tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17801043474025745672024-02-20T20:58:47.325-05:00LIFE IN THE SPIRITOUR GOAL: ALWAYS PROVOCATIVE - ALWAYS BIBLICAL - ALWAYS EDIFYING. If you haven't already, please log on to our Kingdom Gospel Ministries website for a lot of info and THREE new radio programs you can hear online each week - a provocative radiodrama, a message from Current Events, and a verse by verse expository message! All at
www.kingdomgospelministries.orgJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.comBlogger218125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-5711378546565001092023-12-29T10:15:00.005-05:002024-01-26T22:58:49.626-05:00WILL 2024 MARK THE END OF "CHRISTIANITY LITE"?<p><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18.200001px;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>This post was originally written way back at the dawn of 2005 when Christmas and New Year’s Day were on Sundays. In 2020, churches were ordered closed in many parts of the country. Precedent was claimed since in 1918 churches were ordered closed (but for only several weeks) during the Spanish Flu. That pandemic hit the young much worse than the old and the fatalities were almost triple percentage </i></span></span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18.200001px;"><span style="font-size: 14.666667px;"><i>wise compared to today. Some still watch online with zero accountability or in-person fellowship with the saints while others go to churches in name only where a faithless word is preached. One preacher actually told a friend of mine that he preached a lite gospel! God help us! This post is more timely than ever. </i></span></span></p><div class="post-body"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">From 2005:</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Much ado has been made of churches canceling services this 2005 holiday season. Our church did not, but we decided to pay a visit to another Pentecostal church near us on New Year's Day, and it was CLOSED! Not closed by Communists, not closed by Muslims, not closed by the ACLU, but closed by none other than CHRISTIANS! It was already just after 11:00 AM, so we went somewhere else nearby - Zion Baptist in Ambler, to give credit where credit is due - and they were not only open, but with a big crowd and in no rush to end it! Over an hour of worship and praise, a wonderful dance performance by Living Stones on getting into the heart of Jesus, and an interactive sermon from Hebrews 13:1-5 that was practical, up-lifting and enjoyable. They then were taking a group to a Senior Citizens' home to minister on New Year's Day afternoon! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><i>For quite some time now even well before 2005 and seemingly more through 2023 which has </i></span><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><i>just drawn to a close:<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Why are some assemblies so eager to serve God, and others afraid of being too "radical"? We live in a world of "lite" everything. I think Miller Beer started it all. Remember "More taste, less filling"? We now have "lite" margarine and "lite" everything else. Some of these are perhaps more healthy than the full blown version. However, we also unfortunately have "Christianity Lite" and that for sure is far from healthy. Not only does it have less taste, but it is also less filling. Like Bud <span style="caret-color: rgb(41, 48, 59);">Light</span> with their disastrous ad campaign, many churches appear toxic to the world - clowns on "Christian" TV proclaiming health, wealth, and fame counter-gospels and a seemingly endless string of sex and money scandals which are different from Hunter Biden only in monetary amount and publicity, one affecting even one of the most respected churches in Philadelphia.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">The Psalmist says in Psalms 34:8, "Taste and See that the Lord is Good." Psalm 119:103 says "How Sweet are Your Words to My Taste". So many Christians have not had a solid five course meal of God recently that they do not know what it tastes like. Instead they are in a hurry and fill up on junk food such as get rich schemes, worship that stops almost before it starts or music filled with the spirit of this world that is more about us than about God, and messages more about current trends in the world than on imparting heavy duty soul food into the spirit. In essence, we <span style="caret-color: rgb(41, 48, 59);">are</span> driving through to eat spiritual food of dubious nutritional value while pursuing other things. Recipes, the big game, and other thoughts often replace diligent attention to what is being said from the pulpit even those few minutes most churches limit the word to. Not only is the body not nourished, but the enjoyment factor is low because it is not the slightest equivalent to what Jesus has prepared for those who diligently seek him. An appetizer of praise and worship. a fruit salad of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in full operation, and a meaty message are far better and there is no need to count spiritual calories. We need everything to nourish the body, not food of limited value with lots of salt and no balance. We are to be FILLED with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). We can't have "fillers" and have room for the Spirit, too! Many Pastors are afraid of losing people if the services are too serious. I say, so what? Didn't they EVER study Gideon??? We need to move beyond where we are and fully engage the Lord in concert with the rest of the Body EVERY time we are together. The truth is, sinners would be more attracted to that level of reality. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">One unintended consequence of the closure of many churches in 2020 and 2021 is that since so many churches practiced Christianity Lite, those with hunger went to Facebook and YouTube and heard a much stronger word, perhaps for the first time. Pastors of sound churches have been telling me that they have more people online than in the pews, and their outreach has been transformed from primarily local to global. Many have also experienced increases in giving, so what Satan intended for evil, God has turned to good. I encourage you in 2024 to look to the Lord in everything. Do not be satisfied with the mediocre. Do not go to a church where you leave still hungry and unsatisfied. Taste and see that the Lord is good! He will surely satisfy you!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Here are some practical tips – </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; padding: 0px; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">1)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Know your position in Christ. Do not live in the outer courts or as though the veil is still there and you need a priest to go into the Holy of Holies for you. Jesus tore the veil from top to bottom. LIVE in the Holy of Holies. Live in His presence. You need to carry God's presence with you. You must not walk into it and then out of it! That is far below your privilege! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; padding: 0px; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">2)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Pray without ceasing. Know that when you walk with the Lord, you have an open line, a BROADBAND CONNECTION if you will. You needn't talk all the time, and neither will the Lord. However, when either of you have something to say, it can be said and freely received. It is effortless if you live that way. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; padding: 0px; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">3)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Worship God on your own. It is not a good sign if you have to be in a church building to worship. Worship at home, in your car, ANY PLACE. Worship with songs, with words, with attitude. Use English or your native tongue. Use your gift of tongues. Worship with the mind and the Spirit. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; padding: 0px; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">4)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Write down what the Lord tells you. Expect him to share with you every day. Share what he says with others if it could bless them. Make sure to note specific commands the Lord gives you and follow through in a TIMELY manner. When we obey, the windows of heaven open wider each time. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; padding: 0px; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">5)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Contribute sacrificially to God. First your heart, then your time, and last, but not least, your substance. Never give to get. Give to GIVE! God will supply your needs, but we give to facilitate the growth of the kingdom, not for selfish reasons or with expectations of return. Don't let giving be reduced to a formula! Simply learn to hear God's voice and give him WHATEVER he asks of you. Do not hold back anything from your heart, your time, or your substance. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Don't wait for others to take the lead. Take the initiative yourself. If your church is practicing "Christianity Lite", talk to your leaders and tell them you want more taste and to be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit. As you are filled each time, your capacity grows for Him, so this is a continuing process for both the individual AND the Body of Christ. Tell those guarding your soul you want 2024 to be the end of "Christianity Lite" and the beginning of a "take no prisoners" brand of New Testament Christianity. Our lives surely depend on it!</span></p></div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-22848299748781376892023-07-29T14:01:00.000-04:002023-07-29T14:01:01.269-04:00THE 2 GREATEST COMMANDMENTS<p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.609999656677246px;">SO MANY PEOPLE do not really know their neighbors - perhaps by sight, with a wave, or "How about this weather?" Yet Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves. What does that entail? Check out my video message on Mark 12:29-31 to find out how we can better love God first, and then our neighbors. Just go to </span><a href="http://shalomag.com/" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.609999656677246px;">shalomag.com</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.609999656677246px;">, scroll down until you see the small box with Facebook written in it on the left side, and tap it. The messages you see are latest first - scroll down to July 30, 2023. Your comments are welcome! God bless.</span></p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-63749131172517844702023-01-07T00:16:00.003-05:002023-01-07T00:16:22.076-05:002023 - A MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">First, may I wish you and those you love a most Happy New Year.” May God grant you in 2023 the satisfaction that comes from achieving everything in Christ that he has laid out for you to do.</span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">I wrote a message years ago questioning whether the New Year would be the end of “Christianity Lite?” I wish I could say today that the desire of my heart came true in great measure. I know it did in the hearts of some of God’s sons and daughters, but the church as a whole remains immature, and self-satisfied with far less than the inheritance God wants us to enjoy in Christ Jesus.</span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Despite the growth of mega-churches, Charisma magazine has rightly noted that there is a startling shortage of Christ-like disciples. Those reputed to be leaders talk of the “great traditions of Islam”, ignoring the fact that close to 90% of the worst persecution of the church today comes from Muslims. A best-selling book from the largest church in America barely mentions Jesus and reads more like the Reader’s Digest than a call to follow the Lordship of Jesus Christ. People continue to watch “Christian” TV and pour billions into ministries whose tired and false litany is that every problem in your life can be solved by giving your money to THEIR ministry and that God’s job is to make you happy and fulfilled as opposed to taking up our cross and following the Lord. Meanwhile, they divorce, they have scandals, the true gospel is not preached, and the unholy day-to-day lives of the couch potatoes watching them are barely if at all distinguishable from those of the world.</span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Churches are going the “Lite” route more and more. Bud Lite and Coors Lite were the nation’s top two selling beers, and churches that preach a “Lite” Gospel greatly dwarf the ones who preach the whole counsel of God. Pastors say that the way to growing a church numerically is to avoid spiritual gifts in the morning service. It supposedly makes those services more attractive to “seekers”. They have statistics to back them up. You can go all year in many churches without ever hearing about hell and Christ’s requirements of the believer. One person said that Jesus was not even mentioned at their Christmas service! We know the President did not mention Jesus in his Christmas address, but he is an unbeliever at war with the church with policies birthed in hell. What are people IN the church thinking basically doing the same thing?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">The churches that grow the most numerically do indeed practice “Christianity Lite”. You will never hear convicting sermons like Jonathan Edwards’ “Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God”. Instead, divorce practices, sexual practices, business practices, TV/movie practices and a stained vocabulary are not all that distinguishable from the world if at all and they go essentially unchallenged week after week.</span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">The pulpit - fixed or electronic - is supposed to be the place for the Holy Spirit to challenge folks not only to believe in Jesus but to follow him completely! The church is the place for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to operate. I say that the only growth Jesus Christ cares about is growth on the <b>INSIDE</b>, not mere numbers. Read the account of Gideon in Judges 6 through 8! Listen to Jesus’ teaching that the <b>BROAD</b> way leads to destruction. Yet, Christian leaders are loath to say or do anything that will cause the lukewarm to disappear, even though in Revelation 3 Jesus said he is about to spit them out of his mouth. Why do Christian leaders want to coddle those whom Christ himself is about to spit out??? How do we think we will win the battle we are in with a half-armed and barely dangerous army? The truth is, we won’t. Israel never won when they looked good in the world’s eyes. They only won when they trusted God and God alone, regardless of the numbers, regardless of their carnal weapons, and regardless of the strength of their enemy. These accounts are written for us to learn from, not ignored so we can make the same mistakes Israel did!</span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Further, the main reason that so many have lost confidence in the gospel is a failure to believe absolutely in the authority of the Word of God. Secular colleges have long despised the Bible, but many strong Christians have emerged battle-tested from those venues, present company included. Nowadays, between 8 out of 10 and 9 out 10 <b>CHRISTIAN</b> colleges do not believe the Bible is really completely true! Some discard the unequivocal teaching of Genesis that God made the world in six literal days and that his creation was <b>GOOD</b>! They allow for or even encourage belief systems that require death and destruction to have entered the world long before Adam sinned. Richard Dawkins, perhaps the most lucid exponent of evolution, clearly understands the linkage between evolution and atheism. Why don’t Christian leaders? Other schools dismiss or throw into the past the role of the Holy Spirit, miracles, spiritual gifts, and the crowning piece of spiritual armor - praying in the Spirit that is mandated in Ephesians chapter 6.</span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">So you may rightly say, that is the diagnosis, but what is your solution? I’m glad you asked! My solution is nothing original and nothing new. It is simply what God instructed us to do in the first place. We will look at Ephesians 6 and I Corinthians 14 for a few moments tonight and I encourage you to also study them on your own.</span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><b><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">10 </span></b><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. <b>11 </b>Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. <b>12 </b>For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. <b>13 </b>Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. <b>14 </b>Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, <b>15 </b>and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. <b>16 </b>In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. <b>17 </b>Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.</span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><b><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">18 </span></b><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. <b>19 </b>Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, <b>20 </b>for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.</span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">I Corinthians 14:26ff tells us what to do when we come together. People, not choreographers, bring hymns, words of instruction, revelations, tongues, interpretations. Not just in small groups. Not just during mid-week meetings when those ”likely to be offended” seldom show up. Truly the weak Christians need this edification more than ANYONE!!! Seekers need to SEE the power of our salvation more than anyone! The Holy Spirit says through Paul <b>“ALL OF THESE MUST BE DONE FOR THE STRENGTHENING OF THE CHURCH.</b>” Therefore, if we see a weak and enfeebled church, we know why. Why don’t we simply follow the teaching of the Holy Spirit and <b>DO WHAT HE SAYS</b>????? Now you may say, I have been to Pentecostal places and they are still weak. <b>SO HAVE </b><b>I</b>. I have heard suspect and shopworn “prophecies” and those who mechanically follow what is supposed to be supremely spiritual. I have also heard wild tales of supposed amazing encounters with God or angels that do not line up with the Bible. The people may be sincere, but everything has to line up 100% with the Bible or be summarily rejected. That is why there are Shepherds to guard the flock from error. However, I have also been where I Corinthians 14:26 was literally followed, and <b>IT WORKS</b>. Let God be true, and every man a liar!</span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Ephesians 6 tells us to put on the <b>WHOLE ARMOR</b> of God. Partial armor will not do. What is there of lasting value that is accomplished when we are <b>HALF-ARMED AND BARELY DANGEROUS?</b> We are unprepared to take the offensive and we cede area after area to the minions of Satan. At the same time, we are suffering untold casualties on the defensive side. Satan will simply ignore the protected areas and go for the jugular. That jugular, the place where our blood flows, is <b>UNPROTECTED </b>when we go not pray in the Spirit per Ephesians 6:18. When we try to follow Christ in the flesh and do not follow him in the Spirit, we are sitting ducks. That is why Christians are jettisoning portions of the infallible word of God</span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">they feel are hardest to believe.<b> The WHOLE BIBLE is impossible to believe without the GIFT OF FAITH!!! </b></span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">The miracle of creation, Nebuchadnezzar’s fire that could not kill the faithful, the parting of the Red Sea, the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection, the raising of the dead, the saving of sinners like me - all of this is so fantastic and so unbelievable and so foolish to the <b>UNBELIEVER</b>! Yet it is the power of God to salvation, and to those who are given the gift of faith, every word of it is true and every word is profitable for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. I love the word of God, and I am not ceding <b>ONE WORD</b>, <b>ONE CONCEPT</b>, or <b>ONE EVENT</b> to anyone! </span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">The Lord recently told me that if we reject any portion of the Word of God, Satan will substitute another idea or another concept in its place, and we will believe what Satan says <b>INSTEAD</b> of what God says to our severe detriment. Believing what Satan says is truly addictive! We need to remember that a counterfeit piece of money is usually at least 95% accurate and genuine looking – otherwise everyone would immediately recognize it as play money. Most weak and counterfeit churches resemble the genuine in many ways – scripture reading, singing, religious vocabulary, and warm fellowship. Satan counterfeits only the most critical aspects of our faith – those that will separate us from the will of God, those that will remove our source of power from us, those that will give us false assurances when we have unconfessed sin in our lives, those that will open the door just a crack for doubt, because Satan knows that doubt grows as a cancer without any further intervention from him. </span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Let the church be the church and let the church do what Christ commands. The uncompromising church is the church that turned the world upside down in the first century and the one that is causing revival in various parts of the world now. Christians from other parts of the world are stunned at what they see in American Churches. I for one want to change that in 2023. I am determined to present the uncompromised and politically incorrect word of God in every way I can. Are you with me? Will you do the same? If you do, you will have a blessed, prosperous, and very spiritual New Year. If you don’t, please do not complain to me!</span><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-24621563055817991552022-12-20T11:59:00.011-05:002022-12-20T12:02:24.885-05:00HOW DO BELIEFS IMPACT INTERPRETATION OF SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE <p><b><i><span style="color: #cc0000;">QUORA</span></i></b> - <b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">How does the Belief in Creationism Impact how one Interprets Scientific Evidence?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;">All evidence is common regardless of the belief system you hold to. The question could just as easily be (but seldom is), how does the belief in atheism impact how one interprets scientific evidence? Evolutionists love to pretend they are the truly unbiased ones. Yet I have heard endless illogical arguments that commit fallacies one should have learned to avoid in Logic 101. Reification, Equivocation, Begging the Question, and the Question-Begging Epithet fallacies are some of those.<o:p></o:p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;">For example, how many times have you heard “The Evidence says that evolution is true!” - Reification fallacy, Evidence, Science, or any other non-human entity cannot talk or make value judgments. One constantly hears “Creationists are wrong because we see evolution happening all the time. Organisms are constantly changing and adapting to their environment.” Creationists do not deny organisms change, but they do deny we all have a common ancestor. The equivocation fallacy is in full swing - the entire meaning is changed to total misrepresentation of the issues to cover the fact there is zero proof we have a common ancestor. How about the argument that “The Bible cannot be true because it teaches that the earth is only thousands of years old, whereas, we know the earth is billions of years old. That is Begging the Question - the accuser is assuming naturalism, and uniformitarianism and that everything is as it always was. St. Peter actually pointed out this fallacy in his writing almost 2,000 years ago. Finally, we have the Question-Begging Epithet. How many times have you heard evolutionist adherents say, “ To be a Creationist, you would have to ignore tons of scientific evidence!” Emotional language to be sure, not logic.<o:p></o:p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;">I believe the Holy Scriptures, as eyewitness testimony supplants the notions of fallible men. I also believe that things are not as they always were – because God said so, and everything from the breakup of the Pangean continent to a careful study of geology and fossils substantiates that. The argument that the age of matter and life is much older rests on unproven assumptions intrinsic to the dating methods, and the R.A.T.E. project exposed that many err by many orders of magnitude. Physical and cultural evidence for the worldwide flood are at the heart of the different core assumptions which have global impact on the resulting interpretations. We would be much more unified if the real issues were honestly discussed by all parties.<o:p></o:p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;">Moses sat with the Creator in the tent of meeting so if anyone had doubts about any part of the Bible, the Pentateuch for sure should not be among them. The simple fact is that evolutionary ideas extrapolated to the origins of man and the universe is atheistic to the core, and many logical arguments cast great doubt on that aspect of the theory. Evolutionists largely circumvent the major problems with that portion of their theory and instead censor, attack, and seek to marginalize all who question any portion of their dogma. That is not science. Science means “Knowledge”. The matter of one idea of origins does not cross that threshold.<o:p></o:p></p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-72639158949021939462022-10-27T12:33:00.003-04:002022-11-05T16:34:24.286-04:00TWO GREAT ARTICLES<p> Check these two prescient articles out on <i><span style="color: #990000;">CATHOLIC INSIGHT.</span></i></p><p><i><span style="color: #990000;">Here are the links</span></i></p><p>ISSUES WITH TATOOS - so many Christians have or are getting them...</p><p><a href="https://catholicinsight.com/tattoos-as-a-spiritual-and-bodily-harm/">https://catholicinsight.com/tattoos-as-a-spiritual-and-bodily-harm/</a></p><p>GENDER THEORY HAS SPIRITUAL ROOTS - and not good ones...</p><p><a href="https://catholicinsight.com/the-gnostic-roots-of-gender-theory/">https://catholicinsight.com/the-gnostic-roots-of-gender-theory/</a></p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-26398367705302946302022-10-14T14:29:00.006-04:002022-10-16T18:59:02.930-04:00EISEGESIS<p> <span style="color: #990000; font-size: medium;"><b>This introduction comes from "GOT QUESTIONS.org.</b></span></p><div class="youtube-player" data-id="rk_Ca8FjSno" style="background-color: black; caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42); font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; height: 0px; margin: 5px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 539.796875px; position: relative;"><div data-id="rk_Ca8FjSno" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rk_Ca8FjSno/hqdefault.jpg" style="border: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: auto; inset: 0px; margin: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: absolute; transition: all 0.4s ease 0s; width: 950px;" /><div class="play" style="background-image: url("img/ytplay.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #081c2a; cursor: pointer; font-size: 16px; height: 72px; left: 475px; margin: -36px 0px 0px -36px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 269.8984375px; width: 72px;"></div></div></div><p><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"" style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);">Exegesis and eisegesis are two conflicting approaches to Bible study. Exegesis is the exposition or explanation of a text based on careful, objective analysis. The word </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"" style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">exegesis</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"" style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);"> literally means “to lead out of.” That means that the interpreter is led to his conclusions by following the text.</span></span></i></p><p><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"" style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);">The opposite approach to Scripture is eisegesis, which is the interpretation of a passage based on a subjective, non-analytical reading. The word </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"" style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">eisegesis</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"" style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);"> literally means “to lead into,” which means the interpreter injects his own ideas into the text, making it mean whatever he wants.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"" style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);">Obviously, only exegesis does justice to the text. Eisegesis is a mishandling of the text and often leads to a misinterpretation. Exegesis is concerned with discovering the true meaning of the text and respecting its grammar, syntax, and setting. Eisegesis is concerned only with making a point, even at the expense of the meaning of words. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="2 Tim 2.15" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20Tim%202.15" rel="noopener" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: var(--color-link-article);" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Second Timothy 2:15</span></a><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"" style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);"> commands us to use exegetical methods: “Present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” An honest student of the Bible will be an exegete, allowing the text to speak for itself. Eisegesis easily lends itself to error, as the would-be interpreter attempts to align the text with his own preconceived notions. Exegesis allows us to agree with the Bible; eisegesis seeks to force the Bible to agree with us.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"" style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);">The process of exegesis involves 1) observation: what does the passage say? 2) interpretation: what does the passage mean? 3) correlation: how does the passage relate to the rest of the Bible? and 4) application: how should this passage affect my life?</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"" style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);">Eisegesis, on the other hand, involves 1) imagination: what idea do I want to present? 2) exploration: what Scripture passage seems to fit with my idea? and 3) application: what does my idea mean? Notice that, in eisegesis, there is no examination of the words of the text or their relationship to each other, no cross-referencing with related passages, and no real desire to understand the actual meaning. Scripture serves only as a prop to the interpreter’s idea.</span></span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol"><span style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);">I have been finding with increasing frequency that even Evangelical Pastors who claim to follow the Bible are going hook, line, and sinker into EISEGESIS. </span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);">They are layering their own ideas over scripture and their own ideas ALWAYS take precedence. </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol"><span style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);">Let's go a widespread one - after all, in one evangelical denomination, they are ordaining a woman every fifteen minutes on average. They trot out Romans 16:7 on Junia and ignore the Greek. They say if a woman was an apostle, she can occupy any position of authority in the church. They cancel out I Corinthians and I Timothy and all other scriptures giving qualifications for leadership. They love Deborah who was reluctant to be a judge - not a woman seeking the position and she never led a church so it is irrelevant! Deborah was successful in the job, but Israel went right back into idolatry so her legacy was truncated. Even then, note the scripture, "</span></span></span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(73, 73, 73);">Their oppressors are children, and women rule over them" (Isaiah 3:12)</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);"> Deborah was reluctant and totally unlike the women today to are ACTIVELY SEEKING positions of rulership over men. </span></span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);">Do Evangelicals get baptized for the dead or get baptized for them because of I Corinthians 15:29 which few understand? Paul was saying people who did this, and if you study it, you will find those doing it then did not believe in the resurrection. Mormons have practiced this for years.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol"><span style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Genesis, God made man and then the woman to be his help-mate. Paul told the Corinthians that man was made in the image of God and woman was the glory of man. Paul told Timothy the reason women could not be in authority in the church was that man was created first. </span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);">What do they do with the scripture that says an elder must rule his own house well? Women are not permitted to rule their own house in scripture if they are married. The scriptures are so simple and clear on the matter.</span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);"> </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol" style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All this is considered as nothing because of half of one verse (Romans 16:7) which they butcher. The English Standard Version is so clear - she was known <b>TO</b> the apostles and was not one of them. If you want to know the Greek, when the preposition "en" is followed by a dative pronoun, it is "exclusive" which the ESV acknowledges. If it were a genetive pronoun, it would be "inclusive" and she would have been noted as one of the apostles. Does anyone else remember back to Latin class which has some </span></span></span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42); font-family: inherit;">similarities here? Some translations simply say "known among the apostles" which the feminists use to bolster their claim. However, they ignore 2 Timothy 3:16 where we learn that ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God. They are not permitted to pick and choose, but that is what those false teachers who practice eisegesis do. Of course, they dismiss the clear and unequivocal scriptures as being culturally bound and irrelevant today. I have yet to meet even one of those who say that who have really studied the culture of the times when Paul wrote. Remember when Paul wrote more than once that an elder had to be the husband of one wife? I have heard it said that the scripture meant he could not be polygamous, obviously ignorant of the readily found FACT that the Roman empire stood for monogamy. The Romans allowed some cultural exceptions such as the one that the Jews actually practiced in Levirate marriage. A little research would also show that women were often in spiritual authority in the pagan religions in Corinth and Ephesus, likely even a majority in Ephesus, the hometown of Diana whom they worshipped. Some say Jesus did not have female apostles among the twelve because of his being culturally bound! Jesus was not bound to anything - he was and is God Almighty. It is blasphemous to make modern feminists more sensitive than the son of God. I have yet to meet even ONE who is not in spiritual deception - leadership is simply the gateway to all kinds of evil.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);">How about concepts from gnostic mysticism derived from Zohar from which Kabbalah and promoted by people such as Jonathan Cahn? Gnostic heresies happened early in the church and we are to have no part in them. Here is some basic information from </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);">Chabad.org which anyone familiar with Christ should be able to discern is 180° opposite from scripture. His claims on Shemitah and America as a new Israel fly in the face of the fact that GOD initiates covenants with us - we do not initiate them with Him! In fact that is the single biggest distinctive between Christianity and other religions.</span></span></p><p><i style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42);"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">It is important to realize that the </span><span class="glossary_item" glossary_item="32741" style="background-image: url("/images/1/global/glossary_underline.gif"); background-position: center bottom; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0b5394; cursor: pointer;">Kabbalah</span><span style="color: #0b5394;"> is more about losing ourselves than about finding, becoming more other-centered and less ego-centered. The literal translation of the word </span><a href="https://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/default_cdo/jewish/KabbalaOnlineorg.htm" style="box-sizing: inherit;" title="KabbalaOnline.org"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Kabbalah</span></a><span style="color: #0b5394;"> is 'that which is received.' To receive we must be receptive. We must open ourselves, creating a vessel in which to absorb that which we wish to understand or grasp, and in turn become part of Kabbalah. To open the self to a higher reality, to view the spirit within the matter, to raise our consciousness to the point where our perception of reality is completely changed, and the divine within all creation is revealed.</span></span></i></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol"><span style="caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42); color: #0b5394;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: inherit;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Generally speaking, Kabbalah is divided into three categories: the theoretical, which concerns itself primarily with the inner dimensions of reality; the spiritual worlds, souls, angels, and the like, and the meditative, where the goal is to train the person who is studying to reach higher elevated meditative states of consciousness and, perhaps, even a state of prophecy through employing the Divine names, letter permutations, and so forth. The third type of Kabbalah is magical, which concerns itself with altering and influencing the course of nature. It also uses Divine names, incantations, amulets, magical seals, and various other mystical exercises.</i></span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; caret-color: rgb(8, 28, 42); font-family: inherit;">Cahn also joins a legion of others with prophesies which turned out to be false. The true test of a prophet is that what he says comes to pass. We must reject all who prophesy falsely in the name of the Lord. Also my friends, we must never follow ANY deviation from God's word. Do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, Satan goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Do not offer yourself up to be his dinner!</span></p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-31284252800468980162022-10-01T23:00:00.001-04:002022-10-01T23:00:36.840-04:00WE MUST FINISH STRONGThe Children of Israel loved to complain. No matter what God did for them over DECADES. It was not only the miracle of crossing the Red Sea on dry land. <div>Their shoes and their clothes did not wear out. </div><div>God rained down bread from heaven. </div><div>He had many quail descend on them inviting themselves to be killed for dinner. </div><div>He covered them with a cloud to protect them from the heat. </div><div>He gave them a pillar of fire by night. </div><div>Still they complained.</div><div><br /></div><div>Aaron sinned of course with the golden calf.</div><div>He was well aware of his shortcomings but was faithful for DECADES.</div><div>Moses was faithful to the word of the Lord for DECADES.</div><div>The people tried them constantly.</div><div>They complained about water.</div><div>They complained that Moses was an autocrat.</div><div>They complained about having to move around.</div><div>Yet Moses and Aaron were remarkably resilient even though their authority was constantly questioned.</div><div><br /></div><div>With Canaan close by, with the prior faithless generation dead and gone, there were still complaints.</div><div>Moses and Aaron were at their wits end.</div><div>Water was sorely needed,</div><div>God heard their cries and told Moses to SPEAK to the rock and water would come out.</div><div>In the past, Moses was to strike the rock and he did so.</div><div>This time is was supposed to SPEAK to the rock.</div><div>Instead he with Aaron's full approval, struck the rock TWICE, and water came out.</div><div>He told the people that he and Aaron had to get the water out of the rock for them.</div><div>They had nothing to do with it - God brought forth the water.</div><div>Men are not able to do that.</div><div>Yet they took credit.</div><div><br /></div><div>BOTH Moses and Aaron, despite steadfast and LONG ministries were BARRED from entering the Promised Land. BOTH died in the Wilderness. God was in fact saying, "What have you done for me lately?" In 1 Corinthians 9:27, Paul said, "But I keep my body and bring it under subjection: lest by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a CASTAWAY. The Greek word translated CASTAWAY is used EIGHT TIMES in the New Testament, and synonyms include REPROBATE and REJECTED. Check out Titus 1:16, 1 Timothy 3:8, Ephesians 5:1-21 and Galations 5:16-25.</div><div><br /></div><div>Many are proud of how they have stood against rebellion and evil all their lives. Yet pride comes before destruction! Moses and Aaron, for all the good they did, died in the wilderness and could not enter Canaan. Many pastors and other Christians today are compromising right and left. They are conforming to this world rather than being TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING of their minds, This is a life-long process, not a one-time deal. Like the Eagle, we need to be constantly renewed. Brothers and Sisters, we have to abide in Christ, and we can NEVER out our stamp of approval that which contradicts the Bible, that which contradicts the character of God, and that which proceeds from our own wills rather than the will of God.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is great to start strong, but do not be proud -be humble and submit to God so you can FINISH STRONG. Learn what God has for you to learn, and know that he expects you to remain faithful to him and to walk circumspectly in the free salvation once delivered to the saints. As James says, we demonstrate our faith by our works. What we do must be consistent with our profession. The Holy Spirit will be your guide! Do not grieve him, ignore him, or explain away his very clear written instruction to us in the Holy Scriptures!</div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-86372471021371197702022-10-01T00:01:00.003-04:002022-10-01T22:31:48.754-04:00FEARING GOD <p>SO MANY CHRISTIANS do not think the fear of God is a fashionable thing to talk about. They ignore it if not outright despising it. WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS?</p><p>Wholesale deception is one by preaching in opposition to the clear, unadulterated Word of God. They layer their own agenda on the scriptures - feminism, social justice, gender fluidity, partisan politics, personal ambitions - you name it. In the process they totally ignore CRYSTAL CLEAR scripture and twist others beyond recognition. It is an abomination before God and is getting so common it is truly scary.</p><p>I have been reading Francine Rivers on the life of Aaron. God wanted to wipe out the Israelites numerous times. Sometimes it was 250, as the ground opened up to swallow Korah, his family, and his followers. Shortly after it was 14,700 who died of the plague. Why God is allowing all these rebels to live in 2022 is beyond me, but it must simply be his amazing mercy.</p><p>We need to be Bereans. We need to check out even Pastors and teachers we love and admire. Paul praised them for checking HIM out. I tell my radio listeners to check ME out! This is very serious business and we cannot show partiality by letting people we may like and admire slide when they butcher the Bible. We cannot support with our presence or our finances ANY who lead people astray with false teaching. If God allows, we can try to reason with them, but generally that will not work - they have gotten to that point through ignoring God multiple times that they are set in their errors. However, if someone simply slips, those who are spiritual should go to them in meekness, considering themselves, lest they also be tempted.</p><p>Submit to God, fear him, honor him, and by all means remember that those who teach are worthy of double honor but are also judged more strictly. If you teach, make sure you have the Lord censor out anything and everything that is not in strict accordance with his Holy Word. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fear him and you will be wise indeed!</p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-84747853138558739872022-07-29T21:14:00.004-04:002022-07-29T22:08:00.166-04:00POLITICS - YES OR NO?<p>Christianity Today likes to talk about the perils of politics in the pulpit. Frankly, I get nervous when the left or the right is overly political from the pulpit. The funny thing, in black churches, there has been active campaigning and partisan political activity forever, and I do not see Christian publications alarmed about it. Since most of it is for leftists with anti-God policies, it would seem if there is to be an objection, it would be campaigning for people who oppose the faith you profess to believe rather than those who advance ideas more consistent with our faith whether they be Christians or not. However, in a worship service in church, I find it distasteful for any overly political commentary to be presented, even when I agree with it. I do advocate people being informed, however, and sharing with their friends, as not everyone is tuned in to what is happening.</p><p>The argument for being political in the pulpit, of course, is that a significant number of Christians are woefully ignorant of the issues and what is actually going on that will impact their church and their lives as Christians. There is a brutal and unrelenting war against Christians today in the United States and elsewhere seeking to remove all conscience, all rights, and to force them to hire people whose only goal is to destroy their message. Of course, the perpetrators of this never allow this in their own organizations. Name an LGBTQP... group that would hire a Biblical Christian for ANY position in their organization whose goal would be to subvert their message and neutralize it. I thought so.</p><p>Nonetheless, it is telling that while Jesus made some politically charged comments from time to time, and he lived in a day where it could have taken 100% of his time given the evils of the day, that was not at all his focus, and he would not have been crucified for anything he said by the Romans. He was crucified ONLY because the Jewish religious leaders totally rejected him as the only begotten Son of God. Jesus' ventures in politics were primarily calling out the corrupt religious system with only scattered comments on secular leaders.</p><p>Time spent talking partisan politics to the church takes away from Bible teaching which is sorely needed for a largely Biblically illiterate church. In actuality, if one preaches the Bible in power, most people will come to the correct political conclusions on their own. Those who preach a compromised gospel usually produce people on the wrong side of God in their political views as well. I met a pastor whose church was in pre-foreclosure. He was a black pastor of an inter-ethnic church who strove to avoid partisan politics and simply preach the Bible. Those on the left interpreted his MORAL teachings as being against them, which while not intended had that affect since the left rejects the Bible and all morality stemming from it. They blew up the church with tried and true divide and conquer tactics and a Bible-teaching church in a mixed community in the Philadelphia suburbs with a very nice setting and building had to be sold.</p><p>My personal approach is to steer clear of overt politics when I preach from the pulpit, though by preaching the Bible, some of what I say will naturally have consequences with those who reject God's standards and God's ways. I teach the Bible verse-by-verse on the radio and have for many years and let the chips fall where they may. </p><p>That said, I also have a radio program with messages based upon current events, and those tend to emphasize differences with clear political overtones between the world system and the Kingdom of God. I have written and been published many times in diverse media on politics for well over 55 years and have been a guest on talk radio and on TV on programs with strong political overtones. I also have a long-running political blog separate from this one called <b>Avoiding Political Deception</b>. (There is link if you look in my profile). Occasionally I put the same post on both, but that is really quite rare. This blog is intended for people of varying beliefs though if those beliefs are in opposition to the scriptures, they may still take issue with what is said.</p><p>The main thing is that our citizenship is in heaven and this world is doomed and rapidly winding up for the tragic end. Some say just let it happen as it is inevitable. I say much tragedy in human history could have been avoided had Christians not been so laid back and not been either hopelessly naive or impotent. The spiritual destruction of the country of Lebanon would be a prime example. I believe we need to act and be proactive and aware of Satan's schemes. We need to pray hard, pray aggressively, and work for the good of all.</p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-784536367923693642022-07-09T22:31:00.003-04:002022-07-09T22:31:48.605-04:00BONDAGE<p> Bondage seems to be everywhere. Universities are in bondage to absurd anti-science suicidal "woke" policies. Most students have to self-censor to survive. There is no critical thinking and lies are routinely accepted as truth with no questions allows. While claiming to fight racism, the woke folks firmly believe in black inferiority. Rather than seeking to improve academic performance and close the substantial gap that shows up on every objective measurement, they are eliminating ALL objective measurements and going strictly with unreliable data and emotional campaigns. Ironically standardized tests actually predict HIGHER outcomes than are achieved. Their answer to to engage in hard racism, even calling for separate colleges in California, discriminating in the classrooms, and blaming everyone else. They also rob all high-achieving blacks of the rewards for their hard work, giving everyone the impression that they did not deserve it, got special treatment, etc. They also engage in hard core racist pressures against the increasing number of blacks who identify as conservatives with a moral agenda. What they endure is covered up by fake media which is so lopsided it is ridiculous. This is classic Marxist cultural warfare, of course, and feckless university and corporate administrators are in bondage to it.</p><p>People are in bondage to unbridled sexuality, with the result that kids have tried everything in their teens and now want t explore every perversion out there.</p><p>People are in bondage to pot, ignoring the fact that almost all ass shooters were pot smokers - 9t is a gateway drug that indeed affects the brain, but the potheads are in total bondage to it.</p><p>People are in bondage to fake science, fake history, and totally failed political ideas. Fools who refuse to believe in God come up with their wild hypotheses and push it on impressionable people who are too scared to have their grades lowered to protest. They believe slogans and revisionist history and never bother looking into the matters for themselves.</p><p>The Apostle Paul believed it was intelligent for people to question him and see if what he said was supported by the scriptures. Remember the Bereans? So many Christians are in bondage to abusive churches and ideas. Man-made rules which are of no value against fleshly indulgence. Some of the worst sexual abuse has happened in Christian and other religious groups with oppressively strict dress and behavioral codes. Only CHRIST can free people from bondage.</p><p>Some churches require members to submit IRS 1040 forms to be accessed a "tithe". Never mind that the Bible says Not to give under compulsion and that EACH MAN is to determine in his heart what to give. Of course they are clueless that the Old Testament taught THREE tithes, two annual ones and a third every three years for the poor - so 23.33! So many ministries on TV are all about money and the damage done to unbelievers in undermining the integrity of Christians is probably even worse than what naive Christians go through sending money to be wasted on riotous living rather than spreading the real gospel.</p><p>My friends, do not remain in any bondage - Christ came to set us free. Be free indeed!</p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-72577235154044051082022-06-09T11:27:00.005-04:002022-06-09T11:27:45.308-04:00FATHERS' DAY INVITE<p>Join me as I preach the Fathers' Day message at 10:00am on June 19, 2022, at the Shalom Assembly of God, 1862 Kimball Avenue, just south of Welsh Road. in Willow Grove, PA. If you are not within easy driving distance, you can watch on Facebook instead starting at about 10:30 (they do not stream the worship portion of the service) - just go to Shalomag.com and hit the Facebook tab. It will be available afterwards as well.</p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-58335704603867643242022-03-12T11:59:00.002-05:002022-03-12T11:59:50.051-05:00<p> <a class="q-box qu-display--block qu-cursor--pointer qu-hover--textDecoration--underline Link___StyledBox-t2xg9c-0 KlcoI" href="https://www.quora.com/What-benefit-if-any-is-there-to-register-as-an-independent-voter-with-no-party-affiliation" style="border-bottom-left-radius: inherit; border-bottom-right-radius: inherit; border-top-left-radius: inherit; border-top-right-radius: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(40, 40, 41); color: inherit !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: calc(21px * var(--dynamic-font-scale, 1)); font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_top"></a></p><div class="q-click-wrapper qu-display--block qu-tapHighlight--white qu-cursor--pointer qu-hover--textDecoration--underline ClickWrapper___StyledClickWrapperBox-zoqi4f-0 bIwtPb" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit;" tabindex="0"><div class="q-flex qu-flexDirection--row" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline !important; flex-direction: row;"><div class="q-inline qu-flexWrap--wrap" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline !important; flex-wrap: wrap; max-width: 100%;"><div class="q-text puppeteer_test_question_title" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline !important;"><span class="q-box qu-userSelect--text" style="-webkit-user-select: text; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-image: none;">I was asked this question on QUORA:</span></span></div></div></div></div><div><div class="q-click-wrapper qu-display--block qu-tapHighlight--white qu-cursor--pointer qu-hover--textDecoration--underline ClickWrapper___StyledClickWrapperBox-zoqi4f-0 bIwtPb" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit;" tabindex="0"><div class="q-flex qu-flexDirection--row" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline !important; flex-direction: row;"><div class="q-inline qu-flexWrap--wrap" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline !important; flex-wrap: wrap; max-width: 100%;"><div class="q-text puppeteer_test_question_title" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline !important;"><span class="q-box qu-userSelect--text" style="-webkit-user-select: text; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-image: none;">What benefit, if any, is there to register as an independent voter with no party affiliation?</span></span></div></div></div></div><div class="q-box qu-mb--small" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(40, 40, 41); color: #282829; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px; width: 602px;" width="100%"><div class="q-box spacing_log_answer_header" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="q-flex" style="align-items: start; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; width: 602px;" width="100%"><div class="q-inlineFlex qu-flex--none qu-mr--small qu-alignItems--center" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-flex; flex: 0 0 auto; margin-right: 8px;"><a class="q-box qu-display--inline-flex qu-color--gray_dark qu-cursor--pointer qu-hover--textDecoration--underline Link___StyledBox-t2xg9c-0 KlcoI" href="https://www.quora.com/profile/John-Teets-2" style="border-bottom-left-radius: inherit; border-bottom-right-radius: inherit; border-top-left-radius: inherit; border-top-right-radius: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; color: #282829; cursor: pointer; display: inline-flex; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><div class="q-inlineFlex qu-flex--none" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-flex; flex: 0 0 auto; position: relative;"><div class="q-inlineFlex" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-flex; position: relative;"><div class="q-inlineFlex qu-overflow--hidden qu-borderRadius--circle" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 100%; border-bottom-right-radius: 100%; border-top-left-radius: 100%; border-top-right-radius: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-flex; overflow: hidden; position: relative;"><div class="q-box qu-bg--white__ignore_dark_mode qu-borderRadius--circle" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 100%; border-bottom-right-radius: 100%; border-top-left-radius: 100%; border-top-right-radius: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; inset: 1px; position: absolute;"></div><br /></div></div></div></a></div><div class="q-box qu-alignSelf--center qu-flex--auto" style="align-self: center; box-sizing: border-box; flex: 1 1 auto; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="q-text qu-dynamicFontSize--small qu-color--gray_light qu-passColorToLinks" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #939598; font-size: calc(13px * var(--dynamic-font-scale, 1)) !important;"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="q-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(40, 40, 41); color: #282829; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; max-width: 100%;"><span class="CssComponent__CssInlineComponent-sc-1oskqb9-1 UserSelectableText___StyledCssInlineComponent-lsmoq4-0 kghFzc"><span class="q-box qu-userSelect--text" style="-webkit-user-select: text; box-sizing: border-box;"><p class="q-text qu-display--block qu-wordBreak--break-word qu-textAlign--start" style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-image: none;">This was my response:</span></p><p class="q-text qu-display--block qu-wordBreak--break-word qu-textAlign--start" style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-break: break-word;"><span style="background-image: none;">I am one and am not in pocket of anyone. I am also non-denominational. I still preach at any number of denominational churches as well as non-denominational ones. Surprisingly, the reasons are similar - no political party has a monopoly on truth and is compromised by the nature of the beast - there are people who agree on some things and not others. In churches, committees come up with “position statements” which often do violence to the founding principles of that church. We should stop being simply Republicans and Democrats, but AMERICANS. We should also stop being proud of being Baptists, Assemblies of God, and Presbyterian Church of America, etc. There really is only one set of truth, and that is found in the Bible. All of those groups have beliefs at odds with scripture, and they need to change and be transformed by the renewing of their minds to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Therefore I am simply an Independent politically and a biblical Christian with no allegiance to man-made denominations.</span></p></span></span></div></div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-18461152521584947542022-02-08T11:55:00.004-05:002022-02-08T11:55:40.526-05:00COME JOIN ME<p> I will be preaching Wednesday, February 9th at 7pm at the Shalom Assembly of God church at 1862 Kimball Avenue in Willow Grove, PA. My topic is MY JEWISH WEDDING. I hope you can join me - this is a topic often ignored by the church or given scant attention. I am devoting my whole sermon to it.</p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-13085602611205315782022-01-09T13:55:00.011-05:002022-02-08T11:57:25.422-05:00THE PRECIPITOUS DECLINE OF HALLMARK MOVIES<p><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Bad trees produce bad fruit. A very bad tree is now the CEO of Hallmark and it shows. LGBTQ garbage, forced interracial relationships which do more harm than good (we have had 9 interethnic marriages in our family including my own of which 6 lasted, which is better than the average for all marriages), and a washing away of Christianity and an insipid "it does not matter what you believe" substitute. Interfaith marriages usually result in no practiced faith. That is the reality. The ridiculous quantity of firms now produced is so unoriginal, so unbelievable, and so predictable, that many will refuse to keep watching. If I see 2020, 2021, or 2022 as the date on a Hallmark picture, I check it out BEFORE watching, because I do not watch woke mess. Be sure you do the same!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.1in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Anyway, this writer hit the nail on the head - check out this link - https://www.homeismyhappyspot.com/2021/02/4-reasons-why-hallmark-movies-arent-as.html<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.1in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Here is a partial list of films to avoid - you will have to research the latest ones yourself - not sure why "A Bride for Christmas" is in there - maybe it was dialogue, but this is per QC.<o:p></o:p></span></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; width: 349px;"><tbody><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in; width: 262pt;" valign="bottom" width="349"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 10pt;">A Bride for Christmas</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-size: 10pt;"><u><a href="https://qcapproved.com/christmas-by-starlight-hallmark-christmas-movie/"><span style="color: #cc0000; text-decoration: none;">Christmas by Starlight</span></a><o:p></o:p></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-size: 10pt;"><u><a href="https://qcapproved.com/christmas-she-wrote-hallmark-christmas-movie/"><span style="color: #cc0000; text-decoration: none;">Christmas She Wrote</span></a><o:p></o:p></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-size: 10pt;"><u><a href="https://qcapproved.com/christmas-with-the-darlings-hallmark-christmas-movie/"><span style="color: #cc0000; text-decoration: none;">Christmas With the Darlings</span></a><o:p></o:p></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 10pt;">Open by Christmas</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-size: 10pt;"><u><a href="https://qcapproved.com/beverly-hills-wedding-hallmark-movie-review/"><span style="color: #cc0000; text-decoration: none;">Beverly Hills Wedding</span></a><o:p></o:p></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 10pt;">Coyote Creek Christmas</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-size: 10pt;"><u><a href="https://qcapproved.com/the-christmas-house-hallmark-christmas-movie/"><span style="color: #cc0000; text-decoration: none;">The Christmas House</span></a><o:p></o:p></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 10pt;">Wedding Every Weekend</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-size: 10pt;"><u><a href="https://qcapproved.com/the-santa-stakeout-hallmark-movie-review/"><span style="color: #cc0000; text-decoration: none;">The Santa Stakeout</span></a><o:p></o:p></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-size: 10pt;"><u><a href="https://qcapproved.com/dont-go-breaking-my-heart-hallmark-movie-review/"><span style="color: #cc0000; text-decoration: none;">Don't Go Breaking My Heart</span></a><o:p></o:p></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-size: 10pt;"><u><a href="https://qcapproved.com/boyfriends-of-christmas-past-hallmark-movie-review/"><span style="color: #cc0000; text-decoration: none;">Boyfriends of Christmas Past</span></a><o:p></o:p></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-size: 10pt;"><u><a href="https://qcapproved.com/taking-the-reins-hallmark-movie-review/"><span style="color: #cc0000; text-decoration: none;">Taking the Reins</span></a><o:p></o:p></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-size: 10pt;"><u><a href="https://qcapproved.com/mix-up-in-the-mediterranean-hallmark-movie-review/"><span style="color: #cc0000; text-decoration: none;">Mix Up in the Mediterranean</span></a><o:p></o:p></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 10pt;">Love Under the Olive Tree</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-size: 10pt;"><u><a href="https://qcapproved.com/a-christmas-tree-grows-in-colorado-hallmark-christmas-movie/"><span style="color: #cc0000; text-decoration: none;">A Christmas Tree Grows in Colorado</span></a><o:p></o:p></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 16pt;"><td nowrap="" style="height: 16pt; padding: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0in;" valign="bottom"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #cc0000; font-size: 10pt;"><u>Debbie Macomber’s A Mrs. Miracle Christmas</u></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #c00000; font-family: Georgia, serif;">A CUTE ONLINE POST FROM SOMEONE DATED 2025:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The Hallmark Channel announced today that it is ceasing operations. The once popular channel targeted at humans with and without ovaries began a precipitous ratings decline in 2021. When asked if she could point to any definitive reason for the mass exodus of viewership in recent years, outgoing CEO Wonya Lewis said, "It is a clear case of systemic racism”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span style="color: #5f6368; font-family: Georgia, serif;">I would note that<b> CEO Wonya Lucas</b></span><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #4d5156; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> was President and CEO of Public Broadcasting Atlanta where she oversaw Atlanta's NPR (WABE) and PBS (PBA) stations. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Wonya Lucas was at TV One before that for only a year. She and her sidekick Michelle Vicary are CLUELESS about their audience and like all leftists simply want to push their own sick agenda on everyone and destroy everything that does not conform to their fallen world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">Satan comes to STEAL, to KILL, and to DESTROY. Those who do the same are clearly his children.</span><o:p style="background-color: white;"></o:p></span></p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-60543219889843551322021-12-29T14:35:00.009-05:002022-01-01T11:07:47.188-05:00DESMOND TUTU<p><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> I wrote an article for my Avoiding Political Deception blog - probably could just as easily been posted on this blog, but if you are interested in some sobering facts on "Christian" icons praised by the left and the media, why not check it out? John 15:18-19 comes to mind - <span face="Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 19, 32); color: #800180; text-align: justify;">"If the world hates you understand that it hated me first. If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.…</span><span face="Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #800180;">" </span> </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span face="Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="text-align: justify;">That web link is </span><a href="http://avoidingpoliticaldeception.blogspot.com">avoidingpoliticaldeception.blogspot.com</a>.</span></p><div><br /></div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-90202820531593713652021-12-27T23:05:00.011-05:002022-01-01T10:59:25.686-05:00WILL 2022 MARK THE END OF "CHRISTIANITY LITE"?<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt;">This post was originally written way back at the dawn of 2005 when Christmas and New Year’s Day were on Sundays. It will be on a Sunday again in 2022, so we will see if there is a repeat! In 2020, churches were ordered closed in many parts of the country. Precedent was claimed since in 1918 churches were ordered closed (but for only several weeks) during the Spanish Flu. That pandemic hit the young much worse than the old and the fatalities were almost triple percentage wise to today. <span> </span>It is approaching two years now where some churches are STILL closed by their own decision while most others have opened with no apparent ill effects. I trust this post will speak to you today! <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">From 2005:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Much ado has been made of churches canceling services this 2005 holiday season. Our church did not, but we decided to pay a visit to another Pentecostal church near us on New Year's Day, and it was CLOSED! Not closed by Communists, not closed by Muslims, not closed by the ACLU, but closed by none other than CHRISTIANS! It was already just after 11:00 AM, so we went somewhere else nearby - Zion Baptist in Ambler, to give credit where credit is due - and they were not only open, but with a big crowd and in no rush to end it! Over an hour of worship and praise, a wonderful dance performance by Living Stones on getting into the heart of Jesus, and an interactive sermon from Hebrews 13:1-5 that was practical, up-lifting and enjoyable. They then were taking a group to a Senior Citizens' home to minister on New Year's Day afternoon! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">For quite some time now even well before 2005 and seemingly more through 2021:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Why are some assemblies so eager to serve God, and others afraid of being too "radical"? We live in a world of "lite" everything. I think Miller Beer started it all. Remember "More taste, less filling."? We now have "lite" margarine and "lite" everything else. Some of these are perhaps more healthy than the full blown version. However, we also unfortunately have "Christianity Lite" and it is far from healthy. Not only does it have less taste, but it is also less filling. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The Psalmist says in Psalms 34:8, "Taste and See that the Lord is Good." Psalm 119:103 says "How Sweet are Your Words to My Taste". So many Christians have not had a solid five course meal of God recently that they do not know what it tastes like. Instead they are in a hurry and fill up on junk food such as get rich schemes, worship that stops almost before it starts or is more about us than about God, and messages more about current trends than on imparting heavy duty soul food into the spirit. In essence, they drive through and eat while pursuing other things. Recipes, the big game, and other thoughts often replace diligent attention to what is being said from the pulpit even those few minutes. Not only is the body not nourished, but the enjoyment factor is low because it is not the slightest equivalent to what Jesus has prepared for those who diligently seek him. An appetizer of praise and worship. a fruit salad of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in full operation, and a meaty message are far better and there is no need to count spiritual calories. We need everything to nourish the body, not food of limited value with lots of salt and no balance. We are to be FILLED with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). We can't have "fillers" and have room for the Spirit, too! Many Pastors are afraid of losing people if the services are too serious. I say, so what? We need to move beyond where we are and fully engage the Lord in concert with the rest of the Body EVERY time we are together. The truth is, sinners would be more attracted to that level of reality. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">One unintended consequence of the closure of many churches in 2020 and 2021 is that since so many churches practiced Christianity Lite, those with hunger went to Facebook and YouTube and heard a much stronger word, perhaps for the first time. Pastors have been telling me that they have more people online than in the pews, and their outreach may transformed from primarily local to global. Many have also experienced increases in giving, so what Satan intended for evil, God has turned to good. I encourage you in 2022 to look to the Lord in everything. Do not be satisfied with the mediocre. Do not go to a church where you leave still hungry and unsatisfied. Taste and see that the Lord is good! He will surely satisfy you!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Here are some practical tips – </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Know your position in Christ. Do not live in the outer courts or as if the veil is still there and you need a priest to go into the Holy of Holies for you. Jesus tore the veil from top to bottom. LIVE in the Holy of Holies. Live in His presence. You need to carry God's presence with you. You must not walk into it and then out of it! That is far below your privilege! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Pray without ceasing. Know that when you walk with the Lord, you have an open line, a BROADBAND CONNECTION if you will. You needn't talk all the time, and neither will the Lord. However, when either of you have something to say, it can be said and freely received. It is effortless if you live that way. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Worship God on your own. It is not a good sign if you have to be in church to worship. Worship at home, in your car, ANY PLACE. Worship with songs, with words, with attitude. Use English or your native tongue. Use your gift of tongues. Worship with the mind and the Spirit. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Write down what the Lord tells you. Expect him to share with you every day. Share what he says with others if it could bless them. Make sure to note specific commands the Lord gives you and follow through in a TIMELY manner. 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</style></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Contribute sacrificially to God. First your heart, then your time, and last, but not least, your substance. Never give to get. Give to GIVE! God will supply your needs, but we give to facilitate the growth of the kingdom, not for selfish reasons or with expectations of return. Don't let giving be reduced to a formula! Simply learn to hear God's voice and give him WHATEVER he asks of you. Do not hold back anything from your heart, your time, or your substance. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #29303b; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Don't wait for others to take the lead. Take the initiative yourself. If your church is practicing "Christianity Lite", talk to your leaders and tell them you want more taste and to be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit. As you are filled each time, your capacity grows for Him, so this is a continuing process for both the individual AND the Body of Christ. Tell those guarding your soul you want 2022 to be the end of "Christianity Lite" and the beginning of a "take no prisoners" brand of New Testament Christianity. Our lives surely depend on it!</span></p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-48417301482972638152021-12-25T23:09:00.006-05:002021-12-25T23:37:12.777-05:00HOPE YOU HAD A NON-PAUL WELLSTONE CHRISTMAS<p>Clueless people who worship their chosen "news" network are often encouraged to bring strife and in-your-face arguments to Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings. They obviously ignore God's hatred of strife, divisiveness, and lying.</p><p>Family times should be free of disputes and concentrate on the reason for the celebrations. If people want to argue politics, denominational differences, or other controversial topics, there should do in private an We made it mostly through the first of two celebrations this Christmas (thankfully the second was free of all controversy), but three people had to do their thing at the first one and spew what they felt was the absolute truth. </p><p>I had to remind them it was Christmas but they were not willing to give up and listen to reason. Thankfully all the others had left except me, so I vamoosed and took a nice long bike ride. We need to redeem the time because the days are evil. Just be prepared - those who think they know everything and who swallow absurdities whole may be coming to your church or home or event. Do not get in arguments they love to trigger, but do not tolerate them either - they will take that as weakness.</p><p>When your pastor starts to say things you know are untrue, it is best to have a PRIVATE conversation with him. If he will not listen, whether or not he disparages you, which often follows, you must remove yourself and go where you are not in conflict. I am not talking about debatable issues. I am talking about important Biblical practices and Christian Doctrine (ask for my tract <span style="color: #0b5394;">IS DOCTRINE DEAD OR SIMPLY DIFFERENT?</span>) You CANNOT be unequally yoked with unbelievers. What fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? Deceptions increase and are rarely reversed, so do not make excuses for clear compromises with scripture.</p><p>I wrote long ago that political and spiritual deception has inextricably linked. Those who are in deep political deception have also compromised the Word of God - the extent some who are regarded as PILLARS have done his boggles my mind. I have never seen an exception. Have you? PLEASE COMMENT BELOW...</p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-83947754007575750712021-12-03T11:43:00.011-05:002021-12-11T18:59:27.328-05:00LETTER TO A THEOLOGIAN AT LUTHER SEMINARY<p> I note that in the hundreds of pages of your piece, I did not see even ONE scripture verse, only the prattle common to "missional" advocacy. Romans 12:1 would tell you that we are NOT to be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We do not conform to the changing culture birthed in rebellion against God. Rather, the church is to have a culture COUNTER to that of the world, but the ELCA has adopted abominations noted in scripture and totally disobeyed God's plans for leadership in the church. No wonder ELCA congregations are dropping like flies compared to the NALC and LCMS. They have nothing to offer a person who is actually a Christ-follower. 2 Thessalonians 2 talks about the great falling away, and like it or not, included in this unfortunate group are the ELCA, PCUSA, and many other denominations. In fact, I have not found even ONE denomination that is not compromised, though obviously the degree of compromise varies. I head a non-denominational ministry which puts scripture above man-made religion and committee rulings often bound with the cords of political correctness. If you want to make a real difference, it HAS to be based upon the work of the Holy Spirit through the infallible scriptures God has been gracious to share with us!</p><p>Thank you!</p><p>BTW, An excellent and compassionate warning to Christians to avoid compromised churches is: https://gospelnewsnetwork.org/2021/12/03/be-careful-what-church-you-go-to-great-deception-is-settling-in-video/</p><p><span style="background-color: #ebd4d4; color: #e06666; font-size: x-small;">The following question was put to Eric Barger of Take a Stand! Ministries. I found his answer interesting.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-weight: 700;"><span style="background-color: #ebd4d4; color: #e06666; font-size: x-small;">What should the average Christian be looking for as a red flag or sign that perhaps their church is moving into the apostasy of the Emergent Church Movement?</span></span></p><div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="section"><div class="section"><div class="section"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="background-color: #ebd4d4; color: #e06666; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;">Just wait for the word "missional." To become a missional Christian, you have to have a world view that is different and concerned with solving the problems of the world.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ebd4d4; color: #e06666; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;">This is the same old stuff that happened 100 to 150 years ago that caused the major denominations to go down. See, it worked so good the first time, and if I were the Devil, I wouldn't change my technique. I would have continued to do it to destroy the evangelicals of today, just like he did the once evangelical church such as Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, etc. started adopting the Social Gospel. They moved away from the preaching of doctrine, the preaching of the truth of the Bible. They began telling their congregations that you should know your attitude is as good as anybody else's. In the end, it is all about you. It's not about God.</span></p></div></div></div></div><span style="background-color: #ebd4d4; color: #e06666; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;">This earth-conscious gospel has been adopted as the only way to reach post-modern people. That was the premise in the beginning of the movement, that we've got to find a way to reach this unreached people group. But, what are we reaching them with? That's the thing. That is the question that we have got to ask.</span></div></div><div class="page" title="Page 2"><div class="section"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="background-color: #ebd4d4; color: #e06666; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;">Now, it is expressed with yoga and walking through a labyrinth which comes out of Greek and other mystic beliefs. It is supposed to clear and center your mind. And these are being used in their seminars and in their messages. There is also a desire to integrate Roman Catholic practices like the prayer beads and the Eucharist inside the Emergent Church.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ebd4d4; color: #e06666; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;">Last April the Dalai Lama had a big meeting in Seattle where they had 105,000 people at Qwest Field. Rob Bell and Doug Pagitt, considered Emergent Christian leaders, both where referred to as "Evangelical Christians." They were in panel discussions with people from all the other religions, bowing down to the Dalai Lama calling him "his holiness." I was ready to throw up watching this thing! But, I watched this group and am thinking, "They never mentioned Jesus. They never brought up anything about Christianity." It was like, before a lost and dying world we're saying that every religion is equal.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ebd4d4; color: #e06666; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;">Well, that sounds prophetic doesn't it? I told my wife that I am just waiting for the curtain to part and the Antichrist to walk out, except there is one problem — I am still here! So, it is not going to happen today, but I see it will be the same grouping of people with the Sheik and Hindi and Muslim and a Jewish leader, and these apostate Christians all standing together there. It will be the same kind of group that will usher in the Antichrist and say, "He's our leader. Follow him!" It is prophetic.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ebd4d4; color: #e06666; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;">Now, don't get down in the mouth about this. These are prophetic times we are living in. Just think that we live in a day like today. I am so thrilled to live in this day and to think that we are able to watch these things happen just before the return of the Lord.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ebd4d4; color: #e06666; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;">But, we do need to be aware of the fact that we are living in a time of great deception, great apostasy, where we need to be discerning and we need to stand out and speak out for the truth. Don't just hang back and be afraid you are going to hurt someone's feelings when you point out false doctrine. I am not going to worry about if there are people that are turned off by our forthrightness about the truth as the Bible teaches. I can't help that. Their eternal souls hang in the balance.1</span></p></div></div></div></div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-42672682553042613642021-10-23T14:59:00.000-04:002021-10-23T14:59:54.849-04:00ANSWERS NOT ASKED FOR<pre class="acb" style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="acc s" style="box-sizing: inherit; padding: 5px 0px;"><div class="dp b bd be md" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #292929; font-family: sohne, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><div class="dx" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 24px;">My response to a man who was trying to explain his conversion to Stoicism. Based upon your statements, it seems you never knew Christ. You were in a church of some kind, but the idea you were born a Christian is unbiblical. God has no grandchildren. I can say that because I have for over 65 years and none of your complaints is the slightest valid -</div></div></div><div class="acc s" style="box-sizing: inherit; padding: 5px 0px;"><div class="dp b bd be md" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #292929; font-family: sohne, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><div class="dx" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 24px;"><b>CHRISTIANITY OVEREMPHASIZES OBEDIENCE</b></div><div class="dx" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 24px;">1) Obedience to God our Father was what Jesus did and is the only way to have fullness of life. Mindless submission as in Islam it is not - how can we presume to be wiser than our creator - those who obey him have a fullness of life - we are not slaves, but Sons and Daughters of the most high God.</div></div></div><div class="acc s" style="box-sizing: inherit; padding: 5px 0px;"><div class="dp b bd be md" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #292929; font-family: sohne, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><div class="dx" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 24px;"><b>MOST CHRSITANS THINK THEY HAVE A MONOPOLY OVER GOD'S KINGDOM</b></div><div class="dx" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 24px;">2) You believe yourself more than Christ. The road to heaven is narrow, I everyone went there, it would not be heaven, it would be more like hell. WHy do people think those who rejected God would want to live with him and serve him forever? Further, why would JEsus have come to suffer and die if anybody could go to hevaen except through him? It is an absurdity, Your model is the outdated one.</div></div></div><div class="acc s" style="box-sizing: inherit; padding: 5px 0px;"><div class="dp b bd be md" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #292929; font-family: sohne, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><div class="dx" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 24px;"><b>IT'S FORBIDDEN TO ASK CRITICAL QUESTIONS</b></div><div class="dx" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 24px;">3) Forbidden to ask questions? Ridiculous. We are the ones who ask the questions. In Christopher HItchens' book God is Not Great. he thinks he had slam dunks. I answered his most difficult one in five minutes. Most were recycled and answered over the last hundreds of years. The real problem is that sinners, like Democrat sheep, never ask the hard questions. There is an Intellectual Gullf, which is my semron topic next Sunday. Sinners refuse to consider the life of a distinct human being in the womb and run froim science. Sinners claim everything just happened - logically and mathematically impossible. They cling to failed models and are scared to ask the questions that should be asked. You condemn Christians for believing God and proven truths while turning to unproven hypotheses that change with the wind.</div></div></div><div class="acc s" style="box-sizing: inherit; padding: 5px 0px;"><div class="dp b bd be md" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #292929; font-family: sohne, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><div class="dx" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 24px;"><b>RELIGION IS INHIBITING AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT</b></div><div class="dx" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 24px;">4) I haven't been to Africa, but my wife is black and I know Africans. The only good that has come to any country is through Christian influence. The problem is syncretism - mixing some Christian concepts with folk religion which is the real issue.</div></div></div><div class="acc s" style="box-sizing: inherit; padding: 5px 0px;"><div class="dp b bd be md" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #292929; font-family: sohne, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><div class="dx" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 24px;"><b>CHRISTIANITY MAKES YOU RELY ON PRAYERS</b></div><div class="dx" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 24px;">5) Your disregard for prayer is proof positive you know nothing about a relationship with God. Prayer is two way communication with him and I do that for quite some time every single say and have for over 65 years.</div></div></div><div class="acc s" style="box-sizing: inherit; padding: 5px 0px;"><div class="dp b bd be md" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #292929; font-family: sohne, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><div class="dx" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Your slander saying people read nothing else besides the Bible is ridiculous - I read 2 to 4 books every week PLUS the infallible scriptures every single day. I find Christians far more informed than those outside the faith.</div></div></div><div class="acc s" style="box-sizing: inherit; padding: 5px 0px;"><div class="dp b bd be md" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #292929; font-family: sohne, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><div class="dx" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 24px;">To sum it up, following the ways that seem right to a man lead to death. Following Christ but knowing him and the joy of our salvation lead to a fulfilled life forever.</div></div></div></pre>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-86695986798846151712021-10-21T12:20:00.001-04:002021-10-21T12:20:19.788-04:00EMPTY PEWS<p> </p><p>Christianity Today wrote an article on empty pews - from 42% to 29% church attendance, and the numbers in the northeast are doubtless far lower. The local soccer field church with packed parking lots look like where many young families prefer to be on Sundays.</p><p>WHAT SEEMS TO BE MISSING FROM THE ANALYSIS is the sad fact that so many churches are so compromised I would not go regularly to the vast majority of them myself - and I am a minister!</p><p>Reminds me of the joke of the man who did not want to get out of bed on Sunday morning to go to church, His mother called him again and again but he turned over like a rusty hinge. Finally he blurted out - I do not want to go there - the people really get on my nerves. Leave me alone! His mother said softly, "Honey, you HAVE to go, you're the pastor!"</p><p>Most churches today have NOTHING of eternal value to offer. The love to talk about love but hate to talk about sin and responsibility. They love to talk about "acceptance" but cringe if "holiness" is mentioned.</p><p>I have been a Christian for over 65 years and stand for the inalterable standards of the word of God. I am a licensed minister and have preached in numerous denominational and non-denominational churches from Catholic (ecumenical service) to Baptist to AG to Apostolic to Third Wave to non-denominational, though I myself have been non-denominational for over 50 years.</p><div>In talking with other ministers, I find that many are into their job and non-ministerial Christians are often far more on top of the issues than "the professionals". In fact, a Catholic Deacon at a gathering was bringing up how clueless some in his own hierarchy were and a priest nodded his head in ascent when I said the real issue is that many in ministry simply do not know Jesus. </div><div><br />I am also a licensed architect working with people of many ethnicities, so I work full time as well as being an evangelist with three radio and Internet programs produced every week so am in the loop with what is going on in the world and a diversity of people. I also read a lot and am close to the pulse of what Christians are saying. </div><div><br /></div><div>I get endless theological papers from ACADEMIA - a social media site for academics, and what passes for scholarship is almost laughable in its illogical and absurd statements that would encourage a scribes and Pharisees style rebuke from Jesus were he listening. If these in seminaries ever get into churches, our church attendance would probably drop like a stone to resemble Europe's paltry rates.</div><div> </div><div>Even in theologically conservative churches I have attended, which many people would think are over-the-top with Jesus, becoming a member is problematical, because there are compromises on basic Biblical Principles in key areas. Nonetheless, I preach where they will have me and do not change my message based on where I am. </div><div><br /></div><div>Where are the righteous? Where are the people who believe in the Lord and are intimate with him? We need each other, but many still looking for a fellowship which is truly in tune with the Lord and which refuses to compromise with clear teachings in the scripture - those fellowships are needles in a haystack, and many do not bother looking anymore...</div><div> </div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-53641802992708680852021-10-08T22:51:00.002-04:002021-10-08T22:51:12.856-04:00WATCH WHICH DOORS YOU WALK THROUGH<p> People like talking about doors. God opened this door and closed another. Did you know that John 10 talks about going both ways through a door? Sometimes God wants you to go through a door and sometimes he wants you to back out when he has something else in mind. It has happened so many times in the scriptures. God has certain amount of fluidity in his directions - he has times and seasons for us. Some people have lost their lives because they went through a door at God's direction, but did not leave when it was time to go through another door he had prepared for them.</p><p>Of course, we are talking about ministries and life choices here - NOT leaving Jesus for some other so-called God. We are also not talking about compromising our faith in any way. We are talking about how we live though. Jesus had a house in Capernaum - it was used for God's glory. Then he gave it up and went on the road and had to rely on others to provide a place for him to sleep - even on boats at times! He could have thanked his Father for his house and said that was his Father's will and camped there. He did not.</p><p>Some evangelists who have a successful group of meetings will camp out there. The Father had other plans for Jesus - in the midst of some of his biggest successes, the Father told him to leave and move on. He did.</p><p>We also have to know the ramifications of walking through any door. Jesus certainly knew that when he participate in the triumphal entry after raising Lazarus from the dead. He knew that welcoming door with palm branches and Hosannas would lead to the cross. Yet he rotes through that open door and never looked back and we are the church today because he as resolute.</p><p>The same goes when people go through doors of compromise. Satan comes ONLY to steal, to kill, and to destroy - no other reason. When we go through the door of what seem like a little compromises, we are headed for spiritual ruin. Satan will not be satisfied until you are doing things you never dreamt you would ever do. Avoid those doors. The world has many. Satan doesn't particularly care which one you go through as long as you go through ANY of the ones not opened by the old Jesus Christ.</p><p>My friends, he is the door - enter by him and ignore the others. It is the only way to please him and be his brother in Spirit and in reality. Obey the Lord! Enjoy him! Don't look back.</p><p><br /></p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-61746792163365896792021-07-29T15:19:00.003-04:002021-07-29T15:19:20.215-04:00A DIFFERENT PARENT TRAP<p>Many enjoyed the original and the remake of THE PARENT TRAP. Twins can always be counted on for some good entertainment.</p><p>We are facing a new type of parent trap today though - the world, the flesh, and the devil are determined to put parents in a trap to keep them from their God-given responsibilities to their children.</p><p>While a parent has to sign for the school nurse to give their kid an aspirin, many states allow that same nurse to get your daughter to an abortion clinic without your knowledge or consent to murder the life growing within her.</p><p>In California, if your daughter was caught shoplifting and gets put in the pokey, they are allowed to put a "transgender" biological male in the same cell with her regardless of what she thinks and smile while they hand out condoms. </p><p>Online predators love it when their clueless 14-year-old vixens type out PRW (parents are watching) or AITR (adult in the room) to hold their comments until they see "99" which means the parent is now gone.</p><p>The world LOVES to isolate children from parents - they teach them in school their parents are dumb, stupid, and out of it. Seems the teachers who think telling first graders how to self-pleasure are the dumb, stupid, and out-of-it people. California says parents are not allowed to stop them from their filthy, perverted indoctrination into the LGBTQetc agenda written in hell itself.</p><p>Parents, do not fall into their traps. If your child is near a bear trap and you see it, you will do anything to avoid that nasty device doing great damage to your child. Yet many parents think going to church an hour or two a week can counter 35 hours of indoctrination. It will not. Send your child to a REPUTABLE Christian school, sign them up in a Charter Academy online, or homeschool them. I used to be a big public school advocate, but that was then, and this is now. I would not send my children to the local public school PERIOD in 2021 if God pulled a Sarah on us and my wife and I with six grandchildren had a late-in-life pregnancy!</p><p>We must fight - not people, but principalities and powers and the rulers of darkness in this world who want to separate your children from YOU, from their FAITH, and from their God. We are seeing a lot of people not watching the Olympics (including me) - some because of the shameful nonsense of the women's soccer team and the inept Men's Basketball team, but others because they think those athletes who actually love their country are "too patriotic". Your children are being conditioned by Satan's children to hate their parents, hate their country, hate, their God, and hate all that is good and righteous. Millennials who claim to be Christians often LIVE TOGETHER with no conscience outside of marriage. On Christian Mingle, a majority say they see no issue with sex before marriage. That was a generation ago. Do you have any idea what those in grade school will be like with a whopping pagan presence and an accelerated increase of wickedness.</p><p>My friends, do not fall into the traps of Satan. Stand tall and bring your children into all truth. If you do not, kiss a wonderful eternity with God goodbye for them.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-49524109640633832482021-06-19T15:10:00.008-04:002021-06-19T22:10:38.676-04:00FATHER'S DAY<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I love to read and have read about the Orphan trains of a hundred to a hundred forty years ago. Children without parents from Europe and America were put on trains and crossed the US and Canada where people took them in as their own. Child mortality was very high in the 1800's and many children died. Children started to work on the farms very early and the work was not easy. Some parents welcomed the new children with open arms, but in too many cases, parents really wanted just another field hand or a maid and the emotional support and unconditional love these children desperately needed often went lacking.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some children do not have an earthly father. Others do but he is not worth 2¢. While all we like sheep have gone astray, everyone knows children with either no father or a poor father often get into even more trouble. The good news is that there is a Father for every child and every adult waiting in the wings. The very same Father who was willing to have his ONLY Son put to death so we could have him as our very own Father. He does not treat us as his field hands or his maids. His Son Jesus Christ is not ashamed to call us his brother and the Father puts the very same Holy Spirit he put into Jesus into us so we can be conformed to the character of Christ. We for real need to let more people know about this Heavenly Father.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My earthly Father was a blessing but he died well over 25 years ago. Thank God I have had a heavenly Father almost my entire life. I need both the encouragement and the discipline from someone who knows me better than any other human could and better than I know myself. My times with him every day are the very best times of my life and he loves to surprise me often with new evidences of his love and grace. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I would not insult such a wonderful Father by talking to him only before eating or only briefly once or twice a week or when I am broke. My Father is interested in every detail of my life – my wife, my sons, my grandchildren, my business, and my ministry. He once told me he has an infinite amount of things to share with me and I try to leave my heart’s door open to him at all times because I really need <b>everything</b> he wants to give to me and <b>every</b> correction I need.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On this Father’s Day, you may have a lot to celebrate or it may be a bittersweet day for you. Whether you are a child or whether you are an adult, take this final thought with you – you can know this wonderful Father today and celebrate this afternoon as you throw yourself into his heavenly arms, tell him everything you need to say, listen to everything you need to hear, and experience a level of love and acceptance that is literally <b>out of this world.</b> May God bless you!</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-64955772874469829792021-05-06T00:17:00.006-04:002021-06-19T22:07:58.481-04:00MOM<p>Sunday May 9th is Mothers Day. I am so grateful for my mother. She was an amazing woman! She had so many gifts!</p><p>Raised in the Bronx, her German family did not believe in girls being educated past eighth grade. However, she graduated from high school going at night having needed to work days to help support her family and somehow managed to enroll in Hunter College without totally alienating her family. She was such a gifted writer that she was called on the carpet because they could not believe any student could write like that and she must have plagiarized. She left and contented herself with helping her husband in his studies, as he received four degrees. </p><p>The learning itch came back many decades later and she enrolled in Kean University in New Jersey. As a Senior Citizen she left most of the other students in the dust, but just before finishing her credits she fell ill and could not continue but she was honored anyway for her great achievement.</p><p>My mom was my champion. My Dad like most men was more distant and did not always understand me. He was not always easy to talk to then (that changed later in life), but my mom seemed to really "get" me. She stood up for me, encouraged me, and was oh so kind.</p><p>She was a legal secretary who could type 90 words per minute on a manual typewriter letter perfect and knew three forms of shorthand and could keep up with even fast talkers like I am. I still have piles of single-spaced typed letters she sent me at least one or more times per week giving motherly advice and showing interest in what was going on in my life.</p><p>While Rheumatoid Arthritus and the effects of that crippling disease took her in her mid seventies, meaning she knew our older son only through about two years old and never met our younger son, she had a heart for children with Bible clubs at our house and children loved being around her.</p><p>By the way, my mom lost her first two children at or just after birth. In 1945, pregnant with my sister, the doctors said this one was a problem and pressured her heavily to have a therapeutic abortion. She refused and was willing to die so that her child could live. My sister lived and though she struggled with asthma, she became a celebrated doctor in New York City, receiving an award for Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention from Anna Quinlan of the New York Times and the Humanism in Medicine Award from Mt. Sinai Hospital for her incredible humane values. Years later, when my mom was 43, I was born, a bonus baby. If my mom had listened to the doctors not only would my sister would never have been here, but neither would I, as her ability to have children would have ended per the protocols on the abortion with an older mother.</p><p>I am so grateful for a godly, wonderful mom willing to even die so her child could live. I wish she had lived a lot longer but I will never forget her.</p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1780104347402574567.post-57875398982809680432021-04-05T22:06:00.002-04:002021-04-05T22:06:39.482-04:00TRYING TIMES<p>The church is imploding in many places. A Mega-Church in Bentonville, AR told a scientist to stifle himself because they have compromised the scriptures. Ralph Warnock in Georgia says Easter is not really about the resurrection of Jesus. I refuse to use his religious title.</p><p>Church after church explains away the Bible. No wonder almost half of millennials who REGULARLY attend Evangelical churches LIVE TOGETHER before marriage! They are either Biblically illiterate or have been taught to treat the Bible like a buffet.</p><p>Yet there are Christians who are intense for the Lord. The worship at the Good Friday service we attended was out of this world. Some saints are deeply hungry for the word of God.</p><p>We must be sure to please the Lord, not cherry-pick the Bible, and withdraw all support, whether our presence, our time, and/or our money from ALL compromised churches and ministries. Instead, we should plow our efforts into those who esteem our Lord and who seek to follow him with all their hearts.</p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00874891113526653147noreply@blogger.com0