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?
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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.
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
While reading my Bible around 1am on May 29th, I received a Word from the Lord regarding all the controversy and debate surrounding Todd Bentley. This Prophetic Word that I received is for Bentley’s followers and supporters. It is found in its entirety below.
Thus says the Lord:
Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 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.
Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?” And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.”
Now, as any good Christian should do, (like the Bereans in Acts 17:11), do not just accept this Prophetic Word without verifying its truth by testing it against the revealed word of God in the Scriptures. For your convenience I’ve listed Scripture references below for you to check to assure that this Prophetic Word is truly from the Lord and not a counterfeit spirit.
Matthew 7:13-14 / John 10:1-5 / 1 Timothy 4:1 / 2 Thessalonians 2:11
2 Timothy 4:3-4 / Matthew 24:24-25 / Matthew 7:21-23
On these two episode of The White Horse Inn, the guys discuss The Case for Theology and Apologetics. These episodes feature more man-on-the-street interviews of pastors from a pastor’s convention in which their answers to questions and “excuses” may surprise you.
The countless errors, false doctrines, and utterly embarrassing biblical illiteracy running rampant in Christendom can be directly traced to the lack of teaching and shepherding of the flock that the average American pastor is avoiding. This was a great discussion and a must-hear for pastors.
The Case for Theology and Apologetics 1: How important is it to know what you believe and why you believe it? Should the average Christian be informed about doctrines like justification and propitiation, or are those only for academic types? On this edition of the program the hosts discuss these question and interact with some on-the-street polls taken at a recent pastors convention.
The Case for Theology and Apologetics 2: On this edition of the White Horse Inn the hosts continue to interact with recent polls taken at a pastors convention on the importance of understanding theology and Biblical terminology. They also respond to the great number of pastors who preferred the sharing of one’s personal testimony over the use of apologetics to reach outsiders.
Uh, yeah. There’s Biblical precedence for this in the Scriptures. Right.
How come when these serpents tell of great healings which can be seen visually (raising the dead, limbs growing, tumors falling off people, etc.) there’s never a camera around to capture it? And why wasn’t there a camera around when he was beating these people to better health?
There was when he battered this guy.
This two-part video is the best examination I’ve seen of Todd Bentley thus far. And one of the most disturbing! I encourage all believers to watch this video, especially those who are following the pied pipings of Bentley.
This video is of Bentley recounting his experience he claims he had with beings that he calls “angels.” He tells of being beamed up through a ceiling and placed onto an operating table in Heaven (seriously) where these “angels” strapped him down and cut him open (seriously).
If you want to know more about what possesses Todd Bentley I believe this two-part video says it all. I’m thinking “Legion.”
Part One:
Part Two: (This video has images depicting alien abduction that can be disturbing)
There are so many people, especially in my own denomination . . . because of the pathetic theology and pathetic preaching . . . on church membership rolls—and they are as lost as they can be. Because we have forgotten that salvation does not cometh by praying and asking Jesus to come into your heart; salvation does not come by going through four spiritual laws and saying a prayer at the end; salvation does not come by all these silly little mechanisms we’ve developed. It comes as a supernatural work of God through which God regenerates, makes the heart alive, He gives the man repentance, He gives the man faith, the man repents, he believes and is saved. And it is a supernatural work of God that manifests as much if not more of the power of God than when God stood on the first day and said, “Let there be light.”
– Paul Washer
Just when you thought Romanism had the market on stigmata and liquids oozing from statues, the signs and wonders wolves in this video are now giving the superstitious Roman Catholics and Charismatic Bentley-ites a run for their money.
Let’s see Todd Bentley do this:
Your Sermon of the Week is part three of a four-part family series by Paul Washer. This one is entitled Responsibility, The Duty of Fathers. Listen to it here or download it here. Paul Washer delivers a profound sermon on the family that should be heard by everyone. I encourage you to check out parts one and two.
Christ Alone Wyoming 