Pray without ceasing

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17 pray without ceasing; 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NASB) 

Of all of the commands from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 I am sure that the one from v17, which I placed above, has caused the most consternation and possibly the most bad theology of all the others combined. What does Paul mean that we should “pray without ceasing?”  Is this even possible without becoming a monk in some monastery locked up in a cell to spend the rest of your days praying and doing nothing else? Some have actually taught that and tried to put it into practice just like I described. Let us take a closer look. View article →

Just one alcoholic drink a day increases breast cancer risk, exercise lowers risk

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According to Science Daily:

Drinking just one glass of wine or other alcoholic drink a day increases breast cancer risk, finds a major new report by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).The report also revealed, for the first time, that vigorous exercise such as running or fast bicycling decreases the risk of both pre- and post-menopausal breast cancers. Strong evidence confirmed an earlier finding that moderate exercise decreases the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer, the most common type of breast cancer.

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‘America’s Pastor’ Max Lucado in Tulsa to film new TBN series titled ‘Unshakable Hope’

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Move over Billy Graham (or is that Rick Warren), because you’ve been replaced as ‘America’s Pastor.’  Seems Max Lucado now wears that title. According to a piece over at Tulsa World, the popular preacher and best-selling author is working with Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) on a project. Evidently Rev. Lucado hasn’t gotten the message that TBN, which some call Trinity Blasphemy Network, is a haven for heretics and that deceased founders, Paul and Jan Crouch, were wolves in sheep’s clothing.  Their son, Matthew, who took the reins of power after his mother’s passing, is cut out of the same cloth as his parents. It is no secret that the Crouch family has continually caused division in the visible Church.  What does the Bible say about those who cause division?

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. (Romans 16:17-19)

Now to Tulsa World’s report:

Max Lucado, one of America’s best-known Bible teachers and author of books that have sold more than 100 million copies, was at the old Spaghetti Warehouse building in downtown Tulsa this week taping a video series about an upcoming book.

The Lucado project is part of the vision of Tulsa filmmaker Tom Newman to retool Christian television to reach today’s generation. The series, called “Unshakable Hope,” is being produced with the Oklahoma Film + Music Office, using the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program.

Newman is program director for Trinity Broadcasting Network, the world’s largest Christian television network, a position he assumed about a year and a half ago. TBN has 30 networks in 14 languages reaching millions of people around the globe.

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Saddleback Church Statement Appears to Downplay Role of Alleged Molester Ruben Meulenberg

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According to a Lighthouse Trails (LHT) investigation, the released statement by Saddleback Church on May 26th has downplayed alleged child molester Ruben Meulenberg’s role at the church and it appears that he has been quite involved at Saddleback….and so are his parents, Abraham and Marieke. In fact, Abraham is a pastor in charge of interfaith outreach and was involved with Rick Warren’s efforts to form alliances with the Muslim community. So it seems there could be more here than meets the eye. LHT has the story:

On Friday evening (May 26), Saddleback Church released a statement about the arrest of Ruben Meulenberg, the man who allegedly has been molesting boys at Saddleback. The Saddleback statement called Meulenberg a “student ministry volunteer.” Here is the full statement:

We are shocked and grieved to share that this week a Saddleback member reported that a student ministry volunteer had acted inappropriately with two 14-year-old boys. Of course, our staff quickly reported this accusation to our Orange County Sherriff’s Department. The next day, the volunteer was arrested on suspicion of the offense. The investigation of the accusation is now in the hands of the proper authorities. …

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Biblical unity, humility, and obedience

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12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Colossians 3:12-17 (NASB) 

The number one accusation thrown at those who take up the armor of God and use it in the battle as they are called to do, is that they are full of pride. Those who use this fiery dart are equating certainty with pride. Extra-biblical revelation should not be used in the battle by God’s warriors. Instead, the source of truth that is used is the sword of the Spirit itself, the Word of God. Experience is extra-biblical. Man’s teachings, if contrary to the Word of God, are extra-biblical. One’s own private interpretation of Scripture and/or experience is extra-biblical. These battles may appear to cause disunity in the Body, but unity that is held together through compromise is false. Christians should never seek to be yoked up with those who hold doctrine or beliefs that are contrary to the truth from God’s Word or are based solely on extra-biblical sources. Unity in the Body of Christ is commanded in God’s Word, but that unity is not based in compromise, but love and humility within those who are obedient to the truth. View article →

Remembering our fallen soldiers

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On this Memorial Day we want to say how thankful we are to those who serve in the armed forces and their families.  It is a time to honor and recognize the sacrifice of our fallen soldiers. To the men and women still serving, it is because of you that we sleep soundly at night.  Be safe and God bless you!

“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.” ~ George Washington

The prayer of God’s people

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27 For You, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made a revelation to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You. 2 Samuel 7:27 (NASB) 

Is there a difference between how a genuine believer should pray and how most professing Christians actually pray? Our perception is that we pray as we feel or desire or as the result of viewing both our needs and other’s needs. What we often overlook is that God is heavily involved in all aspects of our sanctification and that includes leading us in prayer. God loves those who are His and blessing them is part of His expression of that love. View article →

TULIP and Reformed Theology: Perseverance of the Saints

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Writing to the Philippians, Paul says, “He who has begun a good work in you will perfect it to the end” (Phil. 1:6). Therein is the promise of God that what He starts in our souls, He intends to finish. So the old axiom in Reformed theology about the perseverance of the saints is this: If you have it—that is, if you have genuine faith and are in a state of saving grace—you will never lose it. If you lose it, you never had it.

We know that many people make professions of faith, then turn away and repudiate or recant those professions. The Apostle John notes that there were those who left the company of the disciples, and he says of them, “Those who went out from us were never really with us” (1 John 2:19). Of course, they were with the disciples in terms of outward appearances before they departed. They had made an outward profession of faith, and Jesus makes it clear that it is possible for a person to do this even when he doesn’t possess what he’s professing. Jesus says, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Matt. 15:8). Jesus even warns at the end of the Sermon on the Mount that at the last day, many will come to Him, saying: “Lord, Lord, didn’t we do this in your name? Didn’t we do that in your name?” He will send them away, saying: “Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23). He will not say: “I knew you for a season and then you went sour and betrayed Me. No, you never were part of My invisible church.” The whole purpose of God’s election is to bring His people safely to heaven; therefore, what He starts He promises to finish. He not only initiates the Christian life, but the Holy Spirit is with us as the sanctifier, the convictor, and the helper to ensure our preservation.  View article →

Patriots To Sponsor LGBT ‘Gay Bowl’

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According to Touchdown Wire:

The stick to sports crowd usually targets players or media personalities. Now they may have to say it to an entire organization. This weekend the Patriots announced they will sponsor the 2017 Gay Bowl, which is a national championship flag football built with teams from the LGBT community. This is a statement of inclusion by the Patriots, but won’t get to the level of other social stands such as Colin Kaepernick.

The NFL hasn’t been at the forefront of social causes like the NBA. The NFL said it didn’t support the bathroom law in North Carolina, but didn’t move its owners’ meetings there. They only threatened to move it. The NBA, in contrast, cancelled an All-Star Game there. NFL players have dealt with backlash over their protests bringing attention to issues of race. NBA players have worn “I Can’t Breate” shirts and have addressed race equality movements multiple times.

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Liberals Focus on ‘Islamophobia’ While Egyptian Orthodox Are Killed

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According to Edmund Kozak of LifeZette, 28 Egyptian Orthodox were murdered in Egypt’s Minya province in the latest string of attacks on Egypt’s Coptic community. “Earlier this month, a Christian man was shot to death by ISIS members in Arish, Egypt,” reports Kozak. “In April, more than 45 people were killed and over 130 injured when bombs exploded at two Coptic churches in Egypt. In December of last year, another church bombing killed nearly 30 people and injured nearly 50 others.” Now to Kozak’s story:

The latest assault came the very day following an appeal from the Knights of Columbus for donations to aid Iraq’s persecuted Christian community. Iraq’s Christian community has been devastated by ISIS. The country’s Christian population — which was estimated to number 1.5 million in 2003 — now stands at around 200,0000, according to the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil.

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The Christian Knows What Jesus Says On The Issue Of Homosexuality

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Apprising Ministries has a piece by Pastor Ken Silva that was penned in early 2013 where he handles the homosexual debate in a biblical and uncompromising manner. Ken offers encouragement and reminds us that “our job as ambassadors of God in Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:20) is to faithfully proclaim what the Lord has said in His inerrant and infallible Word in Scripture.” Now to his article:

Apprising Ministries continues to warn you that there’s a very dark and deviant same sex storm, which is reaching hurricane force and is now only just slightly off the coast of the mainstream evangelical community.

If you need any further convincing of the power of the pro-homosexual lobby consider the recently concluded presidential inauguration where a decades old sermon snippet from ostensibly evangelical Louie Giglio surfaced.

Though I’m no fan of Giglio, in that sermon he rightly called the deviant lifestyle of sexual relations with members of the same sex, i.e. homosexuality, sin. It’s always sexual union outside marriage, which is sexual immorality.

Immediately upon this sermon surfacing Giglio was no longer welcome to give the benediction for Obama’s inauguration. Sadly, Louie Giglio missed the opportunity to bring the hypocrisy of Barack Obama et al to light.

Pastor Giglio should have said: “Go ahead; do whatever you want to me publicly.” That would’ve brought liberals into the open and he could’ve then preached the real Gospel, which would’ve been headlines in the secular news.

Instead he chose to cower under the threat of enemy fire and acquiesce to them as I previously covered in Louie Giglio Is No Hero To Be Admired. The bottom line in this matter with Obama and Giglio is really pretty simple.

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Are Christian Ministries ‘Hate Groups’ for Believing the Bible?

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“Are groups who declare homosexual behavior and transgenderism sinful (based on the clear teaching of Scripture) “hate groups?” asks Ken Ham of Answers In Genesis. “Well, The Eliminate Hate Campaign (EHC), a new coalition in America made up of liberal, LGBTQ organizations, certainly thinks so. They’ve formed to “label socially conservative organizations that oppose transgender rights as hate groups” and “to draw attention to groups it sees as extreme and hateful against . . . LGBT people.”

So watch out, Christian, because you’re being targeted.  Here’s Ken’s piece:

“Hate Group”—An Arbitrary Designation

Of course, this immediately raises the question, “Who gets to decide what is extreme, hateful, or a hate group?” The EHC has arbitrarily made itself the authority by saying that anyone who doesn’t agree with them is a hate group.

This ignores the obvious fact that many liberals and liberal organizations frequently spew hateful, demeaning, profanity-laced language toward those who disagree with them. (Just view some of the comments on my Facebook and Twitter, and you’ll quickly see what I mean!) Why are they not considered hate groups? It’s arbitrary to designate groups that stand against sinful behavior as “hate groups,” and it’s based on nothing but the coalition’s own values and beliefs. Ultimately it’s a symptom of the spiritual battle raging around us, because those who are “dead in trespasses and sin” (Ephesians 2:1) do all they can to “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18).

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When Unbelief Is Right

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Dear friends, do not believe every spirit. (1 John 4:1a)

It is quite true that a mark of maturity is unbelief as well as belief. It is as important that you do not believe certain things as it is that you do believe others. John indicates that this is a widespread problem. Many false prophets, he says, have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1a). In Matthew’s gospel, the Lord Jesus warned of this: Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves (Matthew 7:15). Here we have underlined for us the fact that we live in a world of deceit, and we are greatly pressured to conform to these things.

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Democrats Hit Rock Bottom with Montana Loss

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LifeZette reports:

After losing their second straight congressional election in 2017 and failing to win a runoff in a third, Democrats appear to be in complete disarray.

Republican Greg Gianforte, a Bozeman, Montana, businessman who allegedly assaulted a reporter the night before the Thursday election, easily dispatched his Democratic candidate, Rob Quist.

The seat became open when Rep. Ryan Zinke left to become President Donald Trump’s secretary of the Interior Department. An open seat in Kansas also went to Republicans in a race the media were eager to say was close. So far, electoral fallout from Trump’s presidency has been non-existent.

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Fighting the Politicized, Evidence-Free ‘Collusion with Russia’ Narrative

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According to Andrew C. McCarthy of National Review, the ‘Russian collusion’ scandal is completely manufactured. No question that the Russians hoped to influence the election outcome but no one can say whether they actually did, including former CIA director John Brennan who recently answered a slew of questions before the House Intelligence Committee. The end result? “After all this time and effort, Democrats are unable to show that Trump and his minions did anything wrong,” says former assistant U.S. attorney McCarthy. In a column he penned, he makes the case that there is not a smidgen of evidence that Donald Trump colluded with the Russians.  There is collusion, though — between the liberal media and the Democrats. More from McCarthy:

If police believe bank robbers were hoping for inside help on a heist, they don’t hold a press conference to smear the bank manager with their suspicions about “collusion.” They go about the quiet police work of building a conspiracy case. Unless and until they find concrete evidence and are ready to file formal charges, they keep their big mouths shut. Those rudimentary rules of the road are worth remembering when we consider the transparently political testimony of former Obama-administration CIA director John Brennan before the House intelligence committee on Tuesday.

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Planned Parenthood executives joke about decapitating fetuses in new video

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Bradford Richardson of Washington Times has the story:

Photo credit: Godspeak Calvary Chapel

Planned Parenthood executives joked about decapitated fetuses, admitted to altering abortion procedures to preserve fetal organs and said clinics have a financial incentive to sell human tissue in a new undercover video released Thursday.

The three-minute video was recorded at an annual National Abortion Federation meeting by pro-life investigators with the Center for Medical Progress. The advocacy group said it’s just a preview of never-before-seen content that has been sealed for almost two years due to legal fights.

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God’s Plumbline

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7 Thus He showed me, and behold, the Lord was standing by a vertical wall with a plumb line in His hand. Amos 7:7 (NASB) 

In John Bunyan’s classic The Pilgrim’s Progress, the characters’ names usually define their character. For instance there is Ignorance. He refuses to believe Christian and Hopeful when they tell him that unless he goes through the narrow gate to begin his pilgrimage, he will not be allowed into the gate of the Celestial City. Then there is Talkative who equates making a fuss about one’s sin with actual repentance. Early in Christian’s pilgrimage, he comes across two other pilgrims named Formalist and Hypocrisy who come from a country called Vain-Glory. They tell Christian that the shortcut that they took to the path, bypassing the narrow gate, was necessary because it was too far to travel from Vain-Glory to it. All were revealed to be counterfeit Pilgrims and none of them made it into the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ save Christian, Hopeful and Faithful. View article →

How deep and wide does the NAR rabbit hole go?

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On Wednesday we posted a piece over at Berean Research entitled “Who Are Family Research Council’s Watchmen On the Wall?” where BR revealed who these so-called watchmen are and what the Watchman on the Wall gathering is all about.  They did some more digging into pro-family groups, starting with the Family Research Council and what they discovered about this organization will come as a surprise to many of you. Thanks to their digging, those who’ve helped keep FRC in business by supporting them financially will learn where their money has been spent:

How do you discover which networks of Apostles are working together to reclaim America and build God’s Kingdom here on earth? You click. Just keep clicking, and clicking, and clicking some more, until things click. It takes time to research, and if you’re looking for an easy, bullet-point list of what I’m sharing in this report, you should put this aside for when you have time to investigate.

This morning I reported on the Family Research Council’s Watchman On the Wall meeting in Washington D.C., which continued today and features several NAR speakers who teach a different gospel.

After doing a little more digging on this Watchman organization, I found a disturbingly large network of ecumenical groups working together in what the New Apostolic Reformation calls the “Cultural Sphere of influence” in its 7 Mountain Mandate. (If you can take dominion of these seven spheres, you can activate Jesus’ return, as the modern Apostles teach.)

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Salman Abedi: How Manchester attacker turned from cannabis-smoking dropout to Isis suicide bomber

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In this piece over at The Independent, Lizzie Deardon reveals how a young man’s transformation to a murdering thug echoes those of Islamist terrorists across Europe. She writes:

Salman Abedi’s journey from cannabis-smoking university dropout to Isis suicide bomber is being gradually pieced together by investigators as Manchester reels from the worst terror attack to hit the UK in over a decade.

The 22-year-old was remembered as a “fun guy” who drank, took drugs and possibly had links with local gangs before appearing increasingly religious as his radicalisation deepened.

The same transformation has been documented in many of Europe’s deadliest terrorists, including petty criminals and drug dealers in the Isis “super cell” behind the Paris and Brussels attacks.

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Feeding Sheep Or Amusing Goats

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We discovered the following essay by Archibald Brown, who was a student and contemporary of Charles Spurgeon, in Apprising Ministries‘ archives. Brown expressed his view of entertainment in the Church and his words still ring true today:

Photo credit: Ken Silva

An evil is in the professed camp of the Lord, so gross in its impudence, that the most short-sighted can hardly fail to notice it. During the past few years it has developed at an abnormal rate, even for evil.

It has worked like leaven until the whole lump ferments. The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the Church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them.

From speaking out as the Puritans did, the Church has gradually toned down her testimony, then winked at and excused the frivolities of the day. Then she tolerated them in her borders. Now she has adopted them under the plea of reaching the masses.

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My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness

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31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace. Hebrews 11:31 (NASB) 

5 Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. 6 Jesse was the father of David the king. David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah. Matthew 1:5-6 (NASB) 

24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. James 2:24-26 (NASB) 

How would you like it if your name was forever associated with the profession of prostitution? Rahab lived on the wall in the city of Jericho. When the two spies sent by Joshua entered the city, they stayed at her house. When the city officials knew of their presence, Rahab hid them then helped them escape. In return the spies promised to save her and her family when Jericho was attacked by the Israelites. Later, she was wed to Salmon of the tribe of Judah. Their son Boaz was the kinsman redeemer who married Ruth. Their son Obed became the father of Jesse who became the father of David the King.

This put Rahab in the genealogical line of Jesus Christ. However, she is still called Rahab the Harlot or Rahab the prostitute in scripture. Why? Rahab is a trophy of God’s grace. She is an example to us all that the good we do that is eternal is always by and through God’s grace. When we are weak, yet obedient, God is strong through us. That is why James can say that good works will always accompany genuine saving faith. As regenerate believers, we must learn this. Any works we do in our own abilities are not eternal. All of the work God does through us is eternal. View article →

Who are Family Research Council’s ‘Watchmen on the Wall’?

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Berean Research tells us who these people are and exposes their agenda:

Wouldn’t it be great if men and women who are dead in their sins would just stop being wicked and start respecting  professing Christians? At first blush, the idea of transforming America’s ever-sickening, vile culture sounds like a great plan. And giving pastors a support network of Watchmen on the Wall to help them fight the culture wars would be a really good thing, right?

In Washington D.C. on Capitol Hill, The Family Research Council is hosting a Watchman on the Wall National Briefing for pastors to transform America. FRC President Tony Perkins says this is not a political event, but a spiritual one. He’s invited dozens of guest speakers, including Harbinger and Shemitah author Jonathan Cahn, Bishop Larry Jackson (part of Apostle Rick Joyner’s MorningStar TV Network), Word of Faith prosperity preacher Jentezen Franklin, David Barton, Circle Maker author and pastor Mark Batterson, and radio host Dr. Michael Brown.  Click on the image for the full list of speakers:

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Don’t Judge Me!

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According to David Hutchison, Christians must identify certain behaviors as sinful and we must judge in at least three other senses which includes evaluating the teachings of those who claim to speak in the name of the Lord. He reminds us that “There are contexts in which Christians must judge, but we must judge justly.” Now to his piece over at Theology Matters:

Standing for biblical truth elicits many negative responses from those outside the church as well as from some within. This is not surprising since Jesus told His disciples that they would be hated on account of Him (John 15:18-19, 1 John 3:13). While we may simply shrug this off as part of the reality of life, what is more challenging to navigate is the suggestion that by using the word “sin” for certain activities, we violate Jesus’ command not to judge. In popular sentiment, “do not judge” means that one cannot say any behavior is wrong. This understanding is pervasive, but it is severely flawed.[1]

There are pitfalls of judging that we must avoid, but doing so does not mean we cannot call sin what God has called sin. In fact, if we refuse to do so, we act as God’s judge, claiming that our perspective on the situation trumps His own. Similar to the rejection of God’s testimony in 1 John 1:10 and 5:10, this is tantamount to calling God a liar. We must call sin, sin, but we must also remember that God knows all of the details of the situation. We never will, and we often lack key information. As John 7:24 notes, we must not judge by mere appearances but must make a just judgment. If we wish to do so, we are wise to listen well and listen long, remembering the folly of giving an answer too quickly (Proverbs 18:13).

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‘We Can Use Peace’: Trump and Pope Francis Meet

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News Max reports:

Photo credit CNBC.com

President Donald Trump and Pope Francis, two leaders with contrasting styles and differing worldviews, met at the Vatican on Wednesday, setting aside their previous clashes to broadcast a tone of peace for an audience around the globe.

Trump, midway through a grueling nine-day, maiden international journey, called upon the pontiff in a private, 30-minute meeting laden with religious symbolism and ancient protocol. The president, accompanied by his wife and several aides, arrived at the Vatican just after 8 a.m. local time. The president greeted Francis in Sala del Tronetto, the room of the little throne, on the second floor of Apostolic Palace.

Upon completing their meeting, the pope gave the president a medal featuring an olive branch, a symbol of peace, among other gifts.

“We can use peace,” the president responded.

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God’s truth is absolute truth

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5 They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 1 John 4:5-6 (NASB) 

Several years ago when I still worked in an office I had a fellow with whom I worked, when he found out that I was a Christian, demand that I listen to his “reasoning” why “everything is relative.” I told him I would listen to him if he could refute the following statement, “Aren’t you making an ‘absolute statement’ when you say, ‘there are no absolutes’?” He chuckled nervously and left my cubicle. I still pray that God will save him. My brethren, the scourge of relativism is a blight within the visible Church. It causes people to flee from the absolute. When truth is seen as relative then in what or whom can anyone have faith and trust? Do we read the words of our Lord in Sacred Scripture ever saying, “Well, it depends?” View article →