Rightly Handling The Word Of Truth

(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".

(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:

(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.'"

(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."

(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."

(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."

(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.

(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).

(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.

(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?

(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.

(112) Preaching Is Dead by Anton Bosch, Discernment Ministries Newsletter, November/December 2004
This is a .pdf file.

(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.

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.

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.

(161) Spot The Wolf by Anton Bosch, 10/06
Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4. One of the e-mails I get all too frequently and that really breaks my heart is when people tell me how their leaders have disappointed them, broken their trust and, far too often, abused them emotionally, financially and spiritually. The very men who should have protected the sheep turn out to be wolves amongst the sheep devouring and destroying. Every time this happens my blood boils and I weep for those sheep who have been led to the slaughter and scattered by unscrupulous thieves and robbers.

(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.

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(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:

(189) How To Smell A Rat by Anton Bosch, 9/10/07
A toddler will eat anything. It does not matter if it is nutritious or poison, it has no ability to discern between food and poison. As Christians mature in the faith they should learn to discern between spiritual poison and spiritual food. �But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil� (Hebrews 5:14). The problem is that the vast majority of modern-day �Christians� are either not born again or have been kept in a perpetual state of babyhood, and are thus unable to discern the difference between truth and error. Because of this, and because we have a new generation of church-goers who do not know the Bible, false teachers have multiplied, and millions believe anything these preachers say.

(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.

(228) God's Purposes by Anton Bosch, 8/12/08
What does the Bible reveal about God�s ultimate purpose in his dealings with mankind? What is the theme that runs from Genesis through Revelation and that transcends both testaments?

(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.

(234) Remember Lot�s Wife by Anton Bosch, 11/27/08
This is one of the shortest verses in the Bible: Luke 17:32 �Remember Lot�s wife.�

(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.

(318) Battle of the Mind - Part 1: Strongholds by Anton Bosch, 4/7/11
This series was produced in 2004. Since then, many people have commented on the help it has been. I have re-edited the articles and am publishing them again, in the hope that more people will be helped by these thoughts.

(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!

(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.

Updated! (324) Battle of the Mind by Pastor Anton Bosch, Herescope, 5/15/11
(Anton's Note: This series was produced in 2004. Since then, many people have commented on the help it has been. I have re-edited the articles and am publishing them again, in the hope that more people will be helped by these thoughts.) Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4.

(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.

(336) Only Scripture by Pastor Anton Bosch, 8/31/11
One of the non-negotiable essentials of orthodox Christianity has always been the completeness of Scripture. By completeness we mean that the Bible (66 books) is the complete and final revelation of God to man. Nothing is to be added to the Scriptures, nothing is to be taken away from it, and nothing is to be placed above, or next to it (in authority or priority). The Bible stands on its own, is complete, and is the final measure by which every other doctrine, statement, creed or revelation is to be judged.

(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)

(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.

(358) Heaven by Anton Bosch, 4/16/12
Most people, whether Christians or not, have some ideas about a future life that could be called heaven. Many of those ideas are misguided or plain wrong and sadly, even reasonably well taught Christians may have wrong ideas of what heaven is all about. In a recent Time magazine article, the author said that many Christians are beginning to understand that heaven really is about making this earth a better place. I think he is right � that is what many people believe. But they are wrong. We cannot make this earth into heaven. Unfortunately, that is the agenda of much of the church today. They believe that the purpose of the church is to create heaven on earth and they work very hard to change the various structures of this world.

(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.

(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

(441) Doctrines of Demons by Anton Bosch, 9/27/13
Every Christian needs to devote more time to knowing the Lord Jesus better, yet thousands have been deceived into studying fiction, the hallucinations of perverted minds and the doctrines of Devils, rather than having eyes for Jesus only.

(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.

(448) Impressions from Strange Fire by Anton Bosch, 10/24/13
Here are the impressions I have gained from John MacArthur�s strange Fire Conference. Please note this is not an exhaustive critique of which, I am sure, many will be appearing on the internet � for and against. I simply want to convey the broad strokes as I saw it.

(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.

(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.

(452) Sola Camouflage by Anton Bosch, 11/12/13
Camouflage is not only used by the armies of this world but also by the armies of Satan to hide its agents in plain sight. Here in Hollywood (un)reality and movie stars, gangsters and politicians hide behind big shiny crosses around their necks. One of the best ways to detect the deception is the size of the cross � the bigger the cross, the bigger the deceiver. In addition to symbols that used to belong to Christians, they also use language to hide their true nature. Sayings like �god bless� and �we are praying for you� are all part of a clever ruse to lull the non-suspecting into believing the individual can be trusted.

(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.

(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).

(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.

(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.

(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

(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?

(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

(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 3^rd 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)

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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 ...

(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.

(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).

(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.

(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.

(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.