The ultimate question is not who you are but whose you are. Of course, many people think they are nobody’s slave. They dream of total independence. Like a jellyfish carried by the tides feels free because it isn’t fastened down with the bondage of barnacles. . . . The Bible gives no reality to fallen humans who are ultimately self-determining. There is no autonomy in the fallen world. We are governed by sin or governed by God.
Paul Washer addresses the psychological manipulation involved in the “alter call.”
False theology makes God’s foreknowledge of our believing the cause of His election to salvation. However, God’s election is the cause, and our believing in Christ the effect.
– AW Pink
1886 – 1952
Catholic priest Michael Pfleger has temporarily been removed from his position as “pastor” of St. Sabina Catholic Church by Francis Cardinal George. This comes after Pfleger’s hate-filled, racist-laden “sermon” last week. To watch the news clip on this decision and read the article, click here. To watch the videos of Pfleger’s tirade that caused his removal, see this post.
I wonder when these liberal, anti-American, race-baiting, indoctrination centers that call themselves “churches” will lose their tax exempt status for their politically charged rhetoric spewed from their pulpits. It seems that the very country they despise is giving them the very freedom by which to despise it. And tax-free to boot! How ironic.
Recently the Subway sandwich chain offered this contest to kids in public, private, and parochial schools but excluded those kids that are home schooled, saying: “Home schools not eligible.” You can read more about this at American Thinker.
This discrimination obviously caused a stir and especially so in the Blog World (and critics still say bloggers are wasting their time). Subway has since retracted their stance on home schooled kids by apologizing and indicating that they plan on holding another contest in which home schoolers will be welcome.
The picture in this post is a fictitious fabrication that I found here and is not/was not found on the Subway website.
Your Sermon of the Week is part four of the four-part family series by Paul Washer. This one is entitled Father, Where Are You? Listen to it here or download it here. Paul Washer delivers a profound sermon on the family that should be heard by everyone.
This series changed my view pertaining to the family and I highly encourage you to check it out for yourself. I also recommend you check out part one, two, and three.
Presidential candidate Barack Obama’s Chicago area United Church of Christ is back in the news. This time it’s not because of remarks by Jeremiah Wright but instead it’s for the remarks of Catholic Priest Michael Pfleger (invited to speak at Trinity) during a Christless, racist-laden sermon tirade.
This is supposed to be Christianity?
Video One (3:45)
Video Two (:38)
Video Three (3:15)
See update here.
How could we have such a low view of the gospel of Jesus Christ that we have to manipulate men psychologically to get them to come down and pray a prayer? . . . How many times have I heard evangelists say, “It’ll only take five minutes.“? No my dear friend, it will take your life–all of it! “We’re just trying to attract people and then we’ll gradually bring them in further and further.” That is what the cults do, that’s not what Jesus did. Notice that in the gospels every time a great crowd is following Jesus, he turns around and says something so radical to them that most of them walk away. Of course Jesus probably would not get invited to teach evangelism [in most churches today].
– Paul Washer
Not only does the con-man in the following videos claim to be Jesus Christ, but he denies the existence of Hell and sin and claims that Jesus came to “take away the law.” But this false-Christ who’s damning souls to the very Hell he denies is in direct opposition to the words of Christ when our Lord said, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). And that’s just one of his many errors.
In this next video he explains why he wears a Rolex. It’s comical to watch the interview because it seems like he’s making this stuff up as he goes, but then reality strikes when you see the kids involved in this mess.
In the following video he claims he’s teaching the “mysteries” of the Bible (that one never seems to get old and there’s always an endless supply of people who swallow that one). He also claims he was visited by angels and even Jesus Himself . . . sound familiar? Think Mormonism, and Todd Bentley. I wonder if this is why he moved to Texas . . . can Florida can only handle one major false prophet at a time? But this devil has a soft side; in this video he says that he feels hurt if someone calls him a sinner.
Glenn Beck (a Mormon) is relentless in his interview with the con-man in the next video (yet Glenn Beck can’t see the folly and error that permeates his own cult . . . strange).
And finally, to top it all off, here’s the video of the 666 tattoos. And listen carefully as this false prophet says that he does greater things than Jesus. It kinda reminds me of this quote from the LDS false prophet Joseph Smith (but let’s avoid pointing out the striking similarities found among all the cults or we’ll be here all day).
On a side note, I noticed the church members in these videos seemed very sincere in their worship. I wonder if they are experiencing the same thing those following Todd Bentley are? After all, who are we to “judge” them by comparing their emotional experiences with those archaic Scriptures we keep referring to?
*****
Then if anyone says to you, “Behold, here is the Christ,” or “There He is,” do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance. So if they say to you, “Behold, He is in the wilderness,” do not go out, or, “Behold, He is in the inner rooms,” do not believe them. For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
Matthew 24:23-28
How can we love a holy God? The simplest answer I can give to the vital question is that we can’t. Loving a holy God is beyond our moral power. We can only love Him because He first loved us.
– R. C. Sproul
The well-read, well-studied Bible?
(Click on thumbnail to enlarge picture – Source: Fish With Trish)
(Click on the thumbnail to watch video)
(Click on thumbnail to watch video)
For those who can’t afford the Erasable Bible there’s always this much cheaper alternative:
Many people will read these passages and say, “Ok, you got to believe in Jesus but you have to have works to or you’re not going to Heaven.” They do not understand salvation. We are not saying here that in order to be saved you have to believe in Jesus and then you got to add to that works, what we’re saying is that if you believe in Jesus it’s because God has already done a work of regeneration through which he’s completely changed your heart, made you into a new creature created in the image of God, in true holiness and righteousness and you have to have good works. Because just like a sinner has to sin, the righteous have to do righteously.
– Paul Washer
The Bible Reference Notes for today are on the subject of Whose Name? I put these together a while back when debating with some Jehovah’s Witnesses on exactly whose name is above all other names. I thought readers would be interested in this (especially if this topic comes up with a JW).
To find out the purpose and exactly how to use these Bible Reference Notes, check out the explanation in my first installment The Holy Scriptures. I also highly recommend Hell and the Eternal Soul (another good one for dealing with Jehovah’s Witnesses).
WHOSE NAME?
Who are we to be witnesses of?
Acts 1:8 Hint… it’s not Jehovah!
Whose name is most important?
Matthew 10:22 Hated because of Jesus’ name
Matthew 12:15-21 Gentiles will hope in Jesus’ name
Matthew 18:5 Whoever Receives a child in Jesus’ name receives Him
Matthew 18:20 Where two or more is gathered in Jesus’ name
Matthew 19:29 Whoever suffers loss for Jesus’ name will receive much
Matthew 24:9 Hated by all nations because of Jesus’ name
Matthew 28:19-20 Baptized in the name of Jesus, the Father and Holy Spirit
Luke 10:17 Demons are subject to Jesus’ name
Luke 24:47 Repentance is preached in Jesus’ name
John 14:13-14 Ask for anything in Jesus’ name
John 15:16 Ask the Father in Jesus’ name
John 16:23-24 Ask in Jesus’ name and you will receive
Acts 16:18 Demon exercised in Jesus’ name
1 Corinthians 1:2 Saints in every place call on Jesus’ name
1 Corinthians 5:4 When we’re assembled in the name of Jesus
Colossians 3:17 Whatever you do, do it in Jesus’ name
Whose name is above all other names?
Acts 4:12 No other name under heaven
Ephesians 1:20-21 Christ above every name
Philippians 2:9 The name which is above every name
Who do we bow down to?
Philippians 2:10 Jesus Christ
Equal honor given?
John 5:22-23 Honor the Son as you honor the Father
Can we pray directly to Jesus?
Acts 7:59 Stephen did
Who was responsible for the resurrection?
Acts 17:31 Jehovah God
1 Thessalonians 1:10 Jehovah God
John 2:18-22 Jesus Christ
Interchangeable terms?
Romans 8:9-11 Spirit of Jehovah and Christ in you
Who dwells in the believer?
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 The Spirit of Jehovah God
1 Corinthians 6:19 The Spirit of Jehovah God
2 Corinthians 6:16 Jehovah God Himself
Galatians 2:20 Jesus Christ (lives in me)
Galatians 4:6 Spirit of Jesus
Ephesians 2:22 God in the Spirit
Ephesians 3:17 Jesus Christ Himself (by faith—no mention of works)
Philippians 1:19-20 Spirit of Jesus / Jesus Himself
Colossians 1:26-27 Jesus Christ Himself (the hidden mystery revealed)
John 14:23 Jehovah God & Jesus Christ
2 Timothy 1:14 Holy Spirit
1 John 4:13, 15, 17 Jehovah God & Holy Spirit
Is Jehovah the only name we can use, or can we be more personal?
Matthew 6:9 Our Father
Mark 14:36 Abba Father
Romans 8:15 Abba Father
Galatians 4:6 Abba Father
On the one hand, God is that eternal Being . . . in whose sight the very “heavens are not clean.” . . . We, on the other hand—poor blind creatures, here today and gone tomorrow, born in sin, surrounded by sinners, living in constant atmosphere of weakness, infirmity, and imperfection—can form none but the most inadequate conceptions of the hideousness of evil. We have no line to fathom it and no measure by which to gauge it. The blind man can see no difference between a masterpiece of Titan or Raphael and the Queen’s head on a village signboard. The deaf man cannot distinguish between a penny whistle and a cathedral organ. . . . And man, fallen man, I believe, can have no just idea what a vile thing sin is in the sight of that God whose handiwork is absolutely perfect.
-J. C. Ryle
1816 – 1900
That’s my King!
“It is absolutely safe to say that if you meet someone who claims not to believe in evolution, that person is ignorant, stupid or insane (or wicked, but I’d rather not consider that).”
Thought you could use a good laugh . . . or a good cry. This guy did a great job imitating Rob Bell (from his Nooma video series) and capturing the Emergent mindset.
The only thing more shocking than the crime itself, is the callous and completely arrogant indifference of the two teenage thieves.
Here are two clips from the news:
Below is the raw unedited video by the news channel of the two thieves:
Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.
Matthew 24:12
Meet the Armor of God bear: Trivializing and demeaning the holy Word of God one cheap trinket and stuffed animal at a time.
Truth is worth fighting over. As we have seen, it is the one thing in this world the church is supposed to fight for. Lose that fight and all else is lost.
– John MacArthur
Christ Alone Wyoming 