(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

(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

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

(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.

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New Sandy Simpson Messages 
on CD & DVD

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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

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