The End Time: Heavenly minded is good
Source: guardian.co.uk via Cultura on Pinterest
The End Time: Heavenly minded is good.
In John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress we read of a moment when two pilgrims on their way to the celestial city (heaven) are conversing,
One of the two pilgrims says to the other, “When do you find yourself in the most wholesome and most vigorous spiritual state?” To which the other pilgrim says, “When I think of the place to which I am going.”
Bunyan understood that. When he wrote that he understood that heaven on your mind changes your life. The living in a joyous anticipation of the presence of God changes everything.
Sadly, I suppose most Christians are more like the cynical Mark Twain who when told about heaven remarked flippantly, “You take heaven, I’d rather go to Bermuda.” Read the rest at The End Time: Heavenly minded is good.
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John Bunyan and Pilgrim’s Progress
American Minute with Bill Federer
FEB. 22 – John Bunyan and Pilgrim’s Progress
John Bunyan wrote in aRelation of My Imprisonment:
“Upon the 12th of…November 1660…the justice…issued out his warrant to take me…as if we that were to meet together…to do some fearful business, to the destruction of the country; when alas! the constable, when he came in, found us only with our Bibles in our hands, ready to speak and hear the word of God…
So I was taken and forced to depart…But before I went away, I spake some few words of counsel and encouragement to the people, declaring to them…that they would not be discouraged, for it was a mercy to suffer upon so good account…we suffer as Christians…better be the persecuted, than the persecutors.”
John Bunyan was imprisoned for 12 years, during which time he tried to support his family by making shoelaces.
He wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress, published FEBRUARY 18, 1678.
It was an allegory of a pilgrim, named Christian, who fled from the City of Destruction and was directed by Evangelist to follow the narrow path, overcoming temptations, depressions, deceptions, and persecutions till he reached the Celestial City of Zion.
Pilgrim’s Progress was translated into over 100 languages and, after the Bible, was the world’s best-seller for hundreds of years.
It was found in nearly every colonial New England home, along with the Bible and Fox’s Book of Martyrs.
Benjamin Franklin wrote in hisAutobiography:
“My old favorite author, Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress…has been translated into most of the languages of Europe, and suppose it has been more generally read than any other book, except perhaps the Bible.”
It inspired many subsequent books, such as Mark Twain‘sInnocents Abroad or the New Pilgrim’s Progress (1869); C.S. Lewis’ Pilgrim’s Regress (1933); and L. Frank Baum‘sWizard of Oz (1900).
Pilgrim’s Progress began:
“As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place where was a den, and I laid me down in that place to sleep: and, as I slept, I dreamed a dream. I dreamed, and behold, I saw a man clothed with rags, standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back.
I looked, and saw him open the book, and read therein; and, as he read, he wept, and trembled; and, not being able longer to contain, he brake out with a lamentable cry, saying, What shall I do?”
Later in the book, John Bunyan wrote:
“Christian ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending, and upon that place stood a cross…So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up with the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back.”
Further in Pilgrim’s Progress is written:
“Then said Christian, You make me afraid, but whither shall I fly to be safe?…To go back is nothing but death; to go forward is fear of death, and life-everlasting beyond it. I will yet go forward…
Frighted with the sight of the lions…Christian to himself again, These beasts range in the night for their prey; and if they should meet with me in the dark…how should I escape being by them torn in pieces?…
He lift up his eyes, and behold there was a very stately palace before him…He entered into a very narrow passage…he espied two lions in the way…
The porter at the lodge…perceiving that Christian made a halt as if he would go back, cried unto him, saying, Is thy strength so small? Fear not the lions, for they are chained, and are placed there for trial of faith where it is, and for discovery of those that had none. Keep in the midst of the path, and no hurt shall come unto thee…
He went on, trembling for fear of the lions, but taking good heed to the directions of the porter; he heard them roar, but they did him no harm…”
John Bunyan continued:
“But now, in this Valley of Humiliation, poor Christian was hard put to it…a foul fiend coming over the field to meet him; his name is Apollyon. Then did Christian begin to be afraid, and to cast in his mind whether to go back or to stand his ground.
But he considered again that he had no armour for his back; and therefore thought that to turn the back to him might give him the greater advantage with ease to pierce him with his darts. Therefore he resolved to venture and stand his ground…
The monster was hideous to behold; he was clothed with scales…wings like a dragon, feet like a bear, and out of his belly came fire and smoke…
Apollyon straddled quite over the whole breadth of the way, and said…prepare thyself to die; for I swear by my infernal den, that thou shalt go no further; here will I spill thy soul. And with that he threw a flaming dart at his breast; but Christian had a shield in his hand, with which he caught it…
Apollyon as fast made at him, throwing darts as thick as hail; by the which, notwithstanding all that Christian could do to avoid it, Apollyon wounded him in his head, his hand, and foot…
This sore combat lasted for above half a day, even till Christian was almost quite spent; for you must know that Christian, by reason of his wounds, must needs grow weaker and weaker…
Christian’s sword flew out of his hand. Then said Apollyon, I am sure of thee now. And with that he had almost pressed him to death, so that Christian began to despair of life;
but as God would have it, while Apollyon was fetching of his last blow, thereby to make a full end of this good man, Christian nimbly stretched out his hand for his sword, and caught it, saying, Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall I shall arise; and with that gave him a deadly thrust, which made him give back…
And with that Apollyon spread forth his dragon’s wings, and sped him away, that Christian for a season saw him no more…
A more unequal match can hardly be, –
Christian must fight an angel; but you see,
The valiant man by handling Sword and Shield,
Doth make him, though a Dragon, quit the field.”
Ben Franklin wrote in hisAutobiography:
“From a child I was fond of reading, and all the little money that came into my hands was ever laid out in books. Pleased with the Pilgrim’s Progress, my first collection was of John Bunyan’s works in separate little volumes.”
President Theodore Roosevelt stated while laying the cornerstone of the office building of the House of Representatives, April 14, 1906:
“In Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress you may recall the description of the man with the muck-rake, the man who could look no way but downward, with the muck-rake in his hand, who was offered a celestial crown for his muck-rake, but who would neither look up nor regard the crown he was offered, but continued to rake to himself the filth of the floor.”
President Grover Cleveland had memorized Pilgrim’s Progress as a youth, and commented:
“I have always felt that my training as a minister’s son has been more valuable to me as a strengthening influence than any other incident in life.”
President Ronald Reagan greeted Australia’s Prime Minister, June 30, 1981, referring to John Bunyan:
“Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, ‘We are all travelers in what John Bunyan calls the wilderness of this world. And the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend – they keep us worthy of ourselves.’”
President Franklin Roosevelt referred to John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress on January 19, 1936:
“When Theodore Roosevelt died, the Secretary of his class at Harvard, in sending classmates a notice of his passing, added this quotation from ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’:
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FEB. 14 – Saint Valentine’s Day origins via American Minute
Join Bill Federer on a trip of a lifetime to Israel – NEW DATES
By Bill Federer
There were ten major persecutions of Christians in the first three centuries in which many historical records were destroyed, but the legend passed down in Legenda Sanctorum by Jacobus de Voragine, 1260, was that Saint Valentine was a priest or bishop in Italy.
When the Emperor demanded the Church violate its conscience and worship pagan idols, Bishop Valentine refused to comply.
Valentine risked the Emperor’s wrath by standing up for traditional marriage and secretly marrying young men and women.
Saint Valentine was arrested, dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and then have his head cut off on FEBRUARY 14, 269AD.
While awaiting execution, the story is he prayed for the jailers’ sick daughter, who miraculously recovered.
He wrote her a note and signed it, “from your Valentine.”
In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius designated FEBRUARY 14th as “Saint Valentine’s Day.”
The Greek name for Christ, Χριστός begins with the letter “Chi” written as an “X,” and became an abbreviation for the name of Christ.
In Medieval times, the “X” was called the Christ’s Cross, or as it was later pronounced, “Criss-Cross.”
The Christ’s Cross was a form of a written oath.
Similar to the ancient practice of swearing upon a Bible, saying “so help me God,” then kissing the Bible, people would sign a document next to the Christ’s Cross to swear before God they would keep the agreement, then kissed it to show sincerity.
This practice has come down to us as “sign at the X”, or “crossing one’s heart.”
This is the origin of signing a Valentines’ card with an “X” to express a pledge before God to be faithful, and an “O” to seal the pledge with a kiss of sincerity.
A.W. Tozer : Testing the Spirits
Many tender-minded Christians fear to sin against love by daring to inquire into anything that comes wearing the cloak of Christianity and breathing the name of Jesus. They dare not examine the credentials of the latest prophet to hit their town lest they be guilty of rejecting something which may be of God. They timidly remember how the Pharisees refused to accept Christ when He came, and they do not want to be caught in the same snare, so they either reserve judgment or shut their eyes and accept everything without question. This is supposed to indicate a high degree of spirituality. But in sober fact it indicates no such thing. It may indeed be evidence of the absence of the Holy Spirit. Gullibility is not synonymous with spirituality. Faith is not a mental habit leading its possessor to open his mouth and swallow everything that has about it the color of the supernatural. Faith keeps its heart open to whatever is of God, and rejects everything that is not of God, however wonderful it may be. Try the spirits is a command of the Holy Spirit to the Church. We may sin as certainly by approving the spurious as by rejecting the genuine. And the current habit of refusing to take sides is not the way to avoid the question. To appraise things with a heart of love and then to act on the results is an obligation resting upon every Christian in the world. And the more as we see the day approaching.
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Tozer on Christian Leadership
The Holy Spirit: Wild-eyed Fanatics
Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good.—1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
This is a crude illustration, but let me tell you what we did after planting a field of corn when I was a young fellow in Pennsylvania. To save the field of corn from the crows, we would shoot an old crow and hang him by his heels in the middle of the field. This was supposed to scare off all of the crows for miles around. The crows would hold a conference and say, “Look, there is a field of corn but don’t go near it. I saw a dead crow over there!”
That’s the kind of conference that Satan calls, and that is exactly what he has done. He has taken some fanatical, weird, wild-eyed Christians who do things that they shouldn’t, and he has stationed them in the middle of God‘s cornfield, and warns, “Now, don’t you go near that doctrine about the Holy Spirit because if you do, you will act just like these wild-eyed fanatics.” The Counselor, 63.
“Keep us, Lord, from shying away from such valuable truth and experience as the ministry of the Holy Spirit because of the excesses of a few fanatics. We lose too much, and we can’t afford the loss. Amen.”
Bible Gateway
Update on Catholics Burned Alive by Muslims in Nigeria(warning graphic images)
Catholics burned alive by Muslims in Nigeria — where’s the MSM? – The Brenner Brief (Warning Graphic Images) Update
I got a comment on my post from yesterday that I need to share with you
Submitted on 2013/02/03 at 9:41 amThis photo is from a non-related 2010 Congo article on an explosion that killed 210 people:
Original Article where photo was used (look at the photo sorter):
http://www.afrik.com/article20308.htmlWrite-up on the inaccurate article:
http://www.peacock-panache.com/2013/02/conservative-news-website-falls-for.html
This was from Peacock Panache (@PeacockPanache)
I went to
the news story listed in the link above and I have posted the pictures. The one on the left is from Akric.com on July 09,2010, and the one on the right is the one t
hat I posted from the Brenner Brief. If you enlarge the photo on the left, the place where the photo was taken and the victims look very much the same. I apologize for putting up a story that seems to not be true. And I apologize most heartedly for an accusation against muslims that is seemingly incorrect. While they have been guilty of many horrible acts against Christians and others. They do not appear to be guilty of this. Please go to the links and check it for yourself.
Catholics burned alive by Muslims in Nigeria — where’s the MSM? – The Brenner Brief (Warning Graphic Images)
Catholics burned alive by Muslims in Nigeria — where’s the MSM? – The Brenner Brief.
By
Those are (were) people of the Catholic faith and citizens of Nigeria. They were burned alive inNigeria by Muslims.
Why in the world isn’t the mainstream media covering this? Because it doesn’t fit their perfect little meme that the Christians are mean and evil to the innocent Muslims. A few blogs have covered this, but that’s all.
The Catholic Church has responded:
Statement by Father Juan Carlos Martos
This is a brutal example of how far the struggle between muslims and catholics in Nigeria has reached. Muslims are determined to impose their ‘religion’ all over Africa as well as in other continents and countries of the world. Islam has but one goal: rule the world at any cost!
And where are the International Human Rights Organizations? Christians are burnt alive in Nigeria: a horrific Holocaust right in front of International indifference! As denounced by Father Juan Carlos Martos, on behalf of the Missionari Clarettiani, via del Sacro Cuore di Maria, Rome, Italy.
By publishing this graphic document on Facebook, I have intended to make the world aware of certain terrible events totally ignored or minimized by the mainstream media; an authentic genocide so cruel and inhuman only comparable with the most hateful and vile acts in the Nazi extermination camps.
To my great surprise, Facebook has criticized me for the publication of this graphic document as a proof of the Holocaust that Christians have been suffering in Nigeria in the last ten years. According to Facebook’s Security policy of the ‘social’ Network, this photo has been classified as ‘pornographic’, ‘violent’ or ‘inappropriate’ and hence I was disallowed to publish any picture for a week. And I was threatened drastic measures if I insist publishing any document that prove the terrible violations of Human Rights in Nigeria. This attitude by the (Spanish) Facebook Management is an attack to the freedom of expression as much as a shameful insult to the 500 victims (only in this horrible episode) slaughtered by Islamic terror only for being Christian.
I thought that this social network, originated in the United States, would not bend its knees in front of terror. Especially, when still healing their wounds suffered in the gruesome 9/11 attack, just as our own 3/11 at Madrid railway station, all innocent victims of the wild fury and insanity of Islamic terror.”
This seems even more unacceptable in Spain, a Democratic state, where the rights of opinion, expression and religion are guaranteed by the Constitution (Art. 16 and 20), if there is an attempt to limit such rights, let alone through threats and coercion thus weakening their freedom of expression by condemning as “inappropriate” a graphic document (not a photomontage) which reflects a brutal reality in all its crudeness.
Contrarily, the Administrators of Facebook Spain should welcome this public protest advocating that such a barbarian act will never be replicated and that its perpetrators will be brought to justice. This is a right and duty of every citizen: a service to society, ultimate goal, I feel, of any network that defines itself as ‘social’.
Regrettably, if the murders continue, this is greatly because truth is always hidden to the sovereign people, so that they may not be aware and ‘disdained’ by it: complicit silence by the mainstream media leads to the indifference of the
international political community facing this unspeakable Holocaust! Let alone the cowardice already rooted in the western world facing the islamic terror. A consequence of the stupid “Alliance of civilizations”: another regrettable incident of our former Prime Minister Rodriguez Zapatero.Can you imagine the reaction of the Islamic terrorist organization in the (impossible) case of a massacre of Muslims in a mosque, by the hands of Christian terrorists? And how widely would our media cover and condemn the crime and the criminals?
Therefore, from this modest blog, I ask a favor from all people who are reading me: please distribute this photo and its comments using all the media you have. If only for commemorating these martyrs since, unfortunately, Facebook seems to be on the side of the executioners by preventing the publication of such tragic events.
~ Juan Carlos Martos cmf Segretariato di PVMissionari ClarettianiVia Sacro Cuore à Maria-500197-Rome (Read the rest at Catholics burned alive by Muslims in Nigeria — where’s the MSM? – The Brenner Brief.)
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The Darkest Design of Barack Obama
The Darkest Design of Barack Obama.
If this story by Eric Rush is true and I have no reason to doubt it, it is further evidence of the pretense of Christian belief by both Barack Obama and those who are in his administration. China has one of the worst record of persecuting Christians and of forcing abortions, in the world. But this is not the only consideration that this story enlightens us upon. It is further evidence of the lawlessness of Barack Obama and the total lack of any desire to advance the ability of the American people to recover from the mess that we are in. We can not blame this all on him, but the policies and programs that he promotes lead to further debt, more lawlessness, violence, destruction and they further promote a culture of death. It is a policy of divide and conquer and not a desire to lead.
I will not say that we are without hope as Christians because it is not true, our hope does not rest upon anything in this mortal world but only in our Lord Jesus Christ, our home is in heaven as is our treasure. I merely point this out as a notice that the prophecies that have been given us, seem to be in the process of being fulfilled and as instructed by Jesus Himself, it is our job to watch, listen, warn and be aware so that we are not caught unaware. God uses men to accomplish His goals and if this is the time that Jesus will return, God can use Barack Obama to accomplish this. We need to use our voices and warn high and low of the coming difficulties so that followers will not be caught unaware. We know that in the end time that we will face increased persecution and it is happening throughout the whole of the world to varying degrees. We have lost God’s grace by our embrace of abortion, homosexuality and all the other sins of the world, to expect that we would not face persecution would be to fly in the very face of the word of the Lord. Please click on the link above and read the story and please share as well. Thank you and God bless!
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Dividing Society or Condoning Sin
Are certain segments of Christianity exempt from God‘s laws simply because they don’t like them or find them offensive?
Should we as follower of Christ separate people into different classes in order to keep from offending them if what they practice as daily like if against the law of God even if they are approved by current society?
I think to most Christians the obvious answer would be no! We would not except murderers, thieves, or even gluttons into accepted categories of sin. Sin is sin and it is something that we are all guilty of. True murderers and thieves are breaking the law of man as well and if convicted of their crimes, face a mortal court and a punishment here on earth for their crimes. That does not mean that they will not face judgment when they stand before the Lord!
But judgment is not our job, we are specifically warned against judging. But spreading the truth of God’s word is what we are required to do. Sitting silent and letting those who are committing acts that are a violation of the law that God set forth fail to reach out to God and repent or change is our responsibility. We can not make them, they have free will. What they choose to do is their own responsibility. If we do not do God’s will and warn them that they are committing a sin, we will face God’s judgment ourselves.
We are in a time where certain acts are favorable with those in power, murder of innocents in abortion, homosexuality, the sexual abuse of children, stealing money from those who earned it, violence against those who are different color, nationality, faith, or even a different political position. We are living in an increasing violent world where drones are being used to kill people whom some have judged guilty without a trial, where those who disagree with those in power are bullied and shamed regardless of the truth or rightness of their beliefs. Where wars are encouraged because those in power think that some other leadership would do a better job.
A. W. Tozer said:
“Another kind of religious leader must arise among us. He must be of the old prophet type, a man who has seen
visions of God and has heard a voice from the Throne. When he comes (and I pray God there will be not one but
many), he will stand in flat contradiction to everything our smirking, smooth civilization holds dear. He will
contradict, denounce and protest in the name of God and will earn the hatred and opposition of a large segment
of Christendom. Such a man is likely to be lean, rugged, blunt- spoken and a little bit angry with the world. He
will love Christ and the souls of men to the point of willingness to die for the glory of the One and the salvation
of the other. But he will fear nothing that breathes with mortal breath.”
Jesus told us to pick up our cross and follow Him, he never said it was going to be easy. He told the woman accused of adultery: ”And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” John 8:11 We don’t condemn those who are practicing sin, we simply inform them of God’s word and that they can come to Jesus and be saved.
Society may accept any type of behavior that they choose. It is shameful that they accept the things that they do. However we knew the world would come to this point. It has to for prophecy to be fulfilled. We may not like to live in it, we are already being persecuted for our beliefs. This does not negate our responsibility to do God’s will and spread the Word to the world. Explaining what sin is and giving people an opportunity to repent, is what God wants us to do.
If we fail to tell someone that abortion is murder in God’s eyes or that homosexuality is indeed a sin, not only will they lose the opportunity to change, but we will lose the opportunity to do what God wants us to do and we will lose as well. Their blood will be upon our heads:
Ezekiel 33:8-9
King James Version (KJV)
8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
This is something that is the responsibility of all followers of Christ. It is up to all of us. It is not just for the Pastors, we are all ministers in the eyes of the Lord. We minister in what we say, what we do and how we act. We don’t stand for ourselves, we stand for Jesus, we don’t live for what the world thinks is right, we live for what the Lord wants.
I have read several posts this morning about Louie Giglio and his disinvite from giving the benediction at President Obama’s second inaugural ceremony and it is simplistic to look at the words spoken on both sides of the issue as simply representing peoples opinion. It is so much more than that. It is a further degradation of the ability of Christians to speak in public in a country that was founded upon the principles of Religious Liberty. It is also a sign that evil is more and more prevalent in our society and that the final conflict is getting closer. It is a warning to all who can see that we must be prepared and we much choose on which side we intend to stand. There is no middle ground.
From Red State
Having to Choose
an excerpt: “
But twenty years ago he gave a sermon that could be considered prophetic. He told Christians of the coming pursuit of an aggressive homosexual agenda and that they must not stick their heads in the sand and let happen what happens. You can hear that bit here.
He went further than that. He admonished Christians that, in dealing with the issue, they must do so without hate, but with love. They must not condemn, but lead to Christ. But he also said they must stand their ground.
In the sermon, Louie made clear that the secular world is against Christians on this issue. But most controversially, he said that gays can be saved from their sin by embracing Jesus Christ, through whom all things are possible. Listen to his statement. Louie Giglio’s grievous and offensive sin is that he dares to believe in sin.
His statement is one of orthodox Christianity. Over time, many Christians have accepted that people can be born gay and that it may not be a choice as you or I might perceive it. If we are all born into sin and homosexuality is a sin, which it is, then it seems to fix Christian orthodoxy that one can be born gay. The problem is that, for orthodox Christians, it is still a sin and the world is increasingly hostile to the idea that any sexual sin should be treated as sin. The world is opposed to moral truth and standards and demands intolerance in the name of tolerance.”
“2 Timothy 4:3-4 notes, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” Secularists peddling a secular agenda in the name of tolerance have declared Truth to be myth and myth to be truth. They hear what they want to hear and condemn what they do not understand as intolerance.”
From Albert Mohler:
“Anyone who teaches at any time, to any degree, that homosexual behavior is a sin is now to be cast out.
Second, we should note that Pastor Giglio’s sermon was, as we would expect and hope, filled with grace and the promise of the Gospel. Giglio did not just state that homosexuals are sinners — he made clear that every single human being is a sinner, in need of the redemption that is found only in Jesus Christ. “We’ve got to say to the homosexuals, the same thing that I say to you and that you would say to me. … It’s not easy to change, but it’s possible to change,” he preached. He pointed his congregation, gay and straight, to “the healing power of Jesus.” He called his entire congregation to repent and come to Christ by faith.
That is the quintessential Christian Gospel. That is undiluted biblical truth. Those words are the consensus of the Church for over 2,000 years, and the firm belief held by the vast majority of Christians around the world today.
The Presidential Inaugural Committee and the White House have now declared historic, biblical Christianity to be out of bounds, casting it off the inaugural program as an embarrassment. By its newly articulated standard, any preacher who holds to the faith of the church for the last 2,000 years is persona non grata. By this standard, no Roman Catholic prelate or priest can participate in the ceremony. No Evangelical who holds to biblical orthodoxy is welcome. The vast majority of Christians around the world have been disinvited. Mormons, and the rabbis of Orthodox Judaism are out. Any Muslim imam who could walk freely in Cairo would be denied a place on the inaugural program. Billy Graham, who participated in at least ten presidential inaugurations is welcome no more. Rick Warren, who incited a similar controversy when he prayed at President Obama’s first inauguration, is way out of bounds. In the span of just four years, the rules are fully changed.
The gauntlet was thrown down yesterday, and the axe fell today. Wayne Besen, founder of the activist group Truth Wins Out, told The New York Timesyesterday: “It is imperative that Giglio clarify his remarks and explain whether he has evolved on gay rights, like so many other faith and political leaders. It would be a shame to select a preacher with backward views on LBGT people at a moment when the nation is rapidly moving forward on our issues.”
And there you have it — anyone who has ever believed that homosexuality is morally problematic in any way must now offer public repentance and evidence of having “evolved” on the question. This is the language that President Obama used of his own “evolving” position on same-sex marriage. This is what is now openly demanded of Christians today. If you want to avoid being thrown off the program, you had better learn to evolve fast, and repent in public.
This is precisely what biblical Christians cannot do. While seeking to be gentle in spirit and ruthlessly Gospel-centered in speaking of any sin, we cannot cease to speak of sin as sin. To do so is not only to deny the authority of Scripture, not only to reject the moral consensus of the saints, but it undermines the Gospel itself. The Gospel makes no sense, and is robbed of its saving power, if sin is denied as sin.”
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Accepting Christ Means Rejecting All Else— A.W. Tozer
A. W. Tozer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A.W. Tozer:
The notion that we enter the Christian life by an act of acceptance is true, but that is not all the truth. There is
much more to it than that. Christianity involves an acceptance and a repudiation, an affirmation and a denial.
And this not only at the moment of conversion but continually thereafter day by day in all the battle of life till the
great conflict is over and the Christian is home from the wars. To live a life wholly positive is, fortunately,
impossible. Were any man able to do such a thing it could be only for a moment. Living positively would be like
inhaling continuously without exhaling. Aside from its being impossible, it would be fatal. Exhalation is as
necessary to life as inhalation. To accept Christ it is necessary that we reject whatever is contrary to Him. This
is a fact often overlooked by eager evangelists bent on getting results. Like the salesman who talks up the good
points of his product and conceals its disadvantages, the badly informed soulwinner stresses the positive side
of things at the expense of the negative.
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A.W. Tozer : As Holy As You Want to Be
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. –Matthew 5:6
It may be said without qualification that every man is as holy and as full of the Spirit as he wants to be. He may not be as full as he wishes he were, but he is most certainly as full as he wants to be.
Our Lord placed this beyond dispute when He said, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Hunger and thirst are physical sensations which, in their acute stages, may become real pain. It has been the experience of countless seekers after God that when their desires became a pain they were suddenly and wonderfully filled. The problem is not to persuade God to fill us, but to want God sufficiently to permit Him to do so. The average Christian is so cold and so contented with His wretched condition that there is no vacuum of desire into which the blessed Spirit can rush in satisfying fullness. Born After Midnight, 8.
“Lord, quiet my heart today and fill me with this holy longing. I don’t want to be contented with my present condition; I long for that vacuum of desire into which the Holy Spirit can rush. Amen.”
Holy Spirit (Photo credit: Glass.Mouse)
Spotlight on Truth
RJ Dawson has a wonderful post up this morning at Real Christianity, called Love is the Fulfillment of the Law, please read and read the others posts as well. RJ is an amazing educator when it comes to the word of God and a wonderful writer. God bless and go visit! Real Christianity, Love is the Fulfillment of the Law
For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. [Galatians 3:17-21]
Update from Missionary Pastor Kerry Mauldin
Christ the Saviour (Pantokrator), a 6th-century encaustic icon from Saint Catherine’s Monastery, Mount Sinai. NB – slightly cut down – for full size see here (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Fw: Huge Cobra in the Path
Do you ever ask?
Most beautiful explanation of death I’ve ever heard.
~DEATH~
WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO EXPLAIN IT ..
A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to
Leave the examination room and said,
‘Doctor, I am afraid to die.
Tell me what lies on the other side.’
Very quietly, the doctor said, ‘I don’t know..’
‘You don’t know? You’re, a Christian man,
and don’t know what’s on the other side?’
The doctor was holding the handle of the door;
On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining,
And as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room
And leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.
Turning to the patient, the doctor said,
‘Did you notice my dog?
He’s never been in this room before.
He didn’t know what was inside.
He knew nothing except that his master was here,
And when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.
I know little of what is on the other side of death,
But I do know one thing…
I know my Master is there and that is enough.’
(sorry – cannot break this)
May today there be peace within you.
May you trust God that you are exactly
Where you are meant to be.
I believe that friends are quiet angels
Who lift us to our feet when our wings
Have trouble remembering how to fly.
Just pass this on…God Bless You
Lawlessness
No political correctness (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I will give fair warning that some people might find this post offensive and it is not my intent to offend. What my intent is is to bring to the forefront a problem that is only spoken about with people you trust to a certain degree and a problem that is covered up and plastered over in political correctness to another degree.
Let me start by saying that I am awaiting God‘s Kingdom where we can all live together and that immigration itself is a great thing. What I do have a problem with is the open border mentality that seems to say, let anyone come across no matter their purpose. Not everyone who enters this country wants either the best for themselves, or the best for the people of this country. As parents we have a responsibility for our children to protect them from harm. From drugs, from those who would molest or rape them, and from those who would use them in many other ways for evil. Turning a blind eye to the evil that comes across the border simply enables even more of it to come across.
There are those who say, yes, but it isn’t Christian to block people from entering the best country in the world! And I agree! However, God Himself tells us that we should obey the law does He not? Those that come here illegally are not following God’s will, does that make their actions right? There is a process to obtain entrance to the country, but like other laws, there are some who think that it doesn’t apply to them. They want what they want and they will take it regardless of the cost to others or the rights that they infringe upon.
Another question to ask is are we truly aiding those who want to come here for a better life. If by our actions we are allowing them to be abused and used by others for an evil purpose, in my mind this tells me we are doing the work of evil and not good. The use of drugs and the use of innocents to carry and distribute those drugs has increased and will continue to increase if we simply turn a blind eye to it. Spreading out from that is murder, rape, robbery, and all other immoral actions. We see increased costs to everyone, not in money, although that is a factor, but in lives lost and heartache as well.
Laws are established by a government in order to protect the borders and people within that country. We as citizens have a responsibility to follow the laws or work with in the system to change them. We as Christians owe first to God! This is not a question of God over government, this is a question of respect for God’s will over people’s desire. People desiring to do harm to others do not have the right, nor do we owe them the opportunity, to break the laws of the country that we live in, in order to fulfill their desires. If we do this, we are saying that lawlessness should prevail!
God bless you, watch the video below, consider the cost and the loss, then if you see fit add to the discussion!
Rewards of the Coming Christ
Blessed Are They Who Hunger And Thirst For Righteousness (Beatitudes #4) (Photo credit: loswl)
Malachi 3:16- 4:3
Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another,
And the LORD listened and heard them;
So a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the LORD
And who meditate on His name,
“They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts,
“On the day that I make them My jewels.
And I will spare them
As a man spares his own son who serves him.”
Then you shall again discern
Between the righteous and the wicked,
Between one who serves God
And one who does not serve Him.
“For behold, the day is coming,
Burning like an oven,
And all the proud, yes, all who do
wickedly will be stubble.
And the day which is coming shall burn them up,”
Says the LORD of hosts,
“That will leave them neither root no branch.
But to you who fear My name
The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out
And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
You shall trample the wicked,
For they shall be ashes under the soles
of your feet
On the day that I do this,”
Says the LORD of hosts.
Thursday Blog 21.6.12
Her marriage was a hush-hush affair, her husband was a young, nice looking man born and brought up in Haryana. The only glitch was he was not familiar with a single word of Bengali.
“We women are born to compromise, adjust my daughter.” Her mother has consoled her, “Being born as a woman means sacrificing for others, for the welfare of her family before marriage and in-laws after marriage.”
Keep the Faith
Sculpture – head of Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
2 Timothy 4:6-8
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Christ Teaches on Discipleship
ICONS Risen Christ (Photo credit: Fergal of Claddagh)
Luke 14:25-35
And great multitudes went with Him. And He turned to them and said to them,
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
“And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—
“lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all who see it begin to mock him,
“saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
“Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
“Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.
“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
“Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?
“It is neither fit for the land nor for the the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Creation
God, the Father watches us all everywhere. (Photo credit: angelofsweetbitter2009)
Creation
An atheist scientist came to God and said, “We’ve figured out how to make a man without you.”
God said, “OK, let me see you do it.”
So the atheist bent down to the ground and scooped up a handful. But God stopped him and said, “Oh, no you don’t. Get your own dirt!”
Faith Produces Wisdom
The Wisdom of Solomon, by James Jacques Joseph Tissot (French, 1836-1902) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Faith Produces Wisdom
James 3:13-18
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.
But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
This wisdom does not descent from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing will be there.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
How to Treat All People
Illuminated Manuscript, The Rochester Bible, Walters Art Museum Ms. W.18, fol.213v (Photo credit: Walters Art Museum Illuminated Manuscripts)
How to Treat All People
1 Timothy 5:1-2
Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, the younger men as brothers,
the older women as mothers, the younger as sisters, with all purity.
Third Charge: “Do Not Neglect the Gift”
Jesus Christ, polychromed and gilded woodcarved relief by Martin Vinazer (* 1674 in St. Ulrich in Gröden; † 1744) signed MVF (MV Fecit) Deutsch: Gefasstes Holzrelief des Martin Vinatzer gezeichnet MVF (MV Fecit) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Third Charge: “Do Not Neglect the Gift”
1 Timothy 4:11-16
These things command and teach.
Let no one despise your youth, but be an exmple to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
Til I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was give to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.
Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
Description of False Teachers
God, the Father watches us all everywhere. (Photo credit: angelofsweetbitter2009)
Description of False Teachers
1Timothy 4:1-5
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from thee daith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines and demons,
speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God create to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
For every creature of God is good, and noting is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving;
for it is santified by the word of God and prayer.
