(Alistair Begg) Jesus said: “I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, 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). Now, I don’t want to bring cold coals to Newcastle by giving you information with which you are already familiar, so let me just briefly give some background on this verse. You know that the Greek word translated here as “Helper” is parakletos. In its technical form, it has a legal dimension; it refers to one who would be an advocate. In its wider context, it speaks of comfort, of protection, of counsel, and of guidance. Jesus also spoke of the Spirit as the Helper in John 14 and introduced Him as “the Spirit of truth” (14:17; 16:13). Continue reading
Is Denying Hell [ECT] a Gospel Issue? A Response to the Anti-Hell Acolytes, and Their So Called Christian Supporters
“Denying Hell is a Gospel issue because the everlasting God will render everlasting salvation for His elect, and everlasting damnation for His enemies. This is constituted in His word.”
(Sonny Hernandez – Reforming America Ministries) Is denying the biblical doctrine of Hell a Gospel issue? Well, that depends who you ask. If you ask an anti-Hell heretic, one who affirms either soul sleep, conditional immortality, or annihilationism, they will tell you that it is not. If you ask a so called Christian or hireling pastor who spends more time listening to their anti-Hell internet buddies, they will tell you the same argument that anti-Hell heretics use. But if you ask a Bible believing Christian, one who affirms the sufficiency and inerrancy of Scripture, you will undoubtedly hear that denying the biblical doctrine of Hell is not only a Gospel issue, it is heresy! Continue reading
The Left’s Comfort with Infanticide Is a Warning About ‘Medicare for All’
“Not only do the Democrats’ “Medicare for All” socialized-medicine pipe dreams have such staggering price tags that even Kamala Harris felt the stabbing pain in her wallet, but they would put profound and deeply personal medical decisions in the hands of authoritarian bureaucrats whose ideology is hostile to the very concept of individuality.”
(John Hayward – Breitbart) It’s been a shocking few weeks for abortion extremism, from New York’s shocking late-term abortion law to Virginia’s mercifully unsuccessful attempt to legalize infanticide. It’s time to start talking about death panels again, because this casual attitude toward the destruction of human life is a grim omen of what “Medicare for All” would be like. Continue reading
The Christian and Tolerance
“People rise up in the church and begin teaching doctrine that does not accord with the pattern of sound words entrusted to us in Scripture. Others stand up against that error and criticize it for not aligning with biblical truth. Yet still other men push back against that and say, “Hey, let’s not be so rigid and dogmatic, OK? These folks are aiming to ground their teachings in Scripture; they just have a different interpretation than you do. Who’s to say that our interpretation is better than their interpretation? After all, the text isn’t all that clear anyway. We should hear them out. We should give them a platform. We ought to be tolerant of a diversity of views.”
This is what happened in the Corinthian church…” Continue reading
Daniel Chapter 12
20 Come, my people, enter into your rooms
And close your doors behind you;
Hide for a little while
Until indignation runs its course.
21 For behold, the Lord is about to come out from His place
To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;
And the earth will reveal her bloodshed
And will no longer cover her slain. Isaiah 26:20-21 (NASB)
God is Sovereign! He has always been and always will be Sovereign. I use Gmail as my main email. Unfortunately Google embeds ads in the interface just above the control buttons. Sometimes I will see something interesting there and click it. Usually I regret it. A few days ago I saw one that advertised a study that was supposed to show the real definition of Hyper-Calvinism. I am Reformed in my Theology, but I abhor Hyper-Calvinism.
Russell Moore Joins With Nancy Pelosi to Address Liberal Organization
“The NAE is a sister organization of the National Council of Churches, which is affiliated with the World Council of Churches. The NAE is an ecumenist organization, which from its inception was branded as being theologically liberal.”
(JD Hall – Pulpit & Pen) Russell Moore speaking alongside Nancy Pelosi really isn’t a stretch of the imagination. Moore, a former Democratic staffer, has done everything in his power to be as fierce a critic of President Trump as the Speaker of the House. … Continue reading
JD Greear Calls Greed Equally Sinful as Homosexuality & Same-Sex Attraction
“The Bible makes it clear that there are different types and degrees of sin and that God looks upon sin in this manner; which Pastor Greear fails to point out when he equivocates homosexuality and SSA attraction as being to equal to other sins.”
(Richard Haas) This past Sunday on January 27, 2019 Pastor, JD Greear of Summit Life Church, preached a sermon entitled How the Fall Affects Us All. In this hour and a half sermon, Pastor Greear addresses the topic of Homosexuality and Same-Sex Attraction (SSA). This sermon is part of his series, The Book of Romans. In this sermon, he is addressing Romans 1:24-32, which he purely mishandles and misappropriates. Continue reading
Largest Fentanyl Drug Bust In History Made As Truck Tried Crossing The Border
The bust comes as President Donald Trump is trying to secure funding for a wall he would like to be built along the southern border to prevent smuggling and illegal immigration.
(Mike Brest – Daily Caller) U.S. Customs and Border Patrol seized enough fentanyl to kill over 50 million people [let that sink in] from a truck that was trying to cross the southern border into the United States, according to an investigation by “Tucker Carlson Tonight.” (emphasis added)
Watch the video on the site Continue reading
Daniel Chapter 11
20 Then he said, “Do you understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold, the prince of Greece is about to come. 21 However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince. Daniel 10:20-21 (NASB)
As we saw in the last post, there are evil powers behind the “kingdoms” of the world. Satan is the lord of this present age. In this post we will attempt to exposit Daniel 11. This is a very interesting chapter in that it covers the history of spiritual conflict in Israel (11:2-35) to the tribulation (11:36-42) where Michael comes to the aide of the Jews to assist in fully delivering them (12:1). …
Virginia’s Moderate Governor Admits Abortion Bill Allows Babies To Be Killed After Birth
“Northam’s position is so extreme he supports abortion on demand – that’s abortion for any reason anytime during the pregnancy – and he favors using your tax dollars to pay for abortion.”
(Steven Ertelt – LifeNews) Virginia Governor Ralph Northam not only has defended a new bill in the state legislature that would legalize abortions up to birth – even if the mother is dilated — he defended infanticide during a radio show today. Continue reading
Stone Indictment Underscores That There Was No Trump-Russia Conspiracy
It has to have been obvious to investigators for months that this suggestion was misleading. Yet there has been no correction of the record. For month after month, the FBI, the Justice Department, and the special counsel have been content to allow the presidency to be enveloped in a cloud of suspicion that necessarily infects the administration’s capacity to govern, to conduct foreign relations, and to deal with Congress.
Why?
(Andrew C. McCarthy – National Review) Roger Stone is the shiny object. The obstruction charges in his long-anticipated indictment, made public on Friday, are not the matter of consequence for the United States. Continue reading
Franklin Graham Urges Cardinal Dolan to Excommunicate Andrew Cuomo
“Whether it moves the governor’s calloused heart or not, it will have a great impact on not only the church in New York, but on the church worldwide. It’s about standing for right over wrong, good over evil.”
(Thomas D. Williams – Breitbart) Celebrated evangelical pastor Franklin Graham has urged Cardinal Timothy Dolan to take a strong moral stand against Governor Andrew Cuomo for his recent expansion of abortion in New York in the face of calls for the governor’s excommunication. Continue reading
Adults who corrupt children for fun and profit
But the drag queens’ own website tells a different story. “Drag Queen Story Hour captures the imagination and play of the gender fluidity of childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models. In spaces like this, kids are able to see people who defy rigid gender restrictions and imagine a world where people can present as they wish, where dress-up is real.”
(Bart Stinson – OneNewsNow) I went to an out-of-state sporting event recently and was surprised to see that a youth dance troupe from my city, just a couple of blocks from our house, preceded us there. The boys drummed, and the girls danced. Continue reading
Daniel Chapter 10
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:10-12 (NASB)
There is a great deal more going on in the spiritual than those of us in the temporal know about. All in Christ who still live and breathe are in the world, but are not part of it. Some, of course, live as if they are part of it, but we are called to be separate from the fleshpot world while being filled with the Spirit. Why? Of course if we are in love with this world, this present age, we will become encumbered and distracted from what we should be doing. Also, the world system, its things and its ways are all controlled by our enemy and his rulers, authorities, cosmic powers who do all they can to keep people blind in this present darkness. When believers are temporally focused they are being influenced by evil, if not controlled by it.
Most Prominent Southern Baptist Leader Admits He’s Influenced By False Teachers
“Russell Moore has spent the majority of his career in the ERLC waging war on conservative views in the culture, including his push for open-borders in America and redefining the word “refugee” to include illegal immigrants. He’s waged war against traditionally southern symbols such as the confederate flag and statues, calling them “racist” and “bigoted” – despite their wider meaning for individual states’ rights.”
(Jeff Maples – Reformation Charlotte) There really is no argument that the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is rapidly declining into a vapid morsel of what used to be a powerful voice of biblical truth. Succumbing to anything from social justice to charismaticism, the SBC is a world leader in ecumenism with its leaders partnering with just about anyone to achieve its notoriety as a moral progressive voice in the culture. Continue reading
Vatican to be exposed as ‘one of largest’ homosexual networks in world in new book
Martel claims to be able to show us with his new book the underlying connection between the following topics: the celibacy of priests, the condemnation of the use of contraceptives, the cover-up of countless cases of sexual abuse, the resignation of Benedict XVI, misogyny among the clergy, the dramatic fall of vocations to the priesthood, the plotting against Pope Francis.” His book is meant to “reveal these secrets.”
(Maike Hickson – LifeSiteNews) A press release that is to be published tomorrow in several different languages announces more disclosures about the content of the book In the Closet of the Vatican which itself aims at revealing that there now exists in the Vatican “one of the largest homosexual communities in the world” (according to the French version of the press release). Continue reading
A Cure for Cancer? Israeli Scientists Say They Think They Found One
“The MuTaTo cancer treatment will eventually be personalized. Each patient will provide a piece of his biopsy to the lab, which would then analyze it to know which receptors are overexpressed. The individual would then be administered exactly the molecule cocktail needed to cure his disease.”
(Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman – Jerusalem Post) A small team of Israeli scientists think they might have found the first complete cure for cancer. Continue reading
Here’s What We’ve Learned About Democrats From Their Response To Covington Teens, NY Abortion Law
“As demonstrated by the cheering and applauding of the extremist abortion bill in New York, the Democrats have increasingly embraced a radical hatred for anything conservative, driven to celebrate any perceived victory over conservative values and beliefs.”
(James Barrett – Daily Wire) On his inimitable radio show Monday, Rush Limbaugh paused to note the “overwhelming reaction” to his monologue last week responding to New York State Democrats passing the most extreme abortion law in U.S. history, which, among other things, allows for abortion up to the child’s due date and loosens restrictions on who is allowed to perform an abortion. The response to his monologue was so strong, the radio host suggested, because in it he addressed a key concept that many people have struggled to understand: What is really driving Democrats even to the point of cheering such an extreme abortion law? Continue reading
Daniel Chapter 9
1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. Daniel 9:1-2 (NASB)
One of the worst parts about expounding scripture while not allowing “what men say” to influence that exposition is that there will always be some people who are “offended” or in disagreement with the analysis. I desire to offend no one. I deeply desire to be of use to my Lord in bringing His people into agreement about what His Word says. Therefore, I will continue to simply exposit scripture. As we have moved through Daniel I have tried very hard to look at extra-biblical sources only when necessary. I am very well aware that Daniel 9 is a hot button with some people. However, we must proceed.
Half Of Doctors Considering Leaving Medicine — Because Of Health Insurance Headaches
Poll of 600 physicians shows frustration over insurer policies and delays that doctors say could be leaving patients in prolonged pain.
(Study Finds) Are health insurance policies creating nightmares for physicians and hazards for their patients? A new study finds that nearly nine in ten doctors believe barriers set by insurance plans have led to worsened conditions for patients in need of care. Continue reading
Ungovernable
“The congressional swearing-in event introduces profound incoherence into the solemn ceremonies of investiture that seek to protect the nation from immoral subversion. Biblically-based law (the truth) and Sharia law (the lie) are irreconcilable. One cannot combine these competing “moral” systems without introducing at the highest level a totally chaotic and irrational basis for our nation’s governing principles.”
(Peter Jones – truthXchange) Last November’s elections brought into Congress some of the most extreme office holders ever seen. Recently defeated Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill said: “I’d be lying if I did not say I was worried about this place. It just does not work as well as it used to.”[1]Paul Kane of The Washington Post describes how in the early meetings of the new Congress “tensions flared and lawmakers walked toward each other in the well of the House. The chance of physical confrontation seemed to grow by the second… Shouting, near fisticuffs, emotions high…Today’s Washington could get worse.” Continue reading
Here’s How Much Democrats’ Refusal To Fund Border Security Cost America During Shutdown
In total, Vittert estimates that the shutdown cost the American public approximately $40 billion, which she notes would have paid for “the entire wall to be built and maintained for 40 years.”
(Ryan Saaveda – Daily Wire) A new report by a statistics professor at Washington University in St. Louis estimates that the 35-day partial government shutdown cost seven times more than the $5.7 billion that President Donald Trump requested for a border wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Liberty Vittert, who is also an ambassador for the Royal Statistical Society, writes that estimates for the cost of the shutdown per day range from $52 million to $360 million. Continue reading
Daniel Chapter 8
1 In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king a vision appeared to me, Daniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me previously. 2 I looked in the vision, and while I was looking I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal. Daniel 8:1-4 (NASB) Read verses 3 & 4 on the site.
Many of the Old Testament prophecies have already been fulfilled. For instance, Jesus Christ fulfilled every one of the prophecies that spoke of His first coming, His torture, His death, His burial, etc. We have now arrived at Daniel Chapter 8. Daniel switches from Aramaic, which he used from 2:4b through 7:28, back to Hebrew starting in 8:1 through the end of His book. In Chapter 8 we will look at some already fulfilled prophecies and also how one of the characters from those that have been fulfilled also prefigures another character that is still future to us.
Daniel Chapter 7
1 And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore.
Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2 And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. Revelation 13:1-4 (NASB) Read verses 3-4 on the site.
It is time to prayerfully step into the prophetic section of Daniel. I always have quite a bit of anxiety about tackling books that are deeply eschatological. Why? My method of Bible teaching is to simply expound scripture. I try to limit input into my analysis of passages to Biblical references for the most part. I do not believe I am wise enough or schooled enough in eschatology to do justice to this study. However, God is able to open up His word to our hearts. As we look at these sections in Daniel let us carefully let scripture speak. God will give us the truth as He sees fit. Perhaps God will give us insight into His Word that we have lacked until now. If so, then it is God doing this, not me.
Days After Enshrining ‘Right’ to Kill Preborn, NY Governor Signs Bill Making ‘Gender Identity’ Offenses ‘Hate Crime’
“Mental health professionals who assist youth who may be struggling with temptations toward the same sex or who feel that they identify as the opposite sex will be considered to have engaged in “professional misconduct,” and may face penalties from their licensing entity that may include censure and reprimand, suspension of their license, the requirement to receive training and education, fines or a complete loss of their license.”
(Heather Clark – Christian News Network) Just days after enshrining in New York law the “right” for mothers to have their unborn children murdered, and in some cases, even up until birth, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has now signed two new bills into law: … Continue reading