The Lockdown, Evangelicals and the Afterlife: A Response to Steven Pinker

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , , , , , , , ,

“Do evangelicals love their children and grandchildren less than atheists? Do evangelicals not do everything possible to save lives? There are evangelical hospitals and doctors serving in the poorest countries in the world. Where are the atheist hospitals?”

(Dennis Prager – Townhall)  Harvard professor of psychology Steven Pinker tweeted last week:

“Belief in an afterlife is a malignant delusion, since it devalues actual lives and discourages action that would make them longer, safer, and happier. Exhibit A: What’s really behind Republicans wanting a swift reopening? Evangelicals.” Continue reading →

Wear gloves, or wash hands to avoid coronavirus?

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(Fox News)  As state-mandated coronavirus lockdowns are slowly ending in the U.S., an important factor remains what’s the best way to prevent from catching the virus or spreading it to others — if you decide to venture out into public spaces.

The virus is currently known to spread mainly from person to person within close contact through respiratory droplets in the air, however, a March study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)…. Continue reading →

Termites

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God.” Romans 14:10-13 (NASB) Read verses 12-13 on the site.

Without a doubt, there is a growing apostasy in the Church. One of the main reasons this is taking place is that the majority of professing Christians have adopted the pervasive attitude in modern Western culture that says authority to determine right and wrong resides in the individual…. Continue reading →

What Is Discernment?

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“Discernment functions as a key to Christian freedom. The zealous but undiscerning Christian becomes enslaved—to others, to his own uneducated conscience, to an unbiblical pattern of life. Growth in discernment sets us free from such bondage, enabling us to distinguish practices that may be helpful in some circumstances from those that are mandated in all circumstances.” 

(Sinclair Ferguson – Ligonier Ministries)  Someone I know recently expressed an opinion that surprised and in some ways disappointed me. I said to myself, “I thought he would have more discernment than that.” Continue reading →

EU: ‘End of American-led’ World and Rise of China ‘Happening Before Our Eyes’

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(Breitbart) The European Union’s top diplomat has called for the bloc to have a “more robust strategy” toward China amid signs that Asia is replacing the United States as the centre of global power.

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell told a gathering of German ambassadors on Monday that “analysts have long talked about the end of an American-led system and the arrival of an Asian century.”

“This is now happening in front of our eyes,” he said. Continue reading →

500 Doctors Tell Trump To End COVID-19 Shutdown, Warn It Will Cause More Deaths

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(Joseph Curl – Daily Wire)  On March 22, President Trump took to Twitter and typed out a message in all-caps: “WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF. AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!”

That was more than a month ago. And while all 50 states have begun to take some steps toward reopening shuttered businesses and closed restaurants, the pace is achingly slow. Continue reading →

Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

25 Jesus said to her, “I am The Resurrection and The Life; the one believing in Me, even if he should die will live, 26 and everyone living and believing in Me never dies into the age. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26 (translated from the NA28 Greek text)

In this post we will look at our Lord’s final and ultimate messianic sign. John also bluntly contrasted our Lord’s spectacular, uncontested miracle with the evil intent of the Jewish religious leaders who resolved to arrest Jesus and kill not only Him, but Lazarus whom our Lord raised from the dead. John also reveals their self-centered motivations for this later in John 11:45-57. In this post we will look at John 11:1-44. Continue reading →

Is Your Congregation An Oasis Or A Mirage?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , ,

Without the pure preaching of the gospel a congregation is not an oasis. It is only a mirage, which has nothing to offer the pilgrim but more heat and sand when what the sojourner needs is relief from the heat and the water of life. This is a basic point and obvious but it bears repeating because throughout the history of the church she has often lost sight of her prime mission. In our age congregations busily make themselves attractive in a dozen different ways but forget the one thing that makes them a true church: the gospel.

(R. Scott Clark- Heidelblog)  When I was boy we made frequent pilgrimages to my grandparent’s farm in Southwestern Kansas. That is where I learned to drive, put up fence, buck bales of hay, and chew tobacco. I do not recommend the latter. On the trip, on a really hot day, a mirage would appear in the distance. The road seemed to melt ahead of us as heat waves rose from the asphalt. Continue reading →

Kids as young as 11 told to define hardcore porn for homework

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“Luckily I found the work otherwise she would have typed this stuff into Google and you know what would have come up and that makes me feel sick. I felt sick thinking she was going to go onto the computer to search it up.”

(The Christian Institute)  Parents in Hull are “disgusted” after children as young as eleven were asked to consider different types of pornography and other inappropriate topics for homework. Continue reading →

Dr. Fauci: We Can’t Stay Coronavirus Closed Without ‘Irreparable Harm’

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“While some in the capital cocktail set see Dr. Fauci as a sex symbol, he has been a panic peddler during much of this crisis. For instance, May 13, 2020: As states reopened, Dr. Fauci warned of “needless suffering and death” if states move too fast.”

(Bryan Preston – PJ Media) Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared for interviews Friday and dropped a grenade into the nation’s reopening conversation. Continue reading →

‘A Year’s Worth of Suicide Attempts in the Last Four Weeks’: California Doctor Calls for End to Lockdown

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , , , , ,

California governor Gavin Newsom is currently putting his state through a phased reopening, with counties in the Bay Area moving slower than other parts of the state. On Tuesday, the Department of Justice warned Newsom in a letter that his state’s banning of in-person worship “facially discriminates against religious exercise.”

(Tobias Hoonhout – National Review)  The doctor in charge of a Bay Area, Calif. trauma center said the state should end its lockdown orders after an “unprecedented” spike in suicide attempts amid the coronavirus pandemic. Continue reading →

Adam’s Fall and God’s Response

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men” (v. 18).  – Romans 5:12–21

Romans 5:12–21 is a key passage for understanding God’s plan of salvation, for it says that Adam “was a type of the one to come,” even Jesus Christ (v. 14). Knowing something of the consequences of Adam’s failure will therefore help us know why Christ suffered, died, and was resurrected (Mark 8:31). Continue reading →

Trump announces that houses of worship are ‘essential,’ calls on governors to open them up

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , , , , , , ,

“The announcement comes after Trump has been hearing concerns of faith leaders who are unable to hold Sunday services due to coronavirus restrictions at a time when their parishioners are grappling with the crisis. Families may be grieving the loss of loved ones from the virus or struggling with job loss but unable to seek respite in their places of worship.”

(Fox News) President Trump on Friday announced that new Centers for Disease Control guidance will classify houses of worship as “essential,” as he called on governors to allow them to open “right now” after being closed during the coronavirus lockdowns. Continue reading →

Beth Moore and double standards for Joe Biden?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , , , , , , , , ,

“If Moore is consistent, and her allegations about the evangelical culture are true, will her apparent “disregard” of Biden’s accuser “enable” Biden’s rise?  Moore admitted that “the target of her scorn is an evangelical culture that downplays the voices and experiences of women.” But is she not contributing to the very culture to which she speaks of with her own silence as to the allegation against presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden?”

(Laura Murphy – Voices)  Beth Moore, the bestselling Bible study teacher, author, and public speaker, tweeted to her 900,000 followers the above sentiments four years ago in her response to the Trump “Access Hollywood” tape.… Continue reading →

No Bailouts for Corrupt Blue States That Keep Running In the Red

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , , , ,

“California, for instance, has an unfunded liability of its pension system of over $1.3 trillion. When you add the nearly $500 billion in outstanding bonds, state taxpayers will ultimately have to fork over nearly $2 trillion to cover the costs, which will only increase in the coming years. At the same time, Gov. Gavin Newsom is keeping much of the economy closed and is demanding millions in federal funds be given away to illegal immigrants.”

(Bryan Preston – PJ Media)  Once in a lifetime, and sometimes not even that often, a crisis comes along that requires extreme measures. Continue reading →

End New York City’s lockdown now!

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , , ,

“The Big Apple is ­dying. Its streets are empty. The bars and jazz clubs, restaurants and coffeehouses sit barren. Beloved haunts, storied rooms, perfect-slice joints are shuttered, many for good. The sweat equity of countless small-business owners is evaporating. ­Instead of getting people back to work providing for their families, our mayor talks about a fantasyland New Deal for the post-coronavirus era.”

(David Marcus – New York Post) Sometimes, a good rant is all a writer can offer. Bear with me. Continue reading →

More ‘The Bible Project’ concerns: Enneagram, Lectio Divina

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , , , ,

“The authors, trainers and teachers [of the Enneagram] are clear it is not a personality profile but 9 individual paths back to your “True self,” the self you actually are which never sinned and is with God already and was never separated from God. There is nothing in this which is Christian but is opposed to the essential doctrine of the Christian Faith.” 

(John Lanagan – The Word Like Fire)  Through the work of Pastors Gabe Hughes and Richard Sweatman we learned of disturbing flaws in the teaching of Tim Mackie of The Bible Project. Mackie rejects the biblical understanding of the Atonement (propitiation) and of hell. Continue reading →

Missing the Mark

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. Matthew 1:18-21 (NASB) Read Mat 20-21 on the site.

In the passage above, the word “sins” translates the noun ἁμαρτιῶν, which is the Genitive, Plural of ἁμαρτία (hamartia), from the verb ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō), which means, “to miss the mark.”… Continue reading →

‘Bet You Stay Home Now Hypokrits’: Church That Refused To Close During Lockdown Gets Burned Down, Investigated As Arson

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , , ,

“We’re in a time where I don’t think it’s any secret that there’s a growing hostility toward churches, across the board. And now, here are churches like First Pentecostal that are sort of stirring up the waters by being outspoken and somewhat firm about seeking to protect their Constitutional rights.”

(Amanda Prestigiacomo – Daily Wire)  A Mississippi church in the midst of a legal battle to stay open despite local shutdown orders was burned to the ground early Wednesday morning. According to first responders, the First Pentecostal Church of Holly Springs was vandalized and suffered a large explosion to the back of the church. The incident is being investigated as a criminal act of arson. Continue reading →

Doctors raise alarm about health effects of continued coronavirus shutdown: ‘Mass casualty incident’

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , , , , , , ,

“The millions of casualties of a continued shutdown will be hiding in plain sight, but they will be called alcoholism, homelessness, suicide, heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure. In youths it will be called financial instability, unemployment, despair, drug addiction, unplanned pregnancies, poverty, and abuse.”

(Tyler Olson – Fox News)  More than 600 doctors signed onto a letter sent to President Trump Tuesday pushing him to end the “national shutdown” aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus, calling the widespread state orders keeping businesses closed and kids home from school a “mass casualty incident” with “exponentially growing health consequences.” Continue reading →

REVOLT: 1,200 Calif. Clergy Tell Newsom They’re Meeting in Person, With or Without Permission

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , , , , , ,

“Advocates for Faith & Freedom, The National Center for Law and Policy, Liberty Counsel and Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund, and First Liberty — firms representing the hundreds of clergy in California — sent the letter to Newsom, representing a demand that the governor either alters his order or receives notice that it will be violated on a massive scale.”

(Tyler O’Neil – PJ Media)  On Wednesday, lawyers representing more than 1,200 California clergy sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.), declaring religious services essential during the coronavirus pandemic and announcing that churches will start meeting in person on May 31 — the Day of Pentecost referred to as the birthday of the Christian church — with or without the governor’s permission. Continue reading →

Why Your Church Should Safely Reopen Now

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , , , , , ,

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Hebrews 10:23-25

The Christian Worldview – David Wheaton

Depending on where you live, it has now been nine weeks since government officials have ordered churches in America to cease worship services due to stated concerns about the spread of COVID-19. In many states, there is no timetable for when government will allow churches to reopen. Continue reading →

Drawing Near Unto God

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

7 You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. 9 ‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’” Matthew 15:7-9 (NASB)

What does it mean biblically to draw near to God? Obviously, the Jews our Lord confronted as Matthew recorded in the passage above were not doing so. However Hebrews 10:22 says to those who are truly born again: Continue reading →

Francis Chan Explains How He Became a Bill-Johnson-Loving Charismatic

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , , , , , , , ,

“Can I just say something in response to that? Bill, you blow me away with your words and your heart behind them. You need to know that it’s that heart that changed me. It’s that type of character and kindness that can only come from the spirit, to love like that in the midst of slander.”

(Dustin Germain – PNP) Francis Chan brought some clarity to his journey from relatively sound Master’s seminary graduate and pastor, to itinerant charismatic faith healer when he took part in an online-conference “The Unveiling” on May 15. Sharing the scene Asher Intrator, Bill Johnson, David Demian, Diane Bickle, Mike Bickle, and Tabitha Lemaire, their purpose was to “come together to share their hearts on the Kingdom.” Continue reading →