Commentary, analysis and opinion.

Aren’t there ANY good preachers/churches left?

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According to Elizabeth Prata of The End Times, there are good teachers. Find out who she believes the good ones are:

Discernment

I hesitate to begin this essay by saying “In these times of apostasy” because the times have always been apostasizing. The moment that the truth is declared, someone falls away from it (Eve, Cain, Judas, Demas, Simon Magus…). The truth is always opposed by those who hate God.

Of late, however, it seems that some men we have always been able to count on are falling. The Bible is clear that even leaders who have been seemingly faithful over decades are not immune from the ravages of apostasy. Length of time in the faith is no guarantor of continued faithfulness. Ending well is just as important as beginning well. (2 Timothy 4:7).

In addition, the Spirit is always revealing the wolf in sheep’s clothing. John Piper has been displaying zero discernment. I wrote about Ravi Zacharias’ questionable credentials, heretical associations, and leaky theology here. Billy Graham said that anyone who is sincere and really believes something is up there will be in heaven with the saints. I think those are the three best recent examples of how sin works in the heart and how the Holy Spirit works in the Body to reveal it.

Just as the truth is always opposed, the truth is always upheld. The Lord raises up good men to speak His Gospel. In Romans 10:14 Apostle Paul asked the following questions

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

The questions are not rhetorical. They are actual. The mechanism through which God has said He will use as the catalyst for conversion is His Gospel, preached by truthful men, to hearts He will release from the bondage of sin. (John 14:6, Acts 4:12). Therefore it makes sense God will always have good men preaching it, does it not? Because if He didn’t, who could hear?

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The 7 Mountains Mandate “Buy a mountain for $25”

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Berean Research reports:

How much would you pay to take over the government for Christ? Or to take over education, or media, or other sphere’s of influence? If you believe that Christians are mandated to take over the world’s seven influential powerbases so that Jesus can come back, then here’s your chance to buy a mountain for only $25.

An upcoming Wisconsin event is making this offer as a way to fulfill its 7 Mountain Mandate and fund its speaking series that kicks off this Sunday and runs through May. The speaker lineup includes a “gifted seer of the prophetic,” a Green Bay “Packers Today” television show hostess, and the former lead guitar player for the rock group Skillet.

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Complementarian John Piper shares teaching duties with a woman?

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From Berean Research:

Todd Pruitt, contributor on Mortification of Spin’s (MOS) podcast, tackles this contentious issue in a blog post entitled, “Now I’m really confused about complementarianism.” No doubt some readers are wondering what that word means. Briefly, complementarians hold the view that men and women have different roles in leadership in the church — women are not to teach or exercise authority over men (1 Tim. 2:12) based upon the created order (1 Tim. 2:13). Visit CARM to find out more about complementarianism.

According to Pruitt:

ConfusedJohn Piper holds to a complementarian view, so does it make sense that he’d share teaching duties with a woman at the Passion 2016 conference? Maybe he’s changed his mind. But if he has why hasn’t he told anyone?

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Knock, Knock….RUN! It’s Jesus Calling

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Discernment Research Group has a piece on the best-selling Christian New Age book Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. Buyer beware! According to the article, Jesus Calling devotions are similar to horoscopes or a “fortune” in a fortune cookie. The devotions are ambiguous. The way they’re worded is open to several meanings or interpretations. Sadly, many professing Christians, especially women, are reading this occult book.

Knock, knock. Who’s there? Jesus. Which Jesus?

How can someone open the door to the knock of any voice claiming to be Jesus? Why is it so easy for people to listen to another Jesus? How can a person so readily follow this Jesus?

Well, what if this Jesus appealed to you in the following way. . . wouldn’t you be tempted to open the door to him?

Jesus is a soft, fluffy, comfortable Jesus who is your best friend. He is always there to share the burden of your troubles, wipe away your tears, give you peace, and keep you feeling warm and comfortable inside. To experience the presence of Jesus you need to do things such as remember him, whisper his name, trust him, and turn to him when you are in need.(RUN! p. 70)

It seems that millions of people are now listening to this “soft, fluffy” Jesus. If it is so comforting to listen to this comfy Jesus, it explains how easily people will follow an imposter Christ, an anti-Christ who appears at their door wearing “warm and comfortable” sheep’s clothing (Luke 21:8; Matt. 7:5).

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On Discerning Ravi Zacharias: It’s time to say what needs to be said

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Elizabeth Prata of The End Time examines the ministry of beloved apologist Ravi Zacharias. The things she reveals about Ravi will not sit well with many Christians, some may even choose to go on the attack. Now, I’m the fist to admit that I don’t like it when someone is critical of a Christian leader I hold in high esteem. My tendency is to hit the denial button and place my head in the sand. “Noooooo, this can’t be true!” But in these troubling times in which we live, more often than not we discover that the charges are true for the reason that information, both negative and positive, is easily gleaned from the Internet. Continue reading →

Milton Catholic school loses gay bias case

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Boston Globe reports:

In a decision being called the first of its kind nationally, a state judge has ruled that an all-girls Catholic school in Milton discriminated against a gay man when it rescinded a job offer after learning he was in a same-sex marriage.

Matthew Barrett accepted a position as food services director at Fontbonne Academy in 2013, but the school withdrew the offer days later after Barrett listed his husband as an emergency contact on an employee form, according to a 21-page court ruling issued Wednesday.

Matthew Barrett accepted a position as food services director at Fontbonne Academy in 2013, but the school withdrew the offer days later after Barrett listed his husband as an emergency contact on an employee form, according to a 21-page court ruling issued Wednesday.

Barrett’s lawyer, Ben Klein of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, said the decision marks the first time a judge has rejected a religious organization’s assertion that it had a constitutional right not to hire employees because they were spouses in same-sex marriages.

“Marriage equality has been the law of Massachusetts for over a decade and is now the law of the land,” Klein said. “But you can’t have equality if you can get married on Saturday and fired on Monday.”

Source

Wheaton Moves to Fire Hijab-Wearing Professor Who Declared “We All Worship Same God”

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According to Christian News Network:

Officials at a prominent Christian-identified university in Illinois have moved to fire an associate political science director who was placed on leave after she declared in a self-initiated campaign to fight “Islamophobia” that Christians and Muslims worship the same God.

As previously reported, professing Christian Larycia Hawkins posted to Facebook two photos of herself wearing a hijab last month, and stated in a lengthy explanation that she planned to wear it everywhere she goes during the Advent—including at the Christian college and to church.

“I stand in human solidarity with my Muslim neighbor because we are formed of the same primordial clay, descendants of the same cradle of humankind—a cave in Sterkfontein, South Africa that I had the privilege to descend into to plumb the depths of our common humanity in 2014,” Hawkins wrote.

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David Barton’s book on Jefferson republished

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Looks like WND will publish a book by noted conservative historian David Barton that the publisher, Thomas Nelson, quickly pulled from the shelves for the reason that “basic truths just were not there.” World Magazine has the story:

David Barton’s controversial The Jefferson Lies: Exposing the Myths You’ve Always Believed about Thomas Jefferson will soon be back. Thomas Nelson published it in April 2012 and then pulled it from bookstore shelves as historians criticized its accuracy. WND Books, publishing arm of the conservative website World Net Daily, will re-release the book on Jan. 16.

Barton, founder and president of the WallBuilders organization, was for several decades a popular Christian history writer and lecturer, but his reputation took a major hit during the summer of 2012 when the History News Network voted The Jefferson Lies as the “Least Credible History Book in Print.” Shortly after that, several prominent conservative Christian scholars began to question the scholarship behind Barton’s work.

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Rick Warren, Wayne Grudem Team Up as Religious Advisors for Marco Rubio

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The Marco Rubio campaign announced a couple of “evangelicals” who will be advising Rubio on religious issues as well as reaching out to the religious community. Pulpit & Pen has the story:

Rick Warren PDL campaign vidWe’ve been reporting for quite some time now that evangelicals, especially Southern Baptists, have been fawning over staunch Roman Catholic (the one who knows and fully agrees with Roman Catholic doctrine), Marco Rubio. Many Southern Baptists have gone as far as to say they believe he is saved (See here, and here). The SBC’s lead ethicist, Russell Moore, has all but officially endorsed Rubio. In fact, Marco Rubio even enlisted the ecumenist, and director of the Manhattan Declaration, Eric Teetsel as part of his campaign to “reach out to evangelicals.” And apparently he has succeeded in doing so.

Recently announced was a host of new “evangelicals” who have volunteered to “advise” Marco Rubio on religious issues, and reaching out to the religious community. Interestingly enough, all but one are names you would expect to find working for a Roman Catholic.

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Read our research paper on Roman Catholicism

The Bundy Militia’s Particular Brand Of Mormonism

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From Berean Research:

In the headlines for several days is Burns, a small town in rural Oregon where a standoff between an armed militia and the United States Federal Government is in progress. The leader of the militia is Ammon Bundy, along with his brother Ryan and several other militia members who are believed to be from Arizona and Nevada.

When the the Bundy militia took up arms against this nation, they declared the United States to be irredeemable and its government to be illegitimate.

Yesterday on The Briefing, Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, commented:

what many in the media have missed is what is there right before our eyes, and that is this, there is a very interesting theological dynamic and a theological worldview behind this militia and its members. The first key, the first clue to understanding this, is the fact that the spokesman for the militia identifies himself as Captain Moroni. Anyone with the slightest familiarity with the book of Mormon, with Mormon history and theology will recognize immediately the name Moroni.

Mohler points us to a piece John Sepulvado wrote for Oregon Public Radio where we learn just who this Captain Moroni is and what’s behind the militia’s worldview. Sepulvado writes:

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Gospel of Christ or a gospel of steps?

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Many Christians don’t realize that in Alcoholics Anonymous all gods are called a “higher power” which reduces the Lord Jesus Christ to just another nameless diety among many. Does Jesus teach what A.A. teaches? No, says John Lanagan of My Word Like Fire. In this piece Lanagan reveals how A.A. actually denies the true gospel of Christ:

“We feel we are on the Broad Highway, walking hand in hand with the Spirit of the Universe.”– A.A. Big Book, (the A.A. “bible”), pg.75 (bold mine)

The above quote is just one of the references to a “broad” path of spirituality in the A.A. Big Book.

Here is another:

“We found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him. To us, the Realm of the Spirit is broad, roomy, all inclusive; never exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek. It is open, we believe, to all men. When, therefore, we speak to you of God, we mean your own conception of God.” –From the A.A. Big Book, pp.46-47 (bold mine)

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Oleo on the buffet line is not what your women’s ministries need.

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Berean Research takes on women’s ministry celebs and their counterfeit conferences where women who attend leave spiritually famished because they were not fed the Word of God. Do these sorts of events help women grow spiritually? Not so much says Amy. She writes:

Not to sound too needy, but we women are hungry, and we want to be fed often, and now!

If I may speak just for a second for the whole group: most of us don’t know why we are starving or what we are hungry for.

The problem is, we’re likely to get a good rush from experiences and feelings. But those things aren’t real food. They’re like the Oleo our moms and grandmas used; a cheap counterfeit that’s dangerously bad for your health – even in small quantities.

Unfortunately that’s what most mega conferences for women are all about. Cheap thrills from famous ladies I’ll call “celebritistas,” who’ve made a lot of money serving up empty promises of a better life than you’re living now. Chills that go up your spine, a liver shiver or two, and then it’s over. You’re left with the usual conference confetti of expensive books and endless email ads inviting you to the next experience.

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Beth Moore launching a new TV program on TBN

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From Berean Research:

Elizabeth Prada of The End Times reports that Bible teacher and author Beth Moore, a Southern Baptist, will make her debut on a weekly television program on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. TBN was founded by Word of Faith heretics Paul and Jan Crouch. Many high-profile Christians choose not to appear on TBN because they believe that doing so would be akin to dancing with the devil.

So it is curious that Beth Moore will be doing a weekly show on TBN. Prada fills us in on the details.

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Will True Christians Please Stand Up?

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From Berean Research:

C.H. Fisher of TruthKeepers has a challenge for professing Christians: Don’t let this be the generation that sits idly by while evil darkens every sacred truth with lies.

ChristianityIf anyone believes that it is easy to maintain a stand against the encroaching darkness, let me offer a bit of testimony here. It is not easy at all. Oh, it’s easy to make the stand, but maintaining it is quite another matter. I’ve been at this for 35 years, and it has not gotten easier. I’m not going to get into all the details lest someone thinks that I’m setting the table for a pity party. I just want people to know that they are to expect the opposition to be fierce when they stand for truth and righteousness. That’s why many have quit standing and many more will not even make an attempt to stand.

However, one day we will all be called before God’s Judgment Throne to give an account of our lives here on earth. There are all sorts of doctrines that people can hide behind to avoid being alarmed at that prospect. However, Christ clearly said that “whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:33) In my opinion, not to oppose the evil that denies Him before the masses makes the guilty Christian culpable with that denial.

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From NYC to Harvard: The War On Asian Success

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Betsy McCaughey, columnist for the New York Post, fills us in on the far left’s abominable treatment of Asian students.

The year 2015 was a dismal one for American public education — at least by the numbers.

But don’t blame the kids. Parents are missing in action.

Except most Asian-American parents, that is. They tend to oversee their children’s homework, stress the importance of earning high grades and instill the belief that hard work is the ticket to a better life.

And it pays off. Their children are soaring academically.

The outrage is that instead of embracing the example of these Asian families, school authorities and non-Asian parents want to rig the system to hold them back. It’s happening here in New York City, in suburban New Jersey and across the nation.

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Christ Hidden in Our Schools, While Muhammad Roams the Halls Freely

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From Berean Research:

It should come as no surprise that Christian practices are outlawed in Muslim countries, but it is pretty shocking to see this sort of thing happening in America. Under the guise of separation of church and state, the celebration of Christmas, which is a federal holiday, is taboo in many of our tax-payer funded public schools. Yet some educators see no problem promoting Islam even though it’s a religion. The question is, why allow schools to censor Christianity and promote Islam?

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Franklin Graham quits GOP, says America “in trouble” unless more Christians in office

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From Berean Research:

Rev. Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, is unhappy with the way things are going in America. What will solve the problem? He believes that if “godly men and women” get involved in the political process they can “change this wicked system.” How are we to determine if a person is “godly”? The article doesn’t tell us. Rev. Graham is quoted as saying that he’d like to see people who have “biblical values” run for office. Certainly he knows that having biblical values does not mean a person is an authentic Christian. There are untold numbers of counterfeit Christians in America! In fact, many of them already hold public office and are the CEO’s of megachurches. Likewise, counterfeits run ginormous “Christian” organizations. One example of a “Christian” politician is our president, Barack Obama. An example of a megachurch CEO is “America’s Pastor” Rick Warren. Do you see the dilemma?

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Christmas: Christ in you

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By Jim Stitzinger

The Cripplegate blog

The concerts are over and candle-light services are nearly complete. No more caroling, food drives, corporate holiday parties and the sound of Salvation army bells are quickly fading. The world will soon say goodbye to “the holidays” and will soon pivot its attention to New Year’s and Super Bowls.

The world may soon have Christmas almost in it’s rear view mirror, but for Christ’s church the wonder and joy of Christmas never ends. Isaiah prophesied that a virgin will conceive and bear a Son whose name will be Immanuel, God with us. He came to earth that day, and remains with us in every day. The Creator of the universe stepped aside from the full display of His majestic glory and dove headlong into His creation.

The day Christ was born slipped by, uncelebrated throughout the world. It was not for lack of Instagram, satellite communication or weak cell phone coverage. It was not because the postal service lost His birth announcement or a webpage failed to update. Christ entered time and space as planned. The seclusion from the abusive prying eyes of the world kept King Herod from carrying out yet another satanic attempt to assassinate the Savior.

Beyond the safety of our Savior, the world did not see the eternal significance of the first Christmas for the same reason that it cannot understand Christmas today. “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Eyes that are blind to the truth can never see the glory of the Savior who was born.

The world cannot see Jesus, but the world can see Jesus in you.

Here are five windows through which those without hope are able to see Jesus in our lives:
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Do Christians and Muslims Worship the Same God?

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Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has addressed the controversy that ignited when a Wheaton College professor decided to “wear a traditional Muslim hijab over the holiday season in order to symbolize solidarity with her Muslim neighbors,” and “asserted that Christians and Muslims worship the same God.”

Dr. Mohler opined:

Hard times come with hard questions, and our cultural context exerts enormous pressure on Christians to affirm common ground at the expense of theological differences. But the cost of getting this question wrong is the loss of the Gospel. Christians affirm the image of God in every single human being and we must obey Christ as we love all people everywhere as our neighbor. Love of neighbor also demands that we tell our neighbor the truth concerning Christ as the only way to truly know the Father.

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The Gospel According to Rudolph

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By Daniel Emory Price

RudolphRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose. And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names. They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games

Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say: “Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”

Then how all the reindeer loved him, as they shouted out with glee: “Rudolph the red-nose Reindeer, you’ll go down in history!”

We all love a good story when the underdog comes out on top. We love Rocky winning the title round, Hoosiers taking the championship, Luke Skywalker blowing up the Death Star, and yes, even Rudolph guiding Santa’s sleigh in the fog. And Rudolph gets the added bonus of having the object of his ridicule turn into the only hope for his haters. And man—we love that.

We love it because we’re all theologians of glory. It’s a tough default theological position to fight. How dare those other reindeer laugh at poor Rudolph! How dare they not let him join in their games! What happened to Santa? Why does he allow this bullying? Rudolph could really use some of that legalistic, naughty or nice, reward or punishment ethic dumped on Dancer and Prancer for a change.

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H/T Chris Rosebrough

Star Wars and the Ancient Religion

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From Berean Research:

Peter Jones of Truthxcange examines the pagan worldview entrenched in Star Wars. George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars saga, wanted to “produce a children’s fairy tale set in outer space as a ‘teaching tool’ for the re-creation of ‘the classic cosmic mysteries,’” says Jones. Lucas succeeded, big time. There’s no denying that his New Age worldview, which is decidedly pagan, has been embraced by many fans of the hit series. As a result of the film makers’ brilliant marketing strategy, most people in America have heard of Yoda, Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’d have to be living on another planet far, far away not to have heard the phrase “may the Force be with you!” Try as they might, parents know that it is almost impossible to shield their kids from the Star Wars marketing machine.

So with all this in mind, how should those with a Christian worldview handle Star Wars? Dr. Jones offers some excellent advice.

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Hillsong Church Rendition of “Silent Night” Features Roaring 20’s Flappers In Nightclub Setting

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From Berean Research:

Over at Now the End Begins, blogger Geoffrey Grider fills us in on Hillsong Church’s Christmas extravaganza that includes nearly naked “drummer boys” and songs about Santa Claus and Rudolf. Grider lamented: “It’s just not a proper celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ without roaring 20’s flappers, rock bands, hoochie coochie dancers, laser light shows and lots and lots of leg in a nightclub setting. Happy Birthday, Jesus, hope you like it.”

The question is: Does Hillsong Church’s production in any way honor God?

Um, no. Watch the Youtube video of Hillsong’s 2014 version of Silent Night, Holy Night and decide for yourself.

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Oh good grief! School district censors Charlie Brown Christmas

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Charlie Brown ChristmasThere’s a ban on the Baby Jesus in Johnson County Kentucky. Todd Starnes, host of Fox News and Commentary, informs us that that an elementary school was instructed to remove a scene where Linus shares the true meaning of Christmas by reading from the Gospel of Luke. Starnes laments:

There are some days when this anti-Christmas nonsense is enough to make you deck somebody’s halls.

The latest yuletide lunacy comes from Johnson County, Kentucky where the school district has censored an elementary school presentation of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

The district also ordered other schools to remove all religious references from their upcoming Christmas productions.

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Word of Faith False Teacher Joyce Meyer’s Shocking Doctrine and Heresy

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From Berean Research:

For those who haven’t heard this before, Christian celeb Joyce Meyer is a false teacher. In 2011 Fran Sankey of Tower of Truth Ministries and host of Test All Things radio broadcast discussed Mrs. Meyer’s unbiblical and problematic teaching on her program. We’re posting the transcript, which is well worth the read for anyone who is in the dark about this woman. To listen to the show, scroll down to the end for the link. Sankey begins with some background on Mrs. Meyer and then fills us in on the reasons that some of her teaching is considered heretical. You don’t have to take Sankey’s word for it. Listen to the sound clips of Joyce Meyer she has provided.

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LGBT Activists Fight State Law That Protects Believers Against Gay Marriage

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Mark David Hall of The Daily Signal writes:

Gay marriageHistorically, Democrats and Republicans have agreed that religious liberty is a core American value that should be protected whenever possible. Yet over the past decade, this consensus has come under increasing assault from the left.

A recent manifestation of this hostility to people of faith is a Dec. 9 lawsuit challenging a North Carolina statute (known as Senate Bill 2) that accommodates state magistrates and clerks whose sincere religious objections prevent them from solemnizing or licensing certain marriages allowed by law. According to Equality North Carolina, an LGBT advocacy group that plans to draw attention to the lawsuit along with the Campaign for Southern Equality, the law “allows magistrates who do not believe in marriage equality to renounce their judicial oath to uphold and evenly apply the United States Constitution.”

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