In this time of growing spiritual darkness and so much bad news causing growing concerns about our future Apprising Ministries brings you an encouraging devotional from Charles Spurgeon.
Is T.D. Jakes’ Spiritual Daughter Paula White to leave Word Faith and drop title Pastor?!
Wretched: Steven Furtick sounding like Word Faith Preacher
What Does Six Creation Days Really Mean?
Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis addresses the rumor that noted Bible scholar R.C. Sproul has changed his mind about Genesis and now agrees with the stand taken by AiG. He writes:
Over the years, I have had many people tell me that they asked their pastor or other Christian leaders whether they believed in six literal days of creation. They would tell me the answer was often “yes” and therefore these leaders (apparently) agreed with Answers in Genesis. But sadly, these leaders may not agree with AiG’s stand on six literal days, young earth, no death and disease before sin, etc. How is that possible?
The Effect of the Prosperity Gospel on Pain
Mike Leake, associate pastor of First Baptist Church in Jasper, Indiana, is not convinced by the unbiblical Word-faith teaching that God wishes everyone to be healthy, happy and prosperous. He writes:
If you are not familiar with the prosperity “gospel” turn on your television and watch TBN for about 15 minutes. There you will be exposed to the damnable teaching that what the gospel is really about is securing our health, wealth, and happiness and our best life now.
A Short Synopsis On The Harbinger
Rob Bell Comes Out Gay Affirming
Not that it’s any great surprise; however, Apprising Ministries brings you exclusive video from Bell’s Livestream event the other night proving this beyond any reasonable doubt.
Why does this even matter you may wonder? Rob Bell represents the views of a large segment of younger evangelicals. This is a battle looming on the horizon of mainstream evangelicalism.
Only One Gospel, Part 12
6 I marvel that you are so quickly being turned from the one who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel; 7 which is not another; except there are some troubling you and are desiring to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel to you besides that which we preached to you, let him be a curse. Gal. 1:6–8, Possessing the Treasure New Testament v1
John Bunyan compared the life of faith to a pilgrimage in his masterpiece, Pilgrim’s Progress. On the other hand, the Apostle Paul often compares our life of faith with a race. In my younger days I was a long distance runner. I competed into my late 40’s in the Corporate Challenge and prior to that I was a member of the Oklahoma City Running Club and ran in who knows how many 5k, 10k, 5-mile and even 10-mile races in and around the OKC area. I knew all about what it took to be a good runner on race day. If I didn’t prepare right then I couldn’t race well. If I didn’t put in the miles in training to run in a 10 mile race then I certainly couldn’t run in that race on race day without problems. Our life of faith can be compared in many ways to a race. Paul used it figuratively that way in Galatians 2:2, Romans 9:16, and 1 Corinthians 9:24.
New Healthcare Regulation Requires Offering Free Sterilizations to Teens
Russell Moore on why so Many Men Are Hooked on Internet Porn and Video Games
Russell Moore, Dean of the School of Theology and Senior Vice-President for Academic Administration at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, believes we have become “a generation mired in fake love and fake war.” Moore addresses the root of the disturbing increase in addiction to pornography and video games in today’s electronic society:
If you’re addicted to sugar or tequila or heroin you want more and more of that substance. But porn and video games both are built on novelty, on the quest for newer and different experiences. That’s why you rarely find a man addicted to a single pornographic image. He’s entrapped in an ever-expanding kaleidoscope.
Mass Murder ‘Normal’ in a World That Rejects God
Is Liberal Christianity Worth Saving?
Ken Connor, chairman of the Center for a Just Society, tackles the question of whether or not a person can be liberal and a Christian at the same time. Ken sees liberal Christianity as a “social club” that undermines the truth that has motivated so much good work, and wonders if it even is worth saving.
Only One Gospel, Part 11
30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him. 31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:30–32, NASB
Those who like to portray our Lord Jesus Christ as just a bundle of love who would never do or say anything to any that could possible cause offense obviously have never studied what he actually said in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. In our Lord’s parable of the soils (Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15) he gives us a contrast between genuine believers and those who only appear to be and others who obviously are not. I posted on this several years ago here. The point is that just are there are very religious people who have done religious works and may even appear to be “christian” to some, our Lord says that the criterion to be one of his is not by one’s own choice, but by first being chosen by God, prepared by God, then having the Good News sown into the soil of the heart by him. As our Lord said in John 8:30-32 (above), those who are truly his are those who not only hear his Word, but continue in it. They are truly his disciples and they will know the truth and the truth will make them free.
Southern Baptist Jonathan Merritt Outed As Gay?
Apprising Ministries makes you aware of this developing story. Merritt is an up and coming voice, not only within the SBC but within evangelicalism as a whole.
The son of former SBC president James Merritt, Outreach magazine places him among “’30 Emerging Influencers’ reshaping Christian leadership.” In addition, Jonathan Merritt is on the advisory board for Religion News Service and the Southern Baptist Environment and Climate Initiative.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Let’s be praying those involved in homosexual sin will find repentance and forgiveness of their sin in Jesus’ Name.
Only One Gospel, Part 10
1 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, 5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen. 6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; 7 nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED.” 8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants. Rom. 9:1–8, NASB
I just spent the last several days traveling from Kansas City to the Washington D.C. area and back. While it was merciful to get away from this dreadful heat wave and drought that has persisted since May 29th, I looked very hard for God’s people in the D.C. area, in Baltimore and Annapolis. I saw lots of church buildings, but I’m not sure I came across a lot of Christians. We ate in a restaurant in Georgetown on Saturday night and there were three men and a woman at the table next to us in a very long and serious discussion. They looked very distinguished. In between the serving of the courses they went over a very formal document in which they attempted to define what the terms “Born-Again” and “Evangelical” meant and how it would be handled by whatever “organization” that document defined. My wife and I discussed it later and she succinctly stated that I could have settled all of their confusion very quickly with some direct preaching from the Word.
The Sovereignty of God in Aurora
Days after the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado, many continue to grapple with the heinous display of evil that was presented by now-identified shooter, James Holmes. Writing only hours after the event, Albert Mohler offered words that must stand as a critical reminder:
Christians know that God is sovereign, and that nothing is outside of his control. We also know that he allows evil to exist, and human beings to commit moral atrocities. We cannot allow the sovereignty of God to be denied and evil allowed its independent existence. Source
In the midst of this trial, then, Denny Burk shares a story that does exalt the perfect sovereignty of God.
Elephant Room’s prophet-führer Steven Furtick begins bromance with Word Faith heretic Rod Parsley?
The Serpent Seed & The Nephilim
Courtesy of Herescope, in carrying this article Apprising Ministries offers that it’s time now to more closely look at what guys like Chuck Missler and Tom Horn are teaching.
For example, Satan has the ability to have sexual relations with human beings, his demons did and produced hybrid human/demons called Nephilim.
Then after the Flood, demons again consorted with members of the tribe of Dan, mixing the “seed of the serpent” into the human genome once again.
Chris Rosebrough Short Circuits Jonathan Cahn and The Harbinger
Members of Military March in San Diego Gay Pride Parade
The Los Angeles Times shares a troubling report out of San Diego:
Led by a Marine sergeant wearing her dress blue uniform and bearing the American flag aloft, several hundred members of the military marched in the city’s LGBT Pride parade Saturday, marking the first time the Department of Defense has permitted personnel to wear their uniforms in a gay festival parade.