Some New Year's Resolutions

From Jonathan Edwards' 70 resolutions, the following would be a great way to begin 2009:

1. Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent,- what sin I have committed,-and wherein I have denied myself;-also at the end of every week, month and year. Dec. 22 and 26, 1722. (Resolution 37).
2. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be. (Resolution 56).
3.Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can. (Resolution 5).
4. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life. (Resolution 7).

Following these simple suggestions would bring in 2009 with a renewed quest for personal holiness. We need to be a holy people so that the world can see the true body of Christ. It is a time to cease having one foot in the world and one foot in the body of Christ. May 2009 be the year that we all become holy fanatics for Jesus Christ! May next year be blessed and prosperous for us that are disciples of Jesus Christ.

The Green Bible

Below is a clip promoting the Green Bible. This is an environmentally friendly Bible that encourages us to take care of the earth. While I recycle and believe that we should not intentionally harm our environment, this project seems to direct the focus of its followers away from evangelism toward environmental issues. The supporters of the work include a leader of the Emergent Church and others that candidly are not ones normally associated with reaching the lost. This project appears to me to be a distraction from the true purpose of the church. I would recommend one be very careful of getting trapped into this movement. It looks very "New Age" to me.

A Call For Christians To Abandon Public Schools

A new movement has begun entitled, "The Call to Dunkirk." The video below explains the connection to the WWII miracle rescue. In essence, Christians are being called to rescue our children from the godless heathen public school system. The government school denies God, teaches evolution and will attempt to destroy the faith values of your children. The church needs to fight for the youth. Do you think one hour on Sunday morning will counter thirty hours of humanistic instruction during the week. Look at the video and visit the site and get involved.

Living in the Shadow of Eternity

I preached a message today that included some resolutions from Jonathan Edwards. Edwards understood the connection between eternity and now. The following three resolutions would radically change the walk of most Christians and I encourage us all to live them:

1.Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can. (Resolution 5).
2.Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life. (Resolution 7).
3.Resolved, never to do any thing, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump. (Resolution 19).

How would it impact our lives if we lived every moment as if we would face Jesus Christ within 60 minutes? For most, personal holiness is not even a concern. However, it should be. Let us commit to live our lives in the shadow of eternity. We are to strive for holiness that we might see the Lord.

We Should Support Israel

The latest attacks on the Gaza Strip will bring a multitude of criticisms against Israel. Ask yourself, would America have stood by for years if civilians were being killed by rockets without doing anything? The Hamas have not cared about Israeli civilians in their rocket attacks, yet they cry foul now that some civilians have been hurt. Perhaps they should have thought about that before they launched their attacks. I say, support Israel in their protection of their people. We would do the same. Watch Washington to see their response. I pray it is a Godly one; if it isn't, prepare for a major crisis in our land.

Focus on the Family Removes Morman Interview

WorldNetDaily reports the following:

Focus on the Family, the evangelical organization founded by Dr. James Dobson, has removed from its website an interview with former CNN host Glenn Beck following complaints over the politically conservative TV personality's Mormon faith.

The original article about Beck's best-selling new book, "The Christmas Sweater," appeared on the ministry's CitizenLink website on Dec. 19, but three days later an article published on ChristianNewsWire criticized Focus for promoting a Mormon "as a Christian."

"While Glenn's social views are compatible with many Christian views, his beliefs in Mormonism are not," writes Steve McConkey of Underground Apologetics on ChristianNewsWire. "The CitizenLink story does not mention Beck's Mormon faith, however the story makes it look as if Beck is a Christian who believes in the essential doctrines of the faith."

The article has since been pulled from the CitizenLink website.

Joel Campbell of Mormon Times reports he called Focus for an explanation and was read the following prepared statement by a receptionist:

"You are correct to note that Mr. Beck is a member of the Mormon church, and that we did not make mention of this fact in our interview with him," the receptionist said. "We do recognize the deep theological difference between evangelical theology and Mormon theology, and it would have been prudent for us at least to have pointed out these differences. Because of the confusion, we have removed the interview from CitizenLink."

Focus on the Family did the right thing. I learned a long time ago that while you can't go back and correct some mistakes, you can do the right thing once the mistake is uncovered. Focus on the Family did the right thing and for that, they deserve our support. They made a mistake, admitted it and then corrected it to the best of their ability.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We will return after Christmas!

Another Example of Apostacy

It was reported by Christian News Wire:
Focus on the Family has a story on Glenn Beck, a Mormon, on their CitizenLink Website. Glenn Beck was a CNN host and will move to Fox News in January. Beck is currently promoting his book, "The Christmas Sweater." The CitizenLink story focuses on Beck's faith and why he wrote "The Christmas Sweater."

While Glenn's social views are compatible with many Christian views, his beliefs in Mormonism are not. Clearly, Mormonism is a cult. The CitizenLink story does not mention Beck's Mormon faith, however, the story makes it look as if Beck is a Christian who believes in the essential doctrines of the faith.

Through the years, Focus on the Family has done great things to help the family and has brought attention to the many social ills that are attacking the family.

However, to promote a Mormon as a Christian is not helpful to the cause of Jesus Christ. For Christians to influence society, Christians should be promoting the central issues of the faith properly without opening the door to false religions.

Some of the false doctrines of Mormonism include polytheism, an attack on the trinity, that Jesus was the spirit-brother of Lucifer, that God the Father is married to Mother God, temple baptisms for the dead, the Bible has missing parts and many errors.

Christians are to stand up against the social ills of society, however, we are to put Christ first and His essential biblical truths. Steve McConkey, Underground Apologetics, says, "If we claim to be Christians, we do not need to compromise our central doctrinal truths to win the culture war. Instead, we need to promote essential truths first and the battle to win the culture wars will flow from that. We should not cease to be ministries that promote Christian truth because God is bigger than all of us."


This is another example of apostacy; just listen to his "testimony."



Apostacy is all about us; we must stand for truth. Homosexuality is sin; abortion is sin; Mormonism is a false cult that will lead people to hell. Where are the prophets? Where are those willing to stand for truth? May we be faithful in the midst of error!

An Open Letter to Rick Warren

Joseph Farah, an American author, journalist, and editor-in-chief of WorldNetDaily has written the following letter to Rick Warren (and I have placed in bold certain portions that I feel should be emphasized):

"I'm writing to share my profound and abject revulsion at your agreement to offer the invocation at the inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama as president Jan. 20.

I understand you want this to be a time of "healing" for our nation. I understand you consider Obama to be your "friend." I understand your desire to bring "civility" to our society.

However, when we read the Bible, we see there are times for men of God to stand up to leaders, like Nathan did to King David, and confront them with the absolute truth of God's word and His laws. That's what all Christians should do when confronted with leaders embracing evil.

Evil?

That's a strong word.

But I use it advisedly.

Let's focus on just one of Obama's evil policies, though there are dozens more we should consider.

Barack Obama is opposed to any and all restrictions on the killing of unborn children and has pledged to work against the few that remain. In fact, as a state legislator in Illinois, he pushed a law that would require the killing of babies born alive after unsuccessful abortions. You know he will also open the floodgates to the use of U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund abortion overseas through groups like Planned Parenthood and agencies such as the United Nations Population Fund. You should note the U.N. supports forced abortions and sterilizations in China. He has even promised to sign into law the Freedom of Choice Act, which would make illegal even peaceful efforts to persuade mothers from aborting their babies. In essence, Obama holds and has pledged to enforce, a radical pro-abortion position that will curtail free speech, freedom of religion and ensure that many more innocent lives will be destroyed.

I call that evil.

I would hope you, a pastor of the gospel of Jesus Christ, would also call that evil.

I'm trying to imagine Jesus giving an invocation at the inauguration of such a man. I think you will agree, it's unimaginable.

So why are you ready, willing and eager to do this thing?

I ask you, as a brother in the Lord, to examine your heart, your mind and your soul as to your motivations for offering this prayer.

Yes, we are commanded to pray for our leaders. But there is no suggestion in the Bible that we are ever to be used as political pawns by praying at their events – especially when they are promoting the wholesale slaughter of innocent human beings.
I understand your yearning for civility.

I yearn for it, too.

But civility begins with the understanding that we are all made in the image of God. It begins with the rejection of the shedding of innocent blood. It begins with the church standing boldly upon its absolute convictions in the Word of God and in His laws.

I'm sure you would not want to invoke God's blessing on the inauguration of a figure like Adolf Hitler, whose rise to power brought the destruction of millions of lives.

So, in principle, you agree there is a time for believers to stand up to elected leaders and rebuke them – even publicly. Apparently, you don't believe that time is now – that the deaths of untold numbers of born and unborn babies is not justification enough for such a stance.

I disagree.

I want you to know that.

God will not bless the Obama administration's plans for murder, no matter what you say on Jan. 20. It's time for Rick Warren to decide whether he stands with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob or if he stands with the world and his "friend," Barack Hussein Obama."

I agree with most of what Mr. Farah states in his open letter; however, I must take issue with his calling Rick Warren a "brother in the Lord." No, I don't think Rick Warren is a brother in the Lord based on his theology of salvation (e.g. say this 9 word prayer to settle your eternal destiny as per The Purpose Driven Life), his failure to stand up for the unborn, and his continued compromising on a number of issues, e.g. the recent removal of his anti-gay stance on his church web site. Warren's position on what it takes to be born again is contrary to the Bible. Jesus said to deny yourself, pick up your cross, and to follow Him. Do you hear those words from Mr. Warren? Perhaps he has said them and I am mistaken. If so, I would be pleased to stand corrected. Has anyone heard Mr. Warren's plan of salvation to be anything other than a "say this prayer?" Please tell me if I am wrong. I welcome correction if it is justified. Until then, Mr. Farah, I believe you got it almost 100% correct. Next time, please don't call Warren a "brother in the Lord."

Don't Allow Sexual Sin To Waste Your Life

I saw this YouTube video by Dr. John Piper and felt that his message was true and compelling. There is a great chance that you know someone who is struggling with sexual sin. In the church, some statistics tell us that 50% of the men and 20% of the women struggle with pornography. Sexual sin is a major weapon in Satan's arsenal. Let us provide an answer for this temptation; Jesus Christ transforming lives is the real answer. Watch the video and pass it on (you can never tell who needs it).

Ted Haggard's Documentary

The Associated Press reported this week:

Disgraced evangelical leader Ted Haggard says in a new documentary that he still struggles with his sexuality yet is committed to his marriage for the sake of his children.

Haggard, 52, resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals and was fired as senior pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs in November 2006 after a former male prostitute went public with allegations that Haggard paid him for sex and used methamphetamine.

A father of five, Haggard had said he bought the drugs but never used them. He confessed to undisclosed "sexual immorality" and has said, "I really did sin."

The Gazette of Colorado Springs reported Thursday that in the documentary, Haggard talks about a lifelong battle with his sexuality — and that he never claimed to be heterosexual.

"The reason I kept my personal struggle a secret is because I feared that my friends would reject me, abandon me and kick me out, and the church would exile and excommunicate me. And that happened and more," he says.

"The Trials of Ted Haggard," directed by Alexandra Pelosi, daughter of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is set to air Jan. 29 on HBO. The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Haggard has agreed to promote the documentary.

Again, I am amazed; a major Christian minister has a sexual fall and then sells his story to HBO. Is this Biblical? Will this bring glory to God? I honestly don't know but given that the director is the daughter of Nancy Pelosi, I would suspect that it will be a film that promotes sympathy for Haggard's problem and will include a call for acceptance of homosexuality. I anticipate the suggestion that Haggard was made this way and look what the church is doing to someone and they can't help it.

What Haggard did was sin, plain and simple. If he is a real Christian, then the Holy Spirit will convict him of his sin and Haggard will repent. Let us pray for this man and most importantly his wife and children. As we approach 2009, let us commit to standing for Biblical truth no matter the cost and no matter how intolerant we appear. This is not about popularity, it is about God and His Laws. May Ted Haggard join us in this stand.

Obama To Increase Abortion Access In First 100 Days

According to Obama's "Advancing Reproductive Rights and Health in a New Administration" from his www.change.gov web site, he intends to improve access to abortion. You can verify the truth of this post by going to: http://change.gov/open_government/entry/advancing_reproductive_rights_and_health_in_a_new_administration/

Here is a portion of that document that sets forth objectives to accomplish within the first 100 days of his administration:

Improve Access to Abortion Care
Strike Budgetary Restrictions That Block Women’s Access to Abortion Care.Bans on public funding for abortion services have severely restricted access to safe women of color, and certain immigrant women. The President’s budget should strike language restricting abortion funding for (i) Medicaid-eligible women and Medicare beneficiaries (Hyde amendment);(ii) federal employees and their dependents(FEHB program); (iii) residents of the District of Columbia; (iv) Peace Corps volunteers;(v) Native-American women; and (vi)women in federal prisons. The budget submitted to Congress also should omit language known as the Federal Refusal Clause (Weldon amendment) and call on Congress to reject this language in its annual health spending bill. The Weldon amendment denies federal funding if an “agency, program, or government subjects any institutional or individual health care entity to discrimination on the basis that the health care entity does not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions.”

You see, the federal government is going to discriminate against those that do not provide abortion services. Further, Onenewsnow.com reports Obama's intent to help fund the increase in baby killing:
"Last week, the Obama-Biden Transition Project posted a report on its website that calls for dramatic policy reversals on abortion, including $1 billion in taxpayer money for international abortion groups like Planned Parenthood. The report, titled "Advancing Reproductive Rights and Health in a New Administration," also calls for a 133-percent increase in funding for the Title X program, which funds Planned Parenthood clinics across the country."

I have previously stated that those Christians that voted for Obama need to repent because of his desire to further abortion rights. I have had some become upset with me and some have left our fellowship as a result. Are you now beginning to see why the alarm was sounded? My intent has always been to provide truth even if people did not want to hear it. My greatest concern about Obama is becoming a reality. Those that voted for him earnestly need to cry out to God that He might grant them repentance.

Rick Warren To Give Invocation

CBN News reported yesterday:
"Pro-life pastor Rick Warren will give the invocation at President-Elect Barack Obama’s inauguration. It makes a whole lot of sense. Even though Warren and Obama disagree on the life issue, they do see eye to eye on many social justice issues. This move is also classic Obama because it is a signal to religious conservatives that he’s willing to bring in both sides to the faith discussion in this country. Obama has never shied away from that."

Are you going to fall for this obvious attempt to throw the pro-life camp a bone? Until Obama changes his abortion stance, no Christian should lend his or her support to him. I know this sounds harsh and separatist; however, the issue is the more than 3000 babies that will be aborted today. We must stand our ground on this issue. Abortion is no different in the final result than the Israelite's passing their children through the fire to sacrifice them to the false god Molech. Making a stand can cause a division, but when that division is based on holiness and righteousness, it must be made. For Rev. Warren, I no longer have any idea what he will do next. His "gospel" is dangerous and not based on discipleship as taught by Jesus Christ. Let us pray for him and the many that attend his church. For Mr. Obama, pro-lifers are not intersted in a discussion, we are interested in saving the children now!

Would Jesus Dance the New Year In?

What are you doing New Years Eve? Do you want to bring in the New Year with dancing, games, and fun? Now before you begin to judge, I am not talking about skipping church. No, New Life Fellowship in Elmhurst, New York, is offering a creative way for Christians to welcome the New Year. This is taken from their church web site:

"We're going back to the 70s as we celebrate the New Year together! There will be catered food, games for the entire family, and dancing. There will also be a Best of the 70's costume contest, dance lessons, watching the ball drop together, worship with Jusup and a short devotional led by Pete and much much more! We have invited professional dance instructors to teach us basic dance steps that are fun and easy for all ages. This is the perfect way to bring together the different generations of New Lifers, both young and old."

Doesn't that sound fun? Do you think Jesus would be there if He was still walking the earth? I don't know who I feel the most sorry for: the leadership of this church who think this is the way Christians should behave or the poor souls that are blindly following them. This is a time for Christians to be very concerned about the lost. Time is running short and we that are in the true church must pray and fast before it is too late. In studying church history, I do not see a time that the early church had such activities. They were a group of committed believers that followed the path Jesus walked. They denied themselves, picked up their crosses and followed Him to the best of their ability. I don't see that at a 1970's dancing party. God send conviction; God send revival (the real thing not a man made scheduled set of meetings with lukewarm pew warmers); God grant repentance to those that seek you.

Homosexuality Is Sin

Recently, I have posted a portion of the story about Richard Cizik who was a spokesman for the National Association of Evangelicals. He supported gay marriage and was forced to resign from the NAE. Onenewsnow reports the following regarding a homosexual group coming to Cizik's defense:

The nation's largest homosexual activist group is rushing to the defense of the ousted Washington lobbyist for the National Association of Evangelicals.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) says the National Association of Evangelicals "lost its credibility as a religious organization that professes to teach the gospel" when it "forced" Richard Cizik to resign his position as vice president for governmental affairs. Cizik angered many conservative evangelicals earlier this month when he told National Public Radio that he was "shifting" on the issue of same-sex "marriage" and now supports homosexual civil unions. (See earlier article)

In a statement, HRC says it is "encouraged by the growing number of religious leaders such as Rev. Richard Cizik who are looking with fresh eyes at scripture's requirement and wrestling with what justice for their lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender neighbors means."

Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, says when you are an evangelical leader and you are being praised by the Human Rights Campaign, "you know you're in trouble."

"When you've got HRC praising your theology from a gay perspective, that's a very bad sign. Obviously, Human Rights Campaign wants to redefine the Bible. They don't want homosexuality to be a sin anymore, and they're looking for anybody, especially well-known Christians, to start changing the biblical view of homosexuality," he contends. "That's what Cizik did. He was wrong to do it. He had no biblical basis for doing it."

LaBarbera adds that he is praying that Cizik repents and returns to a biblical view of homosexuality.

I say that the HRC is wrong; the NAE gained some credibility when Cizik was forced to resign. Homosexuality is a sin according to the Bible. If you don't believe that the Bible is God's Word to man then this argument means nothing to you. However, if you believe the Bible is true, then you must admit that homosexuality is an abomination before God. Those that supported candidates this past November that support gay rights, I leave to God who is far better able to deal with you than I. I believe the church must make a firm stand against all homosexual rights. This includes any right that is reserved to married couples. If the right sought to be obtained is granted only to married couples (one man one woman), then it should be exclusively for those married couples. This would exclude heterosexual couples living together as well as homosexual couples. This may seem harsh to those who do not believe the Bible is God's Word; however, to those of us who love God's Word, we know that He knows best and His judgment is perfect. He has forbade this activity and called it sin and so should we.

A War Against Christmas

There is a war against Christmas in this country. Now setting aside for a moment that we know Jesus Christ was most likely not born on December 25Th and that the holiday itself has pagan roots, the issue remains that since 1870, America has celebrated the day as a Christian holiday. That celebration has been under attack for years. Perhaps even the most liberal representatives in Congress are now beginning to understand the fight. The following report reveals a part of the price Nancy Pelosi paid in supporting a Christian ceremony:

(Washington, DC)—Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi recently confirmed to Capitol Hill missionary Rev. Rob Schenck of Faith and Action that the war against Christmas is real.

Schenck is a missionary to elected and appointed officials on Capitol Hill and was a VIP guest at the recent US Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony held on the Capitol's West Lawn, near the presidential inaugural platform that is under construction.

Following the ceremony that included traditional Christmas carols played by a US Air Force band, Rev. Schenck thanked Speaker Pelosi for keeping, as he said it, "Christ-mas" at the US Capitol, emphasizing "Christ." Speaker Pelosi politely acknowledged the remark, then pursued Rev. Schenck to tell him she had been "mugged" for doing so.

Rev. Schenck commented, "At first I didn't understand what Mrs. Pelosi was saying, so I simply nodded and thanked her again, but she repeated it emphatically. I realized the Speaker was saying she had paid a serious price politically for allowing the Christmas celebration to go on. She obviously took some political heat for it. For that, Nancy Pelosi deserves to be commended, and I made sure I did so."

Schenck also said, "The fact that Nancy Pelosi said she was assailed for allowing a Christmas observance at the US Capitol confirms the war against Christmas is not a figment of the so-called religious right's imagination. If one of the most liberal, arguably left-wing political leaders in our country, the woman third in succession to the presidency, is getting pummeled for lighting a Christmas tree and allowing Christmas carols on the lawn of the Capitol, that would qualify as a war against Christmas."

Although I am certainly not a fan of Nancy Pelosi and disagree with her on most every moral issue, I must admit that I am pleasantly surprised by her efforts on this one count. It might do us well to contact her and thank her for her stand. She can be reached at http://speaker.house.gov/contact/

Light in the Midst of Darkness

The following is a devotion that I will be sending out in a few days. It is designed to exhort you to stand firm for Biblical truth notwithstanding the push of the world to silence the church.

The old saying goes: "there is good news and bad news, which do you want first?" Let us start with the bad news. Our country is sinking further and further into gross immorality. Abortions still average over 3000 babies a day being murdered legally in this country. Homosexual activists have done a great job turning public opinion in their favor. One of their phrases that they shout at those that oppose them is, "shame on you!" As if we have something to be ashamed about in standing for traditional Biblical values. We are the ones made to feel guilty for depriving people of their right to marry even if they are of the same sex. Some homosexuals are becoming more militant in their stand while many just watch in silence or support them aggressively. Where is the good news? The good news is that as the darkness becomes darker, it is the opportunity for the true church to stand brighter as a light. The gross immorality provides the church to return to its first century position: a scandal. The first century church was a scandal. To be called a Christian was not a compliment and it is becoming that way again today.

Acts 4:13 tells us what the ruling officials thought about the early believers: "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." They thought that they were unlearned and ignorant. That is exactly what the world is returning to again. The darkness is becoming so dark that the world will think you an ignorant unlearned person if you hold fast to Biblical truths. The "purpose driven best life now" teachings are going to be overcome by the darkness. Only those that are willing to be part of the scandal of standing for truth will be the light.

Today as you see things beginning to get worse, instead of fretting over the changes, see them as an opportunity for you to be part of the bright light of Jesus Christ. As the world gets darker, the church will get brighter. This is not a time to assimilate into the world it is a time to separate from it. Be a light today and shine in the darkness.

May we stand firm and not compromise with the world and its influences.

There Is No 60 Day Trying of Jesus!

Rick Warren has found a new low for the gospel message. While appearing on the Hannity and Colmes show, the following interchange took place:

COLMES: All right. Let me ask you: you talk about, OK, so you think everybody needs a savior.
WARREN: I do.
COLMES: Well, what about those people who don't — you know, I happen to be Jewish. Not everybody — and Jesus, by the way, I have a lot in common with. Same religion.
WARREN: Absolutely.
COLMES: So not everybody necessarily goes that route.
WARREN: The thing is, Alan, I believe Jesus Christ came for everybody. I don't think he came for Christians. The Bible says take this good news to the whole world.
I don't care whether you're Baptist, Buddhist, Mormon, Methodist, Jewish, Muslim, or no religion at all. Jesus Christ still loves you. You still matter to God.
COLMES: True, and I think that's a wonderful message. But if you don't accept Jesus, if you're not something who goes that route religiously...
WARREN: Yes.
COLMES: ... can you find your way to heaven? Can you still be — go to the same place when it's all said and done?
WARREN: I'm not the authority on that, but I believe Jesus is. And everybody's betting their life on something. Jesus said, "I am the way." I'm betting that he's not a liar. I'm betting that he told the truth.
COLMES: What about — what does it say for all those people who do not accept Christ as their personal savior?
WARREN: I'm saying that this is the perfect time to open their life, to give it a chance. I'd say give him a 60-day trial.
COLMES: Like the Book of the Month Club.
WARREN: Give him a trial. See if he'll change your life. I dare you to try trusting Jesus for 60 days. Or your money guaranteed back.

Where do you find a 60 day trial in the Bible? Is not this bringing the heavenly birth to a new low? Rick Warren is leading people to hell and preaches "another gospel." I feel sorrow for those who sit under his ministry. The gospel message is to count the costs, forsake all, deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Jesus. It is not a 60 day trial! To those whom God has touched by His grace the true conditions of salvation are received without hesitation. To those without His grace, the way seems too hard and is resisted. It is time to send Mr. Warren packing. He is hurting, not helping the cause of Jesus Christ and the true gospel. He needs a public rebuke.

Maintaining Purity Among Believers

On December 3, 2008, I posted about another example of apostasy being Richard Cizik's support of a pro-abortion presidential candidate and gay rights. He was the spokesman for the National Association of Evangelicals. Many called for his removal or repentance. It was reported yesterday by The Institute for Religion and Democracy:

Washington, DC—The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) announced today that its longtime lobbyist and spokesman has resigned. Richard Cizik, Vice President of Government Affairs for the NAE, met with NAE President Leith Anderson and the two mutually concluded that his resignation was “a difficult but appropriate decision.”

The resignation follows Cizik’s recent controversial comments on National Public Radio, in which he said that he is “shifting” on the issue of marriage and now favors same-sex civil unions, if not same-sex marriage outright. For several years, Cizik has generated criticism for his activism on Global Warming.

Although it would have better if Mr. Cizik repented for his sin; however, at least this action removes the sin from the NAE. Pray for Mr. Cizik as he has become deceived by the wisdom of the world. He needs to repent and forgo the luster of the world's approval.

It is important in the corrupt days that we live in for the church and para church ministries to maintain not just doctrinal purity but also personal holiness. We must fight the tendency to be "tolerant" of sin. Cizik was embracing the sin of the homosexual and abortion rights advocates by his statements. Repentance or removal must be the order of the church today. It is far better to have a small band of holy believers fighting the good fight of faith than to have a mega church full of compromisers with sin, the world and the devil. It is our duty to preach truth and trust that God is Sovereign over the individuals and the circumstances. We must be faithful to the end and that we shall do with God's grip tightly on His people.

Newsweek's "Our Mutual Joy"

On December 6, 2008, Newsweek published an article by Lisa Miller entitled Our Mutual Joy. The article can be briefly summarized as follows:
1. The Bible does not specifically condemn homosexual relationships;
2. The Bible promotes genuine love among mankind;
3. Jesus doesn't want people to be lonely and sad;
4. The Bible codifies acceptance of all people; and
5. Only custom and tradition condemn homosexual relationships.

First, it would be a waste of time to dissect this article. It is not scholarly and it contains no Bible exegesis. Why should it? Ms. Miller has a B.A. in English from Oberlin College. I see nothing in her past that would remotely qualify her to write such an article as this. She would not even understand the right questions to ask. I wonder if Newsweek will have her write an article next week on her opinion of the cancer research in China. It is not that one needs to be an expert in the field under consideration, but to draw the conclusions she does, she needs some understanding of hermeneutics.

For example, she writes: "More basic than theology, though, is human need. We want, as Abraham did, to grow old surrounded by friends and family and to be buried at last peacefully among them. We want, as Jesus taught, to love one another for our own good—and, not to be too grandiose about it, for the good of the world. We want our children to grow up in stable homes. What happens in the bedroom, really, has nothing to do with any of this." Why would Ms. Miller think that human need is more basic than theology? Does she even know, beyond a simple definition, what theology is and how it is related to human need? Ms. Miller wants to exalt man and eliminate God. This is a consistent error of humanists and atheists. Regarding what happens in the bedroom, God has a lot to say about physical relations and Ms. Miller could find those verses if she found a Bible. It is ridiculous to think that would occurs in private could not affect others.

From what part of the Bible does she use to support her statement that: "In the Christian story, the message of acceptance for all is codified." First, it is not the Christian story. Second, how could she possibly believe that the message of acceptance is codified for all? The Bible speaks of God electing His people to be saved from their sins. Jesus died for all those that are to be saved. To those that reject Him, they are not accepted and are in fact to be cast into a burning hell. Does that sound like acceptance to you? I must wonder whether Ms. Miller has ever read the Bible in its entirety.

Ms. Miller also writes: "Religious objections to gay marriage are rooted not in the Bible at all, then, but in custom and tradition...." What about Leviticus 18:22 "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination." (NKJV) Or did she consider Paul's writing in Romans:"Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due." (NKJV) There is a good reason that Scripture is avoided in this article; it is avoided because it is abundantly clear that homosexuality is specifically condemned in the Bible. Ms. Miller's article is insulting intellectually and only the most naive would fall for this pathetic attempt to manipulate the Bible for her own agenda. I think Ms. Miller should stick to grading papers which is a most noble of callings. She is perhaps qualified for that.

Straight Talk About Salvation

I saw this video on Puritan Fellowship. Its message is aimed at young people cleaning up their Facebook and MySpace pages. However, as I listened to it, I believe it has a far greater application. It really speaks to the lukewarm "Christian" in America that thinks he or she is saved because they have said a prayer, joined a church or did some good deeds. These young people have a Biblical message of salvation and I encourage you to listen to their words (and pass it on).


Does your MySpace and Facebook bring God Glory? from I'll Be Honest on Vimeo.

Internet Pornography Statistics

Pornography is the churches "dirty little secret." It destroys marriages, it abuses women and mocks God's plan for sexual union between a husband and a wife. It is a major tool of Satan worldwide. Please consider these statistics and don't forget they are not just numbers, they represent people.

Pornography Time Statistics
Every second - $3,075.64 is being spent on pornography
Every second - 28,258 Internet users are viewing pornography
Every second - 372 Internet users are typing adult search terms into search engines
Every 39 minutes: a new pornographic video is being created in the United States

Internet Pornography Statistics
Pornographic websites 4.2 million (12% of total websites)
Pornographic pages 420 million
Daily pornographic search engine requests 68 million (25% of total search engine requests)
Daily pornographic emails 2.5 billion (8% of total emails)
Internet users who view porn 42.7%
Received unwanted exposure to sexual material 34%
Average daily pornographic emails/user 4.5 per Internet user
Monthly Pornographic downloads (Peer-to-peer) 1.5 billion (35% of all downloads)
Websites offering illegal child pornography 100,000
Sexual solicitations of youth made in chat rooms 89%
Youths who received sexual solicitation 1 in 7 (down from 2003 stat of 1 in 3)
Worldwide visitors to pornographic web sites 72 million visitors to pornography: Monthly
Internet Pornography Sales $4.9 billion

Adult Internet Pornography Statistics
Men admitting to accessing pornography at work 20%
US adults who regularly visit Internet pornography websites 40 million
Promise Keeper men who viewed pornography in last week 53%
Christians who said pornography is a major problem in the home 47%
Adults admitting to Internet sexual addiction 10%
Breakdown of male/female visitors to pornography sites 72% male - 28% female

Women and Pornography
Women keeping their cyber activities secret 70%
Women struggling with pornography addiction 17%
Ratio of women to men favoring chat rooms 2X
Percentage of visitors to adult websites who are women 1 in 3 visitors
Women accessing adult websites each month 9.4 million
Women admitting to accessing pornography at work 13%
Women, far more than men, are likely to act out their behaviors in real life, such as having multiple partners, casual sex, or affairs.

These statistics can be verified at: http://internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com/internet-pornography-statistics.html#time

As you can see, every type of person can be affected by pornography. The answer is not in a weak Gospel presentation with counseling to help the addict; the answer is to preach a sin killing salvation that creates a new heart in the believer by the power of the Holy Spirit. Read the words of Ezekiel 36:25-27:
"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them."

Real salvation involves God putting a new heart and a new spirit into the believer. God causes His child to walk in His ways. There is no room for a lustful heart; God has created a new person and that new person does not include pornography. The answer to the porn problem in the church is to preach the Gospel that Jesus, Peter and Paul preached. May God help us to be faithful.

Drunken Glory Tour

I received an E-Mail solicitation today inviting me to a "drunken glory tour." No, this was not sent by a group of alcoholics; instead, it came from a group of "believers." Read the ad and compare it to the Bible:
"John Crowder and Benjamin Dunn travel the world on a continual Love Feast known as the Drunken Glory Tour. They boast in nothing but the finished works of Jesus Christ, and they bring an intoxicating message of glad tidings! Their ministry is marked by extreme supernatural manifestations, ecstatic celebration, miracles, signs and wonders. Join them at a venue near you to experience joy unspeakable and full of Glory!"

How does this compare to the Bible? Did Paul boast of "intoxicating messages?" Did Peter or Paul invite people to come to a party to get drunk? No; their message was repentance, turning from sin and following Jesus Christ. This ad is another example of the apostate American church. God have mercy; God send true revival.

SUVs On The Altar?

Another example of an American church that has lost its way can be seen in the Detroit church that placed SUVs on the altar this past Sunday. Reuters reports:
"With sport-utility vehicles at the altar and auto workers in the pews, one of Detroit's largest churches on Sunday offered up prayers for Congress to bail out the struggling auto industry....
At one point, Ellis summoned up hundreds of auto workers and retirees in the congregation to come forward toward the vehicles on the altar to be anointed with oil."

Now I would never be opposed to praying to God to meet our needs or standing on the promises of God's Word for those needs. However, to place cars on the altar, to anoint them with oil (which represents the Holy Spirit), and to pray for people to do something specifically not mandated by Scripture is on dangerous ground. The Bible tells us that we may anoint the sick and pray the prayer of faith and they will be healed. It tells us to look to God for our help and not Congress. The altar used to be a holy place where the gift that touched it was made holy; it is not a place to put a SUV and ask for money!

We must return to Biblical Christianity; and what took place in Detroit at this church falls short. We must look to a Sovereign God and trust in Him and not Congress. We, as a nation, are dangerously close to being destroyed. We are becoming socialists at a rapid pace. We must depend on God and not man to see us through. You are watching the largest house of cards ever to be built. That house of cards will not be able to resist the winds of judgment that are blowing. The only answer is a Biblical answer and that answer requires faith and repentance. I bet you didn't hear that with SUVs on the altar.

Take a look at what passes for church these days:

More Great Quotes

I like good quotes. Statements from Godly men and women over the years can help encourage us. As we approach the weekend, may these accomplish that purpose:

"Light means nothing to a blind man." - A.W. Tozer

"Some preachers ought to put more fire into their sermons or more
sermons into the fire." - Vance Havner

"The Bible definitely is infallible, how else could it survive so many
years of bad preaching?" - Leonard Ravenhill

"People who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste
our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending
their lives...and when the bubble has burst, they will have nothing
of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted."
- Nate Saint, missionary martyr

"If you want the Kingdom speeded, go out and speed it yourselves.
Only obedience rationalizes prayer. Only Missions can redeem
your intercessions from insincerity." - William Carey

"The invasion of the Church by the world is a menace to the
extension of Christ's Kingdom. In all ages conformity to the world
by Christians has resulted in lack of spiritual life and a consequent
lack of spiritual vision and enterprise. A secularized or self-
centered Church can never evangelize the world." - John R. Mott

"There is need of a great revival of spiritual life, of truly fervent
devotion to our Lord Jesus, of entire consecration to His service. It
is only in a church in which this spirit of revival has at least begun,
that there is any hope of radical change in the relation of the
majority of our Christian people to mission work." – Andrew Murray

"Whenever, in any century, whether in a single heart or in a
company of believers, there has been a fresh effusion of the Spirit,
there has followed inevitably a fresh endeavor in the work of
evangelizing the world." - A. J. Gordon

"If missions languish, it is because the whole life of godliness is
feeble. The command to go everywhere and preach to everybody is
not obeyed, until the will is lost by self-surrender in the will of God.
There is little right giving because there is little right living, and
because of the lack of sympathetic contact with God in holiness of
heart, there is a lack of effectual contact with him at the Throne of
Grace. Living, praying, giving and going will always be found
together, and a low standard in one means a general debility in the
whole spiritual being." – Arthur T. Pierson

"Depend upon it, if you are bent on prayer, the devil will not leave
you alone. He will molest you, tantalize you, block you, and will
surely find some hindrances, big or little or both. And we
sometimes fail because we are ignorant of his devices…I do not
think he minds our praying about things if we leave it at that. What
he minds, and opposes steadily, is the prayer that prays on until it
is prayed through, assured of the answer." - Mary Warburton Booth

"The neglected heart will soon be a heart overrun with worldly
thoughts; the neglected life will soon become a moral chaos; the
church that is not jealously protected by mighty intercession and
sacrificial labors will before long become the abode of every evil
bird and the hiding place for unsuspected corruption. The creeping
wilderness will soon take over that church that trusts in its own
strength and forgets to watch and pray." - A. W. Tozer

"We have not been men of prayer. The spirit of prayer has
slumbered among us. The closet has been too little frequented and
delighted in. We have allowed business, study or active labor to
interfere with our closet-hours. And the feverish atmosphere in
which both the church and the nation are enveloped has found its
way into our prayer closets…" - Andrew Bonar

Another Example of Apostasy

Yesterday, A Slice of Laodicea reported:
"Richard Cizik, VP for Governmental Affairs at the National Association of Evangelicals, appeared on the Fresh Air program on National Public Radio on Tuesday. When asked who he voted for in the election, Cizik announced he had voted for Barack Obama in the Virginia primary, and said that the vote should give some indication of how he voted in the general election. He went further and said that evangelicals could vote for a pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage politician even though they disagreed on those issues."

If the National Association of Evangelicals does not move to immediately confront Mr. Cizik concerning his indifference to the unborn, every true Christian should withdraw their support for the NAE. Write "Ichabod," which means "the glory is departed; the glory is not," across the NAE. If Cizik had lived at the time of birth of Jesus Christ, he may have supported another baby killer King Herod. The NAE's web site sets forth their values which include: "We stand committed to biblically defined family values, the sanctity of human life, and human rights." Well NAE, Mr. Czik does not support those values. Get rid of him as he is an affront to the cause of Jesus Christ.

We live in an age of great apostasy and Mr. Cizik's disregard for the sanctity of human life from a "Christian leader" is another example. We must remain true to traditional Biblical values. Many have fallen away as a result of the last Presidential election in their disregard of human life and the mockery of supporting gay rights. We must stand strong and not back down no matter the cost, no matter the lost friendships, or no matter the lost revenue. When one steps into eternity, none of those things will matter.

The Moral Decline of Our Youth

I was hoping some incensed liberal would have attacked me regarding my stance against homosexuals. Why? Because I find that it is getting easier and easier to prove the godless humanistic worldview of the day is a total failure. The best argument against liberal humanistic thought is the results that their philosophy produces. It was reported yesterday:

American teenagers lie, steal and cheat more at "alarming rates," a study of nearly 30,000 high school students concluded Monday.
The attitudes and conduct of some 29,760 high school students across the United States "doesn't bode well for the future when these youngsters become the next generation's politicians and parents, cops and corporate executives, and journalists and generals," the non-profit Josephson Institute said.

In its 2008 Report Card on the Ethics of American Youth, the Los Angeles-based organization said the teenagers' responses to questions about lying, stealing and cheating "reveals entrenched habits of dishonesty for the workforce of the future."

Boys were found to lie and steal more than girls.

Overall, 30 percent of students admitted to stealing from a store within the past year, a two percent rise from 2006. More than one third of boys (35 percent) said they had stolen goods, compared to 26 percent of girls.

An overwhelming majority, 83 percent, of public school and private religious school students admitted to lying to their parents about something significant, compared to 78 percent for those attending independent non-religious schools.

"Cheating in school continues to be rampant and it's getting worse," the study found. Amongst those surveyed, 64 percent said they had cheated on a test, compared to 60 percent in 2006. And 38 percent said they had done so two or more times.

Despite no significant gender differences on exam cheating, students from non-religious independent schools had the lowest cheating rate, 47 percent, compared to 63 percent of students attending religious schools.

Should any of this be a surprise? God is removed from the public schools and we get an increase in lying, stealing, and cheating. It is interesting to note that religious schools produce even worse results. How can this be? It happens because religion won't produce any better results than secular efforts. It is not religion that changes someone; regeneration changes someone. The devil is still your father until you have been made new by the Holy Spirit and God becomes your Father. Without God in our schools, expect this situation to grow worse and worse. To any liberal "freethinker," answer me one question: Has their been a moral decline in our youth since the 1960's when God was removed from public schools? Don't evade the question just because the answer proves to be the Achilles heel of your position.

Judgment on California

The following was reported today, just several hours ago:
Reporting from Sacramento -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered the new Legislature into work on its first day, declaring a fiscal emergency in response to the state's deteriorating finances.
"Without immediate action, our state is headed for a fiscal disaster where everyone will be hurt," Schwarzenegger said at a news conference this afternoon in his Los Angeles office. He urged Californians to press lawmakers to "get off their rigid ideologies."
The state projects a $28-billion deficit by mid-2010, but at the current rate is on track to run out of cash by February or March.

California has been a recent leader in the support of gay marriages. Gay marriages mock a holy God and will eventually bring His wrath of judgment. The people made their feelings known concerning Prop 8, but the leaders and judges want to overturn that vote. Those leaders are bringing judgment on the moral people that voted against gay marriage. California is leading the way for judgment. To all those that choose to mock God, beware because judgment is coming.