The Bible advocates and demands that we show love for the needy brethren.Right now, because of historical and economical factors that none of us can control, the needy brethren are in Asia. The wealthy brethren are in the United States, Canada, and a few other nations. The conclusion is obvious: These affluent believers must share with the poorer churches.
– K.P. Yohannan
I have no idea and was hoping that you could tell me!
River City Church on their “I’m new, what should I expect?” page boasts that they are “fun, exciting, powerful, and relevant.” But why the mushroom cloud?
Are they attempting to equate that they are somehow as powerful as a nuclear explosion? I don’t see the connection.
Perhaps what they’re trying to say is: Whenever a nuclear device detonates, it drastically changes the world around it for the worse. In the same way, when we (another seeker-friendly, market-driven, shallow church) come to your neighborhood we leave a lasting and devastating spiritual impact by creating countless false converts.
If that’s the similarity that this church is trying to convey, then I’d have to agree with them. The spiritual debris that churches like this leave in their wake is similar to the human debris a nuclear bomb leaves in its wake. Both a nuclear blast and a candy-coated “gospel” destroy the lives of anyone that is near them, and their effects can be measured far from where they originated.
Maybe that’s precisely the message that they’re trying get across. What do you think?
The Bible never says that God is “love, love love.” And it never says that God is “merciful, merciful, merciful.” But it does say God is “holy, holy, holy.” And the repetition is important, very important. You want to know what God is–who God is? God is holy. And if there was ever a message we needed to hear in America today, it’s that.
– Paul Washer
This is an unbelievable story out of Iowa of two young girls (eight-year-old Alysha, and ten-year-old Kendra) who were strangled and stabbed to death by their own stepfather (a self-professed pagan) in an occult ritual that went bad.
Read the articles on this sad story from the Sioux City Journal below:
January 8th article: Two dead in ritual killing
January 9th article: Stepfather practiced spells
January 9th article: Suspect kept to himself
And yet, you’ll still have some professing “Christians” claim that Harry Potter (steeped in pagan and occult practices) is somehow of value to Christianity and evangelism.
How many things are done continually, which men would never do if they thought they were seen! How many matters are transacted in the rooms of imagination, which would never bear the light of day! Yes, men entertain thoughts in private, and say words in private, and do acts in private, which they would be ashamed of and blush to have them exposed before the world. The sound of a footstep coming has stopped many a deed of wickedness. A knock at the door has caused many an evil to be hastily suspended, and hurriedly laid aside. But oh, what miserable folly is all this! There is an all-seeing Witness with us wherever we go. Lock the door, pull down the blind, turn out the light; it doesn’t matter, it makes no difference; God is everywhere, you cannot shut Him out, or prevent His seeing.
-J.C. Ryle
1816 – 1900
This week’s sermon is one that you simply must hear. Francis Chan delivers a very powerful sermon entitled Lukewarm & Lovin’ It that I’m sure left many in his congregation squirming in their seats. He starts off light-hearted but delivers a very convicting message. This is one of my favorite sermons.
Click on the link to listen streaming, or right click on the link and click “Save As” (Internet Explorer) or “Save Link As” (Mozilla) to save to your computer. From there you can burn this to a CD or upload it to your MP3 player.
Here’s more examples of how the prosperity “gospel” is an utter failure outside an affluent industrialized Western country during times of prosperity.
“When they can get rid of me, the devil will also go.” History of the Church, Volume 6, Page 409, 1844
I just finished reading John MacArthur’s book Ashamed of the Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World. I swallowed this up and enjoyed every minute of it.
In this book (written in the early 1990s) MacArthur parallels the compromise in the Church that Charles Spurgeon dealt with in the 19th century with the compromise that we are dealing with in the Church today. MacArthur also deals heavily with the “end justifies the means” approach to evangelism that’s plaguing Christianity today.
The book is well written and an easy read. I highly recommend it to anyone who is concerned with the state of the Church today. I even recommend it more urgently to those who see no problems with the state of the Church today.
John MacArthur definitely hit a home run with this book. My only regret is that I didn’t read it sooner.
You can purchase this book at Family Faith Books.
It seems to me that persecution never hurts the Church and prosperity always does.
– Paul Washer
Here’s the full 16 minute Hinckley interview from 2002. Watch as Prophet/President Hinckley evades answers some tough questions like: 1) Dissidents; 2) Racism (“we’re developing them [blacks]”); 3) Being viewed by all other churches as a religious sect [cult]; 4) If they’d prefer to have better relations with the other, older churches (Joseph Smith must be rolling in the grave with Hinckley’s answer); and 5) The DNA problem.
Hinckley’s attempt at defending Mormonism on the DNA question is another classic lesson in evasiveness. He claims that it’s all speculation and it hasn’t been proven yet. Well Mr. Hinckley, that was over five years ago when you said that. The evidence is in and DNA has proven the Book of Mormon to be false! (To watch the video DNA vs the Book of Mormon, click here).
It’s entertaining to watch as Hinckley’s voice gets higher and cracks when he attempts to answer the tougher questions. If you want to get to the meat and potatoes of the Hinckley interview, skip ahead to 5:10.
What is the use of praying, “Lord keep me from temptation,” unless you are careful not to run into it and “keep me from evil,” unless you show a desire to keep out of its way?
-J.C. Ryle
1816 – 1900
I just posted about Pat Robertson’s false prophecies for 2007 and yet the blog Bag of Nothing is reporting on this post that he’s made more predictions for 2008. Can anyone stop this guy? Please?
A Bible study at Hooters? I will not even comment on this atrocity. Read more about it at the following sites (just to name a few):
Father, I want to know Thee, but my coward heart fears to give up its toys. I cannot part with them without inward bleeding, and I do not try to hide from Thee the terror of the parting. I come trembling, but I do come. Please root from my heart all those things which I have cherished so long and which have become a very part of my living self, so that Thou mayest enter and dwell there without a rival.
– A.W. Tozer
1897 – 1963
This week’s 42-minute sermon is from Pastor John Thompson and is entitled The Saddest Words Ever Spoken (I never knew you) from Matthew &;23.
Click on the link to listen streaming, or right click on the link and click “Save As” (Internet Explorer) or “Save Link As” (Mozilla) to save to your computer. From there you can burn this to a CD or upload it to your MP3 player.
I found a new internet search engine that you may be interested in. Good Search sends money to charities / ministries of your choice with each search you make. Gospel for Asia and Voice of the Martyrs are two ministries that they donate to (if you choose them). Check it out and make good use of your Good Search.
The false Christianity that’s so prevalent in the West has spread to the East like a cancer.
Endeavor, as much as you can, to keep clear of everything which may prove injurious to your soul. People may say you are too conscientious, too particular, and ask where is the great harm of such and such things? But don’t listen to them. It is dangerous to play tricks with sharp tools: it is far more dangerous to take liberties with your immortal soul.
-J.C. Ryle
1816 – 1900
According to the Mormon published Gospel Principles (1997 edition) on page 251:
There is seldom any excuse for abortion. The only exceptions are when—
1. Pregnancy has resulted from incest or rape;
2. The life or health of the woman is in jeopardy in the opinion of a competent medical authority; or
3. The fetus is known, by a competent medical authority, to have severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth.
It’s either a human and abortion is murder, or it’s not. Make a decision and stick with it.
This is just another example of Mormonism’s complete inability to remain firm on stances that become unpopular in society. This is yet another example that it’s not holding fast to what’s right that’s most important in Mormonism, but it’s widespread public acceptance that’s most important.
Even Mormonism’s most public figure right now can’t make up his mind on the abortion issue. Watch videos of Mitt Romney’s waffling on the issue by clicking here.
Christ Alone Wyoming 