King and Pope Join Together in Historic Prayer Service, First of its Kind in 500 Years

(Anna Reese Green – Premier Christian News) Pope Leo, King Charles and the Archbishop of York have joined together for a special prayer service in the Sistine Chapel.

It is the first time that leaders of the Church of England and the Catholic Church have joined in prayer since the 16th Century Reformation.

As monarch, King Charles is the Church of England’s supreme governor, whilst the Archbishop of York is acting as its spiritual head until Dame Sarah Mullally is installed in March. Continue reading

Putting the Authority Back in the Gospel

(Kevin Schaal – Proclaim & Defend) I sat across the table from a young man with whom I have been having Bible studies for about two months— I will call him Dave. He was not a believer but clearly interested in the gospel message. I did not need to cajole him to meet with me. We had been working through The Exchange—a four part gospel presentation that starts with the holiness of God, moves on to the justice of God, then the love of God, and finishes with the gospel message of grace. It is an excellent presentation that introduces people to the nature of God and appropriately emphasizes the nature of sin. Continue reading

The Genuine Christ of God

1 And calling the twelve together, He gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. 2 And He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; nor have two tunics apiece. 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city. 5 And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 And departing, they were going throughout the villages, proclaiming the gospel and healing everywhere. Luke 9:1-6 (LSB) 

The New Testament Church was begun by God working through Jesus’ Apostles. They had a divine commission to preach the Gospel accompanied by miraculous works. These men obeyed God and, after Jesus ascended to the Father, they planted churches…. Continue reading

Policing Erika Kirk’s Grief Is Heartless and Hypocritical

“Anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one understands that grief doesn’t come with a uniform protocol. Every person’s internal timeline, emotional rhythm, and public face are different. You only see fragments of anyone’s process — especially in our era of reels, short posts, and soundbites.”

(Samantha Koch – The Patriot Post) When Erika Kirk lost her husband, Charlie Kirk, in a shocking public assassination, she entered a space most of us can’t even begin to imagine being in. Not just the sudden death of her spouse, but the fact that live footage of the horrific event was circulated on social media for the world to see, and immediately afterward, the entire organization that Charlie had spent over a decade building now rested on her shoulders. Continue reading

Too Bad ICE Agents Can’t Round Up Dems Who Are Trying to Get Them Killed

“It’s sickening and stunning to watch all of this play out. This isn’t some leader of a violent radical group who’s aiding and abetting criminals while ginning up hatred for law enforcement; it’s a sitting member of the United States House of Representatives. He did it while standing alongside the mayor of the second-largest city in the country.” 

(Stephen Kruiser – PJ Media) Here we are again, another discussion about how far off the reservation the Democrats have gone when it comes to their everyday approach to politics. I mean, it’s really Cuckoo Land over there…. Continue reading

But The Free Gift Is Not Like The Trespass

16 And Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may surely eat; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat from it; for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17 (LSB) 

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which Yahweh God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”  Genesis 3:1-6 (LSB) Read verse 2-6 and Genesis 3:19 on the site.

The doctrine of original sin is a vital part of genuine Christian orthodoxy. As a young Christian I didn’t really appreciate how important it is in our concept of the depths of our guilt before our Sovereign and thrice Holy God….. Continue reading

The Genesis of Transgenderism

The second outside-inside turn is from objective truth to subjective truth. This is the rise of relativism and the denial of objective truth. Instead of truth being outside of us, it’s inside. Instead of being fixed, it’s flexible. Truth isn’t out there to be discovered. Rather, it’s inside and relative to you—the subject. As the saying goes, “What’s true is up to you.”

(Alan Shlemon – Stand to Reason) Carl Trueman began his landmark book, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, with a provocative question: How did the statement “I am a woman trapped in a man’s body” come to be regarded as coherent and meaningful? A few decades ago, such a claim would have warranted psychotherapy. Today, men who say they’re women are affirmed. Girls who say they’re boys are declared “brave.”…. Continue reading

On Today’s Episode of ‘Orange Jumpsuit Dreaming’ — John Brennan

(Stephen Kruiser – PJ Media) The big difference between the previous administration’s Department of Justice and the current DOJ is that this one is going after people who actually did something wrong. That isn’t the story that the Democrats tell, of course, but their relationship with reality and truth is tenuous at best. They would have the public believe that President Trump has directed the DOJ to go after people just because he doesn’t like them. Continue reading

A Life Pleasing to God

22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she would be holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:22-27 (LSB) 

The main argument that I run into in discussions these days after scripture is used to nullify an opponent’s arguments is that he or she “does not agree” with whatever doctrinal position I am defending…. Continue reading

Four Things You Can’t Do Without the Holy Spirit

(Jacob Crouch – Aliens and Pilgrims) At the end of His life, Jesus said something astounding. He was speaking with His disciples on the night that He was betrayed, and He said, “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away” (John 16:7). Can you imagine Jesus saying that? An advantage for Jesus to leave. Really? What in the world could be better than having Jesus in His first coming? Jesus answers this: “for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). So what is more advantageous for the disciples of Jesus than having Him in the flesh?… Continue reading

VP Vance: Peace Holding, Stop ‘Rooting for Failure’

“There’s this weird attitude I’ve sensed in the American media and the Western media, where there’s almost this desire to root for failure. Every time there’s an act of violence, there’s this inclination to say, ‘This is the end of the ceasefire.'”

(Newsmax) Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday denounced what he called “a weird attitude” in the American and Western press, accusing some in the media of “rooting for failure” as a historic Middle East peace plan moves forward. Continue reading

Steven Furtick and the Carnival Church

(The Dissenter) I watched the clip—again and again—Steven Furtick laughing, giving some guy a piggyback ride in what he calls a church. The people around him cheering, clapping, filming on their phones like the presence of God is some novelty sideshow act. Honestly, this stuff just makes me sick. It should grieve us when what is meant to be holy is dragged through the mud and turned into a circus.

There was a time when men trembled to enter the sanctuary and especially when one took the pulpit. When the thought of the Most High, holy and righteous God stirred awe and fear in their bones. Continue reading

A Compelling Theory of ‘Woke’

“The battle between the “woke” and their opponents has dominated our politics since the late Obama era, at least. It is easy to see that beneath the woke ideology is a streak of cultural Marxism, but knowing this does not explain why woke ideology has come to dominate our key institutions.”

(David Strom – Hot Air) Certain essays can define how you see an issue or a time. Jeanne Kirkpatrick’s “Dictatorships and Double Standards” helped change the way a generation of people thought about foreign policy, setting the stage for the Reagan era. Francis Fukuyama’s “The End of History” set the intellectual stage for the 1990s post-communism vacation from history. The stakes of the 2016 election were laid bare in The Flight 93 Election. Continue reading

The Fruit of the Spirit: Self-Control

For many, self-control is the most difficult virtue of the Spirit’s fruit. Our society has, for the most part, given up on modeling self-control. What used to be considered a virtue is now labeled restrictive, legalistic, controlling, old-fashioned, and even foolish. Our culture tells us: “Be controlled by self, don’t control yourselves. Whatever impulses, desires, feelings, and thoughts you have, follow, do, and indulge those.”

(Robb Brunansky – The Cripplegate) As Christians, we must not follow the world down a path of self-indulgence. In fact, faithful obedience to Jesus requires self-control. A Christian who lacks self-control will find his sanctification short-circuited and his holiness hindered. Many Christian virtues are connected to self-control, which raises a few questions, starting with, What is self-control?  Continue reading

Being A Good Servant of Jesus Christ in the Midst of Apostasy

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. 4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:1-6 (LSB) Read verses 5-6 on the site.

It is one thing to confess Christ or profess to be a Christian and quite another to live and walk before the face of God within that confession or profession in obedience to God and His Word. There are so many in our time who claim to be Christians, but whose lives are marked by them speaking and living according to the world and its ways… Continue reading

Should Christians Participate In Halloween?

REPOST

Is it appropriate for evangelicals to celebrate Halloween? Some say, “absolutely not” while others say, “what’s the big deal anyway?” Bible study author, speaker and podcaster Michelle Lesley goes right to the scriptures to help Bible believing Christians make their decision. She writes:

Since there is no specific Bible verse that says, “Thou shalt/shalt not participate in Halloween and its related activities,” this is an area of Christian liberty that must be decided by each individual or couple on the basis of scriptural principles and prayer. If there are Halloween activities available to you that do not violate scriptural principles or your conscience or cause you to become a stumbling block to someone weaker in the faith (which may even be your spouse or child), you are free to participate in those aspects of Halloween.

Here are some Scriptures and principles that may be of help as you make your decision: Continue reading

Are You Going Against God ‘Just for Fun’?

“God forbids any sort of participation in paganism for our own protection. His reason is simple: its roots are steeped in pagan idolatry and drug use. The occult world is an open door to Satan’s world. Those who enter find themselves on a quest for ‘hidden wisdom’ or ‘deeper truth.’ And, not surprisingly, the sought after ‘hidden wisdom’ is not meant for everyone, it’s meant for a select few such as New Age disciples and gurus.”

(Marsha West – First published in 2013) Today we’re hearing a lot about Spiritism or Spiritualism, not to be confused with spiritual or spirituality, as in “I’m not religious, I’m spiritual,” or “I’m into spirituality.” The term Spiritism has replaced what was once called animism and other religious practices involving the invocation of spiritual beings.

Some religions meld Spiritualism with Christianity. For example, a blend of Christian and African folk beliefs that originated in Brazil is now practiced in the U.S. Spiritualism is much the same as Spiritism only it has adopted Christian rites and prayers. People visiting Spiritualistic services can be misled into thinking they’re Christian churches. The problem is Christianity cannot be melded with any other religion or practice. Continue reading

Russell Moore Steps Down as Editor in Chief of Christianity Today, Replacement Named

(Protestia) Russell Moore has stepped down from his position as editor-in-chief of Christianity Today, with senior news editor Marvin Olasky taking his place, according to a press release issued by the company.

Olasky was editor in chief at World magazine from 1994 to 2021. He served as a professor at The University of Texas at Austin from 1983 to 2008. Olasky is the author of 30 books on journalism, American history, abortion, and public policy, including The Tragedy of American CompassionProdigal Press, and Compassionate Conservatism. Continue reading

Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd: The Three Voices of Christian Cultural Engagement

“These voices are not enemies but allies. The church doesn’t need fewer voices, the church needs a unified voice that covers the full range of Christian witness. Prophets must keep speaking hard truths, evangelists must keep reaching the lost, and shepherds must keep tending the flock. But each must learn to appreciate the others. Each serves a different need, and the church suffers when one is elevated at the expense of the others.”

(Michael Clary – American Reformer) Christians need to have a strong voice in the public square, but different voices are needed for different moments. My aim here is to identify three different voices of Christian cultural engagement – prophetevangelist, and shepherd–show the pitfalls and opportunities of each and conclude with a call for greater unity on the Christian right.

For my purposes here, I’m assuming a faithful, Bible believing, conservative Christian audience. In other words, this is a friendly word to faithful leaders within my own circles. Continue reading

Don’t Beat Your Swords into Ploughshares Just Yet

(Robert Spencer – Front Page Magazine) Monday was a festive day, with the whole world seemingly celebrating the dawn of peace in the Middle East and hailing President Trump for bringing it about. The president himself, while speaking about the release of the hostages in his speech to the Knesset, promised a bright new world unencumbered by past hatred and animosities: “After two harrowing years in darkness and captivity, 20 courageous hostages are returning to the glorious embrace of their families. Twenty-eight more precious loved ones are coming home at last to rest in this sacred soil for all of time. And after so many years of unceasing war and endless danger, today the skies are calm, the guns are silent, the sirens are still, and the sun rises on a Holy Land that is finally at peace.” Continue reading

Froward (Perverse)

10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; 11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: 12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; 13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; 14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; 15 Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths: Proverbs 2:10-15 (KJV)

This afternoon I took my youngest grandson Bible shopping at our local Christian bookstore. He excitedly kept telling me about what new Bible he wanted. I had given an ESV Study Bible to his older brother for Christmas this past year. He kept hinting that he wanted something like that, but then again, he really liked reading his other grandparent’s KJV bibles so I told him when we got there that I was going to look for a specific book by A.W. Tozer and he could browse the Bible section while I did that…. Continue reading

New Poll Show Churchgoers Are Caving To The Devil At An Alarming Rate

(Protestia) The Family Research Council (FRC), in collaboration with the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, surveyed over 1,000 monthly churchgoers on their views about marriage, family, and related moral issues, and the results are dispiriting, showing a sharp dip from even two years before. Key findings include:

  • Marriage and Family: 68% support marriage as a union between one man and one woman, but only 46% define ‘family’ as a husband, wife, their children, and relatives united by God’s design. Continue reading

Transgender Identity Numbers in Free Fall Among American Students

“Transgenderism is effectively over. We destroyed it. Clearest and most decisive cultural win that conservatives have ever achieved.”

(Rick Moran – PJ Media) A new survey of published polling data by Eric Kaufmann, a professor of politics at the University of Buckingham in the United Kingdom and an adjunct fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute, shows a nearly 50% drop in the number of college students who identify as transgender. Kaufmann believes the data shows the gender identity trend is going “out of fashion.” Continue reading

Courage found to pray

27 For You, O Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed in the hearing of Your slave, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore Your slave has found courage in his heart to pray this prayer to You. 2 Samuel 7:27 (LSB) 

There is a difference between how a genuine believer should pray and how most professing Christians actually pray. Our perception is that we pray as we feel or desire or as the result of viewing both our needs and other’s needs. What we often overlook is that God is heavily involved in all aspects of our sanctification and that includes leading us in prayer. God loves those who are His and blessing them is part of His expression of that love. Continue reading

Trump at Kirk Medal Ceremony: ‘I Wouldn’t Miss This for Anything in the World’

“Trump has awarded a string of presidential medals going back to his first term, including to golf legend Tiger Woods, ex-football coach Lou Holtz and conservative economist Arthur Laffer as well as to Yankees Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera and conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, the latter of which came during the 2020 State of the Union….”

(Newsmax) President Donald Trump on Tuesday posthumously awarded America’s highest civilian honor to Charlie Kirk, the assassinated leader who inspired a generation of young conservatives and helped push the nation’s politics further to the right. Continue reading