A specter is haunting America — the specter of socialism

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The conservatives and libertarians keep chanting, “Socialism doesn’t work,” and they produce charts and tables to prove it. The socialists glance over the charts and tables and then they clamor for more socialism. They don’t care about data because no amount of data can refute a dream. The socialist mantra is, “We don’t care if it hasn’t worked. We will figure out a way to make it work.”  The critics are focused on yesterday, while the socialists are all about tomorrow. Owen Jones expresses this futuristic hope, “A socialist society…doesn’t exist yet, but one day it must.”

(Dinesh D’Souza – Breitbart)  We have gotten a nasty preview of it during the Coronavirus epidemic.  We’ve experienced empty shelves, food shortages, limits on what you can buy, and also the attack on civil liberties, on freedom of assembly, on religious liberty, on privacy. So we’ve endured on a temporary basis what, under socialism, we are likely to endure on a permanent basis. Continue reading →

New Testament teaching on the place and purpose of civil government

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Civil Government

“For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.” – Romans 13:1–3

Romans 13 gives us the definitive New Testament teaching on the place and purpose of the civil government. Paul begins by telling us that “everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities,” because these “have been established by God. Continue reading →

The Passion Translation author: ‘We are the Reincarnation of Jesus Christ’

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“The Revelation 12 Virgin Bride will give birth to a Man-Child company. a corporate expression, one has become the many, the seed has now fallen into the ground and died but is now bearing many seeds, there’s a many seeded Christ.” 

(John Lanagan – The Word Like Fire)  “We are the Word made flesh again. We are the Reincarnation of Jesus Christ.”

“Christ is no longer a man. He’s a people. You and I carry like Mary. We will bring forth the Christ. The Second Coming is the Becoming of the Lord.” Continue reading →

Lessons from COVID: Death is Certain

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…through the Coronavirus, God is awakening in our consciences the reality that death is certain. The crowds come to Jesus for an explanation of these two tragedies. But He turns to the crowds, and, as it were, He turns to us and says, in effect, “These have already died. Time is up for them. What about you? Don’t you realize that your death is certain? Are you ready to face it?”

(Mike Riccardi – The Cripplegate)  The Coronavirus has taken us all by surprise. January and February seem like a lifetime ago, and who could have predicted then how drastically our world would change in just a matter of weeks?… Continue reading →

EXPLAINED: The scandal at Al Mohler’s Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

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“Mohler’s actions toward Fuller, Dr. Jim Orrick and Dr. Mark Coppenger speaks volumes about Mohler’s commitment to truth. Mohler weeded out conservative voices and promoted voices spewing the talking points of Identity Politics.”

(Capstone Report)  The scandal rocking Al Mohler’s Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) threatens Mohler’s legacy. It has exposed him as a political dissembler—a man willing to force desperate former employees turned out of work during the height of the Coronavirus Pandemic to sign a secret NDA muzzling them for life. Continue reading →

Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer

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1 Jesus said these things and having lifted up His eyes to Heaven said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son that the Son may glorify You, 2 as You gave Him authority over all flesh that all You have given Him, He may give them eternal life.” John 17:1-2 (translated from the NA28 Greek text)

In John 17, we have the transition marking the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry and the beginning of His intercessory ministry for all believers (Hebrews 7:25). This has been called “The High Priestly Prayer,” however; it does summarize John’s entire Gospel…. Continue reading →

5 Myths About The Armor Of God

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This assumption, however, misses the fact that each of the pieces of armor that Paul describes has a rich background in the Old Testament, where they quite literally describe “God’s Armor”: the armor that God himself dons to rescue his people. It is the Old Testament and not the Roman legionary that provided Paul with his inspiration—and if we miss this background, we may easily misinterpret and misapply the various pieces of the armor.

By Iain M. Duguid

Myth #1: Life is a picnic.  Even though all the evidence is to the contrary, we often seem to believe that life here on earth is—or at least ought to be—easy. In reality, however, life is hard—often very, very hard…. Continue reading →

A third of Americans now show signs of clinical anxiety or depression, Census Bureau finds

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(SF Gate)  A third of Americans are showing signs of clinical anxiety or depression, Census Bureau data shows, the most definitive and alarming sign yet of the psychological toll exacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

When asked questions normally used to screen patients for mental health problems, 24% showed clinically significant symptoms of major depressive disorder and 30% showed symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Continue reading →

Pixar Short Animated Film ‘Out’ on Disney+ Features Studio’s First Homosexual Main Character

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According to viewers, the production includes a scene depicting the two men kissing. Because of such, the film might be rated PG-13 and not viewable by smaller children without parental permission in households where the account has been set to “kids profile.”

(Heather Clark – Christian News)  Calling the story “heartwarming,” Disney+ announced on Thursday the release of a new Pixar short film, which centers on the story of a man named Greg who is nervous about revealing to his parents that he is in a relationship with another man. While some have praised the production, others lament that such material aims to normalize sin in impressionable minds. Continue reading →

Amazon Is ‘Expressing Public and Open Hostility Toward Conservative and Religious Organizations’

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“As I reported both here at PJ Media and in my book Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center, the SPLC began as a noble civil rights organization. Yet over the years, the SPLC drifted from its original mission of helping poor people in the South to bankrupting the Ku Klux Klan and eventually to exaggerating hate to scare donors into ponying up cash.”

(Tyler O’Neil – PJ Media)  On Wednesday, Amazon.com shareholders rejected a proposal to study viewpoint discrimination at the Big Tech company. Conservative shareholders voiced concerns about viewpoint discrimination, citing certain Amazon’s banning of certain books and the company’s use of the scandal-plagued far-left smear factory the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) as a gatekeeper on its charity platform AmazonSmile…. Continue reading →

For God So Loved the World

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only son that everyone believing in Him should not perish but have life eternal. John 3:16 (translated from the NA28 Greek text)

The first verse I memorized in Sunday School as a child was John 3:16 from the King James Bible. This must have been sometime around 1956-1957 since I did not learn to read until the 1st grade. My mother even had a plaque made with that verse on it and put it on the wall over my bed. I still have the little white New Testament I got for memorizing the most verses in my class that year…. Continue reading →

Jen Hatmaker Says ‘LGBTQ Christians’ Preach in Her Church, Calls For Mass Exodus of Conservative Denoms

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“Hatmaker conflates freedom in Christ with freedom to sin. Her version of “freedom” is actually a bondage to sin — an inability to escape sin and its consequences — and she inflicts this eternal damnation upon those who need to be set free.”

(Jeff Maples – Reformation Charlotte)  Jen Hatmaker, who first publicly renounced Christianity in an interview with Jonathan Merritt — a gay activist and son of former Southern Baptist Convention president, James Merritt — and says she first questioned Evangelical Christianity because gay people couldn’t have sex with each other, is now calling for a mass exodus from conservative, biblical denominations. Continue reading →

Why Joe Biden can do no wrong

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“Critics have expressed disgust at Trump saying that he could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot someone and would not lose any voters. Yet they now afford Biden the same immunity even if he starts snacking on boiled babies.” 

(Jonathan Turley – The Hill)   One columnist declared that Joe Biden could boil babies but she would still vote for him. Feminist leaders said they believe he raped a Senate staffer but they still endorse him…. Continue reading →

Democrats ‘Dreading’ Election Scenario Predicted By Obama’s Top Economist: ‘Best’ U.S. ‘Economic Data’ In History About To Happen

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Larry Kudlow, the head of the White House National Economic Council, told Politico that he “totally agree[s]” with the analysis that Furman presented to political officials last month, adding, “Q3 may be the single best GDP quarter since regular data. 2nd half super big growth, transitioning to 4% or more in 2021.”

(Ryan Saavedra – Daily Wire)  Democrats are reportedly panicking over an election scenario prediction by Harvard professor Jason Furman, a top economist in the Obama administration, who said last month that the United States is about to the see the “best economic data” in its history. Continue reading →

A short guide to justifying re-lockdown: Or why the media is so desperate to turn good COVID-19 news into bad

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“Expect the following additional strategies this summer, besides the creative massaging of good tidings into bad.”

(Heather Mac Donald – American Spectator)  Fear is gripping the American public health and media establishments: they are losing control. States are belatedly (and far too tentatively) easing their coronavirus lockdowns, many without having met the absurd CDC benchmarks for doing so. Customers are joyfully returning to previously shuttered restaurants and parks, some even discarding that symbol of subjugation: the outdoor mask. Continue reading →

Effectual Fervent Prayer

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16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray on behalf of one another so that you may be cured. The petition of the righteous, being effective, has great power. James 5:16 (translated from the NA28 Greek text)

Notice that my ability to do these “works” of apologetics or theology or whatever are within a very specific framework. It must be for God’s glory alone and for the edification of the Body of Christ. I can only do these things if it is God’s will for me to them and as my will to do them is lined up with His in this regard. Outside of this framework, it would be like chasing after the wind. It would be me motivated according to the ways of the world with the flesh in view, would not bring glory to God, and would only cause confusion and who needs that? Therefore, before I tackle any “issue” that affects the the Church, what must I do?

In the passage at the top of this post is a very familiar verse. Here is how the NASB renders it.

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16 (NASB) 

Isn’t it obvious that we often quote the last part of the verse while ignoring the context? Here is the whole context.

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. 19 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. James 5:13-20 (NASB)

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Todd White Given Copy of ‘American Gospel’ Movie: Calls it ‘Demonically Inspired’

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“And to no one’s surprise, the enigmatic enabler Dr. Michael Brown himself lauds heaps of praise on Todd White, taking a photo with him and marveling that he has “a wonderful heart for the Lord” despite ALL EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY.”

(Dustin Germain – PNP)  A video made the rounds late last night which features arch-heretic Todd White reacting – less than positively – at finding out he was featured in the American Gospel movie. The film was given to him by a friend, who was hoping he would repent of his theological chicanery, but it was not to be so. Continue reading →

Does This CDC Study Deliver the Knockout Blow in the COVID Lockdown Debate?

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“Does this CDC study deliver a death blow to those who want to stay inside until there’s a cure? Probably not, but to the wider electorate—It’s could be quite a different take, especially those running family-owned businesses who have been brutalized by this pandemic. These folks would rather risk infection than lose everything, and based on this new data set, I don’t blame them.”

(Matt Vespa – Townhall)  For weeks, the nation’s economy has been under lockdown to curb the spread of the Wuhan Coronavirus. It’s contagious. That’s true, but in the span of a few days, the entire COVID narrative has virtually collapsed…. Continue reading →

The Lockdown, Evangelicals and the Afterlife: A Response to Steven Pinker

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“Do evangelicals love their children and grandchildren less than atheists? Do evangelicals not do everything possible to save lives? There are evangelical hospitals and doctors serving in the poorest countries in the world. Where are the atheist hospitals?”

(Dennis Prager – Townhall)  Harvard professor of psychology Steven Pinker tweeted last week:

“Belief in an afterlife is a malignant delusion, since it devalues actual lives and discourages action that would make them longer, safer, and happier. Exhibit A: What’s really behind Republicans wanting a swift reopening? Evangelicals.” Continue reading →

Wear gloves, or wash hands to avoid coronavirus?

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(Fox News)  As state-mandated coronavirus lockdowns are slowly ending in the U.S., an important factor remains what’s the best way to prevent from catching the virus or spreading it to others — if you decide to venture out into public spaces.

The virus is currently known to spread mainly from person to person within close contact through respiratory droplets in the air, however, a March study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)…. Continue reading →

Termites

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God.” Romans 14:10-13 (NASB) Read verses 12-13 on the site.

Without a doubt, there is a growing apostasy in the Church. One of the main reasons this is taking place is that the majority of professing Christians have adopted the pervasive attitude in modern Western culture that says authority to determine right and wrong resides in the individual…. Continue reading →

What Is Discernment?

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“Discernment functions as a key to Christian freedom. The zealous but undiscerning Christian becomes enslaved—to others, to his own uneducated conscience, to an unbiblical pattern of life. Growth in discernment sets us free from such bondage, enabling us to distinguish practices that may be helpful in some circumstances from those that are mandated in all circumstances.” 

(Sinclair Ferguson – Ligonier Ministries)  Someone I know recently expressed an opinion that surprised and in some ways disappointed me. I said to myself, “I thought he would have more discernment than that.” Continue reading →

EU: ‘End of American-led’ World and Rise of China ‘Happening Before Our Eyes’

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(Breitbart) The European Union’s top diplomat has called for the bloc to have a “more robust strategy” toward China amid signs that Asia is replacing the United States as the centre of global power.

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell told a gathering of German ambassadors on Monday that “analysts have long talked about the end of an American-led system and the arrival of an Asian century.”

“This is now happening in front of our eyes,” he said. Continue reading →