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Sermon of the week: “Sola Fide – The Supremacy of God in Salvation” by Brian Borgman.

Brian Borgman Your sermon of the week is Sola Fide – The Supremacy of God in Salvation by Brian Borgman. This is part seven of a thirteen-part series on the Doctrines of Grace entitled Introduction to the Reformed Faith. It seems that this series gets better and better with each installment. Look for the each additional installment every couple weeks.

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Sermon of the week: “No Lie is of the Truth” by Phil Johnson.

Phil Johnson carefully handles the issue of lying in the sermon No Lie is of the Truth. He even tackles the much debated lie of Rahab. This is a good sermon to digest on the whole issue of lying and deception.

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The Fall of the United States of Rome.

Martin Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) offers a sobering warning from the grave:

If the West goes down and is defeated, it will be for one reason only: internal rot . . . If we continue to spend our lives in jollification, doing less and less work, demanding more and more money, more and more pleasure and so-called happiness, more and more indulgence of the lusts of the flesh, with a refusal to accept our responsibilities, there is but one inevitable result—complete and abject failure. Why did the Goths and Vandals and other barbarians conquer the ancient Roman Empire? Was it by superior military power? Of course not! Historians know that there is only one answer: the fall of Rome came because of the spirit of indulgence that had invaded the Roman world—the games, the pleasures, the baths. The moral rot that had entered into the heart of the Roman Empire was the cause of Rome’s “decline and fall.” It was not superior power from the outside, but internal rot that was Rome’s ruination. And the really alarming fact today is that we are witnessing a similar declension in this and most other Western countries. This slackness, this indiscipline, the whole outlook and spirit is characteristic of a period of decadence. The pleasure mania, the sports mania, the drink and drug mania have gripped the masses.

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Welcome to the gospel in America in the 21st century.

The problem is not that television presents us with entertaining subject matter but that all subject matter is presented as entertaining.  – Neil Postman

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Quotes (679)

http://easterpeople.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/im-a-charismatic-baptist-reformed-calvinist/

The most excellent study for expanding the soul is the science of Christ and Him crucified and the knowledge of the Godhead in the glorious Trinity.

– Charles Spurgeon

1834 – 1892

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Mike Bickle and IHOP.

As a follow-up to Unworthy 1’s post on the International House of Prayer (found here) I’ve decided to post the following eye-opening video I just discovered. The video is a news piece from CBN and is done in a favorable light (imagine that coming from false prophet Pat Robertson’s broadcasting network).

Not only does IHOP’s Mike Binkle have ties to Bob Jones, but in the beginning of the video the commentator claims that Binkle says that Christ’s return is dependent upon man.

If I had a nickle for every time one of these Charismatic Charlatans claimed that God was powerless or helpless to do what He wants, and He must rely on us for His will to be accomplished, I’d be a rich man.

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Who is Mormonism’s “Angel of Light” and what part did he play in the founding of Mormonism?

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an ANGEL OF LIGHT.

Holy Bible / 2 Corinthians 11:14

There have also been ministering angels in the Church which were of Satan appearing as an ANGEL OF LIGHT.

Joseph Smith / Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith / Page 214 / 1842

The angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil…that being who beguiled our first parents, who transformeth himself nigh unto an ANGEL OF LIGHT.

Book of Mormon / 2 Nephi 9:8-9

We learn from the revealed word that Satan was once an ANGEL OF LIGHT, then known as Lucifer, a Son of the morning.

James E. Talmage / Articles of Faith / Page 56 / 1988

Satan wants us to believe in his false prophets, false healers, and false miracle workers. They may appear to be so real to us that the only way to know is to ask God for the gift of discernment. The devil himself can appear as an ANGEL OF LIGHT.

Gospel Principles / Page 149 / 1997 Edition

ANGEL OF LIGHT.

See Devil.

Bruce McConkie / Mormon Doctrine / Page 35 / 1966 Edition

And exactly what part did this “Angel of Light” play in the founding of Mormonism?

In September, 1823, and at later times, Joseph Smith received visitations from Moroni, an ANGEL OF LIGHT, who revealed the resting place of the ancient record from which The Book of Mormon was afterward translated.

Doctrine and Covenants / Explanatory Introduction / Page 1

It all makes sense now, doesn’t it?


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Sermon of the week: “God Saves Bad People” by Art Azurdia.

bottomleft Your Thursday sermon of the week is God Saves Bad People by Art Azurdia. This is a great message on Rahab and this sermon has even been made into a sermon jam that’s been featured on DefCon.

Those of you unfamiliar with Art Azurdia will find him a refreshing voice in a wilderness of Osteens, Nobles, Driscolls, and Warrens.


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Quotes (677)

When the sun is under a total eclipse, it loses nothing of its native beauty, light, and glory. Yet it appears to us as a dark useless meteor. When it frees itself from the lunar interruption, it again manifests its native light and glory. So it was with the divine nature of Christ. He veiled His glory by assuming our nature as His own and taking the “form of a servant,” a person of mean and low degree. But now this temporary eclipse is past, and His glory shines forth in the infinite luster and beauty that belong to the exaltation of His person. . . . Let the world rage while it pleases; let it set itself with all its power and craft against everything of Christ. We have this to support us and to oppose all their attempts–what Jesus says of Himself: “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:17-18).  

– John Owen

1616 – 1683

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Sermon of the week: “Sola Gratia: The Supremacy of Grace in Salvation” by Brian Borgman.

Brian Borgman Your sermon of the week is Sola Gratia – The Supremacy of Grace in Salvation by Brian Borgman. This is part six of a thirteen-part series entitled Introduction to the Reformed Faith that Pastor Borgman gave in 1998. Look for the each additional installment every couple weeks.

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DefCon is changing the day in which the Sermon of the Week will be posted. Instead of posting on Wednesday mornings, DefCon will now be posting your weekly sermon on Thursday mornings. And instead of making you wait till next Thursday (a week and a day from now) we will make this change immediately! So look for your (second) Sermon of the Week tomorrow and then every Thursday morning therafter.

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Coexist.

The following great piece comes from Jake Hunt at WiserTime:

You’ve seen these, right? They make me mad. Why? Because they don’t really mean what they say.

Let’s break it down. We’ll call each worldview by the letter it’s supposed to represent. So:

  • C = Islam
  • O = Pacifism
  • E = “Gender equality” (=the LGBT agenda)
  • X = Judaism
  • I = Wicca / Pagan / Bah’ai
  • S =Taoism / Confucianism
  • T = Christianity

And let’s assume a very broad definition of “coexist”: living together without calling for the destruction of each other. Here are the problems with that:

  • C wants to kill E, X, T, and (by implication) O. If they achieved the world they wanted, I and S would also no longer exist.
  • O doesn’t allow for effective resistance or defeat of C.
  • E stands in direct opposition to C, X, and T, and accuses those who speak against them of hate speech. Also, they’re trying to edge X and T out of public schools in favor of their own agenda. (They’re afraid C will be offended, so they get less trouble.) E is actually very, very intolerant.
  • X’s existence is threatened not only by C but also by O, who invariably supports C over X.
  • I and S are statistically insignificant and are mainly on there to complete the bumper sticker.
  • T is who the bumper sticker is really arguing against, but poses no physical threat to any of the others.

Historically, T has brought about more tolerance– “coexistence” if you will– than any other movement. But the kind of “coexistence” the people who make this sticker envision is one where at least X and T are completely marginalized.

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Sarcasm at its finest: Happy spots and Hollywood.

Sometimes you can just use a good laugh.

The following video is a great follow-up of the post Woe Unto You.

And this video is a great follow-up to The Idolatry of Celebrity Worship.


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Youth ministry: A “50-year failed experiment.”

Like placing a trampoline next to a spiked fence, sometimes you just have to admit when a bad idea is a bad idea (especially when it’s very harmful to children).

The Christian Post recently reported on a message from Scott T. Brown of the National Center for Family-Integrated Churches (NCFIC.org) in which he bravely went where few church leaders will go and criticized the sacred golden calf of youth ministry calling it “indisputably unbiblical.”

Brown gave this speech at the Sufficiency of Scripture Conference in Kentucky earlier this month which also featured Paul Washer, Voddie Baucham, Ken Ham, Doug Phillips, and others. Brown was optimistic though, hoping that “we are now at the end of this 50-year failed experiment.”

Ingrid Schlueter also weighed in on Brown’s lecture in this post when she said the following:

Youth groups that follow the fun and foolishness model of ministry have been an outstanding success—if by success you mean creating at least two generations of biblically illiterate, immature, and conscience-free consumers of American pop culture. As for training up disciplined, mature soldiers of Jesus Christ who possess a comprehensive knowledge of the Scriptures, most evangelical youth groups get an F.

Laodicean parents are concerned that their children will turn out badly. Turning out badly to Christians now means things like doing drugs, getting drunk or holding up the local QuickTrip. In terms of encouraging teens to avoid sex, drugs, booze and armed robbery, youth groups at evangelical churches probably get a few points. But when did avoiding procreation and police contact become the measure of success among Christian youth? Shouldn’t we be aiming a little higher than that? A working knowledge of sound Christian doctrine, knowledge of the Scriptures and the history of Christianity are now considered the arcane specialties of theologians, not tweens and teens.

The real issue is that evangelical parents are too busy servicing their debt providing iPhones and iPods and laptops for their offspring to worry about the biblical training of their children. Fathers are too involved watching the NFL on their large television screens to lead family worship. Mothers are too busy working out to achieve age-defying abs to teach children Scriptures when they rise up and when they lie down. That’s what youth group is for, they think. Except youth groups aren’t doing these things either. Youth pastors, even those well into middle-age, are bent on proving their coolness to the students in their care. They got krunk, see? They like dance-offs and air guitar competitions and having food items lobbed at their heads for entertainment purposes. Biblical training? Catechesis? Ha Ha Ha. Right.

Scott Brown is right. The neglect of biblical training of young people by their own fathers, in their own homes, is seen everywhere. Most frighteningly, we are seeing the increasing acceptance of things God clearly condemns in His Word. Kids today don’t know the Word. That’s why homosexuality is now seen as just another lifestyle option in a growing number of evangelical churches and colleges. Young people don’t know the Word because their fathers have failed them. Next, their “youth leaders” have failed them by perpetuating foolishness and buffoonery in the name of ministry.

Fathers, mothers, take back your roles as the primary disciplers of your children. Stop delegating the job to fools who are leading your children off a cliff spiritually. The times are dark and getting darker all the time, but the evangelicals party on, seemingly oblivious. The enemy is walking boldly into the church and subverting entire congregations with error of every description, not the least of which is an endemic spirit of frivolity and fun at the expense of teaching Biblical truth. But if evangelicals would look up from their revels, they would see the finger of God writing clearly on the walls of their churches.

“You have been tried in the balances and found wanting.”

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See related:

– Peanut butter salvation and other stupid church tricks

– Whos’ pastoring the youth pastors?

– The problem with youth ministry today.

– A story of injured clowns and evil chickens.

– Another church sanctuary turned into a stage for a worldly dance exhibition.

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Sermon of the week: “Hell” by Don Kistler.

Similar to the impact of Tim Conway’s message on Hell (found on this post), your sermon of the week is another sobering one. Hell by Pastor Don Kistler is one of those sermons that everyone should hear if they take God and His wrath seriously–but prepare to be very uncomfortable.

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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. 

 

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Why evangelism is so difficult in the United States.

Anyone who has spent any time doing street evangelism knows how discouraging it can be at times. A book I’m reading by Ken Ham and Brit Beemer entitled Already Gone: Why Your Kids Will Quit Church And What You Can Do To Stop It helps us to better understand just why evangelism in America is like pushing water up a hill.

For this book 1,000 people in their twenties who used to regularly attend church–as kids and teens (including Sunday school and youth groups) but who no longer darken the door of a church–were polled on the various reasons they no longer attend. Those polled were asked 78 questions in all but one of the more revealing responses came from this question:

Do you believe you are saved and will go to heaven upon death?

Of the group who never attends church: 58.7% said yes.

Of the group who attends church on Christmas and Easter only: 72.2% said yes.

Perhaps this sheds a little light on why it is so difficult to reach the “churched” and “unchurched” with the true gospel of Jesus Christ. You can’t convince a sick man to have an operation if he fails to recognize his illness.


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Quotes (675)

voddie-baucham It is not the job of the youth pastor to evangelize my child—that’s my job. It is not the youth pastor’s job to equip (disciple) my child—it’s mine. And it is not the youth pastor’s job to send my child out to engage the world; you guessed it—that’s my job too.

– Voddie Baucham

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A Rebuke from Russia

Mosh pit from Planetshakers "Christian" conference in Sydney, AUS

Over ten years ago, persecuted Christians in Russia sent an urgent plea to the churches of America to stop sending their demonic rock music under the ruse that it is supposedly Christian.  It addition to this plea, they also issued a sharp rebuke to the blindness and worldliness of the countless ministers and ministries that promote this music as being Christian. 

Yet has this plea been heard and has the rebuke yielded fruits of repentance?  Maybe for a select few but by in large the church has only further sunk into the morass of the world’s music whereby even thrash metal, rap, goth and a host of other forms of “music” are not only defended but welcomed into the church with open arms.  What a disgrace and shame that so many self-professed shepherds cannot separate the holy from the profane, the clean from the unclean.  And that the lost and unregenerate, as noted in his letter, have better discernment! 

For those who have eyes to see with and ears to hear I include the letter below.  At some point in the future I hope to write more about this subject. 

For thirty years we have suffered intense persecution. Now freedom is bringing another great harm to our churches. This damage is coming from Christians in America who are sending rock music and evangelists accompanied by rock bands. Our young people do not attend those meetings because we have all committed not to participate in secular entertainment. 

This is a great burden to our hearts. Many come with Bible in hand and rock music. We are embarrassed by this image of Christianity. We do not know what words to use in urging that this be stopped. We abhor all Christian rock music coming to our country. 

Rock music has nothing in common with ministry or the service to God. We are very much against Christian Americans bringing to our country this false image of “ministry” to God. We need spiritual bread… not false cakes. It is true that rock music attracts people to the church, but not to Godly living. 

We were in prison for fifteen years for Christ’s sake. We were not allowed to have Christian music, but ROCK MUSIC was used as a weapon against us day and night to destroy our souls. We could only resist with much prayer. 

Now, we have a time of more openness. We are no longer taken to prison. However, now it is Christians from America who damage our souls. We do not allow this music in our church, but these “evangelists” rent big stadiums and infect teenagers and adults with their rock music. We, the leadership and congregations of the Unregistered churches urge you to join with us, and we advise you to remove rock music from America. 

Do not desecrate our teenagers with it. Even the unbelievers recognize it is unholy music. We call this music, “music from hell.” We urge all Americans to stop giving money for the organizations of such concerts in Russia. We only want traditional Christian music in our churches. This is the unanimous decision of all our leaders. 

Peter Peters and Vasilij Ryzhuk, Unregistered Union of Churches, Moscow, Russia, April 15, 1992 (Bold added)