Why would they say these things?

What a thing to say...

"The phrase “the Second Coming of Christ” never actually appears in the Bible. Whether or not the doctrine to which the phrase refers deserves re-thinking, a popular abuse of it certainly needs to be named and rejected. If we believe that Jesus came in peace the first time, but that wasn’t his “real” and decisive coming - it was just a kind of warm-up for the real thing - then we leave the door open to envisioning a second coming that will be characterized by violence, killing, domination, and eternal torture. This vision reflects a diversion, a return to trust in the power of Pilate, not the unarmed truth that stood before Pilate, refusing to fight...
If we remain charmed by this kind of eschatology, we will be forced to see the nonviolence of the Jesus of the Gospels as a kind of strategic fake-out, like a feigned retreat in war, to be followed up by a crushing blow of so-called redemptive violence in the end. The gentle Jesus of the first coming becomes a kind of trick Jesus, a fake-me-out Messiah, to be replaced by the true jihadist Jesus of a violent second coming.”
“This is why I believe that many of our current eschatologies, intoxicated by dubious interpretations of John’s Apocalypse are not only ignorant and wrong, but dangerous and immoral"

–Brian McLaren, Everything Must Change, p. 144
Source: One step forward and three steps back
(www.letusreason.org)

Another odd thing to say...

"When the disciples wanted to talk about prophecy, Jesus quickly switched the conversation to evangelism. He wanted them to concentrate on their mission in the world. He said in essence, “The details of my return are none of your business. What is your business is the mission I’ve given you. Focus on that!”
…If you want Jesus to come back sooner, focus on fulfilling your mission, not figuring out prophecy."

-Rick Warren, Ignoring Eschatology
(herescope.blogspot.com)

My goodness. Not that we should be consumed by these things (there must be a balance), but they certainly are important to understand.

*Related articles to clear things up:

The Nature of the Lord's Return
Is the Lord returning in love or in wrath?
www.lamblion.com

The Importance of Bible Prophecy
A playground for fanatics or green pastures for disciples?
by Dr. David R. Reagan
www.lamblion.com

One Messiah - Two Comings
www.moriel.org

Something the guy who meditated in the creepy room said

In Chapter 5 of Peter Scazzero’s book The Emotionally Healthy Church called Look Beneath the Surface, we read a quote from Dag Hammarskjold (p. 73):

"The late Dag Hammarskjold, once the secretary general of the United Nations, suggested that we have become adept at exploring outer space, but we have not developed similar skills in exploring our own personal inner spaces. He wrote, "The longest journey of any person is the journey inward."

Dag Hammarskjold was a UN former secretary general(1953-1961) and the founder and designer of the meditation room at the UN. He was also a mystic. The kind of 'spirituality' he was involved in shows in his words about the United Nations Meditation Room stating that the eerie lodestone altar within it 'is dedicated to the God whom man worships under many names and in many forms'.

Yes, they pray and meditate at the UN. In fact, anyone can do that there. Prof. Johan Malan says that "the United Nations is steadily becoming the centre of a syncretistic new world religion, a weird and diabolical convergence of New Age mysticism, pantheism, aboriginal animism, atheism, communism, socialism, Luciferian occultism, apostate Christianity, Islam, Taoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism." (See: The United Nations and the New World Order.)

Dag Hammarskjold is only one of many interfaith mystics whom Mr. Scazzero often quotes from in his books. In his next book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, he quoted from, referred to, and introduced his readers to the teachings of many more interfaith spiritual leaders and contemplative characters. One of those just happens to be Brother Lawrence, a favorite of so many contemplatives who often refer to his method of practising the presence of God, otherwise known by Buddhists as mindfulness meditation. Some might say that this awareness method is just one more of those traditions that the church "lost" along the way and is "reclaiming." This seems to be the attitude of so many in the church today who are going back to these ancient forms of prayer. However, they might very be surprised to hear what Sri Chinmoy said about Brother Lawrence.

Who on earth is Sri Chinmoy, you may ask? Well, remember Dag and the meditation room at the UN? Well, Sri Chinmoy, Indian philosopher, spiritual teacher, author and international emissary for peace, conducted peace meditations in that weird room at the United Nations twice a week for more than 35 years. He is no longer alive, but while he was, he established about a hundred meditation centres around the world. And here is what he said about Brother Lawrence:

"What did some of the Christian mystics do? Brother Lawrence used to levitate while cooking. He used to float up to the ceiling of the kitchen. Believe it or not, there are many Indian sadhus who can do the levitation-miracle quite easily."

-Levitation Miracle
(http://www.yogaofsrichinmoy.com/the_higher_worlds/miracles/levitation_miracle)

Meanwhile, everyone who gets into this contemplative stuff refers to Brother Lawrence, and wants to do what nice sweet little old Brother Lawrence did. Little do they know they are stepping into a complicated contemplative trap woven by the enemy when they open themselves to these things and leave the simplicity of the gospel.

And hopefully, in a meandering sort of way, this will show even one person the folly of becoming entangled in the sticky web of contemplative spirituality.

³ But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3

Related:

The Occult Nature of the United Nations
by Alan Morrison

Meditation for Dag Hammarskjold
http://www.srichinmoylibrary.com/books/0368/1/3

Evangelicals and New Agers Together
by Warren Smith
www.erwm.com

Another New Bible (updated)

Somehow the American Bible society has managed to make a Bible that focuses on the social gospel. This is the latest new Bible version...

Bible focus - poverty, social justice

A new Bible highlights the Lord's teachings on poverty and social justice.

The Poverty and Justice Bible has just been released through the American Bible Society (ABS). Throughout its pages, more than 2,000 verses are highlighted that refer to the topics of social justice and poverty.

The project is meant to challenge the thinking that the Bible is an outdated rulebook --

More here @ www.onenewsnow.com.

And lo and behold, looketh at who hath endorsed it...

The real danger in our world may not be people failing to read the Bible — it may be what happens when people actually do read it — especially the over 2,000 verses on God’s heart for the poor and oppressed. Be warned...the following pages change everything.

—Rob Bell, Mars Hill Bible Church
justicebible.americanbible.org

Related:

Trading Truth for a "Social Gospel"
by Berit Kjos

UPDATE:

It gets more interesting...

Besides partnering with World Vision on this, others who promote this include:

CBN
'Poverty and Justice' Bible Calls Christians to Action
www.cbn.com

Renovare (uk)
http://www.renovare.info/articles/a38

Bible Society (uk)
The Poverty and Justice Bible
www.bibleresources.org.uk

Here we see that it is not only endorsed by Tony Campolo, but it also…

"Builds on issues raised by influential Christians and public figures including Bono, Rob Bell, Jim Wallis and Tony Campolo"

What business do these men have endorsing and building on God’s Word?

[By the way, this Bible was sent to the president.]

***Oops, seems this is not so new, I already blogged about it last year (March 2008!) in an equally revealing post. Haha...

Another New Bible
morebooksandthings.blogspot.com

What does this mean, you might ask? This simply means I've been blogging far too long, and there are way too many new books and Bibles and things for us to keep track of and remember these days. :)

Related:

Me Bible Versions
morebooksandthings.blogspot.com

The Bible And False Interpretations

Here's a very interesting thing I have tried to listen to several times this weekend but can't find the time to get past the half way mark. Maybe you can...

The Bible And False Interpretations
Jacob Prasch

Which Bible is the correct version? Which version or versions are not Biblically correct? Jacob gives us his insight into this pertinent and timely matter.
Jacob Prasch addresses key issues concerning the Bible and false interpretations. Rightly dividing the Word of God should be based on exegesis rather than human opinion. Key interests on Biblical Hermeneutics, Replacement Theology, Emergent Church, Purpose Driven, etc…

Listen HERE @ www.radiofreechurch.com.

Things that are trying to make it into my comment box

I don't know what you are, you nasty things that are trying to make it into my comment box. It all started after I blogged about the Rob Bell interview. Now that may just be a coincidence, but I've had a horde of blog spam ever since then, some of it very bad stuff, some just vague repetitive generic spam machine junk, like this:

It is certainly interesting for me to read the blog. Thank you for it. I like such topics and anything that is connected to this matter. I would like to read more on that blog soon.

It's not working, okay? So go away. Buzz off, you spam bugs. If this keeps up, I'll have to go back to blocking anonymous comments, and I don't really want to do that, but in the meantime, I've added the word verification thingy.

Disappearing Things

Kudos to 100 Huntley Street who has removed the Rob Bell November 18th interview from their website. Who says blogging does not pay? Not that I am taking credit for it, on the contrary, all it takes is one discerning influential person to to know the truth, and apparently someone over at 100 Huntley is truth loving, God fearing, and brave enough to take it down. It was a most unfortunate thing that many had already watched it, but thank you to whoever it was that removed it.

And that's not all that has disappeared. In September I blogged about a labyrinth prayer link on the website of a local Christian university (Trinity Western) and it looks like that link has mysteriously disappeared from their site without a trace.

Some of you readers are pretty sharp and check up on these things. Thanks for the hot tips. It's very encouraging! And thanks as well to all of you bold Christians out there who are making a difference and telling the truth when and where it matters! If you save one person from falling away from the truth into error, it is worth it!

It starts with books

I get a lot of e-mail and questions every week, and it never fails to shock me to hear about the next main stream evangelical church or Bible school that is now introducing Roman Catholic practices and contemplative spiritual formation. Funny thing I notice from my e-mails, it always starts with books. It may sound simplistic, but typically, the pastor or Christian leader might get a few of these books at a retreat or a conference, and from there it's all down hill - because they have turned from God's Book to the books of men. The result is a falling away from the truth. This would have been an unbelievable thing to read about just a few short years ago, but it's actually been going on for a long time. We are just seeing it spread more rapidly now...

~ ~ ~

EVANGELICALISM BECOMING ANOTHER RELIGION ENTIRELY
by Ken Silva

Then the LORD said to me in the days of Josiah the king, “Have you seen what faithless Israel did? She went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and she was a harlot there. ”I thought, ‘After she has done all these things she will return to Me’; but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also.” (Jeremiah 3:6-8)

Spiritual Practices From Roman Catholicism Now In Protestant Evangelicalism

Today there is more and more talk about apostasy that gives an appearance of having only been recently ignited within the visible Church of our Lord; and for many, it seems to have suddenly exploded onto the scene. However, Satan has been busy saturating throughout the very dry forest of intellectual evangelical churchianity, so easily passing for Christianity these days in alleged postmodern [read: relativistic] America, highly flammable Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism—which first flowered in apostate Roman Catholicism. (...)

~ ~ ~

Read the rest HERE @ apprising.org.

Dumb Thing of the Week

This is the dumbest, most ridiculous, hideous, evil thing I have read this week...

U.N. says the world needs fewer children

LONDON - The U.N. Population Fund has declared that having fewer children would help reduce so-called global warming...but added it is difficult to proof a connection between the two.

The agency said the battle against global warming could be helped if the world slowed population growth by making free condoms and family planning advice more widely available.

The agency did not recommend countries set limits on how many children people should have, but said: "Women with access to reproductive health services ... have lower fertility rates that contribute to slower growth in greenhouse gas emissions."

"As the growth of population, economies and consumption outpaces the Earth's capacity to adjust, climate change could become much more extreme and conceivably catastrophic," the report said.

{More here @ www.onenewsnow.com.}

What makes this so insane? Because the global warming hoax and myth is now being used as an excuse to spawn evil plots to make more blood money, and someone needs to tell that Al guy to give his little fake peace prize back and apologize for his convenient lie, since 'global warming' appears to be taking a time out:

Stagnating Temperatures
Climatologists Baffled by Global Warming Time-Out

11/19/2009
By Gerald Traufetter

Global warming appears to have stalled. Climatologists are puzzled as to why average global temperatures have stopped rising over the last 10 years. Some attribute the trend to a lack of sunspots, while others explain it through ocean currents.

At least the weather in Copenhagen is likely to be cooperating. The Danish Meteorological Institute predicts that temperatures in December, when the city will host the United Nations Climate Change Conference, will be one degree above the long-term average.

Otherwise, however, not much is happening with global warming at the moment. The Earth's average temperatures have stopped climbing since the beginning of the millennium, and it even looks as though global warming could come to a standstill this year.

Ironically, climate change appears to have stalled in the run-up to the upcoming world summit in the Danish capital, where thousands of politicians, bureaucrats, scientists, business leaders and environmental activists plan to negotiate a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Billions of euros are at stake in the negotiations.

[SOURCE]

The whole world needs to read what God said to Job about these kinds of things.

* * *

*Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, the views expressed on this blog are the personal opinions, rantings, and meanderings of this blogger.

***

Related articles:

HEAT OF THE MOMENT
Hacked e-mails reveal global-warming fraud?
Top climate scientists discuss hiding contrary data, marginalizing dissenters
www.wnd.com

The great 'global warming' hoax
Exclusive: Roger Hedgecock uncovers media efforts to bury 'climate change' truth
www.wnd.com

US Senator is Calling for a Congressional Investigation into the UN Climate Change Research
bible-prophecy-today.blogspot.com

A Faithful Leader will deal with Error

Among other strong words, Jacob Prasch has this to say about what a true pastor is and is not:

...Verse 23 of Ezekiel 44: "They shall teach My people the difference between holy and profane, and cause them to discern." A Levite and a Zadokite; a Zadokite will teach discernment. A Levite will be politically correct; he will not teach discernment. If your pastor is not teaching discernment, if he is not teaching the people to discern, he is not a faithful leader. Only a righteous leader will teach discernment. When you see churches that will not deal with error, will not teach the people what is wrong with what's being shown and espoused on popular 'Christian' television -- when you see people who will not take a stand and warn people when they go to a Christian book shop what kinds of books to keep away from -- when you find that discernment is not being taught in a church -- that is a Levite, not a Zadokite. He will always compromise. A Levite will always compromise truth. Once people begin compromising truth, it won't be long before they are compromising morality. Give them enough time, and the same guys will begin to compromise morality....

-Jacob Prasch, Sons of Zadok (Part 2 of 2)
www.moriel.org

For part one click here:

Sons of Zadok Part 1
www.moriel.org

Related:

The Responsibilities Of A Good Shepherd
by Sandy Simpson
www.deceptioninthechurch.com

Conference - Listen On-line

Want to listen to an INTERESTING CONFERENCE this weekend? Go here:

westmanbibleconference.ca

2012 Movie

"While such disaster movies such as 2012 with their awesome computer generated special effects are often fun to watch, the reality is that there is no real evidence that indicates, let alone proves, thatthe Mayan calendar’s final date which concludes with 2012 had any prophetic importance or meaning whatsoever for either the Mayans or ourselves. Furthermore, there is not the slightest evidence among the thousands of prophecies found in the Bible that mentionsthe Mayan people, their long deceased Central American empire, their territory or any connection to a future global catastrophe in 2012."

-Grant Jeffrey, A Response to the 2012 Mayan Prophecy Theory

Related:

2012 - End of Things?
morebooksandthings.blogspot.com

2012 The End of the World
http://www.lamblion.com/articles/articles.php

Blood Money Film

I got a forward in my e-mail yesterday that I thought must be made known.

~ ~ ~

Please consider supporting the following movie.

Blood Money is an exposé of Planned Parenthood's corruption. In order to get the movie into theaters, the producers need to show significant interest by the public which they gauge expressly by the number of people who visit the website. Please watch the trailer at the website.

You need only visit the site; there is no need to sign-up as a supporter unless you feel compelled to do so. The website contains a trailer for the movie. Please visit the website, and forward this information to others:

Blood Money
http://www.bloodmoneyfilm.com

The Scary Thing about The Men Who Stare at Goats

Here's a review of that strange new movie The Men Who Stare at Goats. The creepy part is that it is actually based on a true story, believe it or not:

Revisiting the Occult-Military Complex:
Towards A Mystical Military
By Carl Teichrib, Chief Editor
www.crossroad.to

A scary thing if you don't know the One who rules over all.

The LORD has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.
Psalm 103:19

Seal of Jezebel

A fascinating thing has been found:

Seal of Jezebel Identified
www.biblearchaeology.org

The seal is scheduled to go on display at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem in 2010.

More interesting things here:
http://www.biblearchaeology.org/research.aspx

How about some Truth?

Enough of the false teachers. How about some truth now?

Today I listened to this thing (mp3), from which I gleaned some wonderful nuggets in regards to whether or not a Christian can lose their salvation, based on Hebrews 6. It's by Pastor Mike Macon from Calvary Chapel on the Lakeshore.

More sermons HERE.

~Thanks Vee~

Emerging Third Way

Woah! Woe! Here's a troubling thing. What was that Rob Bell said yesterday in his interview on 100 Huntley Street? He talked about a THIRD WAY. So this morning, what pops into my mailbox but this thing from Worldview Weekend. What timing. And now it all makes sense that Bell talks so much about solidarity in his new book. Here's just a part of the article, the rest can be read by clicking on the link below:

Emerging Trouble

The pastors and authors of one of America's fastest growing spiritual movements, the Emergent Church, sing the praises of socialism. As I'll explain in more detail later, the Emergent Church champions the neo-Marxist call for a utopian society through spiritual evolution where good and evil merge to form a "better" third option. This idea derives from the belief system of philosophers such as Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and finds its contemporary manifestation in the "Third Way" movement of Bill Clinton and Tony Blair. In the Third Way, capitalism, socialism, and communism merge to form a misanthropic combination of the three. This blending is now represented in the terms "the New World Order" and "the new enlightenment."

The Third Way promotes Communitarianism, a toxic blend of communism, socialism, atheism, and Cosmic Humanism. Communitarians believe in universal health care, government-subsidized housing and education, radical environmentalism, Fabian socialism, and the like.

- Brannon Howse
The Emerging Third Way of Apostate Pastors and Globalist Leaders
By Brannon S. Howse
www.worldviewtimes.com

(an excerpt from a new book by Brannon Howse, Grave Influence: 21 Radicals and Their Worldviews That Rule America From The Grave)

Meanwhile, church youth leaders are reading Rob Bell's books, and all across the country teens are getting dropped off at church youth group to watch his cool DVDs while their parents are at the mall or in the coffee shop.

Related information:

Marching toward Global Solidarity

Trading Truth for Solidarity - Part 1

Trading Truth for Solidarity - Part 2

Third Way: "Christian" Socialism

The Third Way
Brannon Howse (radio)
www.crosstalkamerica.com

Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional, by Jim Belcher
Book Review by Greg Gilbert
www.9marks.org

~ ~ ~

**Update:

Question: Does Rob Bell talk about this Third Way anywhere else?
Answer: Yes. On his speaking tours, and in interviews. See here:

"To me, the third way of Jesus is always asking if there is an imaginative, subversive, brilliant, creative path."
-Rob Bell, The Giant Story
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article_print.html?id=81195

"Jesus taught a third way—not passive acceptance because "that's just how things are," and not violent revenge, but a third way. Where are the experts in third way? Where are those Christians so thoroughly versed in third way that world leaders call them in when things get dodgy to give courageous, innovative, creative, freedom-loving (!) counsel on how not to resort to the same old guns and bombs."
-Rob Bell, Rob Bell On Saving Christians
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/deeper-walk/features/1483-rob-bell-on-saving-christians

"“Turn the other cheek” in the Sermon on the Mount is a third way, because it is an act of defiance. In Jesus’s time you only got slapped if you were not worthy of a punch; it was a very hierarchical society. So, to turn the other cheek was subversive, an act of defiance."
-Rob Bell, Back page interview: Rob Bell, founding pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=41827

The "Practice" of Shalom

Besides the disciplines of Lectio Divina, the Ignatius Examen, and contemplative prayer, the neo-monastics at Monkfish Abbey say the most difficult thing to do is:

“the practice of seeking shalom. By this we mean that we strive to create wholeness – in our lives, in our friends and family, in our neighborhoods, and in our world. Peace keeping, being true to ourselves, and seeking relational health with ourselves, our others, and the created order are all part of the practice of practicing shalom.”

- Neo-Monasticism @ www.monkfish-abbey.org

Come to think of it, this sounds alot like Rob Bell in yesterday's interview! He talked about having a healthy balanced life of Shalom, calm and peace centered awareness, meditation, and breath, which all starts first with the experience of God, and that all the great 'traditions' of the world begin with you sitting. His teaching a while back on breathing God in and out like the yoga masters (mp3 HERE) makes much more sense now that we know where he is coming from. At first we said, HUH? But now we know that these folks are all in the same boat.

It's the same thing these people are saying:

Torah Yoga
Putting the 'om' in 'shalom'
www.nationalpost.com

Shalom Relaxation and Centering
www.shalomwithin.com

So it looks like these nice, peaceful folks, including Bell, have attempted to boil Shalom down to a feeling - by doing the peaceful practice of awareness (mindfulness) meditation. But Shalom is so much more than being true to ourselves, or doing yoga, Eastern meditation and centering. Shalom is perfect peace, and it only comes from God through trusting in Him and exercising faith, not from 'doing' a practice.

Biblical Shalom:

SHALOM
HEBREW FOR PEACE
www.preceptaustin.org

Related:

Emergent Leaders Join Dalai Lama at Interspiritual Event
...On April 15, (2008) Emerging Church authors and pastors Rob Bell and Doug Pagitt joined the Buddhist monk, the Dalai Lama and other leaders from world religions at the Seattle Seeds of Compassion Interspiritual Day. This marks the first open involvement of emerging church leaders at an openly interspiritual event....
Listen to this radio program here:
www.crosstalkamerica.com

Rob Bell 100 Huntley Street Interview

Okay, I just watched the Rob Bell interview on 100 Huntley Street. He talks about things like having a healthy balanced life of Shalom, the world is electric, people are interesting, life is about exploration and discovery. Bell's book Velvet Elvis was mentioned, and how it was about the study of who Jesus was and what his life was like. At the end of part one of the interview, Bell said the church is in the endless process of reclaiming things that got left behind. We learn more about these things as the second half begins with Bell saying that Creation Care is basic to the Christian faith but has been lost and is now reclaimed, along with non-violence and peacemaking, which we need more than ever. He also talked about a Third Way of peace making, like in “Palestine.” And not only is the church reclaiming things, but things that are not central that got claimed along the way, have to be let go of.

A few more things were mentioned, like through the resurrection a whole new creation was bursting forth, and our faith is like the springs of the trampoline, and enjoying the trampoline. He also talked about having a calm and peace centered awareness, fully present in this moment now, meditation, breath, God is as close as our breath, which all starts first with the experience of God, and that all the great traditions of the world begin with you sitting. More about a place of calm centered awareness. His new book Drops Like Stars was then mentioned by the interviewer, and Bell talked about the message in it of solidarity, and from there on, he doesn’t really make much sense at all. Oh, we want answers, but it’s presence that really helps. God present in my mess. The interview ends with a promotion of Drops Like Stars and where to buy it.

In all, while there were a few valid points made in this interview, there was no depth, no substance, no gospel, no power, and a whole lot of subtle implications. Only those who have researched into these things will catch them, and therein lies the danger of Bell's message.

And that is my personal opinion. What a sad day for 100 Huntley Street.

Related info:

Rob Bell
www.inplainsite.org

Rob Bell and Ken Wilber
www.inplainsite.org

***UPDATE:

SEVERAL DAYS AFTER IT AIRED, THIS INTERVIEW WAS REMOVED FROM 100 HUNTLEY STREET'S WEBSITE.

New Link

Hey, here's a new thing I found which I've just added to my side column:

Finding Truth in Jesus
findingtruthinjesus.com

Craving after flattering fictions...

Oh yes...

..."Have you read and heard the constant blurbs and kudos with which Christian leaders and authors praise and recommend the book of another, in some instances I am convinced, without even having read it?–the religion of Jesus’ day had morphed into a MAS, a “mutual admiration society.” Religious people valued the strokes of the folks more than the approval of God, and this bent of character–the disease to please–caused them neither to receive nor believe in Jesus. As one pastor counsels, It is not possible that you can believe, until you cease from your present earthly-mindedness, and honestly desire God’s praise more than man’s.[2] The point: Amidst congregational life, a craving after the flattering fictions of others can indicate a much deeper problem lurking in the human heart: that of unbelief."

-Pastor Lawrence A. DeBruyn, THE DISEASE TO PLEASE, A Meditation on John 5:44
@ guardinghisflock.com

Rob Bell on 100 Huntley Street

It's an unfortunate thing to see that Rob Bell is going to be interviewed on 100 Huntley Street tomorrow. As far as Canadian Christian TV programming goes, they usually have a better selection of guests that It's a New Day...should be interesting though, if you want to watch, go here...

http://www.100huntley.com/video.php?id=bLJM4sIdhcU

Hmmm. I wonder if he's going to talk about his new book.

I know, I know...he's such a NICE, HUMBLE, POLITE guy. So is the Dalai Lama.

Update: The interview is up , here is the link.

Cycle Theory Series - The Convergence

I read Part 3 yesterday in the K-House Update I get in the mail so I looked it up on-line. This is a fascinating bit of research that is worth the read...

New Series:
The Convergence of 2012 Part 1
by Mary Miller, Director of Research
www.khouse.org

A Study in Cycle Theory:
The Convergence of 2012 Part 2
www.khouse.org

A Study in Cycle Theory:
The Convergence of 2012 Part 3
www.khouse.org

Latest Breakforth Thing (UPDATED)

~Can two walk together, except they be agreed?~
Amos 3
~~~

Here's the latest on the Breakforth thing:

Break Forth Update: Will Christian Leaders Cause More Confusion Than Good?
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog

Previously related info:

WHY are Joel Rosenberg and Frank Peretti Appearing With New Age/New Spirituality Sympathizers?
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

My opinion on this thing...

False teaching to break forth at Break Forth (updated)
morebooksandthings.blogspot.com

Take Heed - the Apostasy Bug is about to Break Forth (Updated)
morebooksandthings.blogspot.com

Joel Rosenberg's opinion on this thing...

JOEL TO DEFEND ISRAEL AT “BREAK FORTH” CONFERENCE IN 2010
flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com

So what is your opinion?

***Update:

Recommended reading:

What Fellowship Can Light Have With Darkness?
findingtruthinjesus.com

What Our Readers Have to Say About Break Forth, Rosenberg, and Peretti
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog

Bible Bee

There are still good things happening in our mixed up world. Wow, just look at what these kids have memorized....

A showdown that goes by the book
Student contestants display knowledge of chapter and verse at first National Bible Bee
www.washingtonpost.com

How To Interpret The Bible

A helpful thing...

How To Interpret The Bible
by Jack Kelley

The Bible isn’t such a complex document that it requires years of formal education before you can begin to comprehend it. I’ve always believed the Bible was meant to be understood by any believer who can read and has a serious interest in knowing what it says. I say this because I believe the Bible is best approached by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit rather than one’s own intellect. James 1:5 says that any of us who lacks wisdom need only ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault....

For those who are interested, there is more @ Grace Thru Faith.

Updated:

I have since watch this, and it is very good:

The Bible And False Interpretations
Jacob Prasch

Which Bible is the correct version? Which version or versions are not Biblically correct? Jacob gives us his insight into this pertinent and timely matter.
Jacob Prasch addresses key issues concerning the Bible and false interpretations. Rightly dividing the Word of God should be based on exegesis rather than human opinion. Key interests on Biblical Hermeneutics, Replacement Theology, Emergent Church, Purpose Driven, etc…
http://www.radiofreechurch.com/speaker_display/1

Amazing thing to watch - Bird Cloud

I don't know how anyone could actually count 300,000 moving birds in the sky, but this Bird Cloud is a pretty amazing thing to watch.

1 O LORD, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
Psalm 8

Who is the Restrainer?

Makes sense...

Those who do not hold to pretribulationism often mischaracterize our view of the Holy Spirit in the tribulation. They often say that pretribulationists do not believe that the Holy Spirit will be present during the tribulation. This is not what we are saying! We do believe that the Holy Spirit will be present and active during the tribulation. We do believe the Holy Spirit will not be carrying out His present unique ministry related to the Church since the completed body of Christ will be in heaven. Further, we are saying that the Holy Spirit will be present in His transdispensational ministry of bringing the elect of the tribulation to faith in Christ, even though they will not be part of the body of Christ—the Church. The Holy Spirit will also aid Tribulation Believers as they live holy lives unto the Lord. The Holy Spirit will also function to seal and protect the 144,000 Jewish witnesses for their great evangelistic ministry as noted in Revelation 7 and 14 and the two witnesses of Revelation 11.

-The Holy Spirit and the Tribulation by Thomas Ice

Read more of this article HERE.

Related:

Who is the Restrainer?
morebooksandthings.blogspot.com

Interesting End Time Things

I can imagine how an unbeliever, and even believers who haven't sorted out their eschatological beliefs, might think this is stuff from a science fiction novel. What an interesting thing to read...

Reconciling Matthew 24 and Daniel 12
gracethrufaith.com

It's about the extra days we read about in the Bible that are between the end of the tribulation and the beginning of the millenium.

Related:

Daniel
His End Time Prophecies
www.lamblion.com

Latest Thing promoting Yoga for Kids

Oh great, have you heard about the latest popular thing that children may be learning yoga from now?

Christian Parents Beware: Sesame Street Will Teach Your Children Yoga
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

Yoga for kids is just a harmless thing, you say? See older posts on this blog (Kids and Yoga, Is Your Child Learning This Thing, and The Latest Thing being introduced in our schools) for info on this subject from a Christian perspective.

Parents, guard your children.

Where are we in this thing?

Where would you say we are in this spiritual slide chart? Almost looks like we are on the verge of number 4, wouldn't you say?

I found this biblical pattern chart at the end of this timely article that points out how this happened to Israel time after time:

"...for such a time as this."
The Triumph of Patient Submission to God (Esther 1-8)
www.shepherd.to/articles/Israel/esther.htm

Creepy Thing of the Week

I've read some interesting things about AA, but how about this for the creepy quote of the week showing that AA's co-founder used the ouija board...

“The ouija board got moving in earnest. What followed was the fairly usual experience–it was a strange melange of Aristotle, St. Francis, diverse archangels with odd names, deceased friends–some in purgatory and others doing nicely, thank you! There were malign and mischievious ones of all descriptions, telling of vices quite beyond my ken, even as former alcoholics. Then, the seemingly virtuous entities would elbow them out with messages of comfort, information, advice, and just sheer nonsense.”

–AA co-founder Bill Wilson, from his official AA biography, PASS IT ON, pg. 278

Source: PASS IT ON: AA co-founders’ spiritualism
mywordlikefire.wordpress.com

Related creepiness:

AA’s co-founder called himself a psychic
mywordlikefire.wordpress.com

***Related blog article:

Exposing the 12 Step Cult
defendingcontending.com

Blessed Mother or a Deceiving Angel?

Interesting thing I found here...not that I believe in the Mayan Prophecy or anything...

Catholics Agree With Prophecies Contained in The ‘2012’ Mayan Prophecy and New Hollywood Movie

The Catholic perspective of the end-times prophesies is discussed in a new book by Catholic theologian, Dr. Kelly Bowring. According to his book, “The Secrets, Chastisement, and Triumph of the Two Hearts of Jesus & Mary”, ...the Catholic Church has regarded end-times prophecies as authentic and many Catholics acknowledge that we are likely now living in the times of their fulfillment.

...Like those doomsday predictions in the movie ‘2012’, the divine warnings Catholics believe they are receiving from the Blessed Mother are related to the Book of Revelation and on the level of the Apocalypse and Armageddon.

Read more at Watcher's Lamp, HERE.

So they say that Mary says that humanity will be warned and awakened before the end. But...
is that what the Bible says?

11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thess. 2

Charles Darwin Book Give Away is this month

It's called The Origin into Schools Project:

In November of 2009, we will be giving away more than 100,000 copies of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species at 100 top U.S. universities (other individuals and churches have purchased approximately 70,000 copies to also give to students). This will be the entire publication (304-pages). Nothing has been removed from Darwin’s original work. As usual with reprints of On the Origin of Species (there have been over 140 reprints), there will be an Introduction. My name will be on the cover (for those who think that we are somehow being deceptive). In one day, 170,000 future doctors, lawyers and politicians will freely get information about Intelligent Design (and the gospel) placed directly into their hands!

More here @ www.livingwaters.com.

The Four Pastors

The following fictional scenarios depict four types of today's pastors. But the question is, how much is fiction, how much is fact?

The emerging pastor

The emerging pastor felt a little insulted that only 4 people showed up for the Saturday night coffee and conversation church service. Because of the small turn out they went to Starbucks and discussed suffering while listening to U2. They hung out on couches and read a popular new coffee table book, and talked about how Jesus identified with our pain as He hung on the cross, feeling what we feel, the god who screamed with us, so we could have solidarity in suffering. Some expressed their doubts about hell and heaven, and the sacrificial atonement. They went home without answers, empty, but having engaged the culture.

The market driven pastor

The market driven pastor was disappointed that only 4 people showed up for the highly promoted Recover Up 101 and dessert night. The church was dying, and he had hoped the sign on the road would bring in more people from the community. Because of the small turnout he decided to skip the worship time. While they ate dessert they read through steps 1 -12 in the manual, and talked about how a #1 best selling book had changed their lives. Then they were led in a discussion about finding their purpose, sharing their hurts and hangups, and joining God’s family for community and happiness. Some quietly wondered why they didn’t feel happy, but went home feeling glad about having found a positive church with a smoking area and a coffee bar.

The contemplative pastor

The contemplative pastor was pleased that 4 people showed up for Lectio Divina night. She started by slowly leading them in a sacred reading of Psalm 23 in the candle lit room. They were encouraged to find a quiet place at different tables to concentrate on being still. After practicing their breathing exercise as instructed, they repeated the passage slowly until one word popped out at them. Then they were to quietly repeat this over again until an inner silence was reached. They waited to hear God speaking to them like this for a few minutes before regrouping to share what they thought they heard. They went home euphoric about their experiences, with various handouts of Thomas Merton and St. Teresa of Avila quotes to read over until next week.

The faithful pastor

The faithful pastor didn’t take note that only 4 people showed up for Bible study and communion on the night of November 11th. In spite of the small turnout he played all ten songs on the music sheet with his guitar, and led the small group in worship in remembrance of what the Lord had done to save them. They sat in a circle and read through the whole chapter of John 19, every verse, and prayed and thanked the Lord for His substitutionary sacrifice for their sins, and that while they were sinners, Christ had died for them in their place. Some quietly wept in between prayers of thanksgiving and partaking of the bread and the cup. They went home spiritually nourished and refreshed, having fixed their eyes on Jesus that evening.

Was A.W. Tozer a Mystic?

There's a fine line between discerning evil and "evil surmising" (1 Timothy 6:4). This interesting Q&A about A.W. Tozer, who has been known to quote from mystics, caught my eye over at the Berean Call...

Question: You have promoted books by A.W. Tozer, yet Tozer constantly quoted from Catholic mystics, and some have said that he even practiced "Lectio Divina." In view of your warnings regarding the Contemplative Movement, how could you offer his books, knowing of his practices?

Response: Tozer did not practice Lectio Divina, a method that many mystics and occultists have used to supposedly experience God. The exercise involves reading a Bible verse or phrase, often repeating it many times like a mantra, for the purpose of stimulating insights that transcend what might be gained from the normal reading and understanding of the Scriptures. Rather than understanding a passage based on the objective meaning of the words, the grammar of the verses, and the context, the words become devices for receiving personal, subjective revelation from God. Anyone who is familiar with the writings of Tozer knows that such a technique is completely foreign to what he taught throughout his lifetime. Nevertheless, that hasn't stopped some people from referring to him in order to support their promotion of mystical methods and teachings. John Armstrong, for example (who is general editor of Roman Catholicism: Evangelical Protestants Analyze What Unites and Divides Us, Moody Press, 1994), has stated that Tozer "listened to God and practiced lectio divina in his reading habits." The "Emerging Thought" blog, among other Emergent writers, has commented, "I am going to go through the book by Brother Lawrence called Practice of the Presence of God: The Best Rule of Holy Life. I already had someone on the leadership team comment (jokingly) about me teaching RCC stuff. Yet, I see that John Wesley and A. W. Tozer both recommended him."

Read the rest of this explanation HERE @ thebereancall.org.

Army Vet Saved by the Bible

Here's a nice little story for Remembrance Day...

Army Veteran saved by Bible from Salvation Army
www.ksdk.com

Top Ten Myths - Evolution and Creation

This is interesting...keep clicking on NEXT at the bottom of the page to go through all ten myths about the theory of evolution (starts at #10 and counts down)...

Top Ten Myths About Evolution
www.answersingenesis.org

There's one on creation too. Go here:

Top Ten Myths About Creation
www.answersingenesis.org

Vatican seeks Aliens

Here's a strange thing I read this morning. The Vatican not only sponsored a conference this year on evolution to mark the 150th anniversary of Charles Darwin's "The Origin of Species," now - in another attempt to overcome the accusation they were hostile to science - the church of Rome is looking for aliens...yes, it's true. Read on...

E.T. phone Rome.

Four hundred years after it locked up Galileo for challenging the view that the Earth was the center of the universe, the Vatican has called in experts to study the possibility of extraterrestrial alien life and its implication for the Catholic Church.

"The questions of life's origins and of whether life exists elsewhere in the universe are very suitable and deserve serious consideration," said the Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, an astronomer and director of the Vatican Observatory.

Funes, a Jesuit priest, presented the results Tuesday of a five-day conference that gathered astronomers, physicists, biologists and other experts to discuss the budding field of astrobiology — the study of the origin of life and its existence elsewhere in the cosmos....

Read it to believe it here:

Vatican Seeks Signs of Alien Life
www.foxnews.com

Related:

Talking to Aliens
www.answersingenesis.org

And this...

Does Jesus save aliens?
timesonline.typepad.com

Question of the Day - Know of any good books?

Here's a question that a reader has asked me, so I'm throwing it out there to see if anyone can help as I don't know the answer.

Do you know any good books to help teenage girls come to stand strong in the truth?

My friend from far away needs help. Any suggestions? You can e-mail me or reply in the comment box. Thanks.

'New Age Lies Exposed' (and recommended in the same book)

Sandra Clifton was a former TV psychic and New Ager who became a Christian and was saved from the New Age. It happened when she heard a still small voice (see Sandra Clifton: From New Age and the Occult to Christ on youtube.com). So now she wrote a brand new book called New Age Lies Exposed - How to Stand Firm in God's Truth, published September, 2009. The publisher (Bridge-Logos Foundation) calls it a unique book that...

"exposes and reveals key false teachings of New Age movement that are getting into the lives of Christian believers and leading them away from their faith. This book will equip the believer with the truth of God's Word, sound theological reasoning from great leaders, and "life wisdom" from the author who once was a New Age teacher. She knows why and how to avoid the traps of such destructive teachings."

BUT...is this description accurate? As briefly mentioned the other day, in chapter two of her book, Sandra Clifton recommends some shady people from the past as "authentic mystics." Interestingly enough, I just happened to obtain this book over the weekend, and am now holding it in my hand. One of these authentic mystics Sandra Clifton recommends is none other than St. Teresa of Avila...

"Another key Christian mystic was Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) who also had great visions and revelations of relationship with God. Like John of the Cross, she gave glory and credit for her visions to God, not to any "self" power. In her work, Interior Castle, Teresa of Avila compared our growing relationship with God to revelations from the interior of a castle."

-New Age Lies Exposed, p. 23

What Clifton has not mentioned was the fact that the spirituality into which St. Teresa of Avila delved under the advice of her Jesuit counsellors led her not only inward where she received visions and revelations, but she experienced levitation, ecstasy (aka demonic possession) and other creepy mystical experiences. (Read Castles in the Sand for further info on St. Teresa.) Any former New Ager should recognize this for what it is, yet Clifton seems to think St. Teresa is an authentic mystic (whatever that is). John of the Cross was St. Teresa's contemporary.

Another authentic mystic Clifton recommends is Mother Basilea Schlink, on page 24 of her book...

"Mother Basilea Schlink (1904-2001), a nun, received great insights from God, and, like John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, and Brother Lawrence, Mother Basilea honored God instead of “Self.” One of her best-known works, My All for Him, has taught people to draw upon their own mystical moments with the Lord, in giving themselves fully to Him."

-New Age Lies Exposed, p. 24

BUT…we must wonder why Clifton, a former psychic New Ager who is warning the church, would recommend a founder of a rather strange cult-like order of nuns:

The Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary
A "Protestant" nunnery. The late Mother Basilea Schlink was the order's founder. She blended mysticism, crypto-Catholicism, Proto-Mariolatry, and all the accoutrements of medieval asceticism and convent life. No wonder the term evangelical has all but lost its meaning. Note: For an insiders' look at what life in this cult is like, read "Charlene's Personal Story: A First-hand Account of a Former Sister of Mary."

-http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil//bookmark/realbad.htm

Another odd thing about New Age Lies Exposed is the recommended reading list at the back, which includes the following authors and their books (click on the links to find out the truth about these sources):

• Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God
• Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline
• Eugene Peterson, The Contemplative Pastor
• Teresa of Avila, The Interior Castle
• Mark (and Patti) Virkler, Am I Being Deceived?

These are the very ones Clifton should be warning us about, not recommending. As a former psychic, surely Clifton would recognize that Mark Virkler teaches the same method as those who practice automatic occultic writing (channelling). This is absolutely BIZARRE, in my personal opinion. How can a book both warn and condone the same thing? While the author gets some things right, this book is a contradiction and may confuse its readers. If you are looking for a solid book that warns Christians about the New Age, I recommend you go here.

Bookstore Motives

Why are we not surprised?

Anonymous tipster exposes bookstore motives
Posted: November 08, 2009

I got an interesting email last week from an employee at a bookstore chain. Previously, I had written about the state of publishing a couple times and pointed out who doesn't have a problem offering books that … might not be good for people.

"Not good" in my world means books that espouse worldviews that are harmful. As a hypothetical case, I'd have a problem with a store that stocked the Satanic bible.

The employee gave me a detailed analysis of what is important in the chain that employs him. Not surprisingly, what is important is the bottom line. Period. Very detailed sales reports monitor the buying habits of people who have been fed fluff by these stores and the vendors who supply them....

More HERE.

Hell

Christians need to read about this thing every once in a while...not only to remind ourselves of what we are saved from by believing in Jesus' substitutionary sacrifice on the cross, but to remind ourselves to tell unsaved loved ones the truth.

Horrors of Hell
by Joseph Chambers

Do you know that every person who ends up in the place of eternal damnation is a trespasser? This is because God didn't intend for anyone to go there. It was created for Satan and his angels, and you will only go there if you refuse Jesus' free gift, and insist on paying for your own sins. What a sad ending, when the price has already been paid.

Not all who call themselves Christians, however, will agree. Contrast that with this classic, unbelievable, slippery interview of emerging church pastor Doug Pagitt on hell, eternal damnation and judgment...

Doug Pagitt Denies the Doctrine of Hell on WOTMR (1of2)
www.youtube.com

Part 2 HERE.

Not only does Pagitt not believe that hell is a place, sadly, he also does not believe that heaven is a place.

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

Related:

Brian McLaren's Attack Against Hell and Jesus Atonement
www.youtube.com

Authors who are Enemies of the Cross

This is how the latest article (by Cecil Andrews) at Moriel Ministries starts…

Over recent years there has been a steady build up of opposition to and outright rejection of what some term as ‘the theory’ of ‘penal substitution’. Amongst the definitions for ‘theory’ is one that reads – ‘a conjectural view or idea’. When it comes then to understanding what was happening on “the cross of Christ” for the faithful Christian the doctrine of ‘penal substitution’ is not a matter of ‘conjecture’ but it is the factual and glorious heartbeat that sustains God’s gift of “eternal life” [Romans 6:23]. ‘Penal substitution’ is a factual divine truth that leaps from the pages of the Bible and to deny otherwise is quite simply to set oneself up as an ‘enemy of the cross of Christ’.

I think this a very important thing to read. It’s quite long, but worthwhile. If you don't have time to read it all, file it away for a rainy day. The rest is here:

Those that deny ‘penal substitution’ are “the enemies of the cross of Christ” [Philippians 3:18]
@ moriel.org

Among others, this article mentions Steve Chalke, Brian McLaren, Brennan Manning, and William P. Young, the author of The Shack, as those who are revealing themselves by what they write and teach to be ENEMIES OF THE CROSS!!!

Also see the article that Moriel links to called Shack Author William P. Young Denies Penal Substitution(www.davidwesterfield.net) that mentions Brad Jersak's book, Stricken by God?

By the way, isn’t it interesting that William P. Young, who recommended Stricken by God? at the end of a recent interview (see transcript) where he denied the atonement, will be speaking at Breakforth Canada 2010 along with the publisher and editor of Stricken by God?, Brad Jersak. Incidentally, Jersak has a new book out which is endorsed by Eugene Peterson, (who also endorsed The Shack, catapulting it into fame).

This is what the new Jersak book, called Her Gates Will Never Be Shut-Hope, Hell & the New Jerusalem, is about:

Her Gates Will Never Be Shut endeavors to reconsider what the Bible and the Church have actually said about hell and hope, noting a breadth of real possibilities that undermines every presumption. The polyphony of perspectives on hell and hope offered by the prophets, apostles, and Jesus humble our obsessive need to harmonize every text into a neat theological system.

http://www.bradjersak.com/hergatesfeature.html

This book is endorsed by Eugene H. Peterson and Walter Brueggemann.

Knowing Jersak’s contemplative leanings, the voices he listens to, and his promotion of enemies of the cross who are reconsidering the meaning of the sacrificial penal atonement in his book Stricken by God?, one can only imagine what he has to say in his new book about hell.

Seriously, this makes you wonder what on earth is going on here.

I like the concluding thoughts in the Moriel article which are quoted from John MacArthur:

‘Careful examination of a false prophet’s teachings will always reveal unscriptural ideas and an absence of a solid, coherent theology. Often he will teach a combination of truth and error… The creed of the false prophet cannot withstand any careful scrutiny by the pure light of the Word… False shepherds talk much about God’s love but not His wrath and holiness… much about God’s universal fatherhood toward everyone but not much about His unique fatherhood toward all who believe in His Son… Their message is full of gaps, the greatest of which leaves out a biblical view of the saving gospel…
We can spot false prophets by the kind of people they attract… “many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of” [2nd Peter 2:2]…

As they say…birds of a feather flock together, and the authors who are enemies of the cross are no exception. If you are listening to these authors and reading their books, take heed.

Take Heed - the Apostasy Bug is about to Break Forth (Updated)

It's the usual kind of thing that probably goes like this. Joel Rosenberg flies into airport, gets off plane, goes to speak at event, shares his message, leaves, gets on plane, flies to next engagement in next town. He is probably completely unaware, being the busy guy he is, of who else is speaking at these things his agent signs him up to speak at. His message is about Israel and the Joshua fund and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. He gets invited, he comes, he speaks, he leaves. I've heard him many times. Famous authors like Rosenberg draw a big crowd, and so that's probably why Breakforth Canada has booked him to do a prophecy workshop. He probably doesn't know about the other guys on the secondary speaker and pre-conference workshop list, like Allen Roxburgh's missional workshop that has nothing to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ and everything to do with transforming the church with methods of man (see here). Or that Leonard Sweet's essential intensive leadership workshop may lead people into his quantum spirituality. Joel Rosenberg probably won't run into speaker Brad Jersak or even know about his contemplative listening prayer (main conference) elective class, let alone his listening prayer book, or his atonement denying book called Stricken by God. And perhaps Joel may have heard of William P. Young, who Breakforth is fond of, and his infamous heretical book, but he probably won't meet him there, or even realize that Young has denied the sacrificial penal atonement of Jesus Christ. Joel Rosenberg is just a busy guy doing the Lord's work accepting another Saturday morning invitation and opportunity to speak on prophecy and Israel. In fact, many of these guys probably won't even see eachother. Okay, fine.

BUT what about all the sheeple who see these faces together up on the BREAKFORTH poster, and say, wow, I guess all these other guys are okay. They may simply assume, as sheep have a way of doing, that they are all on the same page. So now they might have this image in their fluffy little heads that these speakers, like birds of a feather, have flocked together, and have the same message.

But they DON'T! And that is what is wrong with this picture. What's breaking forth from this Breakforth conference is a spiritual mixture of true and false that seems to be more contagious than the latest flu virus. The only vaccine that will save people from this dangerous apostasy bug is a steady dose the Word of God. Is it any wonder that Jesus' first warning about the sign of His coming was about deception?

³ Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
⁴ And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you."
Matthew 24

~ ~ ~

Related:

False Teaching to break forth at Break Forth
morebooksandthings.blogspot.com

***Update:

Here’s a very interesting response from Breakforth and well written commentary from another blogger who shares my concerns.

A Response From The Executive Director of Breakforth 2010
thehasbeenhymn.wordpress.com

What is Wrong with Breakforth
thehasbeenhymn.wordpress.com

Note: I don’t know who this blogger is, but I like what I have read here in these two posts.

Related:

JOEL TO DEFEND ISRAEL AT “BREAK FORTH” CONFERENCE IN 2010
flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com

False teaching to break forth at Break Forth (updated)

Every once in a while I come across something that makes me go huh? Well...here's the latest thing that has shocked me to tears. It's a sign of the times we are in.

Check out the speakers at the upcoming Breakforth Canada conference in Edmonton, Alberta. Something is VERY wrong with that picture. It started with a drop of arsenic in 2008, and now we are seeing more than a trickle as the false is being mixed with the true. You may or may not experience shock upon shock as you browse through the pictures (at above link) of the speakers who are sharing this platform (see main speaker line up here, other speakers here). If not, this may be of educational value:

WHY are Joel Rosenberg and Frank Peretti Appearing With New Age/New Spirituality Sympathizers?
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

I could spend a week blogging in detail about this one, but my coffee is getting cold. All I can say at the moment is that the time has come...

~For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears~
2 Timothy 4:3

I'll be back to explain just what kind of things may be breaking forth at Breakforth. Later.
(Update: See next post here).

Related:

JOEL TO DEFEND ISRAEL AT “BREAK FORTH” CONFERENCE IN 2010
flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com

*Update:

Another concerned ministry speaks out here:

Great Adventure Ministries
Discerning The Break Forth Canada Conference
Posted by Adam Gislason
gaminc.wordpress.com

Don't Quote that Book

Wow, I read a very interesting story by David Reagan (Lamb & Lion) about an experience he had speaking at a church where the pastor didn’t want him to quote the book of Daniel – and a few other things– fascinating.

Daniel: A Hated Book
bible-prophecy-today.blogspot.com

Random Things - Bono, Bell and Books

Every week I get some pretty interesting e-mails and questions and things to challenge me. One recent topic that recently came up was about the very influential Bono of U2, the Social Gospel, the One Campaign, and pastors who are big fans of U2's music and mission. My opinion was that such a pastor was unfortunately unaware of the bigger picture and what is behind it all. For example, things like this...

U2 – CHARIST EVANGELISM
www.understandthetimes.org

By the way, do you know that Bono has recently said...

The more we are, the more we are one
-http://www.thewhuffiebank.org/paul_hewson

Kind of makes you go...huh?

*For an expose on U2, go to the Good Fight theatre type U2 into the search box, and click the sign thingy that comes down.

Another recent e-mail I got was about Rob Bell, regarding whether or not we can really say that he is a false teacher, or if what he says is just his opinion to which he is entitled. My opinion on that was that Bell has his point of view, true, BUT he is teaching it publicly, selling his materials, and he pastors a church. This takes it past being just a point of view. He is accountable, as are all who have accepted the responsibility of shepherding a church (of which Christ is the head) to the Good Shepherd - to handle God's Word correctly, teach doctrine, feed the flock, and make disciples. But what Bell teaches does not appear to be the gospel.

Some links to confirm that might be these:

SHANE HIPPS, CO-PASTOR WITH ROB BELL, SAYS ALL RELIGIONS VALID
apprising.org

THE GOSPEL-LESS GOSPEL OF ROB BELL
apprising.org

Rob Bell & Wilber’s A Brief History of Everything
www.inplainsite.org

Rob Bell, Mars Hill and Velvet Elvis
—Repainting the Christian Faith
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

Book Review: Rob Bell's Drops Like Stars
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

Rob Bell invites heretical mystic woman to speak
defendingcontending.com

Rob Bell is a HERETIC Part 1
www.youtube.com

Another random thing I was sent was some info about a book by Sandra Clifton that's called New Age Lies Exposed which is supposed to be a warning to Christians about the New Age spirituality of Oprah, Wayne Dyer, etc., but the odd thing is that this book condones mystics from the past. So much for warning. Apparently, in the section in chapter two called "The Authentic Mystics", the author supports St. John of the Cross, Brother Lawrence, Teresa of Avila, Mother Basilea Schlink, and Marcus Borg. There's also this statement (according to my source):

"The Christian mystics through the ages have had one trait in common - they have claimed to get their visions and awareness from God. Unlike the Gnostics (or any teachers of special Knowledge), they never have claimed to have "new" special knowledge outside of or above God." -Dr Sandra Clifton, New Age Lies Exposed - How to stand firm in God's truth.

All this to say that no matter what we are told or who we follow, we need to be good little Bereans and examine EVERYTHING.

"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." Acts 17:11

No More Purpose Driven Reader’s Digest Magazine

RW is going digital.

Uhhh…wasn’t he already? Somehow they’ve managed to spin a positively positive twist on having the plug pulled by Reader’s Digest that even mentors Schuller and Peale would be proud of.

Read about the collapse here:

Readers' Digest Pulls the Plug On Purpose Driven Connection
watcherslamp.blogspot.com

And here:

Reader’s Digest/Rick Warren Magazine Venture Ends After Less Than One Year
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

I really like Cecil Andrews' comment here:

"It would appear that the Readers Digest has more discernment than much of professing Christendom"

Transformers - A Biblical Expose

I always felt there was something evil about these things. Watch an interesting expose on the Transformers movies here:

http://theater.goodfight.org/?vdId=Transformers

Find more exposes HERE at Good Fight Ministries.

'A New Thing' through Mystical Experiences?

Carl Teichrib* tells about a visit with his guest who insisted God was doing 'a new thing' through mystical experiences...

It was an exhausting afternoon - his experience versus whatever I understood the Bible to say. "We don't need the Bible, just put it on the shelf" was something he repeated on many occasions. Why? During our discussions, both at this particular meeting and at subsequent others, I was told that "truth" already resided in the soul. Moreover, God was revealing this new soul-reality by doing "a new thing" through fantastic (mystical) experiences. After my guest departed it felt like a spiritual whirlwind had ripped through my house. But something good came out of this episode; it made me think.

Read the whole thing here:

Esoteric "Christianity"
By Carl Teichrib
www.crossroad.to

*Carl Teichrib's website is Forcing Change (www.forcingchange.org).

Cell Phone vs. Bible

Got this cute thing in my e-mail this week...

*****Cell phone vs. Bible*****

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?

• What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

• What if we flipped through it several times a day?

• What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

• What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
• What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

• What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?
 What if we used it when we traveled?

• What if we used it in case of emergency?

• This is something to make you go......hmm.......where is my Bible?

• Oh, and one more thing.
 Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being
 disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.