New Year’s Resolutions for God’s Glory, Not Our Own

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It seems that every December, many people make well-intentioned resolutions for the new year. With premeditated bursts of enthusiasm, they are caught up in a whirlwind of peculiar, and sometimes public, activities that puzzle even neighborhood children. We witness surprising promises and new year’s manifestos whereupon we are summoned to behold what sweeping changes may come in the new year.

The skeptical observer may ask: Is all this new year’s fervor genuine? Is it helpful? Is it really necessary? Moreover, the curious onlooker may ask: Is it even appropriate to make resolutions? After all, shouldn’t we at all times and all seasons seek to live wisely, obediently, and biblically? Continue reading →

‘Shout Your Abortion’ Founder Talks to Children About Abortion, Claims ‘It’s All Part of God’s Plan’

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“I could not finish watching this  It broke my heart. These children were used as pawns to promote an agenda. As many … have said, let’s also have a conversation with someone who regrets their abortion. I know from personal experience that most women do regret their choice.”

(Heather Clark – Christian News)  A video that has been denounced as “brainwashing,” entitled “Kids Meet Someone Who’s Had an Abortion,” was posted to social media on Friday. It features “Shout Your Abortion” movement founder Amelia Bonow asking youth questions about abortion and opining to one young boy that she believes it is “all part of God’s plan.” Continue reading →

Birth of the Church

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  Acts 2:1-4 (NASB) (Read verses 3-4 on the site)

The Day of Pentecost just a few weeks after our Lord’s resurrection is marked in Church history as the day the Church was born. The Apostles obeyed our Lord’s commands that He gave them just before He returned to Heaven and were all gathered in a house in Jerusalem.  Carefully read the passage I placed at the top of this post. Where did the power for this miraculous event come from? Was it done according to the will and power of these Apostles? …  View article →

The body is the Lord’s

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13 Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. 1 Corinthians 6:13 (NASB)

Liberal Christianity is, as J. Gresham Machen told us in his masterpiece Christianity & Liberalism:

It is no wonder, then, that liberalism is totally different from Christianity, for the foundation is different. Christianity is founded upon the Bible. It bases upon the Bible both its thinking and its life. Liberalism on the other hand is founded upon the shifting emotions of sinful men. – J. Gresham Machen

In our time here in the early 21st Century we have men calling themselves pastors or Christian leaders telling all who will listen to them that the Bible is not authoritative. They say that even though it condemns certain behaviors as sin, we can ignore all that because people who preach or teach directly from the Bible are not obeying God, but are “cheating.” …   View article →

Boy Scouts Lost 425,000 Boys One Week After ‘Gender Neutral’ Name Change

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One week after the century-old Boy Scouts of America announced its name was becoming “gender fluid,” its single biggest participant announced that it was cutting ties to the Scouts.

(Jay Greenberg – Neon Nettle)  Earlier this month, it was revealed that the Boy Scouts of America, the 108-year-old organization synonymous with traditional American values, is on the verge of bankruptcy.

A report by the Wall Street Journal revealed that a Chicago law firm, Sidley Austin, has been appointed to handle Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. Continue reading →

Relying on God During Times of Desperation

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His [God’s] silence is not equal to a lack of care; he works behind the scenes, where together all things work for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). 

(Meredith Hodge – Rely On The Bible)   His heart pounded, his lips quivered, decay crept into his bones, and his legs trembled (Habakkuk 3:16). He was confused, angry, terrified, and desperate for relief. He cried, “O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?” (Habakkuk 1:2). Habakkuk, an Old Testament prophet, experienced a season of trials that seemed endless. He was desperate for relief, for change, for God to intervene. Does that sound like something you can relate to?  Continue reading →

Be ready for our Lord’s coming

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37 For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. Matthew 24:36-42 (NASB) (Read verses 38-42 on the site)

Jesus’ own words from the Gospels tell us that the time of His second coming will be as it was in the day of Noah. What was that like? People were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage right up to the time Noah entered the ark. They were unaware of their coming judgment until the flood came and swept them away. People were going about their normal business of making a living, doing the best they can, just like now. Jesus also tells us that no one knows when He is coming back, therefore we are to stay awake or be alert. View article →

TV Guide Calls Chris Pratt ‘Problematic,’ Says He Doesn’t ‘Think before He Speaks’

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While the actor has apologized in each circumstance, the article paints Pratt as a man with no filter and who seemingly does not “even think before he speaks.” 

(Kayla Koslosky – Christian Headlines)  In the magazine’s “12 Days of Chris-Mas” series, the TV Guide ranked Christian actor Chris Pratt as the “fifth best Chris,” while also noting that his offscreen life is often “problematic.”

In an article titled, “How to Love Chris Pratt Without Hating Yourself,” the TV guide writer Kaitlin Thomas points out all of the reasons she deems the Guardians of the Galaxy actor “problematic” and “divisive”  Continue reading →

2018’s Most Jaw-Dropping Moments on ABC’s The View

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Hosts Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg and Sunny Hostin kicked off the year by defending the mainstream media’s reputation as trustworthy, claiming that Trump was behaving like a dictator for criticizing outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post. Whoopi even weirdly claimed that Trump was “actively trying to kill the press.”

(Kristine Marsh – News Busters)   The past two years we’ve broken down the worst moments of each year on ABC’s The View. Even with the addition of Meghan McCain late last year, 2018 has proved yet again that the hosts have no tolerance for conservative viewpoints. Whether it was sneering at religion or Trump voters, defending their own double standards or making nutty apocalyptic predictions, the liberal hosts continued to remind us why there is only one acceptable leftist “view” on the ABC show. Continue reading →

EMP: Not if, but when

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Non-nuclear EMP weapons, or radio frequency, weapons are a third cause for concern. “These can be built using design information available on the Internet or you can even purchase [or modify] devices that are not intended to be used as weapons but can be used as weapons.”  

(J.M. Phelps – American Thinker)  The probability of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) in our lifetime is much higher than most Americans would assume, according to Dr. Peter Pry, the Executive Director of the EMP Task Force.

Pry explains there are three sources of EMP: the sun, nuclear weapons, and non-nuclear weapons. Continue reading →

Fix Your Eyes On Jesus

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, he says. That does not simply say that people who have died and gone on to heaven are looking down on us from above. It means that these people are saying something to us, they are testifying to us, they are witnesses in that sense. Their lives are saying that we ought to lay aside every weight, i.e., whatever hinders faith. You never say, Yes to Christ without saying, No to something else!  View article →

ACLU Files Lawsuit Against Louisiana Library for Banning Drag Queen Story Time Events

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“Two LaFayette Parish residents who want to host a drag queen event at the library—Matthew Humphrey and Aimee Robinson—have now entered the legal picture, filing suit with the aid of the ACLU of Louisiana in an effort to force officials to allow the events.”

(Heather Clark – Christian News)  The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed suit against the LaFayette Public Library in Louisiana after officials decided to ban Drag Queen Story Time events as the library had been sued by two other groups for originally planning to host an event on the premises. Continue reading →

The Worst Christian of 2018

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“After careful consideration of the use of power, influence, responsibility, and the expression of theology, I hereby bestow the title of “Worst Christian of 2018” to…” 

(Seth Dunn – Pulpit & Pen)  Who is the worst Christian of 2018?

On the surface, this seems like a foolish or even pharisaical question. The fact of the matter is that there are none worthy to stand righteous before God except his perfect son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Every believer struggles with sin every day and will continue to do so until the Lord returns and raises us anew in glory. None of us are really better than another. Yet, we can still fairly ask and answer, “Who is the worst Christian of 2018?” if we consider the question in terms of an individual’s influence on the visible church at large. …  Continue reading →

House Democrats Are Lining Up Behind What Could Be The Largest Expansion Of Government In Decades

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“This is going to be the New Deal, the Great Society, the moon shot, the civil-rights movement of our generation,” Ocasio-Cortez said at a panel event in early December alongside Sanders, a likely 2020 presidential contender.

(Michael Bastasch – The Daily Caller)  Democrats are increasingly lining up to support a “Green New Deal,” which, while vague on details, could end up being the largest expansion of government in decades. Continue reading →

Accused Rapist, Jim Bakker, Compares Prison Time to Attempted Rape Victim, Joseph

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Joseph was thrown in prison because Potiphar’s wife tried to rape him, and he fled to maintain his purity. Jim Bakker was thrown in prison because he raped a woman and used ministry funds to cover it up. However, Bakker – who is now out of jail and running the same type of real estate scams that led to his imprisonment – recently claimed that his prison time was just like Joseph’s.

Jim Bakker told R.T. Kendall on The Jim Bakker Show – which he runs from a retirement end-times survival community – that God allowed him to go to prison. Continue reading →

From Russia probe to sexual-abuse allegations, 9 political scandals that rocked 2018

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From politicians losing their positions over sexual-misconduct allegations to concerns of voter fraud in multiple midterm elections, 2018 was not without its share of political controversies.

Read on for a look at nine of the most notable political scandals of the past year.

Michael Cohen was once a trusted member of the Trump Organization and personal attorney and “fixer” to the president. But by year’s end, the man who once said he would “take a bullet” for President Trump had flipped on his former boss, cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe. Continue reading →

Beware Silicon Valley Santas in the Schools

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“Parents from all parts of the political spectrum understand that “personalized learning” is Silicon Valley propaganda to distract from the true aim: Grabbing student and family data under the guise of “innovation” and luring the next generation of addicted consumers.”

(Michelle Malkin – Townhall)  When it comes to Silicon Valley Santas bearing gifts for our children, I am a big Scrooge. Every responsible parent should be, too. Continue reading →

The Shepherds’ Gospel

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,     and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Luke 2:8-20 Continue reading →

Why calling Mary ‘Mother of God’ at Christmas Time is Not Helpful

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“We can’t help it if doctrine perveters take a perfectly Biblical and wholesome concept like Theotokos and create from it an idol. However, we can be more careful in our own tongue to clarify to our children and loved ones that Mary indeed gave birth to God the Son, but we do not use the term “Mother of God” so as to not confuse those already prone to idolatry.”

(JD Hall – Pulpit & Pen)  With “Reformed” Christians gradually getting less and less Reformed all the time, it’s important to set matters straight on Mary’s supposed status as “Mother of God.” While Reformed believers across the West are becoming more Catholic (celebrating Lent, for example) and its leaders (like Tim Keller, for example) claiming that the Papists are Christians, it’s increasingly important to separate Catholic myth from Biblical fact.  Continue reading →

Advent: One like a son of the gods

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Its not your typical Christmas story, that’s for sure. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had refused to worship the idol constructed by Nebuchadnezzar for his own self-aggrandizement. They proclaimed that they would only worship the true God of heaven, and thus found themselves on the wrong side of both the royal law and the furnace door.

Nearly 500 years before Jesus was born in Israel, these three worshipers of Jesus’ Father were ordered executed in Babylon simply because they wouldn’t worship like the Chaldeans.  Continue reading →

What Does God Desire?

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After saying above, Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them (which are offered according to the Law), then He said, Behold, I have come to do Your will. He takes away the first in order to establish the second. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:8-10

Here is what God really wanted. God never cared a snap of his fingers for all the rivers of blood that flowed on Jewish altars. He had no interest in them except as they taught something. What did these sacrifices point to? A human body in which there was a human will which continually chose to depend upon an indwelling God to obey a written word! That was what God wanted. When Christ came he paused on the threshold of heaven, and said, A body hast thou prepared for me. Within that body was a human soul with the capacity to reason, to feel and to choose. That will, in that human body, never once acted on its own, never once took any step apart from dependence upon the Father who dwelt within. That is the principle that God has been after all along; that is what he wants. Continue reading →

Celebrity ‘Spiritual Healer’ Charged Amid Sex Abuse Claims By Hundreds Of Women, Including His Own Daughter

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Faria founded his psychic healing center in 1976, but he did not reach true international fame until he was promoted by Oprah Winfrey about five years ago. Since she produced a special focusing on his “spiritual healing” methods, which include channeling “spirits of the dead” and conducting surgery on patients suffering serious illnesses without anesthesia, his center attracts thousands of tourists annually, including several celebrities, among them Paul Simon, Naomi Campbell, and, according to some, Bill Clinton.

(James Barrett – Daily Wire)  Prosecutors have brought their first charges against self-proclaimed “spiritual healer” Joao Teixeira de Faria amid sexual abuse allegations by hundreds of women and girls, including his own daughter. Continue reading →

Netanyahu Failed to Persuade Trump to Reverse Syria Decision

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Photo credit Wikimedia Commons

“The USA is withdrawing its forces from Syria with the claim that IS was the only reason for them being in the country, the disregard for Iranian entrenchment in Syria is dangerous to Israel,” opposition leader MK Tzipi Livni of the Zionist Union tweeted.

(Deborah Danan – Breitbart) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is said to have tried in vain to persuade President Donald Trump to walk back his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, a move that was met with significant “disappointment” in Jerusalem, Israeli media reported.

Israeli political figures have said that the move represents a possible blow to regional security, leaving the Jewish state to single-handedly combat the threat posed by the Iranian presence in the embattled country. Continue reading →

‘Never again’, pope vows end to clergy sex abuse cover-ups

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Urging people with information about misconduct to come forward, he added: “The church asks that people not be silent, but bring it objectively to light, since the greater scandal in this matter is that of cloaking the truth.”

(Alex Williams – Premiere)  The Catholic Church shall “never again” cover up sexual abuse perpetrated by its clergy, Pope Francis promised during a Christmas address to Vatican officials on Friday.

Continue reading →