Alert: This is a G rated room intended for a General Audience including minors. Offensive language is not permitted.
Alert: A weekly Bible Study for those who are coming out of the apostate institutional church system. This is a G Rated room.
BobbiLyn: Welcome to http://www.apostasywatch.com/ Friday night live Bible study and fellowship.
BobbiLyn: Joe 1:1 ¶ The word of Jehovah that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
Joe 1:2 Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or in the days of your fathers?
BobbiLyn: Joe 1:3 Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
BobbiLyn: Joe 1:4 That which the palmer-worm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the canker-worm eaten; and that which the canker-worm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten.
BobbiLyn: Joe 1:5 Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and wail, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
BobbiLyn: Joe 1:6 For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number; his teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the jaw-teeth of a lioness.
BobbiLyn: Joe 1:7 He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig-tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.
Joe 1:8 ¶ Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
BobbiLyn: Joe 1:9 The meal-offering and the drink-offering are cut off from the house of Jehovah; the priests, Jehovah's ministers, mourn.
Joe 1:10 The field is laid waste, the land mourneth; for the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.
BobbiLyn: Joe 1:11 Be confounded, O ye husbandmen, wail, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; for the harvest of the field is perished.
BobbiLyn: Joe 1:12 The vine is withered, and the fig-tree languisheth; the pomegranate-tree, the palm-tree also, and the apple-tree, even all the trees of the field are withered: for joy is withered away from the sons of men.
BobbiLyn: oe 1:13 Gird yourselves with sackcloth, and lament, ye priests; wail, ye ministers of the altar; come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meal-offering and the drink-offering are withholden from the house of your God.
BobbiLyn: Joe 1:14 ¶ Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the old men and all the inhabitants of the land unto the house of Jehovah your God, and cry unto Jehovah.
Joe 1:15 Alas for the day! for the day of Jehovah is at hand, and as destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
BobbiLyn: Joe 1:16 Is not the food cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?
Joe 1:17 The seeds rot under their clods; the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the grain is withered.
BobbiLyn: Joe 1:18 How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
Joe 1:19 O Jehovah, to thee do I cry; for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.
BobbiLyn: Joe 1:20 Yea, the beasts of the field pant unto thee; for the water brooks are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.
BobbiLyn: Re 13:11 ¶ And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
BobbiLyn: Re 13:12 And he exerciseth all the authority of the first beast in his sight. And he maketh the earth and them dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose death-stroke was healed.
BobbiLyn: 1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is of heaven.
BobbiLyn: 1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
BobbiLyn: 1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
BobbiLyn: Ro 8:6 For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace:
Ro 8:7 because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be:
Ro 8:8 and they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
BobbiLyn: Re 13:13 And he doeth great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of heaven upon the earth in the sight of men.
BobbiLyn: Re 13:14 And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which it was given him to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who hath the stroke of the sword and lived.
BobbiLyn: Re 13:4 and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him?
BobbiLyn: Ro 8:29 ¶ For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren:
Friday, December 12, 2008
Everlasting Arms
“God-the eternal God-is himself our support at all times, and especially when we are sinking in deep trouble. There are seasons when the Christian sinks very low in humiliation. Under a deep sense of his great sinfulness, he is humbled before God till he scarcely knows how to pray, because he appears, in his own sight, so worthless. Well, child of God, remember that when thou art at thy worst and lowest, yet “underneath” thee “are everlasting arms.” Sin may drag thee ever so low, but Christ’s great atonement is still under all. You may have descended into the deeps, but you cannot have fallen so low as “the uttermost”; and to the uttermost he saves. Again, the Christian sometimes sinks very deeply in sore trial from without. Every earthly prop is cut away. What then? Still underneath him are “the everlasting arms.” He cannot fall so deep in distress and affliction but what the covenant grace of an ever-faithful God will still encircle him.
The Christian may be sinking under trouble from within through fierce conflict, but even then he cannot be brought so low as to be beyond the reach of the “everlasting arms”-they are underneath him; and, while thus sustained, all Satan’s efforts to harm him avail nothing. This assurance of support is a comfort to any weary but earnest worker in the service of God. It implies a promise of strength for each day, grace for each need, and power for each duty. And, further, when death comes, the promise shall still hold good. When we stand in the midst of Jordan, we shall be able to say with David, “I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.” We shall descend into the grave, but we shall go no lower, for the eternal arms prevent our further fall. All through life, and at its close, we shall be upheld by the “everlasting arms”-arms that neither flag nor lose their strength, for “the everlasting God fainteth not, neither is weary.”
- Charles Spurgeon
The Christian may be sinking under trouble from within through fierce conflict, but even then he cannot be brought so low as to be beyond the reach of the “everlasting arms”-they are underneath him; and, while thus sustained, all Satan’s efforts to harm him avail nothing. This assurance of support is a comfort to any weary but earnest worker in the service of God. It implies a promise of strength for each day, grace for each need, and power for each duty. And, further, when death comes, the promise shall still hold good. When we stand in the midst of Jordan, we shall be able to say with David, “I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.” We shall descend into the grave, but we shall go no lower, for the eternal arms prevent our further fall. All through life, and at its close, we shall be upheld by the “everlasting arms”-arms that neither flag nor lose their strength, for “the everlasting God fainteth not, neither is weary.”
- Charles Spurgeon
Revelation 3:17
Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
During the course of Israel's history, her great sin was trying to get the best from both worlds. They claimed to believe in God but they did not obey Him. They honored Him with their lips but their hearts were far from Him. They left God in the background while they went about their everyday lives, ignoring the warnings from the prophets to repent and turn back to God. This is idolatry.
The church in Laodicea is committing the same sin. It is a very subtle form of idolatry. A member of this church is turned inward. He may claim to be a part of the body of Christ, but his worship is self-centered. This is idolatry!
True worship is a bowing down to God. Laying all "my" wants and desires on the altar daily. These are the burdens that keep us from doing God's perfect will in our lives. If we truly seek to follow Him, we will do as Jesus instructed: Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Taking up that cross is a hard thing; but the reward is great. This is a burden, indeed. But remember also what Jesus said: Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Diana Kukk
During the course of Israel's history, her great sin was trying to get the best from both worlds. They claimed to believe in God but they did not obey Him. They honored Him with their lips but their hearts were far from Him. They left God in the background while they went about their everyday lives, ignoring the warnings from the prophets to repent and turn back to God. This is idolatry.
The church in Laodicea is committing the same sin. It is a very subtle form of idolatry. A member of this church is turned inward. He may claim to be a part of the body of Christ, but his worship is self-centered. This is idolatry!
True worship is a bowing down to God. Laying all "my" wants and desires on the altar daily. These are the burdens that keep us from doing God's perfect will in our lives. If we truly seek to follow Him, we will do as Jesus instructed: Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Taking up that cross is a hard thing; but the reward is great. This is a burden, indeed. But remember also what Jesus said: Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Diana Kukk
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
The Song of Creation
"Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. . . When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
(Hib 38L4-7)
It is significant that there was singing at the very time of creation The "morning stars" of this verse are, by Hebrew poetic parallelism, the same as the "sons of God" who were present when God "laid the foundations of the earth." Similarly, "sang together" is parallel with "shouted for joy."
It is thus beautifully appropriate to sing of the glories of God's creation, for angels were doing this even before Adam and Eve were created! The first actual human song mentioned in the Bible, however, was the thanksgiving song of Moses (Exodus 15:1-21), composed and sung by Moses and the children of Israel after their deliverance from Pharaoh and the waters of the sea.
Finally, it is significant that the last song mentioned in the Bible is "the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb" (Revelation 15:3), sung in heaven by "them that had gotten the victory over the beast" (v. 2). This presumably refers back to the original song of Moses, since the deliverance from Pharaoh was, spiritually, a type of their triumph over the beast, the great world ruler in the end times. However, it must now be combined with the song of the Lamb, probably the "new song" of the saints at the Lamb's throne in Revelation 5:8-10, praising the Lord for their redemption through His blood, shed in substitution for their sins.
These should surely be the three major themes of Christian music, for these are the main themes of the Bible's songs. It is fitting that they should refer to the past, present, and future works of Christ -- His mighty work of creation in the beginning, His gracious work of sustenance in the present, and His glorious work of full redemption in the future.
Henry M. Morris
(Hib 38L4-7)
It is significant that there was singing at the very time of creation The "morning stars" of this verse are, by Hebrew poetic parallelism, the same as the "sons of God" who were present when God "laid the foundations of the earth." Similarly, "sang together" is parallel with "shouted for joy."
It is thus beautifully appropriate to sing of the glories of God's creation, for angels were doing this even before Adam and Eve were created! The first actual human song mentioned in the Bible, however, was the thanksgiving song of Moses (Exodus 15:1-21), composed and sung by Moses and the children of Israel after their deliverance from Pharaoh and the waters of the sea.
Finally, it is significant that the last song mentioned in the Bible is "the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb" (Revelation 15:3), sung in heaven by "them that had gotten the victory over the beast" (v. 2). This presumably refers back to the original song of Moses, since the deliverance from Pharaoh was, spiritually, a type of their triumph over the beast, the great world ruler in the end times. However, it must now be combined with the song of the Lamb, probably the "new song" of the saints at the Lamb's throne in Revelation 5:8-10, praising the Lord for their redemption through His blood, shed in substitution for their sins.
These should surely be the three major themes of Christian music, for these are the main themes of the Bible's songs. It is fitting that they should refer to the past, present, and future works of Christ -- His mighty work of creation in the beginning, His gracious work of sustenance in the present, and His glorious work of full redemption in the future.
Henry M. Morris
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Bible Study Scripture References for Dec. 5, 2008
BobbiLyn: Welcome to http://www.apostasywatch.com/ Friday night live on-line Bible study and fellowship.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:1 ¶ Hear this, O ye priests, and hearken, O house of Israel, and give ear, O house of the king; for unto you pertaineth the judgment; for ye have been a snare at Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:2 And the revolters are gone deep in making slaughter; but I am a rebuker of them all.
Ho 5:3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me; for now, O Ephraim, thou hast played the harlot, Israel is defiled.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:4 Their doings will not suffer them to turn unto their God; for the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they know not Jehovah.
Ho 5:5 And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore Israel and Ephraim shall stumble in their iniquity; Judah also shall stumble with them.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek Jehovah; but they shall not find him: he hath withdrawn himself from them.
Ho 5:7 They have dealt treacherously against Jehovah; for they have borne strange children: now shall the new moon devour them with their fields.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:8 ¶ Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: sound an alarm at Beth-aven; behind thee, O Benjamin.
Ho 5:9 Ephraim shall become a desolation in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:10 The princes of Judah are like them that remove the landmark: I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.
Ho 5:11 Ephraim is oppressed, he is crushed in judgment; because he was content to walk after man's command.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:12 Therefore am I unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:12 Therefore am I unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:12 Therefore am I unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
BobbiLyn: Ga 1:6 ¶ I marvel that ye are so quickly removing from him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a different gospel;
Ga 1:7 which is not another gospel only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
BobbiLyn: Ga 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema.
Ga 1:9 As we have said before, so say I now again, if any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be anathema.
SeattlePaulK777: amen
BobbiLyn: 1Co 1:18 For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.
BobbiLyn: 1Co 1:17 ¶ For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.
BobbiLyn: Ps 7:11 God is a righteous judge, Yea, a God that hath indignation every day.
BobbiLyn: Ps 5:6 Thou wilt destroy them that speak lies: Jehovah abhorreth the blood-thirsty and deceitful man.
BobbiLyn: Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
BobbiLyn: Lu 9:57 ¶ And as they went on the way, a certain man said unto him, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
Lu 9:58 And Jesus said unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
BobbiLyn: Lu 9:59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Lu 9:60 But he said unto him, Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but go thou and publish abroad the kingdom of God.
BobbiLyn: Lu 9:61 And another also said, I will follow thee, Lord; but first suffer me to bid farewell to them that are at my house.
Lu 9:62 But Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
BobbiLyn: Mt 10:34 Think not that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
BobbiLyn: Mt 10:35 For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law:
Mt 10:36 and a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
BobbiLyn: Mt 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mt 10:38 And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me.
BobbiLyn: Mt 13:20 And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it;
BobbiLyn: Mt 13:21 yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth.
BobbiLyn: Mt 13:22 And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
BobbiLyn: Mt 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
BobbiLyn: Joh 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
BobbiLyn: Ga 3:24 So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
BobbiLyn: Ac 2:36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified.
BobbiLyn: Ac 2:37 ¶ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do?
BobbiLyn: Ac 2:38 And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
BobbiLyn: Ac 2:39 For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.
BobbiLyn: Ac 7:51 ¶ Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye.
BobbiLyn: Ac 7:52 Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed them that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers;
BobbiLyn: Ac 7:53 ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not.
BobbiLyn: Ac 7:54 ¶ Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
BobbiLyn: Ac 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
Ac 7:56 and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.
BobbiLyn: Ac 7:57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord;
Ac 7:58 and they cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
BobbiLyn: Mt 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
Mt 24:25 Behold, I have told you beforehand.
BobbiLyn: Mt 24:26 If therefore they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: Behold, he is in the inner chambers; believe it not.
Mt 24:27 For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:1 ¶ Hear this, O ye priests, and hearken, O house of Israel, and give ear, O house of the king; for unto you pertaineth the judgment; for ye have been a snare at Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:2 And the revolters are gone deep in making slaughter; but I am a rebuker of them all.
Ho 5:3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me; for now, O Ephraim, thou hast played the harlot, Israel is defiled.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:4 Their doings will not suffer them to turn unto their God; for the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they know not Jehovah.
Ho 5:5 And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore Israel and Ephraim shall stumble in their iniquity; Judah also shall stumble with them.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek Jehovah; but they shall not find him: he hath withdrawn himself from them.
Ho 5:7 They have dealt treacherously against Jehovah; for they have borne strange children: now shall the new moon devour them with their fields.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:8 ¶ Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: sound an alarm at Beth-aven; behind thee, O Benjamin.
Ho 5:9 Ephraim shall become a desolation in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:10 The princes of Judah are like them that remove the landmark: I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.
Ho 5:11 Ephraim is oppressed, he is crushed in judgment; because he was content to walk after man's command.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:12 Therefore am I unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:12 Therefore am I unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
BobbiLyn: Ho 5:12 Therefore am I unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
BobbiLyn: Ga 1:6 ¶ I marvel that ye are so quickly removing from him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a different gospel;
Ga 1:7 which is not another gospel only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
BobbiLyn: Ga 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema.
Ga 1:9 As we have said before, so say I now again, if any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be anathema.
SeattlePaulK777: amen
BobbiLyn: 1Co 1:18 For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.
BobbiLyn: 1Co 1:17 ¶ For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.
BobbiLyn: Ps 7:11 God is a righteous judge, Yea, a God that hath indignation every day.
BobbiLyn: Ps 5:6 Thou wilt destroy them that speak lies: Jehovah abhorreth the blood-thirsty and deceitful man.
BobbiLyn: Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
BobbiLyn: Lu 9:57 ¶ And as they went on the way, a certain man said unto him, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
Lu 9:58 And Jesus said unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
BobbiLyn: Lu 9:59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Lu 9:60 But he said unto him, Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but go thou and publish abroad the kingdom of God.
BobbiLyn: Lu 9:61 And another also said, I will follow thee, Lord; but first suffer me to bid farewell to them that are at my house.
Lu 9:62 But Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
BobbiLyn: Mt 10:34 Think not that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
BobbiLyn: Mt 10:35 For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law:
Mt 10:36 and a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
BobbiLyn: Mt 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mt 10:38 And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me.
BobbiLyn: Mt 13:20 And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it;
BobbiLyn: Mt 13:21 yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth.
BobbiLyn: Mt 13:22 And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
BobbiLyn: Mt 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
BobbiLyn: Joh 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
BobbiLyn: Ga 3:24 So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
BobbiLyn: Ac 2:36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified.
BobbiLyn: Ac 2:37 ¶ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do?
BobbiLyn: Ac 2:38 And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
BobbiLyn: Ac 2:39 For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.
BobbiLyn: Ac 7:51 ¶ Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye.
BobbiLyn: Ac 7:52 Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed them that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers;
BobbiLyn: Ac 7:53 ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not.
BobbiLyn: Ac 7:54 ¶ Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
BobbiLyn: Ac 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
Ac 7:56 and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.
BobbiLyn: Ac 7:57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord;
Ac 7:58 and they cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
BobbiLyn: Mt 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
Mt 24:25 Behold, I have told you beforehand.
BobbiLyn: Mt 24:26 If therefore they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: Behold, he is in the inner chambers; believe it not.
Mt 24:27 For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
KNOWING AND TRUSTING
In my reading this morning I came across this devotional which is a confirmation of our ladies' bible study last night on Pal Talk. Our dear sister, Helen, (A Seed Sower) was given a word from the Lord and numerous scriptures that gave us comfort in knowing and trusting our Lord. He will never abandon us or leave us. He is our Good Shepherd who leads us and feeds us all our spiritual food and He gives us living waters to drink and He fights our enemies of doubt and fear and gives us comfort when we seek Him. He will finish the work that He began in us. All we need do is trust and obey Him.
"And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee." (Psalm 9:10)
When one really knows the name of the Lord, that one will surely come to trust Him. How could anyone fail to trust God and to believe His Word, when they know Him to be the Almighty Creator (Elohim), the self-existing One (Jehovah), and the gracious Master (Adonai)? When they further learn that He is none other than Jesus Christ ("Anointed Savior"), surely they ought to believe and bow in thankful love, calling Him "Lord" by the Holy Ghost (1Corinthians 12:3).
The word for "trust" means "take refuge in." We can trust our Lord for protection from harm, from want, from all the attacks of the wicked one, and finally, from hell itself. That trust is well placed, because the Lord never forsakes those who truly trust Him. The Word confirms this truth over and over again. "(For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers" (Deuteronomy 4:31). "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" (Psalm 37:25). These are glorious promises, always fulfilled -- that is, with one exception.
The only man who always fully trusted God, who was altogether righteous and who perfectly manifested the Father's name to His disciples and to the world -- that One was forsaken! "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" He cried, as He died on the cross (Matthew 27:46).
And it was because He was willing to be forsaken and to suffer hell itself in our place -- dying for our sins -- that God can make and keep His promise never to forsake anyone who seeks Him and puts their trust in Him, through Jesus Christ.
Henry M. Morris
"And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee." (Psalm 9:10)
When one really knows the name of the Lord, that one will surely come to trust Him. How could anyone fail to trust God and to believe His Word, when they know Him to be the Almighty Creator (Elohim), the self-existing One (Jehovah), and the gracious Master (Adonai)? When they further learn that He is none other than Jesus Christ ("Anointed Savior"), surely they ought to believe and bow in thankful love, calling Him "Lord" by the Holy Ghost (1Corinthians 12:3).
The word for "trust" means "take refuge in." We can trust our Lord for protection from harm, from want, from all the attacks of the wicked one, and finally, from hell itself. That trust is well placed, because the Lord never forsakes those who truly trust Him. The Word confirms this truth over and over again. "(For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers" (Deuteronomy 4:31). "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" (Psalm 37:25). These are glorious promises, always fulfilled -- that is, with one exception.
The only man who always fully trusted God, who was altogether righteous and who perfectly manifested the Father's name to His disciples and to the world -- that One was forsaken! "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" He cried, as He died on the cross (Matthew 27:46).
And it was because He was willing to be forsaken and to suffer hell itself in our place -- dying for our sins -- that God can make and keep His promise never to forsake anyone who seeks Him and puts their trust in Him, through Jesus Christ.
Henry M. Morris
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
COMMITMENT TO GOD
"Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass." (Psalm 37:5)
Frustration must come as the saints of God battle with evil forces. The pain and pressure of tourment is nonetheless real as these evil "devices"...(Is 32:7 "Also the schemes of the schemer are evil; He devises wicked plans to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks justice." )...take their toll on the people of God.
The Lord will destroy the plans of the wicked... (Psalm 33:10
"The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.")
...but while those plans are active, they can cause much hurt.
Nevertheless, we must maintain trust in the Lord and commit our lives to Him if we are to be victorious. The unusual Hebrew word galal used here is more often translated as "roll on" or "roll with" something. It seems to imply a unity in the commitment, that the committed one is bound up in the actions or activities of the thing or person committed to -- we "roll on" or "roll with" the Lord in our "way."
Paul spends much of his letter to the Philippians describing the link between the Creator-Savior and the mind, heart, and lifestyle of the Christian who has given his life over to God. "Being confident of this very thing," Paul says, "that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phillippians 1:6). We are to "work out" [our] own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:12-13).
While admitting that he had not yet "attained," Paul was so focused on the work of the Kingdom that he was "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14). God's promise to "bring it to pass" is conditioned on our being committed to His sovereign will for our "way".
Henry M. Morris, III, D.Min.
Frustration must come as the saints of God battle with evil forces. The pain and pressure of tourment is nonetheless real as these evil "devices"...(Is 32:7 "Also the schemes of the schemer are evil; He devises wicked plans to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks justice." )...take their toll on the people of God.
The Lord will destroy the plans of the wicked... (Psalm 33:10
"The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.")
...but while those plans are active, they can cause much hurt.
Nevertheless, we must maintain trust in the Lord and commit our lives to Him if we are to be victorious. The unusual Hebrew word galal used here is more often translated as "roll on" or "roll with" something. It seems to imply a unity in the commitment, that the committed one is bound up in the actions or activities of the thing or person committed to -- we "roll on" or "roll with" the Lord in our "way."
Paul spends much of his letter to the Philippians describing the link between the Creator-Savior and the mind, heart, and lifestyle of the Christian who has given his life over to God. "Being confident of this very thing," Paul says, "that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phillippians 1:6). We are to "work out" [our] own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:12-13).
While admitting that he had not yet "attained," Paul was so focused on the work of the Kingdom that he was "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14). God's promise to "bring it to pass" is conditioned on our being committed to His sovereign will for our "way".
Henry M. Morris, III, D.Min.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Thoughts on Psalm 118:5 - 8
Psalm 118:5 - 8
5In my anguish I cried to the LORD,
and he answered by setting me free.
6The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
7The LORD is with me; he is my helper.
I will look in triumph on my enemies.
8It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
He set me free from trusting man and instead it is better to take refuge in the Lord.
When I cried out in anguish He answered by setting me free. The Lord is with me; He is my helper.
I was looking for my circumstances to change. I was looking for help from man. All the while it was the Lordwho was with me. He was my helper. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.
Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous. The Lord is my righteousness!
Too many Christians believe that we need only to avoid the things that we think can hurt us, or interfere with our walk with Christ. Only the Lord knows what we should avoid in life to remain close to Him, and safe from the enemy.
So may we look to His holy word and not to our own understanding.
If the Bible says that something offends God, then we should strive to avoid it.
5In my anguish I cried to the LORD,
and he answered by setting me free.
6The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
7The LORD is with me; he is my helper.
I will look in triumph on my enemies.
8It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
He set me free from trusting man and instead it is better to take refuge in the Lord.
When I cried out in anguish He answered by setting me free. The Lord is with me; He is my helper.
I was looking for my circumstances to change. I was looking for help from man. All the while it was the Lordwho was with me. He was my helper. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.
Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous. The Lord is my righteousness!
Too many Christians believe that we need only to avoid the things that we think can hurt us, or interfere with our walk with Christ. Only the Lord knows what we should avoid in life to remain close to Him, and safe from the enemy.
So may we look to His holy word and not to our own understanding.
If the Bible says that something offends God, then we should strive to avoid it.
Monday, November 24, 2008
A Heart Condition
"The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], And desperately wicked; Who can know it? (Jer. 17:9)
The Law shows us our sin but does not give us the power to subdue it. In fact the Law only “doth revive, put strength into, and increase it [sin] in the soul.”
As the Law reveals our holy Creator and his perfect standard (with its inward and outward demands for conformity), we are filled with anguish and terror at who we are and the condemnation we deserve.
Charles Spurgeon has made this comment on the human heart, “There is nothing one half so worthy of abhorrence as the human heart. God spares from all eyes, but his own, that awful sight, a human heart; and could you and I but once see our heart, we should be driven mad, so horrible would be the sight.”
Only the gospel is able to sweep and subdue the heart so that King Jesus can begin his reign in it.
The Law shows us our sin but does not give us the power to subdue it. In fact the Law only “doth revive, put strength into, and increase it [sin] in the soul.”
As the Law reveals our holy Creator and his perfect standard (with its inward and outward demands for conformity), we are filled with anguish and terror at who we are and the condemnation we deserve.
Charles Spurgeon has made this comment on the human heart, “There is nothing one half so worthy of abhorrence as the human heart. God spares from all eyes, but his own, that awful sight, a human heart; and could you and I but once see our heart, we should be driven mad, so horrible would be the sight.”
Only the gospel is able to sweep and subdue the heart so that King Jesus can begin his reign in it.
Friday, November 21, 2008
OBAMA'S PASTORAL COUNSELLOR IS A HOMOSEXUAL EPISCOPAL BISHOP
(Friday Church News Notes, November 21, 2008, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)
The following is excerpted from “Will There Be an Activist Pastor to the Next President,” Virtueonline.org, Nov. 16, 2008: “A conservative Christian activist says it’s a sad omen for the Obama administration and the United States that Barack Obama has been seeking guidance from the Episcopal Church's first openly homosexual bishop.
The Times of London reports that the president-elect sought out New Hampshire homosexual bishop Gene Robinson for advice three times during his presidential campaign.
Robinson, whose ordination in the Episcopal Church has caused a deep rift within the Anglican Communion, was reportedly sought out by Obama to discuss what it feels like to be ‘first.’ Robinson notes in their three private conversations, Obama voiced his support for ‘equal civil rights’ for homosexuals and described the election as a ‘religious experience.’
Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, believes Obama’s consultations with Robinson show the true tenor of his upcoming administration. It looks like Billy Graham has been replaced by a gay bishop.”
The following is excerpted from “Will There Be an Activist Pastor to the Next President,” Virtueonline.org, Nov. 16, 2008: “A conservative Christian activist says it’s a sad omen for the Obama administration and the United States that Barack Obama has been seeking guidance from the Episcopal Church's first openly homosexual bishop.
The Times of London reports that the president-elect sought out New Hampshire homosexual bishop Gene Robinson for advice three times during his presidential campaign.
Robinson, whose ordination in the Episcopal Church has caused a deep rift within the Anglican Communion, was reportedly sought out by Obama to discuss what it feels like to be ‘first.’ Robinson notes in their three private conversations, Obama voiced his support for ‘equal civil rights’ for homosexuals and described the election as a ‘religious experience.’
Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, believes Obama’s consultations with Robinson show the true tenor of his upcoming administration. It looks like Billy Graham has been replaced by a gay bishop.”
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
North Korea Enraged by Launch of Gospel Gas Balloons
Communists see Christian messages by thousands blanketing countryside
By Bob Unruh
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
Christians launching a balloon to carry thousands of Gospel tracts over North Korea, where they are then dropped to residents
North Korean officials are infuriated by leaflets that have been floated over the communist nation's secured borders and dropped from plastic bags attached to gas-filled balloons, and one organization behind the effort says there's good reason the atheists in power are upset – the pamphlets are carrying a Gospel message directly to the people.
Hundreds of thousands of leaflets have reportedly been distributed in just the past few months, and may have been the reason the North recently announced it would shut its border with the South. The North also has threatened to cut other communications, such as telephone lines, over the issue.
The leaflets have been attributed to "political" groups, but a spokesman for one organization sponsoring the effort said there's nothing political about it, and the tracts carry a message of hope directly to the North Korean people.
The spokesman and his organization, which spreads the Gospel around the world, couldn't be identified because of the potential for danger to affiliated activists who are dispatching the balloons.
But he told WND those who have fled government crackdowns on their faith inside North Korea are desperate to get the message of hope to their family, friends and communities behind the wall of communist information censorship.
"Each balloon carried 10,000 Gospel tracts, in three separate bags at the bottom that have a time release mechanism so that they drop at different times to spread the leaflets over a wider area," he described.
On one side, the leaflet cites a "great revival" that launched in Pyongyang in 1907.
"It began with a Bible study that took place in Changdaehyun church … Many Koreans came together to study the Bible, the written record of God's love for Korean people and the world," it says.
"Unfortunately, this study of the truth was stopped by Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il. They are not the first people to build big statues of themselves for people to bow down and worship. Throughout history, many leaders have claimed to be a god only to die later. The following is a true story from the Bible that took place thousands of years ago. It is about a man like Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il who thought he was even better than God Himself. But this story is also about 3 courageous men who knew who the real God was, and how they refused to bow down to someone who was only a man."
The pamphlet then describes Nebuchadnezzar's reign, his construction of a golden statue to himself and the refusal on the part of three Israelite captives to bow down before it.
The Bible records Nebuchadnezzer then had the captives thrown into a fire, but he saw four men, not three, walking around inside the flames, which did not hurt the men.
"There is only one who is the true Savior. Just as King Nebuchadnezzar died, so did Kim Il-Sung and one day so will Kim Jong-Il. But unlike these 3 men, the true God, Jesus Christ rose from the dead and lives," it continues.
"King Nebuchadnezzar had his people bow down and worship him, but God showed him that he was not a god. King Nebuchadnezzar had to bow down to the One True God. Everyone, including all the leaders in the world that have thought themselves to be God, will one day have to bow down to the One True God also. The Bible says that the name of Jesus, God's son, is above every name. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord."
The Al-Jazeera network reported even the South Korean government was looking for ways to ban "activists" from sending "anti-North Korean propaganda" across the border between the two nations, apparently in an attempt to win favor with the North Korean powers.
Kim Ho-Nyoun of South Korea's unification ministry said he was reviewing whether there were "legal grounds" to halt the spread of the messages, which Al-Jazeera described as an "irritant" to North-South relations because of their "critical" message about North Korean leadership.
The Islamic network noted North Korean officials had been complaining about "debris," while the Korea Times said the government's previous attempts to discourage the spread of such messages have not been successful.
The pamphlet says, "The Bible tells us that 'God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life" (John 3:16). We love God because He first loved us. God loved you so much that He sent His only Son to die to save you-and He rose from the dead and is watching over you today. That is why you have found this paper."
Although there may be "political" items also being dropped over North Korea, many of the items are evangelism-oriented, the ministry spokesman told WND.
"The good news of this story is that obviously it works," said the ministry spokesman. "If the leaflets weren't getting into North Korea, or weren't getting read by anyone, the North Korean government wouldn't be making a big deal about it."
North Korea long has had a record of banning Christianity and torturing and killing Christians. WND reported a Christian ministry launched a campaign seeking to have North Korean students who were caught reading the Bible freed from jail.
According to Free North Korea Broadcasting, a former vice-president of GumRung Co. of the Rodong Dang Labor Organization Department, reported the situation.
He escaped to the relative freedom of China to avoid arrest by the National Security Agency of North Korea and carried information about the situation with him.
"In March 2006, 200 Life Bibles and several hundred CDs were purchased in China and secretly placed in flour bags before being smuggled into North Korea," he reported. "This huge Bible smuggling case was headed by GumRung Co. employees who were influenced by Christianity in China and underground Christians in Nasun City."
He continued, "All the leaders have been arrested and are being severely tortured. If I am caught, I will be sent to a prison camp for political criminals. I didn't want to die in prison camp, so I escaped."
But detailed information from inside North Korea often is hard to obtain, many times coming only from those who have survived and escaped. WND previously reported on a North Korean who fled and said many North Koreans believe dictator Kim Jong-Il actually is a god.
By Bob Unruh
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
Christians launching a balloon to carry thousands of Gospel tracts over North Korea, where they are then dropped to residents
North Korean officials are infuriated by leaflets that have been floated over the communist nation's secured borders and dropped from plastic bags attached to gas-filled balloons, and one organization behind the effort says there's good reason the atheists in power are upset – the pamphlets are carrying a Gospel message directly to the people.
Hundreds of thousands of leaflets have reportedly been distributed in just the past few months, and may have been the reason the North recently announced it would shut its border with the South. The North also has threatened to cut other communications, such as telephone lines, over the issue.
The leaflets have been attributed to "political" groups, but a spokesman for one organization sponsoring the effort said there's nothing political about it, and the tracts carry a message of hope directly to the North Korean people.
The spokesman and his organization, which spreads the Gospel around the world, couldn't be identified because of the potential for danger to affiliated activists who are dispatching the balloons.
But he told WND those who have fled government crackdowns on their faith inside North Korea are desperate to get the message of hope to their family, friends and communities behind the wall of communist information censorship.
"Each balloon carried 10,000 Gospel tracts, in three separate bags at the bottom that have a time release mechanism so that they drop at different times to spread the leaflets over a wider area," he described.
On one side, the leaflet cites a "great revival" that launched in Pyongyang in 1907.
"It began with a Bible study that took place in Changdaehyun church … Many Koreans came together to study the Bible, the written record of God's love for Korean people and the world," it says.
"Unfortunately, this study of the truth was stopped by Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il. They are not the first people to build big statues of themselves for people to bow down and worship. Throughout history, many leaders have claimed to be a god only to die later. The following is a true story from the Bible that took place thousands of years ago. It is about a man like Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il who thought he was even better than God Himself. But this story is also about 3 courageous men who knew who the real God was, and how they refused to bow down to someone who was only a man."
The pamphlet then describes Nebuchadnezzar's reign, his construction of a golden statue to himself and the refusal on the part of three Israelite captives to bow down before it.
The Bible records Nebuchadnezzer then had the captives thrown into a fire, but he saw four men, not three, walking around inside the flames, which did not hurt the men.
"There is only one who is the true Savior. Just as King Nebuchadnezzar died, so did Kim Il-Sung and one day so will Kim Jong-Il. But unlike these 3 men, the true God, Jesus Christ rose from the dead and lives," it continues.
"King Nebuchadnezzar had his people bow down and worship him, but God showed him that he was not a god. King Nebuchadnezzar had to bow down to the One True God. Everyone, including all the leaders in the world that have thought themselves to be God, will one day have to bow down to the One True God also. The Bible says that the name of Jesus, God's son, is above every name. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord."
The Al-Jazeera network reported even the South Korean government was looking for ways to ban "activists" from sending "anti-North Korean propaganda" across the border between the two nations, apparently in an attempt to win favor with the North Korean powers.
Kim Ho-Nyoun of South Korea's unification ministry said he was reviewing whether there were "legal grounds" to halt the spread of the messages, which Al-Jazeera described as an "irritant" to North-South relations because of their "critical" message about North Korean leadership.
The Islamic network noted North Korean officials had been complaining about "debris," while the Korea Times said the government's previous attempts to discourage the spread of such messages have not been successful.
The pamphlet says, "The Bible tells us that 'God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life" (John 3:16). We love God because He first loved us. God loved you so much that He sent His only Son to die to save you-and He rose from the dead and is watching over you today. That is why you have found this paper."
Although there may be "political" items also being dropped over North Korea, many of the items are evangelism-oriented, the ministry spokesman told WND.
"The good news of this story is that obviously it works," said the ministry spokesman. "If the leaflets weren't getting into North Korea, or weren't getting read by anyone, the North Korean government wouldn't be making a big deal about it."
North Korea long has had a record of banning Christianity and torturing and killing Christians. WND reported a Christian ministry launched a campaign seeking to have North Korean students who were caught reading the Bible freed from jail.
According to Free North Korea Broadcasting, a former vice-president of GumRung Co. of the Rodong Dang Labor Organization Department, reported the situation.
He escaped to the relative freedom of China to avoid arrest by the National Security Agency of North Korea and carried information about the situation with him.
"In March 2006, 200 Life Bibles and several hundred CDs were purchased in China and secretly placed in flour bags before being smuggled into North Korea," he reported. "This huge Bible smuggling case was headed by GumRung Co. employees who were influenced by Christianity in China and underground Christians in Nasun City."
He continued, "All the leaders have been arrested and are being severely tortured. If I am caught, I will be sent to a prison camp for political criminals. I didn't want to die in prison camp, so I escaped."
But detailed information from inside North Korea often is hard to obtain, many times coming only from those who have survived and escaped. WND previously reported on a North Korean who fled and said many North Koreans believe dictator Kim Jong-Il actually is a god.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
German Homeschooling Family Seeks Asylum in United States
PURCELLVILLE, Virginia, Nov. 18 /Christian Newswire/ -- A homeschooling family who recently fled Germany has filed for political asylum in the United States. "The persecution of homeschoolers in Germany has dramatically intensified," said HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Fund) staff attorney Michael P. Donnelly.
"They are regularly fined thousands of dollars, sent to prison, or have the custody of their children taken away simply because they choose to home educate."
Uwe and Hannelore Romeike formerly of Bissingen, Germany along with their five children made it to the United States in August of this year. The family has settled in Eastern Tennessee where they have been warmly welcomed by local homeschool supporters and are being assisted by HSLDA. Uwe Romeike, a music teacher, and his wife Hannelore, are grateful for the support they have received from HSLDA and American homeschoolers.
"The freedom we have to homeschool our children in Tennessee is wonderful. We don't have to worry about looking over our shoulder anymore wondering when the youth welfare officials will come or how much money we have to pay in fines," said Mrs. Romeike. "We have received so much love and support," said Mr. Romeike. "Our children are no longer homesick. They are so happy to be homeschooled here. We left family members, our home, and a wonderful community in Germany, but the well-being of our children made it necessary."
"By supporting a political asylum application we will be able to shine the light of truth on this real and ongoing problem. A successful application will provide a path to safety for German homeschool families escaping persecution," said Donnelly. HSLDA, with support from the Alliance Defense Fund, has hired immigration attorney Will Humble of Houston, Texas to handle this groundbreaking case.
For more information about Germany's persecution of homeschoolers, visit www.hslda.org/germany.
Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is a 25 year old, 85,000 member non-profit organization and the preeminent national association advocating the legal right of parents to homeschool their children.
Christian Newswire
"They are regularly fined thousands of dollars, sent to prison, or have the custody of their children taken away simply because they choose to home educate."
Uwe and Hannelore Romeike formerly of Bissingen, Germany along with their five children made it to the United States in August of this year. The family has settled in Eastern Tennessee where they have been warmly welcomed by local homeschool supporters and are being assisted by HSLDA. Uwe Romeike, a music teacher, and his wife Hannelore, are grateful for the support they have received from HSLDA and American homeschoolers.
"The freedom we have to homeschool our children in Tennessee is wonderful. We don't have to worry about looking over our shoulder anymore wondering when the youth welfare officials will come or how much money we have to pay in fines," said Mrs. Romeike. "We have received so much love and support," said Mr. Romeike. "Our children are no longer homesick. They are so happy to be homeschooled here. We left family members, our home, and a wonderful community in Germany, but the well-being of our children made it necessary."
"By supporting a political asylum application we will be able to shine the light of truth on this real and ongoing problem. A successful application will provide a path to safety for German homeschool families escaping persecution," said Donnelly. HSLDA, with support from the Alliance Defense Fund, has hired immigration attorney Will Humble of Houston, Texas to handle this groundbreaking case.
For more information about Germany's persecution of homeschoolers, visit www.hslda.org/germany.
Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is a 25 year old, 85,000 member non-profit organization and the preeminent national association advocating the legal right of parents to homeschool their children.
Christian Newswire
Monday, November 17, 2008
Obama Wins, Muslims Divided
(An Iranian in Tehran sports a badge of Barack Obama. (AP: Hasan Sarbakhshian)
by Daniel Pipes
Philadelphia Bulletin
Ali ibn Abi-Talib, the seventh-century figure central to Shiite Islam, is said to have predicted when the world will end, columnist Amir Taheri points out. A "tall black man" commanding "the strongest army on earth" will take power "in the west." He will carry "a clear sign" from the third imam, Hussein. Ali says of the tall black man: "Shiites should have no doubt that he is with us."
Barack Hussein in Arabic means "the blessing of Hussein." In Persian, Obama translates as "He [is] with us." Thus does the name of the presumptive American president-elect, when combined with his physical attributes and geography, suggest that the End of Times is nigh – precisely what Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been predicting.
Back down on earth, the Muslim reaction to Obama's victory is more mixed than one might expect.
American Islamists are delighted; an umbrella group, the American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Election, opined that, with Obama's election, "Our nation has … risen to new majestic heights." Siraj Wahhaj, Al-Hajj Talib Abdur Rashid, the Council on American Islamic Relations, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, the Islamic Society of North America, the Islamic Circle of North America, and the Muslim Alliance in North America responded with similar exuberance.
Hamas, and Islamist movements in Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, India, Indonesia and the Philippines delighted in Obama's election. Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch generalizes that jihadists and Islamic supremacists worldwide showed "unalloyed joy." The New York Times finds public reaction in the Middle East mostly "euphoric." John Esposito of Georgetown University emphasizes the Muslim world's welcome to Obama as an "internationalist president."
But plenty of other Muslims have other views. Writing in Canada's Edmonton Sun, Salim Mansur found John McCain the "more worthy candidate." Yusif al-Qaradawi, the Al-Jazeera sheikh, endorsed McCain for opposite reasons: "This is because I prefer the obvious enemy who does not hypocritically [conceal] his hostility toward you… to the enemy who wears a mask [of friendliness]." Al-Qaradawi also argued that twice as many Iraqis died during Bill Clinton's two administrations than during George W. Bush's.
For tactical reasons, the influential Sunni sheikh Yusif al-Qaradawi wanted John McCain to win.
Iran's hardliners also favored a McCain victory (according to Iran's former Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi) "because they benefit more from enmity with the U.S., which allows them to rally the Islamic world behind their policies and at the same time suppress dissent at home." The Taliban took note of Obama's election promise to increase U.S. troops in Afghanistan, warning that, should he fulfill this plan, "jihad and resistance will be continued."
Iraqis are intensively divided about Obama's plan quickly to withdraw U.S. troops from their country. That plan, plus promises to end U.S. dependence on Middle East oil and to negotiate with Iranian leaders, rattled the leaders of Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf governments.
Some commentators argue that Obama cannot make a real difference; an Iranian newspaper declares him unable to alter a system "established by capitalists, Zionists, and racists." Predictably, the appointment of Rahm Emanuel as Obama's chief of staff confirmed Palestinian perceptions of an omnipotent Israel lobby. A commentator in the United Arab Emirates went further, predicting Obama's replication of Jimmy Carter's trajectory of flamboyant emergence, failure in the Middle East, and electoral defeat.
In all, these mixed reactions from Muslims suggest puzzlement at the prospect of a U.S. president of Islamic origins who promises "change," yet whose foreign policy may buckle under the constraints of his office. In other words, Muslims confront the same question mark hanging over Obama as everyone else:
Never before have Americans voted into the White House a person so unknown and enigmatic. Emerging from a hard-left background, he ran, especially in the general election, mostly as a center-left candidate. Which of these positions will he adopt as president? More precisely, where along the spectrum from hard- to center-left will he land?
Looking at the Arab-Israeli conflict, for example, will Obama's policies reflect Rashid Khalidi, the ex-PLO flak he befriended in the 1990s, or Dennis Ross, his recent campaign advisor and member of my board of editors? No one can yet say.
Still, one can predict. Should Obama return to his hard left roots, Muslim euphoria will largely continue. Should he seek to make his presidency a success by moving to the center-left, many – but hardly all – Muslims will experience severe disillusionment.
http://www.danielpipes.org/article/6017
Bible Study Scripture References for Nov. 16, 2008
BobbiLyn: Welcome to http://www.apostasywatch.com/ Sunday morning live on-line Bible study and fellowship.
Lumster: We will begin after this song
Lumster: Zech 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This [is] the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 5:8 ¶ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 5:10 ¶ But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
BobbiLyn: 2Co 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
BobbiLyn: Jas 1:13 ¶ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
BobbiLyn: Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
BobbiLyn: Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:10 ¶ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
BobbiLyn: Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
BobbiLyn: Jer 9:8 Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.
BobbiLyn: Mt 16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
BobbiLyn: Mt 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
BobbiLyn: Jer 9:1 ¶ Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
BobbiLyn: er 9:2 Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
BobbiLyn: er 9:3 And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.
BobbiLyn: Jer 9:4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.
BobbiLyn: Isa 54:15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.
Isa 54:16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
BobbiLyn: Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
BobbiLyn: Ps 149:6 ¶ Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
Ps 149:7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
BobbiLyn: Ps 149:8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
Ps 149:9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
BobbiLyn: Mt 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
Mt 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
BobbiLyn: t 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
BobbiLyn: Mt 17:14 ¶ And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
Mt 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
BobbiLyn: Mt 17:16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
Mt 17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me
BobbiLyn: Mt 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
Mt 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
BobbiLyn: Mt 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
BobbiLyn: Mt 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
BobbiLyn: Mt 21:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
BobbiLyn: Mt 21:18 ¶ Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
BobbiLyn: Mt 21:19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
BobbiLyn: Mt 21:20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
BobbiLyn: Mt 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
BobbiLyn: Heb 4:1 ¶ Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Heb 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
BobbiLyn: Mr 11:21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
Mr 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
BobbiLyn: Mr 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
BobbiLyn: Mr 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
BobbiLyn: ec 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
BobbiLyn: Zec 4:7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
BobbiLyn: Jer 51:25 Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.
BobbiLyn: Jer 51:26 And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the LORD.
BobbiLyn: Re 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
BobbiLyn: Ho 4:6 ¶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
BobbiLyn: Ro 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
BobbiLyn: Ro 4:17 ¶ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
BobbiLyn: Ro 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
BobbiLyn: Ro 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
BobbiLyn: Ro 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Ro 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
BobbiLyn: t 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
BobbiLyn: Mt 16:20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
BobbiLyn: Mt 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
BobbiLyn: Mt 18:15 ¶ Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
BobbiLyn: Mt 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
BobbiLyn: Mt 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
BobbiLyn: Mt 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
BobbiLyn: Mt 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 4:12 ¶ Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
BobbiLyn: Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
BobbiLyn: Joh 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
BobbiLyn: Joh 15:7 If
Lumster: We will begin after this song
Lumster: Zech 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This [is] the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 5:8 ¶ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 5:10 ¶ But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
BobbiLyn: 2Co 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
BobbiLyn: Jas 1:13 ¶ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
BobbiLyn: Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
BobbiLyn: Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:10 ¶ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
BobbiLyn: Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
BobbiLyn: Jer 9:8 Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.
BobbiLyn: Mt 16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
BobbiLyn: Mt 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
BobbiLyn: Jer 9:1 ¶ Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
BobbiLyn: er 9:2 Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
BobbiLyn: er 9:3 And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.
BobbiLyn: Jer 9:4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.
BobbiLyn: Isa 54:15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.
Isa 54:16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
BobbiLyn: Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
BobbiLyn: Ps 149:6 ¶ Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
Ps 149:7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
BobbiLyn: Ps 149:8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
Ps 149:9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
BobbiLyn: Mt 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
Mt 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
BobbiLyn: t 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
BobbiLyn: Mt 17:14 ¶ And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
Mt 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
BobbiLyn: Mt 17:16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
Mt 17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me
BobbiLyn: Mt 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
Mt 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
BobbiLyn: Mt 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
BobbiLyn: Mt 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
BobbiLyn: Mt 21:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
BobbiLyn: Mt 21:18 ¶ Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
BobbiLyn: Mt 21:19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
BobbiLyn: Mt 21:20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
BobbiLyn: Mt 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
BobbiLyn: Heb 4:1 ¶ Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Heb 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
BobbiLyn: Mr 11:21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
Mr 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
BobbiLyn: Mr 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
BobbiLyn: Mr 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
BobbiLyn: ec 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
BobbiLyn: Zec 4:7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
BobbiLyn: Jer 51:25 Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.
BobbiLyn: Jer 51:26 And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the LORD.
BobbiLyn: Re 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
BobbiLyn: Ho 4:6 ¶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
BobbiLyn: Ro 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
BobbiLyn: Ro 4:17 ¶ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
BobbiLyn: Ro 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
BobbiLyn: Ro 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
BobbiLyn: Ro 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Ro 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
BobbiLyn: t 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
BobbiLyn: Mt 16:20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
BobbiLyn: Mt 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
BobbiLyn: Mt 18:15 ¶ Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
BobbiLyn: Mt 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
BobbiLyn: Mt 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
BobbiLyn: Mt 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
BobbiLyn: Mt 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 4:12 ¶ Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
BobbiLyn: Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
BobbiLyn: Joh 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
BobbiLyn: Joh 15:7 If
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Apostasy Watch Bible Study 11/14/08
BobbiLyn: Ho 4:6 ¶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 5:8 ¶ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 5:10 ¶ But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
BobbiLyn: 2Co 2:10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
2Co 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
BobbiLyn: Job 1:6 ¶ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
BobbiLyn: Job 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
BobbiLyn: Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
BobbiLyn: Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
BobbiLyn: Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
BobbiLyn: Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
BobbiLyn: Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
BobbiLyn: Job 32:1 ¶ So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:10 ¶ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
BobbiLyn: Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
BobbiLyn: Jer 9:8 Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.
BobbiLyn: Mt 16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
BobbiLyn: Mt 16:21 ¶ From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
BobbiLyn: Mt 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
BobbiLyn: Isa 54:15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.
Isa 54:16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
BobbiLyn: Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
BobbiLyn: Ps 149:6 ¶ Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
Ps 149:7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
BobbiLyn: Ps 149:8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
Ps 149:9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
BobbiLyn: Ps 149:5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
BobbiLyn: Ps 1:1 ¶ Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Ps 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
BobbiLyn: Ps 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Ps 1:4 ¶ The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away
BobbiLyn: Ps 1:5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Ps 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
BobbiLyn: Ps 140:1 ¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;
Ps 140:2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
BobbiLyn: Ps 140:3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.
Ps 140:4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
BobbiLyn: Ps 140:5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.
Ps 140:6 I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.
BobbiLyn: Ps 140:7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
Ps 140:8 ¶ Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
BobbiLyn: Ps 140:9 As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
Ps 140:10 Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
BobbiLyn: Ps 140:11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
Ps 140:12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
Ps 140:13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 5:8 ¶ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
BobbiLyn: 1Pe 5:10 ¶ But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
BobbiLyn: 2Co 2:10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
2Co 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
BobbiLyn: Job 1:6 ¶ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
BobbiLyn: Job 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
BobbiLyn: Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
BobbiLyn: Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
BobbiLyn: Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
BobbiLyn: Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
BobbiLyn: Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
BobbiLyn: Job 32:1 ¶ So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:10 ¶ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
BobbiLyn: Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
BobbiLyn: Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
BobbiLyn: Jer 9:8 Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.
BobbiLyn: Mt 16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
BobbiLyn: Mt 16:21 ¶ From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
BobbiLyn: Mt 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
BobbiLyn: Isa 54:15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.
Isa 54:16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
BobbiLyn: Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
BobbiLyn: Ps 149:6 ¶ Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
Ps 149:7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
BobbiLyn: Ps 149:8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
Ps 149:9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
BobbiLyn: Ps 149:5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
BobbiLyn: Ps 1:1 ¶ Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Ps 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
BobbiLyn: Ps 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Ps 1:4 ¶ The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away
BobbiLyn: Ps 1:5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Ps 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
BobbiLyn: Ps 140:1 ¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;
Ps 140:2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
BobbiLyn: Ps 140:3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.
Ps 140:4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
BobbiLyn: Ps 140:5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.
Ps 140:6 I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.
BobbiLyn: Ps 140:7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
Ps 140:8 ¶ Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
BobbiLyn: Ps 140:9 As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
Ps 140:10 Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
BobbiLyn: Ps 140:11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
Ps 140:12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
Ps 140:13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Black Preachers Worship Wrong Messiah
by Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson
Jesse Peterson begins here:
There shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies...2 Peter 2:1
With the November 4 election of Barack Obama, black preachers have been celebrating across the country. Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, Founder and President of BOND Action, Inc. is rebuking these black preachers for their part in electing the most left-wing presidential candidate in American history:
Ninety-six percent of black voters supported Barack Obama and the majority of these voters were influenced by black preachers to put race ahead of their country and their faith, said Rev. Peterson. How can ministers who are supposed to lead their flock to Jesus Christ instead lead them to a socialist like Obama?
The truth is that most black ministers don't have a real relationship with God and they are leading their congregations to hell. These blind leaders helped elect their black 'messiah'. This 'messiah' happens to be the most left-wing member of the U.S. Senate, said Rev. Peterson.
Here's where president-elect Obama stands on key issues:
* Believes in abortion on demand (virtually under any circumstance), and has told Planned Parenthood that sex-ed for kindergartners is 'the right thing to do' (as long as it's 'age appropriate');
* Has promised to repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act and would allow homosexual 'marriages' to be made legal in all 50 states;
* Would appoint far left activist judges who'd pervert and misinterpret the U.S. Constitution;
* Has pledged to dismantle 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' in the military. Supports open homosexuality, bisexuality, and transexuality in all military branches, barracks and shower facilities.
This is what influential black ministers said after the Obama election victory:
* Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter's House church said that Sen. Barack Obama's campaign "encouraged, validated and gave inspiration to not only the people of the United States of America, but to the people of our world."
* At Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist Church, Rev. Calvin Butts invited his congregation to stand up "and give God praise for the election." Several hundred churchgoers rose as one and cheered, "Yes we can! Yes we can!"
* Grammy-winning gospel singer, Rev. Shirley Caesar-Williams said, "Too long we've been at the bottom of the totem pole, but he [Obama] has vindicated us, hallelujah."
* Rev. John L. Lambert, Bethel AME Church in Indianapolis, "If ever there was an answer to 'who cometh to our help?' that was the answer...Look at what God has done."
* At Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Rev. Otis Moss, III, said history would note that Trinity was the holy place where "God stirred a young man's soul and put him on the path to the presidency."
Rev. Peterson concludes: "In order for black Americans to turn around, they must drop their anger, and find the truth within themselves, not from corrupt, racist preachers or from a false black messiah."
(Note: It's not just black preachers who should take heed of Peterson's words, but all Christians.)
Jesse Peterson begins here:
There shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies...2 Peter 2:1
With the November 4 election of Barack Obama, black preachers have been celebrating across the country. Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, Founder and President of BOND Action, Inc. is rebuking these black preachers for their part in electing the most left-wing presidential candidate in American history:
Ninety-six percent of black voters supported Barack Obama and the majority of these voters were influenced by black preachers to put race ahead of their country and their faith, said Rev. Peterson. How can ministers who are supposed to lead their flock to Jesus Christ instead lead them to a socialist like Obama?
The truth is that most black ministers don't have a real relationship with God and they are leading their congregations to hell. These blind leaders helped elect their black 'messiah'. This 'messiah' happens to be the most left-wing member of the U.S. Senate, said Rev. Peterson.
Here's where president-elect Obama stands on key issues:
* Believes in abortion on demand (virtually under any circumstance), and has told Planned Parenthood that sex-ed for kindergartners is 'the right thing to do' (as long as it's 'age appropriate');
* Has promised to repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act and would allow homosexual 'marriages' to be made legal in all 50 states;
* Would appoint far left activist judges who'd pervert and misinterpret the U.S. Constitution;
* Has pledged to dismantle 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' in the military. Supports open homosexuality, bisexuality, and transexuality in all military branches, barracks and shower facilities.
This is what influential black ministers said after the Obama election victory:
* Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter's House church said that Sen. Barack Obama's campaign "encouraged, validated and gave inspiration to not only the people of the United States of America, but to the people of our world."
* At Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist Church, Rev. Calvin Butts invited his congregation to stand up "and give God praise for the election." Several hundred churchgoers rose as one and cheered, "Yes we can! Yes we can!"
* Grammy-winning gospel singer, Rev. Shirley Caesar-Williams said, "Too long we've been at the bottom of the totem pole, but he [Obama] has vindicated us, hallelujah."
* Rev. John L. Lambert, Bethel AME Church in Indianapolis, "If ever there was an answer to 'who cometh to our help?' that was the answer...Look at what God has done."
* At Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Rev. Otis Moss, III, said history would note that Trinity was the holy place where "God stirred a young man's soul and put him on the path to the presidency."
Rev. Peterson concludes: "In order for black Americans to turn around, they must drop their anger, and find the truth within themselves, not from corrupt, racist preachers or from a false black messiah."
(Note: It's not just black preachers who should take heed of Peterson's words, but all Christians.)
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Ex-Hitler Youth's Warning to America!
'Every day brings this nation closer to Nazi-style totalitarian abyss'
WASHINGTON – Because it has abandoned moral absolutes and its historic Christian faith, the U.S. is moving closer to a Nazi-style totalitarianism, warns a former German member of the Hitler Youth in a new book.
"Every day brings this nation closer to a Nazi-style totalitarian abyss," writes Hilmar von Campe, now a U.S. citizen, and author of "Defeating the Totalitarian Lie: A Former Hitler Youth Warns America."
Von Campe has founded the national Institute for Truth and Freedom to fight for a return to constitutional government in the U.S. – a key, he believes, to keeping America free.
"I lived the Nazi nightmare, and, as the old saying goes, 'A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument,'" writes von Campe. "Everything I write is based on my personal experience in Nazi Germany. There is nothing theoretical about my description of what happens when a nation throws God out of government and society, and Christians become religious bystanders. I don't want to see a repetition. The role of God in human society is the decisive issue for this generation. My writing is part of my life of restitution for the crimes of a godless government, of the evil of which I was a part."
Von Campe grew up under the Nazis, served in the Hitler Youth and fought against the Red Army in the Yugoslavian theater as a tank gunner in the German army. He was captured at the end of the war and escaped five months later from a prisoner of war camp in Communist Yugoslavia.
"It took me a long time to understand and define the nature of National Socialism," says von Campe. "And, unfortunately, their philosophy continues to flourish under different labels remaining a menace to America and free human society."
He writes: "The most painful part of defining National Socialism was to recognize my own moral responsibility for the Nazi disaster and their crimes against humanity. It boiled down to accepting the truth that 'as I am, so is my nation,' and realizing that if every German was like me, it was no wonder that the nation became a cesspool of gangsters. This realization is as valid today for any person in any nation as it was then, and it is true for America and every American now."
Von Campe's message is that political freedom and democratic rules alone are not sufficient to govern humanity justly.
"Democratic procedures can be subverted and dishonest politicians are like sand in the gearbox, abundant, everywhere and destructive," he writes. "What I see in America today is people painting their cabins while the ship goes down. Today in America we are witnessing a repeat performance of the tragedy of 1933 when an entire nation let itself be led like a lamb to the Socialist slaughterhouse. This time, the end of freedom is inevitable unless America rises to her mission and destiny."
Von Campe says he sees spiritual parallels among Americans and his childhood Germany.
"The silence from our pulpits regarding the moral collapse of American society from within is not very different from the silence that echoed from the pulpits in Germany toward Nazi policies," he explains. "Our family lived through the Nazi years in Germany, an experience typical of millions of Europeans regardless of what side they were on. We paid a high price for the moral perversions of a German government, which excluded God and His Commandments from their policies. America must not continue following the same path to destruction, but instead heed the lessons of history and the warning I am giving."
Specifically, von Campe warns Americans their political leaders are on the
wrong footing, "denying our cultural and traditional roots based on our unique Constitution and Christian orientation as a nation. Christians don't understand their mission."
WASHINGTON – Because it has abandoned moral absolutes and its historic Christian faith, the U.S. is moving closer to a Nazi-style totalitarianism, warns a former German member of the Hitler Youth in a new book.
"Every day brings this nation closer to a Nazi-style totalitarian abyss," writes Hilmar von Campe, now a U.S. citizen, and author of "Defeating the Totalitarian Lie: A Former Hitler Youth Warns America."
Von Campe has founded the national Institute for Truth and Freedom to fight for a return to constitutional government in the U.S. – a key, he believes, to keeping America free.
"I lived the Nazi nightmare, and, as the old saying goes, 'A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument,'" writes von Campe. "Everything I write is based on my personal experience in Nazi Germany. There is nothing theoretical about my description of what happens when a nation throws God out of government and society, and Christians become religious bystanders. I don't want to see a repetition. The role of God in human society is the decisive issue for this generation. My writing is part of my life of restitution for the crimes of a godless government, of the evil of which I was a part."
Von Campe grew up under the Nazis, served in the Hitler Youth and fought against the Red Army in the Yugoslavian theater as a tank gunner in the German army. He was captured at the end of the war and escaped five months later from a prisoner of war camp in Communist Yugoslavia.
"It took me a long time to understand and define the nature of National Socialism," says von Campe. "And, unfortunately, their philosophy continues to flourish under different labels remaining a menace to America and free human society."
He writes: "The most painful part of defining National Socialism was to recognize my own moral responsibility for the Nazi disaster and their crimes against humanity. It boiled down to accepting the truth that 'as I am, so is my nation,' and realizing that if every German was like me, it was no wonder that the nation became a cesspool of gangsters. This realization is as valid today for any person in any nation as it was then, and it is true for America and every American now."
Von Campe's message is that political freedom and democratic rules alone are not sufficient to govern humanity justly.
"Democratic procedures can be subverted and dishonest politicians are like sand in the gearbox, abundant, everywhere and destructive," he writes. "What I see in America today is people painting their cabins while the ship goes down. Today in America we are witnessing a repeat performance of the tragedy of 1933 when an entire nation let itself be led like a lamb to the Socialist slaughterhouse. This time, the end of freedom is inevitable unless America rises to her mission and destiny."
Von Campe says he sees spiritual parallels among Americans and his childhood Germany.
"The silence from our pulpits regarding the moral collapse of American society from within is not very different from the silence that echoed from the pulpits in Germany toward Nazi policies," he explains. "Our family lived through the Nazi years in Germany, an experience typical of millions of Europeans regardless of what side they were on. We paid a high price for the moral perversions of a German government, which excluded God and His Commandments from their policies. America must not continue following the same path to destruction, but instead heed the lessons of history and the warning I am giving."
Specifically, von Campe warns Americans their political leaders are on the
wrong footing, "denying our cultural and traditional roots based on our unique Constitution and Christian orientation as a nation. Christians don't understand their mission."
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
An Unchanging God!
by Mike Gendron
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, For the past several months we have been praying that God would have mercy on our country and give us what we need and not what we deserve. We now know that we have been given what we deserve. But let us not lose hope, "for our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil. 3:20). "Let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained...For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things" (Phil. 3:16-19).
Remember that "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change (Psalm 46:1-2).
As a shadow of spiritual darkness continues to creep across our country, we must recognize the great opportunity we have as Christians to reflect the glorious light of our Savior. He is still our King and He has declared victory over the devil and his schemes. So let us be encouraged:
"The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked goes out" (Prov. 13:17).
Remember Paul's exhortation, "Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm" (Eph. 6:10-13).
Let us remember what children of the King are called to be! "You are the salt of the earth...You are the light of the world...Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Mat. 5:13-16).
"In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?" (Psalm 56:4)
A Fellow Servant of the King,
Mike Gendron
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, For the past several months we have been praying that God would have mercy on our country and give us what we need and not what we deserve. We now know that we have been given what we deserve. But let us not lose hope, "for our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil. 3:20). "Let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained...For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things" (Phil. 3:16-19).
Remember that "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change (Psalm 46:1-2).
As a shadow of spiritual darkness continues to creep across our country, we must recognize the great opportunity we have as Christians to reflect the glorious light of our Savior. He is still our King and He has declared victory over the devil and his schemes. So let us be encouraged:
"The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked goes out" (Prov. 13:17).
Remember Paul's exhortation, "Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm" (Eph. 6:10-13).
Let us remember what children of the King are called to be! "You are the salt of the earth...You are the light of the world...Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Mat. 5:13-16).
"In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?" (Psalm 56:4)
A Fellow Servant of the King,
Mike Gendron
Monday, November 10, 2008
Tower of Babel In Aspen
Spiritual Leaders Gather In Aspen
by Ingrid Schlueter
The Aspen Times reports that two days after the election, monks, rabbis, swamis, gurus, the ubiquitous Joan Campbell Brown, and other assorted spirituality proponents got together to plan how to “heal the nation.”
Organizers said that the religious voice of the Fundamental Christian Right has dominated the country for several years and it represents a minority of Americans.
That’s why the initiative conducted an extensive search to find respected leaders from the Hindu, Buddhist, Sufi, contemplative Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths — who aren’t advocating for the superiority of one faith, themselves or their churches.
Rather, the intention is to draw upon a collective wisdom to reflect on how to address the most pressing issues facing the nation — the economic crisis, increasing poverty, environmental degradation and climate change, and the fear that has permeated the nation since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
In the photo, the religious Tower of Babel “prays for peace.” Note the symbols in the background. New Spirituality proponents are hoping to capitalize on the election of the new “messiah” to bring about the spiritual transformation they have all been calling for for so long.
Sometimes this all feels like something out of a B-grade end times movie: a new (false) messiah the world idolizes, New Agers braying about their Orwellian “Department of Peace”, a female talk show host helping elect the President because the collective IQ of the nation has sunk to dangerous lows, a fawning media helping to promote “messiah” as though they have all been brain washed, and so forth and so on. Unfortunately, it isn’t a bad dream, a B-movie or anything else make-believe. It’s the world we’re living in, Christians, and we’d better get prepared for it.
P.S. In the quote from the Aspen Times above, fundamentalist Christians are sneeringly described as a “minority.” Hey, Joan Campbell Brown and company, aren’t minorities supposed to be treated with even GREATER respect by your types? Do we need to remind you of the importance of minority voices? Aren’t you the people constantly grizzling about the mistreatment of religious and ethnic minorities worldwide? Something for you and your pagan friends to think about, and while you’re at it, just remember that your 1st Amendment rights to meet in Aspen were established because of the courage and faith of Christian fundamentalists.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Bible Study Scripture References for Nov. 7, 2008
BobbiLyn: Welcome to http://www.apostasywatch.com/ Friday night live on-line Bible study.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:1 ¶ To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David. Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
Ps 69:2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:3 I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:5 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:6 Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.
Ps 69:7 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.
Ps 69:9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:10 When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.
Ps 69:11 I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:12 They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:13 ¶ But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
Ps 69:15 Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:16 Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
Ps 69:17 And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:18 Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.
Ps 69:19 Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.
BobbiLyn: Jg 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:1 ¶ And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
1Sa 8:2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
1Sa 8:4 ¶ Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
1Sa 8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
1Sa 8:10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
1Sa 8:15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
1Sa 8:17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
1Sa 8:19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:1 ¶ To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David. Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
Ps 69:2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:3 I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:5 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:6 Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.
Ps 69:7 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.
Ps 69:9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:10 When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.
Ps 69:11 I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:12 They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:13 ¶ But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
Ps 69:15 Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:16 Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
Ps 69:17 And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.
BobbiLyn: Ps 69:18 Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.
Ps 69:19 Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.
BobbiLyn: Jg 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:1 ¶ And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
1Sa 8:2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
1Sa 8:4 ¶ Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
1Sa 8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
1Sa 8:10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
1Sa 8:15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
1Sa 8:17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
1Sa 8:19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
BobbiLyn: 1Sa 8:20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king
Friday, November 7, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Wilful Ignorance
“Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.” (Job 21:14)
“Man’s apostasy began in an affectation of forbidden knowledge, but is kept up by an affectation of forbidden ignorance.”– Matthew Henry
We live in a time of great apostasy when many choose to ignore or disbelieve the simplicity of the Gospel of Salvation, the message of the Cross. Many of the new heresies are intricate, complex, always evolving, and “emerging” with new theologies, philosophies, terminologies, eschatologies, ecclesiologies, etc. These false teachings puff up people with pride in their human knowledge and lead them to “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth”(2 Timothy 3:7).
Error-filled teachings reflect an artificial light that beckons to those wandering in darkness. The neon beacon of heresy is alluring, creating warm feelings, and bestows a temporal vision that seduces the believer off the narrow path. But it does not convict man of sin in his heart.
The Gospel is the Light of Truth. Matthew Henry in his Commentary on John 3:1-21 says it is a “terror to the wicked world” and it makes men’s sins manifest, showing them “the evil of their transgressions…. The Gospel has its convictions, to make way for its consolations.” Just as this Gospel light shining into the darkness of men’s hearts “convinces and terrifies evildoers, so it confirms and comforts those that walk in their integrity.”
Matthew Henry declares that those “who do not come to the light” of the Gospel of Salvation” have an “antipathy to saving knowledge” and a “damning ignorance.” Harsh words in our era of touchy-feely assuages to the conscience! But it is a fact of human nature that men choose to willfully disregard the Truth, preferring instead the soft comforts of empty assurances and synthetic lights.
The Word of God in John chapter 3 describes this woeful condition:
“He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (vs. 18)“And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (vs. 19) “For everyone one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. (vs. 20) “But he that doeth Truth cometh to the Light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." (vs. 21) These verses come right on the heels of two of the most famous verses in the Christian faith – the well-known Scriptures that testify that “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17) But right after these two comforting verses, the apostle John describes those who would “believeth not” in Jesus:
“He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (vs. 18) [emphasis added]
Matthew Henry applies these verses not only to non-believers, but to those who “persist in unbelief and willful ignorance.” He referred to it as a “deplorable condition.” Applying verse 19 to “those that would not so much as know Him,” Henry observed:
“Many inquisitive people had knowledge of Christ and His doctrine and miracles, but they were prejudiced against Him, and would not believe in Him, while the generality were sottishly careless and stupid, and would not know Him.” [bold emphasis added]
The “Gospel is Light,” says Henry, and as “Light is self-evidencing, so is the Gospel.” This Light of the Gospel is “discovering,” “sweet,” and “shining in a dark place.” But, it is “the unspeakable folly of men that they loved darkness rather than light, rather than this Light.” He explains:
“The Jews loved the dark shadows of their law, and the instructions of their blind guides, rather than the doctrine of Christ.
“The Gentiles loved their superstitious services of an unknown God, whom they ignorantly worshipped, rather than the reasonable service which the Gospel enjoins.
“Sinners that were wedded to their lusts loved their ignorance and mistakes, which supported them in their sins, rather than the Truths of Christ, which would have parted them from their sins. . . ."These, then, are causes of willful ignorance: “Wretched man is in love with his sickness, in love with his slavery, and will not be made free, will not be made whole” [bold emphasis added].
Matthew Henry further observes: “The true reason why men love darkness rather than light is because their deeds are evil. They love darkness because they think it is an excuse for their evil deeds, and they hate the light because it robs them of the good opinion they had of themselves, by showing them their sinfulness and misery. Their case is sad, and, because they are resolved that they will not mend it, they are resolved that they will not see it.
“Willful ignorance is so far from excusing sin that it will be found, at the great day, to aggravate the condemnation. This is the condemnation, this is what ruins souls, that they shut their eyes against the Light, and will not so much as admit a parley with Christ and His Gospel; they set God so much at defiance that they desire not the knowledge of His ways, Job 21:14.
We must account in the judgment, not only for the knowledge we had, and used not, but for the knowledge we might have had, and would not; not only for the knowledge we sinned against, but for the knowledge we sinned away.” [bold emphasis added]
Likewise, Matthew Poole in his earlier 1600s Commentary on these same verses, observed: “This Light is come into the world; that signifies not only His Incarnation, but his revealing the merciful counsel of God for our salvation,… He has opened the way that leads to eternal life. But men loved darkness rather than light; they preferred, chose, and adhered to their ignorance and errors, before the Light of Life, the saving knowledge of the Gospel.” [bold emphasis added]
Matthew Henry concludes that “Unbelief may truly be called the great damning sin, because it leaves us under the guilt of all our other sins; it is a sin against the remedy, against our appeal." [bold emphasis added]
And what is the remedy to willful ignorance, but this, says Henry: “[Christ] came that the world through Him might be saved, that a door of salvation might be opened to the world, and whoever would might enter in by it.
God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, and so saving it. An act of indemnity is passed and published, through Christ a remedial law made, and the world of mankind dealt with, not according to the rigours of the first Covenant, but according to the riches of the second; that the world through Him might be saved, for it could never be saved but through Him; there is not salvation in any other.
This is good news to a convinced conscience, healing to broken bones and bleeding wounds, that Christ, our judge, came not to condemn, but to save.”Those who come to Jesus Christ will bear the scrutiny of the Light, letting the Gospel of the Cross penetrate between “joints and marrow” to the conviction of “thoughts and intents of the hearts” (Hebrews 4:12).
The Truth: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)
“But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” (1 Corinthians 11:32)
Quoted material taken from Matthew Henry's Commentary, Volume 5, Matthew to John (Hendrickson, 1991), pp. 717-718, and Matthew Poole, A Commentary on the Bible, Volume III: Matthew-Revelation (Hendrickson), p. 293.
Herescope
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)
“Man’s apostasy began in an affectation of forbidden knowledge, but is kept up by an affectation of forbidden ignorance.”– Matthew Henry
We live in a time of great apostasy when many choose to ignore or disbelieve the simplicity of the Gospel of Salvation, the message of the Cross. Many of the new heresies are intricate, complex, always evolving, and “emerging” with new theologies, philosophies, terminologies, eschatologies, ecclesiologies, etc. These false teachings puff up people with pride in their human knowledge and lead them to “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth”(2 Timothy 3:7).
Error-filled teachings reflect an artificial light that beckons to those wandering in darkness. The neon beacon of heresy is alluring, creating warm feelings, and bestows a temporal vision that seduces the believer off the narrow path. But it does not convict man of sin in his heart.
The Gospel is the Light of Truth. Matthew Henry in his Commentary on John 3:1-21 says it is a “terror to the wicked world” and it makes men’s sins manifest, showing them “the evil of their transgressions…. The Gospel has its convictions, to make way for its consolations.” Just as this Gospel light shining into the darkness of men’s hearts “convinces and terrifies evildoers, so it confirms and comforts those that walk in their integrity.”
Matthew Henry declares that those “who do not come to the light” of the Gospel of Salvation” have an “antipathy to saving knowledge” and a “damning ignorance.” Harsh words in our era of touchy-feely assuages to the conscience! But it is a fact of human nature that men choose to willfully disregard the Truth, preferring instead the soft comforts of empty assurances and synthetic lights.
The Word of God in John chapter 3 describes this woeful condition:
“He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (vs. 18)“And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (vs. 19) “For everyone one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. (vs. 20) “But he that doeth Truth cometh to the Light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." (vs. 21) These verses come right on the heels of two of the most famous verses in the Christian faith – the well-known Scriptures that testify that “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17) But right after these two comforting verses, the apostle John describes those who would “believeth not” in Jesus:
“He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (vs. 18) [emphasis added]
Matthew Henry applies these verses not only to non-believers, but to those who “persist in unbelief and willful ignorance.” He referred to it as a “deplorable condition.” Applying verse 19 to “those that would not so much as know Him,” Henry observed:
“Many inquisitive people had knowledge of Christ and His doctrine and miracles, but they were prejudiced against Him, and would not believe in Him, while the generality were sottishly careless and stupid, and would not know Him.” [bold emphasis added]
The “Gospel is Light,” says Henry, and as “Light is self-evidencing, so is the Gospel.” This Light of the Gospel is “discovering,” “sweet,” and “shining in a dark place.” But, it is “the unspeakable folly of men that they loved darkness rather than light, rather than this Light.” He explains:
“The Jews loved the dark shadows of their law, and the instructions of their blind guides, rather than the doctrine of Christ.
“The Gentiles loved their superstitious services of an unknown God, whom they ignorantly worshipped, rather than the reasonable service which the Gospel enjoins.
“Sinners that were wedded to their lusts loved their ignorance and mistakes, which supported them in their sins, rather than the Truths of Christ, which would have parted them from their sins. . . ."These, then, are causes of willful ignorance: “Wretched man is in love with his sickness, in love with his slavery, and will not be made free, will not be made whole” [bold emphasis added].
Matthew Henry further observes: “The true reason why men love darkness rather than light is because their deeds are evil. They love darkness because they think it is an excuse for their evil deeds, and they hate the light because it robs them of the good opinion they had of themselves, by showing them their sinfulness and misery. Their case is sad, and, because they are resolved that they will not mend it, they are resolved that they will not see it.
“Willful ignorance is so far from excusing sin that it will be found, at the great day, to aggravate the condemnation. This is the condemnation, this is what ruins souls, that they shut their eyes against the Light, and will not so much as admit a parley with Christ and His Gospel; they set God so much at defiance that they desire not the knowledge of His ways, Job 21:14.
We must account in the judgment, not only for the knowledge we had, and used not, but for the knowledge we might have had, and would not; not only for the knowledge we sinned against, but for the knowledge we sinned away.” [bold emphasis added]
Likewise, Matthew Poole in his earlier 1600s Commentary on these same verses, observed: “This Light is come into the world; that signifies not only His Incarnation, but his revealing the merciful counsel of God for our salvation,… He has opened the way that leads to eternal life. But men loved darkness rather than light; they preferred, chose, and adhered to their ignorance and errors, before the Light of Life, the saving knowledge of the Gospel.” [bold emphasis added]
Matthew Henry concludes that “Unbelief may truly be called the great damning sin, because it leaves us under the guilt of all our other sins; it is a sin against the remedy, against our appeal." [bold emphasis added]
And what is the remedy to willful ignorance, but this, says Henry: “[Christ] came that the world through Him might be saved, that a door of salvation might be opened to the world, and whoever would might enter in by it.
God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, and so saving it. An act of indemnity is passed and published, through Christ a remedial law made, and the world of mankind dealt with, not according to the rigours of the first Covenant, but according to the riches of the second; that the world through Him might be saved, for it could never be saved but through Him; there is not salvation in any other.
This is good news to a convinced conscience, healing to broken bones and bleeding wounds, that Christ, our judge, came not to condemn, but to save.”Those who come to Jesus Christ will bear the scrutiny of the Light, letting the Gospel of the Cross penetrate between “joints and marrow” to the conviction of “thoughts and intents of the hearts” (Hebrews 4:12).
The Truth: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)
“But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” (1 Corinthians 11:32)
Quoted material taken from Matthew Henry's Commentary, Volume 5, Matthew to John (Hendrickson, 1991), pp. 717-718, and Matthew Poole, A Commentary on the Bible, Volume III: Matthew-Revelation (Hendrickson), p. 293.
Herescope
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
An Election Perspective From Serbia
Nov 05 by Ingrid Schlueter
My Facebook friend, Emily Baker writes:
A friend living in Serbia offered one of the most encouraging and godly responses I have yet heard regarding our presidential election here in the U.S. I am sincerely humbled by your perspective, Natalija. Thank you for reminding us where true hope is found.
While you should do everything that is in your power to influence the choice by your vote (according to your conscience), do not be afraid of the outcome!
What I am getting at is, that no matter what the political situation of your or my country - GOD IS IN CONTROL. And our job is to serve God in all circumstances. It is HIM we serve, not our country!
I have in my short life witnessed many things. I have been there when the shackles of communism fell. I stood at the Berlin wall and rejoiced with everyone else. I was ecstatic when we finally could preach and sing in public, when we could legally publish Christian books, when we could finally enjoy “religious freedom” at home, in church, in school and public. That was the first few years.
Do you know what the situation is now - 20 years after we got all the freedom? The church has become lukewarm. The price of discipleship is not as high as it used to be and people are too busy living their capitalist lifestyle of earning money and do not care for church anymore. When we were operating under the threat of being put in prison, when there was constant persecution of the church, the church flourished, people clung to God, people were on fire for God. The freedom brought just the opposite. “Blessed are the persecuted” - I understand this only now after living through all of the changes and seeing how true this statement is.
My human mother heart wishes that I can raise my children in freedom and teach them what I think is right and that my and their moral lifestyle would be rewarded and honored. But the more I read the Bible, the more I am aware that IF we honor God, we will not be understood and honored in this world.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
God is in charge of the universe. He will use many various ways to draw people to himself – sometimes quite the opposite of what we think. The cost of discipleship is high. The price is His precious blood. He stood by His people through wars, persecution, yes even communism.
Think about this, as I finish: The darker the night, the stronger our light! That’s all I want to tell you. Do not be afraid, cling to God. He will bring you through.
My Facebook friend, Emily Baker writes:
A friend living in Serbia offered one of the most encouraging and godly responses I have yet heard regarding our presidential election here in the U.S. I am sincerely humbled by your perspective, Natalija. Thank you for reminding us where true hope is found.
While you should do everything that is in your power to influence the choice by your vote (according to your conscience), do not be afraid of the outcome!
What I am getting at is, that no matter what the political situation of your or my country - GOD IS IN CONTROL. And our job is to serve God in all circumstances. It is HIM we serve, not our country!
I have in my short life witnessed many things. I have been there when the shackles of communism fell. I stood at the Berlin wall and rejoiced with everyone else. I was ecstatic when we finally could preach and sing in public, when we could legally publish Christian books, when we could finally enjoy “religious freedom” at home, in church, in school and public. That was the first few years.
Do you know what the situation is now - 20 years after we got all the freedom? The church has become lukewarm. The price of discipleship is not as high as it used to be and people are too busy living their capitalist lifestyle of earning money and do not care for church anymore. When we were operating under the threat of being put in prison, when there was constant persecution of the church, the church flourished, people clung to God, people were on fire for God. The freedom brought just the opposite. “Blessed are the persecuted” - I understand this only now after living through all of the changes and seeing how true this statement is.
My human mother heart wishes that I can raise my children in freedom and teach them what I think is right and that my and their moral lifestyle would be rewarded and honored. But the more I read the Bible, the more I am aware that IF we honor God, we will not be understood and honored in this world.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
God is in charge of the universe. He will use many various ways to draw people to himself – sometimes quite the opposite of what we think. The cost of discipleship is high. The price is His precious blood. He stood by His people through wars, persecution, yes even communism.
Think about this, as I finish: The darker the night, the stronger our light! That’s all I want to tell you. Do not be afraid, cling to God. He will bring you through.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
The Three 8s in Deuteronomy: Chapters 8, 18 and 28
Remember these warnings in Deuteronomy
Chapter 8: "...when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them... your heart is lifted up and you forget the Lord your God. ... you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’"...if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods... you shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God." Deuteronomy 8:10-20
Chapter 18: "When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire [sacrificing a child to the Canaanite "god" Moloch to gain his favor], or practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out... You shall be blameless before the Lord your God...." Deuteronomy 18:9-14
Chapter 28: BLESSINGS: "...it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.... that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. ...Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds.... The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face.... The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail.... if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God."
CURSES: “But... if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God... all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.... The Lord will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken Me.... The Lord will change the rain of your land to powder and dust... "The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies.... The Lord will strike you... with tumors, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed.... "Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, and your eyes shall look and fail with longing for them all day long; and there shall be no strength in your hand. A nation whom you have not known shall eat the fruit of your land and the produce of your labor, and you shall be only oppressed and crushed.... You shall beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity. Locusts shall consume all your trees and the produce of your land. “The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.... "Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you. The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar.... And they shall eat the increase of your livestock and the produce of your land, until you are destroyed... "If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book [remember, the Levitical laws were fulfilled in Christ, but the moral law is as relevant now as then], that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses.... And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess...." Deuteronomy 8:1-63
The Old Testament judgments also apply to us today:
"Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them.... Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. "Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:6-13
"They are foolish; for they do not know the way of the Lord, The judgment of their God.I will go to the great men and speak to them, For they have known the way of the Lord, the judgment of their God.' But these have altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds.Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them; A leopard will watch over their cities." [Interesting reminders at a time when leopards are "restored" to Florida and wolves and bears to other parts of our country -- and people are being slaughtered] Jeremiah 5:4-6
The response that leads to victory in Christ: Faith and Repentance (A humble acknowledgment before our holy God that
(1) I have sinned against Him and deserve judgment, and
(2) I trust in His grace and the forgiveness I have in Christ by faith)
Jesus said, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14
“...unless you repent you will all likewise perish." Luke 13:3, 5
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord...." Acts 3:19
Chapter 8: "...when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them... your heart is lifted up and you forget the Lord your God. ... you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’"...if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods... you shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God." Deuteronomy 8:10-20
Chapter 18: "When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire [sacrificing a child to the Canaanite "god" Moloch to gain his favor], or practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out... You shall be blameless before the Lord your God...." Deuteronomy 18:9-14
Chapter 28: BLESSINGS: "...it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.... that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. ...Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds.... The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face.... The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail.... if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God."
CURSES: “But... if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God... all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.... The Lord will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken Me.... The Lord will change the rain of your land to powder and dust... "The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies.... The Lord will strike you... with tumors, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed.... "Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, and your eyes shall look and fail with longing for them all day long; and there shall be no strength in your hand. A nation whom you have not known shall eat the fruit of your land and the produce of your labor, and you shall be only oppressed and crushed.... You shall beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity. Locusts shall consume all your trees and the produce of your land. “The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.... "Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you. The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar.... And they shall eat the increase of your livestock and the produce of your land, until you are destroyed... "If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book [remember, the Levitical laws were fulfilled in Christ, but the moral law is as relevant now as then], that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses.... And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess...." Deuteronomy 8:1-63
The Old Testament judgments also apply to us today:
"Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them.... Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. "Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:6-13
"They are foolish; for they do not know the way of the Lord, The judgment of their God.I will go to the great men and speak to them, For they have known the way of the Lord, the judgment of their God.' But these have altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds.Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them; A leopard will watch over their cities." [Interesting reminders at a time when leopards are "restored" to Florida and wolves and bears to other parts of our country -- and people are being slaughtered] Jeremiah 5:4-6
The response that leads to victory in Christ: Faith and Repentance (A humble acknowledgment before our holy God that
(1) I have sinned against Him and deserve judgment, and
(2) I trust in His grace and the forgiveness I have in Christ by faith)
Jesus said, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14
“...unless you repent you will all likewise perish." Luke 13:3, 5
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord...." Acts 3:19
Monday, November 3, 2008
Once Conservative Southern Baptist Sunday School Teacher Now Worships the goddess Sophia!
Film Warning: The Secret Life of Bees May Leave Dangerous Sting
Category: Source: Editors at Lighthouse Trails
Many will no doubt find The Secret Life of Bees, a new film which opened in theaters this month, to be a heart-warming, endearing movie, but behind the outward storyline lies a New Age theme and a spiritually dangerous sting.The film is based on former Guideposts contributor Sue Monk Kidd's best-selling book, The Secret Life of Bees. Monk Kidd, once a conservative Southern Baptist Sunday School teacher, now worships the goddess Sophia (a New Age, mystical concept of "God"). Her new spirituality began to take form when she started reading Thomas Merton. From there she started practicing eastern meditation and eventually moved into the Divine Feminine/goddess-within camp. The Fox Searchlight film has woven within its seams the representation of the Black Madonna. Most viewers will have no idea what the Black Madonna stands for. Monk Kidd discusses her role:
As I began the novel, I wanted the driving impetus in Lily's life [the girl in the film/book] to be the search for home and for her mother. But clearly in the back of mind, I knew there was a less tangible, more symbolic search for home and mother that needed to take place: a coming home to herself and the discovery of the mother within. I knew Lily would have to find an undreamed of strength, and that she would do it the same way the powerful black women around her did it - through the empowerment of a divine feminine presence, in this case a Black Mary.1In Larry DeBruyn's expose of the best-selling novel, The Shack, he discusses New Age Episcopal priest Matthew Fox's Black Madonna (much like Monk Kidd's Madonna):
Fox's description of the Black Madonna (or the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis as she is alternately understood) included her supposed leading of distressed people to find emotional healing within themselves. In Fox's article "The Return of the Black Madonna: A Sign of Our Times or How the Black Madonna Is Shaking Us Up for the Twenty-First Century," Fox states:
Today the Black Madonna is returning. She is coming, not going, and she is calling us to something new (and very ancient as well)....The Black Madonna calls us to our Divinity which is also our Creativity. First, our Divinity. Because she is a goddess, the Black Madonna resides in all beings. She is the divine presence inside of creation. She calls us inside, into the "kingdom/queendom of God" where we can co-create with Divinity and feel the rush of Divinity's holy breath or spirit.In Monk Kidd's book The Dance of the Dissident Daughter, she elaborates on the theme of the goddess dwelling in everything when she states:
Deity means that divinity will no longer be only heavenly ... It will also be right here, right now, in me, in the earth, in this river, in excrement and roses alike.(p. 160) In her book, When the Heart Waits, Monk Kidd's spirituality is spelled out clearly when she explains:
There's a bulb of truth buried in the human soul [everyone] that's only God ... the soul is more than something to win or save. It's the seat and repository of the inner Divine, the God-image, the truest part of us. (pp. 47-48)The cast of the Bees movie was on Oprah earlier this month, and, as always when Oprah promotes a movie or a book, millions of women will be drawn to this story because of that promotion. But before ladies buy those theater tickets with the hopes of spending a girl's night out with daughters, mothers, sisters, and friends, they should keep in mind that they will be exposing themselves and their loved ones to a subtle but dangerous spiritual message and a sting that could have far-reaching effects.
Category: Source: Editors at Lighthouse Trails
Many will no doubt find The Secret Life of Bees, a new film which opened in theaters this month, to be a heart-warming, endearing movie, but behind the outward storyline lies a New Age theme and a spiritually dangerous sting.The film is based on former Guideposts contributor Sue Monk Kidd's best-selling book, The Secret Life of Bees. Monk Kidd, once a conservative Southern Baptist Sunday School teacher, now worships the goddess Sophia (a New Age, mystical concept of "God"). Her new spirituality began to take form when she started reading Thomas Merton. From there she started practicing eastern meditation and eventually moved into the Divine Feminine/goddess-within camp. The Fox Searchlight film has woven within its seams the representation of the Black Madonna. Most viewers will have no idea what the Black Madonna stands for. Monk Kidd discusses her role:
As I began the novel, I wanted the driving impetus in Lily's life [the girl in the film/book] to be the search for home and for her mother. But clearly in the back of mind, I knew there was a less tangible, more symbolic search for home and mother that needed to take place: a coming home to herself and the discovery of the mother within. I knew Lily would have to find an undreamed of strength, and that she would do it the same way the powerful black women around her did it - through the empowerment of a divine feminine presence, in this case a Black Mary.1In Larry DeBruyn's expose of the best-selling novel, The Shack, he discusses New Age Episcopal priest Matthew Fox's Black Madonna (much like Monk Kidd's Madonna):
Fox's description of the Black Madonna (or the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis as she is alternately understood) included her supposed leading of distressed people to find emotional healing within themselves. In Fox's article "The Return of the Black Madonna: A Sign of Our Times or How the Black Madonna Is Shaking Us Up for the Twenty-First Century," Fox states:
Today the Black Madonna is returning. She is coming, not going, and she is calling us to something new (and very ancient as well)....The Black Madonna calls us to our Divinity which is also our Creativity. First, our Divinity. Because she is a goddess, the Black Madonna resides in all beings. She is the divine presence inside of creation. She calls us inside, into the "kingdom/queendom of God" where we can co-create with Divinity and feel the rush of Divinity's holy breath or spirit.In Monk Kidd's book The Dance of the Dissident Daughter, she elaborates on the theme of the goddess dwelling in everything when she states:
Deity means that divinity will no longer be only heavenly ... It will also be right here, right now, in me, in the earth, in this river, in excrement and roses alike.(p. 160) In her book, When the Heart Waits, Monk Kidd's spirituality is spelled out clearly when she explains:
There's a bulb of truth buried in the human soul [everyone] that's only God ... the soul is more than something to win or save. It's the seat and repository of the inner Divine, the God-image, the truest part of us. (pp. 47-48)The cast of the Bees movie was on Oprah earlier this month, and, as always when Oprah promotes a movie or a book, millions of women will be drawn to this story because of that promotion. But before ladies buy those theater tickets with the hopes of spending a girl's night out with daughters, mothers, sisters, and friends, they should keep in mind that they will be exposing themselves and their loved ones to a subtle but dangerous spiritual message and a sting that could have far-reaching effects.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
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