Commentary, analysis and opinion.

Hillsong’s Darlene Zschech Condemns Christians and aligns herself to Roman Catholicism

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Churchwatch Central warns:

It is important for Christians to grasp just how dangerous Darlene Zschech has become in light of her allegiance to Rome and her condemnation of Christians who have spoken out against her worship for the pope. While this article is long, it will be worth your time reading to see how much Zschech has aligned herself to Roman Catholicism by examining her theology.

A FALSE SPIRIT

Darlene says she can see what “the Holy Spirit is doing around the earth” claiming it “is completely breathtaking.” However, she notes “His role in our experience of following Jesus makes us so very similar.” Notice that this is NOT the Holy Spirit as the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth. While Mrs. Zschech is not zschecking to see if this spirit is the Holy Spirit or another spirit at work, she is elevating this phenomena and “experience” as though it is.

Darlene also states,

“I relate it being a part of a family.. different characteristics, faces, tastes and giftings.. yet a DNA running through our veins that draw us together.”

Once again. No truth. No holiness. Just flights of fancy and delusion at best.

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In Defense of the Historical Adam

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Answers In Genesis tackles the Adam and Eve dispute — were they a myth, did they evolve from apes, was Adam the first man God made? Does it really matter? Adam & Eve in the garden of Eden By Terry Mortenson

The cover story in Christianity Today in June 2011 was “The Search for the Historical Adam.” The subtitle read, “Some scholars believe genome science casts doubt on the existence of the first man and woman. Others say the integrity of the faith requires it.” The number of professing evangelical scholars doubting or denying a literal Adam and Eve has continued to grow.

Some say the account of Adam and Eve is a myth, a symbolic story to teach us theological and moral truth. Others say that Adam and Eve were the first two humans but that they evolved from ape-like creatures and became human when God breathed into them. Others say they really existed but that Adam was merely the head of a clan or tribe: Adam and Eve weren’t the only humans at that time but were chosen by God for His purposes. Still others take Genesis 1–3 as literal history: the first man Adam was made from dust and the first woman Eve was made from his rib.

So what is the truth and does it really matter anyway, as long as you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Good question. Let’s see what God’s inerrant Word says. View article →

Our redemption

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15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. Hebrews 9:15 NASB

The Gospel is explained very well in the New Testament. The role of the Church in the World from the time of Christ’s Ascension until His return is very well defined for us there as well (to go and make disciples from all the earth, teaching them to observe all that He taught…) This Great Commission is not to ‘be the Gospel’ nor is it to ‘redeem the earth’ nor is it to ‘make the world a better place.’ No, it is to go and tell the Good News that we have a mediator of a new covenant and those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance that is made possible through the death of their Saviour who has redeemed through the shedding of His blood (see the passage above). You see, this is the Good News. The Gospel is to preach what Christ has done not what people have done, not what churches have done, not what religion has done or what being religious can do for anyone. It is simply to proclaim this message relying on the power and work of the Holy Spirit to draw those called to saving faith. Let’s take a closer look at this “redemption.” View article →

Bruce Jenner, Gay Marriage, and Planned Parenthood: The Self-Deification of a Nation

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Blogger for The Cripplegate, Mike Riccardi, believes that the issues American’s are being forced to deal with–transgrenderism, homosexualism and the destruction of marriage, and abortion–“all stem from the same polluted fountain out of which even the first sin flowed: self-deification. Satan tempted Adam and Eve to rebel against God in the Garden by holding out to them the deceitful promise that they would become like God in their rebellion. And it seems plain to me that our society is absolutely intoxicated with the very same prospect. They want to be God.”

Riccardi begins his piece by bringing us back to the beginning…when America was comprised of a highly “moral and religious people.”

The last few months have been emotionally tiring for Christians in America.

Though many debate whether the United States was ever a “Christian nation,” there can be no denying that a Christian worldview and biblical principles were fundamental in the formation of this country. Indeed, the founding fathers understood this even as they crafted the charter documents of our government. Thomas Jefferson wrote that the “inalienable rights” of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” which mark the ideals of every American, are endowed to us by our Creator. John Adams wrote, “We have no government, armed with power, capable of contending with human passions, unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge and licentiousness would break the strongest cords of our Constitution, as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

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Chattanooga shooting proves it’s time to arm our Armed Forces

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Todd Starnes, host of Fox News & Commentary argues that members of our armed forces who defend our nation should be able to defend themselves here in America. He w rites:

It turns out that at least one of the two military facilities attacked in Chattanooga, Tennessee — was a gun-free zone.

If you looked closely crime scene photographs – you can see the sign — plastered on the front of a bullet- riddled window.

Four Marines were slaughtered — a fifth wounded — along with a Chattanooga police officer.

Authorities say the gunman, identified as 24-year-old Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, was killed in a shoot-out.

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A Reformation The Church Doesn’t Need: Answering Revisionist Pro-gay Theology

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In the current issue of Solid Ground, Christian apologists Greg Koukl and Alan Shlemon reason through the scriptures–in context, without changing the meaning of words–to show people the Bible’s clear teaching on homosexuality. But first, it’s important to read Greg’s introduction:

Queen James BibleSometimes the best remedy for a moral/theological controversy is simply a good old-fashioned, down to earth, nothing buttery, search-the-Scriptures-to-see-if-it’s-so, Bible study. No fancy footwork necessary. Just cut right to the chase, let the Word speak for itself, then be faithful to it. That’s all.

Of course, because of ambiguities in the text, not every challenging, contentious biblical dispute can be settled this easily. Frequently, though, a careful, close, honest look at the Scripture is all that’s required to resolve what might seem at first to be a difficult dispute.

That’s the approach Alan Shlemon and I take to respond to one of the most severe challenges to Christian orthodoxy the church faces today. The question: What does God really think about homosexuality? Could it be that the church has simply gotten it all wrong for 2,000 years?

A dedicated group of homosexuals and “gay-friendly” churchgoers think so, and they are campaigning relentlessly to change your mind. They have certified theologians on their team, they’re tactically clever, and they’re aggressively training their own ambassadors to send out to reform the church.

When—not “if,” but “when”—you encounter this teaching, you’ll need biblically sound answers. That’s what we give you in this month’s Solid Ground. The article is titled, “A Reformation the Church Doesn’t Need—Answering Revisionist Pro-Gay Theology.” Since the material we need to cover is extensive, this will be a two-part series.

Read carefully. There’s a lot riding on this issue, for individual lives and for the integrity of the church today. …

Now listen as Koukl and Shlemon speak authoritatively on what the Bible says about homosexuality without twisting verses into a theological pretzel the way progressives do. Scroll down to page 3 View article →

The danger of a Complacent Majority

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Following is an opinion piece by Robert Knight, columnist for the Washington Times. Knight challenges conservatives to continue fighting the culture war against the secular left. Professing Christians, he says, must share the gospel as well as become involved in public policy. In other words, continuing to stand firm against evil is imperative. Knight writes:

With all the calls to conservatives to give up on the culture, the only thing lacking is a drone-riding witch over the Statue of Liberty skywriting “Surrender Dorothy.”

Right on cue following the Supreme Court’s demolition of marriage, The New York Times’ housebroken conservative David Brooks said it’s time to move on and leave cultural political issues in the dust.

First, he accurately diagnosed the situation: “More and more Christians feel estranged from mainstream culture. They fear they will soon be treated as social pariahs, the moral equivalent of segregationists because of their adherence to scriptural teaching on gay marriage. They fear their colleges will be decertified, their religious institutions will lose their tax-exempt status, their religious liberty will come under greater assault.”

Indeed.

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The Cell Church

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Over twenty years ago Sarah Leslie of Discernment Ministries began doing research on the early stages of the New Apostolic Reformation which was being launched by C. Peter Wagner. In her research she covered what she refers to as the networking hierarchical cell church structure. In this piece she tells us exactly what this all means. This is not the local church, says Sarah, “This is also the structure of a city-wide church (ecumenical) as envisioned and described by the cell church architects. It is also the structure of the multi-site church of Leadership Network.” Before we continue, those of you who are unfamiliar with Leadership Network (LN) should know that this group is the foremost training agency for Christian leaders. LN has trained a generation of “change agent” pastors. That’s right. Change agent pastors. That’s why it’s extremely important for the discerning Christian to discover who LR’s leaders are, the people they’ve trained, and the purpose of their training. Speaking of “purpose” one pastor who went through LN’s training is none other than the Purpose Driven Pope, Rick Warren.

Back to what Sarah was saying: “It would become the model for C. Peter Wagner’s hierarchies — now called the 7 mountains (quite literally a pyramid marketing structure) for apostolic dominion.”

What this is about is transforming the Church through an army of modern day prophets and apostles. These people are highly organized — and they mean business.

Much has changed since Sara started her research twenty-five years ago:

For example, we weren’t sure if we were looking at a multi-headed hydra or a one-headed octopus. The downline networks that were forming in Christendom seemed to be independent of one another, yet there was an ongoing call for unity. It seemed destined to culminate in a one-world church. … For example, the false prophets of the NAR had been calling for a merging of streams into rivers for several decades.

It is now quite obvious that the downline networking model functions by stealth, superimposing its own structure on top of an existing model (such as denominations), until it sucks the old life out of it and ends up totally controlling it. Parachurch organizations such as Leadership Network, trained pastors and leaders across a global spectrum in this new model of church governance. The excessive evangelical fascination with leadership has given rise to cult-like status for its superstars and created lockstep blind followers. (emphasis added)

We hope you’ll visit Herescope to read Sarah Leslie’s informative and fascinating piece. She has provided the reader with a number of charts and graphs. (Link)

Baptist Scholar Says Mormonism Is Evolving Towards Christianity With “Biblical,” Views of “Christ and Salvation”

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Angel MoroniProphecy News Watch informs us that Roger Olson, theology professor at Baylor University, believes there has been a shift in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) that could one day lead to the LDS being viewed as a Christian denomination. For that to happen a great deal would have to change. For starters their President and governing body, known as the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, would have to admit that they’ve been dead wrong on what they believe about God…Jesus Christ…and the Holy Spirit. Moreover they’d have to embrace the essential doctrine of the Trinity held by historic, orthodox Christianity — that there is one God who exists as three separate and distinct persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The LDS teaches that the trinity is three separate gods: The Father, the Son and the Holly Ghost. This view is unbiblical.

And of course the LDS Church hierarchy would have to admit that Joseph Smith was a false prophet, and then they’d have to apologize for leading millions of Mormons down the path that leads to destruction. View article →

Be sure to check out CRN’s research paper on Mormonism.

Rick Warren Preaching Heresy at Hillsong 2015 Conference

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Rick WarrenOver at Pulpit & Pen Jeff Maples alerts us to yet another of Rick Warren’s biblical blunders. The question is, why would a Southern Baptist preacher agree to travel to Australia to speak at an event put on by Hillsong Church, when its leaders, Brian and his co-pastor wife Bobbie Houston, have been criticized for their heretical Word Faith teaching?

According to Maples:

At the Hillsong 2015 Conference in Sydney, Australia, where Rick Warren shared a stage with other heretics such as Joseph Prince, Warren teaches that he receives extra-biblical revelations through subconscious dreams. The theme of the Word of Faith conference that Rick is speaking at is “Speak Lord, I’m listening.” This is fitting since all of the speakers at this conference are heretical preachers that claim extra-biblical revelation from God.

He starts out by twisting Exodus 4:3 regarding Moses’ encounter with God, and God commanding Moses to throw down his staff while God miraculously turns it into a serpent, and then pick it back. He says that this passage represents that Christians today need to throw down their income and identity and let God do something miraculously with it. He says:

Hearing the voice of God starts with a willingness to give up his identity, his income, and his influence, for the global Glory of God. When you do that, you are now in a position to hear God speak.

View article →

Related Word Faith Preacher Brian Houston of Hillsong Australia Speaking at Saddleback Church By Ken Silva

Oregon silences bakers who refused to make cake for gay wedding

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Todd Starnes, host of Fox News and Commentary, once predicted that when gay marriage was legalized, LGBTQIA supports would attempt to silence all dissent. Well, the rainbow dust hasn’t settled yet and the powerful homosexual lobby is moving full throttle to achieve their goals, one of which is to silence anyone who speaks for God. What they don’t realize–yet–is that God always wins. According to Starnes:

the state ordered owners Aaron and Melissa Klein to pay $135,000 in damages to a lesbian couple they turned away in 2013.

The state also slapped a gag order on the evangelical Christian bakers – banning them from speaking publicly about their refusal to participate in or bake wedding cakes for same-sex unions.

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Are you a member of the HFIB club?

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By Marsha West
God is not mockedMany Bible believing Christians are members of the HFIB club.  The acronym stands for hate, fear, ignorance and bigotry.  To be inducted into HFIB all one has to do is oppose homosexual “marriage” or—gasp!—proclaim that homosexuality is a sin against a holy God.

For example, talk show host Montel Williams labeled social conservatives hateful bigots for disagreeing with the High Court’s broad interpretation of the U.S. Constitution regarding same-sex “marriage.”  Montel has chosen sides, it seems – he’s taken the side of the totalitarian and intolerant left.

In a piece by ChristianExaminer columnist Michael Foust entitled Talk show host Montel Williams compares gay marriage opponents to ISIS, Taliban, Foust writes:

Williams made the comments Friday, hours after the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage. On Facebook he criticized those on the “uber-right,” which apparently is a synonym for most if not all social conservatives. In the same context he referenced Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council. Williams said that “hate, ignorance, fear and bigotry” had lost when the Supreme Court handed down its decision.

“In its typical fashion, the uber-right that so many of us on the center right find to be akin to the American version of ‪#‎ISIS or the Taliban, frezilly predicted the end of the world, including several members of Congress, who with all the style and hyperbole of an ISIS recruiting video, yes, let’s start with Louie Gohmert, proved they lacked the mental fortitude and emotional stability to hold elected office.

“Some members of this, the American Taliban known as the far-right, even threatened to move to Canada without realizing GAY MARRIAGE HAS BEEN LEGAL THERE FOR IONS. Frankly, I’d be happy to see them go, I just think it would be akin to an act of war to dump the uber-right on another country, sort of like dumping radioactive waste on a neighbor’s yard.”

Some of his fans were miffed by his remarks.    One fan wrote:  “Montel — the Taliban would whack the heads off of you and all gays. You have disgraced yourself in saying that any American who disagrees with YOUR opinion is the Taliban or ISIS.”

Good point.  There are pictures circulating on the Internet of ISIS thugs in Raqqathrowing a man accused of being gay off a building while a crowd of people watched the atrocity.  Many of them climbed buildings to get a better look.

Fouts also fills us in on Montel’s tantrum on Twitter:

“Those who went into full scale freak out today over #LoveWins threatening to leave USA ARE AMERICAN ISIS/TALIBAN,“ Williams wrote.

Later, he retweeted a Tweet from someone who agreed with him: “Montel, I agree with u completely They hate the same people ISIS hates 4 the most part & they ignore Christs words 2.”

One person, Mike McIntyre (@mcintyremike), wrote, “Montel, I have long respected you. You don’t think someone can like the outcome but hate the way it came to be?”

Another follower, TJ (@chinn_tj), replied, “WOW! I may be on the right but I’ve never threatened to blow somebody up!”

A third person, “Janilyn” (@Geckogal55), wrote, “So I see the persecution of #Christians has now started.”

Billy Hallowell of The Blaze wrote, “YOU CALLED ANGRY AMERICANS MAKING A SILLY COMMENT ISIS. I’m perplexed.” Williams retorted, “feel free to unfollow me then. Don’t let the door hit you.” (bold theirs)

When he railed against Louie Gohmert (R-Tx), what was it he said?  Oh, I remember.  Rep. Gohmert “proved [he] lacked … mental fortitude and emotional stability.”  Is this not a case of the pot calling the kettle black?

No matter what you may think of Louie Gohmert and Tony Perkins, to compare them to Islamic terrorists that line innocent people up and behead them for the crime of professing a belief in Jesus Christ goes beyond the pale.  What Williams conveniently forgets is that words have power.  Words can inflame unstable people to violence.  I mean, think about it.  What if a Christian media personality used the same words as Montel chose to describe the five Supreme Court Justices who shredded the U.S. Constitution because they’d like to see sexual deviants marry anyone they want to.  The backlash would be horrific.

It’s too late for an apology from Montel Williams, not that one will be forthcoming.  The damage has already been done.

A Slap In The Face To Conservatives

White House rainbow colors

After the decision came down, that same night the White House was lit up like never before.  Red, blue, green, purple and yellow lights stood out against a dark backdrop, giving the appearance of a gigantic rainbow flag.  It was impressive to be sure.  But we all know that the rainbow is the LGBT symbol.  This celebratory display at the people’s house no doubt offended the majority of those that pay the electricity bill.  For President Obama to make this sort of statement is a slap in the face to traditional Americans who support Normal Marriage.  The administration is well aware that a large number of people in this country oppose redefining marriage.  What struck me is that the president chose not to use his high office to unite Americans; he chose to gloat over judicial activism that ushered in counterfeit marriage.

What some Americans may not be aware of is that back in 1996 when Barack Obama was running for Illinois state senate he said he was in favor of same-gender “marriage.”  (Here’s a video of Anderson Cooper taking him to task on flip-flopping on gay “marriage.”) As it turns out he supposedly “evolved” on the issue and decided that marriage should be between one man and one woman.  Let us not forget that during a 2008 debate held at Saddleback Church he looked Rick Warren squarely in the eye and said, “For me as a Christian it’s [marriage] a sacred union.”   Sacred union is a religious term that describes a union between a man and a woman.  Now he’s back where he started in 1996, supporting counterfeit marriage.

Mr. President, I have news for you.  You have rejected the clear teaching of Scripture on homosexuality.

Leviticus 18:19-22:

You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness while she is in her menstrual uncleanness. And you shall not lie sexually with your neighbor’s wife and so make yourself unclean with her. You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD. You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it: it is perversion.

Romans 1:26-28:

Bible Book of RomansFor this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

Mr. President, you’ve made a choice to reject God’s unambiguous command not to engage in homosexual acts.  Bear in mind that anyone who rejects what God expressly says is in essence calling Him a liar.

Woe to you.

Mr. President, you can instruct your staff to light up all the monuments in Washington D.C. to celebrate the left’s victories over the “uber right” but that won’t change the fact that whatever victories they achieve will be short lived.  I say this with confidence because I count on the FACT that in the end, God wins.

Recommended:

Homosexual Agenda—Berean Research

The US Supreme Court “gay marriage” ruling – how we got to this, and what do we do now?—MassResistance

Copyright by Marsha West, 2015.  All rights reserved.

40 Questions for Christians Now Waving Rainbow Flags

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Pastor and best selling author Kevin DeYoung asks questions of professing Christians such as: When Jesus spoke against porneia what sins do you think he was forbidding?

DeYoung begins:

Rainbow flagFor evangelicals who lament last Friday’s Supreme Court decision, it’s been a hard few days. We aren’t asking for emotional pity, nor do I suspect many people are eager to give us any. Our pain is not sacred. Making legal and theological decisions based on what makes people feel better is part of what got us into this mess in the first place. Nevertheless, it still hurts.

There are many reasons for our lamentation, from fear that religious liberties will be taken away to worries about social ostracism and cultural marginalization. But of all the things that grieve us, perhaps what’s been most difficult is seeing some of our friends, some of our family members, and some of the folks we’ve sat next to in church giving their hearty “Amen” to a practice we still think is a sin and a decision we think is bad for our country. It’s one thing for the whole nation to throw a party we can’t in good conscience attend. It’s quite another to look around for friendly faces to remind us we’re not alone and then find that they are out there jamming on the dance floor. We thought the rainbow was God’s sign (Gen. 9:8-17).

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John Piper: “Weeping,” not celebrating, correct response to “shameless” homosexuality

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Christians are looking to their leaders for guidance and wisdom on SCOTUS’ disastrous ruling on same-sex “marriage.” Enter John Piper. Dr. Piper was once considered a leader in the Church. However, in the past couple of years he has been under fire for uniting with and giving his stamp of approval to false teachers. Thus, a number of people who held him in high esteem have become disenchanted with him. Even so, there are people who still want to hear from Dr. Piper on issues pertaining to the Church and the culture, particularly those who share his Reformed views.

ChristianExaminer has a piece with Dr. Piper’s reaction to the High Court’s ruling and also informs us what one high profile Canadian pastor has to say on the subject.
View article →

Driscoll Publicly Repents…For Criticizing Osteen

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From Pulpit & Pen:

Courtesy Berean Research. Cartoon by Rod Anderson.

Courtesy Berean Research. Cartoon by Rod Anderson.

Speaking at the Hillsong conference, Mark Driscoll repented for a number of things. Praise God. Hallelujah.

Milking the Best-Seller’s List by Improperly Using Church Funds

Asking staff about their wive’s favorite sexual position

Well more than a dozen counts of plagiarism

Porno-graphic discerno-vision

Throwing people under the Mars Hill bus

No. Driscoll didn’t repent for any of that stuff. Driscoll repented for having criticized Joel Osteen.

Pulpit & Pen has the audio.

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The US Supreme Court “gay marriage” ruling – how we got to this, and what do we do now?

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Supreme Court 5-4MassResistance (MR), a pro-family group based in Massachusetts, admits that the pro-family movement as a whole made huge blunders in their approach to winning the “culture war.” According to MR, the “religious pro-family establishment is as treacherous and opportunist as the national Republican Party establishment.” No surprise there. Many of us in online discernment have reported on the deceptive pro-family movement for years. Our beef with pro-family groups is mainly who they choose to align themselves with. One example is the apostate New Apostolic Reformation. So that you’ll know who these pro-family leaders are and the ways in which they’ve given credibility to the worst sort of false teaching imaginable, we’re including a few eye-opening articles:

The Religious Right uniting with religious renegades, part 1 part 2 part 3

Pitiable capitulating pro-family leaders part 1 part 2

Assemblies of God Exposed to New Apostolic Reformation through Empowered21

Now to MR’s full report. View article →

Here’s How Religious Business Owners Could Protect Themselves Against Gay Marriage Decision

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Kelsey Harkness, columnist for The Daily Signal, says states need to adopt their own statutes to provide business owners with sincere religious beliefs protection. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has already started the process. According to Harkness, “Last month, Jindal quietly issued an executive order that “prevents the state from discriminating against people or their business with deeply held religious beliefs.”
View article →

The transforming power of gratitude

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching, Opinion

17 ὥστε εἴ τις ἐν Χριστῷ, καινὴ κτίσις· τὰ ἀρχαῖα παρῆλθεν, ἰδοὺ γέγονεν καινά. (2 Corinthians 5:17 NA28)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; the old things passed away, behold he has become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

When Christ comes into your life, your life changes. God’s Word everywhere declares that a change is automatic when someone truly believes. However, this is not entirely a passive thing. There is something called walking in repentance that is our part. I am sure all of you know someone or you may have personal testimony pertaining to struggling with sin or sins for years that seemed to cling very close and no matter what, freedom from the sin(s) seemed like chains in prison. However we are commanded to not sin like that aren’t we? View article →

The Body Politic Is Queer

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On the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court’s disastrous decision to legalize same-sex marriage, Peter Jones of truthxchange penned a piece with this warning to Americans: You cannot introduce into society a life style, now considered legal, without it redefining what the culture must receive as morally and spiritually acceptable. Putting blue dye in one end of the pool affects the color of the water in the whole pool.

Now to Dr. Jones’ piece, which can be read in full over at truthxchange:

Ironically, this claim [“the body of Christ is queer”], by an ordained bi-sexual female, Layton E. Williams, in the PC(USA), appeared the day before the decision of the USSC to legalize same sex marriage in all fifty states.

Culturally, this legal decision represents an historic moment for the United States. The Declaration of Independence, declaring that rights and laws are endowed by the Creator, has been rendered meaningless by a fake redefining of marriage, with no reference to the Creator or to any objective standards. The charade is over. This decision indicates that what has been happening for some time is finally here for all to see: the USA is clearly a “godless nation.” Let public figures supporting this decision no longer say or sing: “God bless America.” or “Amazing Grace.” It is just as worthless as their view of marriage.

This is a victory for “progressives,” though we have not made much progress. Augustine in his City of God vividly describes the 5th century pagan “games” offered in honor of Tanit, the celestial “virgin” and mother of the gods. He also describes the public display of the goddess’s homosexual priests. “They were seen yesterday, their hair moist, their faces covered in make-up, their limbs flaccid, their walk effeminate, wandering through the squares and streets of Carthage, demanding from the public the means to subsidize their shameful life.”

View article →

More A.A. Fun Facts for you and your friends

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We frequently post articles written by researcher John Lanagan that bring to light the A.A. co-founders’ involvement in spiritualism and other anti-biblical activity. In this short piece Lanagan offers convincing evidence that these men were up to their ears in what the Bible calls sorcery during A.A.’s formative years. It’s unfortunate that many people have been led to believe that A.A. is a Christian based organization, when nothing could be further from the truth.

Ouija board game

“The ouija board began moving in earnest. What followed was the fairly usual experience-it was a strange melange of Aristotle, St. Francis, diverse archangels with odd names, deceased friends–some in purgatory and others doing nicely, thank you! There were malign and mischievious ones of all descriptions telling of vices quite beyond my ken, even as former alcoholics. Then, the seemingly virtuous entities would elbow them out with messages of comfort, information, advice—and sometimes just sheer nonsense.” (A.A. co-founder Bill Wilson, quoted in PASS IT ON, Wilson’s official A.A. biography, pg. 278) (emphasis mine)

“Do not seek out mediums and spiritists; do not seek out and be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:31)

“…[AA co-founders] Bill and Dr. Bob believed vigorously and aggressively. They were working away at the spiritualism; it was not just a hobby.” (Early A.A. member Tom Powers, quoted in PASS IT ON, pg. 280) (emphasis mine)

Want to learn more? Seances, Spirits, and 12 Steps

Reposted with permission.

Would the Son of God Contradict the Father?

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Marsha West

Marsha West

Is it true that Jesus never mentioned anything about homosexuality? That He never brought it up, even once? Most of us have heard the argument that the Gospels have no record of Jesus condemning homosexuality. There are individuals, especially from the militant homosexual rights movement, who utter this fabrication with all the raw hostility of liberals who think abortion is their God given right.

The “Jesus never mentioned homosexuality” argument is meant to bully people into believing that Jesus actually took a benign attitude towards same-sex acts. Liberals reason that if Jesus disapproved of homosexuality, He would have said so. Moreover, He never mentioned gay sex, thus He didn’t condemn it.

Most people, including some Christians, don’t have a clue what Jesus did or did not say on any given subject, let alone what He thought about same-sex practices, so they fall for the “Jesus never mentioned homosexuality” lie, hook, line and sinker.

So, does Jesus approve of homosexual relationships?

At the very heart of the Christian view of God is the Holy Trinity. (This is not an essay on Christian doctrine, so bear with me for a moment.) Classical Christianity has believed that God exists in Holy Trinity, or tri-personality — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity is not three gods in one. Each Person of the Trinity is fully God. They are one in essence with three separate and distinct personalities. All are infinite and eternal. Jesus Christ, the Son, is the Second person of the Trinity. The Son is in perfect union with the Father and the Holy Spirit. They are never, nor could they ever be out of union with one another. Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). The deity of the Holy Spirit is also evident. In Acts 5:3-4 Peter told Ananias that by lying to the Holy Spirit, he had lied to God.

Following is one way of illustrating the Trinity:

“H2O…is common water-two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen. You can freeze H2O and you would have the solid, or ice. You can turn on your faucet and you would have the liquid H2O. You can hear the whistle of H2O that comes out of the tea kettle spout which is steam, but it would still be H2O. H2O can and does exist in solid, liquid and gas. The solid is not the liquid; the liquid is not the gas; and yet all three are of one nature: H2O. And that is exactly how it is with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father is not the Son, the Father is not the Holy Spirit, and Jesus is not the Holy Spirit.” (emphasis added – Source)

The crux of the matter is this: Those who try to make their case by arguing, “Jesus never mentioned homosexuality” are either ignorant of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, or they ignore it for the purpose of supporting a hollow argument. View article →

“I will not bow to the Court on this gay-marriage decision any more than the Founders bowed to British tyranny”

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The words of Gov. Mike Huckabee on the Supreme Court ruling:

“The Supreme Court has spoken with a very divided voice on something only the Supreme Being can do-redefine marriage. I will not acquiesce to an imperial court any more than our Founders acquiesced to an imperial British monarch. We must resist and reject judicial tyranny, not retreat.

“This ruling is not about marriage equality, it’s about marriage redefinition. This irrational, unconstitutional rejection of the expressed will of the people in over 30 states will prove to be one of the court’s most disastrous decisions, and they have had many. The only outcome worse than this flawed, failed decision would be for the President and Congress, two co-equal branches of government, to surrender in the face of this out-of-control act of unconstitutional, judicial tyranny.”

“The Supreme Court can no more repeal the laws of nature and nature’s God on marriage than it can the laws of gravity. Under our Constitution, the court cannot write a law, even though some cowardly politicians will wave the white flag and accept it without realizing that they are failing their sworn duty to reject abuses from the court. If accepted by Congress and this President, this decision will be a serious blow to religious liberty, which is the heart of the First Amendment.”

Rick Warren’s “Power of a Campaign for Revival and Spiritual Awakening”

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Berean Research has the latest on Rick Warren:

Rick WarrenSaddleback’s and Amurica’s pastor Rick Warren is talking revival and spiritual awakening! Can it be that he is finally preaching repentance and surrender to Christ? Well, not exactly. We’re talking about a movement by numbers again, from his latest email blast. What does the Bible have to say about this?

Rick Warren: “If God allowed you to baptize hundreds of new believers, add almost hundreds of new members, and increase your average attendance by thousands in just 40 days, would you call that a revival?”

I’d call it nickles and noses. Proof of revival is not in numbers. Remember, GOD does the increasing. Acts 3:19-21 “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.”

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Does U2’s Bono, a professing Christian, believe the Bible?

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Marsha West

Any [teaching] that is good is in the Word of God, and any that is not in the Word of God is not good. I am a Bible Christian and if an archangel with a wingspread as broad as a constellation shining like the sun were to come and offer me some new truth, I’d ask him for a reference. If he could not show me where it is found in the Bible, I would bow him out and say, “I’m awfully sorry, you don’t bring any references with you.” ~ A.W. Tozier

There’s an ongoing debate as to whether or not Bono, U2 front man and one of the world’s most recognized rock stars, is an authentic Christian, although he states that he is. Many Bible believing Christians have looked at the evidence and have come out and said that, although he professes Christ, he’s not a true Christian.

So let’s examine the evidence.

On his belief about Jesus Christ, Bono said this:

I believe that Jesus was, you know, the Son of God.

Does he mean the Jesus who’s the Second Person of the holy Trinity?

In 2005 after the release of his book “Grace Over Karma” he stated:

The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world, so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death. That’s the point. It should keep us humbled. It’s not our own good works that get us through the gates of heaven.

He’s right. It’s not our own good works that gets us to heaven “for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” that saves us. (Eph. 2:8-9)

In 2014 Jim Daly, President of Focus on the Family, interviewed the rock star on his radio broadcast and said this:

[H]e’s known great success, both in his career as a musician, and in his work as a global advocate for the poorest of the poor. He’s also the co-founder of The ONE Campaign, and their motivation is to help people who are suffering.

All of this is true. But that means he’s a do-gooder. It does not make him regenerate.

Not surprisingly, when Daly invited him on the show conservative Christians who are aware of some of the controversial things he has said over the years thought it was a mistake. Many people wondered why a pro-family leader of Daly’s stature would pass him off as a Christian by saying, “he’s a believer in Jesus Christ, and professes Christ as his Savior. In fact, Bono’s spiritual journey has been greatly influenced by a mutual good friend — Eugene Peterson, who’s the author of The Message. And he’s also written a great book called Run With The Horses that has had a great influence on Bono and many of us.”

I don’t have the space to address my concerns with Eugene Peterson or The Message Bible he penned – it’s a parody of the Bible. So links are included below.

Looking at the things Bono has said (I’m coming to that) although he professes a belief in Christ clearly he doesn’t believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. Moreover, his social views are decidedly “progressive.” In fact, his religious beliefs blend nicely with emergent gurus such as Brian McLaren, Jim Wallis and Tony Campolo. These men are leftists who are leading the Church away from Sola Scriptura into what Ken Silva referred to as the “emerging cult of the new liberal theology.” The controversial movement, called the Emerging/Emergent Church (EC), seeks to reach the unchurched with their unbiblical version of the Christian message. In so doing they have cooked up a cauldron of syncretism stew.

So – what’s important to know about EC leaders is that their aim is change and their plan, and they do have one, is to dismantle historic orthodox Christianity and bring forth a “new paradigm,” a “new kind of Christianity.” Be wary of words such as story (story of God, story of Jesus)… becoming… conversation… missional… reimagine… tribe… deconstruction… vision, etc. Emergents are “Christ followers,” they are “Social Justice Christians.”

Social Justice Christianity

The moniker liberals who profess Christ prefer is Social Justice Christian.   One conservative blogger commented that Bono is “social justice, ecumenical, globalist, Agenda 21 promoting.”

He’s all of that for sure.  Bono’s an activist and philanthropist with a stated goal to eliminate world poverty.  Because he’s hugely popular people want to know what he thinks about this and that.  So naturally he takes every opportunity to promote causes he cares about including HIV/AIDS infection in Africa and third-world debt relief.  Tom De Weese of the American Policy Center once quipped that he “dogged political leaders around the world, using his rock star status to pressure them into accepting his brand of global guilt.”

So – should it matter to Bible believing Christians that Bono is a “progressive”?  Should we be concerned that he’s spreading Social Justice Christianity around the globe?  I mean, he’s telling people about Jesus, isn’t he?

Well, yes, it should matter to Christians that a person as famous as Bono is promoting an unbiblical version of Christianity and a “different Jesus.”  Many people idolize celebrities.  Adoring fans hang on their every word.   And, sadly, many Christians don’t read their bibles so they not only are ignorant of its teaching, they lack spiritual discernment.  In other words, they’re easily influenced by celebrity but not so much by the Bible.

When it comes to a LIE-celeb such as Bono, the question we must ask ourselves is this: What gospel is he sharing, the true Gospel of Jesus Christ or is he sharing another Jesus…another spirit…another gospel (2 Cor. 11:4)?  If it’s the later then it makes him a false teacher.

The Apostle Paul spoke out against counterfeit Christians: 

And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do.  For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.  And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. (2 Cor. 12-15) 

Elliott Nesch of The Holy Bible Prophecy writes:

How many of those who have been saved from extreme poverty through Bono’s ONE Campaign are now saved from their sins through the same effort? Can social justice, debt relief, and elimination of the AIDS epidemic bring glory to God when it is completely unconnected to the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? (Source)

A very good question. 

Can’t We All Just COEXIST?

 

Lighthouse Trails Research (LTR) has a piece entitled Focus on the Family Gives Bono a Platform – Another Example Where 2 +2 Don’t Add Up.  LTR shares a quote by Christian researcher Berit Kjos from her book Protect Your Child From the New Age & Spiritual Deception:

U2’s 2005 tour was aimed at joining all religions into a unified global spirituality. To emphasize the coming solidarity, the word “COEXIST” was featured on a giant screen. The capital “C” pointed to the Islamic crescent, the “X” symbolized the Jewish Star of David, and the “T” was a reminder of the Christian cross. Bono led massive crowds in a vibrant chant: “Jesus, Jew, Mohammed—It’s True! 

Not everyone approved. Singer/songwriter Tara Leigh Cobble said, “He repeated the words like a mantra, and some people even began to repeat it with him. I suddenly wanted to crawl out of my skin. . . . Was Bono, my supposed brother in Christ, preaching some kind of universalism?” 

“I felt like I was witnessing an antichrist,” said her friend. 

In one song, “God’s Country,” Bono belts out the words, “I stand with the sons of Cain,” The Bible tells us that Cain “was of that wicked one, and slew his brother” (1 John 3:12), not exactly someone who a Christian would want to be found standing in agreement with.

Kjos later says:

Are Christian leaders speaking up and warning others about Bono? No, on the contrary, reveals one Christian journalist:

“One of the leaders being promoted today by those purporting to be officiating the way for our young people—to include Bill Hybels, Brian McLaren, Rick Warren, and Rob Bell—is ‘Christian’ Rock star Bono of U2, whom many emergents view as their ‘prophet’ and the main icon of their movement. In Bono’s rendition of Psalm 23, he alters the entire thrust and message of this beautiful psalm to something that sounds nothing less than blasphemous. For example . . . he alters the wording to say ‘I have cursed thy rod and staff. They no longer comfort me.’”  [This rendition of Psalm 23 is documented in The Submerging Church DVD.] 

And in the summer of 2005, Rick Warren attended the Live 8 Concert with Bono where he was made the official pastor at the event.  Rick Warren did not issue a warning at the event about Bono, leaving the impression on thousands of young people’s minds that Bono is OK.  (from chapter 17, HPC)

Bono Helps Gay’s Win The Day

Bill Muehlenberg of Culture Watch is one Christian who isn’t standing up for Bono.  And he isn’t concerned about issuing a warning either.  Muehlenberg came out swinging after Bono threw his support to Bible torturing radical gay activists who were out to legalize same-sex “marriage” in Ireland.  Homosexuals were ecstatic to have a rock star behind them in their effort to legalize same-sex “marriage.”  Pink News reported: 

Irish singer Bono, speaking ahead of the band’s latest world tour, said “Marriage is an idea that transcends religion.” 

Bono, who is from a mixed Anglican and Catholic family, told the Irish Times: 

“[Marriage] is owned by the people. They can decide. It is not a religious institution. 

“As far as I know, Jesus wasn’t a married man and neither are most priests talking about it. It is not a religious idea. 

“In my mind, commitment is one of the most impossibly great human traits. It is a hard thing to hold on to, and anything that brings that together is a totally wonderful thing.” 

Gay-affirming Bono does not understand the implications of tossing aside God’s plan for marriage—one man one woman for life—so that men can marry men.

Muehlenberg had these harsh words for U2’s front man:

Another clear-cut acid test of Christian commitment has to do with the issue of homosexuality. If you get someone trying to tell you that homosexual marriage is just peachy and Jesus would be fully supportive of it, then you know you’ve got a religious fraud on your hands, and you should give him a very wide berth. 

One so-called believer who has worried me greatly for years has in my eyes nailed his coffin completely by his recent support of sodomite marriage. Bono and U2 are going utterly brain-dead in supporting the Irish vote on homosexual marriage. 

So if you think Bono is some sort of great Christian, you better think again. This comes from the U2 website: 

On Friday Ireland votes in an historic referendum on legalizing same-sex marriage. Here’s what the band say: #voteYes.

“Commitment, love and devotion are some of the most impossibly great human traits. Trying to co-opt the word marriage is like trying to make love or devotion gender- or religion-specific. And that has to stop. Marriage is human-specific: a human commitment, one that transcends religion, transcends politics. It should be encouraged wherever, whenever and between whomever that love, that devotion and that commitment exists. #voteYES” 

This has got to be one of the most idiotic things I have read in a long time. We expect atheists and militant homosexual activists to come up with sheer baloney like this, but someone who calls himself a Christian? This man is a fool, in the biblical sense of the word. (Source)

The bottom line is this: A person cannot profess a belief in Jesus Christ and live like the devil.  Like so many so-called Christians, Bono takes Christianity cafeteria style – he picks and chooses what pleases him and avoids what doesn’t.

Christianity is serious business, brethren.  Jesus requires much of His sheep.  “If you love me you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

Do you love Him?

“Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Do you get your guidance from the Bible?

Bono does but only when it suits his purpose.

Recommended Resources:

Transcript of Focus on the Family interview

The Homosexual Agenda

What is the purpose of marriage?–CARM

Also,

Eugene Peterson

The Message Bible

Reading

Does the Bible actually teach that we’re not to judge others? —Marsha West

U2′s Bono, Unorthodox Superman—Elliott Nesch

Copyright by Marsha West, 2015.  All rights reserved.

The Alcoholics Anonymous Prevention Plan: Pointing people away from Christ

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Many people are unaware that Alcoholics Anonymous founders were heavily into the world of the occult. John Lanagan of My Word Like Fire has done extensive research on AA he and reports some of his findings here:

It’s prevention and dilution, all in one twelve step package.

Alcoholics Anonymous has two spiritual purposes. One is to point unbelievers away from Christ; the other is to water down or weaken the theology of the Christians who have joined the AA religion. Because of exposure to the twelve step program there are many AA Christians who confuse “recovery” with sanctification.

Hurting alcoholics who do not know the Lord learn, through meetings and the AA Big Book, that they do not need Christ at all in order to have a relationship with the Father:

“The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered our hearts and our lives in a way that is miraculous.” (AA Big Book, pg.25)

“[A]ll of us, whatever our race, creed, or color are children of a living Creator with whom we may form a relationship upon simple and understandable terms as soon as we are willing and honest enough to try.” (AA Big Book, pg.28)

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