I will be posting a really big post soon!

Please be patient with me. I am working on a really large post and am hoping to be done with it within the coming week. It has to do with God and who He is. It will come with an audio sermon (by me) and will include over 600 links in the post! I hope you will keep checking back to view this blog. I just felt it was necessary to do this work leading into 2009.

Do you know who God is?

Is Jesus "your" best friend??

Merry Christmas!

May you all have a Merry Christmas filled with the blessings that only come from God!

Penn and tell-him

This video shows that a Christian CAN touch the heart of a lost soul. This video is just the beginning. It is the seed that was planted. Keep this man in your prayers. This could be the start of a changed life that he could never imagine as being possible. Have you reached out to a lost sinner today? The question is not, Have you reached out to a lost sinner? The question is, have you reached out to a lost sinner TODAY? Just one person a day will make 365 witnessing opportunities for the year. 2009 is fast approaching us. How about making it a goal to reach at least, one person each day! Can you imagine reaching just 3 people each day. That would translate into over 1000 witnessing opportunities for the year of 2009. Now compare that to what you did for 2008.

pretty sad to see just how little we have done for the kingdom of God, isn't it?

Contend for the Faith!

This video is making the rounds on the Internet. How pathetic it is that these actors can depict Jesus the way they do. Jack Black is blasphemous at best in his portrayal of Jesus. He is treading dangerous waters that he knows not what he is doing!

And people wonder why I get so upset that Christians are not out preaching the gospel to EVERY creature the way we are COMMANDED to do! The people on that stage have no clue, they are blinded to the Truth. How many more people must go to hell because we as Christians don't care enough to tell people the Truth of God's Word?

Jude 1:3-4 (New King James Version)

Contend for the Faith

3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God[a] and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Are you contending for the faith?
if not, why not?

There are too many churches out there that are falling for the acceptance of homosexuality all in the name of "diversity." (Are you listening to me UM churches and others?)

It is time to stand up for the faith. Be bold! Be loving! But be a CHRISTIAN who truly follows God and believes in Jesus as Lord and Savior. If you believe Him to be your homeboy, then you have not placed your trust in the Lord. Humble yourself before God, ask for forgiveness and then ask for boldness to preach the gospel to every creature! That display by Jack Black is completely blasphemous and it should terribly offend every Christian! His lack of knowledge of the Bible goes to show that people who have a "little" knowledge can be dangerous for their own good. How many people have attended church only to later have no idea who Jesus really is? How many of those people have no idea of what the Word of God's says? We must do our part.

Are you ready for the challenge? Watching this video should open your eyes as to what we are up against. Fight and Contend for the faith!

Christian-based website sued and forced to promote gay agenda

The following article was found on HumanEvents.com website. eHarmony which is an online dating service geared towards Christians, has been sued. They lost the suit and now must provide a service to gays looking for other gays. What other hallmarks of the Christian faith will be attacked in the coming years? I mentioned that the country voted Obama into the presidency and that we "had asked for it!"

The global acceptance of Obama as President of the USA is widely accepted as a "good thing."

other headlines found on the Foxnews site include:

Texas Teacher Arrested for Giving Topless Photo to Boy, 14
[2008-11-19]
Kansas City Student Could Face Charges for Hugging School Social Worker
[2008-11-19]
Brad Pitt Says Daughter Shiloh Wants Name Changed to 'John'
[2008-11-18]

Search On for Teen Son of Dead Lesbian Fugitive
[2008-11-19]

Suspects in 1998 Hot Tub Murder Found Dead After TV Profile on Case

What has happened to the America that we grew up with? Why is it that morality has gone out the window? Surprised? Don't be. This is just the beginning!

Read the following article and pray because our freedom is going to be under attack here at home. Are you ready for it?

The 'Fairness Doctrine' Comes to eHarmony
by A.W.R. Hawkins
11/24/2008

When news broke last week that the homosexual lobby in New Jersey had won a decision against online dating service eHarmony, we were once again reminded that the pursuit of “equal rights” for homosexuals is often an attempt to impose their agenda. It would behoove us to learn from this that the Left, and particularly the militant homosexual wing of the Left, will not stop until they have defiled all that we hold dear and have corrupted all we hold incorruptible. In what proved to be another case of discrimination victim (gay Eric McKinley) vs. business owner and “bigot” (Neil Clark Warren, founder eHarmony), we learned that McKinley had gotten his little feelings hurt when he learned that eHarmony had no options for men to meet men on their website. According to USA Today, when McKinley saw that only straight couples could meet on eHarmony he found it “very frustrating… very humiliating to think that other people can do it and I can't." McKinley filed suit in 2005, and with the help of the New Jersey Civil Rights Division, reached a settlement which resulted in eHarmony paying $5,000 to McKinley, $50,000 to the New Jersey Civil Rights Division, and opening a sister site for gays which will “include photos of same-sex couples, as well as individual same-sex users, in advertising materials used to promote its same-sex matching services.”

For years, bloggers and writers for www.queerly.com have asked why those “bastards” at eHarmony “discriminate against queers?” And they have been especially outraged that Warren founded eHarmony with ties to that “homo-hater” Dr. James Dobson at Focus on the Family. Pay attention folks: There’s a plot afoot here. When Leftists cry “discrimination” they are usually criticizing the exercise of someone else’s choice in the name of choice (imagine that). Sites like “queerly,” groups like GLAD or NAMBLA, and books that extol “queer theory” spread their vileness by casting everything in a negative light via the presumption that every person or entity that does not include homosexuals is anti-gay (which would be like saying the owner of a knife store is necessarily anti-gun). Thus homosexual lobbyists presume Warren purposely founded his site to exclude gays instead of adopting the more rational posture that he created the site to appeal to his Christian customers. What the gay community does not often admit is the fact that www.match.com has had a site where men can look for other men for some time. But militant gays aren’t happy with having only some options available to them – they want all options available to them. Regardless of who owns the sites (or businesses), and regardless of what religious affiliation that site (or business) might have, every knee shall bow to the gay agenda or face discriminatory charges. (See folks, it’s not the pursuit of equal rights that’s taking place here; it’s the attempt to impose an agenda.) The other reason I bring up the fact that www.match.com provides dating/relationship services for homosexuals is to demonstrate once more that the tactics of the Left are not simply anti-choice but anti-free market. Ideally, a business survives in the free market by offering a service for which customers are willing to pay. If enough customers want a service that is not offered and you have the capital to start a business that offers it, then you have an opportunity to make quite bit of money. And there are many such opportunities because the tastes and desires of American customers are diverse. But militant gays cannot tolerate diversity. Therefore, instead of launching their own version of eHarmony they go to court, interfere with the market, and force Warren to allow homosexuals to form relationships on his website.

This is exactly what our incoming president and the Leftists in congress want to do to privately owned radio stations. Even though the Left already has liberal talk radio via tax-payer-funded N.P.R. and the glorious “Air America” network, which has proven unable to attract the advertising dollars necessary to pay staff salaries, they want to tell the rest of America’s radio station owners what can and cannot be aired based on political ideology. It’s not that they will then listen to the stations; it’s just that they want to control the stations. As you read various opinions about McKinley v. eHarmony remember that the people who were truly discriminated against were those who had chosen eHarmony over other relationship services (such as match.com) because of its Christian principles as well as the stockholders of eHarmony who own it because it had a specific niche in the market. (I say “had” instead of “has” because it’s novel feature was greatly diminished thanks to the outcome of the case in New Jersey.)And no matter what the bloggers at queerly.com write you must also remember that this: like all other leftist endeavors, was simply a power play. If you don’t believe me, consider this: After the decision against eHarmony was made in McKinley’s favor, USA Today reported that he said he “might consider” using the site now. In other words, after all the suing, all the “discrimination,” and all the hurt feelings, he’s not even sure he wants to use eHarmony; but he was certainly sure he wanted to punish the site’s founder for making a decision with which he did not agree.

HUMAN EVENTS columnist AWR Hawkins has been published on topics including the U.S. Navy, Civil War battles, Vietnam War ideology, the Reagan Presidency, and the Rebirth of Conservatism, 1968-1988. More of his articles can be found at www.awrhawkins.com.

Who is watching you?

Pretty good message from the heart of a child. It is so true that we as Christians are being watched. Our kids and our grandkids will be watching us to see if what we "say" we believe is really true in our lives.

I want to encourage each person to be a person of integrity.
When presented with the opportunity to present the gospel of Jesus Christ will you...
1. tell a story about yourself?
2. tell a bunch of jokes accompanied with a bunch of stories about yourself?
3. or will you tell people what they need to hear? The truth! The whole gospel message?

Our kids are watching us as parent, as leaders, and they are even watching the pastor's. If pastor's talk more about their own lives than they do about Jesus, then it really shows where their heart truly lies.

We should be preaching Christ and Him crucified!

It is the power of the gospel to change lives. We must not soften the gospel with stories about ourselves. I know some people will say that Jesus used parables. He did it so that His disciples would gain knowledge but that the truth would remain hidden to some. Herein lies the problem...
We are not commanded to go into all the world preaching parables about ourselves to all creatures in every land.

We are commanded to preach, read that again...
WE ARE COMMANDED TO PREACH the gospel to every creature.

Why not do it the way Jesus did? The way Paul did it? The way Peter did it? The way the other Disciples did it?

They all used the Law to convict the person of their sins. The Law was used to break the heart of the self righteous person and then they used God's grace to humble the broken heart. It is a wonderful example of how to reach a lost soul.

Psalm 19:7
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.

Romans 3:19-20
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 7:7
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”

Unless someone knows they have sinned against an Almighty, Holy God, then they will never come to a saving knowledge of exactly WHY Jesus died on the cross.

All the story telling in the world about your family will do nothing to further the Kingdom of God. It is time we get back to the Bible and preach it unashamedly. Christ and Him crucified!

People are watching us in how we live our lives. They will also see how important Jesus is to us by the way we "present" Him to the nations. When we die to self, we no longer preach about "us" but rather we preach Jesus and Him alone!

more church neglect...

You have to wonder what is going on in our churches.

A while back our youth leader was let go from our church. I had confronted him a while back about his myspace site that he had. As I visited his site, I noticed that he had some inappropriate songs on there (the "F" word being prominently used in many of the songs!). At the top of his page he mentioned that he was a youth leader at our church. I sent him a friendly email just saying that he might want to remove the songs before he gets in trouble. He fired back that it was not my place to judge him. No matter what I said, it all came down to his saying I had no right to judge him. He would quote Scripture such as take the plank out of your own eye, and do not judge! I showed him how scripturally, he was wrong in his assessment of what I did. I showed him how the Bible says we should discern truth from error. We are to help our brothers and sisters. I showed him the compete scriptures that says to remove the plank from your own eye so you can help with the speck in the other person's eye. He came back filled with anger and hatred.

I did not need to say anything to anyone else. Obviously, someone else saw his site too and it came to the attention of the pastors of the church. He ended up putting a block on his site so no one except his "friends" could see it, not even the pastors. Just recently, an issue came up where the computer he was using was filled with pornography. He lived with an elderly couple in the church. They did an investigation and found over 45 pages worth of porn websites that he had visited. His response was that someone "set him up!"

He was given a chance to repent. He chose to call everyone in the church a liar. He was asked to step down from his position as youth leader. He sent text messages to all of the youth telling them to not go to our church and to our youth group meetings.

We just found out that he is now an assistant youth leader at a Nazarine Church in town. That church did not do a reference check on him before hiring him into this position. They have just gotten a man who feels it is okay to use the "F" word, it is okay to talk about sex openly with the kids (not in a biblical way) and to view pornography on the Internet.

Is it any wonder that our kids are lost when they graduate from high school?

What will it take for churches to finally look for biblical preachers and biblical leaders of the youth? There is much damage control that needs to be done within our own church since he has left. Praise God that we had 15 kids come back this past week! We are going to give them good old fashioned biblical teachings! They will learn what sin is and what the consequences are. At the same time, they will also learn about the love of God and "why" Jesus had to die on the cross.

Please keep our church in your prayers. There is some division that has occurred because of this. One of the pastor's has taken the hit for releasing this person from his position. Without divulging all of the details, he can only say that it had to be done. Please keep him in your prayers too!

Put your faith and trust in Jesus.
Repent of your sins and be obedient to His Word!
Go into all the world preaching the gospel to every creature!!

Do you see the danger?

The following article is taken from The Telegraph out of London.

Traffic lights removed in latest 'shared space' road experiment
Traffic lights, road signs and markings have been removed from a major street in the most radical "shared space" experiment in Britain.

By Matthew Moore
Last Updated: 2:40AM GMT 15 Nov 2008

Pedestrians crossing a section of the ring road in Ashford, Kent are encouraged to step out in front of cars as all road users – whether on foot, on a bike or in a car – share equal priority.

The scheme is designed to improve road safety by spreading uncertainty. Similar "shared space" schemes in the Netherlands have suggested that motorists take more care when they are forced to engage with potential hazards, rather than simply following signs.

The road near the centre of Ashford has had four sets of lights removed, been relaid with bricks rather than tarmac and narrowed to force drivers to cut their speeds. The kerbs have also been lowered.

People wishing to cross the road should first make eye contact with approaching drivers. This has led to criticism from blind charities, who claim that blind people will be unable to negotiate a crossing.

Richard Stubbings, Kent County Council's project manager on the £13million scheme, said that he believed road users would get used to the new system, which is intended to promote mutual consideration.

"We needed to remove the concrete collar which was choking Ashford," he told The Times.

"We accept it will take a bit of getting used to but we believe the ending segregation between cars and pedestrians will make roads safer and more civilised."

Schemes to declutter British roads have been tested in Kensington High Street in London – where pedestrian barriers were removed – and other towns including Sherford in Devon and Waterlooville in Hampshire, but this the first time that traffic lights have been removed.

Last week it emerged that Kent County Council had spent £15,000 on a DVD to teach adults to cross the new road.

*****************************************************
I am sure there are people reading this who would say...
Hey, that's pretty clever. I think it would make people slow down instead of just watching for the signs.

Now, let's contrast that with todays contemporary church.

Todays church says, "people are tired of looking for 'signs' from God. What they really want is the opportunity to 'experience' God in a personable way!"

The message gets watered down so it will be more pleasing to the people. Here is an interview that John MacArthur did with Paul Edwards. He is talking about the Emergent movement and the Seeker-Sensitive Churches. They have tried to come up with "new" ideas and ways to present the gospel message. The problem is, there gospel message is no gospel message. It is soft at best and damning at worst.

The Emergent Church is a Form of Paganism




Paul Edwards, host of “The Paul Edwards Program” on WLQV in Detroit, interviewed pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church John MacArthur about the emerging church movement in America. Paul begins the interview by asking Pastor John to respond to a radio interview with prominent emerging church leader Doug Pagitt. In the clip from October 22, 2007, Pagitt denied that there is a place of eternal conscious torment for persons who die apart from faith in Jesus Christ. Paul Edwards : Help me with this—the emerging church prides itself on conversation, having a conversation, so let’s have a conversation. How can you have a conversation with someone, when you’re not even speaking the same language?









John MacArthur: Let me just cut to the chase on this one: [Doug] Pagitt is a Universalist. What he was saying is real simple. He was saying when you die your spirit goes to God and judgment means that whatever was not right about you, whatever was bad about you, whatever was substantially lacking about you, gets all resolved. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Buddhist, a Hindu or a Muslim—doesn’t matter whether you’re a Christian really; we’re all going to end up in this wonderful, warm and fuzzy relationship with God. That’s just classic universalism.

I think you know it’s most helpful, Paul, to go back and kind of recast how we view these people. He’s not a pastor; he’s not a Christian; that’s not a church. When you call yourself a Christian and you call yourself a pastor and you say you have a church, all of that has to be—to be legitimate—defined biblically. And if it’s not, that’s not a church and you’re not a pastor and you’re not even a Christian.

What you have here is a form of false religion … A form of paganism that basically wants to be thought of as Christian because it gains a certain ground. But the underlying bottom line of this whole emerging movement is they don’t believe in any doctrine, they don’t believe in any theology. They don’t want to be forced to interpret anything in scripture a certain way and the out is, “Well the Bible isn’t clear anyway.” In other words, we don’t know what it means; we can’t know what it means.

Brian McLaren says nobody has ever gotten it right—we haven’t got it right now—so let’s not make an issue out of anything. Let’s just be open to everything. Let’s not take a position on theology, or for that matter, on morality or behavior because, hey, there’s no judgment anyway so we’re all going to end up in God in some ethereal, eternal relationship. And that’s just non-Christian. It is blatantly, flagrantly non-Christian. It’s as non-Christian as any false religion.

Edwards : [When “Emergents” and many seeker-sensitive church advocates say “We do church a certain way,”] it seems to me that they do it by totally ignoring the book of Acts and the Epistles.

MacArthur: I’m going to seem anachronistic if not an outright dinosaur at this point. I believe the church has one function, and that is to guard the truth, to proclaim the truth and to live the truth. So you take the Word of God, you teach it, you proclaim it, you protect it, you defend it, and you live it, and that’s a church. The Word of God rightly divided, rightly understood.

That’s not the idea in a seeker church; that’s not the idea certainly in an emerging church. Everything becomes style and contextualization and everything is built around the manipulation of people’s hot buttons as if we were selling a product like any other product in our culture. This fails to understand that the only real power in the spiritual realm is Divine and that God works His power through His truth, and that’s all that matters.

I think the illusion of success is created by crowds. You’ve probably heard recently that Bill Hybels, who is the guru of the seeker movement, has openly confessed that they did a big survey and found they’ve been doing it wrong.

Edwards : “We made a mistake,” he said.

MacArthur: Yes, we made a mistake. And so, the solution is—one of the lines in the statement was—we gotta get a blank piece of paper and start all over again. That’s exactly the problem. Why do you want a blank piece of paper when you have all kinds of paper full with the Word of God?

Edwards : Right.

MacArthur: If you want a biblical mandate and you want to do ministry biblically, you teach and preach the Word. I don’t think it matters whether you have smoke and mirrors. I don’t think it matters whether you wear a tie, or don’t wear a tie, whether you wear a black T-shirt and holes in your knees or a blue suit. (I think there are reasons to go with the suit rather the grunge approach—of dignity, respect, sober mindedness, seriousness, loftiness, etc, etc.)

At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is that we proclaim the Word of God. Look, I’ve been doing this for so long, and I haven’t changed anything. Contexts come, contexts go; fads come, fads go; styles come, styles go. I just keep doing the same thing. We show up on Sunday morning, we sing a little bit, we pray, we open the Word of God and explain His meaning to the people. The people just keep coming and coming and what I say goes around the world, on radio, and then it gets transferred into 50 languages and books and commentaries because [the Word] knows no boundaries. It knows no cultural restraint, because the Word of God is transcendent.

Edwards : One of the things I get most frustrated about is whenever people like you who are standing for truth point out the error both in the emergent church and in the seeker movement people will immediately run to 1 Corinthians 9 and begin screaming, “You know Paul said, ‘I became all things to all men,’ which means to the grunge I become as grunge, to the Universalist I become as a Universalist.” But in 1 Corinthians 9 Paul isn’t saying that we compromise the message and we become whatever the audience needs us to be in order to make the gospel palatable.

MacArthur: Well, of course not. All he is saying is there’s a foundation in the proclamation of the gospel with the Jew and there’s a different starting point with the Gentile. If I’m going to evangelize a Jew, I’m going to start with the Old Testament because that’s the substantial basis. So every time the Apostle Paul preached to the Jews he started with the Scripture—the Old Testament Scripture. Every time he evangelized Gentiles he started with creation. For example, in Acts 14 and Acts 17 he talks about the unknown God. Who is the unknown God? He’s the God who made everything—that was the foundation.

All he is saying in 1 Corinthians 9 is you must understand the starting point of your audience and here’s the point: ideologically. In other words, how do they think ideologically, philosophically, religiously? What are the ideas, the theories, the viewpoints that they hold? It’s not about identifying with their lifestyle; it’s not about being able to converse about every episode of South Park, every R-rated movie and every Rap song—that’s not it at all.

How do people think religiously, how do they perceive truth?—those are the starting points that Paul was establishing. That’s a far cry from saying that to reach this generation we must do their music, we must dress the way they dress, we must live the way they live, we must be familiar with the baser components of their culture. That’s a million miles from what the Apostle Paul had in mind. He was talking about those things that controlled their thought process and their worldview.

************************************************************************************************

Well said John. If only more pastor's would stay with the Truth instead of inventing their own idea of truth. Oh, and did you notice one line in the first article out of London? It said, "This has led to criticism from blind charities, who claim that blind people will be unable to negotiate a crossing."

Was there any concern for the blind person not being able to cross the road. Apparently not! I guess it is okay for "some" people to die in order to satisfy the majority.

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death. Proverbs 14:12

יֵשׁ דֶּרֶךְ יָשָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִישׁ וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ דַּרְכֵי־מָֽוֶת׃ 14:12

ways of death=a path, a way, a journey, a road, a direction, a manner.

The Word of God should be the standard that we live by. Are we leading others to death by not sharing the full gospel message with them? When we allow "man" to dictate what should be preached in church instead of the Holy Spirit directing us, then we have failed as pastors and as leaders.

The church needs to get back to biblical preaching and teaching. All roads DO lead to God! There are MANY ways to God, just ask Oprah Winfrey! While all roads will lead to God, it is the narrow road, the one that follows Jesus as Lord and Savior that will lead to Heaven, it is all of the other roads that will lead to God as Judge and ultimately to Hell. Be looking for those signs. God has told us what we can expect in the future.

Luke 13:5 says, "I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

Luke 13:23-28 says, Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?" And He said to them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from,' then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.' But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.

Which road are you on? Does it have accidents just waiting to happen? Or, are you safely in the care of our loving God? If you or your pastor are preaching a message that is not completely, accurately, and truthfully taken fropm the Word of God, then you might as well be the blind person trying to cross a street without a light to stop the traffic. Death is waiting for you!

John 10:10 says, The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have [it] more abundantly. (You can have life that leads to heaven! It is not about being rich on earth. It is about living a life that is full, rewarding, extraordinary, uncommon, more remarkable and more excellent!)

Joel Osteen and Paul Washer

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3

It takes discernment as a Christian to recognize proper biblical preaching and teaching. Have you been using discernment in your listening? The difference is frightening and it can have eternal consequences. Now, think about your friends who follow after Joel Osteen and his teachings. Are they saved?

It is time to DEMAND that your church properly preach God's Word. Do not let your pastor off with smushy, soft-core gospel preaching. Do not let him get away with only giving "feel good" messages without talking about sin and the need to repent of those sins that we do.

You asked for it! continued...

The following article was found on ABCnews website.

There are some interesting comments that we should be aware of. As you read this article, I want you think about the coming Antichrist. I am not saying that Obama is the antichrist. This is only used to show you how easily the whole world might be willing to follow one man!

Much of the World Applauds Obama
From Kenya to Britain, Indonesia to Korea, Many People See Signs of Hope
By JIM SCIUTTO and ZOE MAGEE

LONDON, England, Nov 5, 2008

With unprecedented news coverage worldwide, this year's presidential election had already captured the globe's attention. Now, it has delivered a winner who is capturing the world's imagination. World leaders, normally diplomatic in their official statements, were unusually effusive in their praise for President-elect Barack

The president-elect is receiving great fanfare from countries around the globe.More Photos
"I applaud the American people for their courage and the great morality that they showed," Afghan President Hamid Karzai said. French President Nicolas Sarkozy was even more glowing in a letter to Obama: "In choosing you, the American people have chosen the path of change, openness and optimism. Your election raises immense hope in France, Europe and beyond: the hope of an open America."

Nelson Mandela, as qualified as he is complimentary in his comments, gushed, "Your victory has demonstrated that no person anywhere in the world should not dare to dream of wanting to change the world for a better place."

Newspapers at first stumbled over each other to declare Obama the winner, and then to find the language to match the moment.

Britain
The sense of global excitement is palpable in Britain, the United States' closest ally. Even before the results officially came in, the British press was both confident and biased: Headlines read "Gobama!" (Daily Mirror); "The History Man" (The Independent); and "Yanks Very Much" (The Star).

Obama's victory is being especially heralded among the young in London. "Obama is an inspiration, especially as an orator," 23-year-old Alexandra Demper told ABCNews. "We can't quite say what the effects will be for Britain yet, but it is a great change for America."
Of course, not everyone is pleased with the result. A taxi driver and former police officer told ABCNews: "An amateur is now the most powerful person in the world. A salesman is all Obama is. He has no experience in foreign affairs."

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown sent his "sincere congratulations" to the U.S. president-elect, saying Obama would be a "true friend to Britain."
Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition, David Cameron, said Obama's victory has restored America's status as a "beacon of hope."

Kenya
But nowhere in the world was the news greeted with more emotion than in Obama's father's home village in Kenya. Kenya's president declared Thursday a national holiday to celebrate the victory. Ouma, Obama's half-sister, seemed exhausted by all the attention her normally sleepy village has garnered in recent weeks. "It's been tough; I won't lie," she said. "You guys have been really ... you're persistent. You're stubborn, so it's been hard." But she quickly acknowledged the pride she felt when Obama mentioned her in his acceptance speech.
"I did have someone come in and say, 'Ooh I'm gonna shake the hand of the lady who was mentioned by the president of the United States of America,'" she said.

Global Reaction to Obama's Win
Indonesia
As in Kenya, the celebrations in Indonesia had a personal tone.

President-elect Barack Obama smiles during his acceptance speech at Grant Park in Chicago Tuesday night, Nov. 4, 2008.(Morry Gash/AP Photo)More Photos
At the school Obama attended as a child in Indonesia, children cheered. Former childhood classmates, teachers and friends of Obama, who have followed his career, said they'd been waiting for this emotional moment for a long, long time. One of them was Rully Dasad, who refers to the president-elect, his third-grade classmate, as Barry. "I'm very grateful, thank God for him that finally he reached, achieved, what he's been seeking all this time," he said. "Good luck, Barry." Another classmate, Dewi Asmara Oetoyo, said, "After a long, long rally of campaign, he did it. We are so happy for him and his family and also we are so proud of him."
There is a hope here in Indonesia that Obama will help bridge the gap between the two countries and cultures. "I believe Obama would be able to restore the trust, the confidence, the hope, of Indonesians towards Americans," said Todung Mulya Lubis, CEO of Transparency International-Indonesia, a nongovernmental organization addressing corruption. "This is a really good and historical moment, for both countries."

Italy
In Italy, Romans on the street this morning were openly excited by the results.
Drinking their coffees and cappuccinos, some called the election results "real democracy." Many had watched Obama's victory speech this morning before they left home; it aired live before 5 a.m. Italian time. Though most didn't seem sure about how Obama as president would or could change things for them, they were especially relieved that this marked the end of the Bush era.
"Of course, it affects me," said Filippo at his newsstand this morning, as he happily handed out papers with Obama on all the front pages. "This is change. Not like that Bush. ... Oh mamma mia." One commentator on television this morning summed up the country's mood, saying, "While the rest of the world is questioning America's supremacy as world leader, Americans elect a true postmodern politician, one who encapsulates the whole American dream in one person."

South Korea
But popular fascination with Obama is already yielding to hard questions in some countries.
In South Korea, young people cheered for Obama. Chung Han-Ho, a 24-year-old student, told ABC News that "I have high hopes for him. He will put an end to racism around the world."
South Korean leaders, however, fear Obama's stance on diplomatic and trade issues with the two Koreas. South Korea is waiting for the U.S. Congress to ratify a free-trade agreement, which Obama has said he opposes, claiming that it gives U.S. automakers too little access to the South Korean market. Denuclearization of North Korea is another big issue. Obama mentioned that he would meet Kim Jong-Il in person for direct talks, a meeting that North Korea has long wanted but that the Bush administration has denied. The prospect of direct talks is not welcomed by the conservative South Korean government, which believes that it would only increase the unpredictability in North-South relations and might even relegate South Korea to the sidelines.

Future Change in Policies?
Pakistan
Obama-mania has not reached fever pitch everywhere. In Pakistan and elsewhere in the Muslim world, many doubt any new U.S. president can make real changes in what they see as hostile American policy. In Pakistan, most people are skeptical that President Barack Obama will change U.S. policies there. "It really didn't matter whether it was [John] McCain or Obama," 38-year-old Mohammad Fasil Aziz said. "It was going to be the same policies implemented."
Among others, however, especially among the elite, there is hope that Obama will at least focus more on economic development than on CIA drone attacks inside Pakistan. "There's a belief that Obama will certainly pursue policies that will move the United States away from the policies pursued by the Bush administration," said Tariq Fatmi, a former Pakistani ambassador to the United States. "Redirect the relationship towards one of economic engagement, support for people-oriented programs. Present America as a promoter of good rather than a messenger of death and destruction."

Israel
And nowhere, perhaps, does America have the reputation of such a messenger moreso than in the Middle East. Much will hinge on Obama's Israel policy and his ability to bring peace to this fractious region. Most Israelis have been captivated by his charisma, his youthfulness and skills of communication. Many say they wish they had a politician like Obama there. Israelis will be voting in their own elections in February. During the long campaign the majority of Israelis and their political commentators have become convinced that a President Obama will not compromise on Israel's main preoccupation, security. If there are reservations, they concern his apparent desire to engage with America's enemies in the Middle East. He has said he will talk with Iran about its nuclear ambitions, which makes some Israelis nervous. A nuclear Iran is their No. 1 fear and, despite today's euphoria, some there will be wondering if the future president will be tough enough on Tehran.

Iraq
Obama's stance on Iraq has been a cornerstone of his campaign. He wants to bring troops home within the first 16 months of his presidency. This policy made headlines earlier in the year after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki appeared to use Obama's plan of a 2010 troop withdrawal during negotiations with the Bush administration. Many interpreted this as an oblique endorsement of Obama by Maliki. But this does not mean all will be clear sailing between Maliki and Obama.
The Iraqi prime minister is more concerned with playing to an internal audience and consolidating his power in upcoming local elections. Iraq's state broadcaster, al Iraqia Television, which Maliki controls, chose not to carry any of the live coverage of Tuesday's elections or even report the results in its regular morning broadcast. Al Iraqia's decision to ignore the American election is seen by some as a more calculated message from the government, designed to show that Iraq is truly a sovereign nation not the least bit concerned about who will lead the United States for the next four years. Indeed, when asked their opinions about Barack Obama's historic victory, many people in the streets of Baghdad on their way to work this morning had the same question: When will the Americans go home? "The Iraqi people were hoping that Barack Obama would win the U.S. presidential elections because Iraqis know that he issued orders to withdraw the troops," one elderly man wearing traditional dress said. "Iraqis are optimistic about this decision." But another man wasn't as hopeful about an immediate change in U.S. policy: "Obama's victory won't change anything because U.S. interests in Iraq and the whole Middle East region are selfish," he said. "U.S. policy is all the same, whether it's Barack or McCain."

World Reacts to New U.S. President-Elect
Russia
Many in Russia are equally doubtful of a positive change. The mood on the chilly streets of Moscow is the same as it is most days, with some Russians pleased to hear that Obama will be the next president of the United States, but most ambivalent to the news. The Russian headlines read "America opens itself" and "America made a historical choice," but for most Russians, America is still regarded with distrust, irrespective of its leader. Svetlana, a cleaning lady in Moscow, told ABC News, "I can't really say that I am happy or sad that Obama won, we still have so many problems with America." Still, Russia's Communist Party leader, Gennady Zyuganov, said, "His election is a choice in favor of a younger and more modern America, which is now completely disappointed in George W. Bush's policy resulting in extremely hard times for the country's economy, in which a financial crisis is raging." President Medvedev offered Obama his congratulations unusually late in the day and was not particularly effusive in his telegram, citing "solid positive potential" between the two countries.

China
The Chinese president sent an equally official sounding message to Obama. "China and the United States share broad common interests and important responsibilities on a wide range of major issues concerning the well-being of humanity." Ordinary Chinese reacted to the U.S. election with a combination of curiosity and indifference. In Tiananmen Square in Beijing, which attracks tourists from across China, several people had a vague recollection of the name "Obama" from reading newspapers, but didn't know that he won the presidential election.
But some Chinese who don't normally follow U.S. politics have been observing Obama and believe his race helps him relate to "ordinary" people.

Japan
But one place where his election was greeted with almost unbridled joy was the sleepy seaside town in Japan that shares a name with the president-to-be. The people of Obama came out to the streets and danced in celebration at the news. And, in Tokyo, Obama's words gave one resident hope for a new-world order. "His speech was heartwarming," said Fusae Asano, a 64-year-old homemaker. "Through his speech, I get this idea that he wants all of us to unite, it is one world and we are all one. Although he will be the president of a foreign country, his speech made me cry."

***************************************************************

It is one world and we are all one...

CARM website says this about the antichrist.

Who or what is the antichrist?
The term antichrist is only found in the epistles of John (4:3; Dan.7:8,22, "While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth uttering great boasts...22 I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them." 1 John 4:3 John says that all who do not confess Jesus are of the spirit of the antichrist, "and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world." The cults such as Mormonism, the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Christadelphians, the Christian Scientists, etc., are all of the Spirit of the antichrist since they deny the true Lord and Savior, Jesus.

****************************************************************

Again, I want to say that I am not saying Obama is the antichrist. I use this article as a way of showing people just how real the threat of a new world order can be to us. People around the world are hailing Obama as some sort of great man. And yet, they really know nothing about him. In the Last Days, people WILL follow after a man who will make promises. And that man will proclaim himself to be as god. The time is NOW. We must prepare ourselves for the coming antichrist. How do we do that?

Get into God's Word.

Read it

Believe it

Live it

Share it

Know what is coming in the future and realize that if you are someone you know is not saved, then it is so important to do what the Lord calls us to do.

Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior

Be obedient to His Word

Fulfill the Great Commission by going out into the world and preaching the gospel to every creature.

It is His will that the redeemed of the Lord shall all be gathered together on earth as in heaven!

Are you doing your part? Are you talking to people about Jesus. Are you a true convert that was planted on good soil, or are you a false convert that will blow away at the first sign of trouble?

We need to examine ourselves daily to see that we are in the faith!

You asked for it!

Obama wins the election.
You asked for it!

Obama wins the electoral college votes.
You asked for it!

Obama wants to bring in change!
You asked for it!

Can you remember a time when people asked for something and God gave it to them?

1 Samuel 8 comes to mind...
Israel Demands a King 1 Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5 and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. 9 Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” 10 So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked him for a king. 11 And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. 12 He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. 16 And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men,[a] and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. 18 And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you in that day.” 19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the LORD. 22 So the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed their voice, and make them a king.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city.”

What have we as a nation asked for in this new president?
Be very careful for what you ask for! God is giving us what we as a nation asked for.

Religious freedom out the window??
Abortions run rampant and increase??
Taxes raised to help fund the abortions??
Gas prices will sky-rocket within the next couple of months??

Immorality will reign over our country. It has already begun and it is only going to get worse. Can you feel the Last Day's are upon us?

Put everything to prayer.
Spend your time reaching out to the lost before it is too late. There is not much time left. If we are not doing the Lord's work, then we are wasting our time. God is looking for obedience to His Word, not just smushy, lovey-dovey kind of love for God. He wants to see action. Doing His will while we are still on this earth.

If He comes back today, are you ready? Are your friends saved? Family members saved?
Or are you just concerned about yourself and meeting "your" needs?

You asked for a president to lead this country. Where will he lead us?
I don't know what the future holds with our president but I do know what the future holds for us from God.

Put your faith and trust in God while there is still time. Repent of your sins and be obedient to His Word.

The world is going down hill fast! Is this what you want for us?
You asked for it

College Flyers promote SEX TOY SALE

Our local 4-yr college has signs posted all over the college promoting a Sex Toy Sale. I finally had enough, I had to post my own flyers! Below is a copy of the letter I posted all over campus! Would you have done the same thing?*****************************************************************
God is watching!
Time doesn’t forgive sin. If a man commits murder on Monday, but on Tuesday he is kind to others, he is still a murderer. If a man lies and steals, unless he comes to the Savior, his sins remain with him until he stands before God in judgment.

Time doesn’t forgive sin. If a man commits adultery (which Jesus goes on to say, “any one who looks at another person with lust is guilty of adultery with that person already) on Monday, but on Tuesday he is kind to others, he is still an adulterer. Unless he comes to the Savior, his sins remain with him until he stands before God in judgment.

Time doesn’t forgive sin. If a man dishonors his parents on Monday, but on Tuesday he is kind to his parents, he is still guilty of breaking God’s Commands. Unless he comes to the Savior, his sins remain with him until he stands before God in judgment.
The Bible says…
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8

Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

"I don’t mind going to hell. All my friends will be there."
Obviously, those who flippantly say such things don’t believe in the biblical concept of hell. Their understanding of the nature of God is erroneous. The slow-witted criminal thinks that the electric chair is a place to put up his feet for a while and relax. It may be wise therefore to speak with him for a few moments about the reasonableness of a place called hell.
Reason with him by saying, "If a judge in Florida turns a blind eye to the un-lawful dealings of the Mafia, if he sees their murderous acts and deliberately turns the other way, is he a good or bad judge? He’s obviously corrupt, and should be brought to justice him-self. If he is a good judge, he will do everything within his power to bring those murderers to justice. He should make sure that they are justly punished.
"If Almighty God sees a man rape and strangle to death your sister or mother, do you think He should look the other way, or bring that murderer to justice? If He looks the other way, He’s corrupt and should be brought to justice Himself. It makes sense then, that if God is good, He will do everything in His power to ensure justice is done. The Bible tells us that He will punish murderers, and the place of punishment—the prison God will send them to—is a place called hell.
"God should punish murderers and rapists. However, God is so good, he will also punish thieves, liars, adulterers, fornicators, and blasphemers. He will even punish those who desired to murder and rape but never took the opportunity. He warns that if we hate someone, we commit murder in our hearts. If we lust, we commit adultery in the heart, etc."
Then take the time to tell him of the reality of hell. Sinners like to picture hell as a fun, hedonistic, pleasure-filled place where they can engage in all the sensual sins that are forbidden here. But Jesus said that it is a place of torment, where the worm never dies and the fire is never quenched (Matthew 9:45-47). We tend to forget what pain is like when we don’t have it. Can you begin to imagine how terrible it would be to be in agony, with no hope of relief? Many human beings go insane if they are merely isolated for a long time from other people. Imagine how terrible it would be if God merely withdrew all the things we hold so dear—friendship, love, color, light, peace, joy, laughter, and security. Hell isn’t just a place with an absence of God’s blessings, it is punishment for sin. It is literal torment, forever. That’s why the Bible warns that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

God has given His Law to convince men of their sins, and unless a sinner is convinced that he has sinned against God, he won’t see that hell is his eternal destiny. He may consider it a fit place for others, but not for himself. That’s why we mustn’t hesitate to open up the Law and show that each individual is personally responsible for sin, and that God’s wrath abides on him because of it. Ask him to consider why you would say such things to him if it wasn’t true. Tell him to examine your motives. You are so concerned for his eternal welfare that you are prepared to risk offending him.
Then ask him if he would sell an eye for a million dollars. Would he sell both for ten million? No one in his right mind would. Our eyes are precious to us. How much more then is our eternal soul worth?

Most of the above parts of this post were taken from the Evidence Bible.
www.evidencebible.com brought to you by Way of the Master! Thanks Ray Comfort!

Are you ready for it?

http://news.aol.com/article/space-station-trash-plunging-to-earth/234755?icid=100214839x1211845551x1200752764

Something the size of a refridgerator will be plummeting down towards the earth at 100 miles per hour this coming Sunday night, Nov 2, 2008. NASA does not seem too concerned. How about you? What if it hit your neighborhood. How many people do you know who are not saved? Any youth? Family? Friends? Are you going to tell them that God has a wonderful plan for their life?

We must present the whole gospel message. It is so important. Developing "friendship" evangelism is not going to get the job done. Someone might be dead sunday night as a result of this piece of junk falling from the sky.

What will you tell your friends and family members who are not saved?
Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand and put your faith and trust in Jesus alone to save you! Without that, there is no salvation!

Bashed by another pastor! (again!)

I was recently asked to be a clergy leader for a Weekend experience (used to be called Chrysalis). My talk was supposed to be on "God Accepted." Those of you who have followed me for some time now can probably guess how my sermon went. It lasted 20 minutes.

Here is a copy of the outline I was supposed to follow.

Talk #8 God Accepted Clergy

Overview:
This talk will help the participants understand how one accepts or rejects the love that is being offered by God. Just as a person is able to choose whether or not to relate with others, they can choose whether or not to relate with God. Out and out denial is easy to recognize, but the subtleties of partial acceptance (partial denial) sometimes eludes us. A person finds fulfillment when one fully accepts the relationship offered by God.

Schedule:
Saturday, 6:00-6:20 p.m. (20 minutes)

Suggested Themes:
Your talk should follow the overview while still being your own story. You may use some of the suggested themes, your own ideas, or a mixture of the two as God leads you. You don’t need to follow the suggested themes in order. Remember that your talk should be about 20 minutes long.

· Remind participants of what is being offered to them.
· God offers forgiveness.
· God offers us a love relationship with Jesus Christ.
· God offers fulfillment and happiness.
· Discuss how a person can accept or reject a relationship with Christ. Remind candidates that this must be done of your own free will; parents or friends cannot accept Christ for you.
· We are persons of freewill, not puppets.
· Discuss the consequences of denying the relationship that God offers us. We will be cut off from God as describe in the vine and the branches in John 15:1-17.
· Discuss the benefits of accepting a relationship with Christ. We will hunger for God; we will find reconciliation, security and the peace that passes all understanding.
· Explain what can be hoped for when we say “yes” to a relationship with God.
· Explain what faith is and how a relationship with Christ is an expression of faith.
· Tell how faith is the foundation of the relationship with Christ.
· What does it mean to deny self? How does that affect my relationship with Jesus?
· Close with the 4 Spiritual Laws and pray the prayer of acceptance. Let the candidates know that they can pray silently. Let them know that if they prayed the prayer of acceptance and meant in their hearts what they prayed that they should seek out an adult on the team sometime this evening and confess with their mouths.

Suggested Scripture:
Spend time with God in prayer and in your Bible as you write and develop your talk. Some suggested scriptures are given below but God may also lead you to other verses and passages.

John 10:10 Jesus came so we may have life and have it to the full.
John 15:1 – 17 Jesus is the vine and we are the branches.
Acts 4:12 There is no other name by which we can be saved.
Romans 3:21 – 26 All have sinned and fallen short.
Romans 10:9 Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord.
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So with that in mind, here is what I told the group in our practice session.

I started off asking everyone there this question...
How many people here have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior?
(every hand went up)
I then asked this next question and it was silent!
How many people here have been accepted by God?

I had their attention! Now they were ready to listen.
I quoted John 3:16 and told them what the word "Believe" really means. I told them it was an action word based less on the intellect on more on the obedience of the believer.
I talked about sin and the need to repent. I talked about how Jesus' first words in ministry were, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Basically, I gave them the whole gospel message.

I told them about repentance, obedience, faith and trust. I gave them the example of putting the Lord Jesus on as told in the bible. An airplane is going to crash and you are told there is a parachute under the seat. What are you going to do with that parachute? Will you just believe that it will save you? NO! You will put it on. For without it, you will die! The same way with Jesus. Just believing is not good enough. Not if it is only an intellectual belief, for even the Devil believes and trembles. I followed all of that up with the Love of God in sending His Son to die on the cross for us. We do not have the right to make up our own set of rules on how to get into heaven. God has given us His Word and His Word tells us what we must do.

Repent of our sins, for without repentance, there is no salvation!
Put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone to save you!
Be obedient to His Word.
Be holy just as He is holy! Without holiness, no one will enter heaven!

I talked about the choice that each person must make. Their decision will have eternal consequences.

When the talk was over with, I went into another room with one other pastor and one of the team leaders of the Weekend. The team leader was all smiles and just said, WOW! You really hit it right on the head with that talk!!

The other pastor (a woman pastor of a methodist church)...
She scolded me in front of the other man. She said that she did not like the message. She kept repeating, "Where is the hope? Where is the hope? Had she listened to the sermon she would have heard me say that the only hope we have is in Jesus Christ. Otherwise, we are all destined for hell. She said I shouldn't have talked about the Law of God and about sin. She said that many people who will be listening on the Weekend will be atheist and they don't want to hear about sin. They want to hear about hope.

As far as she was concerned, the Holy Spirit had no chance of saving those people with my sermon. I had mentioned in the sermon how many people just sit in church and do not take their faith out into the streets where it belongs. She said I was attacking churches and she did not like that.

After we prayed we went back into the room of other people (a mix of adult leaders and high school boys who are acting as leaders too)
They all gave their reviews of my sermon.
They loved it! They all had that WOW statement.

It's as if they had never heard a sermon about repentance and how important it is to their walk with Christ. I pray that the lady pastor is convicted within her heart. She seems to be another one of those entertainment valued pastors. Tell a couple of jokes and then tell nothing but "feel good" messages. Mustn't offend anyone!!

I want to encourage all people reading this today.
You will all have opportunities to talk to someone about Christ. It might be the only opportunity you get. Will you give them a soft gospel filled with God's love and nothing else? Or, will you give them the whole gospel message of sin and the need to repent followed by God's love? If you do the first one, if they die without repenting of their sins, you have done them no favors by talking to them. Without repentance there is no salvation! Period!

I pray that you give them what they need to hear. If they are offended by God's Word (much like this lady pastor), then do not worry. It is not our job to do the "saving," we leave that up to God! Our job is to present the whole gospel message. Will you do it?

by the way, the lady pastor told me next time to be sure to follow the outline. What outline will you follow when talking to people? The best outline available is found in the Bible. Just do as Jesus and the Disciples did! Law to the Proud, Grace to the Humble!

Don't Pray Too Hard For Me! And, I am a Baptist, I can do what ever I want and just repent!

Can you imagine hearing these comments?

Aside from the fact that both comments are so far removed from being Biblical, there is just something eerily and strangely connected with both comments.

The rest of the story...
The first comment comes from a pastor's kid.
The second comment comes from the PK's "lover."



The first comment comes from a girl who has found that sex "feels so good." She says she cannot stop. She has slept with a few different boys in her home while her parents have been gone. She is 19 and she knows what the Bible says. She has been told that she will not be allowed to join our Feed Your Spirit Ministries due to her complete disregard for the Word of God. Her parents were given a gift to go out of town to a beautiful town up north. She stayed behind. We offered to take her with us to the scenic drive and she was going to come but at the last minute she said she had an appointment she had to keep. Her appointment was to have a guy come over to her parents house so they could have sex.



As for her "lover" here is what he says.

I am a Baptist, I can do what ever I want to do so long as I repent.

This same boy has plans of becoming a pastor!



And people wonder why I get so upset with people who "claim" to be Christians. I hate to see the way they defile the name of Christ with their worldly lusts.



Jude 3-4 says

3Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. 4For certain men whose condemnation was written about[a] long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.



It is for this very reason that this girl will not be allowed to be a part of our ministry. She laughs when talking about her sin. There is absolutely no contrition, no sorrow for the sin that she commits. In fact, she does just the opposite and laughs about it. It feels so good is what she says. It is almost as if she is proud of what she is doing.



When will todays contemporary church learn to start dealing with sin the way the Bible says we should?



They have let sin creep into their walls and have let leaders unashamedly promote ungodly living. People will be quick to say that I should not judge this girl, that it is not my place. But Scripture clearly teaches us that we are to make righteous judgments. The thought of sin being allowed in a church setting is appalling at best.

The new leaders (not all) have forgotten "why" they need a Savior. Too many of them think it is just a way of getting something from God. "If you ask for it, He will give it to you!" That seems to be the logic many people use in bringing people to Christ. And yet, there is not mention of the need to repent of sin. There is no mention of the need to be obedient to His Word. There is no mention of the need to by Holy, just as He is holy. No, it is all about "what can God do for ME?"

Today's leaders are quick to tell you that He has plans to prosper you. That you might have life to the full. They teach that it means you can be rich, you just need to ask for it! And yet, Jesus Himself, said that it is harder for a rich man to inherit the Kingdom of God than it is for others. Why? Because money becomes their god. Why would God want to make every believer rich when He knows how much money controls people? We will prosper and we will have a full abundant life. But look at the Apostle Paul...

He had a full abundant life. He was shipwrecked, abandoned, beaten and persecuted. Not exactly a rich life. But it was a fulfilling life given to serving God. That is what we should be doing!

I pray that you all realize the need to repent of your sins! May God's blessings be with you all.

Why are you a Christian? Why are you an Atheist? Why are you so sure about who you claim to be?

I am in the middle of writing an article on the above statements. If you would like to contribute your two cents worth, please feel free to write to me. With my busy schedule (getting married tomorrow- Sat, Sept 27th!), I will add your comments as time allows.

I thank you again for your patience and your prayers, it is very much appreciated!

till His nets are full
God bless
Brian

Wedding coming soon!

Only four more days until the wedding!
After that, I am back into the blogging world!!!!!
did I say four more days??
it might be wise for me to include a couple more days after the wedding before I get back to blogging. I think we need to spend some quality time together first!!

Thank you all for your prayers.
We both appreciate it very much.

We are almost finished painting our new house. We ended up putting two different colors in every room along with a wall paper border. This has taken us so long to finish but we can finally see the light at the end of the dark tunnel.

There is another light that I want to encourage each of you to focus on...
In him was life; and the life was the light of men. John 1:4
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:5
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all [men] through him might believe. John 1:7
[That] was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. John 1:9
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3:19
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. John 3:20
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. John 3:21
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12

Jesus is "The" Light. Follow after Him. Listen to Him. Obey His Commands. In doing so, you shall not walk in darkness again!

talk to you all very soon!

something to think about...

what do these people have in common?

TD Jakes
Joel Osteen
Rick Warren
Bill Hybels
Robert Schuller


Now, what do you have in common with them?
What do you have in common with Jesus?

If you can agree with the teachings of these men more than you can agree with Jesus, then I pray that you can see a need for change. Their message is not the same as the message proclaimed by Jesus.

I will say it over and over and over again...
Who do you follow?

Ray Boltz just recently showed the world who he follows. He claims to follow Jesus. Think of it this way...

I am walking down a sandy beach. It is a beautiful day outside with a slight breeze. The shoes are off as I let the sand massage my feet. It can get pretty hot sometimes but then the cooling effects of the water does its thing. It refreshes my feet. Someone sees me walking and decides to follow me. He is curious as to where I am going. I am not really "going" anywhere in particular, just going for a leisurely walk. But this person decides to follow me anyway. He sees some of his friends and he hollers out to them to walk with him as he follows me. So his friends all join him. They talk about all kinds of things while they are walking and following me. I even heard them once mention something about the Bible and about God. Now, I had lost my desire to continue walking. It was getting noisy behind me, so I ask them to please go somewhere else to walk. They refuse, they want to "follow" me. I ask them again, to please take that other path, it is wider and easier for you to talk to each other and you can talk about whatever you want to over there. They said "No" to me. They want to watch and see where I go. So, I decide to do some teaching to them. I tell them about God's Law and how it exposes sin within us. I tell them how they need to repent of their sins and to put their faith and trust in God. They say, "No, we just want to watch and see where you go." I tell them that where I am going, they cannot go. In fact, unless they repent of their sins, they will not go there. When I finally tell them exactly where they are headed, they finally decide that they have "seen" enough of me. They head home having gained nothing from their time with me.

Who do you follow? What motivates you to follow God?
Ray Boltz has followed after the wrong person. I cannot and will not support a person who claims to be a Christian in one sentence and follows it up with saying it is perfectly okay to live in sin because "God made him that way."

Let me tell you something...
we all have within us the ability to be homosexual
we all have within us the ability to be a thief
we all have within us the ability to be a murderer
we all have within us the ability to lie

we all have sin living within us.
We have a choice to make...

Will we decide to chase after our sins?
Will we decide to engage in lustfilled desires?

Or, will we decide to follow God and listen and obey His Words?
Ray Boltz has decided against being faithful and obedient in favor of living out his sinfilled life. The repurcussion is going to be a sentence of Hell, UNLESS he repents!

Who do you follow?
Put your faith and trust in Jesus alone to save you!
Repent and be obedient to the One who Saves!

Your life will never be the same! You will have persecution, trials and tribulations! And you will count it all as JOY! That is not what the world teaches and in fact, that is what most churches do not teach. The Bible teaches that.

Who do you follow?
Listen to your pastor give his sermons. Is he truly preaching God's Word or is he just telling you what you want to hear?

Rick Warren's poor teachings

Here is some more of Rick Warren's false teachings (or at the very least -- poor teachings). We as Christians, must have discernment of what the pastor's are teaching. Don't just take everything that is spoken as being truth. Search Scripture to see for yourself. Do not take the words of a seminary trained pastor as being the gospel truth. Rick Warren is a prime example of this!

Do the right thing!

Doing the right thing it seems is never easy or is it popular.

I have stood in front of congregations and read Scripture that God lead me to read and I was basically told to never do that again during prayer time.

I have confronted someone who, as a youth leader, was promoting sexually explicit songs on his myspace site. He, in turn, came back against me and said, "You have no right to judge me." "Why do you hate me so much?" "What did I ever do to you?"

I have also removed from my own myspace site a person who claimed to be a Christian and yet was promoting the "F" Word and was also highly sexually themed.

In every case, I was basically told that I shouldn't have said anything. It would have kept the peace. Everyone would have gotten along.

I am getting ready to clock into work. It is 4:30am and it is time for another day and another dollar!

Isn't it sad when fellow "Christians" end up being the least supportive of standing up for the Truth of God's Word?

Isn't it sad when fellow "Christians" will yell out the trump card and say that you are judging others and the Bible says not to judge? (in truth, the bible does say we are to judge with a righteous judgment! and that we are not to judge the world, but we are to judge those who claim to be Christians)

When will Christians finally stand up and do the right thing?
When will Christians finally promote God and His HOLY Word instead of promoting the ways of the World?
When will Christians finally act like they are truly Christians without spewing out the words, "Well, no body is perfect, I am a sinner forgiven by God" and yet, they continue to sin daily the same sin over and over and over with no thought of ever repenting of that sin. They use the words REPENT but they do not actually do it!
When will Christians finally get rid of their worldly ideas?

When...

How many times have you been saved?

The contemporary church continues to preach the "sinners prayer" as being biblical. They will say that it is in the Bible that if you say "the prayer" then you will be saved. And yet, we see, day in and day out, that people who have said "the prayer" are still just as lost today as they were before they said the prayer. If you are a pastor or a person who believes in the sinners prayer, please do me a favor. Show me the biblical basis for your belief in the prayer as being a means of salvation. You won't be able to do it. You can say that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord we will be saved. Fine! But that says nothing about saying a sinners prayer to be saved. No where in the Bible will you find an example of Jesus or any of the disciples talking to someone and telling them they must say a prayer to be saved. NO WHERE! And yet, people will stand up and "DEFEND" their right to tell people they MUST say the sinners prayer. There is no walking them through the Ten Commandments (God's Law) to show them their sinfulness, no showing them that they are headed for hell unless they repent of their sins. It is all about having "numbers" within the church. How many people can "we" get saved tonight??

The Bible in all of its fullness has been left out of the picture. We do not want to offend anyone. Some people worry so much about whether a person will come back to church if we tell them what God's Word really says, that they do not want His Word preached fully. They say you must give it to them a little at a time.

So a sinner who is already DEAD in his sins cannot be made fully alive in Christ until he has been in church for at least a year. And yet, we see in the newspapers that children die every day. A teenager who is involved in drugs, alcohol, sex and who knows what else, must come to church in order to be saved, but only after an appropriate amount of time so he does not get scared away by God's Word.

I have to tell you, that is not only UNBIBLICAL it is dangerously close to being the terrible works of the Devil. How dare someone think that we must slowly present the gospel message to people regardless of their age or situation. A dying person is a dying person and if a person is on their death bed, I can just see some people saying "don't mention God's Law to them, they might get offended!" So the person dies in his sins and goes to hell all because we do not want to offend people.

God have mercy on OUR souls!

If you are a pastor and you feel it is inappropriate to present the whole gospel message to the congregation then I have a suggestion for you...

GET OUT OF THE MINISTRY! LEAVE NOW! YOU ARE AN EMBARASSMENT TO GOD AND YOU ARE DOING THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL.

Do you still want people to come to Christ by reciting the sinners prayer?
When we use "man-made" techniques instead of biblical concepts then we have decided that "we" know what is best for converting souls. Or do you not know Scripture?

The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul. Psalm 19:7

When I see youth leaders, and even pastors promoting the unbiblical approach of the sinners prayer it makes me want to cringe. Unless a person cries out to God on their own accord, just reciting a prayer said by the pastor will do nothing to change them. They will have no fear of God. Sin will not be seen as being exceedingly wicked in the eyes of a Holy God. They will not have a true understanding of just how HOLY God is. They will have no understanding of what righteousness is. They will not have a true understanding of WHY they need to repent of their sins. They will only want to "get" God because it is a way of them getting something in return for their faith. They want God's blessings poured upon them. That is not biblical.

In fact, that is one of the worst things you can do for a person. Promise them they will receive blessings if they put their faith and trust in God. Uh, did you forget to tell them also about Scripture that says they WILL endure persecution?? Trials? Tribulation?? No, it is never said to the person who says the sinners prayer. Why not? Because the pastors all feel that they will run away from God if we tell them that. And that is precisely what will happen. If you give them nothing but promises of blessings without telling them the rest, the first time they face persecution they will run because they were not given what you promised them. They will have to be saved again sometime in the future. If they have to be saved again, they were never really saved in the first place! The parables of Jesus teach us that!! The wheat and the tares, the good soil and the bad, the good fish and the bad. And there will be people crying out to Jesus on the Day of Judgment, Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your Name? and Jesus will turn to them and say, Depart from me you worker of iniquity, I never knew you! People MUST learn about God but they must learn the WHOLE message. Not only is He a God of love and grace, He is also a God of Wrath and will judge those who are still living in their sins.

How many times have YOU been saved? Are you truly saved?
Do you still find ways to say it is acceptable to live a godless lifestyle and still claim to be a Christian? if so, then there is a good chance you are not truly saved.
I worry when I see people claiming to be Christians and they feel it is perfectly okay to blaspheme His Holy Name, they feel it is okay to lie, cheat, steal, lust and be disrespectful to others. And it is those very same people who came to Jesus by way of the sinners prayer who will DEFEND their right to live a godless lifestyle because they are convinced they are saved and are Christians. They believe in Jesus and because of that they KNOW they are saved.

Even the Devil believes and trembles. I see no trembling on the part of todays contemporary Christians. They take lightly the fact that God is HOLY and requires us to be Holy just as He is Holy. The damage that has been done by todays contemporary pastors is amazing. By the power of God's Word, I pray that all who "say" they believe in Jesus will start "living" like they believe in His Word!

You know Scripture well enough don't you?
Or do you?

Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, I am there in the midst of them.

Is that a Scripture that speaks of God will be with us if we are with one or two more people?

Or do you not know that God is with us always? With those who are righteous and follow after Him and His Word.

The above Scripture is actually speaking about church discipline. Does your pastor misquote that verse to make it mean what it does not mean?

People it is so important that you use some discernment when it comes to listening to others preaching the gospel. Use discernment on what I am writing to you. I encourage you to see if what I am saying is true. Don's just blindly follow a pastor because not all pastors are truly saved!

If your pastor brought you to Jesus via the sinners prayer. I pray that you will read what Scripture says about following after man and not following after Jesus. Don't think you are following after man?? You recited man's word when you said "the prayer" didn't you? Pray to God from your own heart. Fall down on your knees and humble yourself to the point of tears that you have offended God by your words and your actions and cry out to the Holy God to save you. You are headed for HELL and that is the plain and simple truth. Hell awaits all who are not obedient to God's Holy Word. Obedience comes with faith. If your faith is not producing obedience to His Word, then there is a leak in your faith. You need to have it checked out.

How many times have you been saved? It is a question worth checking into!