Author: Mark Anthony Escalera
Ex-Prime Minister Blair – Champion of Homosexuality
Ingrid at Slice of Laodicea wrote:
“Willow Creek Community Church and Bill Hybels will be honoring Tony Blair at its annual Leadership Summit in August. Tony Blair’s ‘Third Way’ was a failure, and he left his country in shambles, but as this article points out, his one singing success was gay rights.
“In April, Tony Blair had the audacity to lecture the pope on homosexuality, telling him to get the Catholic church up to speed on gay rights.
“Bill Hybels doesn’t care where people are being led at his ‘Leadership Summits.’ He’ll feature anyone who is an international celebrity, no matter that they are moral failures. Bill Clinton’s visit to Willow Creek comes to mind. That’s because Hybels long ago departed the faith once delivered to the saints in exchange for his own celebrity status and sense of importance.
“Tony Blair is no example of biblical leadership. His new Faith Foundation is dedicated to interspirituality and the promotion of the United Nations’Millennium Development Goals.
He added that the foundation would focus on the “Abrahamic faiths” of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, as well as Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism, and that it would help people of those faiths “discover what they share” and “help partner those within any of the faiths who stand up for peaceful co-existence and reject the extremist and divisive notion that faiths are in fundamental struggle against each other.”
“This is what Bill Hybels is promoting at Willow Creek as leadership for Christians to follow. God help us.”
The Killing of a Killer – Who is to blame?
The Pilgrim has written a blogpost in regards to the recent murder of George Tiller, the abortionist who bragged about being willing and having practiced even late-term (3rd trimester) abortions more than 60,000 times in his blood-filled career. This is my thoughts from not only a biblical perspective, but from the perspective of a pastor who has seen the devastation that abortion causes on two sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
Who is wrong and who is right in the current battle? Is it the pro-choice or the pro-life camp? Each claim to have God on their side (especially the liberal religious pro-choice groups) even as evidenced by Tiller’s hypocritical service on Sundays as an usher. On the other hand, even evangelicals in the pro-life camp do not always see the big picture and get sucked into the philosophy of the world in attempt to justify certain actions.
However, what does God say in His Holy Word? The principle in no uncertain terms is this — two wrongs never make a right! What and who was wrong? Let’s look at a few points to consider.
1. The Old Testament law made it clear that those who shed blood by man would their blood be shed. Yes, we recognize that this was given under a theocracy and referred to the matter of capital punishment.
2. This law was not given to individuals to take justice into their own hands. Vengeance belongs to God alone.
3. God instituted human government so that the sword might not be carried in vain. However, human government is often corrupted and does not seek to gain their wisdom from the Almighty God, maker of heaven and earth.
4. True believers are commanded to give honour to the government but only as far as it does not supercede the law of God for we ought to obey God rather than man.
5. To kill another and take their life in premeditated murder is contrary to the moral law of God which proclaims, “Thou shalt not kill.” Thus taking the life of Tiller belonged to nobody but God.
6. The government must take part of the blame for the murder of this doctor for it was they who allowed him to practice the murder of innocent babies including those who would have been viable had he delivered them alive at the moment he was murdering them.
7. The government is to blame in that they have openly and willfully defied the commands of God in regards to God being the giver of life and that life begins at conception. They have stated that in the depths of their human wisdom they are nothing but fools when compared to the wisdom of the Most High. Our justices and judges are to blame as they flaunt their foolishness over and over despite the will of the people and more importantly despite the law of God.
8. The church and leadership of where Tiller was a member must take their part of the blame for they allowed a mass murderer in their midst each Sunday while proclaiming that what they were doing was worship to God. Yet, all they were doing was thumbing their noses at God and daring Him to bring judgment.
9. The church was to blame for allowing one to call himself a “Christian” when what he did was diametrically opposed to the Word of God and for not bringing church discipline into the equation many years ago. Instead they catered to many other factors probably to include the financial benefits that a rich man like Tiller brought into their coffers thus showing their the god they worshipped was the mammon of the world.
10. The man who pulled the trigger was to blame because it was a premeditated murder calculated to take the life of the man who had killed so many thousands. He probably justified in his head that he was to be the instrument of death.
11. America at large must take their part of the blame as well for her citizens have forgotten the principles upon which this great country was founded. They have forgotten that government is to be by the people and for the people. They have failed to use their votes to remove those who thumb their noses at God and flaunt His holy commands.
12. America is to blame for allowing the murder of millions to take place for the sake of a small vocal group of feminists who have been allowed to push their agenda on a gullible public.
13. America is to blame for the gross immorality and lack of morals which allow for men and women to have intimate relationships being driven by nothing but lust and hatred for the thought of commitment.
14. Many evangelicals are to blame because they think they have had the right to introduce situational ethics into the clear express teaching of Scripture. Many have decided that it is ok to punish the infant because of the sins of the father; therefore, abortion is murder UNLESS it is for the sake of rape or incest!
15. Evangelicals are to blame because they have not had a united front because many of them years ago decided that catering to man instead of preaching the infallible Word of God through faithful exposition of the Word is more favourable to large offerings. They took the passages they liked and left the ones they didn’t thus producing large congregations who have theology miles wide but 1/2 inch deep!!
16. Evangelicals are to blame because we have been a much larger moral voice than any other fringe group in America and yet we have not used our voices to take a stand for what is right. We have not expressed our disgust and rage at the senseless murder of millions! We have not followed in the footsteps of Nehemiah and fallen to our knees crying to God for forgiveness for our own sin, the sins of our families and the sins of our nation!
17. Many pastors are to blame because many fear man instead of God. They have become babysitters not shepherds. They fail to study the Scriptures and proclaim loudly, “THUS SAYS THE LORD.” Instead they choose to proclaim, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. This is your best life now. You can live anyway you wish to do so with no discipline from the church. You can do what you want to with your body and disregard the Scripture that says if you are a believer then your body belongs to God NOT TO YOU!”
Many are to blame for the events leading up to the killing of Tiller. Even though only one pulled the trigger, many more were just as wrong before God for their complacency or complicity in the occupation which Tiller chose to engage. God is and always will be the Sovereign of the universe. He will not be mocked and whatsoever a man sows that will he reap. While God is not the author of sin, He does control what He allows to happen and He obviously has allowed the life of this murderer to be taken. Judgment for Tiller will now commence for all of eternity at the hands of the Giver of Life.
To conclude, I would not be honest if I said that I mourn for the killing of a murderer because I do not. To the contrary, I rejoice that the lives of thousands of infants will be spared. However, I must have a sense of compassion though for his family who must grieve although they enjoyed the fruits of not allowing others to grieve and enjoyed the fruits of blatant murder on a weekly basis. As a true believer, I must grieve that America has come to the dismal state she has and that millions like Tiller are dying every day with no hope of eternal life, and no hope of anything but eternal judgment and condemnation from the righteous Lord of glory.
Soli Deo Gloria,
The Desert Pastor
The Message of the Missionary
From Steven J Lawson’s book entitled Famine in the Land he gives this quote:
Noah’s message from the steps going up to the Ark was not “Something good is going to happen to you!” Amos was not confronted by the high priest of Israel for proclaiming, “Confession is possession!” Jeremiah was not put into the pit for preaching, “I’m O.K., you’re O.K.” Daniel was not put into the lion’s den for telling people, “Possibility thinking will move mountains!” John the Baptist was not forced to preach in the wilderness and eventually beheaded because he preached, “Smile, God loves you!” The two prophets of the tribulation will not be killed for preaching, “God is in his heaven and all is right with the world!”
The message of the true God-sent missionary will be like the message of Noah – “Repent from your sins, for judgment is coming!” It will be like that of Jonah – “Repent from your sins, for judgment is coming!” It will be like that of John the Baptist – “Repent from your sins, for judgment is coming!”
The message of the true God-sent missionary will resemble none of the fluff found in many of today’s pulpits, but will be hard-hitting and will point out the truth that the gospel message is trans-cultural!
The message of the true God-sent missionary will not seek to provide health, wealth or prosperity. It will not provide for the stomachs or well-being of the heathen with no concern for their eternal destiny!
Lest We Forget – THANK YOU!
Through almost 223 years of America’s history, boys (and in more recent years girls also) have said goodbye to parents and with heads held high have marched off to serve their country. Many of those years have actually been years of peace and a great number of those brave soldiers have never been required to potentially sacrifice their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honours for the sake of the freedoms we enjoy.
“When in the course of human events” was penned so long ago and the call to colours began to rally across the countryside, boys said, “We will give up all we have so that we might fight for a cause outside of ourselves. We will stand in the gap where others are not willing to do so. We will take up arms and fire at the enemy where necessary when some may condemn us for needlessly taking the life of a fellow human.”
Revolutionary War Dead & Wounded = 50,000
Almost one hundred years later, brothers and fathers fought each other in the battle for the right of states to be free from a government that was quickly becoming more and more oppressive and for a lesser degree the issue of slavery. One of the turning points of that very bloody war was the battle of Gettysburg which lasted for several days. At the end of that war, the stench of death hovered over the air still as President Lincoln stood and proclaimed, “But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Civil War Dead & Wounded = 646,392
The next century would see the rise of dictatorial governments desiring to conquer some part if not all of the world and again Americans rose to the challenge issued by their government. They placed their faith in the cause for freedom that was given forth in the papers and over the airwaves via radios and television sets. Hundreds of boys set aside their bats and balls for the weapons of war while hundreds of girls set aside their dolls to serve far from the comforts of a mother’s side.
World War I Dead & Wounded = 320,518
As each war passed and each country was visited, America never asked for one piece of ground in any of the countries ever served in. They never demanded that the citizenry speak English! They never demanded that the US Dollar be the new and only acceptable trading currency. Often, soldiers holding US Dollars were at a disadvantage because of the trading values!
World War II Dead & Wounded = 1,076,245
They stormed ashore at the beaches of Normandy and flew the skies over Nazi Germany knowing many would not come home. They said goodbye to parents and lovers hoping it would not be the last kiss or hug, but knowing it might be! Yet as one staff officer once stated, the only thing America ever ASKED for from each country was a place where she could bury her dead. She ONLY ASKED for a place where she could return with the moms and dads to place flowers on the cold graves of their boys and girls who would never again play with bat and balls or dolls and prams.
Korean War Dead & Wounded = 128,650
The wars took a decided turn when the evil of communism entered the picture. Many felt and still do that we entered wars that we could not win or were not permitted to win. Either way, we found ourselves in a quagmire and through all the muck and mire and grime of blood-splattered fields of war, our troops sought to hold their ground. They stayed the course in the face of adversity and many never returned alive.
Vietnam War Dead & Wounded = 211,454
Afghanistan Dead & Wounded = 3,056 & Counting
Iraq Dead & Wounded = 50,432 & Counting
Many today still do not know why we ventured into the wars we have seen in the last half century. Some claim it is because of oil, while others say it is because of terrorism. Others say it is purely for the cause of freedom around the world while others are not exactly sure why. Still the call comes ringing just as loudly as it has done through 223 years of history and each week men and women march with firm purpose down to recruiting stations across America and say, “I wish to serve my country!”
Today, there are many still wounded from the wars we have fought but they are still dying off. Each day, many more old troops pass off into eternity. We will never know their nightmares unless we have been in a trench, fought off an enemy at close quarters, screamed in agony as shrapnel pierced our body, wept uncontrollably while trying to staunch the blood of our buddy as their life flowed rapidly from them, and even sniffed that letter one more time trying to remember what life was like back home in America – the land of the free and the home of the brave!
“Thank you” is not really enough when I see an old vet with only one leg left wearing his US Navy baseball cap showing the ship he served on in Pearl Harbor.
“Thank you” is not really enough when I see another old vet stooped with age wearing a lot of buttons on his cap reminding nobody but himself of the battles he fought in over in Europe during WWII or Asia during WWII or Korea.
“Thank you” is not really enough when I pass by the Veteran’s Hospital filled with men and women who survived what most Americans will NEVER understand.
“Thank you” is not really enough when I pass by that old US Marine on his Harley Davidson with the right to wear his long hair and sporting his Vietnam Vet patches.
“Thank you” is not really enough when I get on another plane to take a business trip and see a small group of soldiers with packed duffle bags saying solemn goodbyes to their families as they head back over to their 3rd or 4th tour of Iraq or Afghanistan.
“Thank you” is NEVER enough when I drive by the Veteran’s Cemetery, the National Cemetery, the local cemeteries, or see the pictures of American flags dotting very small seemingly insignificant pieces of property where the remains of our boys and girls, and our moms and dads lie buried and who never got to come home to be held by those who loved them!
“Thank you” is NEVER enough when I drive by the Veteran’s Cemetery, the National Cemetery, the local cemeteries, or see the pictures of American flags dotting very small seemingly insignificant pieces of property where the remains of our boys and girls, and our moms and dads lie buried and who never got to come home to be held by those who loved them!
When I look at the fact that I live in a country where I have the freedom of speech, the freedom to worship God, the freedom to spend time with my family, the freedom to travel where I want to go, the freedom to sleep in my bed, the freedom to work where I want, the freedom to worship where I want, the freedom to live where I want, and many more freedoms —
I realize I AM AN AMERICAN and my “THANK YOU” is all I have to offer to those who gave their tomorrows so that I and my family and my fellow Americans could have our todays!
With a truly grateful heart,
The Desert Pastor
The Unsung Hero
Often not knowing all the reasons why, she nods her head in submission as to the Lord when her husband shares the news that he believes the gospel is to be shared with a tribe who live on another planet in a distant galaxy who speaks “Klingon” and who wear nothing but toothless grimaces and carry machetes — at least that is what it seems like in the early days…..
The rest of the post on <a href=”The Unsung Hero can be found at The Desert Pastor.
Our Daily Bread Crumbles??
Few who personally know me realize I have concerns over the devotional publication entitled Our Daily Bread. This little publication gives a daily text reading from the Scripture accompanied by a little story of some kind designed to give encouragement as the reader travels the rat race of life for the day.
However, when the daily bread of the infallible, inerrant AND holy Word of God is watered down with the drivel of the world, it will at best become nothing more than a daily crumb and at worst will prove to be poison that will slowly (almost imperceptibly) destroy the soul of the one who is reading. This is especially true if the one who is reading is not grounded in the Word of God.
Before I continue, I want to ensure the reader that I do not necessarily discredit daily devotional books or booklets. I do give fair warning though that they can easily become a quick fix to the morning or evening period when one should be spending time with the Saviour of their soul reading the Scriptures He has provided through His Holy Spirit.
Our Daily Bread has been on a long slippery road for quite some time and until doing some research on another topic matter, I did not realize how slippery the slope has become.
M. Scott Peck, Henri Nouwen, Larry Crabb, Brother Lawrence, Brennan Manning and others are (or were) either New Age proponents or hugely influential in what is known as contemplative mysticism. The latter is making huge inroads into evangelical churches, and I would go so far as to say it actually taking the church by storm! The connection that these individuals have is that they are all quoted favorably and extensively on a regular basis by Radio Bible Class and Our Daily Bread publication.
Henri Nouwen as an example was a Roman Catholic heretic who privately held to the sinful belief that he was also a homosexual and believed that men could be saved apart from Jesus Christ. Radio Bible Class has no problems endorsing this man as a fine example of a “Christian!”
Brennan Manning, who is also a Roman Catholic, has his salvation experience thus on his website, “In February 1956, while Brennan was meditating on the Stations of the Cross, a powerful experience of the personal love of Jesus Christ sealed the call of God on his life.”
I would encourage the reader to go to the Radio Bible Class website and in their search engine type any of the above names and see what articles and books show up. I have no doubt that you will be as surprised as I was to find a so-called evangelical publication and publishing house openly endorsing contemplative mysticism as well as Roman Catholic homosexual heretics!
Dr. M.R. De Haan would be appalled at what this organization has come to today. His goal to maintain and present biblical purity through the spoken and written Word has been put to the wayside. The meat of the Word has been laid aside for the sake of doctrinal inclusiveness and the crumbs of worldly philosophy have been injected into the morsels being provided daily to unsuspecting believers.
2 Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”
Hungering for the Meat of the Word,
The Desert Pastor
Have You Considered?
I edited this post to make it distinct from the video on African baptisms. Ask as you read – Have I considered the life of a missionary? May this encourage you to pray more fervently for those who serve the Lord of the Harvest!
The rest of this post can be found at The Desert Pastor.
Are You Staying?
HT: artribou
Quotes (530)
Wanting to listen to the Word is inevitable if men and women are born again and have become Christians. A babe…has an instinct for milk. He wants it!…He is alive and wants the mother’s milk, and rightly so. The point is clear. One simply cannot be a Christian and have no desire for a knowledge of this truth — it is impossible.
Martin Lloyd-Jones on the believer’s desire for the Word of God
1899-1981
Pulpits Filled with God’s Judgment!
Praying the Sinner’s Prayer on the Road to Hell??
As you watch this video, consider the verses and the testimonies of these men. Are you TRULY in the faith or have you believed a lie of the greatest proportions? Is your trust in something YOU did or something YOU prayed instead of in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary?
HT: Perilous Times
Contrasts.
Observe the contrast between heresy and biblical teaching. The first quote comes from a rank heretic of the first order. The second quote comes from a man who faithfully exposited the Word of God in England for years.
“I don’t think anything has been done in the name of Christ and under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality and, hence, counterproductive to the evangelism enterprise than the often crude, uncouth, and unchristian strategy of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition.” Time, March 18, 1985 – Robert Schuller
“Evangelism must start with the holiness of God, the sinfulness of man, the demands of the law, and the eternal consequences of evil.” Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, pg. 225
Parents Give Away Their “Witch” Children!
Another viewpoint showing the horrifying aspects of life in Nigeria, West Africa, where parents are being so duped! These parents are willing to believe the charlatans called “bishops” or “pastors” who are regularly condemning their very children in order to make a living “exorcising demons.” The pastors are not true ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ and what they are preaching and teaching has absolutely NOTHING TO DO WITH CHRISTIANITY!
Praise the Lord for the few that are willing to take a stand against these cruel injustices. However, just as with the first video on Sam & Esther, what good does rescuing these children do if they are not presented the wonderful Words of Life??!!
I recommend that the following article from the Guardian Newspaper in the UK be read to have a full understanding of the video posted here for you to watch. Please pray for Nigeria! Pray for West Africa! Pray that the Lord will send forth more laborers into the Harvest fields!
Quotes (503)
“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.”
1856-1887
Super Bowl Sunday – Worshipping the god of Football!
This video shows what is really important to some people. At least, this so-called “church” was willing to be honest enough to admit to their friends, family, and neighbors that the god of football is MORE important than the worship of the Almighty Sovereign of the Universe! NewSpring Church Social Clubs have decided that the American god of football is worth putting aside collective worship at the feet of the Saviour. Once again, a shining example of “spiritual leadership” in action with Perry and his groupies!
From an eternal perspective, here is the question — What does the Holy God of heaven say about having no other gods before Him? Oh, I forgot, that is the Old Testament and no longer applicable, right??? WRONG ANSWER!
Super Bowl Promo 2009 Video from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.
Exposing an Old Heretic – Charles G Finney
Some may wonder why we are jumping on a person who has been dead for over 135 years! Sadly, it is because there are many who hold this man in high esteem and much of what we find in modern evangelicalism is due to the heresy that this lawyer-turned-preacher taught to unsuspecting congregations. Today, this man is considered to be the “Father of Modern Evangelism” and yet I am convinced from the Scriptures that he was nothing but a charlatan who has perpetuated much of what passes for “biblical” Christianity in the western world particularly.
I was recommended to an article which I now recommend to our readers. The following paragraph is an excerpt from this article by Phil Johnson.
“Charles Grandison Finney was a heretic. That language is not too strong. Though he excelled at cloaking his opinions in ambiguous language and biblical-sounding expressions, his views were almost pure Pelagianism. The arguments he employed to sustain those views were nearly always rationalistic and philosophical, not biblical. To canonize this man as an evangelical hero is to ignore the facts of what he stood for.”
You can read the rest of this excellent article by Phil Johnson by going to this link.
God ONLY Saves Bad People!
In this brief video from Truth Crossing, Art Azurdia shares the truth of God’s Word. All men are created equal, but that equality is found in man’s total depravity! Man is NOT just depraved, but because of our inherited sin nature, he is also totally unable to come to the foot of the cross OR do anything to please the Most High God of Heaven!
Are YOU a bad person??
The Real Meaning of Christmas – John MacArthur
Quotes (447)
If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefields besides, is mere fight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.
– Martin Luther (from the “Introduction to Days of Praise“)
Christ Alone Wyoming 