Forgiven and Forgiving

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Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. (Luke 11:4a)

Here is the need for a cleansed conscience, for a sense of peace, of rest with God and man. This is the arena where the emotional clutter of our life takes a very deadly toll. Who of us has not experienced troublesome mental symptoms, morbid depressions and unreasoning fears and insecurity? Both Scripture and modern psychology, in its groping after truth, agree that underneath these symptoms lurk two frightening monsters: Fear and Guilt. If we can find a way to slay these fiery dragons, the whole emotional atmosphere of our life will pass into peace. Continue reading on Ray Stedman Daily Devotions

Library System Hosting ‘Over-the-Top’ Story Hour With Men, Women ‘Strutting Their Stuff’ in Drag

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(Heather Clark – Christian News) A library system in Minnesota is raising concern as it recently announced that it will be hosting three “over-the-top” drag story hours in June and July, billing the event as being geared toward families and suitable for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and teens.

“Come meet some fabulous drag queens and kings at the library! They will read stories, sing songs, and strut their stuff for an over-the-top story hour. All ages welcome,” a press release from the Saint Paul Public Library system reads. Continue reading →

For the Love of Those Fighting Against Homosexuality

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“The pastors I know, myself included, minister weekly to former homosexuals and those who fight daily against homosexual desires. We love these precious souls. Each Lord’s Day we labor over them through preaching and prayer. Like all those struggling against sin we seek to help them walk in holiness in this sin-sick world. Calling them Gay Christians, Queer Christians, or sexual minorities undermines not only their ability to fight for holiness but the very way they are to understand themselves as new creations in Christ who have been washed clean.”

(Todd Pruitt – Mortification of Spin)  There is a great deal of discussion going on among Christians these days about the moral status of homosexuality and homosexual desires.

In my own denomination, the PCA, the latest dustup is swirling around the Revoice conference being held in St. Louis at Memorial Presbyterian Church (PCA). Continue reading →

Trump to ‘Hannity’: Kim Jong Un to start denuclearization ‘virtually immediately’

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“His country has to be de-nuked and he understood that, he fully understood that, he didn’t fight it,” Trump said.

(Fox News – Judson Berger) President Trump, on the heels of his historic summit with Kim Jong Un, told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that he believes the North Korean leader will begin to work toward dismantling his country’s nuclear program “virtually immediately.”

The president left Singapore after the two leaders signed a document stating Pyongyang would work toward “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.” Continue reading →

His Name Is Holy

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He said to them, When you pray, say, Father, hallowed be your name…(Luke 11:2b)

The second petition of the Lord’s Prayer is one of surrender, Hallowed be your name. I am quite sure this is the petition that makes hypocrites out of most of us. For we can say, Father with grateful sincerity, but when we pray Hallowed be your name, we say this with the guilty knowledge that, as we pray, there are areas of our life in which his name is not hallowed and in which, furthermore, we don’t want it to be hallowed. When we say, Hallowed be your name, we are praying, May the whole of my life be a source of delight to you and may it be an honor to the name which I bear, which is your name. Hallowed be your name. Continue reading on Ray Stedman Daily Devotions

Is The Pope Catholic?

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Dr. Peter Jones begins with a response to his own question: You laugh! Like the question, Who wrote the Gospel of John? the question, Is the Pope Catholic? hardly seems to deserve a reply. Well, not until a few weeks ago.

He then reports on the reasons many people, including faithful Catholics, are asking this question in the first place.

In a blog post over at truthXchange, Dr. Jones tackles the latest controversy created by Roman Catholic leader Jorge Bergoglio, dubbed Pope Francis by the apostate Roman Catholic Church. He also comments on pop-star Katy Perry, who sang “I Kissed A Girl,” lecturing at the Vatican on the unbiblical practice of mantra meditation aka transcendental meditation, which was odd to say the least for the reason that TM has its roots in Hinduism. He writes: Continue reading →

The New Bigotry

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 “The intolerance of the LGBTQ ideology toward any alternative views is mind-blowing. The tactics of some in the LGBTQ movement toward dissent is an existential threat to freedom of expression. The lack of tolerance for disagreement, which has been replaced with bullying Twitter mobs promising ‘consequences’, should be a concern regardless of your political stance.” 

(Erick Erickson – Daily Wire)  In 155 AD, Roman authorities ordered a man named Polycarp to burn incense for the Roman Emperor. Witnesses say the local authorities begged Polycarp to comply, some even acknowledging it was a meaningless act. But Polycarp refused. “Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” Polycarp announced. The Roman proconsul had a pyre built to burn Polycarp. Continue reading →

God’s Tender Mercy

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There is a wounded soldier bleeding out his life upon the battlefield and here comes a friend, merciful and tender, who has brought him a refreshing draught which will help to bring him back to consciousness and open his half-glazed eyes again. He is covered with a clammy sweat, but there is cold water with which to wipe his fevered brow.

His wounds are gaping wide and his very life is oozing forth from him, but his friend has brought the salve and bandages with which to strap up every wound. Is this all that he has provided for the wounded warrior? No, for there is a stretcher, carried by men who choose their steps with care, so that they do not jolt the poor invalid. Where will they carry him? View article →

Justitification and original sin

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12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. Romans 5:12-14 (NASB) 

I am a Monergist, that is, I firmly believe that our salvation is God’s work from beginning to end, totally undeserved by all. There is not one person who deserves it nor can they do anything to earn it because of the fall of man from Genesis 3, therefore, it is a gracious gift from God and, these things being Biblically true, those who hold to them are Monergists. Synergists are those who believe the doctrine of the Fall of Man in Genesis 3 is either fallacious or not complete.  View article →

A classic example of liberalism creating racism/sexism

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“As if segregating women for an [TGC] event isn’t bad enough, the Legacy are further segregating women by color under the idea that they are hoping ‘this gathering will create a space for women of color to address particular concerns and issues, process them together in small groups, and pray for one another.’” 

(Churchwatch Central)  Before Darwinian thought, there was no concept of racism. There were simply human beings. This is because Christianity has always taught that every human being is made in the image of God. There were definite class and cast systems, (which the Christian faith continually stressed to look past and not show particular favor towards) but not the concept that a white or black person were more evolved as a species. It is worth noting that when some segments of the church did embrace these ideas, the Klu Klux Klan was formed. This is the danger when secular ideas mix with Christianity. Continue reading →

A Comment to the Snowflake Society: Breathe in, breathe out, move on

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Blogger Elizabeth Prata takes on the victim culture in a piece over at The End Time.  Prata reminds us that while Christian celeb Beth Moore receives attention for playing the victim card in a blog post to Christian men and churches where she complained about being ignored “dismissed and ridiculed and talked down to,” a large number of women around the globe are going through horrendous persecution for openly professing faith in Jesus Christ.  Prata doesn’t hold back as she expresses her frustration with the namby-pamby “snowflake” generation. She writes:

I’m over the victim culture.

Really over it. Continue reading →

CrossFit Fires a Christian After Gay Rights Activists Demand It

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The employee, on his personal social media feed, defended a CrossFit Box under fire for not having a gay pride event.

(Erick Erickson – The Maven)  I do not know Russell Berger well, though we attended Reformed Theological Seminary together. He was chief marketing officer for CrossFit until yesterday afternoon. That’s when the gay mob came for Russell. He had the audacity to, on his personal Twitter feed, accurately declare celebrating gay pride a sin.  View article →

Why Pray?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙

And the Lord said, Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? (Luke 18:6-7)

It is sometimes taught that Jesus is here encouraging what is called prevailing prayer, which is often another way of describing an attempt to belabor God, to give him no peace, to picket the throne of heaven until we get the request we want. This is not Biblical.  Continue reading on Ray Stedman Daily Devotions

UMC Minnesota Conference Removes ‘Father’ From Apostles’ Creed for Worship Service

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“No United Methodist individual or body has the authority to edit those creeds which were formulated by the early Church and have helped define orthodox Christianity for the better part of 2000 years,” 

(Michael Gryboski – Christian Post) The Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church edited the historic Apostles’ Creed so that it removed references to God as “Father” for a worship service.

The Apostles’ Creed is an affirmation of Christian faith that goes back to the early Church and is still common in many churches that include liturgy as part of worship. Continue reading →

The lawless, porn-respecting , MS-13-loving, humorless American left

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“But facts, and laws made long before Trump became president, matter not to the desperate left, whose members are still convinced they can bring Trump down and then take him out by deluding a stupid and deplorable voting public.”

(Patricia McCarthy – American Thinker)  How does one explain how the party of FDR and JFK now supports all manner of law-breaking by illegal immigrants?  These people defend aliens’ illegal entry into the United States and give them sanctuary even after they have committed violent crimes that have taken the lives of innocent American citizens. Continue reading →

Nancy Drew Children’s Books Being Remade To Support LGBT Agenda

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“Marvel also joined in on revamping its popular “Archie” series by adding queer characters.”

(Gabrielle Okun – The Western Journal)  “Nancy Drew” is joining the social justice movement after getting a queer makeover in a new comic books series that will be released June 13.

The first chapter of a new “Nancy Drew” comic book series called “The Case of a Cold Case” is set to add an LGBTQ-friendly atmosphere to the popular teen detective mystery novels, according to The U.K. Guardian. View article →

Related:

LGBT Agenda

56 lawmakers demand Planned Parenthood be investigated for covering-up child sex-abuse

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(Doug Mainwaring – LifeSiteNews) – Members of Congress gathered outside the U.S. Capitol today to call attention to an important investigative report and video series exposing Planned Parenthood’s repeated failure to notify law enforcement of suspected human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of women and girls.

Planned Parenthood has a decades-long history of covering up crimes against minors which has gone largely ignored.  Live Action has released its report and video series seeking to blow the lid off Planned Parenthood’s unchecked, ongoing criminal behavior victimizing young girls who are already victims of sexual assaults. Continue reading →

The sheep and the goats

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NASB) 

Read Luke 19:12-15  and Luke 19:26-27 on the site.

Let us now look at that element in Man’s heart that refuses to bow the knee to any god except one with whom it is comfortable. If God the Father or our Lord Jesus Christ are honestly portrayed as we read in Sacred Scripture the vast majority, those whose hearts are overrun by relativism, will stiffen their necks in rejection. … View article →

Just Stop it, Part 3: How To Repent Of Anger

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“Don’t call it being crabby, irritable, or hot-headed. We often speak in terms of anger coming from a source other than ourselves. We use victim terminology. We ‘lose our temper’ because he ‘makes us so angry.’” 

(Clint Archer – The Cripplegate) When I was a really little kid a cheesy 80’s horror movie hit the big screen. It was called Gremlins. The story is about a boy who finds a small, furry, odd-looking creature called a mogwai that seems as harmless as a hamster. But you discover that if this unassuming little pet stays up past midnight, and has a snack, it morphs into a grotesque, brutally violent monster called a Gremlin. Like I said, it was the 80’s. Continue reading →

Liberal Christian Leader Tony Campolo: ‘God Is Not in Control’

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“The whole statement from Campolo is as squishy and nonsensical as much of what stems from liberal Christianity these days. In fact, this very rejection of God’s sovereignty is what led Campolo’s son Bart to reject Christianity.”

(Chris Queen – JP Media)  A couple of weeks ago, I introduced you to the Red Letter Christians, a group of liberal believers whom the New York Times breathlessly profiled recently as the face of Christians who don’t worship Donald Trump. One of the group’s leaders, Tony Campolo, recently gave an interview with Premier, a Christian website in the UK, in which he stated that he doesn’t believe that God is in control — yet. Continue reading →

‘Are You Gay Allies?’: Creepy Government Video Indoctrinates Children for Pride Month

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(Dan Andros – Faithwire)  A video produced by CBC Life, a vertical on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s website, has caused controversy after using children to promote gay pride month.

“Happy pride everybody!” Canadian television host Jessi Cruickshank begins, while being met by a throng of cheers from the impressionable young children who took part in the video celebrating gay pride month.

After asking the kids if they know what gay pride means, she says “that’s absolutely right, it’s a celebration of sexual diversity,” before explaining that she is a “I’m not gay, but I’m a gay ally.” Cruickshank then puts the children on the spot and asks them if they, too, are gay allies. View article →

The Gospel vs Another Gospel

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:23-24 (NASB) 

I will be 67 years old later this year. I have been a Christian for over 32 years, but I grew up in a “Christian” home going to church every Sunday until I grew up and went my own way. I know that Christians are commanded to be forgiving, kind, and gentle with others. However, we are also commanded to stand firm and withstand false teachers and their doctrines. When I began writing and blogging as an extension of my teaching ministry, I soon experienced a very rude awakening. … View article →

An Encounter With a Mother-God Cult Evangelist

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“There are truly only two-religions in the entire world, and though it is helpful to know a few details about each religion—at least the big ones—it isn’t necessary for faithful evangelism. You just need to know what the Gospel is and why it is unique.”

(Jordan Standridge – The Cripplegate) I’m sure you’ve heard of it by now, it’s called the Mother-God cult. The official name is the World Mission Society Church of God. I’ve had my share of run-ins with them over the years.

The Mother-God cult is a religion that started in South Korea, and now has more than 2.7 million members. Continue reading →