Little "b" for bible?

Vee has discovered a very interesting thing...

Big "K" little "b"?
livingjourney.wordpress.com

A Book about the Probablity of Prophecy

Here are some very interesting things from a book about the the probability of prophecy...

Applying the Science of Probability to the Scriptures

By David R. Reagan
Lamb & Lion Ministries

For years I have been quoting a book by Peter Stoner called Science Speaks. I like to use a remarkable illustration from it to show how Bible prophecy proves that Jesus was truly God in the flesh.

I decided that I would try to find a copy of the book so that I could discover all that it had to say about Bible prophecy. The book was first published in 1958 by Moody Press. After considerable searching on the Internet, I was finally able to find a revised edition published in 1976....

Read more HERE.

Fascinating!!!

12 Steps Deprogram Biblical Thinking

Hark, what is this we see, as perchance a shred of truth has emerged from McLaren's mouth...

Brian McLaren:12 Step groups may help us escape Bible
mywordlikefire.wordpress.com

No, Mr. Jones, it's because of the things you have said

Ummm...no...

About this thing...

TONY JONES SCOLDS HIS CRITICS
http://apprising.org/2010/03/20/tony-jones-scolds-his-critics/

No Mr. Jones, they don’t do this because they are “dishonest.” They do this because you are a false teacher, and you are teaching error. You don’t even have a good reason to defend yourself because your ideas are based on sinking sand. Not only are you deceived, you are leading others astray by saying things that are nothing more than depraved ideas from your vain imagination. And in your book The Sacred Way, all you have to write about is tools of the new false experiential spirituality such as labyrinths, stations of the cross, the silence, centering prayer (eastern-style mystical prayer practices). In your book An Emergent Manifesto of Hope, which you credit false teacher Brian McLaren as "helping to birth," you incorrectly teach that the Kingdom of God includes all people, all faiths, and everything can be connected together as one through mysticism.

And so you can say "don't look" all you want, but us little bloggers will continue to link to the big sites like this and this to help spread the truth. It's because of the things you say and teach that these websites, which you label as “dishonest,” are in reality simply alarmed by the spread of gnostic mysticism and the liberal, socialist views of you and your friends. This is also why you will see your name in other posts together with your ilk, as you mentioned, because you are all birds of the same feather.

So you see, this is far more than just “criticism”- it’s about defending the faith (and the purity of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ), which you cannot do as you have none, as you yourself have said…

Some Things Tony Jones said about Being Born Again
morebooksandthings.blogspot.com

So be a big boy and stop your whining.

Related:

SACRED WAY OF TONY JONES AND THE EMERGING CHURCH
apprising.org

The Coming Paradigm Shift Thing

This morning I read something on watch.org about "many major earth cycles converging in the year 2011"....and "the 360 year/degree pattern from 591 AD to 2011 and the major corresponding events..." Now I don't know what that's all about, and I'm not into the 2012 doom and gloom thing (see former posts on that here), but it reminded me of an interesting thing that showed up in my e-mail box the other day that I forgot to listen to, but still plan on listening to as soon as I have time...

The Coming Paradigm Shift John Loeffler from Steel on Steel joins the program and cautions listeners about the impending paradigm shift. He feels 2010 is a year of transition and 2011 - 2015 are years of chaos. He substantiates his thoughts. He sounds an alarm about the pending "energy storm." Jan and John spend time on the role of the church through all of this...

Listen HERE (or scroll down to March 6,2010 in the archives here).

Beth Moore's Books and Things

Here are some very interesting things for those who are not quite sure about author/teacher Beth Moore and her books and things...

"Breaking Free" from Beth Moore and Her "Try Hard" Theology
solasisters.blogspot.com

Updated:

Also see:

WHEN GODLY PEOPLE TEACH UNGODLY THEOLOGY: THE SUBTLE ERROR OF BETH MOORE
http://apprising.org/2011/07/24/when-godly-people-teach-ungodly-theology-the-subtle-error-of-beth-moore/

Taken Captive by Christian Fiction

Oh how true...

"Perhaps there is no better testimony to the degraded state of the average Christian’s grasp of God’s Word than a trip to the local Christian bookstore. 20 or 30 years ago such stores were filled with tomes written by Spirit-filled teachers exegeting Scripture and not just teaching the basics, but moving us into more advanced areas. Today, however, such have been replaced by the voluminous sections “Christians Fiction” and “Christian Living” which only seem to vaguely reference Scripture, if at all.

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

It would seem that many have been taken “captive…according to the elementary principles of the world rather than according to Christ”, much less achieved anything further advanced beyond the basics. This is what happens when pulpits and small groups move away from the Bible to books and programs rooted in the world’s principles."

That's from here:

Achieving the Minimum Requirements
moriel.org

10,000th hit on Interview Transcript of The Shack's Author

Today marks the 10,000th hit on the transcript of the interview that I typed out as William Paul Young, author of The Shack, publicly made (or missed) his mark, and left no shadow of a doubt that, unless he has since repented, he is among these…

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

Time for Fluffy Things?

After all the seriousness, it's time for some fluff. Here's an interesting thing...

For a fee, a new service run by Atheists will place your dog or cat in the home of a Caring Unbeliever on Judgment Day

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

MINNEAPOLIS. MN (ANS) -- Many people in the U.S. -- perhaps 20 million to 40 million -- believe there will be a Second Coming in their lifetimes, followed by the Rapture, says an article in BusinessWeek by Mike Di Paola, a reporter for Bloomberg News...

More HERE @ www.assistnews.net

The article gets really interesting where it points to an atheist website called Eternal Earth-Bound Pets that says it will take the pets - and the burden off these Christian pet owners' minds - for $110.00 (should the rapture occur within 10 years of payment). It's one of those gotta see it to believe it kind of things.

More Anti-Israel Things on Campuses

Is the tide of anti-Semitism on the rise in universities in Canada? Our Canadian Christian newspaper tells us it is...

On February 22, York University in Toronto effectively cancelled a pro-Israel event called Imagine With Us, scheduled for February 22 and 25. The invited speakers included: controversial Middle East commentator Daniel Pipes; Israeli scholar Mordechai Kedar; former PLO terrorist Walid Shoebat; human rights activist Majed El Shafie...and B'nai Brith Canada CEO Frank Dimant. On the grounds that some of the speakers might incite opponents, the university required the organizers to pay for a formidable police and campus security presence, ban public advertising of the event, and give the university in advance a list of all attendees and a minute-by-minute synopsis of all speakers' talking points. In response, the organizers moved the event off campus. The university did not impose similar conditions on Israel Apartheid Week (IAW), a pro-Palestinian event which began March 1 on the campuses of at least three universities in Toronto, including York. IAW was launched in 2005, and the annual event is now observed in 40 cities of the world. A unanimous vote in the Ontario legislature February 25 condemned IAW as being "close to hate speech," but did not forbid the event from taking place...

-Tolerance unimaginable
www.canadianchristianity.com (March edition)

This reminds me of a recent film that was shown on the campus of a local Christian university that was so slanted and anti-Israel that even the question panel and Q&A period was stacked against Israel. Some of my friends went to represent the other side. You can read about this film, and see some of their comments here (and add a few of your own if you like)...

Whose side is God on?
Film premiere and panel discussion explores the Israel-Palestine conflict
http://www.marshillonline.com/news/whose-side-is-god-on/

Related post:

Colleges being flooded with Anti-Semitism [UPDATED]
morebooksandthings.blogspot.com

UPDATE:

Whose Side Is God On?
By Jan Markell
www.olivetreeviews.org
April 12, 2010

The Latest Interfaith Thing

An interesting development...

Tony Blair To Launch Faith Foundation In US
www.khouse.org

An Interesting Thing that could be coming to your church soon

Prince Charles did it a while go. I've heard some Bible teachers speculate that the anti-Christ could use this technology some day...

Hologram Preachers Slated to Appear in Churches
www.christianpost.com

On a positive note, this would be a great thing for the pastor who has stage fright.

About that Anti-Israel Thing going on right now

I got an interesting e-mail this morning. It's about another conference is going on right now (March 12-17, 2010), but this one is not quite in the same category as the awesome, Bible believing ones mentioned yesterday. Now, I don't know very much about these things, but it seems to me that the thing that makes this particular conference kind of shocking is that this one’s at Bethlehem Bible College in Bethlehem - the birth place of Jesus Christ (Matthew 2:6). Bethlehem means "House of Bread", and it is here in this very place that the "Bread of Life," the Word (the logos), was born to one day bring peace to the world. But ironically, it appears to me, the little brown blogger of very little brain, that those who claim to know Jesus Christ and believe in His Word are meeting in His place of birth to deny His very Word, and talk about their own ideas for peace.

They say that the aim of this conference is to:

...equip the global church to understand Scripture as it relates to the Palestinian context, and to discuss the theological importance of Peace and Justice in an Evangelical context.

Our hope is to provide a forum for evangelicals who take the Bible seriously to prayerfully seek a well-informed awareness of issues of peace, justice and reconciliation which are contextually sensitive as well profound to scriptural scholarship.

-www.christatthecheckpoint.com

The speakers at this conference are listed here:
http://www.christatthecheckpoint.com/speakers.html

Today's keynote speakers may seem like a particularly surprising combo, but really this is no surprise. They are listed as Lynne Hybels and Tony Campolo.

Lynne Hybels, of course, is the wife of Bill Hybels of Willow Creek church and Willow Creek Association (which most seeker friendly churches today are members of). Besides partnering with the Tutus and the Warrens in social justice and world peace endeavours, Mr. Hybels has had the anti-semetic Jimmy Carter in to speak, as well as Tony Blair and Bono (Mr. COEXIST), etc. You may recall that Mr. Hybels is also a signatory of…

This "Common Word Between You and Us", complete with its own website and heavy hitting endorsements from the misguided likes of Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Leith Anderson, and Jim Wallis of the religious left, has proven to be more of a sophisticated anti-Israel propaganda tool than legitimate Inter-Faith dialogue.

-'A Common Word' -- Inter-Faith Dialogue or Propaganda Tool?
[www.christiannewswire.com]

Mrs. Hybels has also signed something:

“Something called the Christians Support Bold Action for Holy Land Peace campaign was launched; a letter signed by 50 leaders included Tony Campolo, Joel Hunter (president of the NAE); Bill and Lynne Hybels; Richard Mouw, President of Fuller; and David Neff, editor-in-chief CT.
This, my friends, represents a thrust deep into the heart of evangelicalism, so long a community that by and large supported Israel. That support is no longer guaranteed, and the presence of Hunter and Hybels cements the fact.”

-The Crusades
[www.prophecymatters.com]

As far as Mr. Campolo goes, well, besides his contemplative, mystical, Ancient Roman Catholic spirituality, centering prayer side, he seems to think that Israel is “stealing” their own land…

Listen to Tony Campolo in Bethlehem, over breakfast at the Christ at the Checkpoint conference, where just a few days ago he said this:

Sizer: "What's wrong with the settlements and the wall and so on, is that for security?"
Campolo: "Well, you're stealing land I mean, I mean, let me put it this way, the Bible says 'thou shall not steal,' you're stealing land! Do I have to be more specific? Hehe..what do you want me to say, nice diplomatic words?"

-Tony Campolo on the Israeli Occupation of Palestine
http://vimeo.com/10149203

Campolo's hope for this conference that is going on right now is that they will come up with a new way of thinking.

There is more on Campolo’s theology regarding Israel here:

Tony Campolo: Misinformed, bad theology
www.wnd.com

Tony might benefit by taking a closer look at the what the Bible says on this subject regarding The Land of Israel and To whom does it belong.

Other speakers at this conference include Brother Andrew, and Stephen Sizer.

Unfortunately, Brother Andrew has recently become somewhat imbalanced. Jacob Prasch writes that he...

“joins the Stephen Sizer and Gary Burge chorus of turning a deaf ear to the persecuted Christians in the surrounding Islamic countries to instead stupidly focus on the one nation in the region fully protecting the human rights and religious liberty of Arab Christians – Israel.”

-Brother Andrew and Light Force
The Sorry Saga of a Has Been
[moriel.org]

Burge and Sizer are, of course, also speakers at this conference. There is so much anti-Israel stuff on the internet associated with Mr. Sizer and his [rotten] fruit, I simply don't know where to start. Here’s the scoop on Sizer's theology (he’s the one who interviewed Campolo in the video above):

Anti-Zionist Stephen Sizer
en.wikipedia.org

The Size of the Stephen Sizer Theology
moriel.org

Calvin L. Smith: Stephen Sizer as Anti-Replacement Theology Champion?
www.calvinlsmith.com

Police visit to Seismic Shock blogger after “harassment” complaint – the context
onlinejournalismblog.com

Stephen Sizer Complains to Police About Blogger
www.camera.org

Stephen Sizer and the Sons of Menelaus
moriel.org

He’s No “Sinner”, He’s a False Prophet
www.moriel.org

Stephen Sizer Contra Melanie Philips
www.moriel.org

Response To Stephen Sizer’s Open Letter
moriel.org

Like I said, I don't know much about these things, but it appears to me that there is a battle going on within the ranks of those who claim to be the Bible believing body of Christ. It's not only over emerging church heretical things, or the six days of creation thing, and end time things, but also about what the Bible says about Israel. Are they all important? I think so, because they are all about taking God's Word at face value. Many reading this may disagree, but that's what I see.

As the friend who sent me the e-mail this morning said:

"just how much of such 'poking the finger in the pupil (apple) of God's eye' is He going to take from his "Body""

For thus says the LORD of hosts, "After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.
Zechariah 2:8
~ ~ ~

[*Disclaimer: As always, unless otherwise stated, the views expressed on the little brown blog are the personal opinions, rantings, and meanderings of this blogger.]

Hugh Ross and his Billion Year Old Days on It's a New Day

Hugh Ross, a Christian "creationist" who believes that God needed billions of years to speak the world into existence, has recently been a guest on It's a New Day (see all five programs here). Okay, so this program doesn't have the greatest track record in discernment - they've also interviewed and promoted many other authors and teachers of strange things such as Young (here), Virkler (here), and Jersak (here). The alarming thing, once again, is that those who watched the Hugh Ross program may now be in danger of joining those who compromise their belief in the authority of the Bible (as if the emerging church hasn't already done enough damage in that department).

To see what I mean, watch several interesting debates between Hugh Ross and Ken Ham (Answers in Genesis) HERE. Also see the transcript of a debate between Hugh Ross and Jason Lisle at Answers in Genesis here:
Jason Lisle vs. Hugh Ross debate: transcript
www.answersingenesis.org

Hugh Ross is certainly not helping Christians get back to the foundation and authority of the Bible, and like the emerging church leaders who are leading so many astray, a big part of it has been his books and things. As Ken Ham notes...

When Dr Ross was first thrust to considerable prominence as a result of his books being published by NavPress and particularly his appearances on Focus on the Family, many Christian leaders embraced or endorsed his teachings.

Special Feature: Hugh Ross Exposé
www.answersingenesis.org

I remember hearing one such Focus on the Family program, way back when, and listening (aghast) to James Dobson agreeing with Ross on the billions of year thing.

Meanwhile, other Christian organizations that have helped to promote Hugh Ross and his theories include:

TBN to Promote Genesis Compromise and Undermine Biblical Authority
blogs.answersingenesis.org

Vancouver-raised astronomer, Dr. Hugh Ross, visits TWU to share compelling new evidence for creation and the Bible
www.twu.ca

This is undeniably another sign of the times, as men choose fables over the biblical record preserved for us through the ages.

*To further explore why this literal six day thing is so very important, see here:

Why Six Days?
by Chuck Missler
www.khouse.org

The necessity for believing in six literal days
www.answersingenesis.org

Why Did God Take Six Days?
(What is a day?)
www.answersingenesis.org

A Much Better Thing to go to

Here's where churches should be sending their leaders to get equipped instead of Willow Creek leadership training conferences (see last post)...

This one is happening this coming weekend:

RED RIVER BIBLE AND PROPHECY CONFERENCE 2010
www.titus213hope.com

Now there's a speaker line up:
www.godlyconferences.com

You won't hear any ear tickling, self help, ecumenical, seeker friendly drivel at this one!

~ ~ ~

Related:

About That Anti-Israel Thing Going on Right Now
morebooksandthings.blogspot.com

ALERT!!! Why is Willow Creek promoting Peter Scazzero's things?

They’re doing it again. Plugging Scazzero and his monkish things (see RICK WARREN AND PETER SCAZZERO UP TO MONK-EE BUSINESS and RICK WARREN AND PETER SCAZZERO WITH MESSED-UP MONK-EE BIZNESS). This time it’s through the Willow Creek Association’s blog called Stirred Up Leadership (wcagls.blogspot.com), here:

10 Symptoms of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality
http://wcagls.blogspot.com/2010/03/10-symptoms-of-emotionally-unhealthy.html

The promotion of these 'symptoms of unhealthy spirituality' are just more proof of the symptoms of an unhealthy popular church resource ministry. It' s nothing new, since Willow Creek already has an ongoing partnership with this contemplative teacher and his medieval Ignatius spirituality which trivializes the blood of the Reformers. [Scazzero regularly chants with the trappist monks {proof here} and teaches meditation the James Finley method {proof here}]. (See Emotional Healthy Spirituality and Willow Creek Partner to Spread Contemplative Spirituality). Willow Creek also offers every other contemplative spiritual formation book in the book, here (www.growingleadership.com).

But wait, there's more. It seems to be one spurious thing after another these days. I only found out the above because I was checking out something else (here), and that was to see if it's actually true that Willow Creek is really having the heretical, trinity denying TD Jakes in to speak.

It’s true. And this is how they are promoting him...

“Named by TIME magazine as one of the "25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America," Bishop Thomas Dexter (T.D.) Jakes is an entrepreneur, global advocate, philanthropist, and pastor of The Potter's House….A past and popular Summit speaker, he will close our 2010 gathering with a powerful and moving reminder of the greatness of God.”
-http://www.growingleadership.com/2010/speaker_td_jakes.asp

Surprising? Who knows how this came about, but there's no doubt that having TD Jakes in to speak will draw a new batch of (gullible) sheep to Willow Creek. The prosperity gospel crowd that follows him is very large.

Anyways, you may be wondering why all this should matter to you. It matters because, unbeknownst to many Christians, their churches are members of the Willow Creek Association, and their leaders are being sent to WC leadership training events, and their teachers are supplied with Willow Creek resources. In other words, many shepherds are leading their flocks to drink from a tainted creek.

If your church is a member, you may want to ask your church leaders if they are sending their leadership 'teams' to the popular Willow Creek leadership conferences.

For WC membership locator Canada, click HERE.
For WC membership locator US, click HERE.

Related:

T.D. JAKES TO SPEAK AT WILLOW CREEK
apprising.org

T.D. JAKES: JESUS IS THE PRODUCT
apprising.org

T.D. JAKES: MASTERFUL SHOWMAN
apprising.org

“GET READY” FOR T.D. JAKES
THE VELCRO BISHOP WITH ANOTHER GOSPEL
by G. Richard Fisher
www.pfo.org

Eroticizing the Eucharist
by Pastor Larry for False Teaching
T.D. Jakes and Communion at "A Table Set for Two."
guardinghisflock.com

~ ~ ~

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

~ ~ ~

******FALL UPDATE [2010]:
Meanwhile, back on the slippery slope (home to Rome) to the mother church...we are not surprised to see this...

PETER SCAZZERO ENJOYS PRAYING THROUGH APOSTASY
http://apprising.org/2010/09/22/peter-scazzero-enjoys-praying-through-apostasy/

Woe to the frogs in the pot.

Ribbit.

What a Testimony!

The book was called Gianna.

Watch her tell the amazing story here:

Gianna Jessen Abortion Survivor:
Part 1
Part 2

No More Cookies

That's it. I'm not buying any more Girl Guide cookies. As yummy as they are, I don't think they'd stay in my stomach after reading these things...

Girl Scouts OK Pro-Abortion, Planned Parenthood Sex Guide at UN Meeting
www.crosstalkblog.com

Accepting and loving what?

A strange thing or two I saw one day this week whilst browsing the web...

It was just above the Henri Nouwen quote, on RW's tool box ministry site for pastors:

“Plants need the right climate to grow and so do churches. The right climate for church growth is an atmosphere of acceptance and love.” - Rick Warren

-Saddleback Sayings, pastors.com

Hmmm...I'm not sure what exactly is meant by that.

At first glance, it seems like a typical North American, Laodicean warm and cozy thing to say. It's all about acceptance and love. But what about the persecuted church in communist and Muslim countries where the church is growing faster than it is here. Or the New Testament church that spread to the ends of the earth with persecution. Maybe RW means love and acceptance found in fellowship among believers, and welcoming new believer into the fold. This is part of church growth, but what about a love and hunger for the truth, and acceptance of the Word of God and its power to convict and change lives? In that case, the right atmosphere for a church plant to really grow is often the opposite of what RW said, and most people in North America are not hungry for God's Word, nor would they die for it, and as history seems to show us, the best climate for a church plant to grow in appears to be in the midst trials and persecution. (Check out Acts 6, or Voice of the Martyrs, for starters.) Not that I wish this on our nation, but it may be the only thing that will grow the true church.

But there is another kind of loving and accepting going on in Christianity today.

For example, take a look at the sort of thing that RW brings in to grow his church. It's been noted all around the blogosphere that on RESURRECTION SUNDAY, this group is coming to the Saddleback church to perform for Easter Service...

Jonas Brothers to Perform at 30th Anniversary Service
watcherslamp.blogspot.com

This will surely draw quite a crowd, and that may all seem fine and dandy, accepting, loving and church growthy. Especially to the fans who say their lyrics are Christian (see Jonas Brothers' Christian lyrics [with verses] youtube). But really now...I'm sorry if you are Jonas Brothers fans... but do you really think these are Christian lyrics? Or just phrases that could be Christian-ish tidbits generically stuck into songs that will be popular by the culture's standards? There is a big difference. Sure, these may be nice enough boys, who say...

"We look at our performance as worship and our praise to the Lord...even if it's not your typical worship song..."
(@ 2 minutes here:
-Jonas Brothers Christian Interview - they talk about their faith and their church
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSBUd9NWjZ0

But wait a minute...does this include their hot song Burnin' Up? (Here are the lyrics and see the official music video here:
Jonas Brothers - Burnin' Up - Official Music Video (youtube.com)

What was that they were saying about worship and praise? Sure, they may be a step up from much of today's pop music, and especially heavy metal lyrics, but here's the thing. As Jacob Prasch says, "if the lyrics are not biblical, it is not worship in the eyes of God" (see Worship: Satan's First Target). Do you see anything biblical and worshipful there?

So now we see that Saddleback, the model for all things Purpose Driven, will be 'celebrating' the Lord's resurrection day in a combined seeker friendly church anniversary celebration with Christian pop stars.

This is how they worship the resurrection of the sacrifice Lamb who saved us from our sins? Isn't this kind of Crystal Cathedralish?

I guess this is what the post-modern church calls church growth. Acceptance and love of the popular culture of the world is in full bloom - and has replaced true worship with what will attract the culture. It's a sign of the times, as worship becomes man centered instead of about God. But wait. Before you decide that this might not effect you, think again. It does give us all a good deal to think about, as we are all guilty of sliding down the culture slope in one way or another. So while we point at the obvious compromisers out there in seeker friendly land, perhaps we should all take a look at ourselves and see if we are accepting and loving the things of the world more than we should.

~ ~ ~

"Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called"
Ephesians 4:1

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:15

~ ~ ~

Related food for thought:

How Did We Make Such an Evangelical Mess?
www.gty.org/Blog

Which Book?

Good one...

WHICH BOOK?
sacredsandwich.com

A few Things about why God allows Suffering

Due to some comments and e-mails from some readers and friends this week who are going through some incredibly tough trials, I felt it was important to link to these encouraging things today...

Why is there Death and Suffering?
(vintage Ken Ham- video 38 minutes)
video.google.com

There's a ton of articles on his website here:
Articles on Death and Suffering:
www.answersingenesis.org

Why is there evil and suffering in the world?
www.carm.org

Why do so many people have to experience terrible suffering before death?
www.gotquestions.org

Interesting thing of the week

I found this pretty interesting. He smoked for nearly 110 years, prays every morning, and eats at Mediterranean diet of mainly fruit and nuts. See how old the world's oldest man is...

World's Oldest Man Lives in Israel
www.israelnationalnews.com

About those Text Books

Did you (Americans) know...

Right now, the fate of the social studies books your kids could be studying for the next decade is in the hands of just 15 people. They’re school board members in Texas. The curriculum standards they set – and are deciding on now-- are often used by textbook publishers to make books for schools across the country. These books could end up in your child’s backpack in just a few years.

More here:

Go Straight to Source in Textbook Fight
foxnews.com

Answer to yesterday's Question

As promised, it's 24 hours later, and here is the answer to yesterday's question:

Answer:

Glenn Beck Urges Listeners to Leave Churches That Preach Social Justice
www.politicsdaily.com

The surprising thing is that Glenn Beck is a Mormon, and he is warning Christians to wake up.

What do you think about that? And do you think the Bible believing church here in North America will soon experience persecution?

*[By the way, I'm impressed. You are all either very smart, or you all watch too much TV, but either way all who guessed right get a ***GOLD STAR!!!]

Blogger meets Shane Claiborne

In a very timely, unbiased yet biblically based, well written, 'must read' article about an interesting popular speaker he went to see and hear (and give a book to) last night, this blogger tells of his fascinating experience. It's fresh off the press. And to top it off, I am amazed at the timing, and how it so nicely wraps up my last few blog posts.

Red Letter Christians or Communists?

An interesting thing to listen to...

What is a "Red Letter Christian"? Pastor Eric Douma and Jan explain what "red letter Christians" believe. They focus on only certain parts of the Bible and ignore much of the rest of it. It gives them fuel for being pacifists and social gospel people. Sadly, some of their leaders are Socialists and Communists. Tony Campolo is a Socialist and Jim Wallis is a Communist...

Listen to this Understanding The Times program with Jan Markell, HERE.

Some other well known red letter/liberal Christians besides Tony Campolo include Shane Claiborne, Richard Rohr, Brian McLaren, Tony Jones, and Diana Butler Bass. And speaking of which, if you want to see which birds of a feather are flocking together for a conference on Emerging Christianity, go here:

http://cacradicalgrace.org/conferences/2010/emerging-christianity

Also see this very informative thing:

MYSTICISM’S GOSPEL OF GOODNESS AND SHANE CLAIBORNE
apprising.org

Things are Changing - Reformation in Reverse

A very interesting 2005 Time Magazine article told us that "things have begun to change, and not just among theologians."

...A man stands at the lectern at the El Amor de Dios church on Chicago's South Side reading in Spanish, tears streaming down his cheeks. His text is a treatment of the Virgin Mary from one of the Bible's apocryphal books. Another congregant follows, reciting his own verses to the Virgin from a dog-eared notebook filled with tiny, precise printing. Flanking the altar are two Mary statues with fresh roses at their feet, and hanging from the hands of the baby Jesus is a Rosary. The altar cover presents the church's most stunning image: Mary again, this time totally surrounded by a multicolored halo, in the traditional iconography of the Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The church is Methodist.

-Hail, Mary March 2005 (www.time.com)

This change continues to take place today as we see the effects of the deluge of 'Christian' books and speakers and retreats that are luring protestants back to the Roman Catholic church through things like ancient disciplines and contemplative spirituality. In the above article, Al Mohler is quoted, saying that "this is the Reformation in reverse. It's simply profoundly unbiblical, and it leads to the worst excesses of Marian devotion."

It wouldn't be at all surprising to see more Mariolatry as the focus shifts away from what Jesus has done to Roman Catholic prayer practices and revived monastic traditions. This might look like Stations of the Cross from Mary's perspective in your church this Easter, or an icon or two here and there in an ecumenical Taize service in your Christian Bible college chapel. In some emerging churches, they are even offering prayers to "her" as the Holy Spirit takes on His feminine side (I think it was here that I heard Bob DeWaay's experience about this, but this is not an isolated incident).

This worship of the feminine deity is nothing new, however. They may call her the Queen of Heaven, but guess who they baked cakes to back in the Old Testament?

The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger. Jeremiah 7:18

See how God dealt with their idolatry in Jeremiah 44. What kind of Christian church would want to go back to that? (Answer: the emerging, 'new kind of Christianity,' which as you can see is nothing new at all.)

If you think this change in the church's perception of Mary is a good thing, just check out Isis: "Queen of Heaven" by Carl Teichrib. There are also some very helpful things to listen to and watch on this topic at Radio Free Church, here and here.

~ ~ ~

HT:Virgin Mary Appears On The Cover Of Time Magazine
watcherslamp.blogspot.com

~ ~ ~

***UPDATE:

For those who want to study this subject more deeply, go here:

Mary's Gospel
livingjourney.wordpress.com

The only effective thing?

I have debated whether or not to post this long winded thing I typed out late one night last week after browsing through a certain book. Perhaps you might find it is best to read with a hot mug of 'sleepy time' calming herbal tea...

~ ~ ~

What would you say, as a Christian, is the only effective remedy for going through trials in this life as the years go by?

Let's narrow things down to something a few of us can relate to. For example, for the parent who has ever had a sick child in the middle of the night or a teenager who rebels as the years go by - what offers the only hope for such parents to turn to? Like the ones who go through trials raising teens, who have learned to give that prodigal to the Lord...to sacrifice their 'Isaac' to a God they can trust?

Okay...just try to put yourself for a moment in this scenario...

It's 3:00 am. You are wide awake and nearly out of your mind with concern, having not heard from your son or daughter for 2 weeks, after noticing frightening patterns that suggest drug use. You are sick with worry, your stomach is in knots, you haven't been able to eat for days. There is no where to turn. As a Christian, what do you do?

Do you...

1. Open your spiritual discipline handbook that you got from your spiritual director and practice your breathing exercises and do a slow reading, a Lectio Divina, centering prayer, a visualization exercise, the Ignatius Examen, or enter into the silence?
2. Sit still in a chair with your back straight in a comfortable position and listen to your breathing relax while you repeat a mantra?
3. Prostrate yourself before God, cry out to Him, and call on His Name for help?

I hope you picked door number 3. It would be ridiculous to do anything else, as the only effective thing for a Christian to do at moment like this, in the worst moment of the trial, is to pray, trust in the Name of the Lord (Proverbs 18:10), and give it up to our Heavenly Father who has all things in control. It's what Jesus did. This may seem like an obvious thing to the born again Christian who knows Jesus as his/her Saviour. That's why I was just a little stunned when I read this...

"Those who write about the Christian life often report that it gets harder, not easier, as the years go by. At such times the spiritual disciplines offer the only effective remedy." p. 232 Reaching for the Invisible God

Say what? The only effective remedy for when you go through trials in your Christian walk is offered in the spiritual disciplines?

What?

Okay. True, our walk is not easy, but the born again Christian (the one who has turned from their sin and trusted in Jesus alone for salvation) learns to rely on the Lord's strength by reading His Word, abiding in the vine, walking in His power, trusting in His name, running to Him in times of trouble, crying out to Him and hiding under the shelter of His wings. Yes, times will get hard, trials will come and the valleys are deep, but our Shepherd goes through them with us. The person who believes that "spiritual disciplines offer the only effective remedy" for tough times is trusting in religious practices. The truth is, it's not what we do that gets us through these hard things, it's Who we know and trust in - because of what He has done, and will do. He is faithful, and gets us through it. Yet here we have one of the most popular, highly acclaimed Christian authors of our day writing on page 232 of his book Reaching for the Invisible God, that "spiritual disciplines offer the only effective remedy" for our trials.

But then, the author of this book admits he is not a parent, and therefore I suppose he may not have learned that spiritual disciplines are not the remedy for the difficulties and trials of Christian parenting such as whooping cough, broken legs and curfews and teenage rebellion. Since we discover so much about our heavenly Father through being parents ourselves, I suppose we must extend grace to any author who has not had the privilege of going through this life changing experience. Granted, one (rather depressing) chapter in this book (Ch. 4) begins by looking to examples of parents who pray, but even these do not provide much hope...

"I have a file drawer filled with letters of earnest Christians who pray - for their child with a birth defect, for an inoperable brain tumor, for reversal of paralysis - who seek anointing with oil and follow every biblical admonition, and yet find no relief from suffering, no reward for their faith" (p.51)

The chapter continues with more unanswered prayers, sufferings and questions, and doubt instilling suggestions. Such as, "Christians often read the Bible in such a way that exaggerates God's promises, setting themselves up for later disillusionment" (p. 57). The author admits he hesitates to write about faith, and does not want to encourage anyone's simple faith. So he hovers over Kierkegaard's "unbalanced view of faith," Larry Crabb's seeds of doubt that undermine his basic trust in God, a tragedy here and there, and ends the chapter with a quote from Madam Jeanne Guyon about life being a journey of unknowables, "unanswered questions, enigmas, incomprehensibles, and most of all, things unfair." (p. 61)

No wonder the author of this book suggests that spiritual disciplines are the only effective thing amidst all that hopelessness. Going into a daily centering prayer trance with a mantra would surely be an escape, I suppose, from such a depressing faithless state of mind.

Oh, but the spiritual disciplines Yancey means on page 232 is just prayer, you say. Well let me show you exactly what kind of spiritual disciplines the author means, since this is discussed so much in the previous few pages, just before the part about the only remedy for trials being spiritual disciplines...

"Today, I still feel unqualified to give anyone specific instructions in spiritual disciplines. Rather, I recommend recent works by Eugene Peterson, Dallas Willard, and Richard Foster; Thomas Merton's instructions of a generation ago; and the detailed program set out by Benedict and Ignatius in past centuries....Before conversion, Merton says he squandered his freedom...Merton ultimately chose to invest his freedom by entering a monastery, praying for hours at a time, and living in silence and solitude...As I study people like Merton, Benedict...Charles de Foucauld, Mother Teresa, I see in these disciplined souls...spontaneity and even joy."

-Yancey, 230,231, Reaching for the Invisible God

Joy? After she died it was discovered that Mother Teresa had experienced a lifetime of oppressive darkness. Freedom? Merton died thinking that all paths lead to God. The Bible says the wide road leads to destruction, not freedom. Oh, and I didn't even mention the reference (p. 231) to Joan Chittister, a modern Benedictine prioress, in regards to the Rule of Benedict as a "guidepost,' or way of life (this is a monastic rule of fixed hours of prayer). What's so hopeful and freeing about having to follow fixed hours of prayer all day and night long? [Oh, and by the way, Chittister (www.benetvision.org) is one of the 'top 5 spiritual heroes of 2009,' here: http://www.topspiritualheroes.com/report2009.html]

~heavy sigh~

Is the author of this book purposely leading people away from truth and hope into bondage and rules by saying these things, and pointing to these sources?

The title of his book suggests that God seems invisible, but our God is not invisible to those who love Him and know Him. He is real, He is at work, He hears us and answers our prayers. And His yoke is easy, and His burden is light! He does not require us (or even recommend for us) to do spiritual disciplines and follow monks or Buddha down the monastery path!

It is quotes and things like these which have made me the owner of the opinion that there is little hope offered in the pages of this book by Philip Yancey. I don't know what his other award winning books are like, but from what this one reveals about his beliefs (and doubts), I would never be able to recommend any of them - even if the back of one of his books is endorsed by Billy Graham (who said “There is no writer in the evangelical world that I admire and appreciate more.”)!!!

Even Yancey himself admits he is plagued by doubts, and says:

"I write books for myself...I write books to resolve things that are bothering me, things I don't have answers to...for those who struggle with my books, I just say, 'Then, you really shouldn't be reading them.' But some people do need the kinds of books I write."

-http://www3.zondervan.com/features/authors/yanceyp/bio.htm

Which is another reason why endorsements of Reaching for the Invisible God, like the following one, make me really wonder...

“This passionate book, unflinching in its honesty, will build your faith by helping you wrestle authentically with your doubts. Join Philip Yancey in this quest and you’ll come closer still to our invisible but very real God.”

Lee Strobel, author of The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith

(???)

Go figure. How will this book build your faith in God? There are more references to mystics and worldly philosophers in it than there are to the Bible. Kind of makes you wonder if the endorsers ever really read the books they are endorsing. It also makes me wonder why RBC Ministries uses Yancey in so many of their Bible courses [eg. Old Testament Foundations Volume Three - Personal Enrichment Study Level (with Philip Yancey)] and in Our Daily Bread devotionals. Not to mention that he's in the Day of Discovery DVD about "the thorny problem of unanswered prayer" (Prayer and the Silence of God). I can only imagine all the hope filled answers in those. NOT.

And thus ends my long dreary rant of the week, but do not be dismayed, for without a doubt, the truth is that we do have a remedy for trials as the years go by! It's the only effective remedy, and I can attest to the fact that it's got nothing to do with the things we do - our hope is in the Lord and the promises in His Word...

I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
Psalm 130:5

In the end, you don't need best selling, doubt filled books and musings of authors who don't have answers to teach you to find God. Come on, people. Do you drive all the way to that Christian book store to pay money for a book to help you find and experience God while your Bible sits at home collecting dust? Do you attend an adult Sunday School class where they teach Yancey's books and DVDs instead of the Bible? What's with that? Isn't it time to study the Bible and fill your minds with God's promises? He is faithful to His Word and has promised that it will not return void! He will reveal Himself to all who will call on His Name and seek Him with all their heart!

On that note, after reading those Yanceyful things, I must cleanse my mind and refresh my soul, while I finish my tea and listen to one of my all time favs. All is well, God is good...

Psalm 130 ~ Sons of Korah
www.youtube.com

~ ~ ~

Related reviews and things:

PHILIP YANCEY
“turning the grace of God into lasciviousness” Jude 4
www.takeheed.net

What's So Amazing About Grace?
By Philip Yancey
A Review By Greg Gilbert
www.9marks.org

The Jesus I Never Knew
By Philip Yancey
A Review By Greg Gilbert
www.9marks.org

Philip Yancey "Addicted" to the Recovery Movement?
Part One
Part Two
Part Three

Philip Yancey - Amazing Grace?
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

Yancey - Influenced by Mystics

Can you guess who said this thing?

Interesting quote of the month...but can you guess who said this?

"I'm begging you, your right to religion and freedom to exercise religion and read all of the passages of the Bible as you want to read them and as your church wants to preach them . . . are going to come under the ropes in the next year. If it lasts that long it will be the next year. I beg you, look for the words 'social justice' or 'economic justice' on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Now, am I advising people to leave their church? Yes!"

So, who do you think said these words of warning on radio and television last week? In alphabetical order, the 20 choices are as follows...

1. Bill Hybels
2. Bill Koenig
   
3. Dave Hunt
4. David Jeremiah
   
5. Glenn Beck
6. Ingrid Schleuter
7. Jacob Prasch
8. James Dobson
9. Jan Markell
10. Joel Osteen
11. Joel Rosenberg
12. John MacArthur
    
13. Joseph Farah
14. Ken Silva
15. Oprah
16. President Obama
17. Ray Gano
    
18. Rick Warren
19. Shane Claiborne
    
20. Todd Friel

The correct answer will magically appear in 24 hours.

*Note: Whoever guesses right gets a gold star. :)

Update: Answer here.

Related (regarding what he said):

'SOCIAL JUSTICE' IS NOT CHRISTIAN CHARITY
www.newswithviews.com

Warning Bells are Ringing Louder

For all those who still feel it is a necessary and even beneficial thing to put on a Rob Bell Nooma DVD as a Bible study substitute for their youth groups, you need to be aware that Bell's new co-teaching pastor at Mars Hill Church [in Grand Rapids, MI] is Shane Hipps.

Here is a snippet from Bell's co-pastor Hipps, who surely dredged up this (mis)interpretation of John's gospel from the pit of yuck:

John is the ultimate unifier and integrator of two religious systems that have nothing in common; the Jews and the Greeks…nothing in common…nothing at all in common…didn’t even use the same language most of the time. So here John comes along and says, “Hey (to the Jews) you know that thing you talk about…that wisdom…that beautiful wisdom that you talk about? Yeah, that…right. You know that?” And to the Greeks he says, “Hey, you know that logos…that mysterious, beautiful thing with life and fire and light? That, yeah right?” Both of those things, wisdom and logos…they are actually one thing. And they found full and complete expression in the person of Jesus. (pause)

So here’s what’s so stunning: at a time when it was unthinkable to try and unify religions, John is basically saying your religion totally valid…I love it…I’m even using your language…and your religion…I love it…it’s beautiful, totally valid…I’m even using your language, but I just want you both to know that there’s something bigger than what you’ve got.

There’s something that transcends what you have; it doesn’t nullify what you have, it doesn’t get rid of what you have. It just moves beyond it. So John does this unbelievably beautiful thing of basically saying, “I want to get past the religious divisions among us in our world. I don’t want to get past it…Jesus comes to bring us past it.” Jesus is the ultimate unifier of these various diverse ways of looking at the world…

Read more of this slimy excerpt, and more details of great concern, here:

SHANE HIPPS CO-TEACHING PASTOR WITH ROB BELL
apprising.org

Being co-pastors/teachers says a lot, since a pastor or church always picks someone to co-lead and co-feed the sheep who is of the same mind (which is supposed to be the mind of Christ, the head of the church). But then, this is not your typical church.

When the re-invented (emerging) church initially came on the scene, the warning bells were quietly tingling in the distance. But they are getting louder, so loud in fact that only the deaf (and those with their fingers in their ears) cannot hear them. Just like in the days of the prophets, history is repeating itself.

¹¹But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.

¹²Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.

Zechariah 7:11,12

Related:

ROB BELL AND SHANE HIPPS TEACHING MYSTICISM
apprising.org

Another Book Review

Here's another very good book review of the recently published but hopelessly heretical and Bible twisting new assault on truth called 'A New Kind of Christianity' that is being sold right now in Christian book stores everywhere, to their shame, as the message therein has not only redesigned Christianity but has also reformed and modified God and His Word in a worse than usual typical post-modern doubt instilling fashion that has stealthily slipped in unnoticed by sick and poisoned sheep who have grown accustomed to paying money for empty books like these with pretty covers simply because they are spiritually blind as well as deaf to the warning bells that ring unheeded and ignored while the hirelings climb over the unguarded walls, propagating their smooth talk and fables perfected by the father of lies while appearing as angels of light with smiley faces:

Brian McLaren’s New Book, A New Kind of Christianity – Assaulting Truth with a Vengeance
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

The Story of Fanny Crosby

This is the inspiring story of Fanny Crosby, the writer who penned over 8,500 poems and songs, so many of which can be found in those ancient things called "hymn books" that could once upon a time be found inside churches...

When Francis Jane Crosby was only six weeks old, she was taken to a doctor to treat an inflammation in her eyes caused by a cold. The regular physician was out of town, and the substitute gave little Fanny's parents a faulty treatment that blinded the child within days. She was blind for the rest of her life. That first tragedy was followed by others. Her father died when Fanny was just a year old, and her mother had to hire herself out as a maid to provide for the family. Fanny was able to attend a school for blind children and afterwards taught there, but when she was 29 a cholera epidemic killed more than half of the children in the school. After she married, her only child died in infancy.

Yet, in spite of these tragedies, Francis Jane was always a cheerful, happy person, free from the bitterness that so easily besets humans. When only eight years old, she wrote a poem...

Read the rest of this inspiring story here:

Fanny Crosby: This Is My Story, This Is My Song
www.khouse.org

They have a thing called the ngoma lungundu

I read an interesting thing this weekend...they say a lost Jewish tribe has been found, and they have a very old thing called the ngoma lungundu, meaning "the drum that thunders".

Find out more here:

Lost Jewish tribe 'found in Zimbabwe'
news.bbc.co.uk

"a textbook that fits their beliefs"

That's the phrase that popped out at me as I read this article...

"a textbook that fits their beliefs."

And that's pretty much what evolution boils down to, because we all see the same things, but the way we interpret the evidence depends on our worldview - whether we base our beliefs on man's theories or the Bible. Here's the article I read:

Top Home-School Texts Dismiss Darwin, Evolution
www.foxnews.com

Just having come back from a Ken Ham seminar last month, I found the article extremely interesting, and full of loopholes. Of course top home-school texts dismiss Darwin, his crumbling theory, and the fallacies in the secular science text books! Isn't that the whole point of parents homeschooling their kids - to teach them to think critically?

Creation is a belief, and evolution is a belief. But the public schools only teach one side. We should be very thankful for the freedom in our country to teach our kids both sides. Sadly, the parents in the above article are not allowing their child to have that choice, because they, like so many in our culture, have been conditioned to believe the lie. Looks like these parents need to home school themselves and do some serious checking up on the busted myths in these Darwinian textbooks they so badly want to use.

Here are a few related things they would benefit from reading, for starters:

What biology textbooks never told you about evolution
A review of Icons of Evolution: Science or Myth? Why much of what we teach about evolution is wrong
by Jonathan Wells
www.answersingenesis.org

The Lie: Evolution
Genesis—The Key to Defending Your Faith
by Ken Ham, President, AiG–USA
www.answersingenesis.org

Biology Textbooks Worldwide Development and the Creation/Evolution Controversy
by Steve Deckard, Ed.D.
www.icr.org

Creation, The Public Schools, And Good Education
by John D. Morris, Ph.D.
www.icr.org

Illustrations of Ancient Humans Skew Facts
by Brian Thomas, M.S.
www.icr.org

Willingly Ignorant
by Henry Morris, Ph.D.
www.icr.org

A good thing has come from a bad thing

I'm talking about a picture I saw...

People destroy objects that were to be used in a voodoo ceremony in the Cite Soleil neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Tuesday Feb. 23, 2010

Check it out:

Haitian earthquake unleashes animosity against Voodoo
By The Haitian Times
www.thegrio.com

Related:

Revival In Haiti - A Call To Fasting And Prayer
www.youtube.com

~ ~ ~

18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
~Acts 19

The Search for that Thing called the God Particle

"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
Col 1:16-17

"They call it the God particle: a mysterious sub-atomic fragment that permeates the entire universe and explains how everything is the way it is. Nobody has ever seen the God particle; some say it doesn't exist but, in the ultimate leap of faith, physicists across the world are preparing to build one of the most ambitious and expensive science experiments the world has ever seen to try to find it." - David Adam, The Guardian, August 21, 2004

Find out about this thing here:

Hunting Down The God Particle
March 02, 2010 eNews issue
www.khouse.org

He said WHAT?

What? Pardon me? Say what?


THE NEW CHRISTIANITY OF BRIAN MCLAREN AND THE EMERGING CHURCH
apprising.org


WHAT?!???!???!???!???


Dear readers...do you think you should contact your local "Christian book store" owners and ask them if they are selling the new Brian McLaren book, and if so, do you think you should fill them in on what kind of new Christianity that new book on their shelves is promoting? Ask them if they care that souls are at stake, and that it could be a matter of spiritual life and death.

He Carries His Bible Everywhere

I like this, and found it to be a most inspiring thing to read...

RACINE - Nathan De La Garza keeps one book close at hand these days: His Bible.
Following a challenge from the pastor who leads his youth group at Racine Assembly of God...Nathan carries his Bible everywhere he goes.
He makes a point of carrying it at Park High School, where he is a sophomore.
The book attracts attention, he said.
"People are like, ‘Is that a Bible?' " Nathan said....

The rest is very interesting, and it's over here:

Park sophomore finds himself in principal’s office after religious ‘debate’
www.journaltimes.com

Another (short) story about this here as well...

School Official: Carrying Bible Could Lead to Fight
By Erik Bilstad
Story Created: Mar 1, 2010
www.620wtmj.com

~ ~ ~
HT: Fresh Hope [a very interesting, thought provoking Christian forum]

The NEW Answers Book 2

The following is a little excerpt from The NEW Answers Book 2:

Spiral Galaxies

A galaxy is an enormous assembly of stars, interstellar gas, and dust. The galaxy in which we live is called the Milky Way; it has over 100 billion stars. Some galaxies are round or elliptical. Others have an irregular shape, but some of the most beautiful galaxies are spiral in nature, such as our own. Spiral galaxies slowly rotate, but the inner regions of the spiral rotate faster than the outer regions. This means that a spiral galaxy is constantly becoming more and more twisted up as the spiral becomes tighter. After a few hundred million years, the galaxy would be wound so tightly that the spiral structure would no longer be recognizable. According to the big-bang scenario, galaxies are supposed to be many billions of years old. Yet we do see spiral galaxies — and lots of them. This suggests that they are not nearly as old as the big bang requires. Spiral galaxies are consistent with the biblical age of the universe but are problematic for a belief in billions of years.

Read more interesting things at source:

Chapter 4: Does the Bible Say Anything about Astronomy?
www.answersingenesis.org

Is this incredible thing in the heavens a sign from God?

What is this thing?

While scientists don't think it's a comet, they're not exactly sure of the precise origin of the incredible object soaring some 90 million miles from Earth, snapped just a few weeks ago by the Hubble Space Telescope.

"I've seen thousands of astronomical images over my career, but this is one of the few absolute jaw-droppers: A flying X-pattern with trailing streamers," said Ray Villard, a contributing writer to Discovery News. "Whatever it is, nothing quite like it has ever before been seen in the heavens."

Check it out here:

Is this incredible thing in heavens a sign from God?
'The truth is, we're still struggling to understand what this means'
wnd.com

And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Luke 21:11

***Update:

Also see:

Signs in the Sky
livingjourney.wordpress.com

MCLAREN RESPONDS TO HIS BOOK REVIEW

A fascinating and revealing post, as is the symbolic accuracy of the picture accompanying it...

BRIAN MCLAREN RESPONDS TO SCOT MCKNIGHT’S REVIEW OF HIS BOOK
apprising.org

About that Book - The New Pharisaism: How Spiritual Bullies Attack the Church

About that new e-book called The New Pharisaism: How Spiritual Bullies Attack the Church by Bill Slabaugh...

Here's the latest from Olive Tree Ministries:

The New Pharisaical Bullies
By Jan Markell
www.olivetreeviews.org
March 4, 2010

I have been called a lot of things but never a "bully" and never a "Pharisee." But since I am referenced in a sad new book, The New Pharisaism: How Spiritual Bullies Attack the Church," I felt I needed to respond to this pathetic attempt to call good ministries and leaders Pharisees just because they are contending for the faith in an apostate climate.

About a decade ago a new kind of ministry came along as a a result of rising apostasy and false teaching. They were branded as "discernment ministries" and that is probably pretty accurate. Olive Tree Ministries started out with a pro-Israel slant as well as being an end-time watcher. Today we also find ourselves trying to defend the faith and encouraging discernment in the church (Luke 12:56; Proverbs 2:3).

What discernment ministries are trying to do is take a stand against those who have hijacked evangelicalism in the last 30 years...

Read the rest of this article HERE.

How ironic that Bill Slabaugh charges money for his e-book while claiming that "bully" ministries like Ray Yungen, Dave Hunt and The Berean Call, Crosstalk America, Lighthouse Trails Research Project, Media Spotlight, Southwest Radio Church, Apprising Ministries, and Understanding the Times have used their platforms for their own selfish gain and self-promoting agenda.

I am so opposed to Slabaugh's slanted slant that I won't even link to his book URL (I personally think his claims are ridiculous), so y'all are going to have to find it yourselves, but I just want to say - thank you Mr. Slabaugh, because by going to such efforts, you have simply shown us all that the hard work of these wonderful, faithful men and women in these discernment ministries you have listed is having a huge impact.


UPDATE:

The New Pharisaism Eric Barger and Jan talk about the new book, "The New Pharisaism: How Spiritual Bullies Attack the Church." Why are much-needed discernment ministries, including Eric's and Jan's, being called bullies when they are only "contending for the faith"? These two ministries and a couple-dozen more, are exposing the abusers of evangelicalism over the last 25 years. Most churches are silent about exposing false teachers and false theologies, but when discernment ministries speak up, they are labeled divisive and behaving as bullies.

Listen HERE.

The 'Dream Experience' Thing at Ambrose

Speaking of the imagination, yesterday over at the Suspicious Berean I read about a course being taught over at Ambrose Seminary (C&MA/Nazarene) on dreams, among other things...

TH 660 Exploring the ‘Dream Experience’ in Christian Spirituality

The course will survey the significance and understanding of the dream experience in both eastern and western traditions. Special attention will be given to the role of the dream in the spiritual journeys of prominent Christians, the dream and the death experience, as well as to developing a Christian approach to dream interpretation. Students will gain from the course an historical/theological appreciation for the value of the dream within a Christian worldview as well as a sense of how to integrate dream interpretation with an understanding of one’s own spiritual journey.

Integrate dream interpretation? Say what? As the wisest man who ever lived said, "For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God." (Ecc. 5:7) Actually, I like the KJV better for that one: "For in the multitude of dreams and many words [there are] also [divers] vanities: but fear thou God." In the meantime, they're not only teaching dream interpretation at this Bible seminary, but contemplative spirituality, and all that goes with it. See more here:

Ambrose Seminary teaches contemplative spirituality in 2009-2010
suspiciousberean.blogspot.com

[See also The Ambrose-contemplative connection at the same blog.]

This is only a small part of the trend we are seeing in so many of today's Christian colleges, universities and seminaries, but to point to another example (of many) at Ambrose, they are promoting something called Down Ancient Paths (downancientpaths.com). This takes students on the following journeys such as these...

• Holy Days and Holidays in Egypt: Experiencing an Ancient Christian Coptic Christmas
• Ancient Christian Traditions in North Africa and the Mediterranean
• Celtic Landscapes: An Exploration of Early Irish Christianity

One of the previous 'ancient path' journeys included something called Egyptian Desert Solitudes: A Pre-Lenten Journey to Judaeo-Christian Roots (Egypt).

These journeys are led by Ambrose's Professor of Christian History and Spirituality. Quite an ecumenical kind of fellow, Dr. Nienkirchen attends an Anglican church and serves on the faculty of the Pecos Benedictine School for Spiritual Direction (pecosmonastery.org). Interestingly, he was recently one of the signatories on The Call to an Ancient Evangelical Future (see here or here), an ecumenical movement to return to ancient-future practices as a “new way” for re-inventing Christianity. Just last month, Nienkirchen led a Suburban Monastery retreat at Mount St. Francis Retreat Center, a Fransiscan monastery in Cochrane, Alberta (www.wkc.org/spiritual-formation/lent-prayer-retreat).

Surprising? I was surprised to find that more than a few Christian & Missionary Alliance pastors say that he has had a major spiritual influence on them.

Check out this thing that Dr. Nienkirchen was quoted to say in a very strange article by Lorna Dueck of Crossroads (crossroads.ca):

"The excessive fragmentation of Western Christianity means people trying to recover authentic Christianity are going to have to go outside their own traditions. We need to bring the Christian East to Canada."

-Lessons from the Dalai Lama
(by Lorna Dueck - May 2004)
http://www.listenuptv.com/lorna/dalailama.htm

Seriously?

Being an authentic Christian is not about religion or traditions or practices - those are all efforts of man. Being an authentic, true born again Christian means knowing and loving Jesus because of what He has done for us.

There's nothing wrong with learning history, but here's the thing. Christian colleges everywhere like Ambrose may be doing these same things - but in doing so they are digging up spiritual practices and traditions that are not supported or taught by the Bible. They even say it's 'ancient' and rediscovered, but instead of discovering and digging into the really ancient roots of our Christian heritage (in the inspired Holy Scriptures), this new "Christianity" only goes back to the first few centuries after Jesus - to the first monks in Egypt, to ancient Roman Catholicism, ancient Celtic Christians, and their writings and ancient religious and mystical practices.

This is what happens when spiritually hungry Christians are not satisfied with the meat of God's Word. They don't want to hear His words, so they go elsewhere, trying to fill themselves up with all these new things and experiences that make them feel very religious and spiritual...like learning to value dream interpretations, imagination contemplation, spiritual direction, contemplative prayer, ancient practices, pilgrimages, sacred spaces, monastic retreats, and the teachings of the desert 'fathers,' and so the list goes on - all religious rituals of man, and vain attempts to build a ladder to God.

I suppose we shouldn't be at all surprised, since these days were prophesied...

"Behold, days are coming," declares the Lord GOD,"When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the LORD."
Amos 8:11

The Imagination is NOT a Safe Thing

Yesterday I watched a classic example of the kind of visualization meditation that is being taught to many evangelical Christians today in churches, colleges and retreat centers. You can find this Ignatian Contemplation link here @ My Word Like Fire. Although the nice man on the video clip makes it sound quite pleasant, visualization is a New Age and occultic practice that is potentially dangerous.

Why? Because regularly imagining yourself in Bible scenes could result in an over-reliance upon one’s "divine" experiences, hearing extra biblical "wisdom" from these imaginary conversations, coming in contact with spirit guides (demons), and receiving and trusting in new revelations thought to be from God (but are NOT). All of the above can result in making foolish or harmful decisions. In a nutshell, the imagination is not a safe thing to trust in.

Maybe that's why the Bible doesn't speak to highly of our imaginations.

"Thus says the LORD of hosts," Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you They are leading you into futility; They speak a vision of their own imagination, Not from the mouth of the LORD." Jeremiah 23:16 NASB

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" 2 Cor. 10:5 KJV

It is obviously safer to trust in God than in our imaginations. Alarmingly, visualization is being taught by "Christians" to many well meaning Christians who sincerely want to hear from the Lord, but this is not the right way to go about it. Through their books and seminars and things, a few classic examples of those who teach "Christian" visualization are:

-> Richard Foster in his book Celebration of Discipline.

-> Brad Jersak through seminars and his nice books and things, teaches visualization to adults and children.

->Mark Virkler (president of the Christian Leadership University) through his books and seminars on how to hear God's voice and see into the spirit realm. Prayer, fasting and reading the Bible didn't work for him, so he discovered a new method to "tune in to flow" and hear God's voice. Now he encourages stillness, vision, and journaling (he calls it writing from flow, which is the same thing as automatic writing or channeling in New Age/occultic circles).

*Video here:
The Four Keys to Hearing God's Voice with Mark Virkler
vimeo.com/8965871

*And here:

How to Hear The Voice Of God with Mark Virkler
vimeo.com/8888487

Of course he also makes it sounds very nice, and very Christian. No wonder so many sincere followers are falling for this method in hopes of hearing from God. But this is not at all biblical. To understand why, see an excellent review of one of his books here:

Hearing God's Voice Guaranteed
by K Jentoft
www.worldviewtimes.com

[*Note: the last time I blogged about Virkler's videos they were removed from the internet, so I won't be surprised if these ones also disappear.]

~ ~ ~

To learn the truth about "Christian" visualization from a biblical perspective, see these:

Visualization
www.letusreason.org

Guided Visualization
www.apologeticsindex.org

Visualization
www.thebereancall.org

Visualization
www.inplainsite.org