Apologetics Coordination Team
is now affiliated with
Moriel Ministries International
Great
Discernment Tools!
Seeds, Soil & Fruit
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
Bad seeds from a bad tree yield bad
fruit.
Matt. 13:38-39 The field is the
world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the
kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The
harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are
angels.
Matthew 7:17 Likewise every good
tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad
fruit.
Original sin is the bad seed in
everyone. We all start with a bad seed.
Jer. 17:9 The heart is
deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who
can understand it?
Rom. 3:23 for all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God,
Rom. 5:12 Therefore, just as sin
entered the world through one man, and death through
sin, and in this way death came to all men, because
all sinned
We need to have the bad seed destroyed
and replaced with good seed.
Gal. 5:24 Those who belong to
Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature
with its passions and desires.
Rom. 6:6 For we know that our
old self was crucified with him so that the body of
sin might be done away with, that we should no
longer be slaves to sin
1 Pet. 1:23 For you have been
born again, not of perishable seed, but of
imperishable, through the living and enduring
word of God.
The good seed is the Word, the Gospel.
Luke 8:11 "This is the meaning
of the parable: The seed is the word of God.
1 John 3:9 No one who is born of
God will continue to sin, because God's seed
remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because
he has been born of God.
Bad seeds are from the enemy and are full
of false doctrine and a false gospel.
Matt. 13:38-39 The field is the
world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the
kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The
harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are
angels.
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Will the Real Blasphemers
Please Stand Up?
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this
article.
This subject is one so serious that I
do it with great fear and trepidation. Nonetheless,
because I get so many e-mails accusing me and other
Bereans of blasphemy, among other serious charges, I
felt it was necessary to clear up some issues on this
topic. Because of my stand for the truth of God's Word
juxtaposed against all the false teaching that is
going on today, I think it is important to do a quick
study on what blasphemy is actually all about from a
biblical standpoint. There are many references
to blasphemy in the Bible and from them we can find
out how and why that term was used.
You will see that the word "blasphemy"
in the Scriptures is the very definition of what the
false teachers and false prophets are doing today!
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"Glitter Christians"
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
Glitter Christians.
This is a name I came up with for
people attending and teaching at Oral Roberts
University in the 70s. Even back then I had come
to realize that their way of representing Christianity
was not in line with the Scriptures. At that
time I didn’t know that Oral Roberts was carrying on
the Word of Faith traditions of New Thought
practitioners such as Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland,
Essex Kenyan, Norman Vincent Peale, Robert Schuler,
and many other false teachers of the time.
Though I didn’t know anything about Word of Faith or
New Thought then I knew that the way they were
representing Christianity was just not right
somehow. Their desire to portray Christians as
rich, beautiful, healthy, perfect, and virtually
sinless (holiness) went directly against the example
of Jesus, the Apostles and the early church.
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The articles below are now also
available on MP3 CD or MP3 DVD!
Perfect
travel listening material!
"Transformed By The
Renewing Of Your Mind" (Rom. 12:2)
Studies in worldview.
By Sandy Simpson
(1) "They
Will
Believe The Lie"
(2) Satan,
The
First Postmodernist
(3) A
Tale Of Two Kingdoms
(4) One
Of
Satan's Final Masquerades
(5) Nightmarchers
And
UFOs On The Big Island
(6) The
Missionaries
Brought A Foreign God
(7) Monotheism
In
Ancient Cultures
(8) The
History
Of The Knowledge And Worship Of God
(9) Replacement
Theology
On Steroids
(10) Catholic
Syncretism
(11) The
Gospel
Entrusted To The Saints
(12) The
Responsibilities
Of A Good Shepherd
(13) "...
and
all liars"
(14) Four
Books
That The Enemy Has Used To Corrupt Christianity
(15) Glitter
Christians
(16) Is
It
Possible To Believe In Jesus ... And NOT Be Saved?
(17) Testing
The
Spirits
Studies in Worldview MP3 CD
click below to order for $25. plus s/h
Studies in Worldview MP3 DVD
click below to order for $25. plus s/h
Screwtape Legacy
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
The book by C.S. Lewis called
"Screwtape Letters" was a clever idea in exposing a
number of tactics of the enemy. Those principles
are still at work today in many churches.
Following is a list of some of the things the enemy
wants to see in churches and Christians in order to
bring them down.
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Bradford Pear Christianity
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this
article.
I was driving along and noticing that
spring has sprung here in North Carolina. One of the
first trees to bloom is the Bradford Pear. I began to
notice how that tree has proliferated almost
everywhere and then my wife looked up the information
on this tree on the web. As she began to read the
facts about this tree and its proliferation I began to
see an allegorical parallel to what is going on in
much of Christendom. But before I get into what the
Bradford Pear can show us about the churches, I need
to present the facts about the tree.
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The Lord's Prayer, Our Prayer
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
Matt. 6:9-13 This, then, is how
you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed
be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our
daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have
forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
This model
prayer that Jesus taught the disciples to pray
contains many important precepts. It should
probably be called "The Disciple's Prayer". It
starts with a very important concept in the first
verse.
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The Fallacious Arguments of
Neo-Universalists
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
The new Universalists are not as
vocal about their Universalism ideas but are far
more deadly to the Church as they are not rejected
like classic Universalists were decades ago.
The new Universalists would include Emerging Church
leaders like Brian McLaren, Leonard Sweet, Spencer
Burke, Alan Jones and others like Wycliffe, Society
of Biblical Literature, World Christian
Gathering of Indigenous Peoples, Richard Twiss,
Daniel Kikawa, Terry LeBlanc, Rick Warren, Henry
Nowen, YWAM, Tony Campolo, Robert Schuller, George
Otis Jr., and even Billy Graham.
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The future of apologetics and
discernment ministries
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
I admit that I am
very skeptical about the future of discernment and
apologetics ministries. I don't see the next
generation coming up to replace those who have stood
for the truth for so long. Fortunately many apologists
have gone to be with the Lord but who will replace
them? I don't see replacements coming up who will take
the place of those who have been fighting the fight
the years. I run a web site where I collect articles
and materials from all over the world and present them
in a sort of Reader's Digest format so that people can
come to one place to get the latest information on
heresies in the churches as well as research past
ones. What I've seen in the last couple of years is
that the production of regular materials is declining
to the point where it's becoming difficult to find one
article for my site to post every day. Of course I
write my own articles but don't have enough time to
write an article on a daily basis. I am very concerned
because of the tsunami of false ideas from the enemy
in the churches. At the same time, unfortunately, I
see a lot of younger people who don't even recognize
anymore that something is wrong.
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You can also view this DVD online here.
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Church History & The Core
Doctrines
by Sandy Simpson
This 4-DVD set is a combination of a
condensed study on Church History and the Discernment
Toolkit series which deals with the core doctrines of
the Church and how to use them to discern error.
The Church History DVD takes a different approach to
Church History in that it does not celebrate the
Catholic Church but rather exposes it as false
Christianity. It covers World religions, false
Christianity and finally a study of the true remnant
Church through history following the story of the many
martyrs who stood up for true Biblical faith.
Go here
for further information.
The "Weight of Glory"
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this
article.
2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light
affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for
us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
(KJV)
This is both an incredible source of
hope for Christians who are downtrodden, and a
source of escalating heresy in many churches.It is
critical that we understand what Paul was talking
about when he wrote the phrase “weight of
glory”.Jacob Prasch has repeated this phrase in his
teachings over the years … “A text, out of context,
in isolation from co-text is always a pre-text."A
huge problem today is that individuals and movements
tend to yank verses out of their context and build a
cult of heresy around them.This is called eisegesis
or plugging your own ideas into the Scriptures
instead of exegesis, gaining understanding and
interpretation of the Bible by studying it in
context and in the scope of the whole written Word.
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further information.
Did God Put "Eternity In Their
Hearts"
or "The World In Their
Hearts"?
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
In the introduction to Mike
Oppenheimer's and my book "Idolatry In Thier Hearts"
I exposed the fact that Don Richardson pulled the
phrase "Eternity In Thier Hearts" to use as his book
title from it's context in Ecc. 3:11. He did
this to support his thesis, which actually
contradicts the second part of that verse, where it
states that man cannot fathom what God has done.
Richardson, rather, sets forth what has become the
foundation for the false teachings of the WCGIP,
YWAM, a number of Bible translation societies and
the Emerging Church ... the propostion that men from
Gentile cultures have always been seeking God and
that Gentile cultures were already worshipping the
true God before missionaries came with the Gospel.
But as I further investigated this
verse I found that Richardson even ignored the true
meaning of the FIRST half of the verse in favor of a
few translations that use the phrase "eternity in
their hearts".
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Christians who “turn
away”
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
Jeremiah 3:10-11 And yet for all
this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto
me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the
LORD. And the LORD said unto me, “The backsliding
Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous
Judah.” (KJV) Israel had turned away from the Lord and
had gone after the gods of Canaan, namely
Baal and Asherah. Because Israel had
prostituted herself with false gods in worshipping the
polytheistic gods that started at Babel, God had
declared He was divorcing Israel and would send them
into exile until they again returned to the true God.
But Judah prided itself in doing what God had
commended as they had Jerusalem and the Temple.
They disdained Israel for setting up altars to Baal
and Asherah poles on high hills. Yet God was not
fooled by Judah’s pretence. In the KJV it says
they were not worshipping God with their whole heart
but “feignedly”.
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Prophets for profit
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
2 Cor. 2:17 Unlike so many, we do
not peddle the word of God for profit. On the
contrary, in Christ we speak before God with
sincerity, as those sent from God.
There are many false teachers on TV
these days who peddle the word of God for
profit. They make promises of healing that do
not come true by claiming if they are given a
financial gift the person will receive healing and
riches. When what they promised does not happen
the person is blamed that they did not have enough
faith. This often destroys the faith of people who
fall into the traps of these snake oil salesmen.
I have no problem with people charging for their
materials if they cost to be produced, even though it
is hoped that when a person cannot afford to pay for
books and DVDs they will receive them free of
charge. But the charges levied on people for
conferences and speaking engagements is often
excessive. A minister of God can ask for support
and deserves it if they are being diligent in their
study and proclamation of the Word. But
experiences and feelings often come with a price today
and that is not right.
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"Mistake" or "Sin"?
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
Today we often hear the word
"mistake" coming from pulpits, and especially in
defense of false teaching and false prophesy.
"Cut him some slack! He just made some
mistakes". "We all make mistakes, so don't
judge lest you be judged." We even hear the
word "mistakes" being substituted for the word "sin"
in many presentations of what I have termed "Gospel
Lite" today. So is it proper to substitute the word
"mistake" for the word "sin"? We'll look at
the problem of one word "mistakenly" being used for
the other.
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Holy Ghost IGNORED!
by Sandy Simpson
This 3-DVD set is a message based on this movie review.
"Holy Ghost Reborn" is the second
film in the "Holy Ghost" series released by Bethel
Church in Redding, CA. Tim Wirth and I
reviewed the first "Holy Ghost" film and that review
is freely available on YouTube here:
Holy
Ghost
Movie Expos"
Reviewed
by
Tim Wirth & Sandy Simpson
A
Simply Agape Project Production
I am sorry to say this but Bethel is
clearly a cult of Christianity holding to most of
the teachings of the Latter Rain and Word of
Faith. They have demonstrated repeatedly a
manipulative atmosphere targeting young people in
particular while preaching rank heresy. This
new film is a continuation of those false teachings
and practices. I pray for the young people in
that church that they will come to know Jesus Christ
as their Savior and thus come to know the true Holy
Spirit.
This 3-DVD set is only $30. plus s/h.
for US.
Holy
Ghost
IGNORED! Part 4 - Addendum with Tim Wirth &
Sandy Simpson
This "Holy Ghost IGNORED! Part 4 -
Addendum is part of a 3-DVD series by Sandy Simpson
reviewing the film "Holy Ghost Reborn". This addendum
features a number of false teachings of Bethel Church
in Redding, CA that I was not able to include in the
3-Part series. Get
the whole thing! It is very important to see
what has become the "new" Christianity.
Go here
for further information.
Servant Authority
by Sandy
Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
The world system has always been a "top
down" structure, starting at the apex of the pyramid
and going down to the bottom. In kingdoms we have the
king at the top, then the princes, common people,
slaves. In a democracy we have the President at the
top, the VP, the Sec. of State on down to the
citizens. In business we have the CEO at the top,
upper management, lower management, office workers and
the janitors. Unfortunately, sometime in the
third century, the church started to have a top down
structure. This is also when the church began to be in
error. The church of Rome began to have a "top down"
structure that started with the pope, then cardinals,
then bishops, then priests, then the people. Well,
what about that? Eph 4:11 It was he who
gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to
be evangelists, and some to be pastors and
teachers, This all sounds like a "top down"
structure. But the problem is that people have not
seen an important fact about these gifts of the Spirit
-- man looks at function and title, God looks at aim
and goal! Read on. Eph. 4:12 to prepare God's
people for works of service, so that the body of
Christ may be built up. These are not gifts given for
title or to give people job descriptions. They are
given because there are people out there who need our
help! The church needed the Apostles. They were the
ones who were the foundation of the church. They were
the ones who saw Jesus in the flesh and were taught by
Him personally. They wrote the New Testament
Scriptures. Though the gifts of apostle and prophet
are different today than in biblical times, the gift
of evangelism, pastoring, teaching and others are
still the same. A person who is an evangelist does not
just have a title so he can rule over people. The
reason that he has the gift to be an evangelist is so
that he can tell others the good news. Why do we have
pastors? Are they supposed to rule the church and get
everyone to support them and bow to their demands? No.
They are to serve the church by helping people to come
to a fuller knowledge of Jesus Christ, to equip the
saints to become more like Jesus every day.
The true structure of Christianity is
symbolized as an inverted pyramid!
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�Overtake you like a thief�
by Sandy
Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
1 Thessalonians 5:4 But you,
brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would
overtake you like a thief; How serious will it be
for a person to be overtaken in �that day� like a
thief overtakes a household when he slips in and
steals? Will it just be a surprise for those
who claim to be Christians who will get a slap on
the wrist by the Lord but still proceed to
heaven? Will they simply lose rewards but
still gain the ultimate reward? What is this
darkness that the brethren are not in? 1
Thessalonians 5:3-5 While they are saying,
�Peace and safety!� then destruction will come
upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a
woman with child, and they will not escape.
But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day
would overtake you like a thief; for you are all
sons of light and sons of day. We are not of
night or of darkness;
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Generic and Specific
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
In my article �Blasphemizing
the
Bible� I give a number of examples of how a lot
of modern Bible translation societies are putting the
names of �supreme beings� in the Bible in the place of
God or YHWH. In this article I'm going to examine two
of the excuses they make for making those
substitutions in the Bible in many hundreds of
different languages today.
(1) They claim that God has many
different names and therefore they think they are
justified in putting the names of various gods of
various cultures in Bibles, as long as they are
considered �supreme beings�.
(2) The second excuse they give is that
the names of the �gods� they are placing in the Bible
are generic terms for God, like the words �God�,
�Theos�, �Dios� and �Elohim�. By generic I mean a word
that can be used for any deity whether of the one true
God or other false gods who claim to be God.
I will go through both of these excuses
and show that they are both unbiblical, therefore the
Bibles they have translated with names of other gods
in them, or names they claim are generic, prove that
they have �blasphemized� those Bibles.
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The Ugly Side
of Diaprax
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
There has been a concerted effort by
the false teachers from many movements inside the
church such as Word of Faith, New Apostolic
Reformation (NAR)/Latter Rain, World Gathering on
Indigenous People and Emerging Church among others to
diaprax people into thinking that the church has been
ineffective until they came along with their new and
improved ideas on how to take over the world.
This is always a feature of the Hegelian Dialectical
process put into action by praxis, thus diaprax.
In order to form a new paradigm or worldview the
leadership of these movements must vilify orthodox
Biblical Christianity.
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Deluded!
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
There are so many "Christian" leaders
out there that teach delusional teachings. These
teaching are dangerous and can lead a person to
shipwreck their faith.
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Healer?
Heal Thyself!
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
A good subtitle for this article might
be "Practice What You Preach!" There is no doubt
that God can and does heal people today. But the
false doctrines of the Word-Faith Movement about
"declaring" healing, "name-it-and-claim-it", etc. have
been proven to be lies by the very people who sell
this deceit. If you don't know about where these
famous "faith healers" go when they need healing, you
may be surprised. Why couldn't they heal
themselves when they purported to be able to heal
others by virtue of their superior faith? What
happened to the extraordinary faith they claimed to
have, enough faith to heal and be healed? Since
they are the ones who taught that all you have to do
is claim the healing that is in the Atonement (Is.
53:5) why did they not do so? Don't their deaths
prove that what they were preaching was a lie and
pragmatic witchcraft rather than biblical relality?
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God�s Attitude toward the
�Supreme Beings� of the Nations
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this
article.
It is quite clear from Scripture that
YHWH does NOT consider the �supreme beings� of the
nations to be Himself, the One True God. This is
in opposition to the teachings of Don Richardson,
Daniel Kikawa, Richard Twiss and many others promoting
the World Christian Gathering of Indigenous People
movement, Emergent Church and Liberal
theologies. I have proven this time and time
again in my articles on the subject but I am going to
consolidate the information from the Bible in this
article by studying the false gods named in the
Bible. I am sure I will not be able to cover
every instance of supreme beings mentioned in the
Bible but I (1) want to deal with some of the major
ones (2) show you where they are found in the Word,
and (3) prove that they were the �supreme beings� of
those nations named by the patriarchs, prophets and
Apostles and that they were not monotheistic gods but
polytheistic in the tradition of Babel where the false
religion of polytheism first took root through the
worship of Nimrod and Semiramis.
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You need to "nip it in the
bud"!
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
I am writing this article to address
a subject that I have often observed. It is
the fact that if you do not get the leaven out of
your church the leaven will become the
leadership.The Bible teaches quite clearly that if
you let the leaven in you will leaven the whole
lump.
Galatians 5:9 A little leaven
leavens the whole lump of dough.
We see this often in the case
of many �Christian� movements that have allowed a
small error to exist in their churches and have not
dealt with those issues. It then ends up
metastasizing into worse and worse problems as time
goes by.
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The New Panentheistic "God" Of
Christendom
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
Now, I bet you read the title of this
article and thought I had misspelled the word
"pantheism". Just so that those of you who write
to me advising me of words I have misspelled in
articles (and I do often) I want to tell you that I am
using the term "panentheism" as coined by Karl C. F.
Krause. You can read more about this word and
concept in an excellent book called "A
Time Of Departing" by Ray Yungen.
There is a new "God" being promoted in
the Third Wave, New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and
Word of Faith movements whose teachers are regularly
seen on TBN, Daystar, SkyAngel, CBN and other
"Christian" TV networks. Some of those teachers
even have, what would be considered, a fairly typical
statement of faith or doctrinal statement they
endorse. But by what they teach they end up
promoting a false unbiblical view of God, especially
through their actions and experiences. The whole
phenomenon of "slain in the spirit" and all the antics
that go with it are brainwashing an entire generation
of Christians to put their faith in another Jesus,
another Spirit, another Gospel. This new "Jesus"
and "Holy Spirit" is clearly pantheistic or
panentheistic in nature. Though some of these
teachers would claim to be believing in the God who is
One God in Three Persons, by what they teach they deny
the very revealed character of God from Scripture.
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What Should I Say?
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this booklet.
How do you answer an invitation to
attend a meeting where you know nothing about the
speaker or what will be done there? What happens if
they want to announce the meeting at your church and
invite everyone? What do you say to a person who tells
you that you don�t have the Holy Spirit even though
you are a Christian? What should you do if you think
something is wrong, or your conscience is bothering
you about something that was said or done? The
answer?
Go to the Scriptures!
The Bible has all the answers to your
questions. This little booklet is an attempt to deal
with a few of the typical statements you will hear
from people who have become involved in the Third Wave
revival movement. By �Third Wave� I am referring to
teachers, �prophets� and any meeting associated with
the Toronto �Blessing�, Brownsville Assemblies of God,
Rodney Howard-Browne, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland,
Rod Parsley, Marilyn Hickey, Joyce Meyers, Bethel
Church, Lakeland and many others who appear on the
Trinity Broadcasting Network and the 700 Club on
TV.
Hopefully the statements and answers in
this booklet will set you off on an investigation of
your own in the Word. If you need help, and you have
access to the Internet, you can visit my web site
called �Deception In The Church� that deals with these
issues and has the articles mentioned in this booklet.
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Luring People To Destruction
By The Unscrupulous Use Of The
"Gospel" Message
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
Phil.
1:14-18 Because of my chains, most of the
brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the
word of God more courageously and fearlessly. It
is true that some preach Christ out of envy and
rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter
do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the
defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of
selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they
can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But
what does it matter? The important thing is that in
every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ
is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I
will continue to rejoice,
If you see what I see in this passage,
this argument cannot be used for people like Benny
Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and the hundreds, even
thousands of Third Wave ministers today who are not
merely envious and self ambitious, but are also
teaching outright false doctrine. Paul was not talking
about heretics in this statement, but "brothers in the
Lord" who preach the Gospel with wrong motives. Third
Wave teachers not only have wrong motives, they also
have the wrong message. This argument cannot be
used for people like Hinn, even if they manage to
preach enough of the "Gospel" for people to come to a
saving knowledge of the Lord, because they are also
teaching and practicing heresy.
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One of Satan�s Final
Masquerades
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
2 Corinthians 11:14 And
no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel
of light.
Satan often disguises himself
with the purpose of deceiving people. One way in
which I believe he is putting on a masquerade is by
appearing as �Mary� to millions of people
worldwide.
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Attack Of The Enemy
On The Churches
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this
article.
So much heresy is entering the churches
these days. As you would suspect, sometimes it
is due to a pastor attending a conference or reading a
book and becoming diapraxed with unbiblical
ideas. He then starts to weave those ideas into
his messages and begins to invite speakers to the
church who expound on those ideas. Then when
confronted by someone in the church who has
reservations about the new stuff being taught, they
are told to not talk about it and just go along with
the program. If that person does not they are
ostracized, slander behind their back, and often told
to leave (which is what they should do in any
case).
But my observation is that it is not
only the pastor who causes unbiblical changes to
influence a church. Often the pastor is
blissfully unaware of influences coming into his
church. They often come in through (1) the
worship team (2) women�s groups (3) bookstore (4)
children�s programs (5) interdenominational prayer
efforts and (6) relief and mission
organizations. If unchecked this type of
infiltration is much more subtle and can become deeply
rooted.
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Marks Of False Religion
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one
takes you captive through philosophy and empty
deception, according to the tradition of men,
according to the elementary principles of the world,
rather than according to Christ.
In context Paul is especially
addressing, though perhaps not to the exclusion of
other false religion, what had become the false
religion of the Pharisees and Jewish leadership.
There were many Jewish so-called �Christians� making
the rounds among the fledgling early churches who were
trying to get the Gentiles to come under the Law from
which Christ had purchased their freedom. John
Gill states this case well in his commentary.
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Universalism in the
World
has Permeated the Church
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
The current fad of interfaith
solidarity and unity is simply a thin guise of
inclusivism, Universalism and pluralism.
Universalism is defined by
Dictionary.com as: The doctrine that emphasizes the
universal fatherhood of God and the final salvation
of all souls. (Source)
Universalism is a religion and theology that
generally holds all persons and creatures are
related to God or the divine and will be reconciled
to God. (Source)
Pluralism is defined as: The
doctrine that reality is composed of many ultimate
substances. � The belief that no single
explanatory system or view of reality can account
for all the phenomena of life. (American Heritage
Dictionary, (Source)
Inclusivism is: "Inclusivism posits
that even though the work of Christ is the only
means of salvation, it does not follow that explicit
knowledge of Christ is necessary in order for one to
be saved. In contrast to pluralism, inclusivism
agrees with exclusivism in affirming the
particularity of salvation in Jesus Christ. But
unlike exclusivism, inclusivism holds that an
implicit faith response to general revelation can be
salvific. God expects from man a response
proportional to the light given. Saving faith is not
characterized so much by its cognitive content as it
is by its reverent quality." (Ken Keathley, None
Dare Call It Treason: Is an Inclusivist a Paul
Revere or a Benedict Arnold? (Ken Keathley,
Assistant Professor of Theology and Philosophy New
Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, (Source)
We deal with these old heresies
brought forward to modernity, these ideas that all
men have have a relationship with God that will
cause them to be able to avoid judgement in our book
on the teachings of the World Gathering on
Indigenous People movement called �Idolatry In Their
Hearts�. The idea that all men who
worship a �god� are worshipping the true God, YHWH,
has bubbled up to the very top of our societies and
religions, and even Christendoom, and should sound a
warning alarm to true Biblical Christianity.
Instead, as usual in our day, most Christians are
asleep at the wheel while Universalists claim that
you can pray to a �god� like Allah and be praying to
the true Trinue God, YHWH. I also dealt with the
fact that Allah is not YHWH, both in our book and in
the article �Is Allah The
Same As YHWH?�.
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What We Need Is A Reverse
Paradigm Shift!
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
I'm going to warn you now. I am
going to let you in on some information tonight that
is going to radically change your world view.
You are likely going to experience the beginnings of a
reverse paradigm shift and after tonight there will be
no way to go back the way you came. You will be
faced with choices that you may never have known you
had. You will be faced with a new way of looking
at things that is going to cause you to rethink
everything that is being taught in the Emerging Latter
Rain churches. It is going to be radical because
the basis for this message doesn't come from Jesus
Christ visiting my room last night bodily, but from
His holy written Word. So buckle down your seat
belts, you're likely in for a bumpy ride!
Matt. 7:15-23
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in
sheep�s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious
wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do
people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from
thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit,
but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot
bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good
fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is
cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their
fruit you will recognize them. "Not everyone who
says to me, �Lord, Lord,� will enter the kingdom of
heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father
who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day,
�Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and
in your name drive out demons and perform many
miracles?� Then I will tell them plainly, �I never
knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!�
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False Teachers Revisited
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
I often receive requests to present
updated false teachings and false prophecies by the
myriad of heretics out there. We do try to keep
up with all the latest. But I have to remind
people that those we have exposed as false on our site
have not repented of what they have already done in
the past, which is why they are still on our
site. So what they are doing now has no
relevance as to whether or not they are now to be
considered a true Biblical teacher. If and when
they repent, that is renounce their false teachings
and false prophecies, make restitution to those they
have deceived, and begin to teach sound Biblical
doctrine we will give you that information. As
of now NONE of the people we have exposed have
repented of their Latter Rain, Word of Faith
teachings, heretical practices or their false
prophecies. But in the interest of helping you
to respond to a person who inquires by saying: "Those
articles are old and you need newer materials" well,
here is some newer stuff you can add to the
pile. For you and me this really makes no
difference, but for those who are living in deception
perhaps it might demolish one of their arguments
against the truth.
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Testing The Spirits
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this
article.
Sometimes I really wonder why someone
who claims to be a Bible believing pastor, for
instance, refuses to listen to the truth. It
frankly boggles my mind. I don't know if it is
as a result of the postmodern paradigm or just that
they have no love of the truth left. I don't
know how that can happen in a truly regenerate
person. You would think that the Holy Spirit
would confirm the truth to them, first in their
conscience, and finally through the written
Word. But these days it is a miracle if it gets
that far. I don't know if their conscience has
been so seared that they don't hear the Spirit or if
they just don't want to know the truth because then
they would be responsible for it. I know that I
cannot know their motives or the reasons why they
reject truth and refuse to talk about false teaching,
but I do know one thing: we are called as true
believers to test the spirits. We must do this
even if the result is not to our liking or befuddles
us as to the reasons.
1 John 4:1 Dear
friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the
spirits to see whether they are from God, because
many false prophets have gone out into the world.
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Questions for Those Who Claim
the "Supreme Beings"
Of the Nations Are the True
God
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
I have some questions for those of the
World Christian Gathering of Indigenous People (WCGIP)
adherents such as Don Richardson, Daniel Kikawa,
Richard Twiss (deceased), Terry LeBlanc, Danny Lehman,
Aloha Ke Akua, YWAM as well as many in the Emergent
Church (EC) ... the questions arise from their claim
that the "supreme beings" of the nations are all the
True God, YHWH, the God of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob. You can read more on this subject in our
book "Idolatry
In
Their Hearts" or in the WCGIP
section of my site. My main question for them is this:
When did ANY of the Patriarchs and Prophets in the Old
Testament and the Apostles or Jesus Christ in the New
Testament EVER claim that the "supreme beings" of the
nations were Elohim/YHWH, the one True God?
Let's look at some examples in the form of questions
and you can check out the source links as well.
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How To Discern, Test &
Judge Rightly
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
In running
a web site with thousands of articles, 1-2 million
hits per month from all over the world, and hundreds
of e-mails per week, I have come to realize, with
time, that there is a terrible problem in
Christendom today. The problem stems from an
existential subjective view of the world that has
filtered into the church from secular society, but
also from the teachings of heretical wolves who have
taught an entire generation of churchgoers
completely unbiblical methods of discernment or to
get rid of any discernment altogether.
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We need a firm foundation to
weather the storm of false ideas
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
Matthew 22:29 Jesus answered and
said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the
scriptures, nor the power of God. (KJV)
Matthew 7:24 "Therefore everyone who
hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be
compared to a wise man who built his house on the
rock.
How firm a foundation, ye saints of
the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His
excellent word!
� 1787 Joseph Funk & Robert Keene
A house built on the rock will
stand. The Rock is God and in particular, Jesus
Christ. Therefore His written Word is the
teachings of the His Holy Spirit and a Rock we can
depend on. Anyone who wants to prove anything
theologically, historically, scientifically or
anything else needs to start with correct
information. If you start with a faulty
foundation, as you build your arguments, they begin to
fall apart because they are not supported in God"s
truth. If you want to build on a firm
foundation, you need to start the process by a careful
study of God"s Word in context of the verse and
according to the whole counsel of God"s Word.
The Bible is the best commentary on the Bible.
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Karma (by any other name)
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
According to Wikipedia:
"Karma means action, work or deed;
it also refers to the principle of causality where
intent and actions of an individual influence the
future of that individual. Good intent and
good deed contribute to good karma and future
happiness, while bad intent and bad deed contribute
to bad karma and future suffering. Karma is
closely associated with the idea of rebirth in some
schools of Asian religions. In these schools,
karma in the present affects one's future in the
current life, as well as the nature and quality of
future lives - or, one's samsara. With origins in
ancient India, it is a key concept in Hinduism,
Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Taoism, Shintoism, Ching
Hai and others."(emphasis mine)
Mirram-Webster defines it this way:
the force created by a person's
actions that is believed in Hinduism and Buddhism to
determine what that person's next life will be like:
the force created by a person's actions that some
people believe causes good or bad things to happen
to that person
Given the definitions of "karma" above,
this same idea, usually without the reincarnation
aspect in Christian circles, has been taught for
decades in New Thought movements such as the Positive
Thinking/Positive Confession teachings of Norman
Vincent Peale & Robert
Schuller, the Word of Faith ideas of Essex
Kenyan, Kenneth
Hagin, Kenneth
Copeland and Benny
Hinn, the mixture of Eastern Mysticism and
Christianity by Korean false teachers such as the
"force of faith" Paul
Yongii
Cho, and newer renditions and fusions by people
like Joel
Osteen, Joseph
Prince, T.D.
Jakes (recently agreeing with Oprah Winfrey who
teaches karma on her WHO network), and others such as
Ernest
Angley, John
Bevere, Markus
Bishop, Juanita
Bynum, Morris
Cerullo, Kim
Clement, Paul
Crouch, Creflo
Dollar, Jesse
Duplantis, Marilyn
Hickey, Brian
Houston, Rodney
Howard-Browne, Larry
Huch, Bishop
Eddie
L. Long, Clarence
McClendon, Joyce
Meyer, Myles
Munroe, Steve
Munsey, Mike
Murdock, Rod
Parsley, Peter
Popoff, Fred Price, Oral
Roberts, R.W.
Shambach, Robert Schuller, Karl
Strader, Robert
Tilton, Paula
White, Ed
Young and many others.
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His Name, The Only Name
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
Zechariah 14:9 NIV The LORD will be
king over the whole earth. On that day there will be
one LORD, and his name the only name.
The reason I wrote this
article based on Zech 14:9 is that I was reminded of
how many so-called Christians, who are influential in
the churches, are promoting the worship of God in the
names of other gods.
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Replacement Theology On
Steroids
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this
article.
So, as you can see, the root of this
teaching is that Israel no longer holds the
distinction of being the tree from which the Root of
David (Jesus-Rev. 5:5, 22:16) came. They are
no longer the "natural branches" (Israel-Rom. 11:21)
on to which Gentile Christianity (the wild
shoots-Rom. 11:17 or wild branches-Rom. 11:24) are
grafted in (Rom. 11:17-24). According to
Replacement Theology, Christianity has now become
its own branch apart from Israel (the natural
branch) that produced the Root and all the promises
of the Bible to Israel have been taken away from
them and given to the Gentile Church. This is
why you hear so many false teachers taking verses
out of context from the Old Testament and
willy-nilly applying them to the Gentile
Church. This methodology has been going on for
decades in liberal churches and has been popularized
by many false teachers on TV. But the fact is that
Replacement Theology is utter false doctrine.
It denies promises made to Israel, some of which
have already been fulfilled and some which are yet
to come to fruition. But when you add the fact that
the Inclusivist WCGIP proponents are now saying that
God planted hundreds of different trees, cultures
all over the world, that are not connected to the
natural branch, tree and Root, you have what can
only be termed Replacement Theology on steroids!
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Those Who Do Not Lead
Christians to Maturity
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this
article.
The Scriptural definition of maturity
is to learn to discern truth from error so that the
Christian will no longer be double minded, blown about
by every wind of teaching and by the schemes of crafty
people. But the problem today is that so few
Christian teachers are feeding their flock's solid
food. They are serving up milk and, because of
that, people are starving. Yet they often don't even
know they have been on a starvation diet. Amos
8:11 "The days are coming," declares the Sovereign
Lord, "when I will send a famine through the land
- not a famine of food or a thirst for water,
but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord."
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"... and all liars"
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
Lying is a problem for all people (Ps.
116:11). We are all sinners (Rom. 3:23).
Those of us who are Christians are "sinners saved by
grace" (Eph. 2:8) indwelt by the Holy Spirit in our
"new self" (Col. 3:10). But we still live in our "old
self" which we must "put off" (Eph. 4:20-25) by taking
up our cross daily and following Christ (Luke
9:23). The difference between unbelievers and
those who are truly born again is that believers no
longer "practice sin" (1 John 3:9, see my Bible study
on 1 John!) They have the indwelling Holy Spirit
(Rom. 8:11) who convicts them when they lie (John
16:8). True believers then repent (1 John 1:9) and go
on to "practice righteousness" (1 John 2:29) with the
Lord's help. The unregenerate, the false
brothers, or those who have fallen away (Gal. 5:4,
Mark 4:17), practice lying. They practice a
lifestyle of lying because their consciences are
seared (1 Tim. 4:2) and the Holy Spirit, when
convicting them, cannot break through the hardness of
their unrepentant hearts (Eph. 4:17-19, Heb.
3:13).
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Four Books That the Enemy Has
Used To Corrupt Christianity
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this
article.
The four books that have changed the
church by giving an introduction to the false
teachings of the New Apostolic/Latter Rain (NAR), the
Emerging Church/Contemplative/Catholic Mysticism (EC),
pragmatic Church Growth (CG) methodologies of C. Peter
Wagner, Robert Schuller and Peter Drucker, and the
teachings of the World Christian Gathering on
Indigenous People (WCGIP) are as follows:
Surprised by the Power of the Spirit by
Jack Deer, Celebration of Discipline by Richard
Foster, Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren &
Etnerity In Their Hearts by Don Richardson.
These four books were widely read
by Christians from virtually every denominational
background before their ramifications and the
movements they would spawn were known. They lay
error alongside truth so were considered not to be a
threat to churches. Therefore these books then
became part of the consciousness of many Christians
and churches, thereby laying the basis for the
introduction of the modern day false teachings of the
NAR, EC, CG and WCGIP that have become part of the
landscape of Christendom today.
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Night Marchers and UFOs on the
Big Island
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
With the resurgence of the old
religion of Hawaii and the continual invocation of
Pel� and other "deities" for years in the secular
culture and even in churches with regards to
worshipping 'Io, is it any wonder that those beings
are beginning to manifest again? In a story
called "Night
Marchers" on the Kawaihae site and in a YouTube
video on the same subject, eyewitnesses claim
all kinds of sightings that they think are the
warriors, ancestors and demi-gods of Hawaii coming
back. Interestingly the
first
book the Hawaiian Heritage site recommends in
its "Suggested Reading" list is "Perpetuated
in
Righteousness" by Daniel Kikawa that we
reviewed in our book "Idolatry
In
Their Hearts" by Sandy Simpson and Mike
Oppenheimer. Since Kikawa claims that 'Io is the
True God and one that the Hawaiians worshipped in
secret, we have to wonder if Kikawa also thinks 'Io
is showing up in these night marches? Since YWAM,
Aloha Ke Akua and Hilo New Hope participated in
worshipping 'Io at the "edge of Hale-ma'uma'u
Crater" it sounds like they have all been inviting
the old "gods" to return to Hawaii.
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"They Will Believe
The Lie"
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
I am doing a Bible study right now on
what I would call "renewing our minds". It is
based on this verse:
Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the
pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test
and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing
and perfect will.
The only way to renew our minds is to
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, confess our sins,
and be saved, then to study the written Word and allow
the indwelling Holy Spirit to teach us. Our
minds are corrupted by virtue of the sin nature and
what we have learned in life because our filters are
off. I gave an illustration of straining coconut to
make coconut milk. If you use a 1 inch screen
everything will pass through. Even if you use a
quarter inch screen you will get mostly coconut meat
in your milk. You have to use a fine screen in
order to separate the milk from the leftover.
Our filters are off and the first thing God begins to
do is correct our worldview, because if your worldview
is off you will not understand God's reality. We
need to learn to see things from His
perspective. This is why I started this study by
going back to an original problem.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 The coming of
the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan
works. He will use all sorts of displays of power
through signs and wonders that serve the lie,
and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who
are perishing. They perish because they refused to
love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God
sends them a powerful delusion so that they will
believe the lie and so that all will be
condemned who have not believed the truth but have
delighted in wickedness.
This has always been an interesting
passage to me for a few different reasons. What
is "the lie" that is talked about here in verse 9 and
11? What are the ways that "wickedness deceives
those who are perishing" and how long has this been
going on or does this only begin to happen at the
coming of the lawless one? In what way does "the
lie" cause those who do not believe the truth to
"delight in wickedness"?
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Updated!
The First Nations Movement
Deceiving The Nations!
4-DVD Series
Critical
Missiological Issue!
The "Indigenous People's" (IPM) or
"First Nations" movement is an unbiblical movement
teaching heresies and doctrines of demons. It is being
spread worldwide by YWAM, Don Richardson, John Dawson,
Richard Twiss, Terry LeBlanc, Daniel Kikawa and many
other adherents. The IPM or World Christian
Gathering On Indigenous People is full of the false
teachings of the Third Wave, New Apostolic Reformation
(NAR), Word-Faith, Dominionism, Latter Rain and many
other false theological systems. But it does
have it's own distinctives that are driven by the
works of Daniel Kikawa, Richard Twiss, and Don
Richardson in particular. They are teaching
Christians to "redeem" their cultures by worshipping
their former gods, pretending they are YHWH.
Go here for
ordering information. Only $10. per DVD or $35. for
the 4-DVD set, plus s/h. for US.
The First
Nations Movement 4-DVD Set
The First Nations
Movement DVD 1
(1) Perpetuating Nations' Myths - Mike
Oppenheimer
(2) 11 Reasons To Reject This Movement,
Part 1 - Sandy Simpson
The First Nations
Movement DVD 2
(1) The Fingerprints Of God? - Mike
Oppenheimer
(2) 11 Reasons To Reject This Movement,
Part 2 - Sandy Simpson
The First Nations
Movement DVD 3
(1) The New Indigenous "Christian"
Religion - Sandy Simpson
(2) Did God Put Eternity In Their
Hearts? - Sandy Simpson
(3) The Missionaries Brought A Foreign
God - Sandy Simpson
(4) Catholic Syncretism - Sandy Simpson
The First Nations
Movement DVD 4
(1) "Monotheism" In Ancient Cultures -
Sandy Simpson
(2) The History Of The Knowledge Of God
- Sandy Simpson
"Christians" Who Try To Poke
Holes In Sola Scriptura
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this
article: "Christians"
Who Try To Poke Holes In Sola Scriptura
There are a number of the leadership
of the Emerging Church (EC) who do not believe that
the Bible is the highest authority for the Christian
faith. Most do not believe that the Bible is
inerrant in the original manuscripts and many do not
acknowledge that the Bible is our highest
revelation. Yet this is a core doctrine over
which true believers and false brethren must
separate. Those who try to poke holes in Sola
Scriptura make excuses like (1) we need to
reinterpret the Bible through the lens of postmodern
culture and religion (2) the Bible never uses the
words "Sola Scriptura" therefore it is not a
Biblical concept (3) there is new revelation for the
church through the Holy Spirit apart from what is
written and the precepts of the Bible and (4) the
Bible just doesn't address our postmodern situation
therefore we cannot rely on it for the truth and
answers for our problems today. I will prove
that all the above arguments, and more, from EC
leaders and others is exactly what they are
teaching. I will give you quotes from their
teachings, videos and books. The postmodern church
and its "movements" are abandoning Sola Scriptura in
their rush to be like the Roman Catholic Church,
which takes its authority from a mix of Scripture
and tradition.
"As a result the Church, to whom the
transmission and interpretation of Revelation is
entrusted, "does not derive her certainty about all
revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both
Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored
with EQUAL sentiments of devotion and reverence."
(Roman Catholic Catechism, Given October 11, 1992,
the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the
Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, in the fourteenth
year of my Pontificate. Page 31).
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Updated DVD!
The Question Of Dominion
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this
article: The
Question Of Dominion.
I am writing this article as an
apologetic against the Third Wave, Latter Rain, Word
of Faith and Reformed Theology teachings that the
Church is to rise up and take over the systems of
government, businesses and every other aspect of
life. "See, the problem is, is that Satan has had
too much of his way in our society because he has a
government! And the only way to overthrow a
government is with a government. It won't
happen otherwise. So therefore the government
of the church has to get into place in the extended
church just like we do have it very well in place,
we haven't reached our goal yet ..."
(Transcript of C. Peter Wagner, Arise Prophetic
Conference, Gateway Church, San Jose, CA,
10-10-2004) Wagner has substituted the "government
of the church" for the coming government of Jesus
Christ in the Millennial Kingdom. Wagner is
"Kingdom Now" while the Bible teaches "Kingdom
Come". What I wanted to do with this article is put
the issue of dominion to rest by studying the
definition the Bible gives to dominion and ruling
authority. When we look at the subject we can
easily ascertain what is going on today and what God
requires of the Church.
Go here for
ordering information. Only $10. per DVD plus s/h. for
US.
Shepherd Or Hireling?
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on the
article: "Shepherd
Or
Hireling?"
The Bible lays out the definitions
of both an overseer (under shepherd) and a
hireling. John 10:11-13 I am the good
shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the
sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the
shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the
wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and
the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and
careth not for the sheep. (KJV) 1 Tim.
3:1-3 Here is a trustworthy saying: If
anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he
desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above
reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate,
self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to
teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but
gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
(NIV) Titus 1:7-13 Since an overseer is
entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless, not
overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to
drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest
gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves
what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy
and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the
trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that
he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute
those who oppose it. For there are many rebellious
people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those
of the circumcision group. They must be silenced,
because they are ruining whole households by
teaching things they ought not to teach - and that
for the sake of dishonest gain. Even one of their
own prophets has said, "Cretans are always liars,
evil brutes, lazy gluttons." This testimony is true.
Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be
sound in the faith. (NIV) A hireling does not really
care about being a watchman, but is more concerned
with protecting his reputation, position and
income. A true watchman will guard the flock
against wolves from within (Acts 20:30) and without
(Acts 20:29) no matter the cost to his reputation,
position or income. Following is a little quiz you
can take to see if you are a true Biblical under
shepherd as a leader in your church, are becoming a
hireling, or are one now.
Go here for
ordering information. Only $10. plus s/h. for US.
Testing Music In The Church
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on these
articles: Testing
Music
In The Church, Testing
Music
In The Church-Part 2, and Worship
Song
Ratings.
Too many churches today are allowing
music to be used in their services that is not
glorifying to the Lord and can actually be a
hindrance to the teaching of sound doctrine. Pastors
and leaders should be using their leadership role to
test what is being played and sung in their
churches. Though some are quick to test preaching
and teaching from their pulpits, many ignore the
music being used in the same services. This is a
tragic mistake. Music is a powerful medium. It is
something that effects deeply the body, mind and
emotions. It is a proven fact that music often stays
with a person far longer than what is taught or
preached. Songs roam around in our heads, especially
if the melody appeals to us. What is often
overlooked is the serious impression music makes on
people, and the teaching they are getting over and
over again as they allow the song to repeat in their
minds and on their lips. Music teaches things much
more subtly yet sometimes far more effectively.
That's why the lyrical content of music in the
church, as well as its effect on the spiritual lives
of those who perform and listen, should be
vigorously examined by the leaders of the
church. This is a 2-DVD set.
Go here
for ordering information. Only $20. per 2-DVD set plus
s/h. for US.
Examine Yourselves &
Hold On!
by Sandy Simpson
This DVD is a message based on the
articles "Examine
Yourself To See If You Are In The Faith" and "Hold On!"
2 Cor. 13:5 Examine
yourselves to see whether you are in the faith;
test yourselves.
Do you not realise that Christ Jesus
is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test?
People who call themselves followers of
Christ or "Christians" and claim they are born again
must believe certain things. If they do not then
they fail the test of faith. They can claim they
are born again all they want and "once saved, always
saved" but if they fail the test of faith there is no
eternal security. Only God knows who will be
saved, from beginning to end, because of His
foreknowledge and omniscience (Rom. 8:29, 1 Pet.
1:2). God did not make an arbitrary judgment
about who would be saved and who would not. His
Spirit is given to those He foreknew, when convicted
of sin by His Holy Spirit, would choose to believe and
commit themselves to Jesus Christ. We are not
God and we do not have His omniscience.
Therefore, according to Paul, we must be sure our
belief system is in the right place once our eyes have
been opened to the Truth. I am not saying we do
not have assurance of salvation, but our assurance
comes not only because of His Atonement and promises
of salvation but from our continuing in the Faith,
which is always the Biblical criteria. Those who would
be Bible teachers must teach according to the whole
counsel of God's Word. Let me be clear. There
is only one way to salvation. That is by
grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
I will deal with a few of those issues following, but
it is important to recognize that being saved is not
just a matter of believing that Jesus lived, or that
He was a man, or simply giving mental ascent to His
existence in whatever form.
Go here
for ordering information. Only $10. plus s/h. for US.
"Blasphemizing" The Bible
by Sandy
Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
I am going to go over an article I
wrote back in 2006 in preparation for the book I wrote
with Mike Oppenheimer called 'Idolatry in Their
Hearts'. This book is an apologetic against the
false teachings of the World Christian Gathering on
Indigenous People movement, the Emerging Church and
the New Apostolic Reformation which got their ideas
from the book "Eternity in Their Hearts" by Don
Richardson. At the time that book came out no
one really saw the dangerous ideas Richardson was
promoting. All they would have had to do was
look at the two subtitles of that book to understand
the implications. The first subtitle in the 1981
edition read: The Untold Story of Christianity among
Folk Religions of Ancient People. Those who read
this book found some interesting cross-cultural ideas
but apparently missed the false premise of the book
starting with the subtitle. How could Christianity be
"among folk religions" where the Gospel had not been
preached (Rom. 10:14-15)? At that time Christians who
read the book were apparently satisfied that, though
there was some questionable material present, it made
for an interesting discussion on how to do
cross-cultural ministry. The subtitle it has today,
which was first published in 1984, is as follows:
Startling Evidence of Belief in the One True God in
Hundreds of Cultures Throughout the World. This
should have been a red flag for many Christians but
then, who reads subtitles? But how could the
"One True God" be known to Gentiles who did "not know
God".
Go here for
ordering information. Only $10. plus s/h. for
US.
Resources For Pastors
including
"Good English Bible
Translations"
by Sandy
Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
I was talking with a pastor after a
Wednesday night service and he mentioned that I said I
had done an article comparing English Bible
translations. He called me up later and asked me
to come back and present the contents of that article
I sent out in about 2002 to my mailing list for the
Pacific Waves Newsletter which, unfortunately, I can
no longer afford to publish and mail. However an
archive of past issues of that newsletter can be found
here.
In that article I detailed a number of good and bad
resources for pastors including Bible translations,
concordances, commentaries, Bible dictionaries,
etc. I present an edited version of part of that
article on this DVD, particularly dealing with English
Translations of the Bible. Translation is a very
detailed endeavor and should only be undertaken by
those with a proper education in that subject and a
sound doctrinal background. I read a few books
on that subject and it helped me understand the
complexities involved. Hebrew is a rich language
so it is hard to distill one Hebrew word down to one
English word. Greek is a very technical language
and it is also not easy to translate. This is
why it is imperative to use the good English
translations out there for comparison along with a
good concordance and Bible dictionary.
Go here for
ordering information. Only $10. plus s/h. for
US.
A TALE OF TWO KINGDOMS
Kingdom Now or Kingdom Come?
by Sandy
Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
There are two kingdoms being taught in
many churches today. Teaching about one of the
kingdoms is on the decline while the other is being
promoted all over the place. I am warning
Christians that they need to check out who is using
the word "kingdom", the books they have been reading
and recommend on building "the kingdom", the people
they have been hanging out with at conferences, and
what they mean by "the kingdom".
Go here
for more information or click on the "Add To Cart"
below. Only $10. plus s/h. for US.
BIBLES STUDIES IN
DISCERNMENT
by Sandy
Simpson
Bible studies in Galatians, Philippians,
Ephesians, Colossians, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John and Jude
with a focus on applying timeless discernment
priciples to our modern times.
Go here
for more information or click on the "Add To Cart"
below. The price is $18. per book plus s/h.
BIBLES STUDIES IN
DISCERNMENT
Companion
CD!
by Sandy
Simpson
Contains the PDF text to the book BIBLE
STUDIES IN DISCERNMENT plus extra studies by Sandy
& Juanita Simpson covering many issues of
apologetics and discernment.
Go here
for more information or click on the "Add To Cart"
below. The price is $10. per cd plus s/h.
A Whole Lot Of Wishful
Thinking These Days!
by Sandy
Simpson
This DVD series is a teaching based on this article.
In this DVD series I want to detail
a number of beliefs people have these days that have
no basis in Scripture. I am going to roam all
over the map, so to speak, and try to give fairly
short answers on a number of topics and also give
you useful links to articles that will help you deal
with any particular issue. It is truly amazing
how many false ideas people cling to without giving
a thought to what the Bible has to say on the
subject.
Only $20. plus s/h. for US. Go here for
ordering details.
Signs Of Apostasy In The
Churches In The End Times
by Sandy
Simpson
This 2-DVD series is a teaching based on
this article.
There are many signs of the great
Apostasy, or falling away (2 Thes. 2:3) indicating
we are living in the end times (Mt. 24: 3-14)
I am going to go through some indications of the
Apostasy in the churches as a follow up to the signs
of the times in the world.
Only $20. plus s/h. for US. Go here for ordering
details.
The Responsibilities of a
Good Shepherd
by Sandy
Simpson
This CD is a message based on this
article.
Gohere
for ordering details!
What's Up With Christian
Bookstores?
by Sandy
Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this
article.
Go here for
ordering details!
The ElijahList
The biggest
promoter of false prophecies in cyberspace!
2004-2007
by Sandy
Simpson
This 2-DVD set is a message based on this article.
Go here
for ordering details!
The ElijahList
The biggest
promoter of false prophecies in cyberspace!
2008
by Sandy
Simpson
This 2-DVD set is a message based on this article.
Go here
for ordering details!
The Extreme Prophetic
by Sandy
Simpson
This DVD is a message based on this article.
Go here for
ordering details!
Emerging Church CD &
Free DVD
All the
links to resources and articles we have on the
Emerging Church on one CD.
by Sandy
Simpson
(The Emerging Church only is
downloadable!)
When you purchase
the "Resource Tools - Emerging Church" CD for $10.
plus s/h you will also receive a brand new free
DVD called "The Emerging Church" that features
Gary Gilley, Ray Yungen, Joanna Michaelson, Mike
Oppenheimer and Sandy Simpson.
Go here
for ordering details!
From Church To Emerging
Church DVD Series
by Sandy
Simpson
The issue of the Emerging Church and
it's introduction into many churches and mission
organizations has reached a critical point. Many
do not undersand what is being leavened into churches
by the EC leadership. Many would be shocked to
know their belief systems involve Universalism, New
Age, defense of postmodernism, Interfaithism, and many
other false doctrines. In order to reach out to
this generation the EC leadership is proposing a whole
new "map" to deal with what they perceive is a lack of
understanding on the part of the churches on how to
communicate. EC proponants believe the
"scripture" for today is evolving and must change in
order to reach postmoderns.
Go here
for ordering details on this 2-part DVD series!
Idolatry In Their Hearts
Landmark
Book!
by Sandy
Simpson & Mike Oppenheimer
Does having eternity in your heart mean
that you know God and are His child? Could Gentile
cultures understand the Gospel from the stars? Did God
create man's cultures? Has God always been in the
process of redeeming cultures from the time of Babel
by placing in them a true revelation of Himself? Is
there the worship of YHWH in all cultures and
religions through the names of supreme beings?
Have all cultures always had a way to make things
right between them and God? These questions and many
more are answered in this book that addresses the
false teachings of The New Apostolic Reformation
regarding missiological methods as being carried out
by many agencies including the World Christian
Gathering on Indigenous People, YWAM, and many Bible
societies.
Go here
for ordering details.
The New Apostolic
Reformation - What is it and where is it going?
Every Pastor
Needs This!
by Bill
Randles, Arnold Fruchtenbaum, Jacob Prasch, Mike
Oppenheimer, Orrel Steinkamp, Gary Gilley, Dave
Hunt, Sandy Simpson and others.
This is a 6-DVD
expose of the NAR and it's leadership
of C. Peter Wagner, Cindy Jacobs, Chuck Peirce, Dutch
Sheets, Bill Hamon, Jack Deere and others.
Go here
for ordering details!
Lessons In Forgiveness
Great Study!
by Sandy
Simpson
Through the
years I have been presented with many
opportunities to forgive. Sometimes the situation
was so severe that it took me some time to forgive
and start the process of healing for myself, and
eventually for others. I learned that a Christian
needs to forgive other people even if they have
not repented of their sins. That can be really
hard if we let it be hard. But if we give our
burdens over to the Lord, He will carry them and
that frees us up to treat other people with love,
compassion, and be in the right frame of mind and
heart to set them up for reconciliation with Jesus
Christ. That does not mean we tolerate their sin.
We simply forgive them for what they have done to
us, whether perceived or real, and move on to
looking for ways to redeem them. We can then
present to them the "truth in love" even when we
have to rebuke them.
Go here for
ordering information.
by Sandy
Simpson
was written to
help believers to realize the absolute necessity
of growing to maturity in Christ. Many churches
are urging Christians to push aside discernment in
favor of experience. It is our hope that this book
will inspire many believers to fight the good
fight, finish the race, and keep the faith (2 Tim.
4:7).
Go here for
ordering details.
The New Apostolic
Reformation - What is it and where is it going?
Companion Book!
by Sandy
Simpson
is now available in book form. This
is the DVD script plus commentary by Sandy Simpson.
The commentary of the DVD series is not in the book,
but there are many more quotes available than in the
video series. Good reference material.
Also available on CD-ROM.
Go here
for ordering details.
Letters To The Church
Timely!
by Sandy
Simpson
is a fitting manual for the
Revelation Christian. All the precepts are in the
seven letters in Revelation 1:9 - 3:22 to help us
keep the faith, stay in sound doctrine, and reach
out to those who are perishing. I hope and pray that
this book will help the
reader to be an "overcomer".
Go here for more
details and how to order!
DISCERNMENT TOOLKIT
Demolish Arguments!
by Sandy
Simpson
Want to be able to see your way
through to clear biblical discernment? Want a set of
tools that will allow you to disciple your loved
ones so they will stand firm in the Faith? Want to
sort out many of the false arguments and teachings
that have invaded the churches? Then DISCERNMENT TOOLKIT book is for you!
Go here
for more details and how to order!
DISCERNMENT TOOLKIT
DVD Study Series!
by Sandy
Simpson
is taken from the book but includes a
lot of footage of false teachers and false prophets.
It covers the core doctrines, how we can use them to
test, and examples on the DVD that can be paused for
discussion. Also includes a teacher guide and
links to resources on the web. This 3-DVD
series is available now!
Go here
for ordering details!
SPIRIT OF TRUTH OR SPIRIT
OF ERROR?
Important Video Information
On Benny Hinn!
by Sandy
Simpson, Mike Oppenheimer & Jacob Prasch
features tons of
video showing the teachings and prophecies of Benny
Hinn. This is a proven tool to keep people
away from heresy.
Go here
for more details and how to order!
LIVING WATER 2003
Discernment Conference
Featuring Bill
Randles, Gary Gilley
& Ray
Yungen
3-DVD Set
Go here
for information!
DISCERNMENT 2001
Conference
Featuring Dave
Hunt, Duane Magnani, Mike Oppenheimer, Jacob
Prasch, Jewel Grewe & Bill Randles
6-DVD Set &
2-VHS Sets
Go here
for information!
THE EMPTY PULPIT
Highly Recommended!
by Mike
Oppenheimer
What is Christianity? What
significance does the cross have? Are there
teachings that can wreck our faith? We live in an
age unlike any other in the history of man. To
follow the Lord among the unique challenges we must
understand Scripture and live by it. Available for
$20- includes shipping. Apologetics
Coordination Team HIGHLY recommends this book.
It deals with many crucial issues for the Church
today.
Go here
to order the book by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason
Ministries, P.O. Box 860683, Wahiawa, HI 96786.
|
Articles on rightly
handling the Word of Truth.
(1) The
Doctrines That Cannot Be Compromised by Mal
Couch PH.D., TH.D. and Russell L. Penney Dr., 1996
Paul's response to doctrinal errors in the church. "Sound
in the faith" (Titus 1:13) means "healthy" in faith. Thus
we speak wholesome words of Christ to create strong and
robust and healthy believers. What about those who are
weak and sickly in their profession of faith? We should
rebuke those who are infected with bad principles and
practices, like the physician removing the causes of
disorder; and with rebuke, admonition and censuring. THIS
IS ULTIMATELY FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE CORRECTED. (John Gill
- TITUS, p. 351)."
(2) Accusers
of
the Brethren or Good Bereans? by Debra Bouey,
1995
"It would seem that anyone who wishes to discuss the
current movement proceeding forth from the Toronto
Airport Vineyard in the light of the whole counsel of
the Word of God has indeed become, at best, a
"Pharisee", and, at worst, the enemy. There have been
numerous references throughout a variety of Vineyard
venues, both at Toronto, Anaheim and elsewhere,
condemning anyone who calls into question biblically any
of these bizarre manifestations taking place presently."
(3) Is It
Right? To Judge, To Expose Error, & To Call Names?
by E.L. Bynum, 1996
"Yes, it is right to expose error and to name those who
are in error. It is right to "earnestly contend for the
faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude
3). It was once delivered and it has never been recalled
for revision. We had better beware of "false teachers
... who privily shall bring in damnable heresies " (II
Pet. 2: 1). Faithful messengers will warn the sheep of
these heretics, and identify them by name. It is not
enough to broadly hint of their identity, for the young
lambs will not understand and will be destroyed by the
wolves. "
(4) God's
Word:
Our Guard and Guide? by Dave Hunt,
1997
"The fruitful man in Psalm 1 meditates upon God's Word
"day and night," and not from a sense of duty but
because it is his "delight." In his heart and on his
mind continually, God's Word guards and guides him. How
essential this is! Common sense and logic are helpful.
However, without God's Word (which transcends human
wisdom) to guard and guide us, we are susceptible to
temptation and error, especially when the latter is
presented convincingly "in the name of God" by those
looked up to as Christian leaders."
(5) Discernment
of
False Doctrine by Dean & Laura
VanDruff, 1997
"God has truly "not lead" most of His children "into to
temptation", and those who have fallen He has "delivered
from evil". But I suspect this will change in the end,
and many are unprepared. Satan will be given permission
to "sift us like wheat", and many will fall when the
Beast unleashes his lies about God in the last days.
These are sobering times."
(6) Scripture
Twisting by Daniel B. Wallace, Th.M,
Ph.D., 1996
"Evangelical Christians base their lives on the Bible.
We believe that the Bible is God's Word and that it is
therefore authoritative for us in matters of faith and
practice. The Bible indicates the great truths of who
God is, how we can relate to him, how we can understand
ourselves and the world. In short, the Bible contains
the words of life. Believers use it to guide them in
discerning God's will, from the monumental to the
mundane. We read it to gain hope as well as to glean
truth. It affects our beliefs, attitudes, and behavior.
In short, the Bible is our pipeline to heaven: without
it, we are adrift, unprotected in a hostile place. "
(7) The
Authority
of the Bible by Patrick Zukeran,
1996
"No book can match the Bible when it comes to prophecy.
Understand that I have only touched the tip of the
iceberg. There are hundreds of additional proofs for the
Bible, yet I have only mentioned a few. I hope this
study (will arouse) your interest to further study the
Word of God."
(8) Sinners
In The Hands Of An Angry God by
Jonathan Edwards, 1741
The sermon that brought repentance and revival in 1741.
Compare it to what is being preached today in the
"counterfeit" revival. "Therefore, let every one that
is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to
come. The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly
hanging over a great part of this congregation. Let
every one fly out of Sodom: "Haste and escape for your
lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest
you be consumed."
(9) The
Bible:
Sound Doctrine by Paul Becker,
1997
"For many years people have jumped on the band wagons
of "new ideas" as they follow various pied pipers. "For
the time will come [is NOW HERE, ed.] when they will not
endure sound doctrine, but according to their own
desires, because they have itching ears, will heap up
for themselves teachers and turn their ears away from
the truth." (2Tim 4:3-4)"
(10) Bibliology:
The
Doctrine Of The Written Word by J.
Hampton Keathley III, 1997
"In the dumbing down we have witnessed in America with
its happy-clappy kind of Christianity so prevalent
today, we are witnessing a growing anti-intellectualism
in the church. For many of the present generation,
experience has become more important than truth, but
experience without truth is the menace and misery of a
mindless Christianity, and one of the issues we face is
that God's truth is found for us in the Bible. So not
only have we been faced with a battle for the inerrancy
of the Bible, but for the need to return to the Bible as
God's holy Word as the foundation of our faith and
experience. Let me conclude with these words from the
Savior: John 8: 31-32. Jesus therefore was saying to
those Jews who had believed Him, "If you abide in My
word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you
free." In praying for the disciples and for those who
would believe after them (the church) He was praying
that they might be protected from the evil influences of
the world, the Savior said these vital words: John
17:16-17. They are not of the world, even as I am not of
the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is
truth."
(11) Obedience
To
God (Uzzah's Disobedience) by Sandy
Simpson, 1998
"The first obedience we should show is confessing our
sins, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ for our
salvation, and making Him the Lord of our life. The
second obedience is to serve Him the way He
wants us to serve Him. Worship without obedience is
futile. In fact it makes the Lord angry. Getting excited
and zealous for the Lord without obedience to God by
living in accordance with His law and the doctrine of
Scripture is futile and meaningless, and in fact,
dangerous. There's a famous hymn that says it all: "When
we walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word, what a
glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He
abides with us still, and with all who will trust and
obey. Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be
happy in Jesus. but to trust and obey."
(12) Rebuttal
To
John Piper's Defense Of The Term "Christian hedonism"
by Deception In The Church, 1998
"The following is a summary of John Piper's use of the
term "Christian hedonism" from his books "Desiring God"
and "Future Grace". I will rebut each item as they
appear in his official defense of his attempt to coin
the phrase "Christian hedonism".
(13) Judge
Not? by Jacob Prasch, 1998
Judge not? What does the Bible say?
(14) Experience
Or God's Revealed Truth? by Oswald Chambers,
1927
"Be ruthless with yourself if you are given to talking
about the experiences you have had. Faith that is sure
of itself is not faith; faith that is sure of God is the
only faith there is."
(15) Leaven
In
The Bread by Sandy Simpson, 1999
"It's time to expel the leaven from among us and
separate ourselves to God."
(17) Why
We
All Need The ABC's by J. Hampton Keathley III,
Th.M., 1999
"We live in an anti-intellectual, anti-authority
society, especially when it comes to religious matters.
Ours is an existential (based on human experience,
empirical) society devoted to the �warm fuzzy� feel
good, self-centered mentality that is so characteristic
of the New Age movement which has bombarded the
country�including much of the church. As a consequence,
the terms doctrine or theology are not very popular in
Christian circles. In fact, they are often denigrated or
belittled. We hear statements like, �We don't need to
know all that theological or doctrinal stuff. We just
need to know Jesus.� Or, �Well, I am not a theologian
and never expect to be. I just love Jesus.� But knowing
and loving Jesus in truth is dependent on the teachings
of the Bible. Doctrine is simply another name for
teaching and theology means �the knowledge of God.�
Often the term theology is used in a general way to
refer to other areas of study that relate to the
knowledge of God. Biblical theology is simply the truths
of God's Word that give us the knowledge of God, of man,
salvation, sanctification, the church, or life and life
abundantly."
(18) Bible
Versions by Jacob Prasch, 1999
"Modern Translations have been criticised by many
believers, and the book by Gail Riplinger (New Age Bible
Versions) has caused a stir in the Church. Is there a
sound foundation to these complaints?" We are
not going to take up a lot of space on this web site with
this fruitless and divisive issue. This article
articulates our view on Gail Riplinger's book which has
needlessly caused all kind of division in the church over
issues that turn out to be non-issues. Also, read
this article called "Why Respond
To Gail Riplinger". One of the biggest apologetics
against other Bible versions other than the KJV is based
on the argument that there are, for instance, translation
errors in the NIV. However, there are also
translation errors in the KJV.
So where does that leave us? If you want to really
study the Word, by all means study the original languages
and make use of all
good translations! Read this article "The
Biblical Position on The KJV Controversy" by John
MacArthur. For those of you who may be reading this and
are KJV-Onlyites, here are the kinds of "Scriptures" you
ought to be railing against, such as the "World Scripture"
and also this "Good
As
New" Bible! One good balanced series to read
by Gary E. Gilley is The
Bible
Translation Debate (Part 1) and The
Bible
Translation Debate (Part 2). Following are some
other good articles to read on this subject:
- The
Conspiracy Behind The New Bible Translations
by Daniel B. Wallace, Ph.D., Associate Professor of New
Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary
- Why
So Many Versions by Daniel B. Wallace,
Ph.D.
- Why
I Do Not Think The King James Bible Is The Best
Translation Available Today by Daniel B.
Wallace, Ph.D.
- The
Majority Text And The Original Text: Are They
Identical? by Daniel B. Wallace, Ph.D.
- Some
Second Thoughts On The Majority Text by
Daniel B. Wallace, Ph.D.
- Dave
Hunt's Q&A On KJV-Onlyism as cited by A
Voice In The Wilderness
- James
R.
White "Alpha And Omega Ministries" web site
dealing with KJV-Only issues - also contains an
excellent PowerPoint presentation you can use in your
church
- Is The KJV THE Version of The
Bible We Must Use Today? a Complete Analysis
by E.L.
- King
James Only Movement at Feild Guide To The
Wild World of Religion, 4/23/12
- The
New
Age Implications of The Message �Bible�s� �As Above,
So Below� by Warren Smith, 12/5/12
- The
Truth
About KJV Only: The Mormon, Ecumenical, Homosexual,
and Neo Nazi Agendas by Jacob Prasch,
11/7/15
(19) The
Five
Basic Doctrines compiled and written by Sandy
Simpson, 1999
A thorough examination of the five core doctrines of the
Church and how they compare to the teachings of other
religions, cults and the Third Wave false teachers.
This is a paper you will want on file as a reference.
It also forms the basis for the Deception In The
Church web site apologetics.
(20) The
Letters
To The Seven Churches compiled and written by
Sandy Simpson, 1999
A Bible study of Revelation 1:9 � 3:22, the letters to the
seven churches. This study is especially timely for
all Christians today.
(21) The
Untouchables: Are 'God's Anointed' Beyond Criticism?
by Hendrik H. Hanegraaff, Viewpoint, Christian Research
Journal, Fall 1991
"During His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ exhorted
His followers not to judge self-righteously or
hypocritically. Is this necessarily what Christians do
when they question the teachings of God's 'anointed'
preachers and evangelists? Many teachers who claim such
anointing would say so, and many more of their followers
commonly reply to all manner of criticism: 'Touch not
God's anointed.'"
(22) How
To
Try The Spirits an excerpt from A.W. Tozer's
book "Man: The Dwelling Place of God."
You can access Part
1, Part
2, Part
3, and Part
4 here. You can also order the book
here.
(23) Beyond
The
Limits by Roger Oakland, Understanding The
Times Newsletter, 1999
"Recently a number of Christians have claimed that the
Holy Spirit is falling upon people and causing them to
do strange and unusual things. Although Bible-believing
Christians readily acknowledge the miracle-working power
of a supernatural God, the question is: Can such bizarre
and grotesque displays actually be the work of the Holy
Spirit?"
(24) The
Crucified
Life by Jacob Prasch, 1999
"People do not readily believe any more; they have seen
too much hypocrisy and falsehood. The one thing that can
still convince unbelievers of the truth of the gospel is
a crucified life."
(25) The
Sea
Of Subjectivity by Jewel van der Merwe,
Discernment Ministries Newsletter, March/April 1999
"When we leave the parameters of the Word of God, we
drift onto The Sea of Subjectivity. In this Sea,
spirituality becomes relative to whatever new revelation
or vision that comes forth."
(26) Christian?
...
How Dare You?! by Greg Hartman, 11/08/99
A series of articles that answer objections to exposing
false teachers ... questions such as: What's
The
Problem?; Would
Jesus
Ever Humiliate People?; Who
Asked
You To Judge All The Televangelists?; Isn't
Your
Cure Worse Than The Disease?; Aren't
You
In Trouble For "Touching The Lord's Anointed?
(27) Judge
With
Righteous Judgment by Craig Branch, Watchman
Fellowship,1995
"A very discouraging and destructive trend has been
growing in the body of Christ. The world has formed
people into its mold rather than the minds and lives of
people being transformed by God's word. Too many
Christians have adopted pragmatism or substituted
feelings and experience in place of the truth of God's
word."
(28) Biblical
Reasons
For Leaving A Fellowship by James R Buchan,
Vanguard Magazine, 1999
"In the area of doctrine, I feel the Biblical teaching
is that the Christian definitely needs to leave in
situations where foundational truth is incorrect or
ignored. Staying where a false gospel is preached will
do us no good."
(29) Avoid
Scripture Twisting: Eight Basic Rules Of Bible
Interpretation by Watchman
Fellowship,1995
A good set of guidelines for correct Biblical
interpretation.
(30) "Touch
Not
the Lord's Anointed" - Is the Command for Today?
by Thomas Williamson, Th.M, Ph.D., 1997
"It is clear that to touch the Lord's anointed is to
commit an act of physical violence against the one
anointed by God. It does not refer to those who verbally
attack and criticize a preacher and his doctrine. Such
verbal attacks
may be quite wrong and sinful, and in some cases they
may be commendable and necessary (see Jesus criticizing
the Pharisees in Matthew 23, Paul criticizing Peter in
Galatians 2:14-21, Paul versus the Judaizers in
Galatians
5:12, Philippians 3:2, etc.) but they are not covered
by the idea "Touch not the Lord's anointed." A
Baptist perspective.
(31) A
Desperate Need For Correction by Dave Hunt,
1998
"Correction is one of the most conspicuously absent yet
essential ministries in the church today. There are
those who seek to avoid cor-rection by hiding behind a
misapplication of Christ's words, "Judge not, that ye be
not judged" (Mt 7:1). It is conveniently forgotten that
these words were spoken by the same One who warned the
Jews to "judge righteous judgment' (Jn 7:24), told us to
judge the fruit of prophets (Mt 7:16) and promised His
disciples that they would sit on thrones judging Israel
(Mt 19:28)."
(32) To Judge Or Not
To Judge: The Rights And Wrongs Of Biblical
Discernment by G. Richard Fisher, 1996
"Proper discernment is our privilege and right. The
work is worth the effort and the reward will be not only
the favor and blessing of God but our ability to truly
enrich the lives of others."
(33) God's
Word
And The Imaginations Of Men by Ed Tarkowski,
1999
Contains three articles: The
Realities
Of God Versus Man's Imagination, Man's
Imagination
Builds Self-Exalting Structures, As
In The Days Of Noah.
(34) Please
Contemplate
This by T.A. McMahon, The Berean Call
Newsletter, 03/00
"Have you ever found the biblical gospel in any of the
classic or modern contemplative materials? Could there
be any significance in the fact that this movement
practically died out after the Reformation, only to be
revived today! How does one discern whether or not the
God being "heard" through the subjective, experiential
mode of communication is truly our Lord
speaking�especially if the authority and sufficiency of
His Word is downplayed, even rejected?"
(35) A Critique of
Experiencing God: A Biblical Analysis of the Popular
Book by Henry T. Blackaby and Claude V. King
by Rev. Gil Rugh and the Pastoral Staff of Indian Hills
Community Church
"In recent years, more than a million people have been
influenced by the popular book, Experiencing God,
written by Henry T. Blackaby and Claude V. King. Many
hold that this book has finally given Christians the
principles they need to experience God as they never
have before. But do the teachings of this book
accurately represent what the Bible says about
experiencing God, or are its teachings in serious error?
To help answer this question, Gil Rugh and the Pastoral
Staff of Indian Hills Community Church have written, A
Critique of Experiencing God: A Biblical Analysis of the
Popular Book by Henry T. Blackaby and Claude V. King. By
pointing out many startling and alarming statements
within Experiencing God, this analytical review shows
how the teachings of Blackaby and King depart from
traditional Christianity in the areas of the nature of
Scripture, the person of Jesus Christ, and how
Christians can know God. " The above is a
.pdf file. In all fairness to this issue, I want to give a
counterpoint here with an e-mail
I received from a pastor objecting to some of Rugh's
arguments against using "Experiencing God". It also
includes a response he received from Blackaby's
organization that answers to rumors that have been going
around about Blackaby's alleged involvement in the Third
Wave movement.
(36) Warnings
Of
Deception In The Bible by Hughie Seaborn,
1999
"The Bible is replete with warnings as to what will
take place in Christendom during the 'end time' or the
'end of
the age'. It speaks of a time of increasing deception
and false teaching as the enemy of our souls makes a
last
desperate bid to thwart the purposes of God. It
describes the types of people who will deceive, and be
deceived.
It also describes the types of doctrines that will be
preached and how those doctrines will be received by a
great number of professing Christians."
(37) Does
Romans 16:17 Demand Separation On the Basis Of
Doctrine? by David W. Cloud, Fundamental
Baptist Information Service, 6/10/00
"There are two different interpretations of Romans
16:17-18 today. One understands it to be a warning about
the sin of divisiveness. The other understands it to be
a warning about those who teach false doctrine. Which is
correct?"
(38) Should
Christians
Make Judgments? by Ed Vasicek, 6/00
"Sometimes the "L" word (label) is a good word. The "D"
word (discernment) is not only a good word, but is even
a measurement of spiritual maturity. Truth is meant to
be put to work, and you can't use it if you are afraid
to get specific with it! Become a person of discernment!
Gullibility is for squares."
(39) Proving
All Things - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 by The Watchman
Expositor, Vol. 16, No. 1, 1999
"This scripture is arguably the most important passage
in the Bible for realizing the authority of the Bible in
determining doctrine and equipping Christians for
salvation. Understanding what this passage teaches, and
the way in which some alternative religions attempt
to reinterpret the passage, is vital to all
evangelical encounters with members of new religions."
(40) Accountability:
The
Way To "Touch" God's Anointed by Clete Hux,
The Watchman Expositor, Vol. 10, No. 3, 1993
"Christians are to be accurate and balanced when giving
criticism. When a person or group that claims to be
Christian and yet seriously departs from the historical
biblical doctrines of orthodox Christianity, one cannot
stand idly by in silence. (Matt. 18:15-16). To not speak
out would be dishonoring to God and unloving, not only
to Christians, but also to the propagators of the error.
When the Word of Faith (WOF) movement's leaders, who
through their own revelation knowledge, bring
extrabiblical doctrines into the church, one must be
prepared to respond correctly in accordance with God's
revealed will in scripture. Watchman Fellowship is not
the first to call attention to the unorthodox doctrines
of the WOF movement, sometimes known as the Positive
Confession movement. Scores of scholars for years have
spoken out. Those include Dr. Walter Martin, a
charismatic theologian, and D. R. McConnell, also a
charismatic and author of the recent book, A Different
Gospel. Michael Horton, a well-known Christian
author, has addressed the doctrinal issues in his book,
The Agony of Deceit, as well."
(41) Come
Ye
Out From Among Them by Charles Haddon
Spurgeon, Morning By Morning, June 27, pg. 181, Published
1984
"Come ye out from among them; be ye separate" (2
Corinthians 6:17).
(42) God
Never
Violates Our Freedom Of Choice by A.W. Tozer,
Renewed Day By Day, July 5
. . . And whosoever will, let him take the water of
life freely. Revelation 22:17 The fact
of our creation as freewill beings goes to the heart of
the false revivals we see upon the church today.
Would the Holy Spirit force people to do things against
their will? Uncontrollable laughter, shaking and
other purported Spirit induced phenomena, when seen
through the prism of freewill, become a moot point.
God does not force salvation or any other thing on His
creation. We are free to choose and are to be in our
right minds while making those choices at all times.
This is because there is a being that roams around like a
lion seeking whom he may devour. If anything
eclipses our God given freedom to choose, you can be sure
that the source is not God.
(43) The
Wisdom Of God In The Face Of Tribulation by Ed
Tarkowski, 7/00
"Isaiah 26:3 "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in
thee." Seeing we are going to live lives of trusting Him
for all eternity, now would be a good time to cooperate
with the Holy Spirit's work in us to to make us
individuals who trust their God to the fullest. Thus,
God can turn tribulation to do us good in the end in
spite of what we will have to go through."
(44) The
Dangerous
Dake Bible available at Inner-City Christian
Discernment Ministry, 2000
"As a former member of the Pentecostal Church of God in
Ann Arbor, I became familiar with the Dake study Bible
and I was urged to save up my money to purchase
one. It is in 1,000's of homes and Finis Dake's
books have helped form the beliefs of many Pentecostal
and Charismatic teachers on the scene today. Dake
was called a great Bible Scholar by the late Lester
Sumrall and Benny Hinn has been known to use Dake
"insights" in some of his more outlandish teachings. I
trust you will benefit from this Real Audio tape.
If you enjoy this teaching (and I am sure you will) I
urge you to visit the PFO web site and order this
cassette and their other fine materials." Access
the tape in RealPlayer format here.
(45) Is
It
Right To Judge? by Franklin G. Huling, M.A.,
8/00
"The question �Is it right to judge?� is one that
puzzles many sincere Christians. A careful and
open-minded
study of the Bible makes it clear that concerning
certain vital matters, it is not only right but a
positive duty to
judge. Many do not know that the Scripture
commands us to judge."
(46) A
Guide To Testing The Spirits by Tom Smith,
8/26/00
"This document was put together, as a guide to help in
some simple testing of these matters. This is by no
means any substitute for studying and becoming familiar
with the scriptures, but it is intended to be a guide
for a new Christian, or a quick summary or reminder for
a Christian
who has studied scripture for a number of years. I also
do not claim that what is in here is complete - it is
only intended as a guide."
(47) A
New Decalogue - Thou Shalt Not Disagree by A.
W. Tozer, Renewed Day By Day, June 25
"A new Decalogue has been adopted by the neo-Christians
of our day, the first word of which reads, "Thou shalt
not disagree"; and a new set of Beatitudes too, which
begins "Blessed are they that tolerate everything, for
they shall not be made accountable for anything."
(48) Bible
Or
Babel? by Dr. David Allen, Vanguard Magazine,
Issue 12, 8/00
"In just nine verses, at the beginning of Genesis
chapter 11, the inspired writer tells a story that
stands as a warning for all time � the story of the rise
and fall of the Tower of Babel. A literary tour de force
and the inspiration of numerous canvases, it is its
message that chiefly concerns us today."
(49) How
Many
Gospels Are There? by Tony Pearce, Vanguard
Magazine, Issue 6
"Gnosticism dressed up as New Age presents no moral
challenge to repentance and faith as authentic
Christianity does. Therefore it can fit in well with the
permissive immoral lifestyle adopted by our age and
ceaselessly propagated by the mass media."
(50) Time
To Leave The Playpen by Andrew Gould, 10/00 "When
I hear the phrase �that was so unloving�, sometimes I
want to scream!"
(51) The
Call
To Discipleship by Dave Hunt, The Berean Call
Newsletter, 11/00
"Christ didn't say, "Follow someone or some church
claiming they represent Me." He said, "Follow me ...
Learn of me" (Jn 1:43; Mt 11:29). We go to His Word to
learn of Him. Each of us is expected to know it
thoroughly. Yet many who think of themselves as
Christians scarcely study the Bible seriously, expecting
the pastor and Bible teachers to do that for them "
(52) Watchmen
Who
Are Not Watchmen by Jacob Prasch, Moriel
Ministries, 1/01
"We need people who are bible based, and who operate
valid discernment ministries to alert the church and
give understanding to the many, as Daniel predicted by
the Holy Spirit would rise up."
(53) MOVING
THE GOALPOSTS - The Unfolding Tragedy of the New
Evangelicalism by Alan Morrison, Diakrisis,
2/00
"At one time there was just one orthodox, biblical view
on a number of issues which were part of the
fundamentals of the faith. These were generally agreed
on, throughout the entire evangelical constituency. But
all that has gradually changed. We have arrived at a
situation now in which people who all profess to be
evangelicals can have a wide variety of opinions on what
were, at one time non-negotiable, essentially
fundamental matters. How have professing
evangelicals got into this situation? It has
happened because people have "moved the goalposts" --
changed the rules which determine what is truth and what
it isn't. In this 17,000 word article, based on two
lectures, we ask 1) In which areas have the goalposts
been moved? 2) What are the motives for moving
them? 3) Is there any action we can take to
restore those goalposts to their original situation?"
(54) TBN's
Bible Code - The Bible Code Or Babel Code?
by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason, 3/00
"This is all mysticism and Gnostic interpretations. It
takes us away from the clear interpretation and
applicational teaching of the Bible."
(55) "Judge
Rightly"
Is Not Some Guy's Name! by Bob Enyart Live,
Inc., Copyright � 1997 - 2000 All Rights Reserved.
"An absurd question has stymied the Church. Should
Christians judge? Of course believers should
judge. To not judge is to be indecent, not to mention
inhuman. The only kingdom in which there is no judging
is the plant kingdom. For of living things, vegetables
do not judge. In the animal kingdom, though, judgment is
a must, and members of the Kingdom of God must do the
most judging. "
(55) The
New
Powerless Gospel by Sandy Simpson, Deception
In The Church, 4/19/01
"I have been challenged lately to think again about
what the Gospel message is all about. This has
come as a result of hearing what I consider to be, at
the very least, "gospel lite" and at the most no gospel
at all being presented by a number of neo-evangelicals,
Third Wavers and outright heretics. The
interesting thing is that many seem to be preaching
the same message. What is most intriguing is
that false teachers like Benny Hinn, ecumenicals, and
even some preachers I would consider to be orthodox in
their theology are preaching a "gospel" that is very
similar. The question is: Is this new gospel message
really the Gospel at all?"
(56) Biblical
New
Testament Prayers by Sandy Simpson, Deception
In The Church, 5/7/01
"With all the talk about "praying the Jabez prayer"
making the rounds in so many churches, I thought it was
time to revisit a short section I wrote in a booklet
called "What
Should
I Say". It talked about biblical New
Testament prayers. These are prayers that the
apostles and Christians prayed. Since Christ and
the apostles are our foundation, we ought to be
emulating what they prayed and not some guy who prayed a
prayer in the Old Testament that was never meant to be a
model prayer. If you are interested in a model
prayer then go to the Disciple's Prayer (most often
called the Lord's Prayer) in Matthew 6:9-13."
(57) The
Importance
Of Sound Doctrine by A.W. Tozer, The Best
Of A.W. Tozer, pg. 174-176, taken from Man, The
Dwelling Place Of God
"It would be impossible to overemphasize the importance
of sound doctrine in the life of a Christian.
Right thinking about all spiritual matters is imperative
if we would have right living. As men do not
gather grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles, so sound
character does not grow out of unsound teaching."
(58) A
Cross-less Christianity, A Christless Christianity
by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries,
5/01
"All of Christianity begins and centers upon the person
of Jesus and his work on the cross. It was Paul
who said the cross was everything to him. He had a
greater education, knowledge, and revelation than any
other apostle, even of those who knew Jesus personally
in the flesh, having been called before him. Yet all he
wanted to know was summed up in one saying, �Jesus
Christ and him crucified."
(59) Pragmatism
Goes
To Church by A.W. Tozer, "God Tells The
Man Who Cares", from The Best Of A.W. Tozer, 1980,
pgs. 254-256
"...this philosophy of pragmatism has had and is having
a powerful influence upon Christianity in the middle
years of this century."
(60) Naming
Names:
A Biblical Approach by Kevin Reeves,
2/02
"In these last days the proliferation of false
teachings assaulting both the Church and Scriptural
integrity requires a closer look at how those promoting
such doctrines should be dealt with. While no one with a
genuine desire to follow Christ should eagerly want to
accuse another of error in ministry, the prophets of the
Old Testament, our Lord Jesus Himself, and the apostles
make it clear that many will come in the name of the
Lord who profess to follow Him, yet by their teachings
actually deny or present a different image of God than
what is demonstrated in the Scriptures."
(61) Bible
Studies at Biblical Studies Foundation
Excellent resource for all kinds of Bible studies all the
way from the ABC's
For Christian Growth to studies on Bible characters,
theology and many other areas for Christian growth.
(62) Servant
Authority by Sandy Simpson, 10/99
"The church does not have the same system as the world.
No lords, no kings, no dictators. Our only King, Lord
and Master is Jesus Christ. The rest of us are servants
-- slaves."
 (63) Mistake
Or
Sin? by Sandy Simpson, 3/13/02
"Words have meanings. Third Wave false teachers
are currently in the process of redefining both the
English language and the truths of God's Word, and
calling it "new revelation" and a "paradigm
shift". Let's all be careful that we don't take a
paradigm shift into foolishness and accept new
revelation that drags us further into sin."
(64)There
Is
A Finality In The Biblical Revelation by A.W.
Tozer, Renewed Day By Day Vol. 1, April 16
"Whoever, for whatever reason, denies the finality of
the biblical revelation and insists upon a continuing
revelation having the same authority as the sacred
Scriptures has shut himself out from the name of
Christian! He is simply not a Christian in the
scriptural and historic meaning of the word."
(65) The
Biblical
Basis Of Division by Jacob Prasch, Moriel
Ministries, 2002
"There are cases where biblically we must divide. The
Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth, not of error, and He
is the spirit of holiness, not immorality. And where
apostasy, with its twin pillars of heresy and immorality
is found, God�s true people will not be found. There are
cases where divisions are permissible (howbeit not
necessarily desirable), but we must exercise the
greatest caution not to equate personal
differences with doctrinal differences or attempt to
ascribe a biblical motive for something where none
exists."
(66) How
To
Discern, Test & Judge Rightly by Sandy
Simpson, 7/30/02
Let me
start this article by telling you what methods are
being used for "discernment" today that have no
biblical support, then I will move on to the ways in
which the Bible does tell us to test teaching,
prophesy and actions.
(67) Recognizing
False
Teachings - A Seldom Taught Aspect of Spiritual
Warfare by Greg DesVoignes, Battle
Lines, Christian Research Ministries, 8/02
One of the
least paid attention to parts of prophecy are those
which have to do with false teachers and
doctrine.
(68) Anti-spirits
&
False Teaching by Shirley Ann Miller, From
the book, "Anti-Spirits and False Teaching" and Lampholder
Ezine series on "Mind Control ", Lampholder Publications,
2002
Remember: Always investigate the source and test the
spirits "...to see whether they are of God...(1 John
4:1).
(69) Strange
Fire
& False Anointing - How To Protect Yourself
From Wolves by Jeanette Haley, Gentle
Shepherd Ministries, 8/02
Finally, ask the Lord to give you a love for the truth.
Ask Him to give you a fixed heart. And pray you never,
ever fall prey to any kind of delusion.
(70) THE
TEACHING
OF THE LORD TO THE GENTILES BY THE TWELVE APOSTLES
(also known as DIDACHE) Translated by J.B.
Lightfoot, Adapt. and mod. (c) 1990, ATHENA DATA
PRODUCTS
This is not Scripture, but is a historical document on the
teachings of the twelve apostles. Noitce that
apparently they had "televangelists" in the first and
second centuries who plied people for money. Pay
attention to what is said about false prophets, especially
the following: "And whosoever shall say in the Spirit,
Give me silver or anything else, ye shall not listen to
him; but if he tell you to give on behalf of others that
are in want, let no man judge him." Obviously we
are to test false prophets, but if they are found to be
true then we don't judge them. This does not mean
that we do not test, discern and judge all prophesy
according to the Scriptures as the Bereans tested Paul,
but it means that we must accept true prophesy and stay
away from false prophets who ask for money and lie in the
name of the Lord."
(71) Exposing
Doctrinal
Errors: Heresy Hunting or Biblical Mandate?
at Truth Watch New Zealand, originally produced by the
Christian Research Institute (CRI)
We would, therefore, do well to heed Scripture�s
explicit warnings to be on guard for false teachings
(Romans 16:17-18; 1 Timothy 1:3-4; 4:16; 2 Timothy
1:13-14; Titus 1:9; 2:1), and to point them out to
brothers and sisters in Christ (2 Timothy 4:6).
(72) How
To Recognize A Good Church by Mike Lloyd,
based on a study by Richard W. De Haan, Truth Watch New
Zealand
Within the Christian community there is a wide
divergence of opinion, division, and even fierce
competition among the different groups. Subsequently,
many believers are confused about which church is the
right one to belong to and which church being closest to
the truth is therefore worthy of their support.
(73) Don't
Touch
the Lord's Anointed! by Chris Good, Truth
Watch New Zealand, 10/02
"Don't touch the Lord's anointed" is a common cry
levelled against people who are trying to uphold
Scripture by testing their leaders' teaching and
practice against the Word. However, if this is a valid
defence - why do we never see the Apostle or other
leaders of the New Testament churches resorting to this
argument? Is it possible that this phrase is being
misused to justify an authoritarian leadership?
(74)Blasphemy
against
the Holy Spirit? by Chris Good, Truth Watch
New Zealand, 10/02
A common criticism levelled
against those who seek to test modern claims to
prophecy, miracles and healings by God's Word is that
we are in danger of 'blaspheming against the Holy
Spirit'. This is a very serious charge, which (if
true) would mean that such people cannot be saved!
Indeed, many are so intimidated by this charge that
they bury any doubts, relying on the claimant's
self-proclamation for proof of the validity of the
claims, rather than testing it by the Word.
(75) Do not
judge, lest you be judged! by Chris Good,
Truth Watch New Zealand, 10/02
There are a lot of accusations
going around in Christian circles about people
"judging" other people and not being "tolerant". Often
the passage above (Matt. 7:1-3) is cited to support
those bringing new teachings and practices into the
church. Indeed, in our post-modern age - the greatest
sin is "intolerance" and it seems this is also
increasingly the case in many churches. Anyone who
wants to critique something is instantly dismissed as
'judgemental' (so much for tolerance then!).
(76) What
Is The True Gospel? by Al Dagar, Media
Spotlight Ministries
When Jesus came He proclaimed what He called the Gospel
of the Kingdom. The English word �gospel� means �good
news.� It derives from the Greek euangelion (Eng.,
�evangel�). In the Bible the Gospel is the �good news�
of the Kingdom of God and of salvation to eternal life,
received by faith in Jesus Christ on the basis of His
expiatory death, His burial, resurrection, ascension and
coming again.
(77) Apologetics
And
The Dying Of Reason by Mike Oppenheimer, Let
Us Reason Ministries, 12/02
What is it and how do we incorporate it in our
lives.
(78) Discernment
by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 12/02
The watchman ministry inside the church and the
importance of discernment in the times we live in.
(79) Watchmen
Arise by Steve Mitchell, Answers For
India, 12/02
An article that will encourage those who pursue the
rejected spiritual practice of discernment.
(80) Marriage:
A Biblical Illustration Of Our Faith Commitment To
Jesus Christ For Salvationby Sandy
Simpson, 1/26/03
Marriage is used as a metaphor of our relationship to
God many times in the Bible. Let's look at the
picture God wants His people to see about their
relationship to Him, and His relationship to them.
(81) Cheap
Grace
vs. The Pearl Of Great Price - An Expose Of
Easy-Believismby Alan P. Medinger and
Regeneration, In Plain Site, 1995
Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without
requiring repentance, baptism without discipline,
communion without confession, absolution without
personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without
discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without
Jesus Christ, living and incarnate. - Dietrich
Bonhoeffer
(82) Those
Who
Are Born Again by the Holy Spirit Continue In The
Faith -- The Easy-Believism "Converts" Do Not by
Brother Robinson, Santa Clarita Bible Baptist
There is a heresy that is being taught that says a
person may "get saved," live a Christian life for a
certain length of time, and then "get lost" again.
Others teach that a person may "get saved" and live a
Christian life for a time and then go back to his old
ways. He goes back to sins and cannot be
distinguished from a lost person. This school of
thought affirms that such a person will still go to
heaven when he dies because he is still saved (even
though "carnal"). Let us look at the Scriptures
which make it very clear what the truth is concerning
this matter of salvation.
(83) What
Constitutes
"Saving
Faith"? by Sandy Simpson,
1/30/03
There are many who claim to be saved today.
Ultimately only God knows who is saved (eternal
security) and we can have assurance of salvation through
a commitment to holding on to faith (conditional
security). But what constitutes a saving faith?
(84) Bible
Study - The Second Letter of Paul to Timothy
by Juanita Simpson, 3/03
This is a wonderful six part series on 2 Timothy.
What do we stand for as Christians? Should we name
names?
(1)
A
Spirit of Power, Love and Self-discipline - II
Tim. 1:1-12
(2)
A
Soldier, an Athlete, and a Farmer - II Tim. 1:13 -
2:7
(3)
A
Workman Approved of God - II Tim. 2:8-21
(4)
Godlessness
in the Last Days - II Tim. 2:22-3:9
(5)
Learning
and Preaching Sound Doctrine - II Tim. 3:10-4:5
(6)
Deserted
but not Alone - II Tim. 4:6-22
(85) Beware
The
Counsel Of Gamaliel! by
Dr. Peter Masters: SWORD & TROWELL, The Metropolitan
Tabernacle, Issue: 1995, No. 3.
Fellow believers--be warned and beware of the counsel
of Gamaliel!
(86) The
Lord's
Prayer, Our Prayer by
Sandy Simpson, 2000
But this
prayer is more than an outline. It is not some
thing we are to repeat mindlessly to get what we
want from God. It is a prayer that should be
at the very heart of our faith in the Lord. We
show our complete worship and submission to our
Father. We ask Him to meet our needs. We
don't just expect Him to forgive us but we also
forgive others. We ask Him to protect and
deliver us from the evil one. We are
completely dependant on Him for everything.
(86) The
Blessed
Three-in-One: The Christian Doctrine of the Trinity
Proven from Scripture by
Alan Morrison, 2003
The
doctrine concerning the Trinitarian nature of God is
probably one of the most misunderstood teachings of
the Christian faith. This is hardly surprising.
Firstly, the doctrine is rarely preached on and
therefore there is a great deal of ignorance about
it. Secondly, because of its seeming complexity and
difficulty to be adequately comprehended, people
assume it must be an invented teaching with no
biblical references. Thirdly, because it is such a
vital teaching � the very heart and revelation of
true divinity and deity � it is especially
vulnerable to attack. In this brief paper, it is not
our purpose to concentrate on the historical
controversies. There is a great deal of theological
and historical literature already devoted to this.
Our main concern here is to redress the rejection of
Trinitarian teaching by many sincere Christians.
(87) Tares
(Darnel) by Ed Tarkowski, STAND &
COMFORT Newsletter, #44 (Vol 3 No 11)
Some are obviously darnel, while with others, it takes
time to make the distinction. This I know for sure: the
One who planted the good seed which bears fruit will
come back to harvest His wheat, and not one grain of
darnel will be found in the barn.
(88) The
Role
Of Women In The Church by Sandy
Simpson, 7/03
If men were exercising true biblical authority over
their daughters and wives in love, the debate over the
role of women in the Church would not be such an issue.
If women today were submissive to their husbands, we
would not have many of the problems we have today in the
Church.
(89) Admit,
Commit
& Submit by Sandy Simpson,
7/03
A study in the difference between the biblical Gospel and
what is being preached in many churches today.
(90) Thou
Shalt
Not Judge? by Paul Proctor,
7/25/03
�Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of
an enemy are deceitful.� - Proverbs 27:6
(91) Exposing
Error:
Is It Worthwhile? by Harry A.
Ironside
Exposing error is most unpopular work. But from every true
standpoint it is worthwhile work
(92) Why
Halfway
Christianity Will Not Work by Dean
& Laura VanDruff, Acts 17:11
God likes the Gospel. It is one of His favorite things,
His favorite melody, His overarching theme, what He
thinks is really cool. It is nonsense to carnal men, but
the very power of God to those who are being saved. It
is oft fussed over in theory, like the tombs of the
prophets decorated by the "Sons of Satan" in Jesus' day,
but rarely tried. Will you, really? It works.
(93) Measuring The
Mixture by Dr. Orrel
Steinkamp, The Plumbline, Vol. 8, No. 3, 2003
The Gospel
is the core of the Church's message; the Church is
to proclaim the true, pure Gospel recipe with no
additives, no deletions, no distortion, no
reversal. Each individual Christian (together,
the Church) must "measure the mixture." That means
each Christian must know the Gospel--know it well
enough to realize when something is not right.
Even if it is unpopular and viewed as arrogant
presumption, we must post the warning signs of clear
biblical teaching. We must, in loving and
humble obedience to Christ, always be measuring the
mixture!
(94)For The
TRUTH by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason
Ministries, 9/03
How important is the truth in a time of deception?
(95) Are You
Tithing? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason
Ministries, 9/03
What does the New Testament REALLY teach on the tithe
and money.
(96) God
Would
Save Us From Spiritual Delusion by A.W.
Tozer, Renewed Day By Day, September 23
THERE ARE AREAS OF CHRISTIAN THOUGHT�and because of
thought then also of life, where likenesses and
differences are so difficult to distinguish that we are
often hard put to escape complete deception!
(97) The
Truth And Nothing But The Truth by Mike
Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 9/03
Truth is a rare commodity these days. In a world filled
with opinions, lies and deceit, the truth is often
overlooked and ignored. Relative truth has become a
fixation in our society and it is no different for those
seeking to be religious or spiritual; it has become
their friend.
(98) Use
And
Misuse Of Scripture by Gary Gilley,
9/03
Those who desire God�s approval must handle accurately,
or literally, �cut straight,� the word of truth.
They diligently study the Bible in order to interpret it
correctly and then apply it properly.
(99) God
Doesn't
Want Your Sacrifices - He Wants Your Obedience!
by Sandy Simpson, 2/9/04
1 Samuel 15:22 But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD
delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in
obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than
sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
(100) The
Vanishing
Gospel by Dave Hunt, The Berean
Call Newlsetter, 2/04
And to attract those thus corrupted, many of the
largest and fastest-growing churches mimic the world in
"seeker-friendly" and "youth-oriented" services that
exploit sensuality and compromise the truth.
(101) Sixteen
Facts
Everyone Should Know About Israel
by Jacob Prasch, Moriel Ministries, 2004
If you are a Christian you need to stand by Israel, and
support Israel as much as possible. God's ancient
promise in Genesis 12:3 is still very much in effect: "I
will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses
you I will curse." And God, speaking to Israel,
promises, "Behold, all those who are angered at you will
be shamed and dishonoured; those who contend with you
will be as nothing and will perish. You will seek those
who quarrel with you, but will not find them, those who
war with you will be as nothing and non-existent "
(Isaiah 41:11-12).
(102) Tithing
by Chris De Wet, Moriel Ministries, 2004
There is a lot of confusion taking place with regard to
Bible doctrines today. One of the topics, is the
question on tithing. Where did it originate and what
does it mean today? Read Part
1 & Part
2.
(103) Let's
Take
A Look At The "Judge Not" Argument For A Moment! by
Sandy Simpson, 6/3/04
It's very interesting to me how Christians are quick,
these days, to pull out the old "judge not lest you be
judged" excuse when they are angry at you for warning
people away from their favorite false teachers and false
prophets by name. They come down on those who test
the spirits (1 Jn. 4:1), discern truth from error (Phil.
1:9-11, Prov. 3:21) and judge rightly (Jn. 7:24) when
those are ways in which God has told us we ARE to
judge. They use the "judge not" ploy to make
themselves look like they are holier-than-thou and above
the fray, and in so doing they are already in violation
of Matt. 7:1 because they are judging those they say are
being judgmental hypocritically. But think about
the ways in which we all tend to judge in a whole
variety of unbiblical ways every day.
(104) The
Overseer
- A Study In Titus 1:6-11 by Sandy
Simpson, 6/25/04
There once was a shepherd who loved his flock of
sheep. He fed them and watered them. He
bathed them and tended to their hurts. The only
trouble is he did not build a protected fence around
their home. He had a habit of going to sleep at
night leaving no one to guard them. They had
always been safe in the past, but one night wolves
came. In the morning when he woke up many of the
sheep were missing or dead. That day he built a
fence and made sure there was always someone there to
guard the sheep at night.
(105) Building
Up
The Body by Gary Gilley, Think On The Things,
July 2004
One of the most insightful of recent books concerning
the church is actually written by an unbeliever.
Alan Wolfe, a social scientist, has been observing the
changing American religious scene for years. Last
year he shared his research in The Transformation of
American Religion. The message of his book is that
�religion in the United States is being transformed in
radically new directions.� [1] Wolfe claims,
�Talk of Hell, damnation, and even sin has been replaced
by a nonjudgmental language of understanding and
empathy. Gone are the arguments over doctrine and
theology�. More Americans than ever proclaim themselves
born again in Christ, but the Lord to whom they turn
rarely gets angry and frequently strengthens
self-esteem. [As a result] the faithful in the
United States are remarkably like everyone else.�
[2]
(106) Losing
My Discernmentby Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us
Reason Ministries, 8/31/04
A new song the church is singing.
(107) The
Diminishing Message Of The Cross by Mike
Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 8/31/04
Welcome to a new era of rock stars, movie stars and
their producers.
(108) Seeds,
Soil
& Fruit by Sandy Simpson, 9/19/04
Some seeds have been genetically altered.
Something has been added to the seed to produce a
certain result. What has been added is
indoctrination, brainwashing, diaprax, false prophecy,
false apostolic edicts, false anointings. These
additives produce seeds that will, in turn, grow bad
trees, producing bad fruit, which in turn produce more
bad seeds as the process renews itself over and over
again.
(109) The
Old
Cross Versus The New Cross by
Annonymous
The old cross slew men; The new cross entertains them.
(110) Unity
In
Gospel Living by Brad Smith, 11/04
A message on Philippians1:27-30.
(111) LaHaye:
New
End Times Thriller Teaches 'Ridiculous' Views - Tyndale
Defends Choice to Publish Hanegraaff's Preterist
Series by Jenni Parker and Jim Brown,
December 3, 2004
(AgapePress) - A best-selling Christian author is
criticizing his publisher for putting out a new
fictional series by another writer whose stories
postulate that the rapture occurred long ago and
Revelation's prophecies have already been fulfilled.
(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.
(119) Maturity
Training by Sandy Simpson, 01/05
At the core of maturity in Christ is
the issue of training to be able to distinguish between
good and evil, right and wrong. But in today�s churches
this issue has not only been downplayed, but actually
swept aside.
(120) Unity
Of
The Faith & Maturity by Sandy Simpson,
02/05
Those who are mature in Christ are
those who are reaching unity in the Faith and in the
knowledge of the Son of God. Those who are not
mature strive for ecumenical or interfaith unity
thinking that they are growing in the Lord, and it
is usually a point of pride to them. But they have
mistaken what Paul was talking about. Unity in the
Faith is talking about coming to a common
understanding and practice of the core truths of the
Faith as taught to us in the Bible through Jesus
Christ and the Apostles.
(121) The
Reign
Of King Asa by Jacob Prasch, Moriel
Ministries, 02/05
The reign of King Asa, God�s
warning to good men. God�s warning to good
women. God�s warning to all of us, but
especially God�s warning to good leaders and to
good pastors.
(122) The
Biblical
Definition Of Worship by Sandy Simpson,
3/05
In many churches around the world the
concept of "worship" has been redefined and narrowed
to mean the time when Christians come together to sing
songs, raise their hands, dance around, and get all
excited about the Lord together in church. For
most of the younger postmodernist relativistic
generation the concept of "worship" has become a thing
you do once or twice a week to absolve yourself of
guilt. The more you can work yourself into a
state of bliss in feeling like you are really
achieving a state of "worship" by letting yourself go
in the music and rhythm of the "worship" time, the
more you can justify what you are doing the rest of
the week when you are not "worshipping" God.
This "worship" then becomes an excuse and
justification process whereby Christians can rid
themselves of the guilt of not obeying the Lord in
their lives. This is not to say that true
worship is not done in the time now called
"worship". It can be a time of worship, but
worship without obedience is no worship at all.
(123) Expository
preaching
necessary for true revival, Stephen Olford says
by Jeff Robinson, SBA Baptist Press, May 9, 2002
Anointed expository preaching is
absolutely necessary if the church is to
experience true revival, Stephen Olford recently
said at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
(124) What
We
Need Is A Reverse Paradigm Shift! by
Sandy Simpson, 3/30/05
I'm going to warn you
now. I am going to let you in on some
information tonight that is going to radically
change your world view. You are likely
going to experience the beginnings of a
reverse paradigm shift and after tonight there
will be no way to go back the way you
came. You will be faced with choices
that you may never have known you had.
You will be faced with a new way of looking at
things that is going to cause you to rethink
everything that is being taught in the
Emerging Latter Rain churches. It is
going to be radical because the basis for this
message doesn't come from Jesus Christ
visiting my room last night bodily, but from
His holy written Word. So buckle down
your seat belts, you're likely in for a bumpy
ride!
(125) Should
Biblical
Churches Be Christocentric? by
Sandy Simpson, 4/1/05
Should biblical Christian
churches be Christ-centered
(Christocentric)? Should the
doctrines of the Father (Patriology) and
the Holy Spirit (Pnematology) also be
equally emphasized? Can a church be
Patriocentric or Pnemacentric and be
biblical?
(126) Study
In
Ephesians by Sandy Simpson,
4/05
This is a ten part study
in Ephesians. Click on the
following links to go to a particular
study:
(1) Predestination
And
The Baptism Of The Holy Spirit
Ephesians 1:1-14
(2) Jesus
Christ
Rules & The Problem Of Sin
And Salvation
Ephesians 1:15� 2:10
(3) A
Building Of Peace
Ephesians 2:11-22
(4) A
Mystery Revealed
Ephesians 3:1-13
(5) The
Prayer
& The Calling
Ephesians 3:14-4:10
(6) Why
Were
The Grace Gifts Of Servant
Leadership Given?
Ephesians 4:11-13
(7) Put
On
The New Self
Ephesians 4:17-32
(8) Don�t
Be
Deceived
Ephesians 5:1-20
(9) Submission
&
Love
Ephesians 5:21-6:9
(10) Put
On
The Armor
Ephesians 6:10-23
(127) Have
You Been Saved by the Gospel? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us
Reason Ministries, 4/26/05
Do you really
understand the gospel of grace or have we come
another way to Christ?
(128) A
Departure from Sound Doctrine by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us
Reason Ministries, 4/27/05
What the church is now
facing in epidemic proportions.
(129) Current
Interpretations of the Bible that are wrong
by Mike Oppenheimer, Let
Us Reason Ministries, 6/6/05
Modern interpretations
from by the trends of our day.
(130) Prophecies
Of
Jesus Christ As Messiah by Evidence for God from Science
Prophecies of Jesus
Christ and their fulfillment.
(131) The
Disappearing Doctrine Of The Evangelical Church
by Mike Gendron,
Proclaiming The Gospel Ministries, 9/16/05
This newsletter is
often used to correct the false doctrines of the
Roman Catholic Church but in this issue we will
address the disappearing doctrine of the
Evangelical Church. Many professing Christians now
think it doesn't really matter what you believe,
as long as you label it Christianity. Their only
test for becoming a Christian is a simple
acceptance of Jesus as a historical figure. In our
post-modern church, doctrine is out and tolerance
is in. We are told that for the sake of unity,
doctrine should not be tested or contested. We are
not supposed to draw any definitive lines or
declare any absolutes. Doctrinal and moral issues
which were once painted black and white, are now
seen as gray. The state of the church is now in a
state of confusion.
(132) Philippians
Study by
Sandy Simpson, 10/01/05
Ten study series on the
book of Philippians!
(133) Explain
Or
Explain Away?by
Sandy
Simpson, 10/25/05
A proper balance of Biblical teaching, as
demonstrated by the Apostles, is to both explain
God's Word (good hermeneutics, exegesis) and to explain
away false teachings of any particular passage
(polemics and/or apologetics).
(134) Men
With No Reputation On Earth by Mike
Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 12/16/05
Those whom God recognizes are doing His work.
(135) "Every
man
did that which was right in his own eyes." by
Sandy Simpson, 1/1/06
This article is a warning to all those who think
they can rewrite Christianity in their own
image. Think again!
(136) The
Necessity
of Separation from Heresy by Jewel Grewe,
Discernment Ministries, Discernment Newsletter, Volume
17, Number 1, January/February 2006
This neo-evangelical �repudiation of separation,�
and its resultant seduction into heresy, is
indicative of the condition of the Church in the
last days. Jude 18 warns that there will be mockers
in the last time who should walk after their own
ungodly lusts. Paul prepared Timothy for the time
will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;
but after their own lusts shall heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn
away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned
unto fables (2 Tim. 3-4). The sinful nature of man
wants to justify sin, even to the extent of finding
false teachers to teach ear-tickling fables. 1 Peter
1:13 advises believers to gird up the loins of your
mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace
that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of
Jesus Christ. Peter further admonishes that the end
of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and
watch unto prayer (vs. 4:7).
(137) Earnestly
Contend by Dave Hunt, The Berean Call,
01/04/06
Hundreds of fulfilled prophecies prove God�s
existence, that the Bible is His inerrant Word, the
Jews His chosen people, and Jesus of Nazareth the
promised Messiah who died for our sins, has
resurrected, and is coming again. Yet prophecy is
neglected by most Christian preachers and writers.
No wonder that the �last-days� apostasy warned of in
God�s Word is now upon us with a vengeance!
(138) How
to
Avoid Heresy by Discernment Research
Group, Herescope, 01/05/06
Neo-evangelicalism relies upon marketing strategies
to spread its leaven. For over a century American
consumers have been trained by advertising to buy
anything new � a new detergent, a new vacuum
cleaner, a new style of dress, a new car, a new
computer. In the same way, New Evangelicalism has
advertised all of its doctrines, methods and
teachings as �new.� There is therefore a very
simple, easy way to avoid the heresies of
neo-evangelicalism.
(139) Is
It Right:To Judge, To Expose Error & To Call
Names? by Pastor E. L. Bynum, Tabernacle
Baptist Church, Lubbock, Texas, 1/06
Many today believe that it is wrong to expose error
and to name names. Liberals have always seemed to
believe this, but in recent times it has been widely
espoused by evangelicals and charismatics. Now we
are seeing the same fatal error being declared by
those who profess to be Bible believing
fundamentalists. Those who are faithful in exposing
error according to the Bible are now being widely
denounced, and are accused of being unloving and
unkind. We intend here to present the teaching of
the Bible on this vital subject.
(140) Deviant
Worship by Mark Minnick, Frontline,
March/April 1997, Vol 7 N 2
This is the age of the "designer church," the
"fellowship community," the "family worship center."
But is all that calls itself "worship" acceptable to
God? What is the benchmark of true worship? Is it
sincerity? A positive experience? A good feeling? A
full auditorium? Or is there an objective standard
by which we can measure what pleases God in this
regard?
(141) Pastors
Who Compromise Their Call by Steve
Cornell, Senior Pastor, Millersville Bible Church,
2/06
Scripture speaks with clarity and directness about
sin and salvation; godliness and ungodliness; heaven
and hell. You are welcome to reject such teaching or
to try to make it a matter of personal
interpretation, but one day you will answer to God
for offering a revision of His truth. There is a
great need today for pastors who refuse to
compromise their call to speak the truth in love.
(142) Satan's
Six
Strategic Assaults on the Christian Faith
by Mike Gendron, Proclaiming the Gospel, Jan/Feb
2006
Some evangelical leaders have been joyfully
announcing there is a great spiritual revival taking
place in our country. However, a closer and more
discern�ing look reveals there is a countless
mfiltra�tion of deceivers masquerading as
messen�gers of Christ who are counterfeiting the
Christian faith. �And no wonder, for even Satan
disguises himself as an angel of light.� (2 Cor.
11:14). These legions of liars are all part of
Satan�s insidious assault on the only true faith.
Satan�s ultimate goal is to thwart God�s harvest of
lost souls by holding them captive with his fatal
lies. His relentless at�tacks are strategically
aimed at six targets: The Supremacy of God�s Word,
The Sufficiency of God�s Son, The Singularity of
God�s Gospel, The Sovereignty of God�s Grace, The
Security of God�s Children, The Sanctity of God�s
Church
(143) The
Trinity tract produced by Calvary Chapel,
2006
The doctrine of the Trinity explained in simple
terms. A good tract to give out on the subject.
For a more detailed explanation of this doctrine, read
The Five Basic Doctrines here.
(144) The
Prayer
Of Faith by Derald Skinner, Calvary
Chapel, 2006
The prayer of faith is answered because God has
promised to answer our requests when we start (the
following).
(145) �Touch
Not
The Lord�s Anointed?� � Give Me A Break!! by
Michael C. Gaudiosi - The Berean Radio Network, THE
NOBLE BEREAN: Volume Seven March 2006
IN DEFENSE OF THE TBN ELITE I recently received an
e-mail from a very angry person. What did I do to
set off their anger? What did I say? Well, My guess
is because it was due to one of my previous
newsletters in regards to TBN. That�s right! I had
the complete audacity to dare speak against the
great spiritual giant TBN! I would like to share
this e-mail with you and give my reply in this
newsletter, considering the fact that this person
did not want a reply from me (as you will see at the
end of the e-mail). So hold on to your hats, here we
go!
(146) From
Traitor
to Hero? Responding to the "Gospel of Judas" by
Albert Mohler, Friday, April 07, 2006
Informed Christians will be watchful and aware when
confronting churches or institutions that present
spurious writings, rejected as heretical by the
early church, on the same plane as the New
Testament. The verdict of Athanasius, one of
the greatest leaders of the early church, still
stands: "Let no man add to these, neither let him
take ought from these, for concerning these the Lord
put to shame the Sadducees, and said, 'Ye do err,
not knowing the Scriptures.' And He reproved the
Jews, saying, 'Search the Scriptures, for these are
they that testify of Me.'"
(147) Do
you Love or Hate the truth? by Mike
Oppeneheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 5/20/06
Where do you stand on what is taking place?
(148) Holding
Pastors
Accountable by Steve Camp, 6/06
Though elder-rule is a good biblical concept, the
term can be misleading and doesn't accurately
represent the Scriptural heart of biblical
leadership. Rule too many times suggests
unquestioned authority, religious despotism, or
spiritual heavy-handedness. However, the office and
title of elder is quite different; it is one of
servant-leadership.
(149) The
Current
Downgrade in the Doctrine of the Atonement
by David H. Linden, Action International Ministries,
6/06
The gospel is fading in our consciousness and
understanding. It is ordinary and commonplace. It is
our assumed treasure (we would all sat that!) but it
is still the object of our neglect. When I say the
gospel slipping, Hebrews corrects me to state the
issue more sharply, that it is we who are slipping
not the gospel. The gospel is the dock to which we
must be tied. The dock is not floating away from us;
we are drifting away from it. There is only one
place to drift when we stray from the sacrifice of
Christ, and that is into hell itself. Such is the
warning of Hebrews. We are presented with this great
salvation that must not be ignored, as in Hebrews 2,
OR it is the consuming fire when the Lord will judge
His people, as in Hebrews 10. It is a dreadful thing
to fall into the hands of the living God, Hebrews
10:31. Yet the gospel is that Christ by the grace of
God fell into the hands of God for us. On the cross
He faced the consuming fire our sins earned for Him.
(150) Imputation
by Warren Doud, Grace Notes, 6/06
Imputation is a wonderful principle of the Plan of
God, and you have been involved with imputation
since the day you were saved.
(151) Discernment
in
an Age of Deception - Defining the Believer's
Biblical Call to Judge by Bob DeWaay,
Critical Issues Commentary, Issue 94 - May / June
2006
Many times, after publishing an article that
disputes the claims of someone's published work, I
am asked if I had talked to the person privately.
There are those who claim that debating ideas in the
public arena should not happen unless there was a
prior Matthew 18 process of adjudication. It is my
position that Matthew 18 does not apply to the
public interaction of theological ideas. In this
paper, I shall examine various New Testament
passages that explain what we must and must not
judge.
(152) Scriptures
For
Our Times by Berit Kjos, Kjos Ministries,
7/06
God's people have always tended to drift toward
earth-based religions (various blends of pantheism,
polytheism and monism) whenever apathy dimmed their
desire for Biblical truth. But never before have
occult beliefs and practices been promoted as
shrewdly as today--nor have God's people been more
ignorant of their dangers or more vulnerable to
their lures. As deception spreads, let us heed God's
Old Testament warnings as well as His New Testament
prophecies.
(153) Today's
Christianity:
Let Us Entertain You! by Michael C.
Gaudiosi - The Berean Radio Network, THE NOBLE BEREAN:
Volume Eleven - July 2006
There is no mention in the New Testament that Jesus
or the apostles ever tried to make the Gospel
appealing to the masses by entertainment, or to make
it a more positive, feel-good message. They never
used gimmicks, games or free giveaways. If you want
to see a great example in the Bible of how people
reacted to Jesus� preaching, read John chapter six.
He lost a lot of so-called �followers� because they
considered His preaching of the truth as a �hard
saying� which was not positive, or what they wanted
to hear! Jesus was not concerned about offending
people or if His numbers would drop (which of course
they did!).
(154) Another
Perspective
For Your Consideration by Ken Silva,
Apprising Ministries, 8/2/06
In this piece I�m going to present a brief synopsis
of a point of view that has become all too common in
the evangelical community today concerning those of
us in the field of discernment being critical of
another�s ministry.
(155) Redefining
Jesus? by Chris Lawson, Spiritual Research
Network, Newsletter, August 2006
More than any other time in history, the world
today is filled with false ideas and concepts of who
Jesus Christ really is. What Paul the Apostle called
�another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel�
is plaguing the world with full force as people on
all six continents and every walk of life have
�redefined Jesus�.
(156) Quoting
Heretics:
The New Trend for Christian Authors by
Ingrid Schlueter, Slice of Laodicea, 8/3/06
Either these people do not read the material they
quote, which is absurd, or they don't care that they
are quoting someone who long ago left the Christian
faith of the Bible. When cardinal doctrinal issues
are at stake, I do not ever want to favorably quote
someone to make a point. What about those who like
the quotes Dr. Jeremiah uses from Sue Monk Kidd in
his book, Life Wide Open and who decide to pick up
her book, Dance of the Dissident Daughter, where
Kidd details her journey from being a Baptist Sunday
School teacher to a proponent of goddess
spirituality and pantheism? Does he have no
responsibility for whom he quotes? The answer to
that is yes. We all do.
(157) Modern
Macabees by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us
Reason Ministries, 8/21/06
Those who defend the temple and rescue people.
(158) The
Rot
of Religion...the idolatry of self-love by
Steve Camp, 8/28/06
Self has always been the most destructive and
dominating plague to hinder true Christianity.
Self-love (self-righteous pride) is the cancer of
the church and sadly, much the hallmark of modern
faith. An unfortunate example of this would be
Robert Shuller's toxic tome, "Self...The New
Reformation" which represents much of this move away
from biblical Christianity (towards the focus on
self) and, therefore, away from the worship and
glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and sacrifical
service to others. The two great commandments of
"Love the Lord Thy God" and "love thy neighbor..."
has now been eclipsed with this third hell-inspired
commandment: "love thyself."
(159) The
Prophetic
Calling of Every Believer by Bob DeWaay,
Critical Issues Commentary, Issue #95, July/August
2006
We need to return prophecy to the members of the
church. Every member of the congregation, whether in
a position of leadership or not, has access to the
authoritative Scriptures and may bring forth valid
implications and applications from them. Together,
as we prophesy, we benefit from edification,
exhortation, and comfort. The lost are convicted of
their sins while the saved grow in the grace and
knowledge of the Lord.
(160) God
of
Jacob, God of Israel - Part I by Dave
Hunt, The Berean Call Newsletter, 8/06 - See also God
of Jacob, God of Israel - Part II "Has The Church
Replaced Israel?"
If �everlasting,� concerning Israel, doesn�t mean
everlasting, then how can we trust the promise in
John 3:16 of everlasting life to those who believe
on Christ? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the
God of Israel, is the only true God. The Messiah
promised to Israel by Jewish prophets of God came
2,000 years ago. He is the Savior of all who believe
on Him as the one who, in fulfillment of what the
Hebrew prophets foretold, died for the sins of the
world, rose from the dead, and ascended to the
Father�s right hand. He is coming in power and glory
to punish the world for its abuse of His people
Israel and to rule the world from David�s throne in
Jerusalem. Let us stand firm on the truth of
Scripture and preach the true gospel of God, to the
Jew first, then to the Gentile.
(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
What role do dreams play in
the Christian experience?
(167) ...
and
all liars ... by Sandy Simpson,
11/05/06
There is a lesson for all true believers in
recent events. Have nothing to do with deeds
of darkness perpetrated by false brothers.
Reject heresy. Mark and avoid false
teachers.
(168) To
judge or not to judge: The rights and wrongs of
biblical discernment by G. Richard
Fisher, 1996
It seems clear, since Jesus Himself said, "Judge
not," (Matthew 7:1), that we cannot "judge." At
first glance it appears that Jesus not only
forbids judging others, but that He catches
Himself in a glaring contradiction. Verse 1 seems
obvious, "Judge not," yet in verses 6, 15-16, we
are to judge "swine," "dogs," and the "fruit" of
false apostles. How do we reconcile this apparent
contradiction?
(169) Dangerous
Christianity
- In Pursuit Of Biblical Christianity by
C. Stephen David, 1/19/07
Dangerous Christianity presents a God who is
always loving, gives whatever people ask, blesses
everyone, forgives whenever people sin, gives good
health and wealth, offers peace and joy. Now
that�s true! However, the other undeniable aspects
of God�s character - such as holiness, justice,
discipline and judgment are ignored in their
Christianity.
(170) Artificial
Milk
- Weaning Evangelicals Off The Word by
T.A. McMahon, The Berean Call, 2/07
Apostasy is rampant within the evangelical church
today. At least that�s my perspective as one who
has observed religious trends and developments for
three decades. Read Part
1, Part
2 & Part
3.
(171) Stand
Up
For Jesus by Walter Martin
When we see idolatry, we are supposed to be
provoked. When we see evil, we are supposed
to get exercised about it. If you can calmly
walk through this upholstered cesspool of earth;
if you can see evil, filth, degeneracy, and hear
vile language; if you can see the corruption of
the media and the perversion of the gospel; if you
can see the multiple forms of idolatry�the worship
of things and of the creation more than the
Creator; if you can see this today and you are not
provoked about it, then you are not in touch with
God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is
provoked by evil, and he stirs up the Church so
that we may do something about it.
(172) Is
It Right To Judge? by Franklin C.
Huling, MA, Fundamental Evangelistic
Association
THIS QUESTION- "IS IT RIGHT TO JUDGE?" is one
that puzzles many sincere Christians. A careful
and open minded study of the Bible makes it clear
that concerning certain vital matters, it is not
only right but a positive duty to judge. Many do
not know that the Scripture commands us to judge.
The Lord Jesus Christ commanded, "Judge righteous
judgment" (John 7:24). He told a man, "Thou hast
rightly judged" (Luke 7:43). To others, our Lord
asked, "Why even of yourselves judge ye not what
is right?" (Luke 12:57).
(173) The
Compromising
Church Of America by Michael C. Gaudiosi
- The Berean Radio Network, THE NOBLE BEREAN: Volume
Seventeen � February 2007
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the simplest
message man has ever heard! Really, it�s true! The
Gospel is so simple! Here it is, in simple plain
to the point words of the apostle Paul: 1
Corinthians 15:3-4 - For I delivered unto you
first of all that which I also received, how that
Christ died for our sins according to the
scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he
rose again the third day according to the
scriptures. That�s it! Jesus died for our sins,
according to the scriptures, was buried and rose
again on the third day according to the
scriptures. How hard is that? Jesus Christ shed
His blood and died on the cross to bring
reconciliation back between God and man that was
lost by Adam in the Garden, because of one three
letter word: SIN, and has given us eternal life
and kept us from going to a place of everlasting
torment, and separation from God called: HELL!
Simple, isn�t it? But, like most everything, man
has complicated it by trying to put his own spin
on God!
(174) What
Does
The Bible Say About Lawsuits/Suing? by
John MacArthur, The Freedom And Power Of
Forgiveness, 2007
The Bible instructs believers not to go to court
against one another.
(175) How
to
Identify Terrorists in the Church by
John MacArthur, Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Within the church . . . who are Satan's Al-Qaeda?
What are their motives? Are spiritual terrorists
out to destroy church doctrine at large . . . or
might they be specifically targeting your faith
and the faith of your family? Listen to
Part
1 & Part
2.
.
(176) Devoted To
Prayer: Wrestling With God In Ernest Prayer
by Virginia Stem Owens
Christians have always interpreted the splitting of
the temple veil during the crucifixion as symbolic of
their liberation from the mediated presence of God.
Henceforth they were �free� to approach Him
directly�which is almost like telling someone he is
�free� to stick his head in the lion�s jaws. For once
you start praying there is no guarantee that you won�t
find yourself before Pharaoh, shipwrecked on a desert
island, or in a lion�s den.
(177) The
Baptism Of Boldness by Walter Martin,
Posted 5/6/07
Though Wlater Martin has passed on his legacy of of
standing for the truth remains. Watch this video
to get back to what the Gospel is all about.
(178) Another
Jesus?
A Different Gospel? A Different Spirit? by
Rita Sanders, March 25, 2007
These are the days of great and maybe final
deception! I am eternally grateful to Almighty God
for granting me repentance and leading my family out
of the deceptive and self-centered gospel of greed
being promoted in the pulpits of the churches today.
Today's believers are replacing the call to "deny
themselves" with the desire to pursue "their best
lives now". We have ignored the command to "test the
spirits" because of the perverted use of "touch not
My anointed" by today's pulpiteers.
(179) Hank
Hanegraaff's
Conference on Preterism and Replacement Theology,
Essay written by C.C. (LTW Research Team), Thursday,
June 07, 2007
It is obvious to any thinking Christian that
Hanegraaff�s �Exegetical Eschatology� is nothing
more than the use of his presuppositions to cloud
the natural meaning of the holy Scriptures. If I
were a teacher in Hank's position, I believe I would
have trouble sleeping at night doing such a thing to
Scripture interpretation.
(180) The
Ongoing
Need for Discernment by Prof. Johan Malan,
Middelburg, South Africa, Discernment Newsletter,
Volume 18 Number 4, July/August 2007
We should be involved in a contrary movement of
increased righteousness and holiness, while
discerning the signs of Christ�s soon return.
Fellow-believers should be assisted to correctly
understand biblical doctrines. That is the only way
to become discerning Christians who will not be
deceived by the many wrong doctrines of our time.
(181) Does
the
Bible call for UNITY in spite of DOCTRINAL
differences? by John MacArthur, 6/07
Are believers who hold to DOCTRINAL PURITY
divisive, intolerant, unloving and ungracious?�
�False teaching will always cry �intolerance�
because it can only survive when it doesn�t get
scrutinized�False doctrine cries the loudest about
UNITY�Listen carefully when you hear the cry for
UNITY because it may be the cover of false doctrine
encroaching�If ever we should follow 1 Thessalonians
5 and examine everything carefully, it�s when
somebody is crying �unity, love and acceptance.�� Audio
file.
(182) Designing
your own Christianity by Pastor Steve
Cornell, 6/07
Those who reject major themes of the bible have no
reason to believe any of it. The God they believe in
is a creation of their own imaginations. He is a
custom designed deity to fulfill their own desires.
But, why do such people feel compelled to hold to
selective forms of Christianity? Why not reject it
entirely and embrace something else? Perhaps they
attend their designer Churches and listen to their
appointed teachers to pacify their guilty
consciences. How sad to pacify what God is willing
forgive and cleanse. But such forgiveness would
require a savior who saves sinners and this is just
too much for proud of hearts to accept.
(183) The Near-Beer Gospel
- The Search for Pale Substitutes by Orrel
Steinkamp, The Plumbline, Volume 12., No. 4,
July/August 2007, Assessing Current Teachings, Issnes
and Events with Scripture
In this issue I am going to highlight two examples
of how the church is unwittingly calling for pale
substitutes from the faith once for all delivered to
the saints. Each of these examples will be drawn
from two movements, which are seemingly separated
far from each other. But it is my belief that they
both represent the same basic error, that the church
itself can manufacture a Near Beer Gospel either
apart from or in addition to the unchangeable word
of God. In both cases the church has been shorn of
God's actual glory as Sampson of old. The first of
these could be called the "marketing and
therapeutic" movement. In it's quest for cultural
acceptance and numerical success, they have
marginalized the "word of God" and imported
marketing methodologies as the focus of ministry.
Work the system and you will be numerically
successful. It seems to me to echo the first half of
Jesus reply to Satan when tempted in the wilderness.
Rather than, man cannot live on bread alone, it has
the feel of yes! we can live on bread alone, rather
than every word that proceeds out of the mouth of
God. At the other end the spectrum, God's authorized
word has been succeeded by a succession of new words
from God at the hands of thousands of newly restored
so-called prophets. Thus, the scriptures languish
and are called by Tommy Tenney "old love letters."
In the one the trust is in the new technology and
tools of the culture. In the other the trust and
dependence is upon a continual flow of so-called
oracles from God at the hands of those who struggle
to claim less than 50% accuracy. The above analogy
of Near-Beer calls for some explanation. First
Near-Beer. Near-Beer was originally a term for malt
beverages containing little or no alcohol (one half
of one percent or less by volume), which were
mass-marketed during the Prohibition in the United
States. Today the term "Near- Beer" has been revived
by some people to refer to modern versions of
non-alcoholic beer. By the use of this analogy I am
suggesting the current evangelical church can be
illustrated by the Near-Beer phenomena. It�s all
about substitutes which only give the appearance of
the real thing.
(184) A
Roadmap To Apostasy by Mike Gendron,
interview with Jan Markell of Olive Tree Ministries,
6/30/07
What are the tell-tale signs? What can one do? Is
it too late to stop this engine now on a slippery
slope? Around the world it follows a pattern that
goes in stages outlined by Mike.
(185) Berean
Behavior:
Naughty or Noble? by Sherry Neese, July
17, 2007
Bereans in the trenches, Bereans in broader
ministry, and shepherds � we are all on the same
battlefield. Discouragement, Satan�s favorite
weapon, lurks around every corner. We need to work
as a team, praying for one another and valuing each
other and if necessary, correcting one another,
following the biblical procedure for correction and
refrain from engaging in gossip. Then and only then
will we see the flocks protected from wolves and the
Word of God held in high esteem as did our Berean
ancestors.
(186) Discernment
and
the Watchman by Mike Oppenheimer,
6/07
Just as 1 Peter 3:15 commands us as Christians to
always be ready to give a defense of your faith to
those outside (apologetics) the church, Jude 3 to
defend it within the Church (polemics). Jude had to
have been aware of Peter�s proclamation because his
book extends off of Peters second epistle on the
false teachers who were beginning to come into the
church.
(187) Preterism
- Is it an intentional lack of understanding of
tprophetic scriptures? by Mike
Oppenheimer, 8/08/07
What are the different views in eschatology and why
is preterism the least biblical?
(188) Transforming
The
World Within by Herescope, 9/1/07
In this day of evangelical fervor over changing the
outward world, which is called "transformation," the
truth of the Gospel -- the transformation of the
inner man -- is neglected. This outward focus on
dominionism always supplants the inner workings of
the Holy Spirit upon the heart and conscience. What
folly! What arrogance! True transformation of the
inner man (Romans 12:1-2) is inextricably connected
with the Cross. J.C. Philpot, in the excerpt from
his sermon "Crucifixion with Christ" below, begins
by noting that this is a mystery:
(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!
(321) What
Have
We Become? by Paul Proctor, News With Views,
April 27, 2011
The command from Jesus was so simple: �Go ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel to every creature.� (Mark
16:15) How complicated is that? The world is right outside
our door; and yet, look at the �church� today and what
those claiming to be His disciples and witnesses are
actually conveying to that world just in the latest
headlines alone:
� 'Church Sucks' But Come Anyway?
� Many Born-Again Christians Hold Universalist Views
� Utah church offers free Korans in Easter gesture
� Worst place to Celebrate Easter Is in Church, Says
Pastor
� Nashville-area church offers drive-thru prayer
� Church's 'Dance Your Shoes Off' video goes viral
� Survey Reveals Decade-Long 'Erosion' of Traditional
U.S. Congregations
� 'A Massive Shift Coming in What it Means to Be a
Christian"
Is it any wonder there is so much confusion about Who
Jesus is, what He did and what He taught � and that so
many frustrated Bible believers are wandering from church
to church these days looking for someone to simply preach
it and teach it as it is written?
(322) Does
God continue to give us new Revelation, new words to
Scripture? by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/4/11
You are not led by the Spirit to challenge the word as
true or disobey it. You are led by the Spirit to accept
it and live it.
Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he
will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We
will come to him and make Our home with him."He who does
not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which
you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.(John
14:23-24) So to show you love the savior means you keep,
believe, obey his word (which is written for us), not
anothers. It is then we can be fruitful and have the joy
that he wants to give in our lives.
(323) Living
in an age of lies by Mike Oppenheimer,
5/10/11
We are in the time of lying, in both politics and
religion. The lie is told so easily and boldly and the
truth is told so weakly and inefficiently. We have been
fed lies portion by portion, piece by piece for so long
that the lie has become as the truth. And no one wants
to believe lies have encompassed the way the church
conducts her practices.
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)
(351) Why
stories
of trips to heaven are unscriptural by Justin
Peters, 3/1/12
Video on the subject of people claiming they went to
heaven.
(352) Do The Truths Of
Ezekiel 13 Still Apply Today? by Sandy
Simpson, 3/1/12
God is going to bring down the false global religion
that is already here consisting of ecumenism,
interfaithism and false teachings and prophecies of all
kinds, just as He promised to break down the whitewashed
wall the false prophets built up to deceive
Israel. God will ultimately protect both His
Church and those who actually belong to it who have not
been turned aside by myths and false teachings. Do you
think this chapter still applies or is it ancient
history? Let me illustrate how these timeless
truths apply just as much today as to when God had
repeatedly told Israel they were headed for captivity if
they listened to the counsel of false prophets.
God has warned us ahead of time that we of the end times
churches will see a falling away and many will be
deceived.
(353) Beware
Of
Angels From The Dark Side by Marsha West,
3/28/12
Angels fascinate people. For years we�ve been
inundated with books, calendars, stationery, folklore,
jewelry, knickknacks, lunch boxes, tattoos, even
cherubic trash containers. People can�t get enough
of angels! Stories of angelic encounters abound on
the Internet. You ask, �Do you have a problem with
angels?� Well, yes. And herein lies the problem.
The messengers are not necessarily �angels of light� as
people have been led to believe. Many angel
enthusiasts have actually met heavenly visitors from the
dark side. Even self-professed Christians are
deceived. How can this be? Shouldn�t
Christians be able to discern what�s real and what�s
counterfeit? Not necessarily. Biblically
illiterate Christians are easy to fool.
(354) Spiritual
Abuse
and the Book of Galatians by Barb Orlowski,
4/4/12
Therefore, though Galatians initially looks like it is
dealing with legalism in the Christian churches there,
what Paul was correcting was a far deeper problem�an
entirely erroneous belief that was fraught with the
potential to undermine the true Gospel of Christ. Once
the reader of the Book of Galatians grasps what the main
issue at stake was, then this book will hold a far
richer understanding. From that key perspective, the
idea of church leaders �changing� Christian beliefs
today, by adding or subtracting from the true Gospel
message, can be followed with interest. The need is to
question if there is anything that would lead a follower
of Christ away from sole reliance on him as Savior and
Lord. This would gauge if a belief system is
sub-Christian and, therefore, would need to be
condemned.
(355) Refute
False
Doctrine Or Adapt It by Ken Silva,
4/5/12
Unfortunately, today too much of the church visible is
not willing to refute those who oppose sound doctrine
and instead has become more like Peter was before back
in Mark 8:33. This would lead to a most startling rebuke
from our Lord; Who clearly told His disciple that he
actually held a view that originates from Satan � �Get
behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on
the things of God, but on the things of man.�
(356) Old
or
Just Sensitive? - The New (Age) Music in the Churches
Today by Pastor John Shipman, 4/10/12
I�m a forty year old but one would think I�m eighty
years old! That is if you listen to worship in today�s
churches. Gone are the days of lovely, Word inspired
hymns. No, it will not attract the young crowd! See why
I am feeling old? The well-dressed choir has been
replaced with head-banging young children, jumping up
and down. The song with words that you can hear and
understand has changed into a blur of noise with screams
that hurt my ears (Old Gump!)
(357) Concerned
to
Discern by Pastor Larry DeBruyn, 4/16/12
As could be agreed upon by most believers, Christians
have the right, even the duty, to evaluate and hold
accountable to Holy Scripture those who profess the
evangelical faith but who, for reason of their manifest
beliefs and behaviors, appear to be departing from the
faith.
(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.
(381) Spiritual
Warfare by Berit Kjos, Crossroad,
11/4/12
Read Part
1, Part
2, Part
3 & Part
4.
(382) The
Gospel
as the True Armor of God � Deliverance from Demons as
Transfer of Dominion by Bob DeWaay, Critical
Issues Commentary, 11/8/12
It is not where demons are in relationship to us; it is
where we are in relationship to Christ � that is the
worldview of the Biblical writers. Those who have
believed the gospel are transferred from one spiritual
domain to another. But while we physically reside in
this world, we are surrounded by spiritual forces of
darkness. My thesis is this � the gospel is the armor of
God in which we must stand.
(382) A Trip To Hell?
by Sandy Simpson, 11/8/12
I am writing this article to expose yet another �trip
to hell� story making the rounds on the web. There
is a PowerPoint presentation about it and people who get
it are being urged to forward it to ten more
people. Before I get into commenting on this
story, which is quoted in full from the PowerPoint, I
need to help you understand how to discern these types
of stories. One of the most important ways is to
compare what is said with what the Bible teaches, both
in the actual account of hell we have there as well as
comparing it to what the Bible teaches doctrinally and
about Jesus Christ. The full text of the
PowerPoint is in red while my comments are in black.
(383) Raping
Old
Testament Narratives To Promote False Teaching
by Dr. Orrel Steinkamp, 11/17/12
This title is purposefully alarming in order to get the
attention of the reader. Perhaps a little less volatile
word could be abuse. Rape or abuse is to take something
by force that is not yours for the taking. It is abuse
when Scripture is mislabeled and misapplied. Violence is
done to the message and meaning of Scripture
(384) Confronting
Abusive Leaders from Chris Lawson, Vimeo
video, 11/29/12
Are abusive leadership tactics and "the fear of man"
pressing you down into submissive silence?
(385) Judge
Not!
... and you will not be judged by Philip
Powell, CWM, 12/6/12
�Judge Not� or �Do Not Judge� is an often-quoted verse
of the Bible � by Christians, pseudo-Christians and
non-Christians alike. This is especially true in the
today�s neo-pagan, politically correct Western world,
where �judge not� has been elevated to the status of the
�golden rule�. Similarly, the second half of the verse
of Scripture, from which this phrase comes, seems to
have been re-hashed into a �get out of jail free� card
type idea. But does this verse, Matthew 7:1, say, or
mean: �Do not judge AND you will not be judged�?
(386) The
Queen James Bible, the Gay Bible by Matt
Slick, CARM, 12/22/12
The Queen James Bible, also known as the gay Bible, is
a new assault on biblical orthodoxy and sexual purity.
This is to be expected in a world of moral relativism
and sexual perversions. the 1769 King James Bible
has been reproduced with only a very few select verses
altered. Those verses are listed below and analyzed. I
hope that you will see that the Queen James Bible is a
perversion of the original text and is the result of
obvious prejudices against the truth of God's word.
(387) Postmodern
Infiltration:
The Neoevangelical Heretical Idea by
Herescope, 12/28/12
Separation is not a passive activity. In these perilous
times, believers are called upon more than ever to be on
guard against the seductions of heretical teachings and
their teachers. It is a defensive posture that requires
standing firm on the Word, and continually filtering
every teaching through the lens of the whole counsel of
Scripture. To avoid heresy requires active resistance on
the part of the believer. Sometimes a believer must
physically flee from temptation and its circumstances.
(388) Can
A
Goat Be A Sheep? by Rick Frueh, 12/30/12
This is a dangerous and eternally diabolical situation.
How many church members are not born again? How many
preachers are hirelings? How many churches are offering
factories? How many church members go prayer less and
without ever once witnessing for Jesus? I do not say
these things from high atop a pinnacle myself. But how
can we remain silent when precious souls are being
deceived? They are not being led into Mormonism, or the
Watchtower, or Christian Science, but let us be
painfully frank. They are being led into a cult just as
insidious as the ones we love to identify. And because
these churches are considered mainstream, their
deceptive practices can be even more subtle and
eternally dangerous. It will only get worse as time goes
on.
(389) 2012
Was Not The Apocalypse! But When Is It? by
Sandy Simpson, 1/1/2013
When asked by a number of people if the Mayan
prediction was going to come true for the end of the
world to occur on 12/21/12 my answer was �What makes you
think the Mayans could predict the end of the world if
they could not even predict their own demise?�
Likely they simply ran out of space in the scribbling of
their calendar on their cave walls. But is there
any reliable source of information about when the
Apocalypse will occur? Yes there is. The
Bible prophecies have been accurate all through history
so it is our only source of reliable prophecy regarding
the end times. If you want information on how
close we are to the end you need look no further than
what Jesus told His disciples when asked that very
question in Matthew 24.
(390) Rapture
Already by Pastor Larry DeBruyn, Guarding His
Flock Ministries, 1/4/13
As such, Christians should not attempt to fill in any
void of knowledge regarding the afterlife by engaging in
occult activities (Leviticus 19:31) or paying attention
to the reports of the OBE or NDE experiences of others
because curiosity can kill the Christian and �we walk by
faith, not by sight� (2 Corinthians 5:7). Seeking voices
other than the Prophet�s regarding matters of the
afterlife betrays a heart of unbelief. By His words and
His works, the Prophet (Jesus) has informed us about all
we need to know of Heaven and how to go there when we
die. So in conclusion, I would ask us, who name the name
of Christ and have put our faith in and given our
allegiance to Him, are His promises not enough? If the
answer is negative, then maybe we need a heart, or
should I say . . . faith check-up. After all, Jesus
counseled His disciples, "Let not your heart be
troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my
Father�s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I
would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am,
there ye may be also." (John 14:1-3) So we see that in
the face of death, Jesus� words are sufficient.
(391) The
gospel and the kingdom of God by Mike
Oppenheimer, 1/8/13
Jesus Christ must return to establish His authority and
rule on earth for His kingdom to officially commence. To
do this He separates the sheep from the goats (Mt.25),
removes those who do evil and came against his people.
Then the faithful church will rule and reign under his
leadership which will be centered in Jerusalem.
(392) The Demise of Biblical
Discernment by T. A. McMahon, The Berean Call,
Volume 28, Issue 2, February 2013
In last month�s issue of this newsletter we exhorted
our readers to discipline themselves to read the Word of
God daily. The emphasis was on developing a habit, the
best and most necessary habit�one that every believer
should have. Of course, we encouraged reading the Bible
as a basis for living one�s life by what it teaches,
which is the only way that one who is born again
spiritually can mature in the faith. Yet, here is the
simple truth that too many Christians have missed: if we
don�t read God�s Word for ourselves, we can�t truly know
its instructions. If we don�t know God�s instructions,
we can�t follow Him, and we therefore can�t do what
pleases Him. Tragically, many if not most
Christians haven�t considered that
simple truth. Their spiritual beliefs
tend to be a collection of things they�ve heard
(sermons, radio, TV, books, movies, etc.) mixed with
what they may or may not have gotten from the Bible.
They have been spoon-fed rather than getting their
spiritual meals directly from God�s Word.
(393) The
Bible:
Too Low, Too Human, Too Safe? at The Berean
Call, 1/18/13
More than once I have been accused of being a
bibliolater , a person who idolizes the Bible, who has
excessive reverence for the letter of the Bible. I�m
sure many other Christians have been accused of this as
well. In my experience, this charge tends to be leveled
against those who affirm the infallibility or inerrancy
of Scripture; it may also be leveled against those who
affirm the sufficiency of Scripture. People who level
such a charge are objecting to what they see as a
woodenness of faith and practice that stems from an
understanding of Scripture they deem too literal.
(394) The
Mission
of Creating "the Third Testament" as "part of the 'I
AM' that we are" - An excerpt from Tamara
Hartzell's new online book: "Reimagining"
God:
Turning the Light off to Look for "Truth" in the Corner
of a Dark Round Room, 1/21/13
A mission that seeks to �continue the work of
Scripture� and even �recreate� it is astounding. And yet
it shouldn�t be surprising at all given that people in
today�s shifting Christianity quite openly would rather
make it up as they go along instead of believe and obey
God and His Word. If they just make up �scripture� as
they go along then they can thus justify today�s
preferred �make-it-up-as-you-go-along process� of
self-regulation, right?
(395) Who
Shapes
Our Conscience and defines RIGHT or WRONG in today's
corrupt culture? by Crossroad, 1/21/13
What determines our values in today's fast-changing
world? Who imprints its values on our conscience?
Do parents? Teachers? The Media? Or our omnipotent God?
It depends! In former times, the Christian conscience
played a leading role in American schools and families.
Parents who trusted God treasured His Word and taught it
to their children. With His Word imprinted on their
conscience, they would know whom to follow when faced
with a challenge. We live in a new era! The
Bible-trained conscience has largely been replaced by
contrary guidelines that twist, scorn or deny God's
truth. Some still point to a conscience, but most people
redefine it to match today's cultural values and
personal inclinations.
(396) �Babylon
Rising�
and Canon in Crisis by Pastor Larry DeBruyn,
1/27/13
Lewis Sperry Chafer (1871-1952), the first president of
Dallas Theological Seminary, once reportedly said that
all heresy is either the Bible plus, or the Bible minus.
The work of radical higher criticism, as it has
affected, even determined, the liberal view of the
Christian faith since the late 1800s, has seen to it
that there�s a lot of Bible-minus ideology amongst
professing Christians now-a-days, even among so-called
evangelicals. Now however, voices are emerging which
advocate a Bible-plus view of Holy Scripture.
(397) Marinated
Christianity by Rick Frueh, 2/2/13
For two thousand years Christianity had marinated
inside a cauldron of earthly culture and that process
has eventually made this remarkable faith appear
innocuous and unremarkable and even culturally
assimilated. While the first community of faith seemed
to humbly eschew the pleasures of the culture, this new
breed seemed to embrace them. And while the earliest
followers of Jesus remained humble even under the
severest of persecutions, this modern day church fights
fire with fire and complains loudly at the appearance of
even what would seem to be a harmless secular slight
against them. No longer would they pray and fast for
their enemies and trust Jesus to take care of them. Now
they would do verbal, legal, and political battle with
those in darkness.
(398) Jesus
is
the Way by Crossroad, 2/3/13
Jesus is the Way -- the only way -- through the pain,
fears, losses and challenges of our times! What's
more, He is the only Way to a victorious life with God
today and forever.
(399) Those
Who
Resist by Kevin Reeves, 2/15/13
These are critical days for the body of Christ. We are
in the epoch of church history spoken of by the apostle
Paul as �perilous times� (II Timothy 3:1). What makes
the danger all the more imminent is that not much of the
church believes it. Many of us have owned the glorious
but erroneous vision of an end-times remnant walking in
unconquerable power, transforming entire societies. The
result has been nothing short of catastrophic. How soon
we forget. Every cult in the world has sprouted from the
fertile soil of deception, always initiated by a drastic
move away from the primacy of the Word of God into the
nebulous, self-defining atmosphere of experience. At New
Covenant, our desire to accumulate otherworldly wealth
(i.e., supernatural power) had ushered us into a
contrived system of personal spiritual elevation much
like such active cults as Mormonism and the Jehovah�s
Witnesses.
(400) God's
Help
for Hard Times - Biblical Keys to Overcome Pain, Fear
and Hardship by James L. Morrisson with Maria
Kneas, 2/17/13
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12
:2) In order to deal with pain and hardship, we must
think Scripturally instead of thinking the way that the
world does. The theme of transformation runs throughout
the New Testament. God does not want us to stay where we
are. He wants us to change -- radically. Change is often
difficult and can be painful. But it is what God wants
and expects of us.
(401) Add-Ons:
Augmenting
Scripture With Diverse and Strange Doctrines
by Herescope, 2/18/13
It is an age-old deception. Adding to the Scripture is
one of the easiest ways to deceive believers. Why?
Because error is cleverly brought in as "new
information" that it is claimed will "illuminate" the
Word and enrich the life of a believer. Sola Scriptura
is being challenged by many new modes of augmentation.
Adding to Scripture with supplemental "diverse and
strange doctrines" is a form of heresy.
(402) Discernment
Detractors:
Calling Good Evil by Warren Smith, 05/12
While our Adversary furiously attempts to undermine the
importance of discernment by ridiculing it, we are not
ignorant of his devices (2 Corintians 2:11).
(403) The
Doctrine
of Church Discipline by Pastor Daryl Hilbert,
2/24/13
There is a battle to be waged in the Christian life.
The war has been won by our Champion-Savior, but there
are myriads of skirmishes that must be fought in the
battle with sin. Do not grieve if you find yourself
always in the midst of skirmishes with sin. Rather fret,
grieve, and awaken if you hardly ever hear the trumpet
sound and you have no bruises to show for your worth as
a soldier in the King�s army.
(404) Hungering
for truth or succumbing to the lies which only bring
deception by Mike Oppenheimer, 2/25/13
Is everyone in the world becoming deceived? Deception
can now be found in every facet of life at various
degrees. The military, businesses, food, the news,
school education, the church. Yes the place you may
gather for worship may not be as safe as you thought. We
need to guard our heart with all diligence in these
days. Read Part 1
& Part 2
(405) Setting
Aside
the Power of the Gospel for a Powerless Substitute
by David Dombrowski, 3/6/13
If I were to say to you that much of the church today
has set aside the power of God, would you be shocked?
After all, we live in a time where having the power of
God in your life is a major theme preached from pulpits
across the country. And book after book, sold in massive
quantities, pour off the presses promising a special
connection or intimacy with God that will revolutionize
your life and make it more dynamic. Yet, I believe I can
prove that in fact, the power of God is being laid
aside, and I will tell you how.
(406) Backsliding
From
the True Jesus by Prof. Johan Malan,
3/16/13
The world is under strong pressure to turn their backs
on the true Christ of the Bible in order to advance a
multireligious receptiveness to the appearance of the
false Christ of all faiths. The coming Messiah-King of
the deceived world will be the Antichrist, the great
adversary of the true Christ. An increasing number of
people are positively inclined towards his coming, and
are completely ignorant of the fact that they were
deceived by the devil to engage in paving the way for
the appearance of a false prince of peace for all of
humanity.
(407) Radical
Music
for Radical Times: Has Christian Music Gone Too Far?
at The Berean Call, 3/25/13
TBC: In finding "refuge in the lyrics of current gospel
music" the Church is bypassing the real refuge. Old and
now mostly forgotten composer Ira Sankey wrote in 1885,
"The Lord's my rock, in him we hide, a shelter in the
time of storm." He was simply pointing to our true
refuge. Psalm:1:1-2 [1] Blessed is the man that walketh
not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the
way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
[2] But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in
his law doth he meditate day and night. tells us,
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of
the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor
sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is
in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate
day and night." Not all modern music is without merit,
but for those who "push the envelope," they compromise
with the world and in doing so very likely shortchange
their listeners, leading them away from the Rock which
is our refuge," our "shelter in the time of storm."
(408) Kabbalah,
Cahn,
and Hebrew Mysticism by David James,
4/1/13
Jonathan Cahn has over 1,700 of his messages available
through the Hope of the World website. The descriptions
of many of these messages are quite revealing about his
approach to handling the Word of God�which appears to be
mystical at its core:
(409) The
Error
Of A-Millennialism by Andrew Robinson,
4/4/13
Augustine is the Charles Darwin of the Church, who
abandoned biblical literalism in favour of allegory, and
pioneered a survival-of-the-fittest theological system
which centred on the Church as the New People of God. He
believed Israel was finished and that all unfulfilled
Old Testament prophecies were to be reinterpreted
spiritually or allegorically in favour of the Church.
Consequently, references to Israel, Zion and Jacob, with
their attendant promises, no longer referred to the
Jewish nation.
(410) The
Death
of Reason and the Return of Jesus by Jacob
Prasch, Moriel Ministries, 4/7/13
Due to this suspension of reason, the stage is being
set for Jesus' warning that "For this reason" He will
come at an hour when He is not expected.
(411) Does
the Bible allow lying? Is it ever permissible?
by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/11/13
The Scriptures expressly condemn lies calling the Devil
the Father (originator) of them to man (John 8:44). It
was Satan who first distorted God�s instructions to Adam
and Eve. By having them disobey it affected not just
them but all of us through history.
(412) Four
Items
Of Interest: News announcements from Discernment
Ministries by Discernment Ministries,
4/13/13
News update on Dr. Martin Erdmann Interview, Discernment
Ministries Newsletters online, Warren Smith's website and
Pastor Anton Bosch.
(413) The
Need
for Discernment by Mike Gendron,
4/18/13
When asked, "What will be the signs of your return?',
the Lord Jesus mentioned several signs, but he repeated
one sign three times. There will be false teachers,
false prophets and false Christs who will deceive even
the elect if possible (Mat. 24:4,11,24). Knowing this we
must examine everything carefully so that we can hold
fast to that which is good and abstain from every form
of evil (1 Thes. 5:21). We need to identify and expose
religious leaders who are servants of the devil carrying
out his goal is to deceive the world (2 Cor. 11:13-15).
(414) Overcoming
Obstacles
to Trusting in the Lord by Maria Kneas,
4/21/13
How can we increase our trust in God? One way is to
identify some of the obstacles to trusting so that we
can deal with them. We can ask God to: (1) make us aware
when we fall into these ways of thinking or reacting,
(2) deal with things in our hearts that are fertile
ground for these hindrances, and (3) give us practical
strategies, and grace, to overcome these problems.
(415) The
Real Spiritual Warfare taking place by Mike
Oppenheimer, 4/23/13
The invisible world is not a separate supernatural
realm, it is not a realm of evil spirits. It is the same
dimension we live in except the spirits are invisible to
us, both God's and Satan�s angels use it. They (fallen
angels) have influence on men�s minds who are darkened
by sin. They influence us in writing, in art, in
education and especially in spiritual matters since this
when people come closest to the truth. The warfare is
not about finding what demon is doing what as modern
teachers of spiritual warfare are tecahing, but it is
found in the church just as the Bible warned it would
be.
(416) Understanding
the
Mixture by Jacob Prasch, 4/28/13
Can you explain God�s reasoning behind Leviticus 19:19?
(417) Biblical
Literalism by Crosswise, 5/2/13
It�s time the Church, most especially the Emergent and
hyper-charismatic wings, came back to true Biblical
Literalism - instead of engaging in
eisegesis, thereby taking Scripture out of proper
context in order to fit one�s own interpretation.
Teaching congregants how to apply proper exegetical
principles will alleviate this sort of thing and bring
forth Biblical literacy. Any subjective experience
or thought must be measured against the literal, plain
sense of the Bible, and, if not found to be congruent
with Scripture, it must be rejected as not of God.
(418) Going
against
God "just for fun" by Marsha West,
RenewAmerica, 5/2/13
Christian � take Paul's instructions to heart and daily
put on the full armor of God to protect against the
rulers of the darkness of this world.
(419) Shepherds
Or
Wolves? by Roger Oakland, 5/3/13
If you belong to a church that has a good shepherd who
teaches the Word and follows Jesus, support him in every
way. However, we must always remember that a shepherd is
just a man. I have known cases where shepherds have gone
astray and they didn�t even know it. This is because
they are human. If you know a shepherd like this pray
that God, by His grace, will open his eyes.
(420) Making
Christ's
Last Command Our First Concern by Mike
Gendron, 5/8/13
There are few things that should be more exciting to
Christians than being used by God to draw others to
Himself. Those who know and love their Savior will not
be content to attend church and hear the Word preached;
they will have a compelling desire to share it with
others. Everything we learn from God's Word should make
us more committed to making Christ's last command our
first concern.
(421) In
Him
All Things Hold Together - A Look at Colossians
1:16-17 by Dr. Bruce K. Alcorn, 5/14/13
It does not take much of an imagination to understand
that major problems would arise if God no longer held
together those forces He used when He made our atoms,
our molecules and our cells. If the electrons stopped
orbiting around their nuclei we would be in deep trouble
just like we would be if the earth stopped orbiting
around the Sun.
Updated! (422)
The
Serpent seed - Teaching "from the Serpent" by
Mike Oppenheimer, 5/23/13
One of the most deceptive doctrines that has slithered
into the church is the serpent seed teaching. First
popularized by William Branham and currently held by
Arnold Murray of the Shepherds Chapel and his followers
that have adjusted some of its meanings. Read
Part 1,
Part 2,
Part 3
& Part
4.
(423) Has
Bible
Prophecy Already Been Fulfilled? by Thomas
Ice, 5/27/13
Like many of the arguments presented by preterists,
they appear to have some initial merit when looked at by
the biblically uneducated, but upon closer examination
prove to be without merit. Preterists falsely built upon
the misguided assumption, that they attempt to "prove"
from various prooftexts, that Bible prophecy had to have
its fulfillment within about 40 years of Christ�s first
advent. There are many implications, both theological
and practical, that would require a major adjustment to
the Christian faith if they are right. Since their
arguments are incorrect, so are the implications that
flow from such thought. Because of the recent spread of
Preterism, pastors and teachers need to be prepared to
defend orthodox eschatology from this attack. Those who
believe that Christ came in a.d. 70 will certainly not
be found looking for our Lord's any-moment return when
He does rapture the church without any signs or warning
before this blessed event. Are we looking back at the
past or forward to the future? Maranatha!
(424) How
close are we to the Second Coming? by Sandy
Simpson, 5/27/13
Matt. 24:34 "I tell you the truth, this
generation will certainly not pass away until all
these things have happened." This verse from Jesus'
famous exposition on the destruction of the temple and
what would happen to precede the end times and His
return has intrigued many through the generations.
But it is not until this generation that it's meaning
has become clearer.
(425) Shepherds
Or
Wolves? by Roger Oakland, 5/28/13
The Bible provides a model for leadership. The model is
quite simple. Jesus Christ is the good shepherd. The
good shepherd is in charge of the sheep. Christians are
sheep who belong to the flock. Unlike what some
religious groups teach, the sheep should have personal
access to the good shepherd. There is one mediator
between God and man. We don�t need a priest to
intervene.
(426) Risky
Things to ask your Pastor by Mike Oppenheimer,
6/3/13
I have been watching a biblical change take place that
is not beneficial, and can bring harm to the pastor
member relationship. Unfortunately there were patient,
caring pastors that have changed their attitude toward
sheep that ask questions that may be uncomfortable to
them. There are an increasing number of pastors that
want only smooth sailing in their ministry without any
rocking the boat. If you ask them hard questions they
will either look at you as a trouble maker or shut down
their relationship they have with you. That is not how
they are to treat the sheep that are under them. Those
who have this leadership position are to be just as
accountable as any other member, not less. We should all
be equals in the body of Christ. Pastors are not
to be like politicians that go around and kiss babies
and schmooze with everyone and not really be involved in
their lives. Pastors are part of the body; and though
they have a different position they are to be there for
you, really there.
(427) Making
a Fable into Jesus; A different way to present the
Gospel, or a different gospel? by Mike
Oppenheimer, 6/19/13
Nonetheless, we have what some are calling the Superman
gospel. It is what is called a recontextualization.
Instead of concentrating on the gospel message from the
Bible - our need to be forgiven for sin, they find
correlations from another story (in this matter, the
movie) and use it to illustrate the person of Jesus.
Once you remove the integral parts for the gospel to be
proclaimed, you can shuffle the pieces around and fit
anything into the self-made mode, even portions that are
not from the Bible. One is reduced to banter as they
post modernize the message for an audience that is not
be receptive to biblical truth.
(428) Superman:
Flying
to a church near you at The Berean Call,
6/19/13
TBC: This isn�t a new development. Jerry Siegel and
Joseph Shuster, both Jewish, were the creators of
Superman. Superman�s original Kryptonian name was
�Kal-el, which borrowed Hebrew names which can be taken
to mean "voice of God." Siegel and Shuster were
borrowing the terminology and themes of Scripture for
their own use from the beginning. Furthermore, we see
continuing evidence of the (marketing) world using the
church for material gain (2 Peter:2:3And through
covetousness shall they with feigned words make
merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time
lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.).
This is indeed one more example of shepherds fostering
"showtime for the sheep."
(429) Don't Defile True
Doctrine by Allistair Begg, 7/14/13
God's altar was to be built of unhewn stones, that no
trace of human skill or labor might be seen upon it.
Human wisdom delights to trim and arrange the doctrines
of the cross into a system more artificial and more
congenial to the depraved tastes of fallen nature;
instead, however, of improving the Gospel carnal wisdom
pollutes it, until it becomes another gospel and not the
truth of God at all.
(430) Entertaining
Blasphemers by The Berean Call, 7/18/13
We are increasingly concerned with a number of reports
seen regarding evangelical churches inviting false
teachers into their services. For example, singer Joel
Hemphill, writer of the popular song �He�s still working
on me,� has for several years emphatically denied the
deity of Christ. His �revelation,� according to his own
statement, was progressive. "Along with many other
things that He told me, He said for me to study the
Scripture, as He was going to reveal Himself to me in
His word. This seemed strange as I was forty-six years
old, had been saved since I was ten, had been a minister
of the Gospel since the age of nineteen and thought I
had a pretty good grasp on who He was. I was Mistaken!"
(431) Replacement
Theology:
Disdaining God's Character by David Ettinger,
Zion's Fire, 7/25/13
For most of Church history, the place of Israel in
God�s present and end-times scenario has been
controversial, divisive, and egregiously flawed. It was
the Catholic theologian Augustine of Hippo (A.D.
354-430), better known as St. Augustine, who spread the
teaching that though God had chosen the Jews as a
special people, their dispersion by the Roman Empire in
A.D. 70 was a fulfillment of prophecy. Augustine
believed that God allowed the Jewish people to survive
this �scattering� as a warning to Christians regarding
the consequences of disobedience to God. Subsequently,
Augustine began to question those portions of the Bible
relating to Israel and erroneously surmised that those
passages were allegorical rather than literal. He
concluded, for instance, that the thousand-year kingdom
of which Revelation 20 speaks cannot be literal, but
rather spiritual. The kingdom of God, he declared, is
�in the hearts� of faithful believers, but was never
intended to find its fruition in actuality � a physical
kingdom on the earth over which Christ will rule.
(432) Christians
Are
Exhorted To Judge by Mike Gendron,
7/29/13
Many Christians are unaware of their responsibility to
judge and test all things. Paul exhorted: "I pray that
your love may abound still more and more in real
knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve
the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere
and blameless until the day of Christ" (Phil. 1:9-10).
Christians need to take judgment seriously in this life
because of the great responsibility that awaits us in
the future.
(433) Can
Christians
Be Spiritually Deceived, and How Can They Avoid it?
by
Roger Oakland, 8/4/13
If our battle is not against flesh and blood, then why
is it that when we are in conflicts here on this earth
that flesh and blood always show up? What are the
reasons for this? Is it possible for believers to be
agents for darkness and not even know it? Is it possible
for entire organizations to be misled because they have
not kept their focus on Jesus Christ and His Word? How
is it possible for believers and even leaders to believe
they are following Jesus, when instead they are
following man?
(434) How
To
Do An Exegesis by Moriel Ministries,
8/7/13
Correct biblical exegesis is the second most vital
aspect of studying and understanding God's Word second
only to illumination of The Holy Spirit and prayer.
(435) A
�Cleavage� in the Church by Sarah Leslie, Discernment Ministries Newsletter,
July/August 2013
Recently Charisma magazine � of
all places! � published an article by a female writer,
Jennifer LeClaire, who asked a very simple and bold
question: �Why Do So Many �Born-Again, Spirit-Filled�
Women Show Off Cleavage in Church?� (7/25/13).
(436) Paine
&
Ware - A false eschatology that is plainly
heretical, potentially cultic and ultimately lethal
by James Jacob Prasch, 8/14/13
In the last several weeks Moriel
has received multiple inquiries and flat out
expressions of serious concern regarding the
eschatological paradigm of Paine & Ware. The
source of this teaching (which we can only conclude to
be erroneous and dangerous) on the important subject
of the return of Jesus is the hypothesis postulated by
Frank Paine and Arthur Ware in the last century
derived from their writings �Restored Vision� and
�Miracle of Time�.
(437) Today's
21st
Century "Christianity" - No Bible Required!
by Paul Proctor, 8/19/13
This may come as a shock to most
Christians, but if you do a search of the less
contemporary translations of Scripture, the word
�feelings� is virtually nonexistent. Where it does
appear, it is cited as more of a superficial, even
negative attribute than a positive; and yet, as we
watch and listen to many from today�s churches, be
they leaders or laymen, not only do we see a clear
fixation on feelings, both physical and emotional, we
notice that those feelings have by and large become a
replacement for faith. In fact, if you substitute the
word �feelings� wherever you see the word �faith� in
those older Bible versions, it will become clear to
you what motivates and guides the average �Christian�
today � point being: most of us are not following the
Living Word of God by faith, we�re simply following
our feelings and calling it �faith.�
(438) The Error
of Replacement Theology - Part 1 by Andrew
D. Robinson, CWM, 8/20/13
As we move ever closer to the
return of the Lord Jesus, Scripture teaches us to
anticipate an escalation of opposition against Israel
from the international community. Zechariah speaks
particularly of the rise of the nations against
Jerusalem (the heart of the Middle East conflict), a
development that is well advanced and which will
climax after the Rapture. Tragically, many
Evangelicals, to their shame, have joined ranks with
the enemies of Israel, in what must be one of the
ugliest and most pernicious partnerships ever
witnessed in the history of the Church. It defies
belief to see so-called Bible believers arm-in-arm
with unbelieving Catholics, Quakers, Muslims,
(Islamists), Humanitarians, Secularists, Politicians,
and a host of other lobby groups, in drumming up
support for their virulent anti-Israel cause.
(439) Spiritual
Warfare by Crossroad, 9/1/13
"For though we walk in the flesh,
we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons
of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for
pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and
every high thing that exalts itself against the
knowledge of God, bringing every thought into
captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready
to punish all disobedience when your obedience is
fulfilled." 2 Corinthians 10:2-6
(440) Does
the
Bible teach that there was a pre-Adamic race?
by Matt Slick, CARM, 9/26/13
No, the Bible does not teach that
there was a race of people before Adam.
(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.
(450) Who is
blamed for bringing sin into the world? by
Mike Oppenheimer, 11/4/13
Read Part 1 - Who is
blamed for bringing sin into the world?, Part 2 -
Who and
what comes first? - 2 Thess.2 and the apostasy and
rapture and Part 3 - The Devil is
in the details - On the antichrist
(451) Come
Back
to the True Living Water by David
Dombrinski, 11/10/13
Jesus is that well of living
water, offered freely to whosoever will invite Him
into their lives and hearts to be Lord and Savior. To
the unbeliever, He is the invitation, �let him that is
athirst come� (Revelation 22:17). To the new believer,
He is that new life where, �old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new� (2
Corinthians 5:17). But to those who have known Christ
for awhile, even a long while, He is the reminder to
come back and be refreshed again to the only water
that �shall be in him a well of water springing up
into everlasting life� (John 4:14). When we partake of
that water, it does us much good. And when we share
that water with others, it does no harm to our
neighbor. It is the only water that is clean and pure
and flows from the throne of God.
(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.
(469) A
Final Response to Phil Johnson�s Defense of John
MacArthur�s False Teaching That Worshipers of the Anti
Christ Taking the Mark of the Beast Can be Saved
by Jacob Prasch, 2/2/14
What John MacArthur does in pneumatology with
cessationism, what he does in soteriology with
Calvinism, he now does in eschatology. Like the
Sanhedrin � he nullifies direct literal teachings in The
Word of God with the inventions of men. This is John
MacArthur. That is what he is, and that is all he is.
Please tell him and Phil Johnson that I said so.
(470) Biblical
Discipleship
� Prayer by Gary Gilley, Think On These
Things, November/December 2013 - Volume 19, Issue 5
The Spiritual Formation Movement has rocked the church.
Ancient disciplines, most often practiced within the
monastic movement in the early centuries of
Christianity, have been dusted off, repacked, and
resubmitted to believers as the means for obtaining
spiritual growth. There is increasing discussion about
fasting, journaling, pilgrimage, simplicity, solitude,
silence, contemplative prayer, and spiritual direction
in Christian literature. What can be learned from this
renewed interest in spiritual formation and what are the
dangers? The last eight editions of �Think on These
Things� have been written to interact with the history,
teachings and dangers of the Spiritual Formation
Movement. I want to now turn from the disciplines
practiced in modern spiritual formation to the biblical
alternative to spiritual formation, as described in the
earlier articles. We will examine the means, or
disciplines if you choose, which the Word of God clearly
identifies as ways God has designed for His people to be
transformed into Christ-likeness and to experience
intimacy with Him.
(471) Blood
Moon
Madness at The Berean Call, 2/24/14
There ARE a lot of prophetic signs being fulfilled in
our lifetime. But there's no Biblical basis for tying
the Blood Moons into predicting the return of
Jesus--they mean zilch!
(472) The
New
Tolerance Is Cruel� by Bill Randles,
3/1/14
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but
the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. (Proverbs
12:10) Currently, there is an alternative to the
judeo christian concept of love for our fellow-man,
which is called tolerance. It looks like love and
perhaps more importantly to many it actually feels like
love, but it�s not love at all.
(473) Treason
in
the Church: Trading Truth for a "Social Gospel"
by Berit Kjos - September 2006
Infiltration and deception have been tools of
conspirators through the ages, and the Church has been a
primary target! After all, God warns us that "the whole
world is under the sway of the evil one." (1 John 5:19)
One of his most effective schemes is to redefine God's
Word and divert Christians from His unchanging Truth to
man's shifting ideals. For example, God calls us to
serve the poor and fills our hearts with love for the
needy. That's why His true followers around the world
have willingly given their lives to share His truth and
love in perilous places. But today's world-centered
church illustrates a different kind of service. Designed
to please man rather than God, it trains its servers to
hide the "offensive" truths of the gospel. Like Rick
Warren, it uses the Bible to validate its purposes but
emphasizes organizational behavior rather than Biblical
beliefs -- in short, deeds instead of creeds.[3] Behind
its noble appearance hides a postmodern version of the
century-old "Christian Socialism."
(474) A
World In Revolt�Psalm 2 by Bill Randles,
3/9/13
The first two Psalms go together. Perhaps it isn�t
immediately apparent, because in some ways they are
completely different, but I believe the Holy Spirit led
those who placed them side by side as the opening of the
Psalter. Read Part
1 & Part
2.
(475) Faithful
Ministers
Versus False and Corrupt Ministers - A Brief Overview
with Compiled Resources by Chris Lawson,
3/21/14
In an age of mass confusion as to what a "Christian
Minister" actually is and does, the following
compilation is given in order to help clarify what the
Bible teaches about what a biblical "minister," or
"servant" is, and does, as opposed to what false,
corrupt and deceitful ministers are and do.
(476) Question:
How
to Find a Biblical Teaching Church? by
Lighthouse Trails, 3/23/14
We have often been asked, �How do I find a good
Bible-believing church?� There are many believers who
are struggling to find one in their own communities. We
usually recommend they make phone calls to potential
churches and ask a few concise questions such as ...
(477) The
Holy
Spirit and Holy Scripture by Pastor Larry
DeBruyn , 3/29/14
Jesus told His disciple/apostles: �When the Helper
comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He
will testify about Me, and you will testify [about Me]
also, because you have been with Me from the beginning�
(Emphasis added, John 15:26-27, NASB).
(478) Redeemed
From
the Law by Harry A. Ironside, 4/6/14
Audio file.
(479) Measuring
The
Experience by Roger Oakland, 4/12/14
While visiting the home of Joseph Smith near Palmyra, New
York, the location where Mormonism originated, I met a
Mormon girl at the information center by the name of
Sadie. When I expressed interest in knowing more about her
faith, she gave me a booklet. Later in the day, I read
through the information Sadie had given me.
(480) Four
Blood moons are coming - Significant or not?
by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/13/14
For something spoken of in prophecy to be fulfilled all
the elements, the descriptions must be included. This
means those points not just found in one particular
scripture but others that also give information on the
same event and time period. If the sun is darkened or
the moon turns red it does not mean fulfillment has
occurred unless the other points mentioned coincide.
This is where prophecy teachers get ahead of themselves
and make something out of near nothing. We should be
careful not to say this will be fulfilled or is
fulfilled when it is not.
(481) Has
the
Genesis Account of Noah's Ark Been Discredited?
by The Berean Call, 4/14/14
Does a �Recently Deciphered 4,000-Year-Old Tablet�
Discredit the Genesis Account of Noah's Ark? �But forget
all those images of a long vessel with a pointy bow�the
original Noah�s Ark, new research suggests, was round.�
Those words highlight the AP article discussing the
tablet that just went on display at the British Museum
on January 24. This recent assault on God�s Word comes
from Irving Finkel, the assistant keeper of Ancient
Mesopotamian script, languages, and cultures at the
British Museum. According to reports, Finkel received
the tablet a few years ago from the son of an amateur
historian named Leonard Simmons, who had acquired it in
the Middle East following World War II. The
cell-phone-sized tablet is also the subject of Finkel�s
new book, The Ark Before Noah.
(482) We need a firm
foundation to weather the storm of false ideas
by Sandy Simpson, 4/15/14
Matthew 7:24 �Therefore everyone who hears these words
of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man
who built his house on the rock." "How firm a
foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your
faith in His excellent word!" � 1787 Joseph Funk &
Robert Keene. A house built on the rock will
stand. The Rock is God and in particular, Jesus
Christ. Therefore His written Word is the
teachings of the His Holy Spirit and a Rock we can
depend on. Anyone who wants to prove anything
theologically, historically, scientifically or anything
else needs to start with correct information. If
you start with a faulty foundation, as you build your
arguments, they begin to fall apart because they are not
supported in God�s truth. If you want to build on
a firm foundation, you need to start the process by a
careful study of God�s Word in context of the verse and
according to the whole counsel of God�s Word. The
Bible is the best commentary on the Bible. There are
many false ideas floating around out there that have
been there, some from long ago. Those ideas were
formed in lieu of God�s Word, not from it. I am
going to give some examples of false ideas in history,
science and theology and show how they could have been
avoided if the Bible had been consulted. Yes, the
Bible is accurate for more than just theology.
Keeping it in context we can accurately understand
history, science and a whole host of other subjects.
(483) Why
Is
the Church Powerless? by William MacDonald
(1917-2007)
Spiritually we are in a shocking condition. The status of
many local fellowships is bad news, and deteriorating by
the minute.
(484) Does
the
Bible really say we're not to judge? by Marsha
West, 5/9/14
Some professing Christians become infuriated when a
"watchblogger" has the chutzpah to report on a false
teacher by name, as if naming names is unbiblical.
High-profile leaders and bloggers who mention heretics
by name are often accused of demonizing or judging them.
(485) Discernment
by Acts 17:11 Bible Study, 5/11/14
Are we to "judge" teachings, situations, and even
people in the church? Many Christians are fearful of
making judgments, and unclear if this is the mission and
duty of the church. After all: "Judge not!..." (We will
consider hypocritical judgment, or criticism, in a
moment.) This fear of using proper judgment may come
from a simple lack of understanding of God's will, or
from superstition (Col 2:18-19), or even from a lack of
the Holy Spirit (Jude 17-19). Scripture is useful for
correcting such conditions (2 Tim 3:16-17).
(486) Those
Who
Do Not Lead Christians to Maturity by Sandy
Simpson, 5/11/14
Eph. 4:12-14 to equip his people for works of service,
so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all
reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son
of God and become mature, attaining to the whole
measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no
longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves,
and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and
by the cunning and craftiness of people in their
deceitful scheming.
Heb. 5:13-14 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an
infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about
righteousness. But solid food is for the mature,
who by constant use have trained themselves to
distinguish good from evil.
(487) What
is
Redemption? by Dr. Harry Ironside,
5/18/14
The word �redemption� is one that runs all through the
Bible; in fact, we can say without any suggestion of
hyperbole that it is the great outstanding theme of Holy
Scripture. This important truth runs through the Book
like the proverbial red strand that, we are told, runs
through the cordage of the British navy. Everywhere,
from Genesis right on to Revelation, you find God in one
way or another presenting to us the truth of
redemption�redemption in promise and in type in the Old
Testament; redemption in glorious fulfillment in the New
Testament.
(488) The
End
Of The World (re. Blood Moons) at The Berean
Call, 5/21/14
TBC: A number of those promoting Blood Moons theories
also pushed warnings in 2012 based upon the Mayan
calendar (see:
http://www.thebereancall.org/content/question-i-ve-been-astonished-how-s...).
Other
dates have also been singled out in recent years with
the same results as seen as in the eclipse occurring in
April�i.e., nothing. In short, these predictions are
based upon unbiblical foundations that cannot stand.
(489) Flocking
to
other Christianities at The Berean Call,
5/23/14
That's why scholars took to the "Jesus's Wife" fragment
and various so-called "gospels" like, well, seagulls to
trash piles. That's why Taussig can insist, as the
Washington Post put it, that the fragment is "ostensibly
as important as documents that make up the accepted New
Testament."
(490) Keep
Thy
Heart With All Diligence by David Dombrowski,
5/25/14
It is all too easy in the busy world in which we live
today to get caught up in worldly concerns that would
tend to draw our hearts in a different direction than
God intends. A Scripture that comes to mind is the one
in Proverbs that says: Keep thy heart with all
diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23
(491) Biblical
Discipleship
� The Transforming Life by Gary Gilley, Think
On These Things, (May/June 2014 - Volume 20, Issue
3)
Other forms of spirituality, both in biblical times as
well as today, may have the appearance of �wisdom in
self-made religion� (2:23), but in the end they are mere
detours from the real life found in Christ. Like the
Colossians, Paul was concerned that the Corinthian
church was being led to a spiritual dead-end. He writes,
�But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by
his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the
simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ� (2 Cor
11:3). Spiritual formation, mysticism, New Age
spirituality and a host of other influences draw
believers today away from the simplicity of Christ. Our
Lord would have us cling tenaciously to Christ Himself,
shedding the weights that slow us down and the sins that
so easily entangle us, so that we can run the race set
before us with endurance, �fixing our eyes on Jesus, the
author and perfecter of faith� (Heb 12:1-2).
(492) A Response To To The
Larry De Bruyen Follow Up Article To Mark Mullins On
Herescope by Jacob Prasch, Moriel Ministries,
6/11/14
Here , unlike Mark Mullins, Larry De Bruyen rightly
distinguishes between the Haggadik midrash (based on a
hermeneutic employed by Jesus and Paul) and the Halakik
midrash (rejected by Jesus & Paul), but then
muddles the two. The fundamental failure to address the
Midoth of the School of Hillel where Paul was trained in
the New Testament (which Longenecker - his quoted
scholarly source insists to be true) would (as with Mark
Mullins) get his paper automatically dismissed by
academic peer review in a scholarly forum or academic
institution and contributes to his convoluted
speculations in the issues he labeled as 1 & 2 in
his propositions and conclusions. His conspicuous
avoidance of the use of the very term Midrash where it
is found in scripture though ranks as absurdity.
(493) Is
The
Drum Beat Of Rock Music Demonic? by Watchorn
Church, 6/13/14
A Scriptural, Musical, & Historical response to the
assertions of Larry De Bruyen with ragards to rock
music. Six WMA audio tracks
downloadable.
(494) Christian
Marching
Orders by Charles Spurgeon
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, �All power is
given to me in heaven and in earth; go, therefore and
teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.�
(Matthew 28:18)
(495) Bright
Hope
in Dark Days by Charles H. Spurgeon
The path of the Christian is not always bright with
sunshine. He has his seasons of darkness and of storm.
True, it is written in God's Word, "Her ways are ways of
pleasantness, and all her paths are peace," and it is a
great truth, that religion is calculated to give a man
happiness below as well as bliss above.
(496) SRN
April
2014 Newsletter (PDF) by Chris Lawson,
Spiritual Research Network, 6/27/14
Gateway to Ghosts, Hauntings and Apparitions (Part 1):
Occultism and the Paranormal - By Chris Lawson
One of Satan�s Final Masquerades - By Sandy
Simpson
Mantra Meditation: A Warning! - By Chris Lawson
Mantra Meditation - By Ray Yungen
(497) What
is
inerrancy and why should we care? by Biblical
Inerrancy, 7/4/14
These are the professors of some of the finest
evangelical schools in the nation, who are responsible
for training the pastors of today and future
generations, and they are saying that they are
comfortable with these verses not being factual. This is
an outright departure from the historic definition of
inerrancy.
(498) Biblical
versus
Cultural Christianity - Oswald Chambers comment on
Modern Christianityat Crossroad,
9/8/14
Biblical Christianity means being joined to Jesus
Christ through faith in what He did for us at the cross,
then allowing Him to live His life through us, so that
others might know Him and see His love. (That love may
include sharing His warnings as well as His promises
with those in need.) The established Church, like Old
Testament Israel, has always tended to drift away from
its devotion to God and become just other institutions,
subject to the same human impulses and painful
consequences as the rest of the world. Please don�t
blame human evils on a "straw-man" or a convenient
cultural distortion of Christianity. Consider some of
the differences between Biblical faith and today's
cultural deviations.
(499) Leviathan by
Sandy Simpson, 9/22/14
This study is up for interpretation but I find
descriptions of leviathan in the Bible
fascinating. This creature that existed, and may
yet exist, is used as a description of the might and
power of the enemy.
(500) Worship
More
Pagan than Christian? at The Berean Call,
10/15/14
There is a great misunderstanding in churches of the
purpose of music in Christian worship. Churches
routinely advertise their �life-changing� or �dynamic�
worship that will �bring you closer to God� or �change
your life.� Certain worship CD�s promise that the music
will �enable you to enter the presence of God.� Even a
flyer for a recent conference for worship leaders
boasted: "Join us for dynamic teaching to set you on the
right path, and inspiring worship where you can meet God
and receive the energy and love you need to be a mover
and shaker in today�s world�Alongside our teaching
program are worship events which put you in touch with
the power and love of God." The problem with the flyer
and with many church ads is that these kinds of promises
reveal a significant theological error. Music is viewed
as a means to facilitate an encounter with God; it will
move us closer to God. In this schema, music becomes a
means of mediation between God and man. But this idea is
closer to ecstatic pagan practices than to Christian
worship.
(501) The
Need
of Discernment in the last days (DVD series)
by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/18/14
We are told in the last days that false prophets will
increase, that deception will be pervasive in the world
and IN THE CHURCH. What are the New spirit movements and
methods that are consistently springing up and entering
the church? Discernment is the need of the hour for our
survival and keeping the faith of Biblical Christianity.
In this video we use some of the worst examples to show
the dumbing down of the church in discernment, resulting
in deceiving the church. We will learn where and from
whom this originated in modern times. Revelations that
contradict the Bible, new books in heaven, glory
services, Dominion goals of the New apostles and
prophets, people claiming to go to heaven, prophetic
interpretation of tattoos and piercings, new age
healing, drunken stupors, becoming frozen and silent.
What is passing for revelation and Bible teaching is
astounding. We need to understand what is taking place
and stand in the faith to be victorious. How do we
identify it or refute it? How can we protect
ourselves and others. Discernment is a gift that
accompanies the Holy Spirit who is our umpire that keeps
us awake to distinguish truth from error. The Bible
tells us to grow in discernment, so that we can mature
and help others who are easily deceived. Being grounded
in the core doctrines of the faith and building on them
makes one immune to the many deceptions that surround us
today, this is what this video series is about.
(502) What
Is
Christian Palestinianism? with Paul Wilkinson
at The Berean Call, 10/31/14
Program Description: Tom McMahon discusses the
dangers of Christian Palestinianism with Dr. Paul
wilkinson of Hazel Grove Full Gospel Church as they
critique Hank Hanegraaff's interview with Dr. Gary
Burge. Listen to the MP3 or read the
transcript of Part
1, Part
2, Part
3 & Part
4.
(503) Take
Heed
To Yourselves And All The Flock by Dr. Harry
Ironside (1876-1951)
Objection is often raised even by some sound in the
faith - regarding the exposure of error as being
entirely negative and of no real edification. Of late,
the hue and cry has been against any and all negative
teaching. But the brethren who assume this attitude
forget that a large part of the New Testament, both of
the teaching of our blessed Lord Himself and the
writings of the apostles, is made up of this very
character of ministry-namely, showing the Satanic origin
and, therefore, the unsettling results of the
propagation of erroneous systems which Peter, in his
second epistle, so definitely refers to as "damnable
heresies."
(504) Characteristics
of
Cults and Cultic Influences! by Chris Lawson,
11/7/14
Four patterns found in CULTS and CUTLIC movements that
can shipwreck your Christian faith and destroy you and
your family!
(505) EXPECTATION
(He
is Coming!) by Dr. Harry Ironside
This, then, is our expectation; this is our hope! And
the Lord would have us living day by day in view of the
possible fulfillment of the promise of His coming again.
When you get up in the morning, cultivate the attitude
of soul that leads you to say, �Christ may come today;
and if He were to come today, I want Him to find me
walking in obedience to His holy Word.� And when you go
to sleep at night say, �Christ Jesus may come tonight,
and I can rest in perfect peace, knowing that when He
comes I shall be caught up to meet Him.�
(506) Evangelicals
that promote the mystical power of communion
by Mike Oppenheimer, 11/24/14
Lets begin with a general in the NAR of Pierce and
Wagner, Ana Mendez Ferrel who teaches. �He told His
disciples that the bread was His body broken for their
sins, and the wine was His blood, sealing the covenant
of forgiveness. Even more important, He said His body
was real food and His blood was real drink. If our
spirits don't take in their needed food and drink, is it
any wonder we are weak?� So then the covenant was sealed
before Jesus went to the cross? Why does anyone listen
to this kind of nonsense that is clearly Catholic
teaching. She claims we need to understand the Jewish
feast of the Passover- does she? No one was healed by
participating in the feast, it was a shadow of Christ
the genuine light who redeemed us with his own blood.
(ACT Note: This is the same lady who allegedly climbed
up Mt. Everest and killed the Queen of Heaven and the
devil there.)
(507) Howling
at the Moon by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/7/14
The false teaching teaching of blood moons occurring
today.\
(508) Watchmen
Who
Are Not Watchmen by James Jacob Prasch,
12/10/14
What Ever Happened To Matthew 24? On Your Walls O
Jerusalem I Have Appointed Watchmen; All Day And All
Night they Will Never Keep Silent. You Who Remind the
Lord Take No Rest For Yourselves (Isaiah 62:8). The
prophetic watchman of Jerusalem and Judah, then and now:
It was Isaiah who first prophesied God would raise up
watchman concerning the forthcoming events in the
history of the Hebrews generally, and their country
Judah specifically, with special reference to their
capital Jerusalem, where the Temple and Holy Ark were
located - God's presence with them. As the events
prophetically predicted by Isaiah unfolded we indeed see
God calling the Prophet Ezekiel as the definitive
watchman in the scriptural usage of the word (Ezekiel
3:17, 33:7), and it is Ezekiel that biblically most
demonstrates what a watchman is and what he does. But
first we must note that it is not a term found in the
New Testament, it firstly was an office for the ancient
Hebrews. Therefore, although there are without doubt
those functioning as 'watchmen' in the church, in order
to grasp their raison d'etre we must first grasp their
Old Testament nature exemplified in Ezekiel (the only
individual specifically called a 'watchman'). We need to
understand some of the differences between Old and New
Testament prophets (which despite the license that
cessationists effectively issue themselves to pronounce
passages of scripture not to their liking null and void,
still do exist in the church - eg. 1 Corinthians 12:29
& 14:32).
(509) Fight
the
spiritual forces of wickedness -- and win! by
Marsha West, 12/11/14
Satanism...religious liberty...beheadings...gender
confusion...ecumenicalism. My tendency is to fret about
such things, even though God reminds us in His Word: Do
not be anxious about anything, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known to God. And the peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6-7)
Likewise, 1 Peter 5:7 commands believers not to be
anxious but to lay all our worries on God because He
cares for us. So is there any question that His people
are to go to Him with the hard things, lay them at His
feet, and trust that we can literally "let go and let
God"?
(510) Temptations,
Tests
and Triumph - The Victory of the Cross by
Crossroad, 12/14/14
"Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste
of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. "My brethren,
count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces
patience." James 1:2-3 "...the Lord your God is testing
you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul." Deuteronomy 13:3
(511) Discernment
or
Criticism? by Roger Oakland, 12/16/14
Taking a stand from a biblical perspective with regard
to purpose-driven-emerging Christianity is not very
popular these days. Those working towards establishing
the kingdom and �getting closer to Jesus� through
contemplative practices rooted in eastern mysticism are
very outspoken. If you are not in favor of what they are
promoting, you are labeled a hater and against
everything.
(512) Certain
Men
Crept In by Roger Oakland, 12/24/14
What would Paul and Jude write to the church if they
were here today? Would their message have changed in any
way? Based on current trends that dilute the simple
gospel of Jesus and make it into a
�social-humanistic-psychological-what�s-in-it-for-me�
gospel that rejects the imminent return of our
Lord� I don�t think so. Let the book of Jude be a
wake up call for us today!
(513) Another
Jesus
or the True Jesus � Whom Are You Serving? by
Roger Oakland, 4/10/09
The apostle Paul was a man with a passion for the
truth. While his ministry clearly focused on proclaiming
the saving grace of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he was
also concerned when he saw the truth being compromised
by Satan�s subtle deceptive plan. While Paul made every
effort to teach the church at Corinth the truth about
Jesus and His death on the Cross to save them from their
sins, false teachers and false doctrines had infiltrated
the church. Obviously some were being led astray.
(514) When
Change
is Expressly Forbidden by Danny Ison,
2/13/15
There are those who try to tell us that the warning at
the end of the Book of Revelation applies exclusively to
revisions attempted to only that book of the Bible and
not the rest, but as with all things biblical, our
understanding of any principle of the Lord comes from
the whole of Scripture and not by lifting out and
highlighting just a single reference. Moses, Solomon and
Paul, at various points of history, provide the
foundation for what is finalized in the last verses of
the Bible on behalf of the whole of Scripture, that
God�s entire Word is closed canon and provides no option
for human editing, be it in any form of redaction or
embellishment. And yet something has taken place within
the walls of the Church since the turn of the new
millennium for which I can find no previous historic
parallel: openly changing God�s Word in spite of the
express mandate otherwise.Some of the most popular
leaders within Christianity have altered God�s Word in
ways that no Christian cult, no rival religion, nor any
enemy of the cross I know of has dared to do. If such
distortions of God�s Word had been engaged in by the
usual suspects working against the true Church, I would
characterize it as some kind of desperate attempt to
fabricate their lie to give it an outward appearance of
authority. But how one explain this coming about at the
hands and from the mouths of those whom most of the
present-day Church�s membership recognize as their own?
(515) I can�t
be deceived because I�m a Christian! by Mike
Oppenheimer, 2/23/15
The Bible speaks of a certain time at the end of the
age where deceivers will become commonplace and there
will be so much confusion that truth will become rare,
few will speak it.Matt 24:4-5 And Jesus answered and
said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you."For
many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,'
and will deceive many.� To those who believe. Luke 21:8
And He said: "Take heed that you not be deceived. For
many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The
time has drawn near.' Therefore do not go after them.
The word he is not in the original translation. So we
have Jesus warning of mean saying they are Christ (or
christed- anointed) and men saying �I am�, saying they
are God (i.e. the new age and word faith teachers)
(516) Is there
a rapture? Is there a resurrection? by Mike
Oppenheimer, 2/27/15
What is called the rapture (the removal of the
believers upwards, the church meets Jesus in the air) is
when the living saints are transformed to be in immortal
like Christ. If you do not believe in the rapture then
you cannot believe in the resurrection, they are both
joined together as the same event, nearly
simultaneously.
(517) Disingenuous
Hermeneutics by Sandy Simpson, 2/23/15
I was reminded of a comment by Rev. Gary Gilley made on
our 6-DVD series called �The New Apostolic Reformation �
What is it and where is it going?�. He was
addressing proper exegesis versus wrong ways to
interpret the Bible. He said that those who inject
their own ideas and doctrinal methodologies on the
Bible, making it into their own image and to their own
liking, are using �Fairytale Hermeneutics�. I
always liked that definition and will now add one of my
own with regards to how people lie about what the Bible
says when it comes to their own preconceived notions,
upholding mistaken Biblical interpretations. When
you find yourself having to make up false definitions
and other interpretations that are not according to the
clear teaching of Scripture, you end up being a type of
false teacher. I learned long ago that if you want
to teach the Bible correctly you let it interpret
itself. You teach what Jesus, the Apostles,
Prophets and Patriarchs did, with the help of the Holy
Spirit instead of trying to plug in manmade doctrinal
systems on top of Biblical truths
(518) God's
Method of Consistently 'Warning' and 'Teaching'
(Video) by Chris Lawson, 3/12/15
One of the ways God expresses this is through his
consistent warnings against satanic spiritual deception,
false teachers, false prophets, deceivers, the enemies
of Israel, liars, deceivers, spiritism, sorcerers, the
tools of the occult, the enemies of the Church, false
gospels, counterfeit "Jesus's," false apostles, false
brethren, doctrines of demons, the antichrist spirit
that dominates each age and the world's system, Mystery
Babylon, end-times deception the coming personal
Antichrist and his false prophet (Rev. 13) and more.
(519) They
will reject truth and believe The Lie! by Mike
Oppenheimer, 3/15/15
John 14:16-17 "And I will pray the Father, and He will
give you another Helper, that He may abide with you
forever-- "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot
receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but
you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
This is what separates believers from the world, keeps
them from the world and the enemy who rules over it,
TRUTH. We are kept by the Spirit of truth.
(520) The
Danger of "New Revelation" by Mike
Oppenheimer, 3/15/15
Paul writes in 1 Cor. 4:6, �that you may learn in us
not to think beyond what is written that none of you may
be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. Once
someone is allowed to tell people stories like; Jesus
appeared to them in their room or they visited heaven
and they were given new revelation, the rest comes easy.
They become as if lost at sea, adrift with their fantasy
revelation that makes them more important. They have
something to say that no one else does because they were
chosen.
(521) Those
Who
Are Spiritually Deceived Are No Longer Able to Think
for Themselves by Kevin Reeves, 3/18/15
Some may think it is extreme to compare the spiritual
deception and control tactics within the church today to
that of the Nazi regime and the death camps, but we
should remember that the church in Germany in the 1930s
was very much like the church is today�having a head in
the sand mentality about spiritual deception and turning
religious leaders into super-human heroes who can do no
wrong. Perhaps we are not all that different than
Christians in Germany back then. We should not fool
ourselves and think we would never be duped like
that.
(522) The
Old
Rugged Cross by Crossroad, 3/29/15
"...the message of the cross is foolishness to those
who are perishing, but to us who are saved it is the
power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18) To a world bent on
social unity and moral laxity, the cross stands as a
divisive and humiliating obstacle. Attempts to minimize
its offense through laws and intimidation have bullied
both secular and church leaders into continual
compromise. Public crosses are demolished or hidden;
Bibles are forbidden in schools, the traditional days
for celebrating the resurrection have been renamed
"spring break;" and countless corporations and
government agencies ban cross-shaped pins or jewelry.
Even Jesus Himself has become a popular target for media
mockery and ridicule!
(523) Noah�s
story...will it become our story? by Mike
Oppenheimer, 4/1/15
Noah�s story is one of separation as he kept himself
and his family from the defections and corruption of the
society he lived in. He gave a testimony to all those
who would ask about the boat he was building, not doubt
being mocked as it was being built. The people watching
him do this year after year for their whole lives until
it was completed.
(524) Warning!
Spiritual
Deception Abounds! (MP3) by VCY America,
4/8/15
Today more than ever we seem to be bombarded with
individuals who are intentionally attempting to get
people to believe lies regarding Christianity, our Lord
and Savior and His word, the Bible. One example is
Reverend John Shuck, who ministers at Southminster
Presbyterian Church in Beaverton, Oregon. Reverend
Shuck claims he doesn't believe in God yet defends his
'Christianity.' He also claims that the Bible is a
human product and that while Jesus may have been a
historical figure, most of what we know about him is
legend. To Reverend Shuck, God is a symbol of
myth-making and isn't credible as a supernatural being
or force. This is just one example that Vic
presented of people today who, while standing in their
pulpits wearing their religious garb, propose ideas that
have nothing to do with the Bible. The result? A
survey of more than 4,000 adults shows that Americans
are conflicted regarding Jesus, the central figure of
Christianity. The survey showed that the idea that
Jesus is God just doesn't register well with
'millennials' (those born between 1984 and 2002). This
edition of Crosstalk also mentioned a new Bible that
replaces the name of God with that of rap star Kanye
West, Vic retells the story of The Modernist Preacher
Entering Hell and callers share their comments as well.
(525) Is
the
Bible Better on T.V.? with J. B. Hixson and
Tom McMahon, 4/11/15
On this program and next week, the subject is the
upcoming NBC special broadcast on Easter Sunday titled
A.D.: The Bible Continues . It is a followup to the
series aired on the History Channel and its theatrical
spinoff Son of God , and my guest to discuss this
production and the problems with translating the Bible
visually is J.B. Hixson. J.B. is the author, Bible
teacher - he�s a Bible teacher and radio host. His
ministry is Not By Works, and can be found at
www.notbyworks.org, and you can go on his website to
order his latest book The Great Last Days Deception . Read
Part
1 & Part
2.
(526) The
Unseen
Foe Behind Rising Evil by Berit Kjos,
5/1/15
We don't hear much about spiritual warfare these days.
Most churches seem to ignore the reality of Satan and
the evil he inspires. God's warnings about compromise
with a corrupt world simply don't fit the new image of
Jesus as a gentle, tolerant, pluralistic helper. Since
the 18th century's birth of the "Age of Reason," an
increasing number of "enlightened" Western leaders and
influential "change agents" have tried to discredit the
Bible and silence Christian believers. More recently, a
vast number of politicians, media masters and educators
have joined the battles against Biblical truth and
morality.
(527) God�s
Desire
and A Warning and a Plea by Ray Yungen,
5/5/15
Just what exactly is God�s desire for mankind? Does He
want to send people to Hell? Does He want anyone to live
eternally without Him? Scripture is very clear about
this when it says: The Lord is not slack concerning his
promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance. (II
Peter 3:9) God makes a strong plea to all people, giving
them every opportunity to receive Him. It is God�s
desire that none should perish eternally. That�s why he
offered His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ�the only perfect
sacrifice for mankind�s sin: Therefore as by the offence
of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to
condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one
[Jesus] the free gift came upon all men unto
justification of life. (Romans 5:18) What it comes down
to is the preaching of the higher self versus the
preaching of the Cross. The New Age is saying that God
is the higher self in man�that God is just a meditation
away.
(528) The
"New
Model" Gospel by Dr. Orrel Steinkamp,
5/15/15
For over 50 years at least, a new message to call the
unconverted to Christ has been inching it's way
virtually undetected into a dominant place among
evangelicals.
(530) Knowing
Our
Triune God by T.A. McMahon, The Berean Call,
5/23/15
The doctrine regarding the Trinity (the three Persons
of the Godhead) isn�t something that any finite
individual can fully comprehend. The concept is beyond
the grasp of our mortal minds. And yet, God has given to
mankind a great deal of information about the Trinity
throughout the Scriptures�information that His created
beings may and must understand, albeit imperfectly.
Although the term �Trinity� isn�t found in any Bible
verse, that which the Trinity comprises is found from
Genesis through Revelation.
(531) The
Necessity
of Biblical and Discerning Pastors (MP3) by
Chris Lawson, 5/27/15
This audio includes a brief overview of Ephesians
chapters 1-3 and an expositional study of Ephesians
4:11-16. It also serves as a clarion call to pastors and
church leaders to "Prove [test] all things, hold fast
that which is good" (1 Thes. 5:21). Based on
Ephesians 4:11-16, the Holy Spirit through the Apostle
Paul makes is very clear that pastors are to equip the
saints for the work of ministry. Many pastors and church
leaders in our day, including countless church elders
and youth leaders, are not only not teaching the whole
counsel of God, they are allowing many aberrant and
heretical teachings into the Body of Christ. This leaven
of false teaching comes through in sharing speaking
platforms with false teachers, the allowance of false
teaching in church �book� studies, conferences and
compromised bookstores. This study will help church
leaders take a closer look at their own lives as well as
the doctrines they profess to believe.
(532) Raising
Up
Biblical and Discerning Leaders (MP3) by Chris
Lawson, 6/3/15
The Fear of the Lord; Repentance; Dealing with heresy;
Revering God instead of man; Consistent Bible reading;
Seeking out Bible teaching leaders and ministries;
Avoiding excesses and extremes; Defining your terms;
Interpreting Scripture with Scripture; Using the Bible
and Bible study tools instead of pop-Christianity books
and fads; Defining biblical terminology in context;
Knowing the basic essentials of the Christian faith and
teaching them; Teaching the basics of biblical
discernment; Using the proper rules of biblical
interpretation; Understanding what a �cult� is, what
�the occult� is, what �aberrant� means, and what a
�pseudo-Christian cult� is; Finding out what leads to
heresy and why; Educating yourself on the threats and
dangers that are in the church today; Learning what
biblical hermeneutics is all about; Educating your
spouse and children in Scripture; Understanding schools
of Interpretation and the dangers of �allegorizing� and
�spiritualizing� Scripture; Testing all things by the
Word of God; Avoiding all appearance of evil;
Recognizing the signs and symptoms of cults, spiritual
abuse; and more.
(533) "...whether
things
on earth or things in heaven" by Sandy
Simpson, 6/2/15
Col. 1:19-20 For God was pleased to have all his
fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to
himself all things, whether things on earth or things in
heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the
cross. I ran across this verse again the other day
and it made me stop and think. Why would Jesus
Christ have to reconcile things in heaven? I
understand fully why He had to do that on earth where sin
took control, as well as the physical universe which was
also affected by sin, but in the third heaven? In
looking at the various commentaries on this subject it is
apparent that people have different ideas about what this
means.
(534) Marks of
False Religion - A study of Colossians 2:8 in
context with applications for today by
Sandy Simpson, 6/11/15
Christians, in order to remain faithful, need to take
seriously the repeated admonitions of the Apostles to stay
true to Jesus Christ, the Gospel and sound doctrine.
This is the only way to protect ourselves from the wolves
who continue to invade the churches. Matthew
7:15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to
you in sheep�s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious
wolves.
(535) The
Reality
of Spiritual Warfare: The Invisible War & the
Victory of the Cross by Berit Kjos,
6/20/15
God's creation is truly amazing! We may be
familiar with life on planet earth, but the dimensions
of His unseen habitations reach far beyond our human
comprehension. That heavenly realm -- including God's
armies of supernatural angels -- is mentioned throughout
the Bible, but few of us seem to take it seriously.
Usually hidden from our earth-bound eyes stand two kinds
of warriors: God's faithful angels and Satan's malicious
demons. God uses His loyal angels to guide, fight,
protect and watch over His people. He uses Satan's
demonic hordes to enforce His justice, punish the
wicked, and train us in spiritual warfare. While He
calls us to follow Him, share His Word and spread His
love, He also prepares us to face spiritual battles that
involve evil forces as well as the good. "Then my
enemies will turn back in the day when I call; this I
know, that God is for me.... In God have I put my trust:
I shall not be afraid. What man can do unto me." (Psalm
56:9, 11)
(536) Noah�s
story, will it become our story? by Mike
Oppenheimer, 7/6/15
Matt 24:38-39 "For as in the days before the flood,
they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in
marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark," and
did not know until the flood came and took them all
away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.�
Noah�s story is one of separation as he kept himself and
his family from the defections and corruption of the
society he lived in. He gave a testimony to all those
who would ask about the boat he was building, not doubt
being mocked as it was being built. The people watching
him do this year after year for their whole lives until
it was completed.
(537) Is
Psychological
Counseling Biblical? with Martin and Deidre Bobgan
(Part 1) by The Berean Call, 7/11/15
On today�s program and next week, as well, we�ll be
discussing what the Scripture has to say about believers
ministering to one another, which, sad to say, is
foreign to the way most churches with rare exceptions go
about counseling, even under the label of �biblical
counseling.� My guests to discuss this important subject
are Dr. Martin and Deidre Bobgan. They are prolific
writers with more than 20 titles to their credit, nearly
all addressing the scriptural problems with
psychological counseling and Christian psychology,
so-called. Many of their books can be downloaded from
their website, which is www.pamweb.org, or you can order
their books, their hardcopies, from The Berean Call.
(538) A
Brief Review Of The Theological Paper Of Daniel R.
Jennings Entitled �Except For Fornication� by
James Jacob Prasch, 7/14/15
In his public paper freely available on the Internet,
Daniel R. Jennings, (without doubt a sincere and genuine
brother in Christ) represents himself as one formerly
holding to the doctrinal belief that adultery provided
scriptural grounds for divorce based on the teaching of
Jesus in Matthew�s Gospel, (Matthew 5:31-32 &
Matthew 19: 3-12) but that based on further primarily
linguistic study, he now maintains that this is not the
case and that the only New Testament grounds for divorce
is a case of pre-marital fornication by a wife who
deceitfully misrepresents herself as a virgin.
(539) The
Danger of New Revelation by Mike Oppenheiimer,
7/18/15
Paul writes in 1 Cor. 4:6, �that you may learn in us
not to think beyond what is written that none of you may
be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. Once
someone is allowed to tell people stories like; Jesus
appeared to them in their room or they visited heaven
and they were given new revelation, the rest comes easy.
They become as if lost at sea, adrift with their fantasy
revelation that makes them more important. They have
something to say that no one else does because they were
chosen. The reality of demons should not be dismissed,
or underestimated, they are deceptive. They have one
think they are in contact with God and pride is always
the bait on the hook. Encapsulated in their new teaching
is God is with me as they present to the hearers their
new revelation.
(540) The
Queen
James Bible Release: a Story of Malice and Deception
by Lighthouse Trails, 7/19/15
We believe this article, written by a Lighthouse Trails
reader, goes hand in hand with our recent article, �4
Reasons
Why Holman Publishers Should Not Have Inserted an
Article by a Contemplative Author into Their King
James Bibles. � Both that and this article below
show that the King James Bible is being exploited
because it is in the public domain. While the so-called
Queen James Bible may be an extreme case, it is still
another case in point regardless.
(541) Will
Catastrophe
Strike The Earth In September? by Al Dagar,
8/2/15
Will it be an asteroid, a comet or a meteor that will
strike the earth? What of the Four Blood Moons, the Year
of Shemitah, Jade Helm 15? Christians are hearing that
prophets are predicting terrible things to occur this
coming September, 2015. Some claim that God has given
them prophecies about calamities that portend His
judgment upon the earth and the imminent return
of Jesus. It is even
reported that the Rapture will occur
on September 23, 2015. Christians around the world are
being moved to move. Someplace, anyplace, to escape
God�s wrath. What to do? What to do? Even before John
Hagee brought the message of Mark Biltze�s
four-blood-moons theory to the forefront of Christians�
consciousness, there has arisen a new fervor of
expectation that �God is about to do something!�
(542) Sunday
Morning:
�Another Gospel?� by Harry A. Ironside,
8/3/15
Note carefully: The Gospel is God�s wonderful story of
His beloved Son. It is a message of grace to be received
in faith. It is not a code of laws to be obeyed or good
advice to be followed. It is not a system of ritual
observances or a call to submit to certain ordinances.
It does not set forth the claims of any human church
organization, however venerable, nor does it exhort men
to seek after experiences, however remarkable, though a
blessed experience follows its acceptance. It simply
sets forth Christ crucified and risen as the Savior of
all who believe in Him.
(543) Spiritual
Warfare:
The Foe We Prefer to Ignore by Berit Kjos -
January 2010
Our two centuries of peace, freedom, and relative
comfort in America may soon come to an end. But God
invites us to train our minds with His Truth and our
hearts to follow Him in the hard times ahead. Only by
trusting Him and walking by His strength can we share in
His victory. So let's pray that He will encourage and
equip us for the times ahead.
(544) The
Armor of God by Berit Kjos, 8/10/15
God's armor brings victory because it is far more than
a protective covering. It is the very life of Jesus
Christ Himself. "Put on the armor," wrote Paul in his
letter to the Romans, "...clothe yourselves with the
Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 13:12-14) When you do, He
becomes your hiding place and your shelter in the storm
-- just as He was to David. Hidden in Him, you can count
on His victory, for He not only covers you as a shield,
He also fills you with His life. "I am the vine; you are
the branches," said Jesus. "If a man abides in Me and I
in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can
do nothing." (John 15:5)
(545) Considering
Him
Who Endured the Cross: Scriptural examples for daily
living (Hebrews 10:32-12:1-3) by Chris Lawson,
8/22/15
God Spoke and He Has a Faithful Remnant (Hebrews 10:32
- 11:29) 1. God spoke to His people through His Word. 2.
The lives of the people were changed and they were moved
to action. 3. They sought to obey God and do His will.
4. God has borne witness in His own Word about them.
Considering Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-3) 1. Looking at the
example of faithful believers who have gone before us.
2. Let us lay aside every weight and sin that is
entangling us. 3. Looking unto Jesus the Author and
Finisher of our faith.
(546) Spiritual
Warfare
and Guarding Your Soul by Chris Lawson,
9/2/15
Spiritual warfare, trials, suffering, affliction,
persecution�are we forgetting that we are in a spiritual
battle? The valiant-for-truth believer in Christ ought
to never forget that there is an unseen spiritual world
that is in hostile opposition against Jesus Christ and
His Church. This study is meant to help the believer
consider the reality of the Christian warfare and the
the importance of doing the will of the Lord in the
strength that God provides. You must know: 1. Your own
weakness, and the weakness of your enemy. 2. Your own
strength, and the strength of your enemy. 3. Your
victory through the person and work of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 4:16; 2 Kings 6:8-23;
Ephesians 6:10-24; Romans 12:1-2
(547) The
people Perish from a lack of Knowledge of Scripture -
The unity of Spiritual zombies by Mike
Oppenheimer, 9/9/15
There are those who deviate from being accurate in
doctrine and take advantage of the sheep. The
distinction of those who teach things contrary on
purpose or those who teach by mistake are known because
the latter repents. Hosea 4:6 "My people are destroyed
(perish) for lack of knowledge ." Here God is referring
to what they should learn from the Scripture from the
priests and the prophets. They will be destroyed
spiritually first. Israel's lessons are ours to learn
and correct if we listen. Today, the knowledge of God in
is in a closed book to some, but it can be opened at any
time and applied to change their conditions. One needs
courage to do this and if prevented, resisted by those
who oppose the them, they need to stand on the truth.
(548) The
Reappearance of the Bethlehem star? by Mike
Oppenheimer, 9/9/15
The wise men were led to Jesus by a radiance in the
heavens, they were Biblical, these men teaching this
canard are not. As the end times escalates we will find
spiritual paranoia present and many will try to connect
the dots making up their own picture[s] from Scripture.
This is the same reason why people will be deceived by
the signs from the antichrist and the false prophet as
they convince people of their mission. They are not
interpreting the Scripture but conforming it to what
they think it should mean.
(549) The
Mystery of iniquity by Mike Oppenheimer,
9/12/15
Great is the mystery of righteousness; (God was
incarnated in the flesh�) God was manifested in the
flesh, (God appeared; was revealed in the flesh to
mankind). He who became man was made a priest after the
order of Melchizedek (Heb. 5:6, Psa. 110:4), both a king
and a priest (Heb. 7:1-2). This intriguing subject of
Christ�s priesthood is fully explained in Hebrews
chapters 7-9. The mystery in Christ is made known. God�s
Mystery is simple: it is belief in Christ as the
God/man: that God became man. Who came from above
(heaven) to live on earth as a man (Called the mystery
of godliness 1 Tim.3:16). To those who disbelieve, the
Messiah would be a �rock of offence� and a �stone of
stumbling.� Peter explains the mystery by showing that
all depends on one�s attitude toward Christ, whether
they have faith or unbelief: �God is not a man, that He
should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has
He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and
will He not make it good?� (Num. 23:19) Man lies, God
always tells the truth. God�s characteristic, attributes
are infinite. We are to become like God in his moral
qualities and character but we cannot become God as in
His nature. The image of God in man is a moral image /
likeness but there is another image that is foreign that
was introduced when the first couple sinned. It came to
us by God's enemy who lied to them and continues to lie
to all mankind. There is no mystery mentioned in the Old
Testament like the New Testament has mysteries, one
mystery is the Gospel (Rom.16:25), which was concealed.
There are two specific mysteries we face in the last
days, The Mystery of Iniquity and Mystery Babylon.
Babylon is where all false religion of the people began
(Cain was the first) to be dominant over the true
religion that was passed on through Noah and his
family.
(550) You need
to �nip it in the bud� by Sandy Simpson,
9/18/15
I am writing this article to address a subject that I
have often observed. It is the fact that if you do
not get the leaven out of your church the leaven will
become the leadership.
(551) Rejoicing
Through
It All - What The Scripture Tells Us (Booklet)
by Warren B. Smith, 9/28/15
As challenging as it may seem at times, God�s Word
tells us to rejoice always (Philippians 4:4) and
evermore (1Thessalonians 5:16). The various Hebrew and
Greek words for rejoicing range in meaning from calmly
happy to exceedingly glad and jumping for joy. The Bible
reminds us that God�s people should be a �happy� people
because our God is the Lord (Psalm 144:15). We know that
�though our outward man perish� yet our �inward man is
renewed day by day. Therefore, we rejoice and give
thanks for the �abundant grace� so mercifully bestowed
upon us by God our Savior.
(552) What is your
covering? by Sandy Simpson, 10/3/15
The question every human being must ask themselves is
this: �What is my covering?� Is it fig leaves or
animal skins? I state this not literally but
figuratively. Are you depending on your good works
or the blood of Jesus Christ to save you? This is
the ultimate question all the way from the Garden of
Eden. It is apparent that those who are truly
saved are �in Christ� (Rom. 6:7, 8:1), washed in the
Blood (1 Cor. 6:11, Rev. 7:14), crucified and buried
with Christ (Gal. 2:20, Rom. 6:4) and born again (John
3:3, 1 Pet. 1:23), anticipating eternal life (John 17:3,
Rom. 6:23). But there are also those who rely on their
works (2 Tim. 1:9). Every person will be judged
according to their works (Eph. 2:8-9, Rev. 20:12),
whether they were relying on them to be saved or relying
on the work of Christ on the cross for their
salvation. Even many people who call themselves
Christians will end up trying to rely on works instead
of grace.
(553) The
Devil's Algebra (Video) by Jacob Prasch,
10/5/15
What happens when someone adds to or takes away from
the Word of God?
(554) The
Unseen
Foe Behind Rising Evil by Berit Kjos,
10/11/15
Satan's captivating lies have sparked wars and cruelty
through the ages. Ever since Eve chose to follow her
feelings rather than God's wise guidelines, humanity has
faced assaults from "the evil one" -- often through his
human pawns. Call him Devil, Deceiver, Satan, or
serpent; it doesn't matter. It's all the same haughty
oppressor: "...that serpent of old, called the Devil and
Satan, who deceives the whole world..." Rev. 12:9
(555) The
teaching of unclean spirits (demons) being the spirits
of pre-Adamic man: A short Lesson in demonology
by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/13/15
You will not find any biblical texts that mention
(fallen) angels or demons together, because they are
different titles of the same creatures. The demons,
unclean spirits (which are the fallen angels), both seek
to possess men, both war against God�s will and ways and
want to use humans in this fight.
(556) The
Five
Wonders of the Gospel: The Truth Proclaimed by
Johan Malan, Mossel Bay, South Africa (October 2015)
John 3:16 is one of the most widely quoted verses from
the Bible. This famous verse is also called �the Gospel
in a nutshell� because it is considered a summary of the
foundational New Testament doctrine of salvation: �For
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have everlasting life.� Five core truths in connection
with our salvation are mentioned in this verse, which
are all five divine wonders. They are the wonder of
divine love, the wonder of a heavenly Savior, the wonder
of faith in God, the wonder of salvation from perdition,
and the wonder of eternal life. The Bible offers a full
exposition of these supernatural works of God, and
emphasizes the fact that Jesus Christ is the only Savior
of the world and that no person can save himself from
his state of spiritual deadness and moral
depravity.
(557) Praying
Circles, Think On These Things (Volume 21,
Issue 5 Sep/Oct 2015) by Gary Gilley, 10/23/15
This latest prayer fad stems from the teachings of Mark
Batterson, lead pastor of National Community Church in
Washington D.C., and in particular his 2011 book, The
Circle Maker. The publisher claims that Batterson is
offering a new way of praying (see advertisement on page
233 of The Circle Maker) based on a Jewish legend of
Honi the Rainmaker, also called Honi the Circle Maker
(pp. 11-13, 226). Honi, who lived a century before the
ministry of Christ, supposedly drew a circle in the
dirt, stepped into that circle and prayed for rain to
end a devastating drought. He told God that he would not
leave the circle until the Lord sent rain and, according
to the myth, God soon sent rain. It should be noted that
the story of Honi is at best a legend and most likely a
myth. There is no independent or historical evidence
that anything like this event ever took place. Even more
importantly, this account is not drawn from Scripture.
Nevertheless, when Batterson discovered the story he
claimed it forever changed the way he prayed (p. 21).
Now he circles his prayers, either by stepping into a
drawn circle (it is recommended that a circle be drawn
on the ground with chalk) like Honi, or by walking
around the object of his desire, as the Jews walked
around Jericho in the Old Testament.
(558) When
a
False Teacher Calls America "Israel" by The
Berean Call, 10/26/15
Jonathan Cahn, a popular Christian author, claims that
his books reveal mysteries and predict the future. He
thus portrays himself as like the Biblical prophets,
including the claim of having new revelations. The main
point of his book is that America is a second Israel and
that she is being judged according to the seven-year
Sabbath law called "shemitah" that was given to ancient
Israel. This judgment manifests itself in seven-year
cycles of stock market collapses or other cataclysmic
events.
(559) Is
Jesus the Abomination that makes desolate, the
covenant breaker of Dan.9? by Mike
Oppenheimer, 10/29/15
A number of years ago I sat down with some preterist�s
who were convinced in their view of Daniel 9.25-27 is
Jesus breaking the covenant and becoming the abomination
that makes desolation. This view becomes one of the most
distorted errors of the Scripture I have ever
encountered. Since then it has come up a number of times
and needs to be addressed.
(560) Do you
gather or scatter? by Mike Oppenheimer,
10/29/15
Many use the parable of the wheat and the tares for not
judging. That we are to let the tares grow amongst the
wheat inside the church. But, this is NOT what this
parable is about. Matthew 13 is part of the mystery
kingdom parables. Jesus tells us �The kingdom of heaven
is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; while
men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the
wheat and went his way.�
(561) The
Importance
of the Rational Mind by Ed Tarkowski,
11/5/15
When God speaks to a man in his spirit, he understands
with the mind the will of God, and can thus perform it
with the full use of his faculties and in full assurance
that he is doing what God expects of him. The
occultist or spiritist must bypass the mind by shutting
down his thinking processes in order to reach a passive
state, at which point contact with a spirit is made. One
way of doing this is with a mantra; that is, repeating
the same word, word segment, or phrase over and over
again. There is no such practice found in
Scripture.
(562) What
Seems
Right Might Be Wrong by Roger Oakland,
11/12/15
Every Christian wants to see the church grow. Jesus
made it clear before He ascended to the Father that His
followers are to be His witnesses. Believers are called
to share the good news of the gospel until He returns.
We want to see our churches filled to overflowing. This
is right. But what happens when the Christian church, in
its zeal to reach the unconverted, begins to embrace
methods to attract the lost that are extra-biblical?
(563) �Overtake
you like a thief� by Sandy Simpson,
11/13/15
1 Thessalonians 5:4 But you, brethren, are not in
darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;
How serious will it be for a person to be overtaken in
�that day� like a thief overtakes a household when he
slips in and steals? Will it just be a surprise
for those who claim to be Christians who will get a slap
on the wrist by the Lord but still proceed to
heaven? Will they simply lose rewards but still
gain the ultimate reward? What is this darkness
that the brethren are not in? 1 Thessalonians
5:3-5 While they are saying, �Peace and safety!�
then destruction will come upon them suddenly like
labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will
not escape. But you, brethren, are not in
darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;
for you are all sons of light and sons of day.
We are not of night or of darkness;
(564) The
Bible
Anticipates Islam . . . Islam and the Bible by
Bill Randles, 9/20/14
Islam as a world religion didn't burst onto the world
scene until the 7th century AD. But in the 14 plus
centuries since, it has played a major role in world
affairs, as a foil to the Judeo Christian world, and a
scourge on India, the Levant, Persia, Southern Asia,
much of Africa, the Caucasus, and even part of China.
(565) Biblical
versus
Cultural Christianity (Chart) by Crossroad,
11/15/15
This chart is an attempt to answer those who judge
Christians by the atrocities committed in the name of
"Christianity" through the ages -- including our own
times. Those wars, persecutions, and cruelties had
little to do with Biblical Christianity. They had
everything to do with man's greedy, power-hungry human
nature which seeks its own ways rather than God's. The
ungodly expressions of our human nature may change from
culture to culture, but the result is usually the same:
the people imagine a god that fits their new cultural
wants and values, and they learn to see this distortion
of Christianity as the true church. Biblical
Christianity means being joined to Jesus Christ through
faith in what He did for us at the cross, then allowing
Him to live His life through us, so that others might
know Him and see His love. (That love may include
sharing His warnings as well as His promises with those
in need.) The established Church, like Old Testament
Israel, has always tended to drift away from its
devotion to God and become just other institutions,
subject to the same human impulses and painful
consequences as the rest of the world. Please don�t
blame human evils on a "straw-man" or a convenient
cultural distortion of Christianity. Consider some of
the differences between Biblical faith and today's
cultural deviations.
(566) Famine
in
the Land Yet God Remains Faithful by Chris
Lawson, 11/18/15
Psalm 89 - A psalm (Maskil) of Ethan the Ezrahite.
Author: Ethan (or one of his descendants) is the author
of this Psalm. Ethan is possibly the Levitical leader
and one of the head musicians/singers in the Temple (1
Chronicles 6:42; 15:17-19). Historical context: God had
promised to make David the mightiest King on earth (2
Sam. 7; 1 Kin. 8:23; 1 Chr. 17; 2 Chr. 21:7;
Ps. 110). In doing so, God would protect David and
David�s descendants (2 Sam. 7:13; 16, 18), and
ultimately Messiah Jesus would reign from David�s
throne - forever (Luke 1:31-33). Even though
Jerusalem was destroyed and no kings were reigning in
Jerusalem at this time, God remained faithful and He
continues to carry out His promises. God�s promises are
- and forever will be - fulfilled through our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ, the Messianic descendant of David
(Matt. 1:1; Luke 3:23-28) and the Eternal Prophet,
Priest and King of Israel (Heb. 1:1-10:18). Looking
beyond the pale of the author�s personal national
dilemma - the apparent total ruin of the Davidic
monarchy - the author chooses to focus on the LORD and
His greatness, regardless of his own personal
circumstances and future. As always, man is humbled, and
God is glorified. In one word, with restored confidence
in God and His Word, the author closes with, �Blessed be
the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.� (Psalm 89:52) The
Lord�s Covenant with David and Israel�s Afflictions
(89:1-37) Praise and remembrance of God�s love and
faithfulness (89:1-4). God�s worthiness to be praise and
adored (89:5-14). God�s covenant blessing and protection
upon David (89:15-37). God�s Seeming Neglect of the
Davidic Covenant (89:38-52) The Psalmists heartfelt cry
(89:46-51). The Psalmists heartfelt distress (89:46-51).
The Doxology - �Blessed be the LORD forever!� (89:52)
Scriptures: Psalm 89; Luke 1:30; Exodus 19:5;
Deuteronomy 26:16; Psalm 135: 1-4; Deuteronomy 14:2;
Titus 2:11-15; 1 Peter 2:9; Psalm 89:52.
(567) The Fall
of Satan resulted in the fall of many by Mike
Oppenheimer, 11/21/15
A Spiritual war wages all around us, and Satan is a
master planner, he constantly feeds the world false
information about himself and of Christ, their only
means of escape. Many people dismiss his existence. Some
see Satan as a mythical invention and stay completely
unaware of his plans. The Bah�'� 's do not believe
Satan exists, the devil is a metaphor for man�s base
nature. Charles Fillmore of Unity church said the Devil
is a state of consciousness adverse to the divine good.
The Devil is overcome by denying his existence. Mason's
see Lucifer got a bad rap and that he is good and that
they need to learn to use his energy. So they do not see
the need to resist him not consider his deceptions in
their lives. They have no clue what is coming to this
world.
(568) Should
Christians
Expose Error? by H.A. Ironside, 11/22/15
Objection is often raised�even by some sound in the
faith�regarding the exposure of error as being entirely
negative and of no real edification. Of late, the hue
and cry has been against any and all negative teaching.
But the brethren who assume this attitude forget that a
large part of the New Testament, both of the teaching of
our blessed Lord Himself and the writings of the
apostles, is made up of this very character of
ministry�namely, showing the Satanic origin and,
therefore, the unsettling results of the propagation of
erroneous systems which Peter, in his second epistle, so
definitely refers to as �damnable heresies.�
(569) Making
God�s
People Trust in a Lie� by Bill Randles,
11/29/15
It is happening all over again. In the church, as in
the last days of Judah, immediately preceding the
devastation of the Babylonian captivity and the
destruction of the temple, Christians are
being inoculated to conviction and
preparedness by the soothing Words of false prophets
like Hananiah.
(570) The
Bible's Amazingly Accurate Account of the Flood
by Creation Moments, 11/30/15
Genesis 8:7 "And he sent forth a raven, which went
forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from
off the earth." On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens
exploded, devastating over 200 square miles in
Southwestern Washington State. The heat spewing from the
volcano melted the snow that covered its heights,
creating mud flows that covered the surrounding area.
The grim prediction was that forests and wildlife would
never be found on or near the mountain within our
lifetimes. Mount St. Helens' recovery from the
devastation provides us with a comparatively small-scale
model of the recovery from the great Flood at the time
of Noah. Only ten years after the eruption, much of the
plant and animal life in the devastated area had
returned. Today, evergreens stand taller than a man,
fish swim in the lakes and rivers, and frogs are in the
ponds. Even larger animals like elk can be found in the
once-desolate area. This suggests that it would not have
taken generations for the foliage that God preserved in
the Flood waters to re-grow forests and jungles,
providing homes for the growing, migrating population
from the Ark. Before that could happen, Noah had to know
that there was somewhere for the animals to go. So he
first sent out a raven. Mount St. Helens illustrates why
Noah decided to send a raven first. Among the first new
colonizers at Mount St. Helens was the raven. They are
part of God's army of scavengers to remove the dead and
can live in a wide variety of conditions. Here again we
see that even the small details recorded in the Bible
are true to real life.
(571) The
Gospel
in the Last Days by Jacob Prasch,
12/7/15
We�re looking, of course at �The Gospel in the Last
Days�. In a sense what we�re doing now is a sequel � a
part two � to something we did a number of years ago.
You may remember a number of years ago people were
talking about �prepare for blessing�, and �revival�s
coming�, and �prepare for the victory� and all this kind
of stuff, and of course it didn�t happen. And we had a
conference at that time telling people to prepare for
persecution and we�ll have to see which has happened:
Has persecution come or has revival arrived? Well,
revival has certainly not arrived, but as we�ll look at
in a minute, persecution has. We�re preparing for
persecution. And at that time we pointed out to people
the same kinds of challenges that were faced by the
Early Church will be faced by the church in the Last
Days. The same things happen. I�m not going to go into
it in any depth, just very briefly review. Read Part
1, Part
2, Part
3, Part
4, Part
5, Part
6, Part
7, Part
8, Part
9, Part
10 & Part
11.
(572) Is Jesus
the Abomination that makes desolate, the covenant
breaker of Dan.9? by Mike Oppenheimer,
12/20/15
A number of years ago I sat down with some preterist�s
who were convinced in their view of Daniel 9.25-27 is
Jesus breaking the covenant and becoming the abomination
that makes desolation. This view becomes one of the most
distorted errors of the Scripture I have ever
encountered. Since then it has come up a number of times
and needs to be addressed.
(573) Paul�s
Conduct
in Ministry and Appeal for Scriptural Separation
by Chris Lawson, 12/23/15
Do they see beyond our words? A practical look at being
set apart for the Lord and living for Him so that the
Gospel may not be maligned, blasphemed and hindered.
Various topics covered in this message include Paul's
sufferings, his personal vindication of his ministry,
God's appeal to His church - through Paul - to "be ye
separate" from the world, and what true repentance looks
like and does. 2 Corinthians 6:1-4 � �We then, as
workers together with him, beseech you also that ye
receive not the grace of God in vain.(For he saith, I
have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of
salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the
accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not
blamed: 4 But in all things approving ourselves as the
ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in
necessities, in distresses�� Scripture: 2
Corinthians 6:1-7:12.
(574) The
Priority
of Not Neglecting Jesus Our First Love by
Chris Lawson, 12/31/15
Jesus Rebukes the Church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7)
Christian ministry and service should never replace our
personal love and devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ.
This message is a reminder for each of us to personally
consider what priority we individually place on our
personal relationship with Jesus Christ, our obedience
to His Word, and whether or not we are neglecting Jesus
as our �first love� (Rev. 2:4). This sermon is not
intended to needlessly offend Christians, nor is it an
attempt to drive people into more �service� for the
Lord. Rather, it is a compelling message intended to
encourage believers to remember the goodness of the
Lord, to repent from spiritual apathy, and to love Jesus
and adore Him, thereby returning to Him as one�s first
love - in sincerity and in truth. Scriptures: Revelation
1:1-2:7; Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; Colossians 1:18, 24; 2:9;
1 John 5:4-5. Revelation 2:1-7 (KJV) - 1 Unto the angel
of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he
that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who
walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and
how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou
hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are
not, and hast found them liars: 3 and hast borne, and
hast patience, and for my name�s sake hast laboured, and
hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against
thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember
therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and
do the first works; or else I will come unto thee
quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his
place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that
thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also
hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh
will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the
midst of the paradise of God.
(575) Pray
Always
and Don't Forget - Luke 18 (Video) by Bill
Randles, 1/15/16
(576) See
to
it that no one takes you captive through philosophy
and empty deception, according to the tradition of
men, according to the elementary principles of the
world, rather than according to Christ by Mike
Ratliff, 1/17/16
When we do word studies in the Greek New Testament it
is vital that we pay very close attention the verb
tenses. From these we learn that some statements are
commands (imperatives) while others, which some Bible
translations render as if they are commands, are
actually statements of fact (indicatives or aorists).
Confusing these has caused a very large amount of
confusion and bad doctrine to pollute the church.
(577) Setting
Aside
the Power of the Gospel for a Powerless Substitute
by David Dombrowski, 2/13/16
We are living in a time of mass deception and delusion.
If you were to fall off a cliff and only had a rope to
hold you, would you not hold onto that rope more
tightly? That is what we must do with the Gospel. Jesus�
death on the Cross purchased our salvation; we have also
been bought by His blood, sealed in a new covenant, and
His indwelling presence empowers us to live the
Christian life. There is no other power to save!
(578) Bright
Hope
in Dark Days by Charles H. Spurgeon,
2/15/16
The path of the Christian is not always bright with
sunshine. He has his seasons of darkness and of storm.
True, it is written in God's Word, "Her ways are ways of
pleasantness, and all her paths are peace," and it is a
great truth, that religion [i.e. Biblical Christianity]
is calculated to give a man happiness below as well as
bliss above. But experience tells us that if the course
of the just be "As the shining light that shineth more
and more unto the perfect day," sometimes that light is
eclipsed. At certain periods, clouds cover the
believer's sun, and he walks in darkness and sees no
light.
(479) Mythicism
by Robert Stewart, Ph.D. & Marilyn Stewart, M.Div.,
Watchman Fellowship, Inc., 3/17/16
The claim that Jesus never existed is virtually unknown
prior to the 18th century. Up to that time even
Christianity�s fiercest detractors did not deny that
Jesus was a historical person. Most New Testament
scholars have viewed the arguments behind this claim as
too weak to merit a response or to merit anything more
than a reference in a footnote. The radical English
Deist Lord Bolingbroke in the late 18th century is known
to have promoted this idea, followed by French
Enlightenment thinkers Constantin-Francois Volney and
Charles Francois Dupuis who argued that Christianity
borrowed from ancient Persian and Babylonian myths.
(480) Scoffers
Will
Come by Roger Oakland, 3/18/16
Bible prophecy is being fulfilled as I write this
commentary. While many professing Christians ignore the
connection between current events and portions of the
Bible that were written thousands of years ago, my
advice is that it would be wise for these scoffers to
wake-up.
(481) What
to do when Biblical counsel is not received?
by Mike Oppenheimer, 3/20/16
The bottom line, if you have a pastor who lacks or
refuses to exercise discernment and integrity, this is
dangerous to the sheep they are entrusted to protect.
The church is their spiritual family. Read Part 1 -
What to do when Biblical counsel is not received? and Part 2 -
Who's in charge of your church? Do you have a pastor or a
politician?
(482) Elektos by Jacob
Prasch, 4/5/16
So often it is the extremists that divide the body of
Christ and cause unnecessary problems, it really
is. You�ve got people who are ultra-Pentecostal or
extreme Charismatics who confuse spirituality with
mysticism, who confuse basic emotion with the leading of
the Holy Spirit; emotional impulse. Their
doctrinal theology is so often a false theology based on
experience, not based on the Word of God and we know the
Charismatic movement, having been around since the late
1960�s, has never brought any revival. There was a
revival among the hippies but the Charismatic renewal
has not renewed these denominations. These
denominations are far worse off now than they were a
generation ago; they are ordaining homosexuals,
lesbians, and everything else. The Methodists, the
Reformed churches, the Presbyterians, pick any church
you want that had the Charismatic renewal and you would
be hard pressed to find one of them that has been
renewed or restored to biblical foundation. Now
this is in no way a denial of the authenticity of Holy
Spirit baptism or a properly understood manifestation of
the gifts of the Holy Spirit practiced
scripturally. It is just to say, as we pointed out
many times, too much, in fact probably the majority of
what we see today, in terms of Charismatic phenomena, is
not genuine charismata but the term Chuck Smith once
coined, �charismania.� The theological term for
charismania, the actual term, again if you don�t know,
is neo-Montanism. The kind of disorder and chaos
you saw at Corinth resurfaced in the early Church with
people called the Montanists and this kind of thing has
happened at other times.
(483) Can
Bad
Hermeneutics Lead to Heresy? with Rob Congdon
(Part 1), 4/16/16
Hermeneutics is one of these words we don't speak about
every day in our life, but actually we experience it.
Every time you read a book or read a newspaper, you
apply a system of hermeneutics. It�s a method to
interpret what you�re reading. You expect certain rules,
whether you realize it or not, to be applied to that.
So, hermeneutics is really, as we use it, a method of
biblical interpretation � a system, if you will.
(484) Almost
Saved
... But Entirely Lost! by Dr. C. L. Cagan,
4/23/16
You can�t be changed from a little devil to a real
Christian by simply coming to church. You can�t have a
conversion by learning things. Your heart is wrong. You
are wrong inside. Your heart is �desperately wicked�
(Jeremiah 17:9). You cannot change yourself from a goat
to a sheep, from a little devil to a real Christian.
�With men it is impossible� (Mark 10:27). And with you
it is impossible. You need God�s grace! You need a
miracle of conversion from God. You are almost saved,
but entirely lost. Without a miracle from God, you will
always be entirely lost � lost in this life and lost
forever in the next world.
(485) A
time to weep Eccl. 3:4 by Mike Oppenheimer,
5/8/16
Israel, the Jewish people and nation has become the
dividing line for the church in the last days. There are
more that reject God keeping His covenant with them than
those who believe God will never forsake Israel because
of his covenant. Called by many names, known as
replacement theology, this predominant false teaching
today is infecting many in various ways.
(486) Slackerly
Sloths by Herescope, 5/12/16
The opposite of the biblical diligence is the idea of
sloth. The sloth mammal was aptly named because
its habits so matched the biblical description!
(487) The Key to being able to
teach both Predestination and Free Will by
Sandy Simpson, 5/14/16
When I was in college one of the favorite all night jam
sessions was the Predestination vs. Free Will
debate. We would stay up all night and never
resolve the problem. Though I was a Christian I
was somewhat immature at the time and had not learned
the principle of not imposing manmade constructs on the
Scriptures (eisegesis) but rather letting the Bible
interpret itself (exegesis) since it consists of the
Word of God as breathed by the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16)
through the prophets, Apostles and of course, the Word
incarnate, Jesus Christ. There is a famous saying
that states: "A text, out of context, in isolation from
co-text is always a pre-text." It certainly was a
�pretext� for our lengthy useless arguments on this
subject.
(488) Discernment
Detractors:
Calling Good Evil by Warren B. Smith,
7/14/15
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and
persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against
you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding
glad: for great is your reward in heaven:��Matthew
5:11-12
(489) Biblical
Texts
Older Than Estimated at The Berean Call,
6/13/16
Studying ancient handwriting reveals biblical texts are
older than estimated. By using handwriting analysis
technology, Israeli scholars from a number of fields
have concluded that certain ancient biblical texts are
older than originally thought.
(490) Spiritual
Warfare:
The Unseen Foe Behind Rising Evil by Berit
Kjos, 6/14/16
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter
times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to
seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies
in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot
iron�� 1 Timothy 4:1-2 We don�t hear much about
spiritual warfare these days. Most churches seem to
ignore the reality of Satan and the evil he inspires.
God�s warnings about fellowship with the world�s
alluring thrills doesn�t fit the contemporary image of
Jesus as a tolerant, easy-going friend.
(419) The
Message
�bible� butchers Psalm 1:1 by My Word Like
Fire, 6/15/16
Eugene Peterson�s horrendous translation (?) of Psalm
1:1 compared to the genuine thing.
(420) Christians
who �turn away� by Sandy Simpson,
6/22/16
Jeremiah 3:10-11 And yet for all this her treacherous
sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole
heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD. And the LORD said
unto me, �The backsliding Israel hath justified herself
more than treacherous Judah.� (KJV) Israel had turned
away from the Lord and had gone after the gods of
Canaan, namely Baal and Asherah. Because Israel
had prostituted herself with false gods in worshipping
the polytheistic gods that started at Babel, God had
declared He was divorcing Israel and would send them
into exile until they again returned to the true God.
But Judah prided itself in doing what God had commended
as they had Jerusalem and the Temple. They
disdained Israel for setting up altars to Baal and
Asherah poles on high hills. Yet God was not
fooled by Judah�s pretence. In the KJV it says
they were not worshipping God with their whole heart but
�feignedly�.
(421) God�s
Word:
The Only Protection against the Winds of Theology
at The Berean Call, 6/29/16
Jaw and hands clenched, knuckles white, I fought the
sporadic gusts of wind that threatened to wrest the
wheel from my control. With each renewed gale the
Explorer threatened to skate off the corridor of ice
that now constituted I-29. Every quarter mile�or less�we
saw yet another car, truck, or semi that had careened
into one of the ditches on either side of the
interstate. Others were pulled off, idling on the
shoulder. I continued on, determined to reach home after
a long winter weekend in Minnesota. Despite the relative
chill of the vehicle�s cabin, I felt a thin sheen of
sweat on my brow as I glanced over at my wife who was
similarly on edge and frequently checking on our
frightened children in the back seat. One false move and
we would join the other travelers, waiting out the
blizzard in a ditch. Perhaps you have had a similar
driving experience, perhaps not; but if you are a fellow
traveler through the life after Adventism, then you�ve
almost certainly had a parallel journey. In Adventism
you have �the Truth� on nearly every topic imaginable,
and you have the assurance of being in God�s true
remnant church. Things aren�t nearly that simple after
Adventism, though. In fact, there�s a good chance that
you, like me, have spent some time lurching back and
forth between one ditch or another. When I first came
out of Adventism, I found myself flirting with some of
the more fringe elements at the edges of the charismatic
movement. Over-steering back from the brink of that
ditch, I went in the opposite direction and drove
straight down into a liberalized version of the
seeker-sensitive movement. I spun my tires in that ditch
for quite a while before God pulled me and my family out
and got us back on the road of our spiritual journey. So
how did God get us back on track and where He wanted us?
The answer is through a focus on the Word. Early in my
journey, God had introduced me to the line-by-line
exegetical teaching of a pastor named Bryan Clark�.I
continued to listen to Bryan�s sermons online while
attending church elsewhere. Hearing the Bible taught
like that was the equivalent of refocusing on the road
and allowing the ditches to fade into peripheral vision.
At the risk of pushing the analogy too far, the Bible
paints the solid white lines at the edge of the highway.
It tells us what is in bounds, what is out of bounds,
and where the ditches are. It also highlights the center
line, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which keeps us focused
on moving forward in the right direction. Having these
guides, we can let off the gas, relax our grasp, and
enjoy the ride, secure in the knowledge that God is in
control. I see so many former Adventists who, like me,
seem to go from one questionable belief system to
another, tossed about by the winds of theology. There is
really only one remedy: getting deeply immersed in the
Word while being plugged into a healthy, well-balanced
community of believers. We need the Word and, as we
recover from Adventism, we need the guidance the Holy
Spirit provides through the church so that we can see
and understand the Word in the way He intended. I
eventually found that Word-centered community in my home
church, and I pray that you will too. It�s time to start
living the life after!
(422) What
is
the Gospel? (Excerpt from An Urgent Call to a
Serious Faith by Dave Hunt), 7/1/16
What is the gospel that saves�and from what does it
save us? In order to answer that question, we must go
back to the Garden of Eden. It was there, in the most
perfect environment that God�s heart of love and His
creative power could provide, that man�s rebellion
against his Creator had its awful beginning. Eden is not
mythology but history, as human experience, selfish
ambition, and false religions continue to demonstrate to
the present day. Surrounded by beauty, satisfied by
abundance, and enjoying the fellowship of their Infinite
Friend, our first parents, nevertheless, fell to the
seductive lies of Satan. �Ye shall be as gods� was his
deceitful promise�and to realize that delusion has been
man�s passion ever since. False religions, such as
Hinduism and Mormonism, are based upon this lie. Though
not deceived himself (1 Timothy:2:14And Adam was not
deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the
transgression.), Adam, in loyalty to Eve, joined in his
wife�s disobedience and ate of the forbidden fruit.
Thus, �by [this] one man sin entered into the world, and
death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that
all have sinned� (Romans:5:12 Wherefore, as by one man
sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:).
(423) The
lack of expository preaching and consequences of sin
by Mike Oppenheimer, 7/4/16
Many stand behind the pulpit who should not be there.
So many teach extra-biblical nonsense, stories that are
not the focus of the Bible, or their experiences. Either
they were not called, or if they were called to ministry
they did not allow the time for training and education
and have found themselves neglecting the call.
(424) Do you
gather or scatter? by Mike Oppenheimer,
7/8/16
Many use the parable of the wheat and the tares for not
judging. That we are to let the tares grow amongst the
wheat inside the church. But, this is NOT what this
parable is about. Matthew 13 is part of the mystery
kingdom parables. Jesus tells us �The kingdom of heaven
is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; while
men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the
wheat and went his way.� Jesus explains, Matt 13:27-30
"So the servants of the owner came and said to him,
'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then
does it have tares?' "He said to them, 'An enemy has
done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us
then to go and gather them up?' "But he said, 'No, lest
while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat
with them. 'Let both grow together until the harvest,
and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers,
"First gather together the tares and bind them in
bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my
barn."' The theme in this parable is the field, which is
the world, not the Church (the church is in the world).
Paul explicitly tells us to purge out leaven from the
Church, remove what is false and wicked. The field,
which is the world has both believers and unbelievers in
it, this separation is done by Christ. And we find only
the wheat will go into the Millennium (Messianic
Kingdom).
(425) The
Nature
and Tactics of Satan by Crossroad,
7/14/16
"...the whole world is under the sway of the evil one."
1 John 5:19 "Satan himself transforms himself into an
angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his
ministers also transform themselves into ministers of
righteousness..." 2 Cor.11:14-15 "Beloved, do not
believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they
are of God; because many false prophets have gone out
into the world...." 1 John 4:1
(426) The
Two
Ways - Matthew 7 ~ 6/15/16 by Bill Randles,
7/17/16
A message on Matthew 7.
(427) Does
Doctrine
Matter Anymore? (Video) by Gary Gilley,
8/6/16
A recent front page article featured in our local
(Springfield, Illinois) newspaper was entitled
�Mega-Growth.� The article described the phenomenal
numerical increase of three of the largest churches in
our area. What is it about these churches that have
sparked their growth? Why are people flocking to these
churches rather than to others? In response one of the
pastors said, �Understanding budgets and balance sheets
is as important as understanding church doctrine.�
Another pastor said, �Church members are more interested
in relational issues than doctrine. People care less
about questions pertaining to what a church doctrine is
and more about the question, �Does this church care for
me?��[i] We should not minimize the importance of fiscal
responsibility, organizational needs and loving
community, but not too many years ago Christians sought
out churches that reflected what they believed the Bible
taught. No longer. As is evident by what these pastors
said, the average Christian today simply does not care
much about theology; they are seeking a community that
cares for them, or a particular style of music, or an
intimate experience, or a service project they can plug
into, or any number of things. For the most part they
are not choosing to become a member of a church on the
basis of what it teaches. To be sure, certain managerial
and practical elements are important to the operation of
a local church. And the church should be a community,
even a family, composed of those who love one another in
such a way that the world stands up and notices (see
John 13:35). But this almost-wholesale dismissal of
doctrine as unnecessary baggage has been uncommon
throughout church history. Watch Part
1
- Does Doctrine Matter Anymore? and Part
2
- Does Doctrine Matter Anymore - To Pastors?
(428) The
development
and origins of modern pre wrath & inter seal
positionsby Jacob Prasch, 8/25/16
The first author to identify himself as
"Pre Wrath" was CS Lovett in his book "The Latest Word
on the Last Days" (1980). It was probably Lovett who
actually invented the term 'Pre Wrath'. His view of
Pre Wrath combined the Post Tribulational views of Dr.
Samuel Tregallis with a Pre Wrath position because he
placed the wrath of God only at the very closing phase
of the final 7 years preceded by the rapture.
(429) Do
Gentiles
become Jews when they believe? by Mike
Oppenheimer, 9/1/16
As a
believer (Gentile) you become part of the body of
Christ, not Israel. You are a spiritual Gentile, not a
Jew. Israel is a nation consisting of Jews,
Hebrews are an ethnicity who are from the linage of
Abraham Isaac and JACOB (the twelve tribes). A Gentile
(both believer and non believer) is from Abraham not
Isaac and Jacob. Being Abraham�s seed does not make
one Jewish. This is where people have been taught
wrong. It's Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, (from whom came
the 12 tribes) otherwise the Arabs are Jewish too.
selah
(430) Blessed
are
those (Audio) by Gary Gilley, 9/2/16
Psalm
119:1-16
(431) Great
Tribulation (Video) by Bill Randles,
9/3/16
Matthew 24.
(432) The
Father's
House and the Way There by H.A. Ironside,
9/5/16
Oh, don�t talk about many ways. There is only one�Jesus is
the only way. There is none other name under heaven given
among men whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus.
Have you come to Him? Are you trusting Him? If you are, you
are on the way to the Father�s house, and now you can wait
with equally glad expectation for the hour of His return,
for He said, �If I go, I will come again, and receive you
unto Myself.� When will He come? We can�t tell that, but we
are waiting for Him day by day.
(433) Jesus
and the gospel - A Bible exposition on what the gospel
is and how to use it effectively by Mike
Oppenheimer, 9/12/16
If one says Jesus did not rise physically from the dead
but came back in a spiritual body, this is a denial of a
core teaching that is related to the gospel of salvation
- the resurrection. It changes the 3rd point
of the gospel. 1. He (Jesus) died for our SINS. 2. He
was buried (proving He actually died), 3. He rose again,
resurrected. Taking up the same body He was born and
lived in, and still exists in today (in a glorified
state). It is this gospel Paul said He delivered to them
in. The Gospel concerns God�s only Son and His work on
the cross (the crucifixion) on our behalf to forgive our
sin. If its focus is on something else, no matter how
sacred or from the Bible, then it is not the gospel of
Christ.
(434) Casting
Our
Cares on God by Maria Kneas, 9/19/16
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of
God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your
care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)
The parable of the sower in Scripture reveals a
condition (the third kind of soil) that can be
especially problematic for the Christian who is trying
to serve the Lord and be fruitful for the Kingdom�namely
that of seed sown among thorns (weeds) that would choke
out one�s effectiveness. In explaining this part of the
parable, Jesus said: And these are they which are sown
among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of
this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the
lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and
it becometh unfruitful. (Mark 4:18-19, emphasis added)
(435) When
God
said all of creation was very good in Genesis 1:31,
did that include homosexuality? by Luke Wayne,
9/19/16
No, when God declared creation "very good" in Genesis
1:31 that did not include homosexuality, nor did it
include any number of other diverse human behaviors or
inclinations that would be found in mankind after the
fall.
(436) Are
we in Acts 29? by Mike Oppenheimer, 10/12/16
The church is built upon the "foundation of the
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the
chief cornerstone" (Ephesians 2:20). While it continues
to grow upon this foundation to compare our time period
to the early gospel history among those who were alive
with Jesus is a mistake and can lead to many errors.
While we can draw from it and see modern application in
the persecution of Christians and the gospel continuing
we must keep this written record inspired of the Holy
Spirit as a unique time in the the history of the
Church. We are not all apostles that can duplicate or do
even greater miracles than Jesus, they didn't.
(437) Sins
of
the Fathers, Nepotism, and Apostasy in the Church
by Roger Oakland, 10/21/16
There is an obvious pattern observed from a brief study
of genealogies found in the Old Testament. When a father
follows God and leads the people, overseeing in the
right direction, there is absolutely no guarantee this
virtue will carry over to the next generation. In other
words, the saying �he is a chip off the old block� is
not always the pattern we find when it comes to biblical
history.
(438) Can
water wash away sins, forgive sins? by Mike
Oppenheimer, 10/25/16
If baptism saves, that would be the first thing we
would have to do, not believe, but do. We would be told
to believe in our baptism, then Jesus could not be the
savior but our act of immersion would be saving us.
(439) The
Sabbath is not in the New Covenant by Mike
Oppenheimer, 11/3/16
You do not get grace or peace through the law, but by
only through the Father and Jesus Christ, through the
NEW COVENANT. Those who insist on requiring the Sabbath
in the new covenant as it was for Israel (only) in the
Old Covenant, show their bad bible interpretation
skills. They have not been taught the new covenant of
grace accurately; some not at all. Some think the
Old Testament laws have been synthesized to the new
covenant, some even think they as Gentiles become Jews.
Where did the apostles teach the Sabbath was mandatory
as it was in the Old Testament? They cannot point to one
Scripture after the new covenant is ratified that
requires the Church to keep the Sabbath as Israel kept
the Sabbath under the Old Covenant. It was personal
choice.
(440) On
Those who claim to have trips to Heaven by
Mike Oppenheimer, 11/6/16
On the authority of the Word I can say when you hear
someone�s personal heavenly experience; remember the
bible. Those who claim they are making visits to heaven
are not telling the truth, but have departed from it (1
Cor. 4:6).
(441) What
of those who claim they died (NDE) and went to heaven
and returned by Mike Oppenheimer,
11/20/16
John, who was the last living apostle was allowed to
write his vision as he relayed the future for all the
believers to read throughout the centuries. He gave to
us the revelation of Jesus Christ which brought the
Bible to its conclusion, closing the canon on what God
would reveal to man of the future. There are no others
that went to heaven (no young children, no adults). From
these two apostles we have all the insight we need to
have faith of what is waiting for us as pilgrim
believers on earth. There is no one else’s word we can
trust on this except God’s.
(442) The
truth versus THE Lie - When the truth becomes a lie
and the lie becomes the truth by Mike
Oppenheimer, 12/6/16
True believers are to not only to know the truth, but
should be able to tell the difference of a lie from the
truth. The indwelling Spirit of God is called the Spirit
of truth (Jn.14:17; 15:26; 16:13.) He gives them
discernment to cut away the chaff from the wheat. The
same ways that are used in advertising are being used to
lay the groundwork for this Lie that will unite the
world to accept the fake Messiah. The biggest lie from
self - help and human potential, new age and heretical
teachers is that when you find yourself you find God. Or
that you are God, or a god, as it is being taught from
the false teachers inside the church. There is only one
true God. The only way one can stretch this to be
acceptable is to tell everyone we are all part of Him,
he is us, thus we are all god!
(443) What
happened to you after YOU received the gospel?
by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/17/16
Life is filled with changes, accepting Jesus as ones
Lord, savior is the greatest change, for it changes
everything. So many things took place in our life after
we accepted the gospel as the truth. First our eternal
destination, direction changed, we are now promised
heaven at death whereas before we did not have this
hope. Our present relationship with the world changed
because we have God personally working in our lives. We
have God's Holy Spirit residing in us guiding us. We are
now spiritually, not carnally minded as we read the
Bible and allow it to inform us and conform us to
Christ. Christ’s nature is deposited in every believer
to transform us. As we live by His word we spiritually
grow. The Holy Spirit reveals the nature of God,
transforming His children to be like the Son by this new
nature residing in us. Too many struggle with surrender.
Many do not want to give up their control, even if they
made tremendous mistakes, bad decisions in life. The
want to stay in charge, so it becomes a matter of trust.
But there is no one you can trust better than the Lord.
No longer do you depend on yourself to find the answers,
God has given them to you. The gospel does not just have
you believe in Jesus, it changes your life into service
for Him. Your affections for the world changed, before
you were attracted to it and had no power to resist it,
now you struggle against them are repelled by sin. Now
you have a power inside you that you did not before, to
resist and overcome. You have come under new ownership.
Jesus is no only your Lord, your savior but he is now
your master. You are bond servant.
(444) Filling
Up the Sufferings of Christ — Colossians 1:24-26
(Video) by Bob DeWaay, 12/18/16
This difficult passage has often been misused by those
who claim that the “merits of Christ” can be added to.
We explain and defend the eschatological view that
Christian suffering is necessary and eventually reaches
the limit that God has set for it. What is lacking that
is being filled up are sufferings that will ultimately
reach that limit and God will avenge His righteous ones.
God reveals His truth to those who are like infants and
not wise in their own estimation. We must contemplate
the claims of the gospel and respond with faith and
obedience.
(445) He
is Wonderful by Mike Oppenheimer,
12/19/16
Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son
is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 700 years
prior, in Isa 9:6 where the son is promised to be given,
born as a man there are a number of descriptions of our
Lord, one of them is wonderful. It is what begins of the
many names the Son is to be called.Wonderful means
Indescribable beyond comprehension to fully grasp. He is
the perfect one that is beyond description.We find this
name wonderful applied to God in the Old Testament.
(446) Babylon
is Fallen - Revelation 18 (Video) by Bill
Randles, 12/4/16
Rev. 18:2 2 With a mighty voice he shouted: “‘Fallen!
Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling
for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt
for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and
detestable animal.
(447) Cultic
Practices
of the Evangelical Church (Audio) by Jacob
Prasch, 12/24/16
A study on where cultic practices are to be found today
while looking at the early church.
(448) Why
I
expose error and warn believers by Andy
Neckar, Christian News & Views, 1/3/17
I am grieved for those who cannot understand my
concerns and my warnings. I am not "attacking" the
ministers who are obviously in error. I have nothing
against them personally. I praise the Lord for every
good thing in them and for every soul saved under their
ministries. But souls saved are "in spite of ", not
"because of " many of their messages. God’s Word will
not return to Him void. (Isaiah 55:11) I cannot and will
not ignore the things they are doing "publicly" which I
believe will eventually destroy thousands of sound
churches and which will break down Godly walls between
truth and error.
(449) What
Is
The Second Pentecost? (Audio) by Roger
Oakland, 1/8/17
(450) Does
Doctrine
Matter Anymore – To Pastors? by Gary Gilley,
Think on these things, (Volume 22, Issue 4, July/August
2016)
All pastors do not have the same giftedness or
interests. Some are excellent shepherds and love
direct involvement with people. Others could spend
all of their time behind closed doors in intense study,
or in pursuit of any number of advanced degrees (I had a
professor at Moody Bible Institute who had master’s
degrees in a number of totally unrelated areas,
including engineering, just because he loved to study
anything. But he lacked people skills that would have
enabled him to be a pastor). A good pastor should have a
shepherd’s heart but also a student’s mind. Pastors need
to take seriously Paul’s admonition to Timothy, “Be
diligent to present yourself approved to God as a
workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately
handling the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15). Still,
not every pastor will envision himself as a theologian,
although all must be pursuing expertize in both the
understanding and the communication of the Scriptures.
Many, who lack the skills or interest to move beyond
basic theological understanding, nevertheless are often
fine pastors who feed and protect the flock with which
the Lord has entrusted to them. My hope, however,
is that more pastors will take seriously the need to be
pastor-theologians so that God’s people will be spared,
as much as possible, the many deceptions that are
everywhere, and that they are aided in walking in the
light of God’s truth. After all, with the apostle
John, we “have no greater joy than this, to hear of
[our] children walking in the truth” (2 John 4).
(451) Certain
Men
Crept In by Roger Oakland, 1/19/17
Paul saw Satan’s plan clearly and warned what was
coming. Jude saw it happening in his day. Further, these
warnings which are included in the inspired Word of God
are timeless and are for the church right now. What
would Paul and Jude write to the church if they were
here today? Would their message have changed in any way?
Based on current trends that dilute the Gospel of Jesus
and make it into a
social-humanistic-psychological-what’s-in-it-for-me
gospel, definitely not! Let these same warnings be a
wake-up call for us today!
(452) Psalm
22 - The Tola Worm by Mike Oppenheimer,
1/20/17
Psalm 22 is known as the Psalm of the crucifixion,
written nearly 1,000 years before Jesus cries my god my
God why have you forsaken me, David prophesies of the
crucified one’s words that says in v.6 “I am but a worm
and not a man; a reproach of men, and despised of the
people." The word worm is not just describing any worm.
Here it is tola, an insect that they crushed to get the
die color of red/scarlet and used to color the robes of
royalty.
(453) How
to
win the battle by Jacob Prasch, 1/23/17
Whenever you see a superhuman villain in the Bible,
somebody distinct from other people who is a nefarious
creature, and you see a combination of three sixes in
association with him, we’re looking at a type of the
Antichrist. Let’s again look at the dimensions of
Goliath’s armor. Height was six cubits – one span, then
the weight was five. Then of course, we get down to the
weaver’s beam, the size of the spear, which it’s weight
was six hundred. So you put it together, obviously you
have six-six-six. There’s three sixes. Whenever you see
a play on numbers adding up to three sixes where it’s
multiples of eighteen in association with a nefarious
creature, we’re looking at someone who typifies
Antichrist in some way. And not infrequently when you
find someone who typifies Antichrist you’ll find someone
going before him. Here it’s the armor bearer. Of course
the false prophet goes before the beast. There are many,
many clues about the Antichrist and what he will be like
and what he will do throughout Scripture, but we should
always be looking for the number of the beast. Among
other things you're looking for somebody who's not just
a villain but a villain of superhuman quality because
he’s trying to counterfeit Christ – a superhuman.
(454) Biblical
Illiteracy:
Its Tragedy and Remedy by Gary Gilley,
1/28/17
Both statistical research and anecdotal observation
come to the same conclusion – America, a nation once
steeped in Scripture if not always living in obedience
to God, has joined the ranks of the biblically
illiterate from around the globe. Theologians and
sociologists both speak of our “post-Christian” culture,
while to some extent is still being fueled by the
capital of Christianity, which is now all but coasting
on empty. Albert Mohler, in a short article entitled
“The Scandal of Biblical Illiteracy: It’s Our Problem,”
quotes pollsters George Gallup and Jim Castelli as
saying, “Americans revere the Bible—but, by and large,
they don’t read it. And because they don’t read
it, they have become a nation of biblical
illiterates.”[1] As a result Mohler documents that fewer
than half of all adults can name the four Gospels,
identify more than 3 disciples or name even five of the
Ten Commandments. Eighty two percent of Americans
believe that “God helps those who help themselves” is in
the Bible. More comical are the studies that
reveal 12 percent of adults believe Joan of Arc was
Noah’s wife, a considerable number think Billy Graham
preached the Sermon on the Mount, and 50% of
graduating high school seniors think Sodom and Gomorrah
were husband and wife. From a survey not referenced by
Mohler it was discovered that some believe that the
epistles are the wives of the apostles. These
findings and stories drawn from secular society should
not surprise us too much – after all, biblical
instruction is seldom found today in our schools, media,
clubs or any place else apart from the church. But
sadly the church is catching up to society.
(455) The
Calling
of the Church by Harry Ironside, 1/30/17
Now we are sitting “in” Christ, not “with.” “With”
Christ will be our happy portion by and by when Christ
comes and takes us home, that in the ages to come He may
show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus. Show means that He might
exhibit. The church, then, called out of sin and
darkness, redeemed to God with the precious Blood of
Christ, and linked to the Head with the Spirit, will be
one with Christ throughout all the ages to come, and so
whatever experiences our Lord may be called upon to go
through we shall go through with Him. We shall reign
with Him and be with Him when He is all and in all. Our
portion will be with Him through all eternity. Let us,
therefore, walk worthy of the calling wherewith we are
called.
(456) Jesus on
Prayer (Video) by Bill Randles, 2/5/17
Luke 11.
(457) The
Job
Description of a Good Shepherd by Roger
Oakland, 2/19/17
Both the Old and New Testaments consist of numerous
references that provide the guidelines required for a
leader to be classified as a good shepherd. It makes
sense that we would look to the Scriptures for guidance
because the Bible is the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy
3:16) and should be our ultimate authority when it comes
to discussing this topic.
(458) Yeast
and
the Kingdom (Video) by James Jacob Prasch,
2/24/17
Moriel TV is active in the area of discernment
withstanding the popular apostasy in the contemporary
church that The Word of God warns would precede the
return of Jesus. We remain firmly aligned to the
conviction that contemporary events in The Middle East ,
Europe, and in the church make the present time in
history different from other eras when people thought it
was the last days. We affirm the belief that Jesus is
coming again and prophecy of His return is radically
being fulfilled increasingly.
(459) Bradford
Pear Christianity by Sandy Simpson,
2/28/17
I was driving along and noticing that spring has sprung
here in North Carolina. One of the first trees to
bloom is the Bradford Pear. I began to notice how
that tree has proliferated almost everywhere and then my
wife looked up the information on this tree on the
web. As she began to read the facts about this
tree and its proliferation I began to see an allegorical
parallel to what is going on in much of
Christendom. But before I get into what the
Bradford Pear can show us about the churches, I need to
present the facts about the tree.
(460) Two-Domain
Theology:
How We Escape Satan's Dominion by Bob DeWaay,
3/19/17
"to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness
to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that
they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance
among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me."
(Acts 26:18) People are concerned that they may be
demon possessed, cursed, or are somehow suffering
because of Satan's activity. They often look for someone
who can change their situation by casting out demons,
identifying and breaking curses, and taking authority
over Satan to stop whatever harm he may be doing. They
typically do not realize that their concern should be
about what spiritual domain they are in. Pagan shamans
perform deliverance, break curses and have techniques to
try to affect the well-being of their religious clients.
But what they can never do is remove someone from the
domain of Satan into the domain of Jesus Christ.
Temporarily alleviating symptoms while remaining in
Satan's domain does nothing about one's eternal destiny.
True escape from Satan is not about symptom relief or
geographical boundaries. It is about leaving Satan's
spiritual realm and entering the spiritual reign of God
in Christ. This is a relational issue and nothing else.
The two spiritual domains exist simultaneously and
throughout the entire geographical world. There are
physically sick and healthy people in both realms. There
are happy people with happy lives in both domains. There
are sad people with many difficulties in both spiritual
kingdoms. But the spiritual well-being and eternal
destinies of people are totally opposite depending on
whether they are in Satan's darkness or God's kingdom of
light. Which kingdom is dependent solely on their
relationship to Christ through the gospel.
(461) Dying with
Christ by James Jacob Prasch, 3/26/17
Oh, He is crucified, I have no doubt about that; He is
crucified, but how much of Jacob Prasch is crucified
with him. He is risen, I have no doubt He is
risen. I am absolutely convinced of the
historicity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
There is no question in my mind, he is indeed
risen. What I question is, how much is Jacob
Prasch living and walking in the power of his
resurrection, have I risen with him? He is
speaking to me but am I hearing what He is saying?
He is trying to explain the scriptures but do I
understand it? I am on the road to Emmaus, but he
acts as if he would go further. He’s just going to
keep going! They had to invite him.
(462) Heresy
and
Biblical Thinking (Video) by James Jacob
Prasch, 3/30/17
(463) Gideon’s Army -
Judges 7 by James Jacob Prasch, 4/2/17
We are afflicted in every way, crushed? No, just
afflicted. Despairing? No, just
perplexed. Persecuted, but not forsaken.
Struck down, but not destroyed. Always carrying
about in the body the dying of Jesus that the life of
Jesus may also be manifested in our body. We are
constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake
that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our
mortal flesh. We have this treasure in earthen
vessels. We have the light in the vase, it has to be
smashed that the light will shine. The enemy will be
defeated. Life comes from death, death to
self. The victory comes by the few, not by the
great. That is the way it was for Gideon and that is
the way it is for us today, this day, right here.
(464) Biblical
Literacy by Gary Gilley, Think on These
Things, Volume 23, Issue 2, March/April 2017
I have found an amazing thing: when believers feed on a
steady diet of biblical truth they have little craving
for cotton candy fads. Why would anyone trade in
the fountain of life for cisterns that can hold no water
(Jeremiah 2:13)? Of course many have and do, but
the solution is not to crawl into the cistern, it is to
showcase the fountain. Church growth gurus tell us
today that people have little interest in the Word of
God and we will never build a “great” church if teaching
truth is the focus of our ministries. They have a
point. In most cases big churches have grown due
to church growth techniques, marketing, excellent music,
exciting programs, and mirroring the culture by telling
people what they want to hear. But no matter the
size, whether 20 or 20,000, a great church must be
defined by God, not culture. It must never be
forgotten that it was the richest and most prosperous
church of Asia that the Lord said He would spit out of
His mouth (Rev 3:16), while those churches which seem to
be insignificant received the Lord’s commendation (Rev
2:8-11;3:7-13). Let us strive to please our Savior
by obeying His instructions to proclaim the Word and
making disciples.
(465) “Just as in
the days of Noah …” by James Jacob Prasch,
4/7/17
There will be demonoids on the earth again in the Last
Days, ultimately pointing to Antichrist, the Beast of
Revelation who will be something approximating an
incarnation of Satan, not in the sense that Jesus was
incarnate but approximating it. It is moving in
that direction, demonoids, demonic beings. That is
what happened in the days of Noah. Now, something
else happened in the days of Noah. God said to
build an ark. It’s dimensions all meant something
in Biblical numerics; 30 cubits by 50 cubits, look at
the dimensions again: “Three hundred cubits shall be
it’s length, it’s breadth 50 and it’s height 30.”
Three hundred cubits in the Bible is the number of the
Elect, as in Gideon’s Army was 300, 50 is the number of
the Holy Spirit, hamashim in Hebrew, the day of
Pentecost, and 30 is the number of spiritual
maturity. David began to reign as king when he was
30; Jesus began his ministry at the age of 30.
Three hundred, fifty, thirty—a picture of the Church,
what it is meant to be. Pitched within and
without—indwelt with the Spirit, the Spirit outside and
in, outpoured. It is the place of safety.
When God’s people got on that ark, when the whole number
of those to be saved were in, God closed it. Now
is the appointed time. Today is the day of
salvation. Get on that ark and beginning with your
families, get as many people on that ark as you possibly
can. The hour is coming when the hand of God is
going to close that door. “Just as it was in the
days of Noah.”
(466) Evidence
for the Resurrection by James Jacob Prasch,
4/10/17
I wish I could tell you “Happy Easter” and in one way I
can. He is risen. He is coming again but if
you don’t know him, your future is not happy, be you
Gentile or be you Jew. The evidence is
there. Please do not walk out that door today
without giving your life to the Messiah, Jesus,
Yeshua. When the Romans nailed him to that cross
it was by the prophetic ordaining of God that he would
pay the price for your sin and mine. When he rose
from the dead it was to give us eternal life. He
did it, he did it. But now he wants to show
you. Please, if you don’t know him, please stay
and talk to Marco or myself. Chronos and kairos,
the clock is ticking away. My friend, if you don’t
know Jesus the Messiah, I can tell you one final
thing. For those who do know him, we don’t have to
be afraid to go to sleep, but if you don’t know him,
you’d better be afraid to die. Don’t be a fool,
don’t be a loser, the price is already paid, he has
already made the way, that is Easter, that is the
Resurrection; that is the truth!
(467) Salt
free Christianity, the way of today's Church
by Mike Oppenheimer, 4/19/17
We hear of all different kinds of ingredients in food
that we should avoid for our health. Salt is high on the
list. Today salt is used as a flavor enhancer, but in
biblical times it had a more important purpose, it
preserved meats. It was the most available way to keep
meat from going bad. Lev. 2:13 “and every offering of
your grain offering you shall season with salt; you
shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to
be lacking from your grain offering. With all your
offerings you shall offer salt.’ Rom. 12:1-2 “I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And
do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is
that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Your body is a living sacrifice to God when you are
employed in his service. This is why Paul follows this
with not being conformed to the world; if we are
conformed to the world we are no longer having salt in
our sacrifice.
(469) Joseph
and Jesus - Genesis 37 (Video) by Bill
Randles, 3/8/17
(470) The goal
of man: Lessons in basic Christianity by Mike
Oppenheimer, 4/23/17
There is no greater goal or ideal than for man to be in
sync with God, and do His will instead of sinful mans.
It is God that gives us new life by our response of
acceptance to his Gospel. 2 Cor. 5:17 if anyone is in
Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed
away” Eph. 2:4-5 “even when we were dead in trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have
been saved)” We learn that by faith which he has
initiated by his grace we are appointed to do his will,
that God has a plan for our life.
(471) Reject
The
Benedict Option: We Must Affirm Scripture Alone
by Bob DeWaay, 5/14/17
"Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and
lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
(Matthew 28:20) Conservative author Rod Dreher has
written a popular book that promotes the claim that we
must rebuild a Christian culture by learning from the
6th century monastic, Benedict.1 The underlying premise
of the book is that Christianity needs a Christian
culture in order to insure that our children are not
assimilated into a culture of barbarism. This will
likely involve removing ourselves from the current
culture as much as possible. He compares this to the
Jews coming out of Babylon (Dreher: 18). The danger,
according to Dreher, is that our faith will not survive
more than a couple generations. This warning is
particularly aimed at Christians in America. Dreher
names the current culture "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism"
(45 and elsewhere). This means that we try to find
happiness and direction fully disconnected from God.
Since Deists were part of the founding of America, he
assumes that Deism is our key problem (35). Dreher
includes a brief history of religion and philosophy in
order to set the stage for "Saint" Benedict and what we
are to learn from him. Dreher presents a rather romantic
view of the Middle Ages and apparently sees their view
of "God in everything" as desirable. Consider his
glowing description of Medieval man ...
(472) This
Week
In Prophesy, including introduction of a new book
(Video) by Jacob Prasch, 5/15/17
(473) Why
Definitions
Matter by Gary Gilley, 5/19/17
It was Mark Twain who famously said, “The difference
between the right word and the almost right word is the
difference between lightning and the lightning bug.”
Used by Twain, the distinction between being a mediocre
author and great one, such as himself, was the choice of
words. If this is important to a novelist, how
much more important it is to the Christian attempting to
communicate timeless truths given to us by our Creator
God. Words and their meanings matter.
Unfortunately, in our Christian lingo, we tend to use
sloppily thrown out words and terms which can mislead
others and, in time, some of these terms take on lives
of their own. While often harmless in their
intent, I would contend that when we do so we
unknowingly miscommunicate important truths that our
Lord has revealed to us, and/or mislead ourselves and
others as a result. We need to give serious
attention to our terminology in order to avoid such
things. In this paper I want to identify a few words or
terms bandied about in Christian circles which need some
consideration.
(474) What
is
Satan's greatest ploy? by The Berean Call,
5/21/17
We are born again by the Word of God. Well, if that’s
the case, Satan is going to do whatever he can to
destroy the Word of God. Then it goes on a little…well,
without going into the details, the verses in between –
verse 25 says: “And this is the word which by the gospel
is preached unto you.” So here we find out why we must
preach the gospel, because if you don’t believe the
gospel you are lost. You can’t be born again except
through believing the gospel. It’s that simple; this is
what the Bible says. So the importance of the Word of
God…we are to earnestly contend for this faith that
comes through the Word of God.
(475) Few
Americans
Believe The Bible Is The Literal Word Of God
at Understand the Times, 5/26/17
Fewer than one in four Americans ¯ just 24 percent ¯
believe the Bible is “the actual word of God, and is to
be taken literally, word for word,” according to a new
survey by Gallup.
(476) A
Review Of Randy White's Article Delegitimizing
Discernment Ministries by James Jacob Prasch,
5/28/17
As requested I have carefully read Randy White's
article with its summary dismissal of all Discernment
ministries. As with most deceptive agendas , the opening
paragraphs of his article reveal his motive: He is
attempting to misrepresent his heretical view as a non
essential (Gnat instead of a Camel), when in fact it is
a fundamental distortion of the scriptural Gospel as per
Galatians chapter 1: 6-9. The New Testament
unambiguously teaches that believers are indeed already
under the New Covenant (eg.2 Corinthians 3:6, Hebrews
7:22) and the denial of this is not the biblical Gospel.
(477) Baptism
& Resurrection - Exodus 14-15 (Video) Bill
Randles, 5/3/17
(478) How
to
Win the Battle (Series) by James Jacob Prasch,
6/8/17
There are many, many clues about the Antichrist and
what he will be like and what he will do throughout
Scripture, but we should always be looking for the
number of the beast. Among other things you're looking
for somebody who's not just a villain but a villain of
superhuman quality because he’s trying to counterfeit
Christ – a superhuman. Read Introduction,
How
Do
You Defend Against the Invasion?, The
Commanders
of Saul, The
Primary
Opposition, The
Preparation
of God's Shepherds, The
Lord's
Weapons, Don't
Wear
Saul's Armor, First
the
Stone, Then the Sword, and Not
Just
a Children's Story
(479) What
Does
it Mean to Repent and Be Saved? by Dr. Harry
Ironside, 6/12/17
LTRP Note: Lighthouse Trails believe that one of the
reasons so many proclaiming Christians are turning to
contemplative mysticism is because they have been
following a non-biblical “Gospel” that has kept them
from a true born of the Spirit (born-again) relationship
with Jesus Christ. Thus, mystically-induced experiences
take the place of that relationship. The following
article by Dr. Harry Ironside explains what repentance
(a requirement for salvation and being born-again –
“except ye repent” – Luke 13:3-5) entails. It may
surprise a number of people when they discover what
repentance really is.
(480) The
Silent
Church in the Day of Apostasy by Warren B.
Smith, 6/16/17
Traditional Christian believers frequently mention the
analogy of the frog that is so slowly and gradually
boiled in a kettle of water that it dies before ever
realizing what is going on. Yet many believers fail to
realize that the very same thing is happening to them as
they tell that story. How else do you explain the rapid
rise of the “new gospel” movement with hardly a word of
concern within the church about what’s been happening?
As “new gospel” advocates continue to publish
bestselling books and flock to the airwaves in
ever-increasing numbers to advance their cause, there is
a strange silence in the church. Does the church have
any idea what is going on?
(481) Election
of Israel: True Israel, True Prophecy by James
Jacob Prasch, 6/19/17
In the past we have spoken of those who have the most
radical positions against the prophetic purposes of God
for Israel and the Jews and for the election of Israel,
the most extreme radical or most radical
Replacementists. You have people like John Piper
in America, a man who is misled and who misleads others
on this point and on others. But, in more recent
years, you have Hyper-Charismatics, people caught up in
Post-Millennialism, Dominion Theology, influenced by
people like George Eldon Ladd, the Theologian, and
extrapolating things from what he wrote. Many of
these people began right but then began going off.
One of them who began right and began going off was
someone called Arthur Wallis. His earlier books
were quite good; then he went off. It is not
always easy to see where these people really began to go
off. They will always attribute things to people
like Austin Sparks. Now Austin Sparks said many
good things, but whether Austin Sparks really believed
all the things that these people, in retrospect,
attribute to him is debatable. Clearly, however,
George Eldon Ladd was misled and so John Piper is misled
and so are a number of these people. It is not our
purpose now, but some of you are new so I have to point
something out. We have a recording called “The
Twin Pillars of Madness” and we explain about
Hyper-Charismatics who get into Replacement
Theology. Now, I myself believe in all the gifts
of the Spirit, understood and practiced biblically. I
don’t believe in the deceptions and counterfeits
happening today. I don’t believe in Charismania,
but I do believe in charismata. Cessationism is an
un-biblical doctrine. However, are we talking
about charismata? No we are talking about
Charismania.\
(482) Children of
the Light by James Jacob Prasch, 6/25/17
If the light is dark, how great is the darkness? It
should not overtake us. It should not! But if you are
swallowing these false proclamations of global peace and
false plans to achieve peace you are on the very
slippery slope; you have already got your head in the
trap. If you are not being alert—if you are not watching
the prophetic significance of the times in which we
live, certainly events in the Middle East. If you’ve got
your head in the sand, you’ve got your head in the trap.
If you are caught up in these counterfeit revivals that
are not revivals, if you are following these false
prophets and these crazy people teaching heresy, you’ve
got your whole body in the trap. You better pray that
God sends an angel with an acetylene torch to get you
out of there because you are in trouble. If you believe
that stuff you will believe anything—not forearmed, not
putting on the armor! You are vulnerable and not
understanding what the Lord is saying to churches that
once had the truth and have gravitated away from it.
Discernment evaporates. This should not happen to sons
of light. This day should not overtake the sons of
light. It shouldn’t happen to us, it shouldn’t. But
friends, I can tell you something, those foolish virgins
are going no place! This is dangerous. I see this in my
own life. I struggle with it every day. Brother Jacob
Prasch the preacher, or whatever you are…. If you are a
son of light, why don’t you try living like it? Knowing
the theology and the doctrine is one thing; picking up
your cross daily and following Jesus and living it out
is another. Oh, the devil is a deceiver, the world is a
deceiver. Even sin has an innate capacity to deceive,
sin itself deceives. But there is nobody who can deceive
us like ourselves. There is nobody who can lie to you
like yourself. There is nobody who can con you like
yourself; there is nobody who knows you better than your
old nature. The darkness. They don’t know where they are
going. Glen Beck does not know where he is going. Those
politicians don’t know where they are going. THEY DON’T
KNOW WHERE THEY ARE GOING! How can we tell them when we
don’t know where we are going either? Once the light
gets dark, how dark is the dark. We, by the grace of
Jesus and only by the grace of Jesus, we are sons of
light. By the grace of Jesus, in these last and perilous
days, may be enable us to live like it. God Bless.
(483) “Eugene
Peterson
on changing his mind about same-sex issues and
marriage” by Jonathan Merritt, Religion News
Service, 7/14/17
LTRP Note: The following news story from Religion News
Service is posted for informational and research
purposes and not as an endorsement of the source or the
content. The Message “Bible” has had a huge impact on
Christianity. Famous pastors, like Rick Warren, have
quoted from it extensively, which has played a huge role
in developing the present-day nearly apostate church.
It’s too bad more Christians didn’t take heed to some of
the warnings about Eugene Peterson and The Message over
the past several years (see article links below).
(484) Heavy
Shepherding
and the Moses Principle (Video) by James Jacob
Prasch-Live Via Skype, 7/18/17
(485) How to
spiritually grow in the times we live in by
Mike Oppenheimer, 8/8/17
Emergent church, the word-faith movement, positive
confession, prosperity movement; Postmodernism;
Inter-faith, ecumenism, the list is long as to what is
being introduced as genuine. You can choose your
teaching, these are the various choices of today’s
poisons. Many have already found out they have been lied
to by their involvement with these aberrations but it
becomes the most hurtful when it takes place to the
youth as it is disguised being in the church.
(486) The
Counterfeit Bible And Prophecy (Video) by
James Jacob Prasch, 8/21/17
(487) Understanding
Ahab
and the spirit of Jezebel (Video) by James
Jacob Prasch, 8/24/17
(488) This
Week
In Prophecy (Video) by James Jacob Prasch via
Skype, 9/11/17
September 9, 2017 Are the hurricanes God's judgement on
America? Wars and Rumors of Wars.
(489) The
end is never ending…And there will be false prophets
among you by Mike Oppenheimer, 9/20/17
Too many people have seen the solar eclipse of this
last month as a sign of the end. Numerous news sources
are reporting on Christian numerologist David Meade, a
self-proclaimed “researcher,” predicting that a series
of apocalyptic events will begin on Sept. 23 and, “a
major part of the world will not be the same.” David
Meade, a theoretician and researcher, told The
Washington Post that an astronomical event will occur
September 23, 2017, and it will lead to Earth’s
destruction. He explained that his reasoning is because
of several Bible verses and a series of numerical codes
Some take this to mean the world is beginning to end,
others actually think it is the end. Does anyone read
the Bible on this subject or are they are flying in
cloud 9 with their instrument panel broken?
(490) Don’t
Expect
The Rapture On September 23, 2017 by Scott
Pruit, 9/22/17
There are many popular Bible teachers making the
assertion that September 23, 2017, will be a significant
date in Bible prophecy. Some are saying that on that
date the rapture may or even will occur. They even claim
this idea has strong Biblical support. Let’s take a look
at this claim and see what the Bible really says about
it.
(491) Our
pilgrim’s journey by Mike Oppenheimer,
9/24/17
Life for everyone is a journey, there are only two
destinations. We are all pilgrims on earth. No one gets
out of here without suffering, being injured or scarred.
We all face hardships and tragedies in a fallen world.
It’s what we do with life’s travesties that make a
difference in our character now and what we will be
later. The world will suck the life out of you, it’s not
your friend; The Bible says whoever loves this world is
an enemy of God. Does bad talk offend you, does cussing,
are you offended by some of the things in our culture
and the music? I hope so. If not you may have become too
friendly with the world.
(492) The
Second Rock Incident - Numbers 20 (Video) by
Bill Randles, 9/20/17
(493) They
wanted him dead by Mike Oppenheimer,
9/30/17
From the beginning they wanted to kill Jesus, the first
day he read the scriptures in the synagogue they wanted
to throw him off a cliff Luke 4:28-30 "So all those in
the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled
with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city;
and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their
city was built, that they might throw Him down over the
cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He
went His way.“ Jesus being in control of the elements
was able weave his way through to escape because there
was a certain time he would give his life. Mark 9:31-32
For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son
of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they
will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the
third day." But they did not understand this
saying, and were afraid to ask Him.” Jesus told his
closest disciple how the end of his life would come, he
was in complete control of everything that would take
place. Although Satan and religious men wanted him gone
it would not happen until he allowed it to. John 5:16-19
“For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought
to kill Him, because He had done these things on the
Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been
working until now, and I have been working." Therefore
the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not
only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His
Father, making Himself equal with God.
(494) Is
the Blessed Hope The Rapture? Expose on J.D. Farag
(Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 10/28/17
(495) A Prayer
God Will Answer by James Jacob Prasch,
11/1/17
And so becomes the question--Why is it that God heard
the prayer of Moses? Why is it that it was the incense
of Moses and Aaron that God took into account? What was
it that made God hear their prayer? Not once, not twice,
three times. What was it? The thing that made God hear
the prayer of Moses is the thing that will make God hear
your prayer and mine. The thing that caused God to
inhale the incense of Moses is the thing that will make
that same God find your incense and mine acceptable. Why
did God hear the prayer of Moses? Did God hear his
prayer because he was called? Yes God heard his prayer
because he was called but there was more to it than
that. Did God hear his prayer because his doctrine was
correct? Yes his doctrine was indeed correct and God
heard his prayer but there is more. Did God hear his
prayer because his motives were pure? Yes God heard his
prayer because his motives were pure, but there is more
than that. Did God hear his prayer because he did not
abuse or exploit his position? Yes God heard his prayer
because he did not abuse or exploit the sheep misusing
his position. All those things are true; all those
things are indefensible and if someone lacks those
things I would not expect God is going to hear their
prayer. It says in James "You can ask and not receive it
you don't ask with a right motive." That is all true but
there is something more than that. As crucial, as vital
as each of those things are there was another reason, an
even greater reason that God heard the prayer of Moses.
Because when they turned against Moses, indeed, when
they rebelled against God himself, when they were not
called, when their doctrine was false, when their
motives were not pure, when they followed scoundrels
what did Moses do? He fell on his face and said "Spare
thy people, O Lord." He did what Jesus did. He said
"Forgive them." Why should God become a man and hang of
the cross for a cocaine dealer and a campus radical from
New York like me? Why? I do not know why. Maybe someday
he will tell me why. In heaven I will know why, but
right now I don't know why he did, I just know that he
did! He hung between the place of the living and the
dead. When he hung there, despite all the things I did
to him, despite the terrible things I had done, he said
"Father, forgive him. Father forgive them, they know not
what they do." These people don't know. Do you think
these people in Frangipane’s church...they don't have a
clue, they don't know. They have never been to a Bible
study in the sense that you would know what one is. They
don't know. Does it get me angry? I am sure it got Moses
angry. It certainly got God angry. But there was another
side of God. Before his judgment came he wanted to show
his mercy. He wanted to give people a chance to repent
and be saved. And so God heard the prayer of Moses. Of
course he was called. Was his doctrine right?
Absolutely. Where his motives pure? Yes! Did he exploit
or abuse God's people? No, never. Are all these things
true? Certainly, yes but there was more to it. The
reason God sniffed that incense, the reason God heard
that prayer is the one reason God will hear your prayer
and mine. We must be called, our doctrine must be right,
our motives must be pure, we must not exploit or abuse
his people, that is a given. But the capacity to say
"Dear God, they have rebelled against you, they've
turned against me, they have cursed me, they have
unjustly accused us when we were only doing your will.
Please forgive them." That is why God heard the prayer
of Moses. That is the one prayer, as it were, that God
himself cannot turn a deaf ear to. That is the one
prayer that God can never say no to. "Father, forgive
them."
(496) Shocked
by "shocked by the Bible" by Mike Oppenheimer,
11/19/17
When one come along with a best selling book and is
interviewed on radio (Christian) claiming he is teaching
what the church does not understand or is missing, I pay
attention. Joe Kovacs may need an addendum to his book
title “Shocked by the Bible”, such as “shocked by his
interpretation.” I certainly am as I read and hear his
explanations. Read: (1)
Shocked by "shocked by the Bible" p.1 - Joe Kovacs
errors of Interpretation(2)
Shocked by the bible p.2 - Mankind being made
gods (3)
Shocked by the Bible p.3 Becoming Children, becoming
gods (4)
Shocked by the Bible p.4 Works for salvation?
(497) Guarding
the
Gospel with Discernment by Mike Gendron,
12/6/17
What is the greatest attack on the church today? That
was the weighty question asked of the speakers at a
recent conference. I promptly responded, "The greatest
attack we are seeing today is on the exclusivity and
purity of the Gospel." The exclusivity of the Gospel
declares all other faiths are false because no one can
come to God except through the atoning death of Jesus
Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). The exclusivity of the
Gospel also humbles the pride of self-righteous people
and calls them to repentance. This is why many
pastors are compromising the Gospel. They want to make
it more inclusive in order to draw a larger following,
gain more influence and be loved by more people. This
man-pleasing gospel makes people comfortable in their
sin but it has no power to save them. It has
become popular because it exalts man and his importance
and diminishes God and His significance. It also
emphasizes God's love while ignoring His holiness,
justice and hatred of sin.
(498) Jerusalem
–
A Cup of Trembling to the Nations by Bill
Randles, 12/8/17
In view of last week’s UN Vote on the day the UN
designates “Palestinian day,” in which 151 nations voted
that Israel has no claim on Jerusalem, and of last
week’s six UN anti Israel resolutions ,and and in
view of today’s historic declaration by President Trump
that Jerusalem is the Capitol of Jerusalem, I
thought it fitting to re-run this 2010 exposition of
Zechariah 12. Prophecy is being fulfilled this very
day!
(499) Jerusalem
-
The Capital of Israel by Roger Oakland,
12/9/17
Anyone who has read the Bible knows that Jerusalem has
been the capital of Israel since the nation’s
foundation. So why is there such a controversy following
President Donald Trump’s decision to move the US embassy
from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and declare Jerusalem the
capital of Israel now?
(500) When
Error
Leads to Destruction by Danny Isom, Walk with
the Word, 12/11/17
One of the primary reasons that a Holy Spirit-filled,
born again Christian is supposed to devote themselves to
Scripture, is because it reeducates us where we have
been deceived by the world by the very words that we
use. Nearly every definition of a term found in God’s
Word is manipulated or outright redefined by the world’s
dictionary so that it does not resemble that which God’s
Word originally intended. And thus we learn the true
meaning of such things as “love”, “faith” or “hope”
through Scripture, whose respective biblical definitions
are a measurable contrast to the world’s meaning. But
even lesser, more ordinary words can be misconstrued
because we still assume that God’s Word is using them in
the fashion most familiar to our worldly upbringing. It
would not be unusual to read the above passage and
interpret the phrase “to their own destruction” as
merely meaning, “potentially harmful” or “not
beneficial”. That is not how Scripture uses the term
“destruction” at all. When someone distorts Scripture,
the eventual consequences are far more serious than most
realize.
(501) The
Spiritual Seduction of Satan (Video) by James
Jacob Prasch, 12/29/17
(502) What
is That verse doing There? by Sandy Simpson,
1/12/18
I want to preface this article by saying that there are
elements of eschatology that are debatable among true
believers, in particular the Rapture. The debate
among Premillennial Rapturists (Preterists,
Amillennialists and Postmillenialists are in grave
error) has long been a topic of conversation. I am
not stating that my view is the only one among true
Christians. What I am saying is that the presence
of the following verse in the narrative of Revelation is
curious and needs careful consideration. Revelation
16:15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the
one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he
will not walk about naked and men will not see his
shame.”)
(503) The
Forbidden Chapter (Video) by James Jacob
Prasch, 1/20/18
(504) The
Doctrine of Christ by Bill Randles, 1/22/18
(505) True
& False Repentance - 2 Corinthians 7 (Video)
by Bill Randles, 1/3/18
(506) Where
will
Christ return to? (Video) by James Jacob
Prasch, Live via Skype, 2/9/18
(507) Why
Brokeness is Necessary - Hebrews 12 (Video) by
Bill Randles, 2/7/18
(508) What
dies ... the Spirit or the body? by Mike
Oppenheimer, 2/23/18
Unfortunately there are some who are not confident but
confused. The Bible has spoken, Christ is in heaven and
so all believers go because of his grace gift to be
where He is.
(509) Did
God break His Covenant with Israel? (Video) by
James Jacob Prasch, Live Via Skype, 2/24/18
(510) The Way,
the Truth & the Life - John 14 (Video) by
Bill Randles, 2/11/18
(511) Response To Questions
On The "Pure Word" Translation by James Jacob
Prasch, 3/6/18
Frankly, it is a ridiculous piece of junk that is hard
to believe anyone literate in Greek could defend or
endorse. It interpolates translated terms not found in
the original Greek manuscripts as if they were included
in the original. It is sort of like 'The Amplified'
Bible in that it tries to represent the nuances or
possible meanings to the original text, except that the
Amplified sticks to the text as a valid 'study bible'
and places the expanded possible meanings grammatically
and linguistically into brackets etc. This hideous thing
goes beyond the original text and fails to make
parenthetical, italicize, or footnote, but re-writes the
text into English as if the insertions were found in the
ancient manuscripts.
(512) The
Poison of Augustine (Video) by James Jacob
Prasch, 3/9/18
(513) Two
Kinds of Blindness - John 9 (Video) by Bill
Randles, 1/31/18
(514) Saturday
or
Sunday (Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 3/13/18
(515) Avoiding
Counterfeit
Violins from After Darkness, Light - Part 9, 1
John 2:26-27 by Stephen Davey, 3/24/18
The truth is, the 21st century is really no different
than the 1st century. So much so that the Apostle will
warn the church of counterfeit ministers, counterfeit
gospels, counterfeit doctrines and counterfeit
Christians.iii The average Christian might be left to
worry – “How can I tell the difference in a world
spiritual counterfeits – I’m not a theological expert –
I never took Cults 101 or How to Spot a Spiritual
Deceiver 102. What kind of equipment can I possibly have
to enable me to tell the genuine item from a forgery . .
. a cheap imitation? How can I avoid an imitation
violin, in the spiritual world?
(516) Do we
establish the kingdom by power or force? by
Mike Oppenheimer, 4/2/18
In our day many wrong things are taught within the
Spiritual warfare movement, one of them that is crucial
is the aggressiveness the church is to have, like a
military army for establishing the kingdom on earth.
Matthew 11:12-13 “And from the days of John the Baptist
until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and
the violent take it by force.” It is this particular
scripture that is the basis of this movement. I have
heard a number of explanations on this passage that do
not seem to fit the meaning when one takes into account
what Jesus himself said about the kingdom and who enters
it. So I want to offer a different view that I hope can
give light to a perplexing scripture. Who was in charge
until John the Baptist came on the scene? It was the
religious leaders, particularly the Pharisees. When John
came to preach repentance, the Pharisees came out to see
him and reacted (strongly) against his message. The
kingdom of heaven suffered violence, because Pharisaic
Judaism was violent. It lacked compassion, mercy and
fairness. John was the beginning of something new. Matt
11:13 “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until
John, this was the dispensation of law under Moses’ old
covenant. John was preaching of the Christ who was to
come. A new dispensation where a new covenant will be
instated. Matt 3:1-2 “In those days John the
Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and
saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"
In other words his answer went against the Pharisaic
practices of the day. It was what all of Israel had been
anticipating, waiting for, but it was not to come
through the Pharisees Judaism.
(517) Yoma: The
Day Of Atonement by James Jacob Prasch, Luke
4:14-26, 4/16/18
Obviously, there is one Messiah, two comings, and this
is how we understand in large part, the 69th and 70th
week abridgment in the Book of Daniel, but we see it
here. He comes into the synagogue and notice certain
things; it refers to him as the “Son of Joseph,” other
places he is called “Son of David,” here he is called
“Son of Joseph” in the town where he grew up. Now, most
of you know “HaMashiach ben Yosef,” HaMashiach ben
David,” “the Messiah the Son of Joseph, the Messiah the
Son of David.” Here he is called “Son of Joseph.” Now
remember, Joseph was accepted by Gentiles but rejected
by his Jewish brothers. He was rejected in his own land
and they threw him out, they got rid of him and Gentiles
accepted him. So it is here when Jesus is identified as
“Son of Joseph” where he begins telling two stories of
Elijah and Elisha, whom the Gentiles accepted when the
Hebrew people rejected them. He is making that
comparison of himself to them which has the people quite
indignant. Yet his words were gracious. But once he told
them the truth about himself, they were not so gracious.
Once they found out where he was really coming from,
they became indignant and became angry. It is the same
thing today. You can preach a good sermon or present a
good gospel message, teach an interesting Bible study
and people will like it, but once you begin to deal with
what is wrong with the church and what is wrong with
them, those same people will very quickly turn on you
like a rat with rabies, in an instant. Now what happened
here in Nazareth was a foreshadowing of what would
happen to him in Jerusalem after the triumphal entry. He
compares himself to Elijah and Elisha and what took
place with them.
(518) The
Original
Lie by Michael Penfold, 4/18/18
Humanity’s first sin stemmed from hell’s first lie
when, in Eden’s garden, Satan tempted our first parents
with a powerfully attractive but ultimately deceptive
proposal: “Disobey God and look what will be yours”.
(519) "Beware
of" by Mike Oppenheimer, 5/1/18
The word carries the meaning to be aware and to avoid.
It means we must identify things to be safe. Jesus spoke
numerous times of what to beware of. He said what these
were for our own safety. Matt 7:15 “Beware of false
prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but
inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” These are those who
look like anyone else on the outside but inside, their
heart is filled with sinful thoughts, even evil. They
have agenda’s and they do not make your life better but
what they do is always best for themselves. They
manipulate while sounding religious or spiritual. Since
wolves eat sheep these are our enemy and we are told
they are among us, and will increase. They are in the
church and to bring harm spiritually and even physically
to God’s children. Matt. 10:16-20 "Behold, I send you
out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise
as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men,
for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you
in their synagogues. You will be brought before
governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them
and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do
not worry about how or what you should speak. For it
will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;
for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your
Father who speaks in you.” These are those who betray
you and want to bring physical harm because of your
religious beliefs are in opposition to theirs, they
exercise vengeance on you. This may not be a common
occurrence in America now but it is in the world. In
America they want you silenced, gone. If you stand up
for Christ in any way, speak of the Bible, or speak the
truth and threaten to expose them they want you quiet.
(520) Fall
of
the House of Saul by Jacob Prasch, 5/5/18
1 Samuel 28:6: "And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the
Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or
by the prophets." We are not certain what Urim and
Thummim were, but we do know they were two kinds of
stones in an ephod case on the high priest's chest. Urim
has to do with the Hebrew word for lights; this is how
they discerned God's leading and direction in some
circumstances in Old Testament Israel. We see in 1
Samuel 28:6 that God stopped giving light to King Saul;
He stopped hearing King Saul. Saul's leadership was at
this point totally backslidden, and had become
treacherous. When leadership backslides, something else
happens: God stops speaking to that leader or those
leaders. God would not speak to Saul by prophets –
perhaps God would send him false prophets, but no longer
any true prophet, such as Samuel. One of the things that
take place in this kind of situation is that God removes
prophetic voices.
(521) Nests
in
the Altars by Harry Ironside, 5/6/18
Millions of Christians could testify to the fact that
He has never failed one who commits all things into His
hands. If we have never done it before, if we have never
yielded ourselves and all our affairs, oh, that we might
do it today. He is waiting to have us do that very
thing. He longs to undertake for us; and then, indeed,
we shall know the meaning of these words, “The sparrow
hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD
of hosts, my King, and my God.” Then, too, we shall
enter into and understand the next verse, “Blessed are
they that dwell in Thy house: they will be still
praising Thee.” Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world
of sin; The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.
(Edward Henry Bickersteth, Jr., 1875)
(522) Go Teach
All Nations - Matthew 28 (Video) by Bill
Randles, 4/15/18
(523) The
Knowledge of God: Father, Son & Holy Spirit -
Matthew 28 (Video) by Bill Randles, 4/29/18
(524) Nehushtan
(Video) by James Jacob Prasch, 5/19/18
John 3:14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
(525) Theologians
Warn
Andy Stanley's Message to 'Unhitch' Old Testament Is
Heresy by Stoyan Zaimov, The Christian Post,
5/22/18
Megachurch pastor Andy Stanley's recent message in
which he urged Christians to "unhitch" their faith from
the Old Testament continues to draw flak, with some
calling it heresy. Both Kevin DeYoung of Christ Covenant
Church and Wesley Hill of Trinity School for Ministry
are calling Stanley out for what they contend is
heretical teaching — namely, Marcionism — that stems
from the early church days.
(526) More
Parables of Warning - Luke 12 (Video) by Bill
Randles, 5/20/18
(527) 2
Thessalonians (3 Videos) by James Jacob
Prasch, 5/26/18 - Watch 2
Thessalonians 1, 2
Thessalonians 2 and 2
Thessalonians 3.
(528) Spiritual
Discernment
What It Is and How to Get It by Dr. Shelton
Smith, 5/27/18
Spiritual discernment! What is it? Where do you learn
about it? Is it something we need? If so, how do we get
it? Okay, let’s see if we can find the answers to these
questions.
(529) Spiritual
Thirst - Psalm 42 (Video) by Bill Randles,
5/27/18
(530) Does
God only heal or does he afflict and take life?
by Mike Oppenheimer, 6/2/18
1 Tim. 6:13 “God who gives life to all things.” Rom.
4:17 who gives life to the dead and calls those things
which do not exist as though they did.” So many focus on
God being the healer, which he does out of his
graciousness, but they ignore and some even deny that
God will afflict and take life. A cursory look at the
Bible proves them wrong. The first recorded instance of
Gods judgment he pronounces to Adam and Eve that they
would die. He later pronounced judgment on the human
race when sin and wickedness rose to its zenith, yet he
gave mercy through Noah which they refused. The Lord
throughout history has afflicted man for his sin though
he often accompanied it with mercy. Here are just few
instances of his judgment. Isa. 30:20 “and though the
Lord gives you The bread of adversity and the water of
affliction”, Ps. 119:67 David says "Before I was
afflicted I went astray, but now I keep thy word."V.75
"In your faithfulness you have afflicted me." David
attributed his affliction to God Deut. 32:39:“Now see
that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I
kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal.” Numbers 12
Mariam was afflicted with leprosy because she disobeyed
the Lord, she was healed when she repented of her
rebellion.
(531) Principles
of
Persecution by James Jacob Prasch, 6/4/18
When persecution comes, some people will stand that you
would not expect. Other people will fall away, whom you
think would stand. It is amazing to read the history of
the English martyrs in "Foxe's Book of Martyrs," and see
those people you thought would have stood, but who ran
away; and other people who you thought would have run
away, but they stood. God judges the heart. He knows
what is really in us. If there is one thing that is
going to bring out what is really in us, it is
persecution. When persecution comes, we are really going
to find out who is who. Fire brings out what is inside
someone.
(532) Combating
Error—Whose
Job Is It? (in answer to “Francis Chan Warns
Those Who Criticize Christian Leaders: “God Will
Destroy You.”) by Victor Scipioni, 6/7/18
But where does combating error fit in to pleasing God?
It fits in through obeying the instructions in His Word
to do so. We are told specifically to be prepared at all
times and in all seasons to rebuke those who do not
adhere to sound teaching (doctrine). That constitutes
combating error. Preach the word; be instant in season,
out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when
they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own
lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having
itching ears. (2 Timothy 4:2-3) Combating error is a
fight in which we must be willing to engage just like a
boxer contends to try to win the title belt from the one
who holds it. It is necessary.
(533) Why
does He come in the clouds? (Video) by James
Jacob Prasch, 6/11/18
(534) Occult
Practices in the Churches - How the occult has
been fully integrated into many Christian lives and
fellowships by Sandy Simpson, 6/7/18
The Bible is quite clear about occult practices.
Neither Israel nor the Church is to have anything to do
with the way the world tries to gain secret
knowledge. The Gnostics were and are known for
promoting new revelation that is either loosely tied to
Scripture taken out of context or not at all. The
Israelites seeking information from the dead or in omens
were judged harshly by the Lord who had warned them
numerous times to stay away from that stuff.
Yet due to the influences of heretical teachers in the
New Apostolic Reformation, Word of Faith, Emergent
Church, and the New Age many have been successful in
getting lots of churches and denominations into occult
practices that have been thinly disguised as
“Christian”. Many of those who follow these
people, I’m sure, have no idea how far they have strayed
into the occult. First I want to give the dictionary
definitions and then Biblical warnings against these
practices. Then I will give examples in the
churches taken mainly from the ElijahList e-newsletter.
(535) |
