Deception

"My heart is crying this morning. The greatest sign that these are the last days is not the cataclysmic events we see around us, but according to Jesus, Paul and Peter, is DECEPTION. Jesus warned of it in his message to the disciples (Mt. 24) 4 times more than any other issue. And I am appalled that Christians in America cannot see the DECEPTION of the rhetoric in the Presidential candidates on BOTH sides. It is troubling for Christians to cry about the duty to vote, yet spend NO real time in genuine intercession for our country, pouring their hearts out to God that HE would send His Spirit in a mighty wind of Repentance and revival. That is the only thing that can turn our country around. IF it is "too late" it is not because of electing the right political leader, but because the Church in America is not on its knees. That shows just how deceived we really are. God is not going to bring revival through a political figure who rejects the gospel and worships a god that is Antichrist. He works through His people who will carry His burden and weep before HIM for our lost and dying condition." Frank Ides Van Dyck

"No ma’am, I won’t ever!”

I saw him in the church building for the first time last Wednesday evening. He was in his mid 70s with silver hair and a neat brown suit. Many times in the past I had invited him to come. Several friends had talked to him about the Lord and had tried to share the Good News of Christ with him. He was a well-respected, honest man with so many characteristics a Christian should have, but he had never put on Christ in baptism. A few years ago, I asked him, after finishing a pleasant day of visiting and talking, “Have you ever been to a church service in your life?” He hesitated, then with a bitter smile he told me of a childhood experience some sixty years ago.

He was one of many children in a large impoverished family. His parents had struggled to provide food, with little left for housing and clothing. When he was about ten, some neighbors invited him to worship with them. The Bible class had been very exciting. He had never heard such songs and stories before. He had never heard anyone read from the Bible before. After class was over, the teacher took him aside and said, “Son, please don’t come again dressed as you are now. We want to look our best when we come worship the Lord.” He stood in his ragged, unpatched overalls, looked at his bare, dirty feet and said, “No ma’am, I won’t ever!” And he never did.

There must have been other factors to have hardened him so, but this one experience formed a significant part of the bitterness in his heart. I’m sure the Bible teacher meant well, but what if she had studied and accepted the teachings found in the second chapter of James? What if she had put her arms around that dirty, ragged little boy and said, “Son, I’m so glad you are here, and I hope you will come every chance you get to hear more about Jesus!” What a difference that statement would have made in this little boy’s life!

I pray that I might ever be open to the tenderness of a child’s heart, and that I might never fail to see beyond the appearance and behavior of a child to the eternal possibilities within. Yes, I saw him in the church house for the first time last Wednesday evening. As I looked at that immaculately dressed old gentleman lying in his casket, I thought of the little boy of long ago. I could almost hear him saying, "No ma’am, I won’t ever!” …. and I wept.

How To Change the World

Edward Kimball was concerned about one of his young Sunday school students who worked at a shoe store in town. One day Kimball visited him at the store, found the student working in the back stocking shelves, and led him to Christ then and there. Dwight L. Moody eventually left the shoe store to become one of the greatest preachers and evangelists of all time.

Moody, whose international speaking took him to the British Isles, preached in a little chapel pastored by a young man with the imposing name of Frederic Brotherton Meyer. In his sermon Moody told an emotionally charged story about a Sunday school teacher who personally went to every student in his class and let each of them to Christ.

That message changed Pastor Meyer’s ministry, inspiring him to become an evangelist like Moody. Over the years Meyer came to America. While speaking in Northfield, MA a young preacher heard Meyer say, “If you are not willing to give up everything for Christ, are you willing to be made willing?” That remark led J. Wilbur Chapman to respond to the call of God on his life.

Chapman went on to become one of the most effective evangelists of his time. A volunteer by the name of Billy Sunday helped set up his crusades and learned how to preach by watching Chapman. Billy Sunday eventually took over Chapman’s ministry becoming one of the most dynamic evangelists of this century. Billy Sunday’s preaching brought thousands to Christ.

Inspired by a 1924 Billy Sunday crusade in Charlotte, NC a group of Christians dedicated themselves to reaching their city for Christ. The group invited the evangelist Mordecai Ham to come and hold a series of evangelistic meetings in 1932. A lanky 16 year old sat in the huge crowd one evening, spellbound by the message the white-haired preacher gave. Each evening the preacher seemed to be shouting and waving his finger at the young man. Night after night the teen came and finally went forward to give his life to Christ.

That teenager was Billy Graham. Billy Graham has communicated the gospel to more people than any other person in history. And it all started with a Sunday school teacher named Kimball. Millions have been affected by his decision to go into a shoe store and share Christ with one person. Millions more will continue to feel his impact.

Can something like this happen today? Of course! God wants to use you to change the world. Make an eternal difference by sharing the gospel with those around you and by supporting others who do God’s work around the world.

By Their Fruit You Will Know Them...

David Barton of Wallbuilders has come out with a list explaining why Barack Obama is the most biblically hostile President of all time. While most of these stories have been seen before, seeing them all laid out in one list is pretty astonishing. Many of these actions are literally unprecedented. This is the first time they have happened in four centuries of American history. The hostility of President Obama toward Biblical faith and values is without equal from any previous American president. Take a few minutes and read through this list! Remember, "Matt. 7:20 - Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."

1. Acts of Hostility Toward People Of Biblical Faith:

a.April 2008 Obama speaks disrespectfully of Christians, saying they “cling to guns or religion” and have an“antipathy to people who aren’t like them.”

b. February 2009 Obama announces plans to revoke conscience protection for health workers who refuse to participate in medical activities that go against their beliefs, and fully implements the plan in February 2011.

c. April 2009 When speaking at Georgetown University , Obama orders that a monogram symbolizing Jesus’s name be covered when he is making his speech.

d. May 2009 Obama declines to host services for the National Prayer Day (a day established by federal law) at the White House.

e. April 2009 In a deliberate act of disrespect, Obama nominated three pro-abortion ambassadors to the Vatican ; of course, the pro-life Vatican rejected all three.

f. October 19, 2010 Obama begins deliberately omitting the phrase about “the Creator” when quoting the Declaration of Independence, an omission he has made on no less than seven occasions.

g. November 2010 Obama misquotes the National Motto, saying it is “E pluribus Unum” rather than “In God We Trust” as established by federal law.

h. January 2011 After a federal law was passed to transfer a WWI Memorial in the Mojave Desert to private ownership, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that the cross in the memorial could continue to stand, but the Obama administration refused to allow the land to be transferred as required by law, and refused to allow the cross to be re-erected as ordered by the Court.

i. February 2011 Although he filled posts in the State Department, for more than two years Obama did not fill the post of religious freedom ambassador, an official that works against religious persecution across the world; he filled it only after heavy pressure from the public and from Congress.

j. April 2011 For the first time in American history, Obama urges passage of a non-discrimination law that does not contain hiring protections for religious groups, forcing religious organizations to hire according to federal mandates without regard to the dictates of their own faith, thus eliminating conscience protection in hiring.

k. August 2011 The Obama administration releases its new health care rules that override religious conscience protections for medical workers in the areas of abortion and contraception.

l. November 2011 Obama opposes inclusion of President Franklin Roosevelt’s famous D-Day Prayer in the WWII Memorial. m. November 2011 Unlike previous presidents, Obama studiously avoids any religious references in his Thanksgiving speech. n. December 2011 The Obama administration denigrates other countries religious beliefs as an obstacle to radical homosexual rights.

o. January 2012 The Obama administration argues that the First Amendment provides no protection for churches and synagogues in hiring their pastors and rabbis.

p. February 2012 The Obama administration forgives student loans in exchange for public service, but announces it will no longer forgive student loans if the public service is related to religion.

2. Acts of Hostility From The Obama-Led Military Toward People Of Biblical Faith:

a. June 2011 The Department of Veterans Affairs forbids references to God and Jesus during burial ceremonies at Houston National Cemetery .

b. August 2011 The Air Force stops teaching the Just War theory to officers in California because the course is taught by chaplains and is based on a philosophy introduced by St. Augustine in the third century AD, a theory long taught by civilized nations across the world.

c. September 2011 Air Force Chief of Staff prohibits commanders from notifying airmen of programs and services available to them from chaplains.

d. September 2011 The Army issues guidelines for Walter Reed Medical Center stipulating that “No religious items (i.e. Bibles, reading materials and/or facts) are allowed to be given away or used during a visit.”

e. November 2011 The Air Force Academy rescinds support for Operation Christmas Child, a program to send holiday gifts to impoverished children across the world, because the program is run by a Christian charity.

f. November 2011 The Air Force Academy pays $80,000 to add a Stonehenge-like worship center for pagans, druids, witches and Wiccans.

g. February 2012 The U. S. Military Academy at West Point dis-invites three star Army general & decorated war hero Lieutenant General William G. (Jerry) Boykin (retired) from speaking at an event because he is an outspoken Christian.

h. February 2012 The Air Force removes God from the patch of Rapid Capabilities Office (the word on the patch was in Latin: Dei).

i. February 2012 The Army orders Catholic chaplains not to read a letter to parishioners that their archbishop asked them to read.

3. Acts of Hostility Toward Biblical Values:

a. January 2009 Obama lifts restrictions on U.S. government funding for groups that provide abortion services or counseling abroad, forcing taxpayers to fund pro-abortion groups that either promote or perform abortions in other nations.

b. January 2009 President Obama’s nominee for deputy secretary of state asserts that American taxpayers are required to pay for abortions and that limits on abortion funding are unconstitutional.

c. March 2009 The Obama administration shut out pro-life groups from attending a White House-sponsored health care summit.

d. March 2009 Obama orders taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research.

e. March 2009 Obama gave $50 million for the UNFPA, the UN population agency that promotes abortion and works closely with Chinese population control officials who use forced abortions and involuntary sterilizations.

f. May 2009 The White House budget eliminates all funding for abstinence-only education and replaces it with “comprehensive” sexual education, repeatedly proven to increase teen pregnancies and abortions. He continues the deletion in subsequent budgets.

g. May 2009 Obama officials assemble a terrorism dictionary calling pro-life advocates violent and charging that they use racism in their “criminal” activities.

h. July 2009 The Obama administration illegally extends federal benefits to same-sex partners of Foreign Service and Executive Branch employees, in direct violation of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

i September 16, 2009 The Obama administration appoints as EEOC Commissioner Chai Feldblum, who asserts that society should “not tolerate” any “private beliefs, including religious beliefs, if they may negatively affect homosexual equality.”

j. July 2010 The Obama administration uses federal funds in violation of federal law to get Kenya to change its constitution to include abortion.

k. August 2010 The Obama administration cuts funding for 176 abstinence education programs.

l. September 2010 The Obama administration tells researchers to ignore a judge’s decision striking down federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.

m. February 2011 Obama directs the Justice Department to stop defending the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

n. March 2011 The Obama administration refuses to investigate videos showing Planned Parenthood helping alleged sex traffickers get abortions for victimized underage girls.

o. July 2011 Obama allows homosexuals to serve openly in the military, reversing a policy originally instituted by George Washington in March 1778.

p. September 2011 The Pentagon directs that military chaplains may perform same-sex marriages at military facilities in violation of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

q. October 2011 The Obama administration eliminates federal grants to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for their extensive programs that aid victims of human trafficking because the Catholic Church is anti-abortion.

4. Acts Of Preferentialism For Islam:

a. May 2009 While Obama does not host any National Day of Prayer event at the White House, he does host White House Iftar dinners in honor of Ramadan.

b. April 2010 Christian leader Franklin Graham is dis-invited from the Pentagon’s National Day of Prayer Event because of complaints from the Muslim community.

c. April 2010 The Obama administration requires rewriting of government documents and a change in administration vocabulary to remove terms that are deemed offensive to Muslims, including “jihad, jihadists, terrorists, radical Islamic”.

d. August 2010 Obama speaks with great praise of Islam and condescendingly of Christianity.

e. August 2010 Obama went to great lengths to speak out on multiple occasions on behalf of building an Islamic mosque at Ground Zero, while at the same time he was silent about a Christian church being denied permission to rebuild at that location.

f. 2010 While every White House traditionally issues hundreds of official proclamations and statements on numerous occasions, this White House avoids traditional Biblical holidays and events but regularly recognizes major Muslim holidays, as evidenced by its 2010 statements on Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fitr, Hajj, and Eid-ul-Adha.

g. October 2011 Obama’s Muslim advisers block Middle Eastern Christians access to the White House.

h. February 2012 The Obama administration makes effulgent apologies for Korans being burned by the U. S. military, but when Bibles were burned by the military, numerous reasons were offered why it was the right thing to do.

Porn's Effects

Read this: The Effects of Pornography

This is a helpful summary of the effects of pornography on the individuals and families. As I was reading through some of this today I realized how important it is to educate about this scourge. It is at epidemic proportions today. 

Here are some other resources. 

Seasons of Intercession

“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.” (1Th 5:1). God sets out His appointed times and special seasons according to His divine purposes. “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecc 3:1). Adam Clarke says: “God by his providence governs the world, and has determined particular things and operations to particular times. In those times such things may be done with propriety and success; but if we neglect the appointed seasons, we sin against this providence, and become the authors of our own distresses.”

“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Est 4:14.) It is time for us to make bold requests (Mark 10:51) as we recognize the season and realize our place in it (in our family, church, business, community, nation).

Five Reasons Christians Should Oppose Gay Marriage

Read this: Five Reasons Christians Should Oppose Gay Marriage

Here are five reasons Christians should continue to publicly and winsomely oppose bestowing the term and institution of marriage upon same-sex couples:

1. Every time the issue of gay marriage has been put to a vote by the people, the people have voted to uphold traditional marriage. Even in California. In fact, the amendment passed in North Carolina on Tuesday by a wider margin (61-39) than a similar measure passed six years ago in Virginia (57-42). The amendment passed in North Carolina, a swing state Obama carried in 2008, by 22 percentage points. We should not think that gay marriage in all the land is a foregone conclusion. To date 30 states have constitutionally defined marriage as between a man and a woman.

2. The promotion and legal recognition of homosexual unions is not in the interest of the common good. That may sound benighted, if not bigoted. But we must say it in love: codifying the indistinguishability of gender will not make for the "peace of the city." It rubs against the grain of the universe, and when you rub against the grain of divine design you're bound to get splinters. Or worse. The society which says sex is up to your own definition and the family unit is utterly fungible is not a society that serves its children, its women, or its own long term well being.

3. Marriage is not simply the term we use to describe those relationships most precious to us. The word means something and has meant something throughout history. Marriage is more than a union of hearts and minds. It involves a union of bodies–and not bodies in any old way we please, as if giving your cousin a wet willy in the ear makes you married. Marriage, to quote one set of scholars, is a" comprehensive union of two sexually complementary persons who seal (consummate or complete) their relationship by the generative act-by the kind of activity that is by its nature fulfilled by the conception of a child. So marriage itself is oriented to and fulfilled by the bearing, rearing, and education of children." This conjugal view of marriage states in complex language what would have been a truism until a couple generations ago. Marriage is what children (can) come from. Where that element is not present (at the level of sheer design and function, even if not always in fulfillment), marriage is not a reality. We should not concede that "gay marriage" is really marriage. What's more, as Christians we understand that the great mystery of marriage can never be captured between a relationship of Christ and Christ or church and church.

4. Allowing for the legalization of gay marriage further normalizes what was until very recently, and still should be, considered deviant behavior. While it's true that politics is downstream from culture, it's also true that law is one of the tributaries contributing to culture. In our age of hyper-tolerance we try to avoid stigmas, but stigmas can be an expression of common grace. Who knows how many stupid sinful things I've been kept from doing because I knew my peers and my community would deem it shameful. Our cultural elites may never consider homosexuality shameful, but amendments that define marriage as one man and one woman serve a noble end by defining what is as what ought to be. We do not help each other in the fight for holiness when we allow for righteousness to look increasingly strange and sin to look increasingly normal.

5. We are naive if we think a laissez faire compromise would be enjoyed by all if only the conservative Christians would stop being so dogmatic. The next step after giving up the marriage fight is not a happy millennium of everyone everywhere doing marriage in his own way. The step after surrender is conquest. I'm not suggesting heterosexuals would no longer be able to get married. What I am suggesting is that the cultural pressure will not stop with allowing for some "marriages" to be homosexual. It will keep mounting until all accept and finally celebrate that homosexuality is one of Diversity's great gifts. The goal is not for different expressions of marriage, but for the elimination of definitions altogether. Capitulating on gay marriage may feel like giving up an inch in bad law to gain a mile in good will. But the reality will be far different. For as in all of the devil's bargains, the good will doesn't last nearly so long as the law.

Yes sir. We have our work cut out for us this coming election season Christians. Pray, speak out and vote!

Prosperity or Indulgence?

Read this article: TBN Fight Offers Glimpse

Christians please read this article carefully. You can spin this anyway you want but I say this is not what Jesus would do. I spend too much time w/missionaries and believers from other countries who could live a year on what they spend for their "meal expenses" in a month. Prosperity is one thing... indulgence and decadence is another. Send your money to the missionary who struggles to stay on the field preaching the Gospel to the lost or a ministry in a nation that persecutes them every step of the way. Please stop sending your money to people who have (and do not live in) several mansions and rent hotel rooms for dogs for months at a time... please!

He's Alive

How do I know that Christ has risen?
What proof have I to give?
He touched my life one blessed day,
And I began to live.

How do I know he left the tomb
That morning long ago?
I met Him just this morning,
And my heart is still aglow.

How do I know that Christ still lives,
Rich blessings to impart?
He walks with me along the way
And lives within my heart.

The Underemphasized Miracle in the Book of Acts

Prayer invites an anointing that demonstrates to a watching world that Jesus is not dead. Still, the underemphasized miracle in the Book of Acts is the transformation in the lives of the believers and the community that was cradled in love and defined by truth. That community—holy, humble, unified, full of the Spirit—was a miracle. We need a miracle that transforms the character of the contemporary church and makes us Christlike, loads our branches with love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). Doug Small

More Nehemiah Notes (Ch. 8)

Nehemiah knew that more than rebuilding the wall was required. Revival (recommitment to God’s Word and way) was essential to put the people back on track more than restoring civic life.

He knew there would be no true or lasting success if God wasn’t at the center of his life and everyone he led.

The people he led were in need of the Word desperately. For him, to bring the people to a point of hunger and passion for the Word was essential to their well-being. Just rebuilding the walls would have been a failure if the people had been allowed to continue in ignorance and neglect of the way of God. They would have had to rebuild them again eventually.

There is a time to confront institutional sins but then people have to move forward. Nehemiah was wise to arrest the mourning and point the people to a preferred future. This takes effective leadership. We learn from the past and take a path forward to fulfill God’s destiny for us. We should do this joyfully.

By enlisting Ezra to inspire and inform the people, Nehemiah reveals his leadership skills even more. A leader needs other leaders to come alongside. He made use of all the gifted people that God had provided. A visionary is necessary but he or she needs to understand that they are not alone and don’t have all the gifts.

Pack Your Bags

Read this: Pack Your Bags

"Over one hundred years ago the Holy Spirit called the IPHC into existence. Our mission is the Great Commission to send and go. Our heart is the Great Commandment to love everyone with the love of Christ. We have a Vision for 2020, and we invite you to be part of it!"

Amen!

Nehemiah Notes (Chapter 5)

If there is no opposition, then it is probably not of the Lord.

The devil has no new tricks. He just recycles with amazing success. Humans just keep believing his lies over and again.

Nehemiah was able to get everyone working. Even priests and nobles were working on the wall.

The biggest enemy may not be the one on the outside. It may be the one within.

Nehemiah lived out of Kingdom values as opposed to worldly or cultural values.

He was a servant-leader.

He understood the importance of relationships and resolved problems wisely and without delay.

Nehemiah Notes (Chapters 1 and 2)

We are currently studying Nehemiah on Wed. nights and these are some practical thoughts I am gleaning from it.

Nehemiah was an effective leader. He was able to lead God’s people in what seemed like an insurmountable task.

He was followed because he was:

• Dissatisfied with the status quo and moved them to also desire escaping it.
• Genuinely burdened for the plight of the people.
• Concerned about God’s glory.
• Manifested confidence in God’s power to make it happen through them.
• Presented a plan that provoked confidence in the people.

He was effective because he:

• Fasted and prayed.
• Believed in God’s power not his own.
• Was prayerful and thoughtful.
• Acted so as to meet the need.
• Carefully proceeded.
• Knew that people would respond to a cause.
• Evaluated the situation to be realistic about it.
• Clearly communicated his vision and plan.
• Knew he needed help from others and enlisted them.
• He was a visionary (saw the future from God’s perspective).

The Benefits of Belonging to God

Here is what I learned while reading God’s Word today. I read, once again, Ps. 103. I just can’t seem to read this particular Psalm enough. I find this entire section (103-105) rich in reasons to worship.

It’s almost as if we hear David talking to himself here. I have often said that unless you can talk to yourself, you may need help. Not the other way around. On one occasion after the Amalekites had raided their camp while he was away and taken the women and children captive, David had to encourage himself in the Lord. I picture him walking into a field and telling himself, “I can do this. God is for me. He has an answer for this.”

We probably all have times when we need to encourage ourselves. The husband is being a jerk... the kids aren‘t acting right... the boss is being mean... school is overwhelming... maybe you need to come away from everything and do what David did. Talk to yourself. We surely have people in our lives that will encourage us when they can but often they are not around or have there own problems. We must take the initiative and give ourselves a pep talk. I am not just talking about positive confession. I’m talking about reminding ourselves what God has done for us.

“Soul,” David says, “bless the Lord, everything that is in me you bless the Lord for all of the benefits He gives me.” He is reminding himself that he needs to be grateful for the profit there is in belonging to God. He reminds himself of how God has forgiven and healed him. How God has purchased him from the auction block of sin and delivered him from the penalty of sin. He reminds himself of how wonderful and satisfying it is to be a recipient of the love and mercy of God. I am sure his heart soared as he did so and his perspective brightened.

I am glad that God is so merciful and faithful in His love. I am in need of that particular attribute of God every day. I am so happy to know that He is “slow to anger” and removes my sins in His compassion for me because He knows my “frame.” I am nothing without Him and will amount to nothing without Him. With Him I am blessed and abounding in so much to be grateful for. I have a Heavenly Father who loves me faithfully, steadfastly and forever. He will never be guilty of turning His back on me or giving up on me.

This makes Him worthy of my praise and worship. I should sing and be joyous in my disposition because of the benefits of belonging to God by covenant. It doesn’t matter how tough life is at the moment or what others think of me… He is worthy of my being joy-filled because of His favor and blessing on my life. This is not to say there will not be times of challenges or struggles but in them I must remember to do what David did and that is to encourage myself by rehearsing all the benefits of being a child of God even with the troubles I may have to endure here. As I do so it makes me cheerful in spite of what I may be going through. It is an expression of my faith and God is really pleased with that.

I am a child of God, highly favored, blessed with benefits, redeemed from eternal punishment, satisfied with good things and strengthened with His help. He is patient, gentle, merciful, compassionate and faithful to me. I can’t imagine how there could be a better deal than this! Thank You Father!

Jesus Is The Answer

Read this: Artists Worry, Who's Next?

There is one reason why these "heroes" don't make it past 50. They need Jesus. With a sold-out life to Jesus most of them would still be alive and using the talent God gave them to bring glory to Him. None of us have a promise of tomorrow but a lot of God-fearing people are not dealing with the problems that addictions, lusts and a self-centered life bring as they wake up this morning. Jesus is the Way and the Truth and THE LIFE! Take Him as Savior and you will never regret it.

The Victorious Church 2

The Victorious Church is so because she knows who she is. She is joined to Christ and is “bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh.” There is oneness of Head and Body and she knows her task. She goes forth to invade the world of rebellion against God aware that the gates of hell (the network of princes and powers) cannot stop her. She has the keys of the Kingdom and uses them to release the captives of the rebels. She knows her power and goes forth wrapped in the mantle of Christ - the Anointed One - and continues the ministry of Christ to destroy the works of the devil.

Some Survived

Read: Why Some Pioneering Christian Media Ministries Survived

Great follow up to the previous article about those that sank. Great advice for any ministry.

The Victorious Church

The church Jesus is coming for is a "glorious" one without spot or wrinkle. The church will not be perfect and will suffer attacks of the enemy but will not be a downcast, defeated one cowering while they wait for Jesus to come back. If we are going forth to do His will (on the offense) there will be joy and power. The "hold the fort" mentality is an environment for "wilderness wandering." We were not saved to sit on a pew and treat the faith like a spectator sport we attend on Sundays. That mindset will lead to discouragement, boredom and worse for believers. We are the Victorious Church when we follow Jesus into the world to manifest the manifold wisdom of God to principalities and powers. Be the church (don't go to church).

Messianic Response to Long-Messer Fiasco

Read: Messianic Response to Eddie Long's Coronation

Good article. Lots of insight. Thanks brother.

And there is more to the story. Read this: Paula White Wrapped in Torah by Messer

Ah... it gets even clearer. Whenever a minister gets into trouble with questionable life choices lets get a "Rabbi" to do some mystical/Jewish/charismatical ceremony to affirm us.

More charismatic chaos.

A Pentecostal Paradox (Pt. 2)

You must read: A Pentecostal Paradox

"The diminishing of demonstrative spiritual gifts in public worship amidst North American Pentecostal churches is not indicative of what is happening in Pentecostal churches on other continents. According to Thomas Trask, former General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, "The Overseas Pentecostal Church looks at the Church in North America and asks: 'What's the matter with you? Why would you even [limit or] question the public operation of the Spirit and the Gifts? After all, these have served you so well over the years.'"

If you are Pentecostal/Charismatic/Full Gospel you must read this on the Pentecostal Movement in the US.

Grady Always Gets It

Read: Phoney Rabbis, Lost Discernment and the Eddie Long Disaster

"For some reason, many charismatics today are wowed if a Bible teacher pulls out a Jewish prayer shawl, wears a yarmulke, recites a Bible verse in Hebrew or claims to know the numerical value of an Old Testament word. He gets extra points if he understands biblical feasts (or can show you how to obtain financial blessings through a “Day of Atonement Offering”). I believe there is certainly value in understanding the Hebrew roots of Christianity. But if we aren’t careful this can also become idolatry—or an opportunity for charlatans who have lots of “Jewish” products to sell. Note: If someone’s teaching does not point his hearers 100 percent to Jesus, don’t buy it."

Yes, yes, amen and amen.

Thanks Lee. Keep telling the truth!

Is the Pioneering Age of Religious Media Over?

Read: Is the Pioneering Age of Religious Media Over?

Interesting article... and yes it has. It will be even more interesting to see what form Christian media takes in the future. I hope we have learned some lessons.

Pentecostals holding their tongues?

The Pentecostal Paradox: As the Global Chorus Grows, American Tongues Fall Silent

If you are a Pentecostal this is a great article and you must read it.

"Speaking in tongues has arguably been the most emphasized charismata of the modern Pentecostal movement. Although the leading Pentecostal denominations in the world all emphasize this gift, some do so more so than others. In fact, the largest Pentecostal organization in the world, the AG, considers tongues "the initial, physical evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit"—and refers to this as its "distinctive doctrine." It is considered the primary tangible evidence that a Christ-follower has experienced a "second work of grace," called the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, which believers are (according to doctrinal statements) supposed to "ardently expect" and "earnestly seek," Oddly, however, it seems that this hallmark phenomenon over the past decade has on many fronts been deemphasized, displaced and, in some cases, even placed on hold within churches that still consider themselves "Pentecostal."

Wow... someone is talking about this and I don't mean old timers. I can go to Pentecostal churches and to some Baptist churches and see no difference. The contemporary worship that used to define charismatic churches can be found in many mainline churches and that's good. I am all for good worship to be sure but when that  is all that now distinguishes us I am concerned. Do we still believe in Acts 2:4?

My denomination had an outpouring in a national youth meeting a couple of years ago and there were kids being baptized in the Holy Spirit by the score. There were manifestations (like tongues, tears and being slain in the Spirit) and a few leaders and churches were very critical. I know we have come a long way when it was "anything goes" and we have progressed in many ways from the old legalistic days but when tongues and the gifts are no longer part of the Pentecostal experience, even in the church setting, I wonder where this is going. Is it all about what someone might think? Is the influence of the church growth/seeker sensitive movement stifling Spirit-filled churches?

What do you think?

The Super Bowl as a "Barometer of our Culture."

Read this: Super Bowl TV: Good game, wretched ads, pathetic half-time show - Baltimore Sun.

"The ads are a barometer of our culture. And what they said to me is that we have become a truly dumbed-down, crass, trashy and even cruel society -- and somehow proud of it."

This guy is right on with his analysis. The half-time show consisted of a has-been pop star who used her body and sex to make what career she once had and a hip hopper who flipped us off. I say we just have a half-time show about the football game we are watching and if there are those who want to see an aging pop star shuffle around like a zombie while scantily clad dancers gyrate around her then do that show afterwards or something. I am now over half-time shows and will wander off to the kitchen or the backyard from henceforth until the game starts back.

Just saying.