Standing Firm: 2012 West Coast Conference

Standing Firm: 2012 West Coast Conference (To see video go to link below)
http://www.ligonier.org/learn/conferences/standing-firm-2012-west-conference/questions-and-answers-west-conference/

Video Outline

How do various speakers stand firm together when you disagree about certain issues?

How important is it to stand firm on the historicity of Adam?

Will all ethnic Israel be saved?

Will prayers to Mary and the saints keep someone out of heaven if they profess faith in Christ?

What is the gospel?

Could mystical prayer lead to the “one-world religion”?

Should a Christian vote for a presidential candidate who doesn’t have an orthodox view of the doctrine of the Trinity?

What about claims of special revelation?

Do still-born children go to heaven?

Does God love us just the way we are?

Why are so many Christians against Reformed theology?

What strategy would you employ to stir men up to serve the Lord?

 

Church of Tares: Purpose Driven, Seeker Sensitive, Church Growth

Church of Tares
See Video  here:  http://youtu.be/kxY3VbBHTkY

There is only one way to stand...That is to:  Stand Firm in the Faith.  We do well to remember the words given in  Titus 1:9 "holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict."

1 Timothy 4:6  "In Pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following."

2 Timothy 4:3,   "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,  and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

 

From the Video: "Can the Church borrow the marketing tools of the world and apply them to the Church? What is the history of the Church Growth movement and its false premises? Who is involved in the new evangelicalism and second reformation? Why are these movements embracing contemplative mysticism? How does this movement play into the New World Order? These questions and more are answered in Church of Tares: Purpose Driven, Seeker-Sensitive, Church Growth & New World Order.

Church of Tares chronicles the man-centered pragmatism of these evangelical Christian movements in comparison to the Bible's instruction for building the Church of Jesus Christ.As a sequel to The Real Roots of the Emergent Church, Church of Tares documents the connections between the liberal Emergent Church movement and the Church Growth movement. Both movements' leadership were discipled by business management guru Peter Drucker, who was attracted to the megachurch movement as a social phenomenon that could bring about his "new society" and New World Order. Megacurch pastors Rick Warren and Bill Hybels as well as Leadership Network founder Bob Buford all acknowledge Drcuker (who professed not to be a Christian) as their mentor and have built their organizations upon his secular business management philosophies rather than the foundation of Jesus Christ.

The fruit of these movements is great compromise of the Gospel and the Great Commission. Rick Warren claims to be ushering in a new spiritual awakening and second reformation with his P.E.A.C.E. Plan. But this reform appears to be a social reformation rather than a spiritual one by joining together in ministry with unbelievers to fight global giants. Such compromise has led to the affirming response letter to the Common Word document which declares Muhammad to be a prophet and the Bible and Qur'an to be of the "same Divine origin."

Written, edited, narrated and directed by Elliott Nesch.

THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD - Stand Firm in the Faith

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
EPHESIANS 6:10-17

See Video
Full Armor of God
http://youtu.be/hsRm8rnmdLw
 


 

Parents Stand Firm in the Faith - Overruled: Government Invasion of your Parental Rights (Official Movie)

See Video:
Overruled: Invasion of Parental Rights
http://youtu.be/QuSc_U5VqDQ

Parental Rights are being eroded. Parentalrights.org is fighting for the rights of parents to raise their children as they see fit. Parents all over America are losing their rights and don't even know it. If you care about your rights as a parent, please share this video with your family and friends. Featuring 3 reenactments based on real cases, "Overruled" is a shocking 35-minute docudrama that exposes how the rights of parents in America are being eroded and what you can do to turn the tide.

Here's how you can help:
1. Sign the petition at http://www.parentalrights.org/
2. Tell others about http://www.overruledmovie.com/
3. Write your local paper
4. Contact your Congressman
5. Make a donation at http://www.parentalrights.org/

From the Video : Case descriptions

Story 1: - parents do not have legal rights to know their children’s medical record.

Story 2: Education Case: David Parker case - My two Dads book given to kindergarden 5 yr. old. Shows how the parents have no rights to govern what their children are being taught. The parents were told to go to a Glessen - Gay Lesbian workshop. The school officials called the police on the Father of the child because he wanted his son to be opted out of the homosexual teaching the school wanted to teach the parent’s child.

[But the fact is that there have been many cases in the last 30 yrs. where abuse wasn’t going on and parents were falsely accused of abuse and children were removed from their homes based solely on a child’s word and acting officials from child protective services.

Now we see where these laws go terribly wrong. Parental rights as we see are almost non-existent. The child’s opinion is now the deciding factor and a government representative gets to decide who is right. Children have the right to petition the media. Parents no longer have the right to decide what is best for their children. This is the law now on the books. ]

Website: http://www.parentalrights.org/

Religious Case: Michael Farris

Case from the 1980’s --- 13 yr old boy was counseled on the rights of children and complained that he didn’t want to go to church 3 times a week.

 

The teenage boy was immediately removed from the parent’s care because authorities felt it was an emergency. School and acting officials took the child and placed him into foster care. The parents were not forewarned, the child was just immediately removed. Church attendants was being consider to be abuse. The courts were going to take the child out of the custody of their parents. The court ordered once a week church attendance, that was consider sufficient for a teenage boy.

An international treaty to govern parental rights is now dictating the laws how parental rights will be governed The 2 core principals that govern this Washington state law are: the rights of the child. The laws were changed because of so many bad cases.

The U.S. Supremacy Clause allows foreign treaties to override state laws and constitutions. Almost all parenting laws are state laws so this treaty would override state laws and American law for parents and children.


President Clinton when he was in office approved this treaty. A treaty that overrides the parental authority of parents over their children.


When government is essentially given unlimited power, the system that was given to protect children can easily become the very perpetrator of harm. The question remains: how do we turn the tide? protect parental rights?

__________________________________________

The Truth about Child Protective Services
 

See Video Link:

http://youtu.be/wFBv3R1Rsk0

The evaluators make a ton of money. The parents are discriminated on the bases of how much money they make. Kids are taken out of the home without any bases for their claims of abuse. The people in charge are not regulated at all. “The number of children taken into state custody each year will be the number sufficient to generate the federal fund claims necessary to balance the agency payroll” Reference:
http://www.abusedswan.com/child_protective_services The net result is a system in which everyone stays employed only if the number of founded child abuse cases and children taken into state custody always increases and never decreases.” Reference: http://www.abusedswan.com/child_protective_services  

“THE REAL PROBLEM IS: THE MEDIATOR ENDS UP DECIDING YOUR CASE AND THAT IS NOT HOW THE SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED TO WORK. “
 

Yoga Sees Backlash, Parents Call It Religious Indoctrination

Encinitas Union School Yoga Sees Backlash, Parents Call It Religious Indoctrination
Article from Huffington Post

Yoga Sees Backlash, Parents Call It Religious Indoctrination

From the Article:
“Parents of Encinitas Union School District in southern California have slammed the district’s twice-a-week yoga program, accusing it of religious indoctrination , the North County Times reports.”

One parent said the Yoga practices and poses are not merely exercise but religious practices, saying the techniques were a kind of prayer. (See Article link).

some parents asked that their children be removed from the yoga classes.  “Some parents have asked that their children be removed from the yoga classes rather than allow them “to be indoctrinated by this Hindu religious program,” according to Andy Vick, whose three daughters attend Mission Estancia.”

 

Anyone can do an internet search and easily find the origins and history of Yoga for themselves and discover that it is Religious in it's very nature and practice.  I do not need to put links here to prove this. To say it has been westernized does not change the meaning of the poses or their implications.  For Yoga to be incorporated into school programs or as P.E. classes would naturally cause parents concern.


A discussion about Yoga

Can Yoga ever be Christian?

video link: http://youtu.be/8_yfxZmRokg

 

Rick Warren and Joel Osteen acquiesce to Oprah

Stand Firm in the Faith has permission to reproduce this article from Marsha West. This article rightly points out that when our Christian leaders do not avoid error and help Christians to stay on the straight and narrow path, than who can we trust.  Stand Firm in the Faith.

October 12, 2012

Marsha West

Rick Warren and Joel Osteen acquiesce to Oprah

By Marsha West

Is there no end to the lack of spiritual discernment within the Christian community? Even some of our Church leaders are showing a startling lack of discernment. And if we can't trust our leaders to help us stay on the straight and narrow path, who can we trust?

On October 5th, Southern Baptist preacher Rick Warren sat down with New Age/New Thought high priestess Oprah Winfrey for an interview. Although Oprah claims to be a Christian she most assuredly is not as I clearly demonstrate here and here. Joel Osteen, who is said to be "one of America's most influential spiritual leaders," appeared on the show prior to Warren to promote his new book, "I Declare: 31 Promises To Speak Over Your Life." Around 45,000 people attend Lakewood Church each Sunday to hear Osteen preach the word-faith prosperity gospel "lite." It's really not surprising that he was invited to appear on "Oprah's Life Class." The duo has become fast friends ever since she and Tyler Perry attended a Lakewood service some months back. They soon discovered how like-minded they are. In fact, Osteen has this Oprahesque declaration on his website:

The words we speak set the course for our life. If you want to know what you're going to be like in five years, listen to the words you are saying about yourself today.

Egads!

Osteen not only teaches a false gospel, he apparently has scant knowledge of the scriptures which is the main reason the man who pastors the largest megachurch in America is unaware that the Lord has called His followers to "rightly divide the word of truth" (2 Tm 2:15).

Rick Warren's claim to fame is his books "The Purpose Driven Church" and "The Purpose Driven Life." PDL is the best-selling hardback non-fiction book in American history and is translated into more than 50 languages. By using modern marketing methods he helped lay the foundation for the Church Growth movement (CGM). Largely due to the popularity of his purpose-driven books the CGM has spread through churches like a windstorm sweeping across the Great Plains, ushering in a "new paradigm" of transformational leadership to meet the challenge of the new century. CGM "emphasizes mainly missionary work combined with sociological awareness of the target population." In other words, it utilizes slick marketing techniques. The object is to reach the "unchurched" using the age-old principle: You can draw more flies with honey than with vinegar. Hence, the "seeker-sensitive" label.

Over the years Pastor Warren has become controversial, and rightly so, for a multitude of reasons which I've tackled here and here. For one reason or another controversy continually swirls around "America's Pastor." Still, he is highly regarded by many in the Christian community and likewise the press. What's stunning is that he's often invited to speak at events with New Calvinist luminaries like John Piper, Mark Driscoll, James MacDonald and Matt Chandler. Before I move on, I must bring to light influential Reformed theologian John Piper's recent endorsement of Rick Warren. Many of us in the discernment ministries were both surprised and troubled by his endorsement. Christine Pack observed:

[Piper] gave his "stamp of approval" by having Warren be a keynote speaker at Dr. Piper's annual Desiring God conference. This was an event that caught many in evangelicalism off guard and resulted in a flurry of articles and blog posts over a number of months. The problem with Dr. Piper welcoming Rick Warren into the fold is that Dr. Piper has long been known as a champion and protector of the purity of the gospel message. (Source)

Pastor celebrity James MacDonald was once asked to comment on the "seeker movement" and he replied, "The seeker movement [should be] subtitled: How to Fill Your Church with Tares." Later he publically affirmed Rick Warren in a tweet even knowing that the seeker movement that filled churches with heathens was the brain child of "possibility thinker" Robert Schuller. His most recognized disciples are Bill Hybels and Rick Warren. Excuse me, but a shepherd's duty is to point out error and guard the flock from wolves in sheep's clothing, not to invite them into the sheep pen!

Sorry to digress.

Another prominent pastor who shares the stage with Rick Warren is Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship, a Calvary Chapel in Riverside, CA. Laurie is best known as the founder and featured speaker for Harvest Crusades.

So, what is going on in the visible Church?
Glad you asked. In a word: syncretism. Syncretism occurs when elements of other religious beliefs are mashed into mainstream Protestant denominations. In a piece entitled Purpose Driven Dismantling of Christianity, I examined the effect syncretism has on the Church:

Satan uses syncretism to separate God from His people. God loathes syncretism:

"When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods." (Deuteronomy 12:29-31)

Grievous wolves (Acts 20:29) masquerading as evangelicals introduced false religious beliefs (abominations) into mainline churches. Many of them are forthcoming about what they're doing, others not so much. Their main goal is ... change. The plan (yes, they have a plan) is to dismantle historic orthodox Christianity and usher in a "new paradigm," a "new kind of Christianity."

Wolves are skillful at drawing people in. They've learned how to use TV, radio, the Worldwide Web, human potential seminars, psycho-therapeutic counseling, so-called Christian entertainment that includes movies, DVDs, books and music. Some believers are drawn in through political groups. As you can see, a whole host of lures are used to bait the hook.

Many professing Christians have accepted the blending of religious beliefs with no questions asked. They sit in churches where they're not taught the truth but are fed a steady diet of half truths and outright lies! Jesus wanted those who believe in Him to read and understand the Word. "Sanctify them through thy truth," He prayed. "Thy Word is truth!" (John 17:17 ) (Source)

Now, let's get to my questions: Why did Rick Warren agree to do an interview with Oprah? Moreover, why would he want to be associated with word-faith heretic Joel Osteen? We discover after the fact that he did not use the opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost, many of whom were tuned into the show. No. Instead he used his time with Oprah to pass on his sage advice to the audience, peppered with a few Bible quotes — taken out of context!

Former New Ager and astrologer Marcia Montenegro watched the 3 hours of live taping on Oprah's Life class. I think the following excerpt about what she observed clearly identifies the sort of pastor Rick Warren is:

Although Rick Warren has had New Age Dr. Oz at his church (along with a supposedly Christian doctor who also endorses some New Age practices), I was hoping he (RW) would somehow give the gospel in the midst of his motivational advice, but he never did. He used the imagery of a poker game to explain we are dealt certain cards, and then gave a teaching on this that sounded like moralistic self-help programs I've heard so many times, throwing in a few Bible quotes taken out of context or misquoted. It was something almost any New Ager could accept. God becomes a tool for self-improvement and success.

Warren referred to Jesus, but took scripture out of context and applied things said to believers to everyone. He also misused the Proverbs passage that says "as a man thinketh, so is he." This passage is a famous passage misused by New Thought proponents and is used in "The Secret."

What was really hard to watch is when a woman in Norway Skyped to say she realized she needed God but wanted to know who God is and she asked, "What should I do?" It was clear that she was ripe to hear the gospel and needed Jesus! It was a great opportunity to share the gospel with her, and at the same time, for Oprah to hear it. Instead of giving the gospel, Rick Warren seemed uncomfortable and finally just said something like, 'Go to God and find your purpose." It was a terrible moment! The woman looked surprised and sad, like she was expecting something else. I prayed for her later and am hoping that the many Christians who witnessed this will pray for her.

Not only that, but when Oprah referred to God, as she often did, Rick Warren agreed with her as though she was referring to the biblical God, which she was not. He even said a few times, "Oprah has a good point." No, she never did! She was speaking totally out of her New Thought/New Age beliefs. I am grateful that RW recommended that people read the gospel of John. That was the best thing he said. (Read Marcia's entire piece here)

Why do so many followers of Jesus Christ view Rick Warren as dangerous? Evangelist Tony Miano's indictment is blunt:

Plastic pastors transparent enough to see through, like Joel Osteen, are not as dangerous as Rick Warren. Modalistic moguls of the painfully-obvious-money-hungry prosperity movement, like T.D. Jakes, are not as dangerous as Rick Warren. Self-serving sorcerers of the false signs and wonders movement, like Todd Bentley, are not as dangerous as Rick Warren. No. None of the before-mentioned personalities or groups are all that dangerous because what you see is what you get. They all lack the ability to change their appearance to accommodate a change in environment. They lack the chameleon-like ability, the self-serving ability, to say what needs to be said in order to keep people in every camp liking them.

Now listen to former Catholic Priest Richard Bennett:

Warren teaches that God 'created the church to meet your five deepest needs' just as the Roman Catholic Church says, 'The Church is the mother of all believers.' Warren, like Rome, has switched from obedience to the Word and Person of the Living God to submission to a church to achieve one's needs. It is the oldest and cleverest temptation known to man.

I'll close with warning from the Lord Jesus:

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous [ferocious] wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (Mat. 5:15-20)

Recommended:
Word of Faith articles — On Solid Rock Resources

Creating Community — Part 1: Purpose-Driven Change through Transformational Leadership — By Berit Kjos

James Sundquist's rebuke to Desiring God participants regarding Rick Warren

Joel Osteen:
Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-ZTeOEG6a4&feature=related

Read: Joel Osteen and The Prosperity Gospel

© Marsha West

Marsha West is a religious/political writer and owner of EmailBrigade.com. She is also the founder and editor of the Email Brigade News Report, a biweekly news resource for people of faith that is chock-full of critical news and information. Marsha is dedicated to restoring a more common sense approach to our nation's governance by encouraging people to thoroughly understand the issues that impact American lives.

Marsha West is a religious/political writer and owner of EmailBrigade.com. She is also the founder and editor of the Email Brigade News Report, a biweekly news resource for people of faith that is chock-full of critical news and information. Marsha is dedicated to restoring a more common sense approach to our nation's governance by encouraging people to thoroughly understand the issues that impact American lives. Marsha's articles have been published widely online and in print and appear regularly in the Christian Post blog section as well as News With Views, Renew America, Worldview Times, Big World Watch, Conservative Crusader, Veracity Voice, Web Commentary, and she is a correspondent for the Christian Research Network. Marsha is currently writing a fiction series for Christian children that will equip them to defend their faith and live for Christ. Visit Marsha's website: http://emailbrigade.com

The WHOLE ARMOR of GOD: Spiritual Warfare (Ephesians 6:10-20)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm,

Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,

And having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;

In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

And take HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ephesians 6:10-17

See Video link: http://youtu.be/hn2MYNHkQH4

The Warfare and the Armor of God

SEE Video link: http://youtu.be/zNK7RToBVXI

“We are talking about warfare today. Sabotage, subversion, innuendo, snipping, It is a war between light and darkness, good and evil, heaven and hell, Christ and Satan, and rather you realize it or not, you are in that warfare. You can not afford to be ignorant and you can not be neutral. Eph 6: 10 - 20 “

1. The Christian warrior and his adversary - Ephesians 6:11

We must know our enemy. We must stand against the wiles of the devil. The devil is no joke. He is a decided fact. He is a destructive foe. Satan is Strategic - he is working destruction in your life and on your home. He is spiritual - Eph 6:12 - Test the spirits to see if they are of God. He is strong. We are no match for our adversary. Remember that we wrestle not against flesh and blood. Satan is sinister. There is nothing that the devil will not do to destroy your life, but he is a defeated foe. Eph. 6:10 “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.” Satan has already been defeated by our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 John 4:4 - “You are from God little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”


2. The Christian warrior and his armor We need not only to recognize our enemy, we need to prepare for the battle. We need to put on the armor of God. Put on the whole armor.
Put on the whole armor of God -

1. The girdle of truth - Integrity Eph 6:14

Truth stands for integrity The belt of truth is integrity. You are to believe the truth, you are to tell the truth, to defend the truth, preach the truth or your life will come apart. You cannot be apart of this battle without the belt of truth. Satan is a liar! And Satan WILL come against you with lies! Jesus is the Truth. Satan’s attack is lying. His attack upon you is to bring about a lack of integrity on your life.

 

2. The breastplate of righteousness: Eph. 6:14

Righteousness is the believer’s purity. No unconfessed sin. Righteousness is purity. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Matt. 5:8 What the enemy wants to do is not only attack you with lies, but wants to attack you with impurity. Satan knows your weaknesses, so put on the Armor of God. Keep your heart with all diligence. Keep your heart pure. Is your heart pure? Satan fears a holy Christian.

 

3. The shoes of peace - Tranquility

A soldier needs good shoes. You need a place to stand and have good footing. Be at peace with God, with others and in your heart. Satan comes against your tranquility by putting stones in your path, doubts and discouragement. Whatever he can to cause your peace to be disturbed. Do you have peace right now? Psalms 119: 165

 

Put on the preparation of Peace - the gospel . Put on the shoes of peace so you have somewhere firm to stand.

4. The shield of Faith - Certainty Eph. 6:16 Satan’s attack is doubt. Take the shield of faith - Satan is always firing the darts of doubt. Satan wants to get into your mind with some kind of doubt. Put on the shield of Faith and extinguish every dart of Satan. Remember the word of God. Don’t forget those who taught you.

 

5. Put on the Helmet of Salvation - Sanity Eph. 6:17. A warrior uses a helmet to protect his head. If the head is wounded nothing else works. A helmet represents deliverance - salvation. It is represented by a mind that is controlled by God. Have the mind of Christ. A believer needs to keep his head so he can fight., this speaks of the believer’s sanity. Thinking with the mind of Christ.

 

Each piece of the Armor represents Jesus.
Each piece is put on with prayer

3. The Christian warrior and his attack - We must join the battle.

It’s not enough to put on the armor - we must get into the fight.

What will guarantee our victory:

The place of our stance: Eph 6:13-14   Stand Firm, Stand Firm therefore.,… We STAND in the victory that Jesus has won. Verse: 10 - We do not fight FOR victory, We fight FROM victory. Rev. 12:11

The power of our sword - Eph 6:17 You need to get into the battle. God has given us a sword and the power of the spirit. Hebrews 4:12 It is written: the word of God.

 

 

The provision of the Spirit - Pray Eph 6:18  The supply , pray to our heavenly commander. God knows what the enemy is doing! We need always to pray for God assures our victory.

 

 

The Christian warrior and his allies - Eph 6:18,19 We must unite forces. For all saints. You do not fight alone. We are not a one man army. Deut 32:30. We are in this battle together. We must lock arms and fight together. Church is a place to be fortified for the battle. You can not be neutral. It saddens me that “Many of our soldiers are AWL. Many Christians think they can be neutral.

 

1. choose sides carefully - if you don’t follow Jesus than you are on the losing side.

2. Examine your heart - make sure you have all the armor of God on.

3. Don’t try to be Neutral - you can’t do it. This is a fight to the finish Jesus said: He that is not with me is against me.

4. Rejoice in the Victory - Thank God you are walking in victory.

You are in a fierce fight to the end for JESUS! Hear Pastor Dr Adrian Rogers show you how to Stand Victorious against the attacks of the enemy. Unless you put on the Complete Armor of GOD at all times, you will not stand.

 

 

The Real Roots of the Emergent Church

See Video
Roots of the Emergent Church
Here: http://youtu.be/SKLAPmQBvdA

"Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.  Jude 3

From the video’s description:

Because diversity characterizes the Emergent Church movement, it is difficult to paint everyone in the movement with a broad brush. Some have observed that defining the Emergent Church is like nailing jello to a wall. All participants agree on their disillusionment with the institutional church, but do not all agree on where the church is destined to go from here. They share a common concern with many evangelicals over the state of the modern church, especially the mega-church phenomenon and “seeker-friendly” churches. For this reason, many evangelicals who observe the Emerging Church are fascinated by it, drawn to its creative approaches to worship, genuineness of many of the leaders and desire to reach Gen Xers. However, these evangelicals fail to look beyond it to understand its underlying theology, or lack thereof.

This Christian documentary film The Real Roots of the Emergent Church will take an honest look at the leaders of the Emerging Church movement such as Brian McLaren, Doug Pagitt, Tony Jones, Rob Bell, Tony Campolo, Steve Chalke, Peter Rollins, Dan Kimball, Richard Rohr, Phyllis Tickle, Spencer Burke and others. Who are they and what are they teaching? Become familiar with the postmodern Emergent Church and its popular tactic of literary deconstruction applied to the Bible. This film takes an in-depth look at what the Emerging Church believes concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Scriptures, absolute truth, hell, homosexuality, mysticism, contemplative prayer, other religions, and eschatology in comparison to the Bible. Much more than candles and couches!

 

Be Steadfast

As Christians we need to hold fast, to stand firm in the faith. Be steadfast in resisting the evil one, be strong in the faith, and give glory to God. Be steadfast and unmovable. Being a Christian brings it’s share of troubles and trials. It is a part of the Christian life. Be courageous. We must keep standing at the end of our struggle and trials. We must take up the full armor of God so that we will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything to stand firm. Eph. 6:13

It is by trials and testings that perseverance is obtained and learned.

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

Satan assaults the Christian, putting on the armor of God is absolutely necessary Eph 6. We must pray for one another and encourage one another. Build each other up in the Faith. Be aware of other’s needs and struggles that they do not lack fellowship and become a target of the enemy because of isolation. Pray for those who are in the battle, and pray for us as well.

Do all you can to strengthen your brothers and sisters in the Faith. Sometimes the trials can be so strong and persistent that one may find themselves getting depressed and discouraged by the attacks of the enemy. Charles Spurgeon once said these words of encouragement for the Christian‘s warfare:

“Follow your Lord’s example. Someone says, “But I am depressed.” Very well, Fight depression with the word of God. I find that if I can lay a promise under my tongue, like a sweet lozenge, and keep it in my mouth or mind all day long, I am happy enough. If I cannot find a Scripture to comfort me, my inward troubles are multiplied. Fight despondency and despair with the sword of the Spirit. I do not know what your particular difficulty may be at this moment, but I give you this direction for all holy warfare: “Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” You must overcome every enemy, and this weapon is all you need.”

Prayer should be our first reaction to the attacks of the enemy as we stand firm in the faith. In Ephesians 6:18 we read; “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,” The Greek word for ‘petition’ refers to making specific requests. By praying specifically -- in detail, you will see God answer specifically for His glory. It is important that we pray specifically for victory in battle against the Enemy. This was the focus of Eph. 6:18.

Below are the dictionary definitions of the word ‘Steadfast’:

Stead fast - adj. 1. Firm of purpose; loyal and unwavering: a steadfast friend, a steadfast defender of one’s country. 2. Firmly fixed; not moving or changing: a steadfast gaze “

STEADFASTNESS ---stability in commitment or belief. The apostle Paul referred to “the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.” (Col. 2:5). The loss of stability may be avoided if one will “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18).   The New Illustrated Bible Dictionary

STEADFASTNESS, Sterigmos (2 Pet. 3:17), in the usual sense of stability. (KJV rendering)

STABILITY (Gk. That upon which a thing can rest; in Col. 2:5 “stability of your faith” (“firm,” NIV), refers figuratively, in a military sense, to a solid front.

New Unger’s Bible Dictionary - Merrill F. Unger
　

Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day

See Video here: http://youtu.be/GEYbvDCa604

Supporters of Chick-fil-A are eating at restaurants in the chicken chain today as the company continues to be criticized for an executive's comments about gay marriage. Customers come by the hundreds and more, to stand firm with the Chick-fil-A chain to their support.

See Video link: http://youtu.be/_IDvx-xkRGk

From video: 

A HUGE number of people showed up at Chick-fil-A across America in support of "free speech" and "traditional marriage." Controversy erupted after it was revealed that the restaurant had donated millions of dollars to Christian anti-gay causes. The chain's CEO, Dan Cathy says that they are "guilty as charged" and that America is "shaking its fists at God" when it tries to redefine marriage

Are all angels safe?

Stand Firm in the Faith has been given permission to reproduce this article by Marsha West.

  Fighting the Culture of Corruption

Are all angels safe?

By Marsha West

Photo: Cindy Flynn
Discredited televangelist Todd Bentley claims that an angel
 named Emma has repeatedly visited him.

Contrary to popular belief angels are neither chubby little babes with rosy cheeks nor are they exquisite young women with gossamer wings decked out in long flowing gowns. The Bible reveals very little about angles. What we do know is that God sends angels to do His bidding.

 

The Bible mentions two elect holy angels (the good guys) by name: Michael and Gabriel. Scripture also mentions the Angel of the Lord; Michael the archangel; the Captain of the Host of the Lord; messengers; and guardians.

Also mentioned are fallen angels (the bad guys). Lucifer, one of God’s highest angels, led a revolt against God and was banished from heaven along with his followers which is said to be a third of the angels. There are many names for Lucifer such as Satan, Devil, Prince of Darkness and Beelzebub. The other rebels became demons. In the future God will judge Satan and his demons.

Angels are spirit beings and are neither male nor female. In the Bible they appear to people as males, never as females.
 

Because I have written several articles on angles I’m often asked if angels are among us today.

Yes!

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares

(Heb. 13:2).

Those who believe they are experiencing an angel visitation must scrutinize what the angel purports. For example, does your angel point you to Jesus Christ or away from Him? Elect holy angels (from here on out referred to as angels) will always point you to Christ, never to anyone else, living or deceased, which includes the Apostles and the Virgin Mary.

Angels never espouse new doctrines or extra-biblical (special) revelation. Likewise, they do not point individuals to religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, et al.

 

Angels by no means encourage participation in the counterfeit religions’ holy days, festivals, ceremonies and rituals, nor do they advance the idea of having a sacred place or space.

Angels would never suggest that people involve themselves in occult activities.

Currently, Transcendental Meditation (TM) is all the rage, even among Christians. Angels absolutely do not direct anyone to embrace this pagan practice. TM is not biblical meditation. Instead of meditating on God's Word, the practitioner goes into an altered-state-of-consciousness (alpha state) which is a light dream state in order to connect with "god." It should be a big red flag that New Agers are advocates of TM. In fact, many so-called psychics make meditation a part of their spiritual practice to contact their "spirit guides."
 

Sadly, many Christians who have embraced The Silence aka contemplative, or centering, or breath prayer are woefully unaware that what they're practicing is unbiblical meditation.

And then we have "Christian yoga" spreading like a wild fire through the Christian community. I realize that this may not go over well with some readers, however, even if your yoga class is led by a Christian and held in a church, it is taboo!

The bottom line is this: Angels would not, could not, promote anything God expressly forbids – and He forbids His children to have any part in pagan religious practices, nor are we to embrace the world’s philosophies.

Bear in mind that the holy angels are incapable of going against God, whereas unholy angels continuously go against God in their quest to lead people astray. In 2 Cor. 4:4 we learn that Satan is the “god of this world.” According to Gotquestions.com:

The phrase “god of this world”… indicates that Satan is the major influence on the mind-set expressed by the ideals, opinions, goals, hopes and views of the majority of people. His areas of influence also encompass the world’s philosophies, education, and commerce. The thoughts, ideas, speculations and false religions of the world are under his control and have sprung from his lies and deceptions.

(Source)

I’m also frequently asked if God allows us to contact angels. No!

Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God

(Leviticus 19:31).

It is a complete waste of time to “call your angel” or to try to contact angels by constructing an altar…lighting candles…burning incense…meditating… or any other way that allegedly makes angels feel comfortable. God forbids His people from contacting the spirit realm! And besides, regenerate Christians have direct access to God through the Son, Jesus Christ. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1Tim 2:5) So, why would we call on angels or anybody else when we can go directly to God through Christ?

 

Those who contact angels (or spirit guides) are inviting demons! Demons can and do possess humans! Both holy and unholy angles are not given the authority to indwell believers. The reason is obvious: the Holy Spirit takes up residence in a person at the moment of regeneration. Once the Spirit takes up residence in a believer, He never leaves. Listen to what Jesus said:

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you

(John 14:16-17).

Those who are truly saved are God’s property:

You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world

(1 John 4:4).

Again, believers cannot be demon possessed. They are, however, susceptible to demonic oppression.

Demonic oppression is when a demon is temporarily victorious over a Christian, successful in tempting a Christian to sin, and able to hinder a Christian’s ability to serve God with a strong testimony.

(Source)

I'm going to close with this warning: Contacting angels is neither wise nor safe.


Copyright by Marsha West, 2012. All rights reserved.(Original  article at: http://blogs.christianpost.com/marsha-west/are-angels-safe-10731/

The Imperative of Discernment

Stand Firm in the Faith has from the beginning has put the emphasis of the writing, posts, and guest articles in their entirety posted by permission, on the theme of Discernment and Apologetic issues effecting the Church. (Below is only a segment of an article “The Imperative of Discernment” by PFO Quarterly Journal - July - September 2012 Vol. 32 No 3). For the Complete Article - please order from the ministry website: http://www.pfo.org  

The Imperative of Discernment

by G. Richard Fisher

The Old Testament prophet Ezekiel was given a mandate from God that he was to pass on to the leaders of the nation:

“And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean” (Ezekiel 44:23).

 

The leaders were themselves to be discerning, and then teach the people to be discerning. If the nation was going to be God’s nation, its people had to discern.

The Apostle Paul thought discernment was very important. He told the believers in Philippi:

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9-10).

 

Approving or disapproving of teachings requires that we discern what is being taught. So Paul prays that all believers might abound in discernment. The word “abound” means to go beyond the ordinary.

Commenting on the phrases “that your love may abound” and “approve the things that are excellent,” Roy Laurin wrote:

“Possessed of such love the Christian would acquire a moral discernment which enables him to judge between right and wrong, truth and error. Where there is real love there is a deep moral sensitiveness. Love provides its own defenses against defection. A fully developed love means the highest development of personality which in turn means maturity. With maturity comes discernment and with discernment these Philippians would ‘remain untainted by error, unstumbling amidst obstacles.”’ (1)

 

So we see that Christian maturity depends on our exercising discernment. Our physical and spiritual health--and maybe even our lives--depends on it. 

 

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF DISCERNMENT

K. Neill Foster wrote:

“A.W. Tozer was fond of saying that the greatest need in the church was for the gift of discernment. And Dr. Tozer spoke from his perspective in the middle of the twentieth century. Were he able to comment on today’s religious confusion, I am sure his tones would be more strident, his concerns still deeper. It is certainly clear to Christian leaders everywhere that confusion is increasing. There seems to be a famine of clear thought and penetrating insight.” (2)

 

One example is a quote in the Los Angeles Times by Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena:

“Some are unhappy with me because I have gone on record as saying that [Mitt Romney’s church, the Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is not a cult. …I have studied and taught about cults for many years. I have also spent the last dozen years meeting with Mormons --- scholars and church leaders --- to engage in lengthy theological discussions. …Based on these conversations and my own careful study, I do not believe Mormonism is a cult.” (3)

Other Christian leaders may also wish to sidestep labeling Mormonism a cult because they think it is a “loaded” term. However, if Mormonism with its salvation by works, its heretical views of God, and its extra-biblical books is not a cult, then the word “cult” has lost all meaning. Bill McKeever, founder and director of Mormonism Research Ministry, doesn’t agree with those who think the word “cult” needs to be retired.

And Christians have the biblical mandate to expose false teachers and their teaching (Titus 1:11; Ephesians 5:11). Romans 16:17 urges us to have nothing to do with those who would teach contrary to the apostles’ doctrine. Paul, in verse 18, says they do not serve Christ.

DISCERNMENT IS A BIBLE WORD

To many the word “discernment” is an offensive word. However, the writers of Scripture were quite comfortable with it. The Apostle Paul calls it a gift from God in 1 Corinthians 12 and urges its use. The words “discernment” and “discern” are used about 25 times in the New Testament. Other closely associated words such as “judge,” “test,” “try,” and “evaluate” are also used repeatedly.

Discernment is a gift that has fallen on hard times and is rejected and maligned in some circles. In Acts 17:11-12, the Bereans were called noble because they scoured the Scripture to be sure that their teacher Paul was on track. F.F. Bruce, along with the Scriptures, commends the Berean spirit:

“For, with commendable openmindedness, they brought the claims made by Paul to the touchstone of Holy Writ instead of giving way to prejudice. Their procedure, examining the scriptures daily to see if these things were so’ (RSV), is worthy of imitation by all who have some new form of religious teaching pressed upon their acceptance.” (4)

STICKS AND STONES

Now Bereans are addressed by other names and even threatened with death, disease, and a “Holy Ghost machine gun.” It is not uncommon for PFO to receive phone calls from hostile callers because they have come across a Quarterly Journal article which examines a teacher or author to whom they have expressed an impassioned devotion. We have been “damned to hell” and told to “repent” for our evaluations. Apparently it is permissible for these callers to judge our salvation, but we are not afforded the opportunity to judge the doctrine and practice of their spiritual guides. Author Dave Hunt has often remarked that such people should more properly be angry, not at the one exposing the false teaching, but rather at the false teachers themselves for their lies, deception, and heretical doctrine. Those exercising discernment, and even doing it with great love, are often written off as mean-spirited, judgmental, hard-nosed, and critical.

Gnostic researcher James Robinson, back in the 1970s, coined the term “Heresy Hunters.” In 1993, James Spencer used that phrase for the title of his book that castigated PFO and other discernment ministries for their critiques of Benny Hinn and other Word-Faith proponents. What Robinson and Spencer did not realize is that the cliché was incorrect because heresy need not be hunted; it is out in the open. It is proclaimed from church pulpits, stocked on the shelves of both secular and “Christian” bookstores, and fills the airwaves via “Christian” television and radio.

The very latest term and epithet for those who would want to discern truth is “the critique police.” Nevertheless, the mandate and imperative to judge between good and evil --- Hebrews 5:14 ---still stands! Hebrews 4:12 says that the Word of God is central to discernment. It is, in fact, the “discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Our present Church culture reflects the attitudes that were prevalent in Isaiah’s time when people were calling “evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20).

Let’s therefore consider and emphasize crucial points about discernment. 

THE FACT OF DISCERNMENT

The word “discernment” in all its forms and Greek nuances means to investigate, to look into, to scrutinize, question, examine, or to put on trial. It means to determine the good or bad of a person or thing. The Greek, word Kritikos means to critique, to judge, to evaluate and decide, and even pass judgment. As a judge uses the law as his basis of evaluation, believers use the Word of God as the ultimate court of appeal. It is the Word of God that discerns us. This is why men such as Joel Osteen are appalling and Paul is appealing. When the Corinthians refused to judge sin in their church, the apostle argued, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?” (1 Corinthians 6:2). Here we are commanded to discern and judge.

Someone has coined the phrase, “The pathology of sentimentality.” It is a state of mind where we believe that we have to keep everybody happy by agreeing with them on everything. We can’t rock any boat, not even a little, and we cannot disagree with false teaching or try to correct error. Yet Jesus, in Matthew 10:34-36, said:

“I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.”

 

At times, truth divides no matter how hard we try to present it with meekness, love, and respect. But there must be a separation between truth and error, light and darkness. “And what communion has light with darkness? … what agreement has the temple of God with idols?” Paul asks in 2 Corinthians 6:14 and 16.

Preaching does not always alleviate or solve problems. There may be times when exposition from the pulpit stirs or creates problems, even when we deeply would like to avoid them or not have it so.

 

 

In real life we are constantly discerning things. We discern between a one dollar bill and a ten dollar bill. We discern at the pharmacy and are sure we are not taking the wrong medication. We discern at home and make sure we keep detergents from being mixed with food. If we have young children we are constantly discerning for them what is right and what is wrong. Life could not be lived without constant discernment and choices. We need it no less for spiritual matters.

THE FICTION OF “MANY CHRISTIANITIES”

Some, such as Gnostic champions Bart Ehrman and Elaine Pagels, would have us believe that we really do not know what to believe because the Church of the first four or five centuries was a swirl of contradictory and competing variations of Christianity. There was, in fact, only one true Christianity and many heresies. However, Ehrman, Pagels, and others like them try to reconstruct early Church history in a totally different way. They argue that those with the most money, power, and clout won out. They maintain that it was the overwhelming power plays of the Orthodox that made the day, not truth. But that is just not so. The early Church, fiercely persecuted by the Romans, had no power, money, or clout --- only grace and truth. The early martyrs had no power, money, or clout --- only God’s Word. Truth prevailed plain and simple. The truth of the Bible won the day. The heresies trying to compete with the truth were thoroughly trounced.

All thoughout the New Testament there is a pattern of orthodox doctrine. It is called the “apostles’ doctrine” in Acts 2:42. Paul often refers to it as “the faith,” as does Jude who said it to be “the faith once delivered.” This pattern of orthodox doctrine was then encapsulated in creeds and held in tact for 2000 years. Read those who succeeded the Apostles. Read the early apologists. True Christianity held the fort, not against competing Christianities, but against competing heresies.

DISCERNMENT BEGINS EARLY

Another sad fact is that discerners often think they have to discern only full-blown error in its grossest forms and overlook or ignore the small detours that can lead to all-out heresy. But we must discern error and false teaching even in its earliest forms and its faint beginnings. People oftentimes do not rush into error; they wander there. Proverbs 4 talks about the very early beginnings of sin and false teaching when it says, “Do not enter the path of the wicked … Avoid it … Turn away from it and pass on” (vv. 14-15). Don’t enter that path; don’t even go there --- don’t even start because of where it ultimately leads. In verse 27 of the same proverb we are told, “Do not turn to the right or the left.” Whenever people tell us that “God told them” rather than “the Scripture says,” red flags should go up all over the place. When we hear of people journaling their inner voices more red flags should fly. And when we hear talk of added books to the Bible, even more red flags need to be raised. In many instances our red flags have been replaced by white ones.

(This is only an excerpt from the PFO article: “The Imperative of Discernment"- by G. Richard Fisher, The Quarterly Journal July-September 2012 , Vol. 32, No. 3). To obtain the full article please contact PFO ministry at their website: http://www.pfo.org or write: P.O. Box 26062, Saint Louis, Missouri 63136-0062

Copyright © 2012 Personal Freedom Outreach/ G. Richard Fisher

(partial) Endnotes:

1. Roy Laurin, Philippians - Where Life Advances. Findlay, Ohio: Dunham Publishing 1954, pp. 31.

2. K. Neil Foster, The Discerning Christian Harrisburg, Pa.: Christian Publications, Inc., 1981, pg. 11.

3. Richard J. Mouw, “Mormonism: Not a cult, not a problem,” Op-Ed in Los Angeles Times, Nov. 20, 2011. Document accessed at www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-mouw-mormons-20111120,0,699207.story

4. F.F. Bruce, Commentary on the Book of Acts. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B Eerdmans Publishing 1955, pg 347.

Reflecting on a President's words

On this 4^th of July 2012 it is good to Reflect on a President’s words given in a proclamation in 1983.  

The Year of the Bible, 1983 

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Of the many influences that have shaped the United States of America into a distinctive Nation and people, none may be said to be more fundamental and enduring than the Bible.

Deep religious beliefs stemming from the Old and New Testament of the bible inspired many of the early settlers of our country, providing them with the strength, character, conviction, and faith necessary to withstand great hardship and danger in the new and rugged land. These shared beliefs helped forge a sense of common purpose among the widely dispersed colonies-a sense of community which laid the foundation for the spirit of nationhood that was to develop in later decades.

The Bible and its teachings helped form the basis for the Founding Fathers’ abiding belief in the inalienable rights of the individual, rights which they found implicit in the Bible’s teachings of the inherent worth and dignity of each individual. This same sense of man patterned the convictions of those who framed the English system of law inherited by our own Nation as well as the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

For centuries the Bible’s emphasis on compassion and love for our neighbor has inspired the institutional and governmental expressions of benevolent outreach such as private charity, the establishment of schools and hospitals, and the abolition of slavery.

Many of our greatest national leaders-among them Presidents Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, and Wilson-have recognized the influence of the Bible on our country’s development. The plainspoken Andrew Jackson referred to the Bible as no less than “the rock on which our Republic rests.”

Today our beloved America and indeed, the world, is facing a decade of enormous challenge. As a people we may well be tested as we have seldom, if ever, been tested before. We will need resources of spirit even more than resources of technology, education, and armaments. There could be no more fitting moment than now to reflect with gratitude, humility, and urgency upon the wisdom revealed to us in the writing that Abraham Lincoln called “the best gift God has ever given to man….But for it we could not know right from wrong.”

The Congress of the United States, in recognition of the unique contribution of the bible in shaping the history and character of the Nation, and so many of its citizens, has by Senate Joint Resolution 165, authorized and requested the President to designate the year 1983 as the “Year of the Bible.”

Now, THEREFORE, I , RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, in recognition of the contribution of the bible on our Republic and our people, do hereby proclaim 1983 the Year of the Bible in the United States. I encourage all citizens, each in his or her own way, to re-examine and rediscover its priceless and timeless message.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of February, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and seventh.

Ronald Reagan

From the book ‘The Book that made America How The Bible Formed Our Nation

THE ARMY OF GOD

An excerpt from the Book: Through the Windows of Heaven by Walter Martin / Jill Martin Rische.

The Army of God

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rules, against the authorities, against the power of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

-Ephesians 6:10-12
　

A SPIRITUAL WAR IS GOING ON, and it is directed against the Church. It is directed against all true Christian denominations, and against all true believers in them or outside of them. It is a premeditated, planned, open conspiracy to destroy, and it was launched by Lucifer, the prince of darkness, more than two thousand years ago.

The Scripture tells you right here that spiritual warfare is first, foremost, and primarily against the forces of darkness---against Satan and against satanic powers. But that’s not all that’s involved in spiritual warfare. We first have to recognize the fact of spiritual warfare. Some people act as if there were nothing going on around them---as if they were floating over Niagara Falls like a Ping Pong ball, just bobbing along with nothing affecting them. When something adverse occurs in their lives, they never think of it as an attack of the devil. Instead, they just sort of say, “Well, that’s life! That’s the way things are,” and they brush it off.

Not to worry---God will get your attention. There is such a thing as spiritual conflict. We are born into conflict: in conflict against the world, in conflict against our carnal natures, in conflict against the devil. We will live in that conflict and we will die in that conflict, unless Jesus Christ returns in our lifetime.

The Bible clearly tells us there is such a thing as spiritual war. It’s our warfare; it’s personal war. It’s not against people. It’s against the rulers of the darkness of this age that manipulate people as if this were a great chessboard on earth. And the forces are arrayed against the Christian church.

Now, of course, you have an option: you can be dumb. You can say, “I don’t have any spiritual war, I think positively all the time. I don’t have negative thoughts. I think only about possibilities and the things God has for me. There’s no war around me.” that’s reminiscent of the Christian Scientist in hell who sat by himself in a corner and said, “I’m not here, I’m not here, I’m not here.” but it never changes the fact--- he’s there! You are in a spiritual war whether you think so or not. The whole world is blowing up around you, and you just can’t sit there and say, “Nothing’s hap-pen-ing.”

It is! And it will continue to happen, because the moment you enlist in the army of God you personally become a target. No more Mr. Nice Guy. You are on the satanic hit list. You are in the army of god.

If you will not fight in the army of God, then the Lord will discipline you until you get to the place where you will fight. You will get so many attacks that you will eventually have to do something. That is a warning. It is also biblical theology.

You are in the middle of a war. People who walk around in the middle of a war acting as if there is no war are called casualties. Three are people scattered all over the landscape who are ineffective in their Christian lives, neutralized in their Christian witness, paralyzed in their Christian activities, simply because they don’t realize they’re casualties. They must be restored by God so they can get back into the battle.

Something to Think About

God believes in you, and he wants you to believe in yourself. Don’t be discouraged. You are in the middle of a war, but---take heart---you do not fight alone.

 

Something to Do

Read Matthew 10:29-31. Remember this: God surrendered his beloved son to a cruel death--to save your life. Kneel before him and rededicate your life to his service.


Walter Martin’s Religious InfoNet Website: http://www.waltermartin.com/
http://www.waltermartin.com/whatsnew.html

Walter Martin: A Defense Of Apologetics

See Video Link:

http://youtu.be/uZ4a8EratYw

Walter Martin's last TBN Appearance - Pt 2 of 5

See Video link:

http://youtu.be/w0h0ya1DlD4