Random Selections
A DefCon milestone: Our one millionth visitor.
It was two years ago that DefCon entered the blogoshphere and today we’re celebrating our one millionth visitor. We’re marking the occasion with a whole new look, and I’ll be tweaking it over the week to come till it’s perfect.
We’ve seen a lot, been through a lot, learned a lot, and grown a lot. What keeps us going is the myriad of comments and e-mails from those whose lives have been changed, strengthened, and encouraged by this blog. We truly appreciate our readers and would not be where we’re at today if it weren’t for you.
We also know that this will not last forever. Like many things in life, there is a season for everything, and seasons come and go. The handwriting is already on the wall, and sites like this will be labeled “illegal” and “subversive” in the near future as attacks and persecution continue to increase worldwide against Christians who preach and hold to the exclusivity of Christ.
We appreciate your continued support as we work while there’s still light, for the darkness is fast approaching when we will no longer be able to labor for the Kingdom. Again, thank you all for your readership and encouragement.
The Coalescing of the Christian Right with Apostolic Dominionism
[Posting an article on Dominionism from Herescope.com. This being something that has been on my heart recently as I watch with rapt attention what is going on in the world. No doubt evil is growing not only in America (and has been for years long before Obama) but also across the land as evil men and seducers wax worse and worse as they strive to unite the world in a one-world union.
Here, not only in America, but across the globe, serfs or the common man are viewed by the PTB (powers that be) as nothing more than cattle who need to be under the constant eye (look at the back of your dollar) of the state as she watches their every move and listens to their every word. Based of course on the pretense that we need to give up liberty in order to be protected from those nasty terrorists; terrorists who in fact may be you! Cameras recording conversations and actions are ubiquitous, e-mails and phone calls are often tracked and archived for years, full-body scans are now being implemented; in short, personal freedom and privacy are vanishing and are quickly being replaced with an Orwellian police state.
What is more, the economies of most industrialized nations are in shambles. Largely due to the concerted efforts of politicians to redistribute wealth to third world nations. Hence, jobs and industries that existed in many of these countries have disappeared from their given shores and are now off-shored in nations such as India, Mexico, China and elsewhere. Thus, in America at least, we have an unemployment rate that is well into the double-digits (see Shadow Stats for real numbers and not the govt/media lies) where many people wonder how they will make in through the next week and where they will find a job that pays more than $8.00 an hour.
All of this and more is causing many Americans to rise up and express their anger at the current administration across all areas of government (Congress, Presidential, State Governers, etc.). Their anger and passions being directed and even fueled by “conservative” talk show hosts/personalities like Lou Dobbs, Glenn Beck, Michael Savage, Ted Nugent and others. Also, there is the “grass roots” Tea Party movement that is gaining much traction as it attracts many folks from across the nation; some of them Christians, but many not. Thus, you will have the ecumenical mixing of light and darkness as Christians inevitably will be called upon to compromise in many, many areas the more involved they become. How about praying with Mormon Glenn Beck, or listening to Ted Nugent’s wicked rock at a Tea Party rally, or suffering Michael Savage to blaspheme God?
And, I won’t even touch the host of “conservatives” in these movements where many (I don’t speak to all Rebublicans any more than all Democrats) are nothing of the sort but rather are sly politicians using the state of affairs as an opportunity to advance the same globalist goals of the Democrats. This being so much easier for a Rebublican since most evangelicals give anyone with a “R” after their name a free pass (think George Bush). My encouragement here is for the reader to not for a moment think the good guys/gals are the Republicans and the bad the Democrats for nothing, and I mean, nothing could be further from the truth.
In ruminating on these things and more I wonder what is the Christian response? Of course I know that we as Christians are to do good and be lights in our world which certainly does not preclude civic involvement, yet I cannot escape the words of the Lord where he says that his kingdom is not of this world. And if his kingdom is not of this world, then it follows by course that the kingdom of his followers is also not of this world. Yet for many Christians the truth be told, their kingdom is of this world and for many that kingdom is America. A nation that many wrongly ascribe to be Christian and God’s New Testament apple of his eye even as Israel was for the Old.
Personally, I fear for the days ahead where violence may well come to our land with Christians facing a crossroad as to whether to pick up the sword, or turn the other check. This does not mean I am advocating that Christians do not protect their families if a criminal breaks in. No, I am talking instead about the Christian purposely employing the physical sword to battle the government. Much as was done in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War where if you study history you will find that many professed Christians took place in the shedding of blood. Blood which by fact would have involved that of their fellow Christian brothers who found themselves on the other side of the battle field! Something which per my reading of the Scriptures I cannot in any way justify or support.
Well – enough of my words, following is the intro to the Herescope article with a link to the full paper.
bro Michael
***************************************************************************************************************************
It is not about FREEDOM, it is about DOMINION
The NEW BREED of Christian is poised to take over the earth, precinct by precinct. God’s Army is rising up. It is time to put on the militant garb. The glint in the eye becomes fixed as the exhilaration of the hour sweeps through the masses. They can make a difference! The world has been waiting with bated breath for this LAST DAY GENERATION. False prophets in their midst are caught in sin, under discipline, yet their tapes sell to believers of their false prophecies. The call for unity is the common cause bringing them from every denomination. They are calling their unity “revival.” After all, when they have set up the Kingdom here on the earth – they will have fulfilled the mandate given to Adam to subdue the earth. A new sound is heard in the land. The music gets louder and the beat gets stronger (even bringing in rock, metal, and funk) but oddly enough the lyrics are always the same! – The choruses proclaiming the triumphant song of the conquerors! [“The Kingdomizers Have Arrived!” Discernment Newsletter, May/June 1992]
Note to Herescope readers: What follows may be the most important article ever published by Discernment Ministries in its 21 year history. The first edition of the Discernment Newsletter, published in May 1990 began chronicling the activities of a group of men calling themselves “prophets” and “apostles,” claiming to have extra-biblical revelation and calling to build an elite army to take over the Earth.
10 Things.
The following top ten list (plus one, which really makes it eleven) comes from a piece entitled 10 Things That Make a Lay Person Want To Spit which can be found on this post from the Bororean.
Enjoy.
After seeing the Hoodlum Pastors short list of things that make a pastor want to cuss, I thought I would make a list of my own that truly makes me want to spit!
10 Things that make a lay person want to spit!
01. Preachers who insist on exalting themselves instead of magnifying Christ, they draw men’s attention to them or their church instead of pointing to Christ and His cross.
02. Preachers who fail to rightly divide the Word of Truth and attempt to pass off some self-esteem psycho-babble as biblical preaching.
03. Preachers who talk about being a biblical man but have very little warmth in their speech or actions! They are not sensitive nor tender to the flock of God and are callous in their dealings with growing saints and say hateful things on their blog or facebook for the shock effect.
04. Preachers who think they actually need to promote sex within the church.
05. Preachers who are preoccupied with their image and physical appearance and make a point to boast about their Harley Davidson, you know; the cool dude.
06. Preachers who have a disdain for the word “DOCTRINE”.
07. Preachers who start every sentence with “I believe”, vs “thus saith the Lord” and always makes a point to use the buzz words. (un-churched, Christ-follower you know the words that don’t offend lost sinners)
08. Preachers who proudly flaunt how different their church is from what has gone before and treat Christians from the past (and their hymns) with scorn.
09. Preachers who’s hero is Rick Warren or Joel Osteen.
10. Preachers who are always promoting some new thing or novelty that will change my life forever.
Puhleeeezzzzeeee!!!
I guess I got one more in me! Oh feel free to add your own list in the comments.
11. Preachers who want to cuss because of weak and shallow Christians who sit under weak and shallow preaching, now that really makes me want to spit!!!
The State of America! And the church??
There is nothing new under the sun as Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes. Hear the ancient words of the patriarch Job found in the book of Job 21:7-16,
7 Why do the wicked live and become old, Yes, become mighty in power?
8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.
10 Their bull breeds without failure; Their cow calves without miscarriage.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.
12 They sing to the tambourine and harp, And rejoice to the sound of the flute.
13 They spend their days in wealth, And in a moment go down to the grave.
14 Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us, For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’
16 Indeed their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
DefCon is now on FaceBook.
Defending Contending has finally joined the world of social networking. We are now on Facebook and you can ‘friend’ us here.
An Honest Abortionist
“Am I killing? Yes, I am, I know that.” – Abortion Doctor Curtis Boyd
HT: What is Chazaq?
Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina, the new rage of the Emergent Church as they run pell mell back to Rome. The subject itself is very serious but sometimes laughter is much needed medicine to the soul. In this light, I’ve included a link here for your listening enjoyment. It is a satirical radio sketch of Rob Bell’s Lectio Divina by Marty Python’s Flying Circus Church which, if you have a sense of humor like mine, will not only give you a great laugh but also will, in a more serious way, reveal the foolishness and absurdity of this so-called spiritual practice. [Thanks to A Little Leaven!]
The Reformation View of Roman Catholicism
From the works of Martin Luther (1483-1546)
What is the whole papacy but a beautiful false front and a deceptively glittering holiness under which the wretched devil lies in hiding? The devil always desires to imitate God in this way. He cannot bear to observe God speaking. If he cannot prevent it or hinder God’s Word by force, he opposes it with a semblance of piety, takes the very words God had spoken and so twist them as to peddle his lies and poison under their name. (What Luther Says, II: 10007)
Since the papal church not only neglects the command of Christ but even compels the people to ignore it and to act against it, it is certain that it is not Christ’s church but the synagogue of Satan which prescribes sin and prohibits righteousness. It clearly and indisputably follows that it must be the abomination of Antichrist and the furious harlot of the devil. (What Luther Says, II: 1019)
The negotiation about doctrinal agreement displeases me altogether, for this is utterly impossible unless the pope has his papacy abolished. Therefore avoid and flee those who seek the middle of the road. Think of me after I am dead and such middle-of-the-road men arise, for nothing good will come of it. There can be no compromise. (What Luther Says, II: 1019)
Read the rest of the article here.
Islamic Paradise and Jesus
Video about the work of God in Islamic nations and a searcher for truth who places his faith in Jesus. Please pray for this very dangerous work and that Islam might fall not by the bloody sword of the Crusaders, or the bombs of the American military machine, but rather by the Living Word of God. And that men might be raised up to translate sound doctrinal materials into Arabic and send to our brothers and sisters and those on the front line.
فيديو حول عمل الله في الدول الاسلامية والباحث عن الحقيقة الذي يضع ثقته في يسوع. على المسلم الصادق ، ونحن نصلي عليك أ
تنظر في هذه الأمور والبحث كما فعل هذا الطالب من أجل الحقيقة ، الحقيقة سوف تجد في يسوع.
True Christian Love
Love is the Queen of the Christian graces. It is a holy disposition given to us when we are born again by God. It is the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. True spiritual love is characterized by meekness and gentleness, yet it is vastly superior to the courtesies and kindnesses of the flesh.
We must be careful not to confuse human sentimentality, carnal pleasantries, human amiability and affability with true spiritual love. The love God commands, first to Himself and then to others, is not human love. It is not the indulgent, self-seeking love which is in us by nature. If we indulgently allow our children to grow up with little or, no Scriptural discipline, Proverbs plainly says we do not love them, regardless of the human sentimentality and affection we may feel for them. Love is not a sentimental pampering of one another with a loose indifference as to our walk and obedience before the Lord. Glossing over one another’s faults to ingratiate ourselves in their esteem is not spiritual love.
The true nature of Christian love is a righteous principle which seeks the highest good of others. It is a powerful desire to promote their welfare. The exercise of love is to be in strict conformity to the revealed will of God. We must love in the truth. Love among the brethren is far more than an agreeable society where views are the same. It is loving them for what we see of Christ in them, loving them for Christ’s sake.
The Lord Jesus Himself is our example. He was not only thoughtful, gentle, self-sacrificing and patient, but He also corrected His mother, used a whip in the Temple, Severely scolded His doubting disciples, and denounced hypocrites. True spiritual love is above all faithful to God and uncompromising towards all that is evil. We cannot declare, ‘Peace and Safety’ when in reality there is spiritual decay and ruin!
True spiritual love is very difficult to exercise because it is not our natural love. By nature we would rather love sentimentally and engender good feelings. Also many times true spiritual love is not received in love, but is hated as the Pharisees hated it. We must pray that God will fill us with His love and enable us to exercise it without dissimulation toward all.
A.W. Pink
1886 – 1952
A Brave New World
The world in which we live today is indeed a brave new world. One in which the majority of the masses have been lulled into sleep by the many “narcotics” lavished upon them in the form of endless entertainment, constant distraction, material excess and trivial pursuits. Because of this the people, including sadly the majority of Christians, are totally ignorant to the growing evil in our day. Instead, they “buy” whatever their favorite TV or news media sells them (usually Fox or Faux News) thinking they possess the high moral ground as they look down their noses on the dark side (i.e. CNN). This being witnessed to as Christians will constantly decry the evil of one party, i.e. the Democrats, yet cover their ears and eyes and ignore the same evils in the Republican ranks. (No different really than how many will decry the sin of the world – think Manhattan Declaration, yet fail to address it within their church).
All of this is terribly hypocritical, yet election after election it is the same old story for most “evangelicals” as they cheer for the Republican regardless of their policies, voting record, globalist agenda, personal indiscretions, etc., and lambast their opponent even if said person is more Constitutionally sound. I witnessed this in the last Presidential election where I tried to point people to the ignominious facts about the Republican candidate, and advocate Chuck Baldwin, but all of this fell on deaf ears as I was hit with the “lesser of two evils” argument. The persons advocating this position failing to see that the lesser of two evils (which may not really be less but only appear to be so) is still evil.
But, this is the system we have been raised in and how we have been conditioned to formulate our beliefs. Beliefs that for the majority have not been forged by independent and analytical thought, but rather by blindly believing what is heard on the radio or viewed on TV. And once these beliefs are set in the individual’s mind, they become harder than concrete. It is because of this that most will never take the time to look beyond the mass-media rhetoric of our day and to conduct independent research; something which often will lead to places many simply do not want to go to. Hence, most will never pull anchor and set sail to venture out into the raging sea of independent thought, but will rather choose to play it safe and harbor in the calm waters of the port city of “ignorance is bliss.”
And then there is the entertainment that lulls most Christians into a Laodicean and lackadaisical state where all that matters is what new album their CCM artist is going to release, how their sports team is doing, or what movie they will go to see on Friday night. Here, I can think of no greater admonition than that given by the apostle Paul to the Roman church where he wrote,
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. (Rom 13:11-14)
It is indeed high time to awake out of our sleep. For me, this happened at least in part a few years after 9-11. Something I cannot attribute to myself but to God for I was in a flag-waving slumber just like the majority of American Christians. This, as I accepted the party line without thinking and analyzing the facts that were in plain sight. Facts that led to places that I really did not want to go to, but often this is where the truth will take you.
This takes me to the point of this post which was precipitated by an article I read today. It is from a worldly viewpoint, but as is often the case, “…the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” (Luke 16:8) I believe many will profit if they take the time to read it to get a perspective on things you will not often hear. Certainly not from the controlled news media, nor sadly from the majority of the 501c-3 shackled pastors.
The article examines our world today and compares it with Aldous Huxley’s 1931 novel, Brave New World. A world that we amazingly find ourselves more and more living in. A world that worse yet more and more Christians are falling in love with and being intoxicated with; in love with the sports, in love with the entertainment, in love with the musicians, in love with science, in love with the art, in love with the commercialism; in short, in love with the world we are commanded to hate. And it is this sordid love affair that blinds us to the sin around us, keeps us from being diligent in the things of the Lord, and often has us speaking well of evil doers.
My prayer is that we might heed the admonition of the Holy Spirit and awake from our slumber. For it is not until one is awaked that they can begin to perceive the reality of the world around them. This we must do because of all of us time is indeed short.
The article, Brave New World 2009 by James Quinn can be read here.
Also, I encourage folks to read Paul Proctor’s articles that many times focus on issues in the church as we do here at DefCon, but also include articles on our world covering topics such as globalism. Also recommended are Chuck Baldwin’s articles where you will get a perspective not heard from many pastors. Finally, thanks to a DefCon poster, I became aware of a pastor (Robert Read) preaching some excellent messages on entertainment, music, and the like. For the one on entertainment, you can listen here.
Catholic Apologists and Excommunication
The deeper you dig into the mire of Catholicism the more gems you discover. Here is one I would like to share with you about how all the “layman” Catholic apologists of YouTube fame, the Web and elsewhere should be “bound in the fetters of excommunication” as they are violating one of their papal decrees. A decree that is still on the books that forbids public and private disputatations (i.e. debates) with heretics on the Catholic faith. This law of the Catholic land being given by decree of Alexander IV (1254-1261) in “Sextus Decretalium”, Lib. V, c. ii. We read:
We furthermore forbid any lay person to engage in dispute, either private or public, concerning the Catholic Faith. Whosoever shall act contrary to this decree, let him be bound in the fetters of excommunication. [Online source]
So, the next time you are earnestly contending for the faith once delivered unto the saints with a Roman Catholic, you might want to point this little tidbit out to them and see how they react.
Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible
Text from YouTube:
“Dr. Patton is the staff Geologist for the Qumran Plateu excavation in Israel, the site that produced the Dead Sea Scrolls some 2,000 years ago. These scrolls, perhaps the most significant archeological discovery of all time, have changed the way we view the Bible.
Many have been led to believe that the original text of the Bible has deteriorated over years of copying and recopying. The Dead Sea Schrolls provide a test of that hypothesis, allowing us to compare modern versions with recently discovered manuscripts written over 2,000 years ago.
Dr. Patton will take you to the same scene of the original caves where the scrolls were discovered with one of the Bedouins who made the discovery. This is a fascinating story with eternal implications.
Dr. Patton has a broad educational background; four years at Florida College, Temple Terrace, FL (Bible); two years at Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN (Geology); two years at Indiana Univ./Purdue Univ., Indianapolis, IN (Geology); two years, Pacific School of Graduate Studies. He has worked as Geologist in US, Canada, Australia, England, Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Cambodia, Israel, and Jordan. Dr. Patton has participated in dinosaur excavations in Colorado, Texas, Utah, Wyoming and Canada. He is credited with excavating the longest consecutive dinosaur trail in North America, totaling 157 tracks, extending over 500 feet. He is a member of the Geological Society of America and was a speaker at their 1997 annual convention. Dr. Patton lectures at universities across the United States. He has conducted up to twelve Creation/Evolution Seminaries a year for twenty five years. He has participated in numerous public debates on creation/evolution including radio and TV debates. He has testified three times before Texas State Textbook Committee, Austin, TX. Presently, Dr. Patton is consulting geologist & partner in Mazada Corporation, Dallas, TX. He is a staff geologist of the Creation Evidence Museum, Glen Rose, TX, staff geologist for the Qumran Plateau excavation in Israel, an area supervisor at the City of David excavation in Jerusalem and chairman of the Metroplex Institute of Origon Science. He preaches for the Melrose church of Christ in Richardson, Texas.”
Rick Warren’s Radicalis Conference
I want to give all of the DefCon contributors and readers enough time to get tickets for Saddleback’s latest conference, Radicalis (i.e “Radical Is” which you will find with a backward “R” on their website). Here, in case reading your Bible, sound exposition, prayer, and a study of church history were not enough, you can now learn from the movers and shakers in Christdom about absolute surrender, sacrificial lifestyle and authentic Christianity. All as Rick Warren and his team extend an invidation to radicals only to attend this conference that is billed as,
…a unique hands-on, comprehensive experience that will enhance each member of your team’s role in your church and build and inspire them to serve God in your community and the world. Rick Warren, the Saddleback Team and leading national pastors will challenge, develop, and expand your vision to be a moving force for God in today’s world.
They’ll help you understand the paradigm, learn the process and build relationships for expanding your ministry. They’ll enlarge your understanding of what “church” and “ministry” mean to enable you to affect positive, purposeful change for God. Imagine what would happen in your community, in your church and in our world if your church team collectively shared an experience guided by the Spirit of God in which we saw His calling and His will for your ministry.
And who will be the speakers that will teach you about “church” and “ministry”? Well, well, I’m sure you are sitting at the edge of your seat in rapt anticipation. Without further delay, some key speakers from the entire speaker list include:
- Rick Warren
- Andy Stanley
- Mark Driscoll
- Perry Noble
- Dino Rizzo
- Kerry Shook
So there you have it. Any takers? For a few insights, you can check out what Ken Silva has to say on his blog.
When being nice is wrong.
The following is from John MacArthur’s book The Jesus You Can’t Ignore: What You Must Learn from the Bold Confrontations of Christ. And as always, he’s spot on.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The problem is that the needed reformation within evangelicalism won’t occur at all if false ideas that undermine our core theological convictions cannot be openly attacked and excluded. When peaceful coexistence “with our deepest differences” becomes priority one and conflict per se is demonized as inherently sub-Christian, any and every false religious belief can and will demand an equal voice in the “conversation.”
That has actually been happening for some time already. Listen, for example, to what some of the leading voices in and around the Emergent movement have said. Tony Campolo is a popular speaker and author who has a major influence in evangelical circles. He believes evangelicals should be in dialogue with Islam, seeking common ground. In an interview conducted by Shane Claiborne,Campolo said:
I think that the last election aggravated a significant minority of the evangelical community, believing that they did not want to come across as anti-gay, anti-women, anti-environment, pro war, pro capital punishment, and anti-Islam. There is going to be one segment of evangelicalism, just like there is one segment in Islam that is not going to be interested in dialogue. But there are other evangelicals who will want to talk and establish a common commitment to a goodness with Islamic people and Jewish people particularly.
Brian McLaren is perhaps the best-known figure in the Emergent conversation. He thinks the future of the planet—not to mention the salvation of religion itself (including Christianity)—depends on a cooperative search for the real meaning of Jesus’ message. In McLaren’s assessment, this means an ongoing dialogue between Christians and followers of all other religions. This, he is convinced, is of the utmost urgency:
In an age of global terrorism and rising religious conflict, it’s significant to note that all Muslims regard Jesus as a great prophet, that many Hindus are willing to consider Jesus as a legitimate manifestation of the divine, that many Buddhists see Jesus as one of humanity’s most enlightened people, and that Jesus himself was a Jew, and without understanding his Jewishness, one doesn’t understand Jesus. A shared reappraisal of Jesus’ message could provide a unique space or common ground for urgently needed religious dialogue—and it doesn’t seem an exaggeration to say that the future of our planet may depend on such dialogue. This reappraisal of Jesus’ message may be the only project capable of saving a number of religions, including Christianity.
Indiscriminate congeniality, the quest for spiritual common ground, and peace at any price all naturally have great appeal, especially in an intellectual climate where practically the worst gaffe any thoughtful person could make is claiming to know what’s true when so many other people think something else is true. Besides, dialogue does sound nicer than debate. Who but a fool wouldn’t prefer a calm conversation instead of conflict and confrontation?
In fact, let’s state this plainly once more: Generally speaking, avoiding conflicts is a good idea. Warmth and congeniality are normally preferable to cold harshness. Civility, compassion, and good manners are in short supply these days, and we ought to have more of them. Gentleness, a soft answer, and a kind word usually go farther than an argument or a rebuke. That which edifies is more helpful and more fruitful in the long run than criticism. Cultivating friends is more pleasant and more profitable than crusading against enemies. And it’s ordinarily better to be tender and mild rather than curt or combative—especially to the victims of false teaching.
But those qualifying words are vital: usually, ordinarily, generally. Avoiding conflict is not always the right thing. Sometimes it is downright sinful. Particularly in times like these, when almost no error is deemed too serious to be excluded from the evangelical conversation, and while the Lord’s flock is being infiltrated by wolves dressed like prophets, declaring visions of peace when there is no peace (cf. Ezekiel 13:16). Even the kindest, gentlest shepherd sometimes needs to throw rocks at the wolves who come in sheep’s clothing.
MacArthur – America Abandoned by God!
Note – MacArthur preached this message on the National Day of Prayer at Woodmen Valley Chapel, May 2007.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
HT: Magonian
Brookstone and the Homosexual Agenda
Peter Vadala (Photo from MassResistance.com)
Brookstone, a store known for innovative gadgets, fired Peter Vadala from his sales position at the Logan Airport branch in Boston, MA. Fired because Mr. Vadala stood up for his Christian faith and vocalized his disapproval of a homosexual union which a Brookstone female manager made repeated references to in approaching Mr. Vadala during the work day. And of course as we all know nary a word can be spoken against the sin of homosexuality without all the fury of hell being unleashed to beat the person speaking such non-politically correct words into silence.
This being exactly what Brookstone has done by firing Mr. Vadala. A company that prides itself on tolerance but this so-called tolerance is only a one-way street. A one-way street because even though Mr. Vadala was extremely offended by this manager and her relationship, his feelings and religious beliefs (which Brookstone says they defend) are immaterial because homosexuals want über (supreme) rights.
To read about this case, please see the article at WND here. You also can check out MassResistance which deals with cases such as these. Also, I highly encourage readers to contact Brookstone by writing a letter, e-mailing, or calling in order to voice your disappointment with their decision (get your friends and others to do so likewise). In so doing, please be strong in your beliefs and wording, but take note to reflect Christ and not give the Gentiles an opportunity to blaspheme God. Also, tell them you will be voting with your dollars and not supporting their store. Sadly, the voice of mammon is the typically the only voice that corporations give ear to.
10 questions for Voddie Baucham.
The following Q & A with Voddie Baucham is from Unashamed Workman.
1. Where do you place the importance of preaching in the grand scheme of church life?I believe preaching is central to the grand scheme of church life (see Acts 2:42ff). Preaching/teaching sets the tone and the parameters for all other functions of the church. Our understanding of fellowship, evangelism, discipline, worship, etc., all arise out of our understanding of God’s word. Without sound preaching and teaching, all else will falter. Hence, preaching is of seminal importance in the grand scheme of church life.
2. In a paragraph, how did you discover your gifts in preaching?As a young college student, I went on a preaching mission with several teammates of mine. I was a relatively new believer and had no experience sharing God’s word. Two of my mentors guided me through the week and helped me discover my gifts in preaching for the first time. I felt as though something in me was awakened for the first time. I’ve been preaching ever since.
3. How long (on average) does it take you to prepare a sermon?
When we start a series (preaching through a book or section), it can 15-20 hours or more. However, once we are in the midst of the text much of the background work builds upon previous studies and cuts the time dramatically. Nevertheless, crafting the message, adding illustrative material and mining the text for that last nuance, is a process that never really ends until the preaching moment. That’s the only time I can truly say I am finished preparing the sermon.4. Is it important to you that a sermon contain one major theme or idea? If so, how do you crystallise it?
Absolutely! I am always looking for the central theme in a passage. There may be more than one, but I have come to realize that I am most effective when I limit myself to the main idea. I find that idea by analyzing the paragraph, then the broader context of the section, then the book as a whole, then its place in the broader revelation. Then I go through the process in reverse back down to the passage in question.
5. What is the most important aspect of a preacher’s style and what should he avoid?
The most important aspect of a preacher’s style is authenticity. When I started preaching, I thought my ‘style’ had to fit a certain category. As a result I mimicked some of my favorite preachers. I was constantly reinventing myself. Ultimately, I had to find my own ‘style’ and stick with it. That meant there was one less thing I had to manufacture. I had to realize that God gave me a unique personality and he intended to use it in unique ways. God gave us four gospels written by four unique men, from four different perspectives. I had to remind myself that it is as much of a travesty for me to try to be Tony Evans as it would have been for John to try to be Matthew.
Interview with Paul Washer on the background of his “Shocking Sermon.”
For those familiar with Paul Washer’s “Shocking Sermon” (featured on DefCon here), you will want to check out the following eleven-minute interview piece in which Paul Washer explains the circumstances preceding his delivery of that sermon to 5,000 youth.
You can watch the interview below, or download the audio by right-clicking here.
Christ Alone Wyoming 