The Breastplate of Righteousness

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. – Ephesians 6:13-15

Christ is the ground of your righteous standing before God, your acceptance before Him. If you are wearing that breastplate, you can rest secure that your heart, your emotions, are securely guarded and adequately protected against attack. This is perhaps the most frequent ground of attack against Christian faith. Christians often feel they lack assurance…. Continue reading →

Setting the Stage for TGC19 – Conversations with Jesus: Emotionalism, Collectivism, Universalism and Error

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , ,

“Ligon Duncan wrapped-up day 1 with a session titled “Catechetical Evangelism,“ and while he elevated doctrine, he also issued a stern warning against becoming “lovelessly doctrinal.“ He gave a shout-out to the  ecumenical, inter-denominational New City Catechism, produced by [Tim] Keller’s Redeemer Network and The Gospel Coalition.”

(Toni S. Brown) The Gospel Coalition launched their annual conference this week in Indianapolis, TGC19-Conversations with Jesus, and considering the massive global influence they have successfully established it seems fitting that we should pay attention to the message and instruction coming out of this powerful and far-reaching organization. Continue reading →

Roma Downey’s Financial Contribution to New Ager Marianne Williamson Raises Many Questions

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , , ,

“Our concern (one that is growing by the day) is with Christian leaders (men and women who name the name of Jesus Christ, who are highly influential and looked up to by millions – such as Greg Laurie and David Jeremiah) who are exhibiting very little or no discernment, such as in the situation with Roma Downey. And many are being misled because of this.”

Evangelical leaders such as Rick Warren, Greg Laurie, and David Jeremiah have shown public support for Roma Downey and her books, movies, and other media work for a number of years now. Lighthouse Trails has attempted to alert these leaders and the church at large that while Downey may be a sincere person, she is a New Age sympathizer and has consistently supported those sympathies. Continue reading →

Most Evangelical Leaders Have No Idea How the Gospel Works

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , , , , ,

“Homosexuality is a sin. Lust, even when not physically acted upon, is a sinful desire of the heart. It must be confronted with the gospel, and the gospel cannot be compromised. But these men are worried that we’re going to lose people in the Church if we don’t “soften our tone” or become more tolerant of homosexuals.” 

(Jeff Maples – Reformation Charlotte)  The Evangelical-Industrial Complex has long departed the historic and Biblical Christian faith and exchanged it for a system of emperors who have nothing better to do than to build and protect their own kingdoms…. Continue reading →

If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1 John 3:1-3 (NASB) 

God’s truth is knowable. Also, His truth is as His attributes and character. He is immutable. His truth is never changing. He is Holy. His truth is Holy, separate from the corruption of the world. His truth, the Word of God, is precise. It supernaturally divides man’s “truth” and understanding from God’s genuine truth. It is sharper than a two edged sword. View article →

Mike Abendroth & Tom Buck tackle whether SSA is simply a temptation…or a sin against God

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

Sam Allberry is an Anglican priest who is same-sex attracted (SSA). Allberry has become one of the leading spokesman on the issue of homosexuality in the Church. In a series of articles, Pastor Tom Buck shares the bad theology and perverted counsel he discovered on Allberry’s website, Living Out, written by two of the website’s leaders. (Some of the posts were recently removed.) No Compromise Radio host Mike Abendroth invited Tom Buck on the program to discuss the reason for his concerns about SSA and to explain why he felt that it was necessary to write a 4 part series where he tackles the “gay Christian” movement that has swept through the visible Church like a prairie fire. What is in question is whether or not SSA is simply a temptation or a grievous sin…. Continue reading →

Ex-Gay Testimony: The Gospel Radically Changed My Heart and Desires

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , , ,

“The Bible teaches no such thing as same-sex attraction for a Christian. Therefore if a man or women can live year after year with vile affections, they are habitually sinning and are not born of God. I fear and I believe most of these same-sex attraction preachers and ministers are not even born again. I see no fruit of repentance in their lives. I see no power of the cross working to kill their desires.”

(Josef Löwdin – Reformation Charlotte)  In an ungodly movement in the Church today, the idea that one can be a Christian while still sexually attracted to people of the same sex is gaining momentum…. Continue reading →

Raising ‘Theybies’: How Gender-Neutral Parenting Reinforces Stereotypes

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , ,

Nate and Julia Sharpe of Massachusetts are raising their twins Zyler and Kadyn to be “aware of their own body parts,” but they “are not taught to associate those body parts with being a boy or girl.”

(Annie Crawford – CNS News) At a recent baby shower, Princess Meghan is said to have told a friend that she and Prince Harry will be raising “their child with a fluid approach to gender” and “won’t be imposing any stereotypes.” In keeping with this plan, Princess Meghan has decorated her nursery in gender-neutral white-and-grey color scheme. Continue reading →

Fools and their foolishness

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

37 Now when He had spoken, a Pharisee *asked Him to have lunch with him; and He went in, and reclined at the table. 38 When the Pharisee saw it, he was surprised that He had not first ceremonially washed before the meal. 39 But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. 40 You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you. Luke 11:37-41 (NASB) 

In the visible church in our time the worst “sin” one can commit is to cause offense, that is, to offend someone even if all you are doing is speaking the truth. I know some professing Christians who say it is better to keep silent about nearly everything that can cause offense rather than speak the truth and cause division in the local Body of Christ. Jesus, as you can see in the passage above, Jesus did not hold to that. View article →

Yale Law School Yanks Stipends From Students Who Work For Christian Firms

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , , , ,

Conservative students who read the announcement were outraged. At first glance, the policy looks like it applies to organizations with disfavored policy positions. A student working for ADF, for example, would not receive school funding because ADF advocates for natural marriage.

(Aaron Haviland – The Federalist)   Several weeks ago, I wrote about the challenges of being a Christian and a conservative at Yale Law School. A few days ago, the law school decided to double down and prove my point. Continue reading →

Planned Parenthood says your sex is whatever you feel like. That’s crazy.

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , , , , ,

What exactly is a “prostate-owner,” you ask? Well, according to soft-core porn mag Teen Vogue, it means those whose anatomy includes a prostate. Detesting the precision of language, they refuse to call that individual a male, hence, “prostate-owner.”

(Ryan Bomberger – LifeSiteNews)  “Your genitals don’t make you a boy or a girl.” This is Planned Parenthood’s “gender spectrum” sex ed pseudoscience, championed by leading LGBT organizations including the ACLU, Lambda Legal, and Human Rights Campaign. It has rapidly become a religion among leftist politicians and Bible-evading churches where blasphemy can get you  fined,  fired and finished financially. Continue reading →

Satan Isn’t After the SBC, God Is

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

“If leaders and church members alike don’t fear God more than they fear the consequences of standing up for the abused, the possibility of church scandal or the threat of personal conflict, if we don’t fear God in light of what he promises is to come—abused sufferers will continue to get silenced and dishonestly characterized.”

(Rebekah Hannah – For the Church)   Last week as a series of articles outlined a detailed history of sexual abuse within Southern Baptist churches. I have friends and family affected inside what was reported. I am affected. Continue reading →

It Was Not So From The Beginning: What Nature And Grace Teach Us About SSA

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , , ,

“Paul was not saying that sinners cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is composed of sinners redeemed by the grace of God. Those who continue in their former way of life, however, who profess faith in Christ but who live like pagans will not inherit the Kingdom because they have never entered the Kingdom. They have no saving relation to King Jesus by grace alone, through faith alone.”

(R. Scott Clark – Abounding Grace)  It is being argued in some evangelical quarters that same-sex attraction (SSA) or homosexual attraction is “natural” and that it SSA (sexual desire for someone of the same sex) is not per se sinful. One writer who defends this view quotes John Cheever who wrote that every attractive man was like a loaded pistol…. Continue reading →

Forget following men; instead, seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Matthew 7:15-18 (NASB) 

I have been in many separate online discussions with friends over that last several weeks and months pertaining to the seeming escalation of growing apostasy all around us. Some have lamented that it seems that there is no one who can be trusted anymore while others are very reluctant to believe that some leaders they have been following for years is now moving into “Christian liberalism” such as Social Justice.  I have always contended that it is inherently difficult to trust the fruit of those who minister for money or whose livelihood depends upon popularity. This is really nothing new….  View article →

What is ‘Rededicating Your Life to Christ’ and is it Biblical?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , ,

“If you find yourself in a cycle of “rededication,” sadly to say, you may be deceiving yourself. If your life is not marked by genuine repentance, and a true desire to follow Jesus, and obey God’s word, you very well may be lost.”

(Jeff Maples – Reformation Charlotte)   A popular concept within evangelical churches, especially college-age and young adults, is the idea that one can “rededicate” their life to Christ…. Continue reading →

The Disproportionate Rate Of Measurable Harm For Males And Females In Homosexual Relationships

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , , ,

“Jesus taught us that the God-ordained union of “male and female” is our best clue that God intended sexual unions to be between two (and only two) persons. The requirement of two different sexes is the only foundation for rejecting more consistently the excessive structural sameness of incest. Eliminating this male-female foundation opens the door to other distorted sexual unions, at least for now of an adult-consensual nature.” 

(Robert A. J. Gagnon)  What’s the harm in endorsing homosexual relationships, apart from a violation of the overwhelming witness of Scripture, including the teaching of Jesus, leading to a consignment of many to eternal separation from God? Continue reading →

Kathy Keller: Church as Usual Will Not ‘Work’

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , , ,

“A few years ago, I fell victim to a church plant that was completely given over to the false theology of Dr. Tim Keller, and the church-planting scheme put forth by Kathy Keller in this article is precisely what I encountered, and rejected. This article embodies much of what is dangerous and unbiblical about this church-planting power couple.”

(Toni S. Brown)  Mrs. Tim Keller, otherwise known as Kathy, has published an article at Redeemer City to City, the church planting wing of Tim Keller’s vast New York operation. Continue reading →

Living Out – The Shift

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , ,

In a series of articles posted over at Alpha & Omega Ministries, Pastor Tom Buck tackles the troubling details he discovered at Sam Allberry’s ministry Living Out.  Allberry is an Anglican priest who is same-sex attracted and has become one of the leading authorities on the issue of homosexuality. In his series, Buck shares with us the bad theology and the perverted counsel offered by two of the websites leaders. You can find those articles here: part 2, part 3, part 4.

Following is an excerpt from part 3: Continue reading →

Abide in Me, and I in you

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.  John 15:4-10 (NASB) (Read verses 6-10 on the site)

For the first 20 or so years of this walk I was in a very immature spiritual state. I was utterly convinced during that time that my worth as a disciple depended upon my performance, my learning, my obedience, et cetera. With that mind-set it was a very horrible experience at times since I was on a roller coaster ride of obedience and backsliding. What amazed me during that period was that I was looked at as one of the more mature believers at our church. …  View article →

TV Networks Refuse Ads For Pro-Life Movie ‘Unplanned’

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

‘Unplanned’ – photo credit PureFlix

“John Sullivan, a producer on “Unplanned,” and who also directed “2016: Obama’s America,” told THR that money was there but the networks would not take their business. “We were looking to spend money, but they didn’t want to get involved,” he said.”

(Paul Bois – Daily Wire)   It seems that the same blackballing efforts that plagued “Gosnell” are beginning to plague the anti-Planned Parenthood movie “Unplanned.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, TV networks are now refusing to run ads for the PureFlix movie that received a wide theatrical release on Friday. Continue reading →

RZIM Doubles Down on Jesus ‘Body Dysphoria’

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , ,

“The whole notion that Jesus experienced some kind of body “dysphoria” is built on the unbiblical premise that same-sex attraction is not a sin, but a “disorder” which is a result of sin.”

(Jeff Maples – Reformation Charlotte)   The road to full transgender and homosexual affirmation and inclusion in the Church is coming near full-stop — as in, we’re arriving. Through ministries such as Sam Allberry’s Living Out, the historic Christian faith is being altered right in front of us, and the Church is entering a new paradigm…. Continue reading →

Put Off And Put On

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙

21Assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. – Ephesians 4:21-24

Putting off the old and putting on the new is the principle by which the possibilities that are in Christ can become evident in our experience. Notice there is a recognition of the pull of the old life on the Christian. The admonition of the apostle is to be constantly recognizing and rejecting these false, underlying assumptions that come from the old self, the old way of living. It is not merely deeds, you will notice, but outlooks and attitudes. This is what causes the problem, and this is what we must reject. View article →

The Early Symptoms of Spiritual Danger

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , ,

“The solemn fact is that none of us can tell the difference between the beginning of backsliding and the beginning of apostasy. Both look the same. So what are the tell-tale signs of this sickness unto death? Are there early symptoms that might alert us to our spiritual danger?” 

(Sinclair Ferguson – Ligonier Ministries)  I can still recall the conversation although it took place more than three decades ago. A shocked friend asked, “Have you heard that Sarah is no longer a Christian?” … Continue reading →

The Nuclear Option: New York Times, Washington Post Lose Russian Roulette

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , ,

“No two people have done more than these two buffoons to peddle fantasy claims, unfounded conspiracy theories and outright lies regarding President Trump’s supposed collusion with the Kremlin during the 2016 election.”

(Charles Hurt – Breitbart)  In the wake of the journalistic catastrophe exposed by the Mueller report, it is important that we record as many of the lies that we can and shine a bright light on the most dishonest goats in the media over the past two years.

No publications deserve more contempt and ridicule than The New York Times and The Washington Post. Both were once serious newspapers dedicated to ferreting out the truth and holding accountable those in power. Continue reading →