Author Archives: Marsha West

About Marsha West

Marsha West is the owner and managing editor of Christian Research Network, Apprising Ministries (the late Ken Silva’s blog) and On Solid Rock Resources. She is also co-founder of Berean Research. For two decades Marsha was the owner and managing editor of Email Brigade website as well as the EMB News Report, a bi-weekly email report for conservative people of faith. For many years Marsha was a regular contributor to several blogs including CRN, RenewAmerica, News With Views and Web Commantary as well as popular websites she no longer endorses: American Family Association, Worldview Weekend, Stand Up For The Truth, The Christian Post and Christian Headlines. Although Marsha still blogs, her primary focus is CRN. Marsha also writes Research Papers (White Papers) on various topics that are published on CRN, Berean Research and On Solid Rock Resources. Visit Marsha’s other sites: On Solid Rock Resources https://www.onsolidrockresources.com/ Apprising Ministries http://apprising.org Marsha’s RenewAmerica Column http://renewamerica.com/columns/mwest Marsha’s Facebook Page http://facebook.com/marsha.west.77

For the Love of Those Fighting Against Homosexuality

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“The pastors I know, myself included, minister weekly to former homosexuals and those who fight daily against homosexual desires. We love these precious souls. Each Lord’s Day we labor over them through preaching and prayer. Like all those struggling against sin we seek to help them walk in holiness in this sin-sick world. Calling them Gay Christians, Queer Christians, or sexual minorities undermines not only their ability to fight for holiness but the very way they are to understand themselves as new creations in Christ who have been washed clean.”

(Todd Pruitt – Mortification of Spin)  There is a great deal of discussion going on among Christians these days about the moral status of homosexuality and homosexual desires.

In my own denomination, the PCA, the latest dustup is swirling around the Revoice conference being held in St. Louis at Memorial Presbyterian Church (PCA). Continue reading →

Trump to ‘Hannity’: Kim Jong Un to start denuclearization ‘virtually immediately’

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“His country has to be de-nuked and he understood that, he fully understood that, he didn’t fight it,” Trump said.

(Fox News – Judson Berger) President Trump, on the heels of his historic summit with Kim Jong Un, told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that he believes the North Korean leader will begin to work toward dismantling his country’s nuclear program “virtually immediately.”

The president left Singapore after the two leaders signed a document stating Pyongyang would work toward “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.” Continue reading →

His Name Is Holy

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙

He said to them, When you pray, say, Father, hallowed be your name…(Luke 11:2b)

The second petition of the Lord’s Prayer is one of surrender, Hallowed be your name. I am quite sure this is the petition that makes hypocrites out of most of us. For we can say, Father with grateful sincerity, but when we pray Hallowed be your name, we say this with the guilty knowledge that, as we pray, there are areas of our life in which his name is not hallowed and in which, furthermore, we don’t want it to be hallowed. When we say, Hallowed be your name, we are praying, May the whole of my life be a source of delight to you and may it be an honor to the name which I bear, which is your name. Hallowed be your name. Continue reading on Ray Stedman Daily Devotions

Is The Pope Catholic?

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Dr. Peter Jones begins with a response to his own question: You laugh! Like the question, Who wrote the Gospel of John? the question, Is the Pope Catholic? hardly seems to deserve a reply. Well, not until a few weeks ago.

He then reports on the reasons many people, including faithful Catholics, are asking this question in the first place.

In a blog post over at truthXchange, Dr. Jones tackles the latest controversy created by Roman Catholic leader Jorge Bergoglio, dubbed Pope Francis by the apostate Roman Catholic Church. He also comments on pop-star Katy Perry, who sang “I Kissed A Girl,” lecturing at the Vatican on the unbiblical practice of mantra meditation aka transcendental meditation, which was odd to say the least for the reason that TM has its roots in Hinduism. He writes: Continue reading →

The New Bigotry

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 “The intolerance of the LGBTQ ideology toward any alternative views is mind-blowing. The tactics of some in the LGBTQ movement toward dissent is an existential threat to freedom of expression. The lack of tolerance for disagreement, which has been replaced with bullying Twitter mobs promising ‘consequences’, should be a concern regardless of your political stance.” 

(Erick Erickson – Daily Wire)  In 155 AD, Roman authorities ordered a man named Polycarp to burn incense for the Roman Emperor. Witnesses say the local authorities begged Polycarp to comply, some even acknowledging it was a meaningless act. But Polycarp refused. “Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” Polycarp announced. The Roman proconsul had a pyre built to burn Polycarp. Continue reading →

God’s Tender Mercy

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙

There is a wounded soldier bleeding out his life upon the battlefield and here comes a friend, merciful and tender, who has brought him a refreshing draught which will help to bring him back to consciousness and open his half-glazed eyes again. He is covered with a clammy sweat, but there is cold water with which to wipe his fevered brow.

His wounds are gaping wide and his very life is oozing forth from him, but his friend has brought the salve and bandages with which to strap up every wound. Is this all that he has provided for the wounded warrior? No, for there is a stretcher, carried by men who choose their steps with care, so that they do not jolt the poor invalid. Where will they carry him? View article →

A classic example of liberalism creating racism/sexism

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“As if segregating women for an [TGC] event isn’t bad enough, the Legacy are further segregating women by color under the idea that they are hoping ‘this gathering will create a space for women of color to address particular concerns and issues, process them together in small groups, and pray for one another.’” 

(Churchwatch Central)  Before Darwinian thought, there was no concept of racism. There were simply human beings. This is because Christianity has always taught that every human being is made in the image of God. There were definite class and cast systems, (which the Christian faith continually stressed to look past and not show particular favor towards) but not the concept that a white or black person were more evolved as a species. It is worth noting that when some segments of the church did embrace these ideas, the Klu Klux Klan was formed. This is the danger when secular ideas mix with Christianity. Continue reading →

A Comment to the Snowflake Society: Breathe in, breathe out, move on

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Blogger Elizabeth Prata takes on the victim culture in a piece over at The End Time.  Prata reminds us that while Christian celeb Beth Moore receives attention for playing the victim card in a blog post to Christian men and churches where she complained about being ignored “dismissed and ridiculed and talked down to,” a large number of women around the globe are going through horrendous persecution for openly professing faith in Jesus Christ.  Prata doesn’t hold back as she expresses her frustration with the namby-pamby “snowflake” generation. She writes:

I’m over the victim culture.

Really over it. Continue reading →

CrossFit Fires a Christian After Gay Rights Activists Demand It

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The employee, on his personal social media feed, defended a CrossFit Box under fire for not having a gay pride event.

(Erick Erickson – The Maven)  I do not know Russell Berger well, though we attended Reformed Theological Seminary together. He was chief marketing officer for CrossFit until yesterday afternoon. That’s when the gay mob came for Russell. He had the audacity to, on his personal Twitter feed, accurately declare celebrating gay pride a sin.  View article →

Why Pray?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙

And the Lord said, Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? (Luke 18:6-7)

It is sometimes taught that Jesus is here encouraging what is called prevailing prayer, which is often another way of describing an attempt to belabor God, to give him no peace, to picket the throne of heaven until we get the request we want. This is not Biblical.  Continue reading on Ray Stedman Daily Devotions

UMC Minnesota Conference Removes ‘Father’ From Apostles’ Creed for Worship Service

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“No United Methodist individual or body has the authority to edit those creeds which were formulated by the early Church and have helped define orthodox Christianity for the better part of 2000 years,” 

(Michael Gryboski – Christian Post) The Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church edited the historic Apostles’ Creed so that it removed references to God as “Father” for a worship service.

The Apostles’ Creed is an affirmation of Christian faith that goes back to the early Church and is still common in many churches that include liturgy as part of worship. Continue reading →

The lawless, porn-respecting , MS-13-loving, humorless American left

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“But facts, and laws made long before Trump became president, matter not to the desperate left, whose members are still convinced they can bring Trump down and then take him out by deluding a stupid and deplorable voting public.”

(Patricia McCarthy – American Thinker)  How does one explain how the party of FDR and JFK now supports all manner of law-breaking by illegal immigrants?  These people defend aliens’ illegal entry into the United States and give them sanctuary even after they have committed violent crimes that have taken the lives of innocent American citizens. Continue reading →

Nancy Drew Children’s Books Being Remade To Support LGBT Agenda

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“Marvel also joined in on revamping its popular “Archie” series by adding queer characters.”

(Gabrielle Okun – The Western Journal)  “Nancy Drew” is joining the social justice movement after getting a queer makeover in a new comic books series that will be released June 13.

The first chapter of a new “Nancy Drew” comic book series called “The Case of a Cold Case” is set to add an LGBTQ-friendly atmosphere to the popular teen detective mystery novels, according to The U.K. Guardian. View article →

Related:

LGBT Agenda

56 lawmakers demand Planned Parenthood be investigated for covering-up child sex-abuse

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(Doug Mainwaring – LifeSiteNews) – Members of Congress gathered outside the U.S. Capitol today to call attention to an important investigative report and video series exposing Planned Parenthood’s repeated failure to notify law enforcement of suspected human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of women and girls.

Planned Parenthood has a decades-long history of covering up crimes against minors which has gone largely ignored.  Live Action has released its report and video series seeking to blow the lid off Planned Parenthood’s unchecked, ongoing criminal behavior victimizing young girls who are already victims of sexual assaults. Continue reading →

Just Stop it, Part 3: How To Repent Of Anger

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“Don’t call it being crabby, irritable, or hot-headed. We often speak in terms of anger coming from a source other than ourselves. We use victim terminology. We ‘lose our temper’ because he ‘makes us so angry.’” 

(Clint Archer – The Cripplegate) When I was a really little kid a cheesy 80’s horror movie hit the big screen. It was called Gremlins. The story is about a boy who finds a small, furry, odd-looking creature called a mogwai that seems as harmless as a hamster. But you discover that if this unassuming little pet stays up past midnight, and has a snack, it morphs into a grotesque, brutally violent monster called a Gremlin. Like I said, it was the 80’s. Continue reading →

Liberal Christian Leader Tony Campolo: ‘God Is Not in Control’

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“The whole statement from Campolo is as squishy and nonsensical as much of what stems from liberal Christianity these days. In fact, this very rejection of God’s sovereignty is what led Campolo’s son Bart to reject Christianity.”

(Chris Queen – JP Media)  A couple of weeks ago, I introduced you to the Red Letter Christians, a group of liberal believers whom the New York Times breathlessly profiled recently as the face of Christians who don’t worship Donald Trump. One of the group’s leaders, Tony Campolo, recently gave an interview with Premier, a Christian website in the UK, in which he stated that he doesn’t believe that God is in control — yet. Continue reading →

‘Are You Gay Allies?’: Creepy Government Video Indoctrinates Children for Pride Month

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(Dan Andros – Faithwire)  A video produced by CBC Life, a vertical on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s website, has caused controversy after using children to promote gay pride month.

“Happy pride everybody!” Canadian television host Jessi Cruickshank begins, while being met by a throng of cheers from the impressionable young children who took part in the video celebrating gay pride month.

After asking the kids if they know what gay pride means, she says “that’s absolutely right, it’s a celebration of sexual diversity,” before explaining that she is a “I’m not gay, but I’m a gay ally.” Cruickshank then puts the children on the spot and asks them if they, too, are gay allies. View article →

An Encounter With a Mother-God Cult Evangelist

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“There are truly only two-religions in the entire world, and though it is helpful to know a few details about each religion—at least the big ones—it isn’t necessary for faithful evangelism. You just need to know what the Gospel is and why it is unique.”

(Jordan Standridge – The Cripplegate) I’m sure you’ve heard of it by now, it’s called the Mother-God cult. The official name is the World Mission Society Church of God. I’ve had my share of run-ins with them over the years.

The Mother-God cult is a religion that started in South Korea, and now has more than 2.7 million members. Continue reading →

American Evangelical Christianity, A Horse Of A Different Color

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“We are beginning to see just how many hypocrites and fakes there are in the ranks of the so-called American Evangelical Christian Churches.”

Same-Sex Attraction and the Continued Collapse of American Evangelical Christianity By Ed Dingess

Christianity isn’t collapsing! The gospel hasn’t changed an iota! Jesus Christ is the same today as he always has been and always will be. The gospel is still saving men just as effectively and efficiently as it always has. That’s what the gospel does. Men of God are still standing in their pulpits and thundering the truths of Scripture just like men of God have done since men of God began to exist. The Holy Spirit is still applying the truths of biblical revelation to the hearts of the elect and transforming their lives more and more into the image of Christ. Amen! Biblical Christianity has not changed. American Evangelical Christianity on the other hand? Well, that’s a horse of a very different color. … Continue reading →

Gallup: Record Support for Gay Relations and Polygamy; Plurality Still Oppose Abortion

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(Michael Faust – Christian Headlines)   A record percentage of Americans believe that gay and lesbian relations, pornography and polygamy are morally acceptable, although a plurality believe that abortion is morally wrong, according to a new Gallup poll.

Gallup on Monday released its annual Values and Beliefs survey, which began in 2001 and surveys Americans’ attitudes on a host of issues. This year’s poll examined beliefs on 21 issues.

A record 67 percent of American adults believe that gay and lesbian relations are morally acceptable, an increase from last year’s high of 63 percent. Continue reading →

20 Years After ‘Sex And The City,’ The ‘Real-Life Carrie Bradshaws’ Are Wishing They Hadn’t Slept Around

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“There’s only one problem: eventually women do want to settle down. In fact, many of the women who bought into the Sex and the City lifestyle 20 years ago are coming forward to share their regrets. “

(Faith Moore – Daily Wire)  Sex and the City, which premiered 20 years ago this week, changed the way women thought about sex. The assertion of the show’s main character, Carrie Bradshaw, that she will start having sex “like men” — sleeping around and feeling “nothing” afterwards — struck a chord. … Continue reading →

Justice Thomas: America Now in Conflict Between Religious Liberty and Court’s Decree on Gay Marriage

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(Terrence P. Jeffrey – CNSNews) – In his dissenting opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges, Justice Clarence Thomas predicted that the court’s declaration that same-sex marriage is a right would ultimately lead to conflict between that purported right and religious liberty.

In his concurring opinion today in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, Thomas concludes: “This case proves that the conflict has already emerged.”

In Obergefell, decided by a 5-4 vote in 2015, the Supreme Court declared that the 14th Amendment creates a right for people of the same sex to marry one another. Continue reading →

SBC Leaders Float Idea of Beth Moore As Next Denomination President

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(Pulpit & Pen)  Beth Moore, who is best known as Lifeway’s Cash Cow of Bashan, the extremely popular women’s teacher whose increasingly wild-eyed prophetic visions have gained prominence in a wide berth of evangelicalism well outside the SBC (especially in charismatic circles, as she coalesces with other egalitarian prophetesses like Anne Voskamp, Joyce Meyer, and Christine Caine), may very well be promoted as the next president of the SBC after the upcoming term of JD Greear.

Greear, who is seen as the favorite for the 2018 SBC election, holds to a modified Complementarian position that is, for all intents and purposes, Egalitarian. Also a Continuationist and a #woke Social Justice Warrior, the megachurch satellite campus pastor is well departed from Southern Baptist historic orthodoxy on a number of points. … Continue reading →

LGBT Christians

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“Even more problematic is how the Revoice conference identifies Christian with LGBT lifestyles. Their goal is to support and empower and encourage LGBT Christians as if the LGBT descriptor cannot be separated from Christians. One who was once immersed in a homosexual orientation and desire cannot just be a Christian now, but must be a LGBT Christian.”

(Fred Butler – Bible Thumping Wingnut)  The crazy train driving conservative evangelicals to normalize sexual perversion keeps chugging along down the track. While it may sound like a think-tank associated with the United Methodists, or the PCUSA or even the Unitarians, The Center for Faith, Sexuality, and Gender insists they are conservative evangelicals. They are even endorsed by such luminaries as Francis Chan, Matt Chandler, and Karen Swallow Prior. Continue reading →