The Righteousness That Exceeds That of the Scribes and Pharisees

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets. I am not come to destroy them, but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I say unto you, Till heaven and earth perish, one jot or one tittle of the Law shall not escape, till all things be fulfilled. 19 ,Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall observe and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:17-20 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

I had a friend tell me several days ago that her father had made the comment that most believers nowadays have never experienced real Christianity. I agree with that statement. Why? Most professing Christians are not regenerate. They are in the Religion of Do. They practice the same righteousness that the scribes and Pharisees practiced in Jesus’ day. Continue reading →

John 3:16 in context

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16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only son that everyone believing in Him should not perish but have life eternal. (John 3:16 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

The Lord has blessed our church over the last several years with massive growth. Why? We are centered on the Word of God, Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and the Gospel message as the focus of all we do. The growth is amazing, but it also has required us to alter how we respond to it. What do I mean? We have changed nothing about the message. If anything, the message just keeps going out more and more in more and more different ways. Because of the growth we have had to adapt to serious parking problems, overcrowding throughout our building, etc…. Continue reading →

How Many More Trans Shootings Before the FBI Acts?

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

“The Oversight Project and The Heritage Foundation have formally called on the FBI to designate transgender ideology as violent extremism, and I agree. Such a designation would allow the FBI to tailor specific investigative techniques to address the threat, but it must be careful not to suggest that all transgender people or their allies represent a threat.”

(Tyler O’Neil – The Daily Signal) On Monday, yet another person who identified as transgender carried out a mass shooting—this time during a high school hockey game—highlighting why federal law enforcement should consider designating the threat of transgender ideology as violent extremism.

While most people who identify as transgender do not pose a threat to others, a growing number of them and their allies have taken up arms, at times targeting or threatening those who disagree with the ideology. Continue reading →

Efficacious faith as opposed to man-made faith

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

13 Jesus answered, and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water, shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never be more athirst: but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. John 4:13-14 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

Efficacious adj. producing the desired effect – from The Oxford New Desk Dictionary and Thesaurus Third Edition.

Christian faith has appeared to many an easy thing; nay, not a few even reckon it among the social virtues, as it were; and this they do because they have not made proof of it experimentally, and have never tasted of what efficacy it is. For it is not possible for any man to write well about it, or to understand well what is rightly written, who has not at some time tasted of its spirit, under the pressure of tribulation; while he who has tasted of it, even to a very small extent, can never write, speak, think, or hear about it sufficiently. For it is a living fountain, springing up into eternal life, as Christ calls it in John iv.1 Continue reading →

Minnesota Pastor Breaks Silence on Don Lemon

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“The First Amendment does not allow premeditated plots or coordinated actions to violate the sanctity of a sanctuary, disrupt worship, and intimidate small children. There is no ‘press pass’ to invade a sanctuary or to conspire to interrupt religious services.”

(Tyler O’Neil – Daily Signal) Former CNN host Don Lemon has pleaded not guilty to federal charges for his role in the invasion of a Minnesota church last month, claiming he was merely covering the “protest” as a journalist, but the church’s pastor says Lemon was “in on the terror.” Continue reading →

Rice and Obama are plotting and planning and saying way too much out loud…

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“Susan’s tone and language raise questions about whether the left is drifting further and further toward a cycle of political payback. More weaponization, lawfare, and political punishments… all the stuff we saw during the Biden regime.”

(Revolver) Sometimes politicians accidentally say their innermost thoughts out loud. It is rarely smart. But sometimes it is strategic. It sends a signal to their voters: elect us, and we will crush MAGA.

Honestly, that kind of message often lands harder than any polished campaign speech ever could. Continue reading →

Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump Tariffs

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(Breitbart) The Supreme Court ruled Friday that President Trump’s sweeping global tariffs are illegal, delivering the most significant legal defeat of his second term and undercutting a central White House trade initiative.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for a 6–3 majority that Trump exceeded his authority by invoking emergency powers to impose duties on virtually every country. The tariffs at issue were expected to raise about $1.5 trillion over the next decade—representing roughly 70 percent of Trump’s second-term levies, according to the Tax Foundation. Continue reading →

FBC Orlando Cancels TPUSA Faith ‘Make Heaven Crowded’ Revival

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“Overall, the TPUSA Faith project is perhaps well-intended but is theologically compromised by egalitarianism, much like TPUSA, which hosts women’s leadership conferences, but not anything specifically for men….”

(Ray Fava – Evangelical Dark Web) Within Florida megachurch culture, there are many libertine Southern Baptist Churches that would include Church of the Glades and David Uth’s FBC Orlando. The latter of which has come under fire in the past for supporting homosexuality and this church also received massive PPP funds during Covid. Continue reading →

The Coming of the Kingdom of God

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, his disciples came unto him apart, saying, Tell us when these things shall be, and what sign shall be of thy coming, and of the end of the world. 4 And Jesus answered, and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my Name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.7 For nation shall rise against nation, and realm against realm, and there shall be famine, and pestilence, and earthquakes in divers places.8 All these are but the beginning of sorrows. Matthew 24:3-14 (1599 Geneva Bible) Read verses 9-14 on the site.

When I was a youth back in the 1960’s I remember hearing many sermons in our church about how the signs of the end of the age were upon us and that it would only be a short time until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1970 Hal Lindsey published his book The Late Great Planet Earth…. Continue reading →

The Empire-Building Church Model Does NOT See Christ as King and High Priest

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

“No one stands up and declares, “Let us worship me.” It’s subtler than that. It’s structural, cultural, and habitual. The stage grows larger. The man’s name becomes synonymous with the ministry. Criticism is framed as rebellion. Loyalty is framed as spirituality. And slowly—imperceptibly—the pastor functions as high priest of his own kingdom.”

(The Dissenter) There’s a certain tone a man uses when he believes the room belongs to him.

Not the building. Not the microphone. The room.

You can hear it in the cadence—relaxed, almost amused, but tight underneath. Like someone who has never had to be contradicted without consequences…. Continue reading →

Shepherds, Not Celebrities

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“There are many books and courses on leadership style that tend to mimic business practices and specialized manipulation techniques. We do not see this in Scripture, yet many of our churches operate in ways similar to secular institutions.”

(Jon Harris – TruthScript) If we are to continue, and God willing expand, Christian influence, it is vital for us to understand leadership, both for the sake of the church and for our broader understanding of cultural stewardship. Fortunately, the New Testament has much to offer, especially when it comes to leadership in the church. Continue reading →

This Age and the Age to Come

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the full knowledge of Him, 18 so that you—the eyes of your heart having been enlightened—will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints…  Ephesians 1:15-23 (LSB) Read verses 19-23 on the site.

Many years ago, when I was in my twenties, eschatology books were being pumped out by every “evangelist” under heaven. They were dazzling with their complicated charts with arrows for Christ’s multiple returns to get His church then later to bring His kingdom into fulfillment. Continue reading →

Hockey Game Shooter Threatened Actor Kevin Sorbo That He Might Go ‘Berserk’

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(Stephen Green – PJ Media) Mentally unstable male predators, encouraged by woke culture to claim they have gender dysphoria as a license to invade women’s spaces — and worse — have been on a real rampage lately.

And we can’t say we weren’t warned.

The latest deadly example comes from Rhode Island, covered in full last night by PJ Media’s own Catherine Salgado, where Robert “Roberta” Dorgan killed himself after murdering two family members and wounding three others at a skating rink. Continue reading →

Charismatic Conferences to mark and avoid: Unleashed and The Courage Tour

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

UPDATED 2/20 – I’ve added a few more conferences to mark and avoid. Scroll to the end.…

(Marsha West – Christian Research Network) Christians often gather to pray for a common cause. Even when that cause is political. There is nothing wrong with beseeching God to return America to biblical principles. Many Americans, especially people of faith, believe that there’s something diabolical going on, and that our country is in the grip of evil. Conservative Christians believe that spiritual forces of wickedness have invaded virtually every aspect of society which is why we’ve failed to win the culture war.

It’s safe to say that more than half the country is in rebellion against God. So people of faith are driven to their knees to plead with God to intervene to save our beloved nation from the ravages of cultural Marxism and the Left’s dream of a socialist utopia.

Christians plead 2 Chronicles 7:14, a verse professing Christians have been misusing for years. “If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Continue reading →

Prayer

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

1 And it happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” 2 And He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’” Luke 11:1-4 (LSB) 

Prayer is a vital part of our Christian walk before the face of God. I have never met a mature Christian who was at peace with the consistency or depth of his or her praying. Sacred Scripture says that God commands His people to pray…. Continue reading →

Hillary and Obama’s latest move spells a massive DEM DISASTER unfolding

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“When Hillary Clinton says mass migration has been destabilizing and went too far, and Barack Obama says we are a nation of laws with borders that must be orderly and fair, that is a direct slap in the face to the violent activist soldiers that have dominated the party’s messaging for years.”

(Revolver) For years now, the left has treated mass migration as this moral, beautiful thing. And if you questioned it, that meant you were some heartless, xenophobic, or stuck in some outdated nationalist fantasy loop. Borders were sold as cruel, enforcement (ICE) was framed as oppression, and “diversity is our strength” wasn’t just a slogan; it was a cult. Now suddenly, two of the most powerful Dems in modern politics are singing a very different tune. Continue reading →

The Price of Rebellion

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“…the Minnesota rebellion story is not over. Walz and Frey may be in for a reckoning.”

(Bill O’Reilly) President Trump is mandated by the Constitution to enforce the laws of the United States.  He twice swore an oath to do that.  There’s no wiggle room concerning the inaugural oath.

The state of Minnesota does not want federal enforcement of immigration law. Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are publicly defiant; they will not “cooperate” with federal authorities in detaining undocumented immigrants…. Continue reading →

Prominent Megachurch Pastor On Leave After Sex Abuse Allegation

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(Protestia) A megachurch pastor and senior leader in the Assemblies of God denomination has taken a leave of absence following allegations that he sexually abused a young girl when she was just 16 years old.

Pastor Rod Loy is the senior pastor of First Assembly of God, a 16,000-member multisite megachurch based in North Little Rock, Arkansas, which is the third largest AOG church in the country. He also holds a leadership role as an executive presbyter in the Assemblies of God denomination. Continue reading →

If you love Me, you will keep my commandments

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

15 “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments;” (John 14:15 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

In this post we will look at John 14:15-31, which is last part of the dialogue between our Lord and His disciples in the upper room after the Passover Feast just prior to His arrest in the garden on the other side of the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem (John 18). Never forget my brethren, our Lord did not come to bring all people together. His message was one of division. That was what He said. Also, His ministry was to reveal the Father (John 1:14, 18), to bring glory to Him. In this post we will see that our Lord even further defines who it is who are truly His. Continue reading →

The Authority of Scripture

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

12 There is a way that seemeth right to a man: but the issues thereof are the ways of death. Proverbs 14:12 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

I have yet to encounter a person who has a problem with the gospel, the sovereignty of God, election, the exclusivity of genuine discipleship, et cetera who does not also force a man-centered perspective on God’s Word in one form or another. These same people lean towards a form of Christianity that is almost all experiential. Since their view of how the gospel works and how God works with Man is wrongly focused and the Word of God contains clear teachings about the sovereignty of God, these people conceive of their entire “Christian” paradigm from a philosophical and existential base rather than on the authority of Sacred Scripture. Continue reading →

Stunning! Church of England Formally Abandons Proposal to Bless LGBTQ Marriages

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“While it is a set-back for progressives, the fact that this was even a question has demonstrated their commitment to their depravity and heresy, and already there are plans in place to redouble their efforts until the denomination is fully LGBTQ-affirming.”

(Protestia) In a stunning move widely seen as a victory for conservative Anglicans in the denomination, the Church of England has formally halted its proposals to advance same-sex blessings in the church. Continue reading →

Corporate Fear of LGBTQ Bully Dries Up

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“The number of Fortune 500 companies abandoning participation in HRC’s radical activist index is yet another sign that ESG and woke capitalism were never about profits.”

(Thomas Gallatin – The Patriot Post) The leading organization pushing the woke LGBTQ+ agenda is the dubiously named Human Rights Campaign. For years, HRC targeted and bullied corporations into capitulating to its woke policy agenda, which meant catering to all its radical leftist promotion of sexual deviancy, all under the banner of human rights. Continue reading →