. Nothing has changed. People still do this. The use of the Bible this way is always eisegetical. That is, it is reading into the text that which is not there. This does violence to the authority of scripture and its inerrancy. Every heresy started this way. Also, much of the rebellion against traditional churches these days is born within those who believe that established denominations are guilty of doing the same thing.

(740) You Are Of Your Father The Devil by Mike Ratliff, 4/14/22
7 Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:7-8 (NASB) Relativism is the fatal disease of the unregenerate heart. Of course, it is a self-focused relativism. Everyone is unique, of course, but we have this built-in sense of ‘fairness’ that is antithetical to God’s Sovereignty. Several years ago, my late friend and colleague Ken Silva was the subject of a satirical article meant to attack his character. If you think through that then you should immediately recognize the tactics of our enemy.

(741) How Should the Christian Contender of the Faith Speak and Behave? by Lighthouse Trails, 4/20/22
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) Lighthouse Trails has always made great efforts to speak the truth in love. We attempt to never be vitriolic or judge one’s motives, not even the “worst” of them. We leave that part up to God. We also attempt to make sure any article we link to by a fellow researcher is of the same caliber. While we do occasionally link to an article that might not fall perfectly into that criteria, our regular authors and writers are of the same mindset as us. So how does a believer rightfully and in a godly manner (following the example of Jesus, Paul, and the disciples) deal with those who are bringing false teachings into the church.

(742) The evil day by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/1/22
People are wondering, are we seeing the end of civilization and the rule of law? Nearly every decision made coming from those higher up in government[s] is not right or good for their people, some see it as the very opposite of common sense. So it’s not unusual to wonder and question what is actually going on. In fact that would be the prudent thing to. Accusations are flying in every direction without facts, unrighteous anger is rising prompting those to succumb to its influence as emotional traps are set everywhere. People are doing whatever they want for themselves, to the extent of babies thrown in the trash, people being murdered for no reason,  for their race, just plain hatred and lawlessness influence their actions making the warnings of the last days ever so real in our present time. What are you being taught during this time of choosing sides, are you learning truth or are you compromising your morals, integrity and even your biblical knowledge? Does the Bible touch on these matters we are all living through? 2 Tim 3:1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come, perilous especially for the believer, and Paul then lists the characteristics and actions of what takes place. We can identify them all in action today. For the believers who live through this time we are instructed on how to survive without being damaged emotionally, spiritually. Eph. 6:13-14 “ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Make no mistake God sees those who do evil before his eyes, he speaks of this numerous times. It will not matter who they are or the money they have in the end, they will be judged accordingly.

(743) Our Struggle Is Not Against Flesh And Blood, But Against The Forces Of Wickedness In The Heavenly Places by Mike Ratliff, 5/7/22
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:10-12 NASB) As we study Ephesians 6:10-20, which in most New Testaments is labeled as “The Armor of God” or something similar, we need to pay close attention the reason God has given us this armor and, therefore, why it is necessary for us to put it on and keep it on at all time.

(744) Midrash: Jesus in the Garden by Jacob Prasch, 5/9/22
When a Jewish Christian in the first century read the first four chapters of John's Gospel, he would have said that it parallels the Book of Genesis. He would have said that the story of the New Creation in John's Gospel is a midrash on, or an inquiry into, the Creation. The New Creation in John corresponds to the Creation in Genesis; Genesis tells us that God walked the earth, and Adam heard Him in the Garden of Eden. This speaks of Jesus: it is a Christophany, which is the theological term for an Old Testament manifestation of Jesus. John tells us in his first chapter that His Word became flesh, and once again God walked the earth.

(745) Christian Freedom and Antinomianism by Mike Ratliff, 5/10/22
Another aspect of our Christian Freedom or Liberty is that we are free from the ceremonial and dietary portions of the Law. That stuff was all fulfilled in Christ. However, we must remember that there are weak and strong Christians. The stronger Christian’s conscience is clear of guilt for doing things like eating what was called unclean in the Law. However the weaker Christian’s conscience still condemns him or her for this sort of thing. This is where the stronger Christian should park their freedom or liberty for the sake of their weaker brethren. Yes we are free, but we should also should work to not offend.

(746) The Hour that is coming by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/17/22
Throughout the Scripture we have a phrase that is used mostly for judgment, about a reserved time or specific time toward mankind that comes about and quickly commences. Dan. 4:33 “That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen” Dan. 5:5-6 “In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote .” In the New Testament we also have this phrase. Matt 25:13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” Meaning to be on your guard, it can occur at any time We are continually being tested by the hardships of the world. 1 Peter 1:6-8 “though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love.” We will give thanks to the Lord who was there with us during the trial and what he brought out of us from the trial.

(747) What is it? by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/18/22
That is what the word manna means, ‘what is it’ as it was sent from heaven as bread to eat, for Israel to survive on it in the desert. Today there are those who ask the same question about the bread, the bread of God, His Word. If God can create the universe and all its complexities out of nothing, can He preserve his Word throughout the centuries? ‘Has God said’ is still a viable argument used by the skeptics, agnostics, and a believers of other gods, or no God. We have so much confusion Since the Enlightenment period of the 17th century, the so called ‘intellectual’ scholars who had religious beliefs (and not) questioned the idea of Moses’ authorship of the 5 books being the work of any single author. We still have these today they are called redactors or minimalists, like the Jesus seminar who nominally believe what they want and remove Scriptures from the Bible they do not believe. We read of the manna given to Israel, Deut. 8:3-4 “ So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD .” Our spiritual nourishment is not like our physical nourishment, it comes from only one place – the Word of God, the Bible. Beware of those who use ancient religions to determine what the Word means, or those who use their revelations and other religious practices for your nourishment.

(748) Was the great tribulation in the past or is it still in the future? by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/29/22
In Matthew 24:21 Christ declares that the "great tribulation" will be the worst time in history (that "ever shall be.") The persecution of both Jews Christians and others under Hitler, Stalin, Mao who were godless atheists were in the hundreds of millions. Even the 1940’s the Jews suffered far worse than the Jews in A.D. 70 in the Roman invasion, so obviously this verse was not fulfilled then. Christ then warns (v 22) that " except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved ." Obviously this was not fulfilled in A.D. 70, there was no danger at that time that all flesh would be wiped out. Of course Preterists explain this way by saying all the flesh in the Roman vicinity, which still did not occur.

(749) Continue In The Faith by Mike Ratliff, 5/31/22
Continue in the faith.”—Acts 14:22. Perseverance is the badge of true saints. The Christian life is not a beginning only in the ways of God, but also a continuance in the same as long as life lasts. It is with a Christian as it was with the great Napoleon: he said, “Conquest has made me what I am, and conquest must maintain me.” So, under God, dear brother in the Lord, conquest has made you what you are, and conquest must sustain you. Your motto must be, “Excelsior.” He only is a true conqueror, and shall be crowned at the last, who continueth till war’s trumpet is blown no more.

(750) Standing Fast Through It All by Warren B. Smith, 6/2/22
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. (Proverbs 24:10) Hostility towards those who hold fast to the Lord Jesus Christ and the literal teachings of the Bible has increased greatly. Biblical Christians endeavoring to stand in their faith have been shocked and saddened at the growing antagonism coming at them not only from the world but from within the professing church itself. This article will attempt to convey what Scripture tells us about remaining faithful in the midst of this spiritual opposition—what to expect and how to respond.

(751) Conversations With Our Children—Part 1 by T.A. McMahon, The Berean Call, 6/12/22
This article is about having important biblical conversations with our children. I am the father of five children and the grandfather of five grandchildren. The conversations I desire to have with them include discerning whether or not my children and/or grandchildren fully understand the gospel of Jesus Christ, and discovering whether or not they are able to articulate what the Bible teaches that they must believe in order for them to be saved.

(752) Paul’s Warnings To The Galatians Still Speak To Us by Marsha West, 6/14/22
For Paul, the only way for sinful men and women to stand before the Holy God in the judgment yet to come is to possess the merits of Jesus through faith. So, it would figure that this would be the place where Satan would direct his attacks—rarely in frontal assaults, more often in subtle re-definition. For the gospel as taught by Paul is “all of Christ.” But Satan will find a way to make it “some of Christ and some of me.” Yet a gospel that is “some of Christ and some of me,” is a different gospel from that which Paul proclaimed, and tragically, is no gospel at all.

(753) Choosing God’s Love in a Broken World by Maria Kneas, 6/18/22
“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” (Matthew 24:12) That “many” does not have to include us. As Christians, we can choose to do the opposite. We can make a deliberate choice to become more devoted to God and more loving with people. And more courageous about living the way that God tells us to do—instead of caving in to the increasingly paganized culture around us.

(754) Finding The Truth in the age of lies by Mike Oppen heimer, 6/25/22
No one likes being lied to, whether it’s personal, in business or by the government. We are in the time of pervasive lying, when a lie is told so easily and boldly and the truth is told so weakly and inefficiently. It is unusual for someone to listen and follow one that they know is lying than one who speaks the truth. Truth is Gods nature just as love is. This is why he tell us to be honest, to tell the truth. Jesus came as the truth. He is the way the truth and the life, there is no way or life without the truth. There are those who want to change the truth, altering it makes it into what is false, a lie. Truth needs to be preserved, it needs to proclaimed against what is false to counter its influence.

(755) The Battle for God by Gary Gilley, 7/5/22
While most conservative evangelicals were resting comfortably in the Trinitarian understanding of the Godhead, as stated in the Nicene Creed (AD 381), a storm was brewing on the theological horizon of others.  In just the last few years, a major war over the very nature of God has erupted with the potential of leaving in its wake much doctrinal and spiritual damage. For this reason, I want to discuss this debate, not necessarily with the hope of solving all the issues (after all, some of the greatest theological minds within Christianity are weighing in on this subject), but at least to bring some clarity to the discussion and perhaps to map a way forward.  Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 & Part 5.

(756) Three False Gospels That May Be Masquerading In Your Church by The Dissenter, 7/8/22
The visible church today is undoubtedly full of false gospels. There are, of course, the cults like Mormonism and the Watchtower Society. There is the Roman Catholic Church, which distorts the gospel into a form of works righteousness coupled with idolatry. We have the Prosperity Gospel, the Word of Faith movement, the New Apostolic Reformation, Charismania, Arminianism (ACT addition: Calvinism), easy-believism, and so on. Satan’s attack on the Church is relentless and unforgiving. But there are a few, less noticeable false gospels that have crept into even the most sound of churches over time. I would like to go over a few of these today.

(757) Light versus darkness by Mike Oppenheimer, 7/12/22
Most people understand the difference of good and evil as they learned of this in their personal lives, but they have trouble identifying it when it not personal and is directed to a wider range of people. Scripture describes this also ass Light versus darkness, as evil versus good. The Bibles definition of righteousness… “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Gods throne (Ps.97:2) Ps 94:20-21 “ Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, Have fellowship with You? They gather together against the life of the righteous, And condemn innocent blood .” Hag. 2:22 'I will shake heaven and earth. I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms.” Isa 66:1 “ Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. To practice and produce evil challenges God rule from heaven of whom God has rule over on earth. As believers we are to be as separate as possible with things that promote sin and evil. Evil is more easily recognizable when you know what is good, and of God. If you do not know this you will participate in sin and evil sooner or later.  Read Light versus darkness and The ongoing conflict of Good versus Evil.

(758) Authentic Christians, Apostates, And Antichrists by Mike Ratliff, 7/18/22
28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. (Acts 20:28-31 NASB) True, genuine, authentic Christianity is exclusive. It is not a smorgasbord or buffet of options from which men may take what they like while rejecting the rest and still call themselves Christians. While a statement like that may not be popular in this post-modern, politically correct, 21st Century culture which advocates tolerance that is sort of a give and take “conversation” in which people with opposing views find a middle ground, it is still the truth.

(759) Study: Only 20% of Americans Say the Bible Is the “Literal Word of God” by Ken Ham, 7/22/22
Meanwhile, a new high of 29% say the Bible is a collection of “fables, legends, history and moral precepts recorded by man.” This marks the first time significantly more Americans have viewed the Bible as not divinely inspired than as the literal word of God. The largest percentage, 49%, choose the middle alternative [inspired by God, not all to be taken literally], roughly in line with where it has been in previous years. According to this poll, 1 in 3 American adults see the Bible as just a collection of man-made stories and writings that may, or may not, have any value (and, when the results are filtered for those who identify as Christian, that number is 16%!). Given how secular our culture is, this is not surprising. And that’s why apologetics is so important.

(760) Classic! Disingenuous Hermeneutics by Sandy Simpson
I was reminded of a comment by Rev. Gary Gilley made on our 6-DVD series called "The New Apostolic Reformation - What is it and where is it going?".  He was addressing proper exegesis versus wrong ways to interpret the Bible.  He said that those who inject their own ideas and doctrinal methodologies on the Bible, making it into their own image and to their own liking, are using "Fairytale Hermeneutics".  I always liked that definition and will now add one of my own with regards to how people lie about what the Bible says when it comes to their own preconceived notions, upholding mistaken Biblical interpretations.  When you find yourself having to make up false definitions and other interpretations that are not according to the clear teaching of Scripture, you end up being a type of false teacher.  I learned long ago that if you want to teach the Bible correctly you let it interpret itself.  You teach what Jesus, the Apostles, Prophets and Patriarchs did, with the help of the Holy Spirit instead of trying to plug in manmade doctrinal systems on top of Biblical truths.

(761) Can Christians Be Spiritually Deceived, and How Can They Avoid it? by Roger Oakland, 9/11/22
If our battle is not against flesh and blood, then why is it that when we are in conflicts here on this Earth that flesh and blood always show up? What are the reasons for this? Is it possible for believers to be agents for darkness and not even know it? Is it possible for entire organizations to be misled because they have not kept their focus on Jesus Christ and His Word? How is it possible for believers and even leaders to believe they are following Jesus, when instead they are following man? These and other questions intrigue me. Only the Bible has the answers. And though, I am sure, not all of these questions will be answered fully in this life, we can gain the vital insights we need from the Word of God. The book of Revelation, which has often been ignored for a lack of understanding, will prove to be more and more insightful in these last days before Jesus returns.

(762) Yes, The Devil is Real by Jared C. Wilson – For the Church, 9/14/22
A couple of years ago, when I was doing a round of interviews for my book The Gospel According to Satan, one question I repeatedly encountered took be aback: “Do you really believe in the devil?” In our post-Christian, largely irreligious age, it certainly doesn’t go without saying. Plenty of people do believe there’s such a thing as evil, that there are indeed actions that are morally wrong, but fewer and fewer believe there’s any kind of personality behind this evil.

(763) You know my number, but do you know my name? by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/16/22
Do you know the name of the one called antichrist, the son of perdition? Right now no one does. But there are many that claim they do. No, I do not mean the 7th day Adventists with the Pope being the antichrist. These are those within the church  who have outrageous theories about bloodlines and conspiracy texts. John wrote, Rev 13:18 “ Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.”

(764) The Millennium Maze-Why a Correct Understanding of Christ’s Kingdom is Crucial for Every Christian by Marvin J. Rosenthal-Zion’s Fire – May/June 2022, 9/21/22

There are three distinct views held by scholars and students of Scripture regarding this period of time – Premillennialism, Postmillennialism, and Amillennialism. These three views will be explained further on in this article, but by word of introduction, it’s important to realize that those who identify as “Pre-,” “Post-”, or “A-” millennialists have divergent views of the millennium which bear tremendously upon their systematic approach and understanding of  theology and eschatology (the study of last things).

(765) Are you smarter than a new believer? by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/22/22
There is a show called ‘Are you smarter than 5th grader’, appealing to adults who would all assume the answer is yes. In Christianity we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. We are to mature so that we are not moved by false winds of doctrine, that we stand in faith and in the truth of the word. No one expects a 10 year to act like a baby and suck their thumb. Neither do we expect them to be as an adult. But when we become adult we are expected to be more responsible than a child or a teenager. My question is to those who are older in the Lord, how well do you know the Word compared to someone brand new in the faith? You have had so many years to learn and then you see this newborn eating up the Word as if they have been starving and can’t get enough. Their progress has become evident to all; some are intimidated, even threatened, others are jealous. Still others who have become lukewarm scorn at their zeal.

(766) The Bible Says ‘Do Not Be Deceived.’ Have You Opened Yourself Up For Deception? by Rick Becker – Famine in the Land, 10/14/22
The Bible is replete with warnings about deception, warnings that go largely unheeded. Believers are not immune to deception and should be cognizant of the fact that the visible church is where wolves find their prey. The Apostle Paul recognized and warned about this threat: “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears” (Acts 20:29-31). Nowadays, it’s difficult to find a believer that has not been under the influence of some form of false doctrine. False teachers – or fierce wolves as Paul describes them are one of the sources of deception, but there are more. In this article, we’ll look at 3 sources of deception, and conclude with 3 safeguards against deception.

(767) Substituting myths for the truth by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/29/22
5 times we are warned in the New Testament about fables, which is the word for myths. 4 of the 5 times Paul addresses this to Timothy 1 Tim 1:4 “ Nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.” Here Paul compares fables to faith, faith is based on fact, truth that we cannot always see or apprehend. 1 Tim 1:4 To fables muthois (NT:3410). Dative case of an old word for speech, narrative, story, fiction, falsehood. In the New Testament only 2 Peter 1:16; 1 Tim 1:4; 4:7; Titus 1:14; 2 Tim 4:4 .”(from Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament) In the ancient world most of the stories, especially on religion were myths. It was not until the Bible came along with direct revelation, did this change. God speaking to chosen men that the truth about God was revealed and written. 1 Tim 4:6-7 But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.” Apparently this occurred in other cultures. These were tales of superstition, folklore.

(768) Why address false teaching? by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/14/22
Jesus came to give us the truth. First about our condition, being separated from God by sin. And He gave himself as the solution, becoming the lamb of God for our sins. Throughout his ministry He spoke of what is the truth and what is false, pointing out the differences between what the religious leaders taught (their own traditions) and what the law-Moses and the prophets and the writings wrote. Mark 8:15 “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees…” False teaching separates one from the truth. It is the most serious matters for a Christian, especially a new believer who is to be building a foundation on the truth. Heresy is often defined as any departure from Scripture that changes its meaning and application. It is a teaching, doctrine or practice that goes beyond the apostles’ teachings, (what is written) or introduces something totally new or contrary to the Scripture by a different method of interpretation. The only way one can distinguish the true from the false is to discern; by using the Word which is truth. 
Read "Why address false teaching" (pt. 1) and "The warnings throughout the Bible on changing God’s Word" (pt. 2)

(769) A Gnostic speaks by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/6/22
Joe Kovac’s seems to have a completely different take on Bible Scripture’s that have been clear to both readers, scholars and pastors of the Scripture for thousands of years. Unfortunately there is lot of revisioning going on these day by those who have a Gnostic - metaphysical view and employ it in their interpretations. It’s unfortunate that WND website continues to promote this false teaching. "I called to the LORD in my distress, and he answered me. I cried out for help from deep inside Sheol" (Jonah 2:2 CSB). "The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head" (Jonah 2:5 NKJV). "I was imprisoned in the earth, whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O LORD my God, snatched me from the jaws of death!" (Jonah 2:6 NLT). Kovacs then explained: "Well, based on what we already talked about, what these symbols mean, we're all inside Sheol right now. This is the land of the walking dead. Sheol is the pit, the place of the dead, and we're all crying to God for help from deep inside this spiritual pit." These are not symbols for Jonah, these were actual weeds in the sea. Are in sheol now? So when an unbeliever dies he goes to where you are now. His answers are nonsense it would be laughable except that this is serious error? Sheol is the place of the dead, not of the living. The Bible speaks of people (not land) who are not spiritually alive as dead, speaking of in their soul and spirit. This is not what Jonah is describing.

(770) Heresy: Antinomianism at CRN, 12/9/22
It is a remarkable fact that all the heresies which have arisen in the Christian Church have had a decided tendency to dishonor God and to flatter man. ~ Charles Spurgeon Antinomianism is a heresy that has been present in various forms throughout the history of Christianity. At its core, antinomianism is the belief that believers are not bound by moral law, and that they are exempt from following God’s commands. This belief is in direct opposition to the teachings of the Bible, which clearly state that believers are to obey God’s law and follow his commands.

(771) The Meaning of Christmas by A.W. Tozer, Warfare Of The Spirit, Chapter 22
So completely are we carried away by the excitement of this midwinter festival that we are apt to forget that its romantic appeal is the least significant thing about it. The theology of Christmas too easily gets lost under the gay wrappings, yet apart from its theological meaning it really has none at all. A half dozen doctrinally sound carols serve to keep alive the great deep truth of the Incarnation, but aside from these, popular Christmas music is void of any real lasting truth. The English mouse that was not even stirring, the German Tannenbaum so fair and lovely and the American red-nosed reindeer that has nothing to recommend it have pretty well taken over in Christmas poetry and song. These along with merry old St. Nicholas have about displaced Christian theology.

(772) Snakes in the Grass by L.B.S., 12/21/22
Lately I have been thinking a lot about the account in the Bible where the Israelites became discouraged when they were traversing through their forty-year stint in the wilderness.  They were unthankful for the care that God wrought in their lives, and they focused on the things they did not have instead of all the blessings that God provided. Because of their unthankfulness, the Lord sent poisonous snakes that bit the people and caused their death. When they finally acknowledged their sin, they wanted God to take away the serpents, but God did not do that. Instead, He told Moses to set up a pole and put a brass serpent on it, and the people who had gotten the “sting of death” were to look at it for the venom’s antidote.  All a man had to do if he had been bitten by a serpent was to look at that metal snake on a pole and he would live. God provided a simple temporal salvation from certain death, and all it required was obedience to his directive.

(773) A true Christmas message by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/22/22
Most of the world celebrates Christmas without Christ because they live every day without him and more often not a second thought occurs. The celebration is about the savior being born, God with us then and wants to be with you now. But the world pays no attention to this, even when hearing ‘Jesus is the reason for the season’, (he is the reason for living) and all the traditional songs sung about him have to compete with songs of winter, fun in the snow, friendship gatherings and other meanings that detract played on TV and radio. Blinded by pursuit of fun and parties which is engrained in western culture, they buy what is advertised and avert the actual reason, they do the very opposite that God would want them to do as self- infatuation and gratification is pursued.

(774) Newest Heresies by Sandy Simpson, 12/20/22 You might be surprised to find out that many of the heresies of the early centuries are still around today.  Many have been modified to some degree, but they are mostly the same unbiblical heretical ideas.  First, let’s look at the old heresies, who are still teaching them, then move on to newer heretical teachings.

(775) Has the millennium commenced? by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/27/22
First comes a Tribulation period before the Millennium. Jesus describes this as the worst time in mankind's history, (Mt.24:21-22) it will be brutal. Clearly we are not in the Millennium but still in the church age that began at Pentecost continually extending until the tribulation commences. It will end abruptly the wrath of God fall upon the rebellious world. The debate is whether the saints being removed before the judgements of God fall or during them. There is prophesied to be a covenant made between the Antichrist and Israel. Which presupposes a Jewish State must exist before such a covenant is signed by them. There is also the mention of a temple for the Tribulation (Mt.24, 2 Thess.2) that he, the false messiah that will be adored by the world will go in and declare himself God to the world. Israel as a nation is in blindness, though individuals do recognize Jesus as their messiah. this will slowly change through the tribulation and will completely change near the end of the 7 year trib after the fleeing from Jerusalem occurs and Israel is gathered together for their national repentance as explained in Zech 12:10. Getting back to the millennium period of which the bible refers to 3 times as 1000 years long in the book of Revelation.

(776) Tim Mackie Of The Bible Project Denies Literal Hell, Says It’s Something That Humans Created by The Dissenter, 12/31/22
“It is unclear whether Tim Mackie is intentionally trying to deceive or mislead people, but it is evident that his tendency to deny the literal existence of a Hell created by God for the eternal punishment of the reprobate raises concerns.” Be cautious of a popular and up-and-coming figure in the expanding field of Bible teachers. Tim Mackie, the founder of The Bible Project, is a popular and rising star in the growing landscape of Bible teachers. (ACT Note: God had already created hell long before humans existed. 2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, held for judgment;)

(777) Preach the gospel by Mike Oppenheimer, 1/3/23
We live in a time where much of the church is historically and biblically illiterate. Because of this we are doomed to repeat some of the same mistakes made throughout history. It has been said, those who do not study history are doomed to repeat its mistakes. When it comes to Christianity, it is unfortunate that many, including pastors do not know their own Christian history. All of this departure from the truth found in the word took years in the making and is now matured. We are reaping the bad fruit of not hearing the Word.

(778) Inscription “One of the Most Important Archaeological Discoveries in Israel of All Time” by Ken Ham, 1/6/23
The Bible records real history. The people the Bible describes really lived. The events the Bible says happened really did happen, and the places the Bible highlights did exist. We know this because the Bible is more than just a historical document—it’s “God-breathed” and therefore free from error in everything, even the smallest details. And newly interpreted inscriptions, once again, confirm the accuracy of the Scriptures! In 2007, archaeologists found an eighth-century BC inscription featuring the name of King Hezekiah, one of Judah’s good kings. Hezekiah reformed the nation and brought them back to worshipping the one true God.

(779) Flocking To Fables—Part 1 by T.A. McMahon, The Berean Call, 1/16/23
The questions I'm asking all have to do with strengthening a believer in Jesus Christ. He is the Word. And therefore, He is the author of "sound doctrine." He is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John:14:6). If we are not being strengthened in the Lord, we are not "enduring sound doctrine." Continuing with 2 Timothy:4:4. "And they shall turn away their ears from the truth…." The obvious thing here is that the Adversary is turning people away from the truth. All his schemes and devices have that as their ultimate goal. The numbers of those he has deceived are overwhelming, not only in the world but in Christendom, in the professing church, and as well among many true believers. That may not be news to many Christians, so why is it more effective today than it has been in previous times? I believe it has to do with the addition of mysticism to Satan's baggage of deceptions, which I'll explain. Noah Webster defined “mysticism” in his 1828 Dictionary as the obscurity of doctrine. He adds that it is "an immediate spiritual intuition of truths believed to transcend ordinary understanding." In other words, it involves taking the truth and distorting it so badly that it becomes devoid of reason, logic, and common sense. It transcends ordinary understanding. Truth is the antithesis of mysticism—and that's the battleground.

(780) ‘Woke Jesus’ Is Not Jesus At All by Chris Queen – PJ Media, 2/7/23
“Jesus didn’t call His followers to let the government take care of everybody. He called us to take care of others, and churches, individuals, families, and businesses do need to step up their game. But the second half of James’ statement is what the proponents of “woke” Jesus forget: we’re supposed to live our lives in a way that makes us noticeably different from the world. And that includes working on ridding our lives of sin, not wallowing in it.” One of the things that bugs me the most as a Christian is when people try to politicize Jesus. Sure, there are certain ways in which Christianity and politics can intertwine, and I truly believe that my Christian faith informs my political beliefs. But when people try to overlay Jesus onto a political agenda — or vice versa — there’s a problem.

(781) Hearing and seeing - Who you listen to matters! by Mike Oppenheimer, 2/11/23
Paul spoke of the apostles as examples, “ But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness--God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others” (1 Thessalonians 2:4-6) This is one of the ways to see if someone is genuinely serving Gods people and doing his will, or serving themselves. What we see all too often is the opposite today in Christianity. These popular ‘unbiblical teachers’ are liked because of how they speak, they are accepted because the listeners ignore the content, they do not examine the substance by the word in Scripture. So they are led astray because of a lack of their own watchfulness. The speaking is to the soul not the spirit, the emotions and not where one can spiritually grow.

(782) The Compromised Church Is Rooted In Spiritual Blindness by Mike Ratliff, 2/26/23
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! Matthew 6:22-23 (LSB) Since I began this blog and became involved with discernment ministries such as Christian Research Network, I have become aware of a disturbing phenomenon in the Church in America. Perhaps you have noticed it as well. The phenomenon I am writing about is willful ignorance in our spiritual leaders.

(783) “Finding the Antidote for Deception”: A Response to the Recent Lighthouse Trails Post on Calvinism by LBS, 3/16/23
The Bible commends the Bereans in Acts 17 as being “more noble” because they “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”  When one realizes that they were proofing the apostle Paul, it becomes a little more poignant. And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:10-11) Indeed, Paul himself also admonished people to be wary even of him: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 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. (Galatians 1: 6-9) We have the antidote for deception: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) We have the antidote, and no other “authority” should escape its scrutiny.  Including Calvinism.

(784) When Relativism becomes the New Standard of Truth by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/21/23
The Bible speaks in terms of Good and bad, true and false, all in reference to God’s perfect nature. In other words God has absolutes. But our culture has become a hodgepodge of opinions where everything can be accepted even if it contradicts one another. This means relativism has overruled sound judgment, common sense and we have dispensed with logic. Relativism has become the rule of living in our current time.

(785) The Fear That Drives Out All Other Fears by by Gary E. Gilley, Pastor/Teacher Southern View Chapel, 4/6/23
Fear is a normal part of life. We fear many things, and some fears are baked into our DNA by God to protect us from true dangers. It is not a phobia to fear jumping into a river full of piranhas or alligators; it is a self-preservative fear. There are hundreds of such healthy fears. Entertainer Dean Martin said, “Show me a man who doesn’t know the meaning of the word fear, and I’ll show you a dummy who gets beat up a lot.”[i] But the concept of fearing God is largely foreign to our modern minds and culture. Our emphasis today is on the love of God and not the fear of God. Who wants a God that they fear? Surely such a concept is something leftover from pagan superstition or medieval days and is unfit for our sophisticated culture. However, we must face the fact that the Bible speaks of the fear of God directly more than 150 times,[ii] and we cannot merely dismiss what the Bible has to say to fit our modern sensibilities. The fear of God is an important part of life. As Solomon draws Ecclesiastes to a close, he writes, “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

(786) RESURRECTION! by Harry Ironside, 4/9/23
He preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection . . . And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:18, 30-31) Apart from the great fact of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, we would have no Gospel to preach. By “resurrection,” we do not mean that our Lord’s spirit continued to live after His body died but that He was actually raised from the dead by the glory of the Father and came forth from the tomb in the very same body that had been impaled on Calvary’s cross. In that body, now glorified, He sits at God’s right hand, and in that same body, He is coming again as the Judge of both living and dead—the saved and lost. This is what is emphasized for us in the seventeenth chapter of the Acts of the apostles.

(787) How Is The Church To Treat Wolves? A Biblical Approach To False Teachings by The Dissenter, 4/19/23
“Rebuking and correcting false teachers is not only necessary but an essential duty of church leaders, who are responsible for protecting the flock from dangerous doctrines and standing firm in the truth.” In the present ecclesiastical landscape, the danger of encountering false teachers who infiltrate our churches and disseminate their deceptive doctrines is a growing concern. These wolves in sheep’s clothing insinuate themselves within the congregation, sowing confusion and division, and lead countless souls astray with their facile interpretations of Scripture.

(788) Truth Amidst Turmoil: Discerning And Defending The Faith In The Age Of Subtle Spiritual Deception by The Dissenter, 4/20/23
“These elusive doctrines, often veiled and hard to recognize, pose a significant risk to the Church’s stability and vitality. Subtle contemporary heresies, including the prosperity gospel, easy-believism, and teachings that place our own virtues and ethical actions above God’s grace and kindness, may not be immediately apparent. However, these insidious threats demand the Church’s unwavering vigilance and astute discernment to safeguard its foundational beliefs.” During the early days of Christianity, the fledgling Church faced numerous obstacles and disagreements over its teachings and doctrines. Much of the professing Church found itself at odds over how to interpret scripture and understand doctrine, eventually giving rise to what would be known officially as “heresies”—beliefs or teachings that went against the accepted teachings of the Church.

(789) Lazarus and the Role of Apologetics in Evangelism by Ken Ham, 4/29/23
What is the role of apologetics in evangelism? I’ve had some Christians over the years claim that people who use apologetics are trying to prove that the Bible is true. They insist that all we need to do is preach the gospel. Is this true? Is apologetics a waste of time or a distraction from sharing the gospel? Well, first, what is apologetics? Consider this verse. But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15) The word “defense,” or in some translations “answer,” is translated from the Greek word “apologia,” which means to give a logical, reasoned defense of the faith. In other words, when people ask questions about our faith, we need to be prepared to defend it.

(790) Have You Built Your House On The Rock? by Mike Ratliff, 5/8/23
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and does them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. Matthew 7:24 (LSB) The liberalization of the Church is the result of men compromising God’s truth for the sake of a false peace. This “peace” is between them and the world. The impetus for these compromises is a desire to not be offensive to those whom they perceive it is desirable for their particular portion of the visible Church to be liked or thought well of by them. In other words, they sand off the edges and soften the hard lines of doctrine in order to open wide their doors to those who desire to be included in their “religion,” but who refuse to obey the words of our Lord.

(791) Does the Bible Just “Contain” the Word of God? by Ken Ham, 5/11/23
The point I want to make is that the Bible doesn’t just “contain” the Word of God. It actually IS the Word of God. It is God-breathed. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17) And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. (1 Thessalonians 2:13) The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. (Psalm 119:160) If someone says the Bible “contains” the Word of God, they can then justify claiming that it contains truth but it’s not all truth. That’s what liberals do. They will explain away miracles and claim that, while the biblical accounts teach truth, the events didn’t actually happen as recorded. And of course, they do that in Genesis.

(792) A Story of Full Assurance of Salvation—”The Kindly Old Gentleman” by Harry Ironside, An excerpt from his book, Full Assurance: Finding Settled Peace With God, 5/16/23
Many years ago, I was holding a series of evangelistic meetings in a little country schoolhouse some miles out of Santa Cruz, California. One day, I was out driving with a kindly old gentleman who was attending the services nightly but who was far from being sure of his personal salvation. As we drove along a beautiful, winding road, literally embowered with great trees, I put the definite question to him, “Have you peace with God?”

(793) When Relativism becomes the New Standard of Truth by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/23/23
The Bible speaks in terms of Good and bad, true and false, all in reference to God’s perfect nature. In other words God has absolutes. But our culture has become a hodgepodge of opinions where everything can be accepted even if it contradicts one another. This means relativism has overruled sound judgment, common sense and we have dispensed with logic. Relativism has become the rule of living in our current time.

(794) “Avoid such people” by T. M. Suffield, 7/31/23
When reading through 2 Timothy with some folk a few weeks back, I got a number of questions about some of Paul’s instructions that seemed very strange to my fellow readers. There are a number of people that Paul seems to not want Timothy to associate with. He lists some individuals but then at the start of chapter 3 describes a long list of character traits before saying ‘avoid such people’ in verse 5. The question as people framed it was ‘why should we not associate with them, surely we want them to hear the gospel?’ I answered the question briefly, for the sake of time, explaining that you might go in thinking you’re going to pull other people out but actually you will be pulled in. For our own sakes we should be careful who we eat with (1 Corinthians 10). I could have gone on to describe that in our day the most winning ‘strategy’ for the gospel is institutional subcultures… but I didn’t and I don’t want to write that post today either. I’d like to draw out two threads that the questions revealed in people’s thinking, that I suspect are quite common. Who are these people? The assumption is that these people need to be preached the gospel, because they’re sinners. That’s a reasonable inference. What I think we miss is that, most likely, these people—these lovers of self and of money, proud, arrogant, disobedient to parents, abusive… he goes on at length—are within the church.

(795) Walking Wisely Through Trials by Sarah Ivill – Place for Truth, 8/3/23
“To fear the Lord means to walk in His ways, love Him, serve Him wholeheartedly, and obey Him (Deut. 10:12-13). But apart from Christ this is impossible.” Suffering is incredibly difficult, but all the more so when we don’t understand its purpose and we’ve lost our hope in the midst of it. It’s important, then, that in the midst of suffering we take time to reorient our perspective by turning to Scripture. The book of Job is particularly helpful to walk wisely through trials. It teaches us to fear the Lord, find hope in our friendship with God, and recognize our true foes.

(796) Should those teaching false doctrine be contacted before the saints can be warned? (Matthew 18:15)  at The Word Like Fire, 8/8/23
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15) So, once again, does the Bible instruct us to first contact those who are teaching false doctrine before we ever warn the saints? According to Jay Adams in the Handbook of Church Discipline: Some think that if one Christian differs with the writings or public statements of another [professing] Christian on a point of doctrine, without rancor or any problem between them as persons, he is wrong for stating the differences publicly before going privately to the ‘brother’ with whom he disagrees. That is a misconception.

(797) The Whole Armor Of God by Mike Ratliff, 8/11/23
1 Now I, Paul, myself plead with you by the gentleness and forbearance of Christ—I who am humble when face-to-face with you, but courageous toward you when absent! 2 But I beg that when I am present, I need not act so courageously with the confidence that I consider to daringly use against some, who consider us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the tearing down of strongholds, 5 as we tear down speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 6 and are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 10:1-6 (LSB) Satan opposes the believer in many ways. No matter how he attempts to subvert our faith, the method he uses is a fiery missile. With these fiery darts he attempts to attack or question or deny God’s character and credibility. We see this as he works through those who hate Christianity and the God of the Bible. Their attacks will always be to try to bring doubt into our hearts about God’s faithfulness and our faith. If we are successful in our service to God he will try to undermine our victories by generating trouble that makes life difficult, thereby temping us to forsake obedience to God’s standards and calling.

(798) Silly Putty Bible Study by Greg Koukl, 9/10/23
“The Holy Spirit did not mean one thing when Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus and then something entirely different when we read it 2,000 years later. There are no private messages in the Bible.” 21st-century kids have cell phones, YouTube, and Xboxes. When I was a kid, we had simpler delights. One was a handful of malleable goo that could be pulled, twisted, or distorted into any shape imaginable. It was called Silly Putty®. Sadly, many Christians use their Bibles like Silly Putty®. Just add the Spirit, and the Bible becomes putty in their hands, able to be molded into almost anything at all.

(799) What Every Christian Must Know About People by Gary Gilley, 9/19/23
There are very few issues that are more confusing than trying to understand people, including ourselves. Few have credible answers to the questions such as who we are, why are we here, and what is our destiny? This does not mean there are not many opinions about these questions. As a matter of fact, we are flooded with philosophical, scientific, and psychological theories, which keep us off-balanced and confused.  But very few people know and believe what God, our Creator, has to say about who we are, why we are here, and where we are headed. In the Ligonier Ministries and LifeWay Research, State of Theology survey for 2022,[1] statement #15 reads, “Everyone is born innocent in the eyes of God.” 71% of Americas agreed with this statement, but amazingly 65% of evangelicals did as well. That means that two-thirds of evangelical Christians do not have a biblical worldview regarding human beings, and that filters down to a muddled understanding of almost everything that pertains to life. We simply cannot understand who we are, why we are here, or our direction in life, if we don’t comprehend and accept what the Scriptures say about people. In this article, we will address several foundational truths that every Christian must know about people.

(800) Most Christians Don’t Know THIS About Babylon (Video) by Answers in Genesis, 9/23/23
Martyn Iles presents Living in Babylon, a program about being a Christian living in an anti-God society. He is joined by special guest and international classical tenor Philip Webb.

(801) Preparing for Perilous Times and Finding God’s Peace in the Midst of Them by David Dombrowski, 10/21/23
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and the trees of the field shall clap their hands. (Isaiah 55:12) Over the last many years since Lighthouse Trails began, we have been contacted by many who love the Lord and were struggling with great challenges: Some were ostracized by their churches, which had gone Purpose Driven, contemplative, or emergent and progressive; some had division in their families; some had financial concerns; and others were worried about health issues—whether their own or that of loved ones. Beyond all of this, many have expressed a sense of uncertainty or foreboding of what the future will bring. The Bible indicates that in the last days perilous times shall come. As it has become increasingly obvious, by all indications, that America is racing toward judgment, so too is the realization that something serious or catastrophic could easily come to our country, and we are unprepared. Whether it be nuclear attack, economic collapse, or natural disasters, America appears to be getting only closer to that day.

(802) Remaining Hopeful Through It All by Warren B. Smith, 10/28/23
To a believer, the expression “hope springs eternal” means that our hope is always in Jesus Christ. He is our hope because He gives eternal life to those who put their hope and faith in Him (1 Timothy 1:1; Titus 3:5-7). The old hymn, O God Our Help in Ages Past, states it simply and beautifully—Christian hope springs eternal because God is our hope and our eternal home. "O God our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home."

(803) What Every Christian Must Know About The Holy Spirit by Gary Gilley, 11/2/23
According to the 2022 Lifeway/Ligonier survey, fifty-nine percent of those who identify as evangelical Christians believe the Holy Spirit is a force but not a personal being. And this is in light of the fact that about ninety percent claim to believe in the Trinity composed of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. At the very least, we have to admit that even the most conservative slice of Christians is deeply confused when it comes to doctrine in general and the Holy Spirit specifically.

(804) Timothy Keller: Human Reason Vs. Biblical Authority by Tom Horn, 11/21/23
“God’s true children must rely upon Biblical authority in their presentations of the gospel of Christ. They must reject the popular methodologies recommended by popular leaders like Timothy Keller. The sinfulness of sinners prevents their response to mere humanistic attempts of reason and marketing of benefits. Sinners stand separated from God by their sin, spiritually dead, and condemned under God’s judgment, the real reason they need Christ. He alone saves sinners and reconciles them to God.” “We live in a post-modern world, and postmodernism is about relativism. My truth is your falsehood, and your falsehood is my truth. But there is such a thing as the plain truth.” (Barukh Binah) Barukh Binah captured succinctly one of the pillars of postmodernism, the suspicion of truth. Current culture proclaims the death of objective truth in accord with postmodernism. Thus, no one can refer to an external source for truth nor claim that (s)he possesses it. It does not exist.

(805) Guard Your Heart With All Diligence by David Dombrowski, 11/22/23
The last few years have been an educational experience for me regarding the nature of people’s hearts. I believe it would be accurate to say we have entered perilous times; and where it will take us in the immediate future, we don’t know except that we must always keep our hope in the Lord, even as we see Bible prophecy being fulfilled. Meanwhile, guarding (keeping) our hearts is perhaps more vital now than it has ever been before in our lives as we witness all that is happening in the world. Jesus warned: And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (Matthew 24:11-12) If we look at the context of this Scripture, we will see that Jesus is talking about what will precede the end of the world; but it’s easy to see that things are already astir, and just as we see in our weather how one season changes to the next, we can see the clouds of change approaching.

(806) The Foundation of . . . Everything! by Ken Ham, 11/26/23
One of the points I include in some of my presentations is that if a Christian wants to deal with any issue—yes, any issue—they must start with the foundational information revealed in the first 11 chapters of Genesis.

(807) Remembering These Heretics Who Met Their End And Now Fully Understand The Wrath Of God by The Dissenter, 12/6/23
“The false teaching that comes from the mouths of these deceivers is merely a symptom of the unregenerate heart—for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Scripture is unambiguous in its condemnation of false teaching. The Apostle Peter equates it with heresy and apostasy, and warns of its destructive consequences, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.” (2 Peter 2:1)

(808) What Every Christian Must Know About The Christian Life by Gary Gilley, 12/10/23
Our focus and concern for others rather than ourselves is the burden of this section. It is vital to note that all we do should be done with thankful hearts (vv. 15, 16, 17). I notice that when I lose focus on this truth, I tend to be grumpy and irritable. That is because my attention is now on me—not Him, not people—me. A few years ago, I attended a pastor’s conference. One evening, between sessions, a few of us went to a nearby hamburger joint for supper. While there, I noticed I was still wearing my name tag with not only my name on it but the name of the conference. I immediately became aware that my name tag linked me with the conference, and by extension, with Christ. My behavior at the restaurant would reflect on Christ; and if that was true, I needed to be a good representative. As Christians, we must ever recognize that all we do, in word or deed, is to be done for the glory of Christ. Such is the essence of the Christian life.

(809) Debunking Leftists Myths About Jesus – Jesus Was A Refugee by The Dissenter, 12/12/23
“Let’s clear the historical air. When Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt with Jesus, they were moving within the Roman Empire’s borders. Egypt was not a foreign entity but a part of the same imperial system as Israel.” In our ongoing series to debunk leftist myths about Jesus, we’ve already dismantled several: from the mischaracterization of Him as a socialist, a radical environmentalist, to an advocate of modern gender ideologies. These myths emerge from a fundamental error: overcontextualizing the Gospel, leading to a reshaping of Jesus into a figure more palatable to contemporary, often political leftist, sensibilities.

(810) Christmas ... Christ In You by Jim Stitzinger – The Cripplegate, 12/25/23
Celebrate Christmas, exalt our Savior, linger long over His word and in worship of Him. In doing so, we are “beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” The concerts are over and candle-light services are nearly complete. No more caroling, food drives, corporate holiday parties and the sound of Salvation army bells are quickly fading. The world will soon say goodbye to “the holidays” and will soon pivot its attention to New Year’s and Super Bowls. The world may soon have Christmas almost in it’s rear view mirror, but for Christ’s church the wonder and joy of Christmas never ends. Isaiah prophesied that a virgin will conceive and bear a Son whose name will be Immanuel, God with us. He came to earth that day, and remains with us in every day. The Creator of the universe stepped aside from the full display of His majestic glory and dove headlong into His creation.

(811) What Every Christian Must Know About The Bible by Gary Gilley, 12/26/23
The American Bible Society just released the result of a startling survey, in which they claimed that Bible reading dropped dramatically in 2022, and it is unclear why. Roughly fifty percent of American adults reported reading Scripture at least three times a year from 2011 to 2021. In 2022, that number declined to thirty-nine percent. That means twenty-six million Americans stopped reading the Bible last year.[1] Even more alarming than this drop in Bible reading is the idea that a Bible reader is described as one who reads his or her Bible three times per year. Is it any wonder that America is facing a famine in the land for the Word of God and that Christians are becoming progressively biblically illiterate by the year? More, in the Ligonier and LifeWay Research 2022 survey, concerning the statement, “The Bible contains helpful accounts of ancient myths but is not literally true,” fifteen percent of evangelicals agreed in 2020, but twenty-six percent agree in 2022. We are in theological freefall, not just in America, but among so-called evangelicals as well. That brings us to the all-important question of “So what?” What does it matter whether I read the Bible or not? I am still a pretty good person, and life is tripping along well for me. I can get along with minimal exposure, or none at all, with the Scriptures. The Word of God. I want to challenge that view by revealing what every Christian must know about the Bible. As with every one of the subjects we are addressing in this “What Every Christian Must Know” series, this one presents endless directions we can take. We will limit ourselves to three truths.

(812) Hope and Despair by Mike Ratliff, 1/4/24
4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through the perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4 (LSB) The role of a Christian writer primarily focusing on the growing apostasy in the church is a tough one. As the Lord shows us what is really going on in the “visible church” that is Christian in name only it is easy to become overwhelmed. If we focus on these things to the exclusion of our devotion to our Lord we will find in short order that these battles take a heavy toll.

(813) The Primary Cause Of Spiritual Blindness by Mike Ratliff, 1/7/24
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 And then that lawless one will be revealed—whom the Lord Jesus WILL SLAY WITH THE BREATH OF HIS MOUTH and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming— 9 whose coming is in accord with the working of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of unrighteousness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 (LSB) Read verses 11-12 on the site. God’s truth, which is the truth and there is no other, is true regardless of whether people believe it or not. I pray for wisdom and discernment every morning before I start my day. God answers this is surprising ways sometimes. One way He does this is when I receive an email or comment from one who is opposed to what we teach here.

(814) Debunking Leftist Myths About Jesus: Jesus Was Married To Mary Magdalene by The Dissenter, 1/11/24
“Historically, the claim of Jesus’ marriage to Mary Magdalene is as dry as the desert when it comes to credible evidence. It’s a narrative that first reared its bizarre head centuries after Jesus’ time, popping up in Gnostic writings.” In the ever-turning gears of leftist propaganda, a particularly raunchy and perverse narrative has been force-fed to the public—the claim that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene. This assertion, plucked more from the realms of sensational fiction than any historical or scriptural reality, is played out like clockwork in various media and “scholarly” circles. It’s essentially a hack job on the gospel, a poison seeping into the foundational truths of Christianity.

(815) The promises of the Land to Israel by God by Mike Oppenheimer, 1/14/24
The Bible is filled with these main promises and many others connected to Israel as a people and a nation. After the nation is formed and led out from Egypt by God and Moses. Deuteronomy 29:13: “to confirm you this day as his people, that he may be your God as he promised you and as he swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Deut. 7:6-10: “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth” (this is repeated in Exodus 19:5; Deut. 14:2; Ps 135:4-5). Is. 65:9 “I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains; my chosen people will inherit them, and there will my servants live.” Clearly the word ‘chosen’ is applied to the Hebrews (the Jewish people of the covenant), they did not apply this themselves.

(816) When relativism becomes the new standard of truth by Mike Oppenheimer, 1/20/24
The Bible speaks in terms of Good and bad, true and false, all in reference to God’s perfect nature. In other words, God has absolutes. But our culture has become a hodgepodge of opinions where everything can be accepted even if it contradicts one another. This means relativism has overruled sound judgment, common sense and we have dispensed with logic. Relativism has become the rule of living in our current time. We are in the time of secularization of the church. Society rejects the wisdom of the Lord. In fact they and the Church rarely hear it from preachers on TV or radio. In like manner many Churches substitute human reasoning for spirituality. They adopt worldly business concept’s thinking it will yield the same success it has in the business world. People are calculated as numbers to prove a program works, instead of their growth of spiritual maturity by hearing the Word and living by it. What have we become?

(817) For The Gate Is Small And The Way Is Narrow That Leads To Life, And There Are Few Who Find It by Mike Ratliff, 1/23/24
14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would abide, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 This I command you, that you love one another. 18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. John 15:14-19 (LSB) A deep study of the book of Acts reveals many interesting things about the spread of Christianity as the Apostles obediently made disciples wherever they went. This spread was always accompanied by persecution.

(818) Refuting the claims of The ARAMAIC A primacy (the Pershitta) by Mike Oppenheimer, 1/31/24
The earliest versions of the New Testament in Aramaic (Peshitta) date to the 4th-5th century, Not before. The Aramaic excludes the second Letter of Peter, the second and third Letters of John, the Letter of Jude, and the Revelation of Christ to John.  Which makes it problematic in two specific areas, the date of writing and the crucial content that is missing for anyone to claim this is the original language the Bible was written in.. In 100-160 AD Justin Martyr quotes all 4 Gospels, the book of Acts and the epistles of Paul and Revelation. So these could not have been in Aramaic, but Greek.

(819) Countering Woke Culture with Biblical Truth by Ken Ham, 2/18/24
How can you make your families and churches “woke-proof”? Wokeness, and everything that stems from this philosophy, is incredibly destructive to people, to families, and to communities. But there’s a simple solution—and it starts in Genesis! For today’s blog post, enjoy this insightful letter from our Executive CEO Martyn Iles: The person who understands and believes Genesis 1–11 is woke-proof. Such is the enduring relevance of Genesis. It has the blueprints every generation needs. Consider the focal points of woke ideologies—race, LGBTQ, identity, environmentalism, marriage, gender, abortion, truth, power—time and time again, the answers are in Genesis. This is because “woke” culture is an attack on the way God ordered and designed creation.

(820) Refuting the claims of The ARAMAIC A primacy (the Pershitta) by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/4/24
The earliest versions of the New Testament in Aramaic (Peshitta) date to the 4th-5th century, Not before. The Aramaic excludes the second Letter of Peter, the second and third Letters of John, the Letter of Jude, and the Revelation of Christ to John.  Which makes it problematic in two specific areas, the date of writing and the crucial content that is missing for anyone to claim this is the original language the Bible was written in.

(821) What Every Christian Must Know About The Future by Gary E. Gilley, Pastor/Teacher Southern View Chapel, 3/14/24
In addition, churches, and many Christians, have relegated eschatology (the doctrine about the end times) to a second or third-order doctrine, which they have decided is not important and only divides Christians. It has become easier to ignore the subject than to debate it. Few churches’ or missions’ doctrinal statements now include a position on views about the end times, although most agree that Jesus is coming back, and Christians will spend eternity with Him. One more thing has undermined the doctrine of end times, and that was the overemphasis on the return of Christ, especially by the date-setters. Popular authors and preachers began promising the Lord would return by such-and-such date, and after a while, people simply burned out on the whole subject and lost interest. Chuck Smith predicted Christ’s return by 1981; Hal Lindsay, Edgar Whisenant, John Hagee, and numerous others set similar dates. But regardless of the abuse, the Bible spends a great deal of time talking about the future, and for us to simply ignore what the Bible teaches about any subject is not an option God’s people can take. The future, if the Bible has anything to say about it, does matter.  What does every person, including every Christian, need to know about the future? The answer to this question is especially relevant in an age of great turmoil and uncertainty. We will pinpoint several things about the future that God would have us know.


New Sandy Simpson Messages
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NEW BOOK!
Reverse Paradigm Shift

by Sandy Simpson

We live in a topsy-turvy world of opposing ideas.  It is easy to get lost and overwhelmed.  We as Christians often don’t realize how much we have been diapraxed by the world, the flesh and the devil.  Our paradigm has been altered to such a degree that, without the solid foundation of Scripture, we are often set adrift without the anchor God has provided us.  Our paradigm is our worldview, our understanding of reality.  Without the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the written eternal Word, we really have no hope of understanding reality, our cultures, or our lives.  I have written this book to clue the reader into some of the issues that surround the modern born-again believer and how to reverse the shift that has exponentially changed our perspective in some cases.  Fortunately, in the foreknowledge of our Lord, He provided us with a roadmap to navigate our fallen world.  We don’t need a new map, as Emergent Church advocates claim.  We need the tried and true map of the ages.  There is “nothing new under the sun”.  There have always been false prophets and false teachers who are there by the will of the enemy to mislead and ultimately destroy the faith of many.  We are clearly living in the Apostasy foretold in the Bible that has been growing preceding the appearance of the Antichrist.  We need to carefully test ourselves to be sure we are in the Faith, and then hold on to the hope we have in Christ. 

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"� if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isaiah 8:20