Controversy within the Church
Some people have believed controversy should always be avoided. There will always be a battle for the truth and it is actually a sin not to fight when the truth is under attack. You cannot and should not contend for unity in the church if it means giving up what you believe. Defending the faith requires warfare. When the gospel is being attacked, we should not be indifferent, timed or compromise.
Some people have attacked the authority and clarity of God’s word and may not be believers at all. Unless the Spirit of God moves upon the person and the mind is changed through the miracle of the new birth, our mind will lead us away from God.
The Emerging Church is a widespread movement of evangelicals. This movement is not black and white. It is hazy, indistinct, and uncertain. These people are not comfortable with any certainty about what the Bible means. The Emerging Church is especially attractive to the young who are caught up in worldly life styles, unholy mi9nds, and ungodly behavior. This movement is willing to adopt the Christian faith, the language of faith, and even the gospel itself to the ideas and rhetoric of postmodernism.
Postmodernism is marked by a tendency to dismiss the possibility of any sure and settled knowledge of the truth. Postmodernism does not speak with strong convictions about any point of truth or you will be judged arrogant and naïve. The word ‘evil’ does not fit in the their language. They despise truth claims and right or wrong have been redefined in terms of feelings and personal perspectives.
In a postmodern culture, dialogue is the preferred method of communication. Some have done away with pastors and replaced them with narrators. “Thus saith the Lord” is not welcomed. The narrow exclusivity of Christ is the only way of salvation does not sit well with postmodernism.
Great believers and Christians in the past have accepted torture or death rather than deny the truth. Today our mega churches cater to entertainment-hungry churchgoers who expect to be entertained with loud rock music with guitars and drums that sound nothing like the beautiful church music of our past. Some Christian lyrics are thrown in and repeated over and over again like a mantra. It’s called 9-11 music, as the same words are repeated 9 or 11 times. Many say they believe in the God of the Bible but want to interpret it their way and are uncertain about what is true.
So how is it, that well educated pastors and church leaders will fall into apostasy while the uneducated will have a understanding of God’s law. They have the new birth and God’s law is written in their hearts. It’s hard to image that a pastor of a large evangelical mega church would be involved in Yoga and not be afraid to talk about it. Yoga is Hinduism and taught in every YMCA, school, industries and churches. Yoga is designed to lead to the realization of one’s true godhead. In the East, where it originated is considered a way of dieing and would laugh at the concept of exercise. It is dangerous and can lead to demon possession and no Christian should have anything to do with this. When the pastor himself and the church leaders are involved in Yoga, you can know for certainty that sound doctrine has been badly compromised and doctrine is a non-issue. The church has already become a battleground and precious few in the church are prepared to fight. The apostle Paul was constantly engage in battles of lies and false apostles. Paul said to expect this as it is on one the favorite strategies of the evil one. Paul warned the church in Ephesus, “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you not sparing the flock. Also from among your selves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for 3 years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.” Acts 20:29-31. Paul was concerned that these wolves would come from within the church – even elders.
Today there is a campaign to make Christianity contemporary and sophisticated. Today they have contemporary services and traditional. So what are Christians to do? Get into the battle. Fight for the truth. Contend for the faith. Apostasy is present in most Evangelical churches today and it is going to get worse. But we who believe in Jesus have nothing to fear. Today these Seeker Friendly churches hire consumer relations experts to appeal to worldly minds. Their goal is to bring big numbers as proof of success and divine blessing, and careful doctrinal teaching is an enemy of church growth. They customize the message to meet the needs of the audience, not caring about contending for the faith. The Pastors and leaders themselves have become like children tossed to and fro and follow whatever is the latest fad. /they try to package the message to make it sutle and more appealing to the world and the unchurched masses.
Paul wanted to make it clear that lives and hearts are renewed by means of the Word of God and nothing else.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Why Socialized Medicine is wrong
Why was the constitution of the U.S. written and why does it work if we follow it? Because it provides checks and balances against a dictatorship.
All we need to do is look at the world in countries where there are no checks and balances and you will find they have socialism and dictatorships.
There are two ingredients to successful medical care and they are compassion and quality. This is true even in the light of advancing technology. Medical technology does not change human nature and the inherent greed in all of life including healthe care. There is a price tag for this new health care system that is so high we cannot continue the way it is going. If the U.S. government pays for all or part of the medical care of U.S. citizins, we shall see the take-over of the health industry by thge federal government. Individual freedom will be lost in this process. When we are responsible for our own medical bills, we become the customer, the physician's employer. People are less thrifty when spending other people's money then when spending their own.
For those people who are indigent or lower income, there should be an arrangment between welfare and the parient's efforts which would retain their independence and dignity. Apathy and greed will demand from government what it cannot deliver and you will see the fall of a great nation. This new health care plan carries a price tag that we cannot pay. The end result is regulation, inflation, and taxation: our freedom will be lost.
In the country of my ancestors, Norway and Sweden, the womb-to-womb welfare has had an insidious corrosive effect on the moral character of her people. Consider medical ethics. It is the responsibility of all menbers of society, not just doctors or political leaders or the Supreme Court for that matter. Consider also the million and a half abortions every year. Christianity and the nature of man, called the depravity of man, explains why socialism does not work. Why did our founding fathers work so diligently to give the U.S. of America human freedom? In 1776 our constitutional convention was dominated by Christians and they could forsee the deprivity of man that motivated all the checks and balances we have today.
What does the "depravity of man" mean? It is a condition of sin within mankind. Why must we fight against our loss of freedom? No one man or leader is good enough to dictate how another should live. That is why our wonderful constitution is viable today and why we must protect it. My husband was a great student of the constitution and marveled at the brilliance of the men who wrote it.
How exciting it was for my own people, who came from Norway, a country that had a theacracy and control of one church, to be free.
Why is the U.S. regarded as a nation blessed by God? Could it be that Christianity is the very essence of personal freedom and liberty for all, including those of other faiths.
Hillary Clinton, in 1994, speaking for the task force on health care reform recommended that the U.S. adopt the Canadian system. Mr. Pierre Lemieus, economist and author in Quebec said, "In Canada health care is basically a socialized industry. There is no freedom, prices are fixed by law. Services are rationed and patients are forbidden to spend their medical dollars as they wish." American doctors who work near the border with Canada have first hand experience with this heartless system. Throughout the world political leaders have used free medicine to strengthen their control over the country. The sactity of life is not considered. Is this happening in America?
The greatest fear of socialism is the concentration of power at the federal level which is dangerous knowing the b asic greed and wickedness of all men. Socialism is ownership and the control of wages, prices, and the means of production. A man or woman who approves of a socialist system of government is usually has no understanding of the concepts of Christianity.
Medicare is socialism and all economist agree that it does not work as government will run out of funds soon. The reason Medicare doesn't work is because the patient does not care about the cost if his medicare care. The patient does not pay any money up front when he first sees the doctor and doesn't ask questions about the cost. Its covered by Medicare so who cares. The money part is ignored and the patient is not expected to pay a bill on the way out. If the doctor told the patient what the proceedure would cost, it would result in a smaller amount than if no ome mentioned it. There is no easy solution.The system need to be corrected. If the patient is paying out of pocked for his health care, he is more likely to be involved in better health habits himself. The patient needs to be actively involved in his own care.
With this new health care plan, much time and effort will be spent by the doctor on how to get the most money out of the government program. Instead, doctors should be only concerned with the best method of treating an illness or condition. Must the doctor become a begger for more money instead of concentrating on treatment for his patient. Will doctors leave their profession and go into another vocation?
Most people do not understand or feel the urgency of the threat of federal control of medicine. They listen to their politicians they support, not thinking for themself. These people are the "don't care" group.
It has already been proven that Medicare does not work so why are not all people up in arms about this new health care plan that is about to go into effect in 2010?
Someone said, "Socialism in any form resembles a parasite that lives off the host until both are dead".
All we need to do is look at the world in countries where there are no checks and balances and you will find they have socialism and dictatorships.
There are two ingredients to successful medical care and they are compassion and quality. This is true even in the light of advancing technology. Medical technology does not change human nature and the inherent greed in all of life including healthe care. There is a price tag for this new health care system that is so high we cannot continue the way it is going. If the U.S. government pays for all or part of the medical care of U.S. citizins, we shall see the take-over of the health industry by thge federal government. Individual freedom will be lost in this process. When we are responsible for our own medical bills, we become the customer, the physician's employer. People are less thrifty when spending other people's money then when spending their own.
For those people who are indigent or lower income, there should be an arrangment between welfare and the parient's efforts which would retain their independence and dignity. Apathy and greed will demand from government what it cannot deliver and you will see the fall of a great nation. This new health care plan carries a price tag that we cannot pay. The end result is regulation, inflation, and taxation: our freedom will be lost.
In the country of my ancestors, Norway and Sweden, the womb-to-womb welfare has had an insidious corrosive effect on the moral character of her people. Consider medical ethics. It is the responsibility of all menbers of society, not just doctors or political leaders or the Supreme Court for that matter. Consider also the million and a half abortions every year. Christianity and the nature of man, called the depravity of man, explains why socialism does not work. Why did our founding fathers work so diligently to give the U.S. of America human freedom? In 1776 our constitutional convention was dominated by Christians and they could forsee the deprivity of man that motivated all the checks and balances we have today.
What does the "depravity of man" mean? It is a condition of sin within mankind. Why must we fight against our loss of freedom? No one man or leader is good enough to dictate how another should live. That is why our wonderful constitution is viable today and why we must protect it. My husband was a great student of the constitution and marveled at the brilliance of the men who wrote it.
How exciting it was for my own people, who came from Norway, a country that had a theacracy and control of one church, to be free.
Why is the U.S. regarded as a nation blessed by God? Could it be that Christianity is the very essence of personal freedom and liberty for all, including those of other faiths.
Hillary Clinton, in 1994, speaking for the task force on health care reform recommended that the U.S. adopt the Canadian system. Mr. Pierre Lemieus, economist and author in Quebec said, "In Canada health care is basically a socialized industry. There is no freedom, prices are fixed by law. Services are rationed and patients are forbidden to spend their medical dollars as they wish." American doctors who work near the border with Canada have first hand experience with this heartless system. Throughout the world political leaders have used free medicine to strengthen their control over the country. The sactity of life is not considered. Is this happening in America?
The greatest fear of socialism is the concentration of power at the federal level which is dangerous knowing the b asic greed and wickedness of all men. Socialism is ownership and the control of wages, prices, and the means of production. A man or woman who approves of a socialist system of government is usually has no understanding of the concepts of Christianity.
Medicare is socialism and all economist agree that it does not work as government will run out of funds soon. The reason Medicare doesn't work is because the patient does not care about the cost if his medicare care. The patient does not pay any money up front when he first sees the doctor and doesn't ask questions about the cost. Its covered by Medicare so who cares. The money part is ignored and the patient is not expected to pay a bill on the way out. If the doctor told the patient what the proceedure would cost, it would result in a smaller amount than if no ome mentioned it. There is no easy solution.The system need to be corrected. If the patient is paying out of pocked for his health care, he is more likely to be involved in better health habits himself. The patient needs to be actively involved in his own care.
With this new health care plan, much time and effort will be spent by the doctor on how to get the most money out of the government program. Instead, doctors should be only concerned with the best method of treating an illness or condition. Must the doctor become a begger for more money instead of concentrating on treatment for his patient. Will doctors leave their profession and go into another vocation?
Most people do not understand or feel the urgency of the threat of federal control of medicine. They listen to their politicians they support, not thinking for themself. These people are the "don't care" group.
It has already been proven that Medicare does not work so why are not all people up in arms about this new health care plan that is about to go into effect in 2010?
Someone said, "Socialism in any form resembles a parasite that lives off the host until both are dead".
Monday, January 4, 2010
Apostacy
Apostasy
Why is apostasy such a threat? Because unknowingly, it will draw more people into the fall because error and unbelief is tolerated rather than opposed. When someone seriously questions unbiblical statements of truth, that person is more likely to be called a “heresy hunter” or someone who is interfering with the doctrine of the church. A pesky whistle blower. Defending the faith is a role very few want any more.
The truth was has been a perpetual battle ever since sin entered the universe. When I first blew the whistle so to speak about Rick Warren and his book, “The Purpose Driven Life,” plus Eugene Pederson and his paraphrase, “The Message Bible” I had very few who supported me but those who did, had done their homework and knew the dangers of apostasy. Scripture tells us to wage war in behalf of the truth. How would the truth of God’s word been reveled if Paul had not waged war in behalf of the truth?
Eugene Pederson, who authored “The Message” paraphrase bible, adjusts the gospel to suit his own tastes. He poisons the teaching of Christ by twisting and reinventing the meaning. An example is Pederson’s version of the Lord’s Prayer, compared to the Lord’s Prayer in the King James translation.
The Lord’s Prayer (The Message Bible)
Our Father in heaven
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best—
As above, so below
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
Yes, Yes, Yes.
The Lord’s Prayer (King James Bible)
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done.
In earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
And the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
The phrase “As above, so below” is a metaphysical New Age connotation and routinely substituted for “heaven and earth”. “As above, so below” is a universally accepted mystical New Age term. This term has its origins in the magic of ancient Egypt. It means that God is “in” everyone and everything. It supports the New Age contention that “We are all one”.
“As above, so below” was on the first page of the first chapter of Rick Warren’s quotes from “The Message Bible” to open and close his first chapter. Rick Warren’s message has broad appeal, even to members of other religions. Part of the secret of his success is his ability to integrate statements from people the world admires, combining these with partial biblical passages taken out of context. Paul warns us that the message of the crucified Messiah and the wisdom of the world is incompatible. Warren uses some truth with untruth as Satan did in the Garden of Eden.
Warren’s purpose is to build churches that are relevant to unbelievers, entertain, jazz the music to a beat that will appeal to the worldly but splash in some Christian lyricks. This man is willing to change the nature of Christian teaching so it will appeal to an audience of an unregenerate state. I remember well what our choir leader, Ed Willington told us during choir practice, after singing a beautiful old gospel hymn, “Your not likely to ever hear hymns like this sung again in churches today.” Why, we asked?” “Because, they want the music to appeal to the young.” Will the young never hear the great hymns of the past and will this new music bring them to Christ? I think not. Scripture does not tell churches to meet the needs of the unregenerate. Rick Warren’s goal is to make the church a place for religious consumers instead of a church with gospel preaching and Bible teaching.
Do not be fooled by the size of a church or whether it has grown or not. The church of Smyna and Philadelphia were poor, small, and lacked influence but were commended by God. Rick Warren is in the process of leading the church into the New Age plan for the New Spirituality. So what is Rick Warren’s purpose? To go down in history as a new reformer like Martin Luther? It is a spirit that comes in the name of Christ but actually opposes Jesus Christ. Ask God for wisdom. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” James 1: 5.
Christians deceived by Rick Warren will fall farther and farther into New Age Spirituality. Instead of being on the narrow road that leads to life, they will be on the broad road that leads to death. If a little leaven is brought into our church, it can spoil the whole church. The congregation needs to be warned by their pastors and leaders about people who will bring doctrines of demons and deception into our churches. The majority of Christians are uninformed and need solid Biblical warnings and teaching on this subject. Pastors are responsible to stand for sound doctrine and to correct false doctrine.
Paul laid down standards for elders in Titus 1:9: “Holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” Paul also said there will come a time when many will refuse to correct false doctrine. “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”. 11Timothy 4:3.
What Rick Warren has done is to blur the line between pagan culture and the church, therefore attracting more people to his church. The world will reward what it favors and persecute what it hates. This is precisely what the Purpose Driven movement has done—it has created a gospel the world loves. Do not be fooled by the size of a church. Jesus is not impressed with large numbers. He never addresses church growth. When Christianity is popular, churches grow for reasons other then true conversions. What is essential is maintaining the true confession of the church regardless of whether it is being received of rejected. Size or growth of numbers is not important.
Rick Warren tells his followers of his many achievements as proven by numbers. Recently, in interviews with the me3dia, Warren told how much money he has given away. The world loves people who give away their money. Warren teaches pagan prayer practice such as breath prayers and other mystical practices. R. Warren has created a Christianity that the world loves.
Serious threats to our faith come in subtle disguise so they are hardly noticeable. Example is Yoga in the church, even promoted by leaders. Should our pastors and leaders be involved in Yoga? The general public will hardly take notice as it is accepted by the world. If you see false doctrine within your church, you need to firmly oppose it before it becomes accepted within the church.
Why is apostasy such a threat? Because unknowingly, it will draw more people into the fall because error and unbelief is tolerated rather than opposed. When someone seriously questions unbiblical statements of truth, that person is more likely to be called a “heresy hunter” or someone who is interfering with the doctrine of the church. A pesky whistle blower. Defending the faith is a role very few want any more.
The truth was has been a perpetual battle ever since sin entered the universe. When I first blew the whistle so to speak about Rick Warren and his book, “The Purpose Driven Life,” plus Eugene Pederson and his paraphrase, “The Message Bible” I had very few who supported me but those who did, had done their homework and knew the dangers of apostasy. Scripture tells us to wage war in behalf of the truth. How would the truth of God’s word been reveled if Paul had not waged war in behalf of the truth?
Eugene Pederson, who authored “The Message” paraphrase bible, adjusts the gospel to suit his own tastes. He poisons the teaching of Christ by twisting and reinventing the meaning. An example is Pederson’s version of the Lord’s Prayer, compared to the Lord’s Prayer in the King James translation.
The Lord’s Prayer (The Message Bible)
Our Father in heaven
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best—
As above, so below
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
Yes, Yes, Yes.
The Lord’s Prayer (King James Bible)
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done.
In earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
And the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
The phrase “As above, so below” is a metaphysical New Age connotation and routinely substituted for “heaven and earth”. “As above, so below” is a universally accepted mystical New Age term. This term has its origins in the magic of ancient Egypt. It means that God is “in” everyone and everything. It supports the New Age contention that “We are all one”.
“As above, so below” was on the first page of the first chapter of Rick Warren’s quotes from “The Message Bible” to open and close his first chapter. Rick Warren’s message has broad appeal, even to members of other religions. Part of the secret of his success is his ability to integrate statements from people the world admires, combining these with partial biblical passages taken out of context. Paul warns us that the message of the crucified Messiah and the wisdom of the world is incompatible. Warren uses some truth with untruth as Satan did in the Garden of Eden.
Warren’s purpose is to build churches that are relevant to unbelievers, entertain, jazz the music to a beat that will appeal to the worldly but splash in some Christian lyricks. This man is willing to change the nature of Christian teaching so it will appeal to an audience of an unregenerate state. I remember well what our choir leader, Ed Willington told us during choir practice, after singing a beautiful old gospel hymn, “Your not likely to ever hear hymns like this sung again in churches today.” Why, we asked?” “Because, they want the music to appeal to the young.” Will the young never hear the great hymns of the past and will this new music bring them to Christ? I think not. Scripture does not tell churches to meet the needs of the unregenerate. Rick Warren’s goal is to make the church a place for religious consumers instead of a church with gospel preaching and Bible teaching.
Do not be fooled by the size of a church or whether it has grown or not. The church of Smyna and Philadelphia were poor, small, and lacked influence but were commended by God. Rick Warren is in the process of leading the church into the New Age plan for the New Spirituality. So what is Rick Warren’s purpose? To go down in history as a new reformer like Martin Luther? It is a spirit that comes in the name of Christ but actually opposes Jesus Christ. Ask God for wisdom. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” James 1: 5.
Christians deceived by Rick Warren will fall farther and farther into New Age Spirituality. Instead of being on the narrow road that leads to life, they will be on the broad road that leads to death. If a little leaven is brought into our church, it can spoil the whole church. The congregation needs to be warned by their pastors and leaders about people who will bring doctrines of demons and deception into our churches. The majority of Christians are uninformed and need solid Biblical warnings and teaching on this subject. Pastors are responsible to stand for sound doctrine and to correct false doctrine.
Paul laid down standards for elders in Titus 1:9: “Holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” Paul also said there will come a time when many will refuse to correct false doctrine. “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”. 11Timothy 4:3.
What Rick Warren has done is to blur the line between pagan culture and the church, therefore attracting more people to his church. The world will reward what it favors and persecute what it hates. This is precisely what the Purpose Driven movement has done—it has created a gospel the world loves. Do not be fooled by the size of a church. Jesus is not impressed with large numbers. He never addresses church growth. When Christianity is popular, churches grow for reasons other then true conversions. What is essential is maintaining the true confession of the church regardless of whether it is being received of rejected. Size or growth of numbers is not important.
Rick Warren tells his followers of his many achievements as proven by numbers. Recently, in interviews with the me3dia, Warren told how much money he has given away. The world loves people who give away their money. Warren teaches pagan prayer practice such as breath prayers and other mystical practices. R. Warren has created a Christianity that the world loves.
Serious threats to our faith come in subtle disguise so they are hardly noticeable. Example is Yoga in the church, even promoted by leaders. Should our pastors and leaders be involved in Yoga? The general public will hardly take notice as it is accepted by the world. If you see false doctrine within your church, you need to firmly oppose it before it becomes accepted within the church.
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