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

The Origin and Nature of Sin

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙

How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of Dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven, I will raise my throne on high above the stars of God… But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit. (Isaiah 14:12, 13a, 14)

These verses describe a supernatural figure who, in the invisible world of the spirit, is behind the earthly kingdom of Babylon. We are here looking at what has been called the fall of Satan.Lucifer, the brightest and most beautiful of the angels of God, the nearest to his throne, became so entranced with his own beauty that he rebelled against the government of God and thus became the adversary, Satan. Here he is seen as brought, at last, to the bottomless pit. Continue reading on Ray Stedman Daily Devotions

Recalcitrants Versus the Rainbow Ruling Class

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

(Bill Muehlenberg) In our brave new world of radical minority activist groups effectively taking over entire cultures, things are looking very bleak indeed for anyone who dares to resist the revolution. The militants have now become extremely powerful as the political world, the media, academia, and other institutions of power and influence readily run with their causes.

Those who refuse to bow the knee are being made to pay. They are being socially and culturally ostracised, hated on, and treated as outcasts. And there are very real ramifications of this: people are now being fired from their job, fined, or even jailed, for refusing to submit to the new agenda of the coercive utopians. Continue reading →

The philosophical contradictions of the transgender worldview

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

(Ryan T. Anderson – Public Discourse) People say that we live in a postmodern age that has rejected metaphysics. That’s not quite true. We live in a postmodern age that promotes an alternative metaphysics. As I explain in When Harry Became Sally, at the heart of the transgender moment are radical ideas about the human person—in particular, that people are what they claim to be, regardless of contrary evidence. A transgender boy is a boy, not merely a girl who identifies as a boy. It’s understandable why activists make these claims. An argument about transgender identities will be much more persuasive if it concerns who someone is, not merely how someone identifies. And so the rhetoric of the transgender moment drips with ontological assertions: people are the gender they prefer to be. That’s the claim. Continue reading →

Bermuda Revokes Same-Sex-Marriage Rights, In A World First

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(Camila Domonoske – NPR) Less than a year after legalizing same-sex marriage, Bermuda is reversing course, implementing a law that says same-sex couples can enter domestic partnerships but not marry.

The British territory is believed to be the first jurisdiction in the world to reverse course on same-sex marriage after permitting it, The Guardian writes.

In May 2017, Bermuda’s Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. Within months, the island’s legislature passed a bill overturning that court decision, which was signed into law on Wednesday, The Associated Press reports: View article →

Univ. cancels Ken Ham after LGBT group ‘put up a fuss’

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(Baptist Press) Christian apologist and creationist Ken Ham has been dropped from the speaking lineup of a public university after a campus LGBT group complained to event organizers, Ham said in a Feb. 6 press release.

Ham was to speak March 5 at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond on “Genesis and the State of the Culture,” in an event organized by the UCO Student Association (UCOSA). But UCOSA cancelled the event when a pro-LGBT group objected, said Ham, founder of the Answers in Genesis (AiG) apologetics ministry that built the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter in Kentucky.  View article →

Are you easy prey for false prophets?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

Note from Holy Pivec of Spirit of Error:

The following post was first published on my blog on August 23, 2013. With the rise of men and women calling themselves prophets, many people need to hear its warning more than ever.

The Bible is clear: false prophets are wolves that devour unsuspecting sheep.

Jesus said:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15) Continue reading →

Evangelical Leftists Beg Trump to Help Illegal Aliens

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

(Pulpit & Pen News) “Beth Moore, Russell Moore, Matt Chandler, Ed Stetzer, Jen Hatmaker…these are not conservative people. They range from Marxist-leaning New Calvinists to the desperate housewife contingent of feminist, pro-gay lady preachers.”

Illegal immigration has become the most popular issue to talk about among evangelicals seeking to build a bridge between evangelicalism and America’s left. Conceding on the culture wars of abortion and gay marriage, these evangelical leaders can’t be found in the thick of it on those important religious issues, but are at the front of the protest line when it comes to supporting illegal immigration. It’s a winning issue, as George Soros and his Evangelical Immigration Table have successfully convinced certain evangelicals that it’s their job to promote lawlessness. It’s a popular and easy public relations win, and evangelical leftists know it. Continue reading →

The One Coming

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙

A shoot will come from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1-2)

It is not difficult for us to see that this is a clear prediction of the Lord Jesus. Here in these opening verses is a hint that the Messiah will appear in history in a very obscure way. That is suggested by this word, A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse. Like a great tree that has been cut down, the ancestry of Jesus represented in David and his father Jesse has been reduced to obscurity and insignificance. … Continue reading on Ray Stedman Daily Devotions

Meditation and the Art of Consciousness Hacking

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion

Pam Frost reports on a very scary movement dubbed “enlightenment engineering” that everyone, especially Christians, should be made aware of. According to Frost, these people are experimenting with new technology to accelerate and enhance the development of meditative consciousness. The scientific technology of consciousness is the brain child of Mikey Siegel, founder of Consciousness Hacking.  You’ll learn about Siegel in Frost’s post. Here’s a glimpse of the man behind the screen:

By suspending the judgment of his normally functioning mind and abandoning himself to mental passivity, Siegel experienced the “enlightenment” of a higher state of transcendent consciousness in which neither “good” nor “bad” exists. According to Hinduism, the material world and the realm of distinctions are only an illusion (maya). The goal of meditation is to transcend these illusions until the soul (atman) is realized as god (brahman). (Bold added)

Continue reading →

Cardinal Marx, Papal Adviser: Catholic Priests May Bless Homosexual Couples

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(CNSNews) In contradiction of the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year-old teaching on marriage and sexual morality, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, head of the German Bishops’ Conference and one of Pope Francis’ senior advisers, said it is okay for Catholic priests to encourage homosexual couples and to bless them in some form of liturgical or church ceremony.

The influential cardinal made his remarks on the Bavarian State Broadcasting radio service on Feb. 3, reported the Catholic News Agency and other media outlets.   His statements apparently have not been challenged by Pope Francis or by other bishops. View article →

Check out our Research Paper on the Roman Catholic Church

FBI lovers’ latest text messages: Obama ‘wants to know everything’

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(Fox News) Newly revealed text messages between FBI paramours Peter Strzok and Lisa Page include an exchange about preparing talking points for then-FBI Director James Comey to give to President Obama, who wanted “to know everything we’re doing.”

The message, from Page to Strzok, was among thousands of texts between the lovers reviewed by Fox News. The pair both worked at one point for Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe of alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Page wrote to Strzok on Sept. 2, 2016, about prepping Comey because “potus wants to know everything we’re doing.” According to a newly released Senate report, this text raises questions about Obama’s personal involvement in the Clinton email investigation. View article →

Showdown looms over SBC and Calvinism

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , , ,

The following news story from One News Now is posted for informational and research purposes and not as an endorsement of the source.

 A longtime Southern Baptist leader warns there is a theological civil war brewing over the influence of Calvinist leaders within the denomination.

Richard Land, the former head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, says he supports Ken Hemphill to lead the SBC as president in order to preserve the gospel message and to defend the role of evangelism.  View article →

Judge rules in favor of Tastries owner in discrimination case

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(Kern Golden Empire) A Kern County judge ruled in favor of Cathy Miller, owner of Tastries Bakery, Monday in an ongoing dispute over refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex couple.

The court ruled the state could not force Miller to bake a cake that would directly go against her beliefs.

One of the factors in the case, the judge ruled, was that the cake had not been baked for the couple and was not on sale.

If Miller had refused to sell the couple a cake on display then the act would be discriminatory.    View article →

The Power of De-Conversion Stories: How Jen Hatmaker is Trying to Change Minds About the Bible

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

Fans of Jen Hatmaker may not realize that she follows the same basic playbook used by former megachurch pastor and Oprah Winfrey pal Rob Bell and other progressive “Christians.” According to Michael J. Kruger, professor of Reformed Theological Seminary, the details may be different, but the overall point is the same.  Berean Research has posted numerous articles to show that even though they profess to be evangelicals, both Jen and her husband Brandon are firmly ensconced in the Religious Left. In other words, they’re progressives.  As you’re about to see, Jen rejects the inerrancy of Scripture.  A few years ago the Hatmakers came out in support of the LGBTQ community and in doing so the couple made it clear that they deny the biblical teaching on marriage, sexuality and family. Continue reading →

Meditation does not make you a better person, study finds

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(Francesca Marshall – The Telegraph) Meditation does not make you a better person according to a new study despite widespread claims that meditation can make you calmer and more compassionate towards other people.

Researchers have found that despite popular beliefs that meditation can make people more compassionate and less aggressive the evidence for this is limited.

The research by scientists at Coventry University in the UK, Massey University in New Zealand, and Radboud University in the Netherlands, reviewed 22 studies involving 1685 people to investigate the effect of various types of meditation. Continue reading →

Are All Angels Safe?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , ,

(Marsha West – Christian Research Network)  Contrary to popular belief, angels are neither chubby little babes with rosy cheeks nor are they exquisite young women with gossamer wings decked out in long flowing gowns. The Bible reveals very little about angels. What we do know is that God sends angels to do His bidding.

The Bible mentions two elect holy angels (the good guys) by name: Michael and Gabriel. Scripture also mentions the Angel of the Lord; Michael the archangel; the Captain of the Host of the Lord; messengers; and guardians.

Also mentioned are fallen angels (the bad guys). Lucifer, one of God’s highest angels, led a revolt against God and was banished from heaven along with his followers which is said to be a third of the angels. There are many names for Lucifer such as Satan, Devil, Prince of Darkness and Beelzebub. The other rebels became demons. In the future God will judge Satan and his demons.

Angels are spirit beings.  They are neither male nor female. In every single angel visitation recorded in Scripture, angels always appear as men, never women.

Because I have written several articles on angels I am often asked if angels are among us today. Yes!

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Hebrews 13:2).

Those who believe they are experiencing an angel visitation must scrutinize what the angel purports. For example, does the angel point you to Jesus Christ or away from Him? Elect holy angels (from here on out referred to as angels) will always point you to Christ, never to anyone else, living or deceased, which includes the Apostles and the Virgin Mary.

Angels never espouse new doctrines or extra-biblical (special) revelation. Likewise, they do not point individuals to religions such as Mormonism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, et al.

Angels by no means encourage participation in the counterfeit religions’ holy days, festivals, ceremonies and rituals. Angels do not advance the idea of having a sacred place or space.

Angels would never suggest that people involve themselves in occult activities. Currently, Transcendental Meditation (TM) is all the rage, even among some Christians. Angels absolutely do not direct anyone to embrace this pagan practice. TM is not biblical meditation.  Instead of meditating on God’s Word, the practitioner goes into an altered-state-of-consciousness (alpha state) which is a light dream state in order to connect with “god.” It should be a big red flag that New Agers advocate TM. In fact, for the so-called psychic, meditation is the “spiritual practice” they employ when they wish to contact their “spirit guides.”

Sadly, many Christians who have embraced The Silence aka contemplative, or centering, or breath prayer are woefully unaware that they’re practicing unbiblical meditation.

“Christian yoga” is also spreading like a wild fire through the visible Church. This may not set well with some readers, but practicing yoga is taboo….even when your yoga instructor’s a professing Christian.

The bottom line is this: Angels would not, could not, promote anything God expressly forbids –and He forbids His children from participating in any way shape or form in pagan religious practices or disciplines.  The Bible makes it abundantly clear that God’s people are not to embrace the world’s philosophies.

Bear in mind that holy angels are incapable of going against God, whereas unholy angels continuously go against God in their quest to lead people astray.  In 2 Corinthians 4:4 we learn that Satan is the “god of this world.”

The phrase “god of this world”… indicates that Satan is the major influence on the mind-set expressed by the ideals, opinions, goals, hopes and views of the majority of people. His areas of influence also encompass the world’s philosophies, education, and commerce. The thoughts, ideas, speculations and false religions of the world are under his control and have sprung from his lies and deceptions. (Source)

Does God allow His people to contact angels through mediums? According to Leviticus 19:31  we are commanded not to involve ourselves with “mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God.”

So the answer is No!

It is a complete waste of time to “call your angel” or to try to contact angels by constructing an altar…lighting candles…burning incense…through meditation…or any other way that allegedly makes angels feel comfortable. God expressly forbids any contact with the spirit realm! And besides, the regenerate Christian has direct access to God through the Son, Jesus Christ. “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5)

So, what would be the purpose of calling on angels when we can go directly to God through His Son?

Anyone who contacts angels (or spirit guides) is inviting demon contact!  The Bible tells us that demons can and often do possess human beings! Do holy and unholy angels have the authority to indwell believers?  No!  The reason they’re unable to indwell humans is obvious: at the moment of regeneration the Holy Spirit takes up residence or comes to live within the new believer. And once the Spirit takes up residence, He never leaves, not even for a second. Listen to the Lord Jesus:

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-17). (emphasis mine)

Those who are truly saved are God’s property:

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4).

I need to stress that God’s elect cannot be demon possessed. They are, however, susceptible to demonic oppression.

Demonic oppression is when a demon is temporarily victorious over a Christian, successful in tempting a Christian to sin, and able to hinder a Christian’s ability to serve God with a strong testimony. (Source)

I’ll close with this warning: Contacting angels is neither wise nor safe.

Research Papers:

Angels, Demons & Spiritual Warfare

New Age/New Thought Spirituality

Occult – Sorcery

Copyright by Marsha West, 2012.  Revised April 2021.

If You Can’t Heal ‘Em, Beat ‘Em?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

(Costi Hinn – Defining Deception) Why in the world does church history matter? That’s a question more Christians should be able to answer – and a highly important one at that.

In his phenomenal work, Why Church History Matters, Robert F. Rea defines history as “the study of the past in order to understand the present and improve the future.”[1] History teaches us valuable lessons about the good, the bad, and the ugly. It teaches us about the nature of the way things have been and how they came to be. These are certainly lessons we do well to learn because they remind us that even the best of men are still men at best. Furthermore, lessons from history provide us with the motivation to change the future, even when it’s painful to face the facts. Continue reading →

Pope Francis is giving in to the Chinese Communist Party

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

(Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian – Washington Post) Such a capitulation of spiritual authority would damage the Catholic Church in China for years to come. How do we know? Because this very scenario has played out before — in communist Hungary.

The Vatican appears to be seeking a rapprochement with China, almost 70 years after Beijing broke ties. But the Catholic Church has little to gain and much to lose from mending ties with the Communist Party-ruled country. And Pope Francis should be under no illusions: Any agreement the two sides may strike will be entirely on Beijing’s terms. View article →

See our Research Paper on Roman Catholicism

16 Bombshells In the Nunes Memo the Media Does Not Want You to Know About

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(John Nolte – Breitbart)  In its partisan zeal to protect the ongoing witch hunt against President Trump, our Nixonian media went into hyper-drive last week to ensure that the unethical and un-American behavior of President Obama’s FBI and Justice Department remained covered up from the public.

After this cynical effort failed with the release of the Nunes memo Friday, the media quickly switched tactics and is now working feverishly to muddy the waters about the horror show revealed in the memo. Continue reading →

Amputating Discernment Ministry from the Body of Christ

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

Photo credit: 8:28 Ministries

“If there were ever a dire need for discernment ministry done right and biblically, it’s now,” says Bible study author, speaker and blogger Michelle Lesley. So why do so many Christians rail against discernment ministries? According to Michelle, “One of the most common arguments I hear against discernment ministry is that it’s the job of the pastor, not discernment ministries, to teach discernment. And with that statement, I could not more heartily agree! Discernment work is half of a pastor’s job description.” Right, but “when was the last time you heard a pastor rebuke someone who contradicts sound doctrine? Or call a false teacher by name? Or teach about a currently popular false doctrine and warn against it?” The answer is, not very often, if ever. Continue reading →

How Can We Change?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙

Come now, let us settle the matter, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 1:18-20)

When we read Isaiah 1, there is a problem immediately evident. God’s analysis of the human race is that we are fundamentally tainted with self-centeredness so that we do not want to do good. We only want to minister to our own needs and our own lives. As a solution, God says in v. 16, Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good. But, the question arises, how can evil people do good things? Continue reading  Rey Stedman Daily Devotions

Memo Describes Use of ‘Dirty,’ Dubious Steele Dossier for Warrants

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(Jim Stinson – LifeZette) House Permanent Select Committee memorandum is released, says report’s bias was not disclosed but was used to get FISA warrants

Information on President Donald Trump contained in the so-called Steele dossier was biased and unverified, but that didn’t stop the FBI from using it in a special classified federal court to get surveillance warrants to spy on two American citizens in 2016.

A four-page summary memo released by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence indicates that an initial surveillance warrant on Trump campaign volunteer Carter Page, and four subsequent renewals, would never have been sought without the questionable dossier in hand. View article →

Jesus Devastates an Old Earth

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ ,

(Bodie Hodge – Answers in Genesis) I was attending a Christian conference and staffing an Answers in Genesis booth. As I walked around to look at the other booths at the beginning of this conference, a man quickly came up to me (from his booth), even though there was a crowd waiting to speak with him. He evidently felt the need to confront me (in front of the crowd at his booth) because he saw that I was wearing an Answer in Genesis conference badge.

In a hostile tone, the first thing out of his mouth was something akin to, “Is Answers in Genesis here at the conference? Well, I guess I am going to have to find your booth and set you straight about the age of the earth!” Continue reading →