I have no intention of making a mountain out of a mole hill, but I found an interesting post on the blog True Discernment and thought some of you may want to weigh in on it. (Also see Independent Conservative’s similar post here). It features Christmas greetings from two popular women “pastors.” As supposed Christian leaders, do you see any problem with Juanita Bynum and Paula White’s Christmas greetings? Is this just a by-product of who they truly are? I mean Christ of the Bible is often times absent from their “sermons” (in place of health, wealth, prosperity, and even sex) so why should He be included in their Christmas greetings? What do you think?
Just some food for thought for today: Are you a Monergist or a Synergist?
Some noteworthy monergists include: John MacArthur, RC Sproul, John Piper, D. James Kennedy, Charles Spurgeon, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and Martin Luther.
Noteworthy synergists include: Billy Graham, Joel Osteen, Tim Lahaye, Charles Stanley, Jerry Falwell, John Wesley, Charles Finney, Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, and the Catholic church.
Not sure what a Monergist or a Synergist is? Couldn’t identify them if you met them on the street? Well then, check out the explanation by clicking here.
I want deliberately to encourage this mighty longing after God. The lack of it has brought us to our present low estate. The stiff and wooden quality about our religious lives is a result of our lack of holy desire. Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth. Acute desire must be present or there will be no manifestation of Christ to His people. He waits to be wanted. Too bad that with many of us He waits so long, so very long, in vain.
The female version of Joel Osteen has been discovered. Regarding Paula White’s book You’re All That, Larry King asks “This is a self-help book?” She responds, “Well, I believe the Bible helps yourself. So I think, you know, it’s based around the biblical principles and truths that transform me.”
I could only stomach a little bit of this before I could stand no more. Why is she acting like this? All show and no substance. And did she really say that the Apostle Paul lacked the ability to articulate and communicate?
One of the most impressive blessings in America is religious liberty. Not only do Christians have access to radio and television, unheard of in most nations of Asia, but they are also free to hold meetings, evangelize, and print literature. How different this is from many Asian nations in which government persecution of Christians is common and often legal. . . . Coming from India, where I was beaten and stoned for my faith, I know what it is to be a persecuted minority in my own country. When I set foot on Western soil, I could sense a spirit of religious liberty. Americans have never known the fear of persecution. . . . From India, I always looked to the United States as a fortress of Christianity. With the abundance of both spiritual and material things, affluence unsurpassed by any nation on earth, and a totally unfettered church, I expected to see a bold witness. God’s grace obviously has been poured out on this nation and Church in a way no other people ever have experienced. Instead I found a Church in spiritual decline. . . . These people, I knew, were capable of so much more. They were dying spiritually, but I knew God wanted to give them life again. He wanted His Church to recover its moral mandate and sense of mission. . . . God did not shower such great blessing on this nation for the Christians to live in extravagance, in self-indulgence, and in spiritual weakness.
Muslims simply aren’t happy with whipping a woman for allowing her students to name a teddy bear Muhammed. Now they want her executed! Read the latest news article here.
So where does the “peace” part come in of this “religion of peace” I keep hearing about?
This week’s sermon is by Pastor Tim Conway and is entitled (Shut your mouth if you don’t have) The Fruits of Repentance. Warning to the nominal professing Christian: this sermon will step on your toes.
Click on the link to listen streaming, or right click on the link and click “Save As” (Internet Explorer) or “Save Link As” (Mozilla) to save to your computer. From there you can burn this to a CD or upload it to your MP3 player.
I just received a copy of the brand-new, full-color, 32 page comic The Enchanterproduced by Chick Publications. The comic is on the life of Joseph Smith and I was very anxious to read it.
After reading it I was very disappointed on many levels. Although the design, layout, and artwork are good, it failed to touch on the many problems with Mormonism that it could have.
The story starts with a modern-day crime scene and cover-up. The Mormon Doctrine of Blood Atonement is exercised and the Mormon-run police force conclude the murder was a suicide. The victim’s wife seeks financial help from some men in another city to flee the town of Mormons. The two gentlemen who send this lady money to help her, have their curiosity piqued and seek to know more about Mormonism. Another man meets with them and the rest of the book is their conversation with illustrations of Joseph Smith and early Mormonism. The story never returns to the woman who lost her husband.
I have to admit, in my years of studying Mormonism, this comic alleged several things I never came across in my studies (not saying that they’re not true, I just never heard of them). Almost all of the other errors and lies of Mormonism were neglected.
I feel that Chick completely dropped the ball on this one. They missed so many grand opportunities and focused on matters that had less of an impact.
Additionally, I did not like the lack of documentation. If you’re going to make the allegations that this comic did, it only stands to reason to footnote where this information came from. This way when Mormons charge that you are lying and made this stuff up (like Jim did in this post) they can research the information for themselves; if they dare.
After reading this comic, I felt more like it was designed to just bash Joseph Smith and Mormons, not intellectually examine the facts and point the reader to the true Christ. Although the gospel message is included, it gets lost in all the drama.
In conclusion, I feel this comic may do more harm than good in sharing the Gospel with Mormons and enlightening those who are unfamiliar with the organization and its gross errors.
I think that many times Christians in their zealousness to share the truth do much damage. That’s why I cannot recommend this comic. Its attempt to cast Mormons in the light it did, does not sit well with me. Just the other day I was listening to Issues Etc on Pilgrim Radio on the topic of Jehovah’s Witnesses. One caller referred to the Mormons by saying something to the effect “when talking to the morons, uh I mean Mormons . . .” which he did intentionally. This grieves me and angers me at the same time. People who would say that does not have the Mormon’s best interest in mind (their eternal soul) but are just trying to win arguments.
I have yet to meet a Mormon I didn’t like. It’s their false doctrine I take issue with, not the individual Mormon. I get falsely accused all the time of being anti-Mormon and being a Mormon-basher. It usually comes from Mormons who can’t engage in the debate because they know that the Truth is not on their side. In reality, I love the Mormon people. I want to see them saved from the eternal fate they are in, (the deception and the lies which will lead them to Hell), and come to a true relationship with the Jesus of the Bible.
** UPDATE **
It has been brought to my attention by OB Server (thank you) that Chick Publications has referenced the material in this comic on their website. You can see it by clicking here. I wish they had put the references in the book, not everyone will have the opportunity to refer to the website.
This video was made by fellow blogger and brother in Christ, Fourpointer. He did a great job on exposing some of the many lies of the Word of Faith cult. (That’s right, I said “cult”).
Now, the word legalism is oftentimes brought up today. And it’s just used totally out of context. Anybody who has any kind of conviction about anything, seems to be called a legalist. Now a legalist is someone who believes that they are going to have a right standing before through their own obedience, their own virtue and merit; and that’s a legalist. Now, Jesus Christ said, also in Matthew chapter 7, He said, “depart from me, you workers of lawlessness, I never knew you.” And what He’s saying there basically is depart from Me all of you who claim to be My disciples but lived as though I never gave you a law to obey.
In this news article with accompanying video, a school teacher is in a Sudanese jail facing 40 lashes for allowing children in her class to name a teddy bear Mohammed.
As I shake my head at the barbaric behavior in which Islam constantly finds itself, I have to wonder if we harnessed just 10% of their fanaticism and applied it to our faith how much Christianity would be different than it is today in the West. I’m not talking about violence, cruelty, and terrorism. I’m talking a reverence for God, not watching movies where His name is blasphemed, not allowing an Elvis impersonator to lead worship, not depicting our Lord as a duck, not preaching sermons on the topic of God Loves Sex, not glorifying Las Vegas and poker in church, not inviting someone who’s opposed to everything our faith holds dear to speak at your church, not mocking the very Word of God with heretical versions of the Bible, not having scantly clad girls dancing on stage at a “Christian” Christmas concert, and the list goes on and on.
What so breaks my heart is when men are more concerned for coddling carnal unregenerate men than concerned for the glory of God and the God who died for them. - Paul Washer
Q: How many charismatics does it take to change a light bulb?
A: One, since his hands are in the air anyway.
A: Three, one to cast it out and two to catch it when it falls!
A: Twenty one, one to change it, and twenty to share the experience!
Q: How many Calvinists does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. God has predestined when the lights will be on.
Q: How many hyper-Calvinists does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. If God wants the light bulb changed He will do it Himself!
Q: How many liberals does it take to change a light bulb?
A: 10, as they need to hold a debate into whether or not the light bulb exists. Even if they can agree upon the existence of the light bulb they may not go ahead and change it for fear of alienating those who use fluorescent tubes.
These were all good, but one was missing so I thought I’d add my own: How many evolutionists does it take to change a light bulb? None. They figure it will change itself in a billion years.
How tragic that we in this dark day have had our seeking done for us by our teachers. Everything is made to center upon the initial act of “accepting” Christ (a term, incidentally, which is not found in the Bible) and we are not expected thereafter to crave any further revelation of God to our souls. We have been snared in the coils of a spurious logic which insists that if we have found Him we need no more to seek Him.
The government says you shall only have one wife; the Lord says take unto yourselves wives; and Saints obey the Lord, and we shall see who will come off victorious. (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Volume 12, Page 165)
Besides books, 8,000 Christian magazines and newspapers flourish. More than 1,600 Christian radio stations broadcast the Gospel full-time, while many countries don’t even have their first Christian radio station. A tiny 0.1 percent of all Christian radio and television programming is directed toward the unevangelized world. The saddest observation I can make about most of the religious communication activity of the Western world is this: Little, if any, of this media is designed to reach unbelievers. Almost all is entertainment for the saints. - K.P. Yohannan
What are most youth groups like? You get a real personable young leader who’s usually not married and a lot of mousse in his hair. And then he gets a lot of young people around him, and what do they become? According to Proverbs they become companions of fools. When you put young people with young people in this atmosphere of adolescence you have no growth to adulthood, you have no maturity, no elders are involved, no parents are involved. It can’t work because it’s not Biblical.
Recently, while enjoying a tall, hazelnut, decaf, non-fat, with-whip latte at Starbucks, I read something that caused an epiphany. On the cup was one of their The Way I See It (#290) quotes. This particular quote was from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich:
“On the battlefield of ideas, winning requires moving toward the sound of the guns.”
It took me no time at all to realize that this is not only my nature, but it’s exactly what this blog exists for. There’s a battle for the hearts and minds of mankind.
There is only one way to Heaven, and not only is that way narrow, (Matthew 7:13-14), but few find it; this in spite of what most popular preachers are telling you (which contributes to their popularity).
This blog runs to those gunshots where the battle rages between what is false and damns a man’s soul to Hell, and what is truth and sets a man free. Whether it’s the deception perpetrated by the cults like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons, or the apostasy of modern social Christianity, Reformation Nation is committed to fighting error with truth.
Now with all that said, I have also decided to turn over a new leaf. I’ve decided to strictly limit my comments on a post once I’ve published that post. I’ve come to this conclusion based on:
1). TIME: I find that I spend countless hours debating with Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Catholics, Atheists, and even professing Christians (who should know better), while other life-duties and responsibilities become neglected.
2). SUFFICIENCY: Anyone who spends time checking out this blog will see all my views over time as I continue to publish posts. Any arguments, insights, and thoughts that I have, will eventually be addressed over time.
3). ARGUMENTATIVE: I find that, more often than not, these debates turn to arguments. There is nothing productive in that. I can’t convince anyone of their error and lead them to the truth, only the Holy Spirit can do that. So I will continue to post and leave the matter at that.
Now this does not mean that I will never comment on anyone’s comments to my post, just that I will be very selective in my comments. Instead I will rely on the readers of this blog to further the discussions the issues with one another (if you’re all up to that challenge). That will afford me more time to publish new posts, and tend to my responsibilities outside of Reformation Nation.
I just got the opportunity to watch the Academy Award Nominee short film entitled Most. (Thanks Tom for letting me borrow it). It was a great movie. If you haven’t seen it I recommend you do. Here’s a review from Christianity Today: People who have seen this film count it among the best and most powerful movies they have ever seen. Some say it’s been life-changing.
It has easily become one of my top five favorite films. A parable for our time.
“Most” is Czech for the bridge. It’s the story of a bridge tender and his young son. A tragedy occurs one day at the bridge which causes the father to have to make an eternal decision: save the life of his son and allow numerous people to die, or sacrifice his son so that those people may live.
Check out more about the film and view the trailer by going to the Most website. I’ve also provided this short video below for you to view.
The knowledge of God is the great hope of sinners. Oh, if you knew Him better, you would fly to Him! If you understood how gracious He is, you would seek Him. If you could have any idea of His holiness, you would loathe your self-righteousness. If you knew anything of His power, you would not venture to contend with Him. If you knew anything of His grace, you would not hesitate to yield yourself to Him.
“When a messenger comes, saying he has a message from God, offer him your hand, and request him to shake hands with you.If he be an angel he will do so, and you will feel his hand.If he be a spirit of a just man made perfect, he will come in his glory; for that is the only way he can appear. Ask him to shake hands with you, but he will not move, because it is contrary to the order of heaven for a just man to deceive; but he will still deliver his message. If it be the devil as an angel of light, when you ask him to shake hands he will offer you his hand, and you will not feel anything; you may there fore detect him. These are three grand keys whereby you may know whether any administration is from God.” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Volume 5, Page 267)
I find it interesting that with all the various visions Joseph Smith claimed to have with all sorts of “heavenly” messengers, that he never once adhered to his own standard for testing a spirit. He started this whole Mormon religion without ever offering a handshake to the visitors. What’s even more amazing is that there is absolutely no Scriptural teaching, support, or example for Joe’s new hand shake “doctrine.” It goes to show that this guy could say or do anything and he would be believed.
I was wondering . . . is a “high-five” as good as a handshake?
Joseph Smith wasn’t done. If you’re unable to offer your hand, just look for the hair color:
“A sister in the state of New York had a vision, who said it was told her that if she would go to a certain place in the woods, an angel would appear to her.She went at the appointed time, and saw a glorious personage descending, arrayed in white, with sandy colored hair . . . .Many true things were spoken by this personage, and many things that were false.How, it may be asked, was this known to be a bad angel?By the color of his hair; that is one of the signs that he can be known by, and by his contradicting a former revelation.” (Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Page 214) What does the Bible say: Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that is coming, and now it is already in the world. 1 John 4:1-3
Chris from A Little Leaven has featured this product and he asks some great questions:
FAITH BEADS
“Was there a problem with the secular beading market? Were young girls being lead into a life of sin by ‘worldly’ and ’satanic’ beading supplies? Was there really a need for Christian beads to be offered in order to protect young Christian girls from the evil influences of the secular beads? Furthermore, we’d like to know what exactly makes these beads Christian?”
I found this awhile ago somewhere on the internet and have finally gotten around to posting it. I can’t remember where I got it but if you know, please add it to the comments so credit can be given.
1. Focus on the “decision,” not conversion. Then they’ll remember their own “wise” choice, not Christ’s work on the cross.2. Skim over the gospel and push the prayer. The actual gospel is simply too offensive.
3. Please your listeners with positive assurances; don’t confuse them with the whole truth. Tell them what they want to hear, not what they need to hear.
4. Emphasize God’s goodness, not His justice or holiness. Talk about his love, not His legal requirement that demands sacrifice for sin. Let them think they are headed for heaven no matter what!
5. Describe Jesus as Savior, not Lord of our lives. Promise His blessing but, by all means, ignore His warning about “counting the cost!”
6. Don’t mention sin, guilt, hell or wrath. No need to offend them with the whole dreadful reason why they need the Savior.
7. Whatever you do, never mention Judgment Day. Too distasteful! You could lose both friends and financial supporters.
8. Add some humor or rousing music. Lighten things up. Don’t sound too sober or serious.
9. Don’t mention repentance until they’ve repeated a “sinner’s prayer.” Then your project won’t be aborted by sudden doubts or reservations.
10. After they pray “the prayer,” celebrate “their” achievement, not God’s grace. Be sure to praise the deceived sinner, not the God they don’t know thatthey don’t yet know.
You are receiving this because someone cares about you and those sitting under your teaching. Apparently the gospel that you are presenting is one that can be best summed up as a social, ear-tickling gospel that will only produce false converts. Please examine what you are teaching in contrast to the Scriptures. Don’t turn a deaf ear to this plea. You are accountable to the souls that sit under your instruction.
They shall be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. What is it? To inherit the same power, the same glory and the same exaltation, until you arrive at the station of a god, and ascend the throne of eternal power, the same as those who have gone before.What did Jesus do? Why, I do the things I saw my Father do when worlds came rolling into existence.My Father worked out His kingdom with fear and trembling, and I must do the same; and when I get my kingdom, I shall present it to My Father, so that He may obtain kingdom upon kingdom, and it will exalt Him in glory. He will then take a higher exaltation, and I will take His place, and thereby become exalted myself.
I dwell on these things more because this is an age of reading. There seems no end to the producing of many books, though few of them are really profitable. There seems a rage for cheap printing and publishing. Newspapers of every sort abound, and the tone of some, which have the widest circulation, speaks badly for the taste of the age. Amidst the flood of dangerous reading, I plead for my Master’s book; I call upon you not to forget the book of the soul. Do not let newspapers, novels, and romances be read, while the prophets and Apostles be despised. Do not let the exciting and sensual swallow up your attention, while the edifying and sanctifying can find no place in your mind. Young men, give the Bible the honor due to it every day you live. Whatever you read, read that first. And beware of bad books: there are plenty in this day. Take heed what you read. . . . Value all books in proportion as they are agreeable to Scripture. Those that are nearest to it are the best, and those that are farthest from it, and most contrary to it, the worst.
Click on the link to listen streaming, or right click on the link and click “Save As” (Internet Explorer) or “Save Link As” (Mozilla) to save to your computer. From there you can burn this to a CD or upload it to your MP3 player.
“I prophesy and bear record this morning that all the combined powers of earth and hell shall not and cannot ever overthrow or overcome this boy, for I have a promise from the eternal God. ” Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Volume 5, Page 554, August 27, 1843.
Joseph Smith was killed less than a year later on June 27, 1844. It certainly didn’t take “all the combined powers of earth and hell” to overthrow and overcome him. Just a few bullets and a two-story window.
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Posted by Pilgrim
There is much in the attitude of professing Christians in this day which fills me with concern, and makes me full of fear for the future.
