MESSIAH 2013 TO BE HELD AT MESSIAH COLLEGE

A Messianic Jewish conference will be held this July, 2013 similar to one held last year. It will be held at Messiah College, Grantham, PA, an alleged “Christian” school. It should be noted that Messiah College has been offering “Spiritual Formation” courses that promote contemplative mysticism and pietism, as shown here: http://www.messiah.edu/ministries/SpiritualFormation/. The recommended “Activist Resource List”, “Contemplative Resources”, “Pietist Resources”, and “Scholar Resources” for students at Messiah College are filled with pagan and heretical teachers, mystics and false religions at: http://www.messiah.edu/ministries/SpiritualFormation/RESOURCES/Activist%20Description%20and%20Resources.pdf, and
http://www.messiah.edu/ministries/SpiritualFormation/RESOURCES/Contemplative%20Description%20and%20Resources.pdf, 
and
http://www.messiah.edu/ministries/SpiritualFormation/RESOURCES/Pietist%20Description%20and%20Resources.pdf, and
http://www.messiah.edu/ministries/SpiritualFormation/RESOURCES/Scholar%20Description%20and%20Resources.pdf.
  Here is the promo video:

REALLY “UNDERSTANDING” MESSIANIC JUDAISM

    Really understanding Messianic Judaism is putting Christian discernment into practice comparing what the closed canon of the 66 books of the unaltered Bible in its original texts, to the claims, beliefs, and practices of this new form of Judaism.
    An in depth analysis shows that this Hebraic Roots movement denies the divinity, humanity and personhood of Jesus, denies the Trinity of three persons in one God, adds to the Bible by its adherence to Jewish laws found in the Torah, attributes alleged mystical experiences with God as the leading cause of drawing closer to God, but likewise denies that Jesus Himself is the sole means of salvation. It completely repudiates the five solas of the Reformation, and claims to promote unity with conformity in an ecumenical way. Its testimonies of salvation and regeneration, and its styles of worship are mystical in conformity with its Kabbalist roots. It is modalist in it concept and belief of God; therefore Jesus is only a form of or mode of being of God.
    Here is an explanation by a Messianic rabbi, but who fails to completely explain how Christianity is suppressed and submerged, with Judaism taking dominance:

This is the testimony of a Messianic rabbi who had a “vision” which caused him to draw close to God. But where is Jesus in all this “experience”?:

This is the testimony of a Messianic rabbi alleged to have been led to Jesus from the life of a vagrant drug user and polytheist, by a tract which had quotes from the mystical C.S. Lewis and a subsequent unspecific conversion in a Protestant church in Vermont. Again, in this testimony, there is no mention of repentance, no apparent understanding of Jesus as Savior from sin, nor any real conversion to Christianity completely. Instead, elements of Christianity are merged with Judaism in his congregation in New York City, so as to, in his words, at least please his mother by raising his children as Jews.

Valerie Moody alleges to have had two personal visitations from Jesus or Yeshua, and is part of Revive 2013. This is her testimony: http://www.vmoody.com/about/.

Revive 2013: http://revive2013.com/

MORE ON THE HEBRAIC ROOTS MOVEMENT

This video exposes Jim Staley and his Hebraic “Passion for Truth Ministries”:

This is Staley’s promo for his video about the so-called roots of Christian holidays as he sees them:

And this video clearly demonstrates Staley’s promotion of the “Spirit of God through the Torah” and his congregation desiring “where (the felt & experienced) worship, prophecy, spirit and truth unite” as in the early church. What we have here is a syncretism of Christian, Jewish, pentecostal, charismatic, messianic, emerging, ecumenical, legalistic, dominionist, fascist, mystical, and contemporary music and worship, that is, the next step in the move toward a one world apostate church blending truth and heresy in a gnostic, leader knows all, movement:

DEFENSE SECRETARY MEMO EXTENDING SAME SEX BENEFITS TO MILITARY

Panetta Signs Memo Extending Benefits to Same-sex Partners

But it is apparently still not enough progress for the LGBTQ agenda as shown here, bemoaning that things aren’t moving towards total depravity soon enough:

All this while the military has their pay raise cut:

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2013 – Calling it “a matter of fundamental equity,” Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today signed a memorandum to the service secretaries and the Pentagon’s top personnel official extending benefits to same-sex partners of service members.

Here is the secretary’s announcement of the policy change:

“Seventeen months ago, the United States military ended the policy of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ We have implemented the repeal of that policy and made clear that discrimination based on sexual orientation has no place in the Department of Defense.

“At the time of repeal, I committed to reviewing benefits that had not previously been available to same-sex partners based on existing law and policy. It is a matter of fundamental equity that we provide similar benefits to all of those men and women in uniform who serve their country. The department already provides a group of benefits that are member-designated. Today, I am pleased to announce that after a thorough and deliberate review, the department will extend additional benefits to same-sex partners of service members.

“Taking care of our service members and honoring the sacrifices of all military families are two core values of this nation. Extending these benefits is an appropriate next step under current law to ensure that all service members receive equal support for what they do to protect this nation.

“One of the legal limitations to providing all benefits at this time is the Defense of Marriage Act, which is still the law of the land. There are certain benefits that can only be provided to spouses as defined by that law, which is now being reviewed by the United States Supreme Court. While it will not change during my tenure as secretary of defense, I foresee a time when the law will allow the department to grant full benefits to service members and their dependents, irrespective of sexual orientation. Until then, the department will continue to comply with current law while doing all we can to take care of all soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and their families.

“While the implementation of additional benefits will require substantial policy revisions and training, it is my expectation that these benefits will be made available as expeditiously as possible. One of the great successes at the Department of Defense has been the implementation of DADT repeal. It has been highly professional and has strengthened our military community. I am confident in the military services’ ability to effectively implement these changes over the coming months.”

Related Sites:
Memorandum Extending Benefits to Same-sex Domestic Partners of Military Members
http://www.defense.gov/news/Same-SexBenefitsMemo.pdf.
Special Report: ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Repeal
http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2010/0610_dadt/.
See Culture News: http://culturecampaign.blogspot.com/2013/02/pres-obama-shifts-defense-funds-to.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FZbnxq+%28CULTURE+NEWS%29

JOHN BRENNAN, CONVERT TO ISLAM, NOMINATED TO BE CIA DIRECTOR

Will Obama and Brennan take you out if you become a “risk”?


Here is the PBS Nova video all about drones:



This video shows senator Feinstein, who is so enthusiastically supportive of taking away our constitutional right to arms, defending the right of an avowed Muslim candidate for the head of the CIA to his free speech:

Here Brennan talks in both English and Arabic about the “goodness and beauty of Islam” practicing “peace, tolerance and diversity”:

Video on use of drones which are being promoted by Brennan:

Talk with John Kiriakou, former CIA whistleblower, headed to prison:

JUDAIZERS OF THE “HEBRAIC ROOTS” MOVEMENT

“Judaizers, Who, What and Why” in video below:

From Rick Ross, cult expert, is this article by Stephanie Garber of the Cleveland Jewish News about the “Hebraic Roots” movement of “Ephraimites”, which are the characteristics of Jim Staley’s “Passion for Truth Ministries” mentioned in a prior post on this blog. The article is here:
http://www.rickross.com/reference/general/general776.html. This article references Eddie Chumney’s “Hebraic Heritage Ministries International” at http://www.hebroots.com/.
Brannon Howse of Worldview Weekend has an extensive article filled with research about the Hebraic Roots Movement called “The Growing Phenomena of American “Hebrew” Cults” at:
http://www.worldviewweekend.com/worldview-times/article.php?articleid=2588.
The Hebrew (Hebraic) Roots Movement is explained here: http://www.empoweredbychrist.org/the-hebrew-roots-movement.html#_ftn4.
The following is a partial list of some Hebraic Messianic “congregational communities” that are listed on the Hebraic Roots Network at: http://www.hebraicrootsnetwork.com/congregational-communities, as:
http://www.shaaradonainyc.com/ (New York City)
http://bethelnyc.org/ (New York City)
http://messianictemple.org/ (Brooklyn, NY)
https://www.bethemanuel.org/ (Philadelphia, PA)
http://www.bethisraelworshipcenter.org/ (Wayne, NJ)(home of Jonathan Cahn, author of the “Harbinger”)
http://beitbrachot.org/ (Washington, NJ)
http://www.emanatechurchnj.com/ (Browns Mills, NJ)
http://godwithus.org/ (Clarksville, MD)
http://www.sonofdavid.org/ (Gaithersburg, MD)
The (Hebraic/Messianic) Revive 2013 event will be in Dallas, Texas in June, 2013. See: http://revive2013.com/, and the video promo on YouTube here:

and here:

From Rev. Jonathan Anderson an article explaining who Judaizers are, what they believe, and how they twist Scriptures and deceive:
http://www.angelfire.com/planet/loveoneanothe//judaizers.html. The full text is below unedited:
Judaizers

In Christianity there is a growing problem known as ‘Judaizing’, it’s a movement that, by definition, consists of furthering Judaic laws and the ordinances of the OT. This process usually involves oppressing unsuspecting Christians with guilt trips, by asking things like “Don’t you know yahweh’s laws are forever?” or “Didn’t you know there were much more than 10 commandments?”. Usually, some verbal gymnastics follow, and before long, the unlearned Christian has had their mind twisted into a knot, and agreeing with the lecherous Judaizing missionary.
Then the poor Christian begins to follow suit and starts learning Hebrew, buys a menorrah, learns the the old laws, changes their diet, and starts honoring holy days. Before long, the person is nearly a full-blown Jew, with the exception of believing in Jesus Christ.

To such poor Christians I must ask, do you not realize that the laws of the OT in the torah were given only and specifically to the Jews? Literally, they applied only to the Jews, and Gentiles were not bound by them what-so-ever.
Ok, this being so, then how can you take laws that were LITERALLY not given to you, and LITERALLY did not apply to you, and say that because you’re a SPIRITUAL (true) Jew, that these LITERAL laws, now LITERALLY must be followed, when they LITERALLY had nothing to do with you?

I usually get no answer after I pose that thought to the missionaries of this blight on Christianity. Not that I’ve never gotten answers before, but they’ve never been good ones.

First things first, people who have adopted the Judaizing theology will always jump on the verses that say “God doesn’t change”, and I agree, God does not change, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. However, that says nothing about His particular rules not changing. If I were playing you in chess, and you were losing at it terribly, so I decided to change the rules a little and allow you to move twice per turn, I have not changed, you’re still sitting across from the same man with the same personality, only the way the game is played has changed, I’m the same.

If I tell you one day that I like right handed people, so all right handers get free parking, then later I say I don’t like right hands, I like lefties now…then I’VE changed.

So my example may sound a little silly, but I believe in keeping things simple and still getting the point across. If anything, God’s ability to change the rules demonstrates His absolute authority and sovereignty–not even kings and monarchs had the power to reneg their orders once they made a decree.

If you’re still not convinced at this, and you’re still hooting and hollering “God doesn’t change! You’re example stinks!”, then as a last resort I will bring up this. If you’re going to declare that God doesn’t change, therefore all of the laws given to the Jews in the OT still apply today, then I hope you are prepared for a mind bender.
How do you reconcile the fact that there was a time BEFORE all these laws, with your concept of God not changing?
It should be obvious, anyone who knows the scriptures knows that there was a time before the laws, because there was a time before there was a nation of Israel…yes people, there was a time before the Jews existed.

As shocking as that may be, it’s true, Abraham was not a Jew, neither was Noah, Jared, Methuselah, Enos, Enoch, Adam, Eve, Seth, Arphaxad, etc etc etc. No temple, no temple laws, no Hebrews, no Hebrew laws. In written record, *most* of the laws came into being at the time of Moses. So why don’t you raise a fuss about that? You should be screaming “How dare you give us these 600 extra laws! You’re not supposed to change!”. Or better yet “How dare you make a chosen people!”

We can only go by what we know and what has been written down, murder has always been wrong, stealing has always been wrong, fornication etc, but I’ve challenged people to show me even 300 torah laws that existed prior to Moses, I’ve even narrowed it down to 100. In fact, when it comes to kosher diets, I can show positively that God’s choice of food has changed more than once since the beginning, Genesis 9:3-4 is proof of that to Noah. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
According to this verse, Noah was given permission to eat anything that didn’t have the blood still in it. Adam wasn’t given this permission, and it’s a much broader spectrum than the kosher diet of Moses’s law, where many animals were forbidden to eat under any circumstances. Different still, is the diet of the NT which I will show below, where now people can eat any animals without spiritual punishment.

As you can see, with most peoples understanding of God not changing, you have a much bigger problem on your hands than I do, but enough about that, now for the scriptures that prove the rules have changed, and the old laws were done away in Christ…

John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Act 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses……
15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

2Cor 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
3:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
3:13 And not as Moses,which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Heb 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
7:13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
7:15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
7:17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
7:18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

1Tim 4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

Rom 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

Romans 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

Act 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.
17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at(overlooked); but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
17:31 Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained;(JESUS) whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.

That last group of verses is an absolute 100 megaton explosion to the argument about sacred objects, ‘godly’ graven images of the temple, relics of the OT, and the such implications that these things matter now, or ever really did. God passed it by due to the peoples ignorance, and most likely influences of false religions after leaving Egypt. God never seemed to care about gold, jewels, polished silver, fine brass, or the fabric of holy robes prior to Moses leading Israel out of Egypt, yet from this point on, it seemed to matter a great deal. These verses just explained it all away, and that’s why we as Christians are not instructed to carry on with these things.

Now that it should be apparent that most of the OT laws have been done away, what remains then? What’s going on? Well, theres only 9 commandments that are reiterated in the NT*, but they are summarized by 1 new one. John 13:34 is where Jesus says a NEW commandment He was giving was to love one another as He loves us, and Romans 13:8 says to love one another is to fulfill all of the law. That is the law now, there it is, all of it, right there, for also in loving one another you will not do any ill will to anyone. Paul even clarifies it, just in case you were wondering what kind of love to have.

There is also Galatians 5:14 “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Can it really get any clearer?

I will now take this one step further and show the Jesus was instituting this new set of rules even within His own life. Yes, Jesus Christ the Messiah was preparing people for a change, things were not going to be the way they were in the OT anymore, and this verse is painfully clear that a change was a comin’….

Mat 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

also….

John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Kind of interesting isn’t it? Jesus was well aware of all of the wars and fighting and bloodshed of the OT times and was putting an end to it once and for all. This was not the way of God, for He is love. The kingdom of heaven would no longer be able to be taken by violence, (from either side actually) because it would no longer be an earthly matter. We know this because of the examples the apostles set in peace and persecution through the first century church. They were not renegade assassins or anything like that.

So here come the verses that every Judaizer tries to hit me over the head with:
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

These verses have cause alot of confusion in the faith, especially in light of the massive amount of verses I have already laid down in this section. Something needs to be made clear here. When Jesus was referring to “the law” in those verses, He was not referring to the law of MOSES. In fact, Jesus and the apostles differentiate between the law of God and the law of Moses in many places, this is a key point. Jesus proves that He is not talking about the law of Moses in some of the very next verses where He lists the commandments now, and even updates a few, making them stricter…..He says “anyone who breaks the least of THESE commandments shall be least in the kingdom.” What commandments? He didn’t name any yet, BUT HE WAS ABOUT TO. Remember, according to Hebrews 7 that there was a changing of the priesthood, therefore a changing of the law.

Mat 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Mat 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

I have debated these verses with Judaizers at length. Sometimes, when the person is more Jewish than Christian, they will rely on the writings of the Talmud to prove that Jesus said nothing that rabbis had not said previously (to greatly paraphrase). That “eye for an eye” is merely equal measures in justice. However, the debate always ends when I press the issue, and establish the following position…

If you slap me, I can react in 3 different ways…
1. I can hit you back (equal justice)
2. I can do nothing and forgive you (righteousness)
3. I can bless you and ask if there’s anything I can help you with (crazy unbalanced Jesus thing to do)

Nowhere in any Jewish writing will you find such a looney act that Jesus ordered Christians to do in Matthew 5:39-41, there is without a doubt a complete change of the OT law, in that I am not allowed to return like for like, in fact, if you commit an injustice to me, I have to do something NICE for you in return. If you sue me and take my jacket, I have to give you my shoes too. This almost always ends any debate with Judaizers who claim nothing has changed between the OT and NT, and that Jesus merely quotes rabbis. It is an extremely hard commandment to follow, but I have known a few true Christians who do. To find out why Jesus told us to do this, read Real Free Will.

Further proof that the law of God/Christ is different from the law of Moses is in…

John 6:32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you NOT that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the TRUE bread from heaven.

Mat 19:7-8 and Mark 10:4-5 Jesus is asked about divorce and His answer is that MOSES gave them that precept because of the hardness of their hearts, and that it was not so from the beginning. Proving again that the law has changed more than once. Jesus then forbade it except in adultery.

John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and TRUTH came by Jesus Christ.

John 8:5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

Act 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could NOT be justified by the law of Moses.

Act 21:21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. (The elders then came together and decided it was wise for Paul to purify himself in the temple and shave his head according to custom, in order to prevent a riot…it didn’t work, because the Jews knew Paul was in fact teaching this, and we know too from the many writings of Paul which I have already provided in this section.)

We also know from 1st Samuel 8:1 that God gave the people kings because they whined that they wanted a human king, He would have been their king. We also know that God sent them quails when they were tired of manna, so they ate meat until they got sick of it. Apparently God has always wanted a better way, but the Jews simply would not listen, so finally when Christ came, He came teaching the true way of the Father.
As far as certain OT prophecies like Zechariah 14:16-19, which talks about there being observance of the feast of tabernacles by all people…simply read verse 8 and you will see this is all figurative/spiritual. Verse 8 talks about living waters flowing from Jerusalem. How can water be ‘living’? In the NT, living waters are talked about as something spiritual and not physical. Better proof is found back in Zech 12:4 where it says that every horse will be struck with astonishment and blindness, and their riders will go mad. Literally this verse is pointless, horses aren’t used for transportation anymore, they’re hardly even used for labor. Will cars and tractors go blind instead?

The last thing to address is the oft repeated argument of the promises of God, and verses about His perpetual covenant with Israel, such as in Exodus 31:16 that sabbath day keeping would be a part of this covenant, among other things like diet in Lev 3:17. These things all became nullified when the covenant was broken, and Israel was cast off. Think it didn’t happen? See Holy Racism to find out how and when… Israel became heathen, and eventually rejected their own messiah and the true ways of God (Matt 8:11-12, Matt 12:7, Matt 5:21-46, Matt 21:43, John 8:47, John 1:18, Act 2:36, Rom 11:20, Col 1:15, etc etc. see also Sacrifices, and OT violence for more info). As a result of their wickedness, God made good on His word and proved He did not make idle warnings to Israel (1Kings 9:6-7, Josh 24:20, 1Ch 28:9, 2Ch 7:19-20, 2Ch 15:2) which came to a climax with the destruction of the temple and scattering of the nation in 70 ad. These events dissolved the covenant, and THEREFORE nullified many OT prophecies of the coming days for Israel. Get out of the mindset that says God will keep His end of the bargain even if you don’t keep yours, see OSAS and Salvation by Works if you need help coming to terms with the conditions of God’s words. If you want to know what the end times will be now, you need the New Testament.

Every Christian needs to know the things I have put forth here, and address these issues to evangelize to the Jews, it’s that easy to prove the case for Christ, and I am not anti-semitic.

In conclusion, God’s law hasn’t been done away, it’s the law of Moses that is no more. We now have the true way, demonstrated in the New Testament through the life of Christ.

*9 of the commandments were reiterated in the NT, the missing one is the 4th, the KEEPING of the sabbath day

1st commandment in Mat 22:37, 1Cor. 8:5-6
2nd commandment in 1John. 5:21, also Col 3:5 and Eph 5:5
3rd commandment in Col 3:8
5th commandment in Eph 6:1-3
6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th commandments in Rom 13:8-10, Mat 19:18, Gal 5:14, 1Cor 6:9-10, and Gal 5:19-21.

Only the sabbath rest is mentioned in the NT, which is Christ, and not the keeping of the sabbath law.
See Dan Corner’s site on the 4th commandment and Dan Corner’s site on sabbath keepers
_________________________________________________________________________________

This is a quote from J. Gresham Machen’s “Notes on Galatians”, about Judaizers:

“The particular form of merit which they induced men to seek was the merit of keeping the Law of Moses, particularly the cermonial law. At first sight, that fact might seem to destroy the usefulness of the epistle for the present day; for we of today are in no danger in desiring to keep Jewish fasts and feasts. But a little consideration will show that that is not at all the case. The really essential thing about the Judaizers’ contention was not found in those particular “works of the law” that they urged upon the Galatians as being one of the grounds of salvation, but in the fact that the urged any works at all. The really serious error into which they fell was not that they carried the ceremonial law over into the new dispensation, whither God did not intend it to be carried, but that they preached a religion of human merit as over against a religion of divine grace.
So the error of the Judaizers is a very modern error indeed, as well as a very ancient error. It is found in the modern church wherever men seek salvation by “surrender” instead of by faith, or by their own character instead of by the imputed righteousness of Christ, or by “making Christ master in the life” instead of by trusting in His redeeming blood. In particular, it is found wherever men say that “the real essentials” of Christianity are love, justice, mercy, and other virtues, as contrasted with the great doctrines of God’s word. These are all just different ways of exalting the merit of man over against the cross of Christ; they are all of them attacks upon the very heart and core of the Christian religion. And, against all of them the mighty polemic of this epistle to the Galatians is turned.”

WORLD NET DAILY NO LONGER RECOMMENDED

    We have decided to drop World Net Daily from our recommended News/Research list, and to not recommend Jonathan Cahn’s books, based on the following:
    World Net Daily is promoting and selling the books of Jonathan Cahn, a self-described Messianic “prophetic rabbi” associated with the personalities of the New Apostolic Reformation, such as Mormon Glenn Beck, C. Peter Wagner, Cindy Jacobs, Jay Bakker, and others. His books are described by some as “fictional non-fiction” and have the potential to mislead many. The author purports that in his books that he has made discoveries in ancient Hebrew writings that have not been heretofore discovered, and is able to unravel so-called secrets and mysteries about Scripture and end times eschatology, particularly drawing the parallel with that of America being likened to ancient Israel, like a “prototype”. Except the parallels with America are based on circumstantial and random occurrences not preceded by prophetic warnings, and without any covenant between God and America specifically.
    The ad for Cahn’s “The Isaiah 9:10 Judgment” and “The Harbinger” on WND is here:
http://email.wnd.com/HM?a=ENX7Cqr-cMf68SA9MKJT_UfnGHxKLsn7kPcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_Hhe-ud1JB.
 

    So why is World Net Daily selling Cahn’s books? Well, perhaps the reason lies in Joseph Farah’s own “Hebraic Roots Movement” leanings as previously reported at: http://8thday4life.com/2011/09/12/world-net-daily-joins-and-promotes-the-hrm/, and at: https://ratherexposethem.org/2011/09/world-net-daily-and-hebrew-roots.html, and as he himself describes in this video:

 
    He plainly states his dissatisfaction with the New Covenant of the New Testament replacing the Old Covenant between God and Israel. He therefore sought out Jim Staley’s “Passion for Truth Ministries”, a type of “Messianic Christian church”, which has a heavy emphasis on “Hebraic Roots” and the Jewish “Torah”, including the observance of dietary laws and holy days, the latter believed to be a necessary addition to the life of a Christian.
    Staley claims he had a “supernatural experience” which influenced him to explore Scripture from a Hebraic perspective instead of a Greek one: http://passionfortruth.com/contentpages/18844/50b8b89f-45ed-4439-9049-52163b5b2af0/JimsBio.aspx, and http://passionfortruth.com/contentpages/18844/74faabba-f2c0-4fc4-b5b0-ebde217f8f8c/Beliefs.aspx. In the beliefs of PFT at http://passionfortruth.com/contentpages/18844/74faabba-f2c0-4fc4-b5b0-ebde217f8f8c/Beliefs.aspx, we observe that there is no mention of repentance as necessary for salvation, but only a mystical form of accepting “the blood of Yeshua/Jesus over the door posts” of your heart. Also, it is stated: “We believe the Apostle Paul has been grossly misunderstood on this issue and all of his writings can be understood as supporting the Torah when read without the denominational, antinomian bias, but instead through the original Hebraic perspective in which he wrote them.” Thus, the allegation is made that the Greek/Western or Catholic/Protestant hermeneutic of the law being done away with (and no longer applicable to Christians) under the New Covenant is faulty, and refuted by Paul in Romans 3:31. But using the Torah and other Jewish writings as a guide for the Christian of today is adding legalism to grace, and stating that the Christian life lived in Jesus alone is lacking without law. 
This audio of Staley is proof that PFT is opposed to grace alone:





Consequently, the five solas of the Reformation are repudiated under this gnostic theology as not having the benefit of the perspective of the Jewish/Eastern mindset.
    That is perhaps the reason Joseph Farah and World Net Daily have associations with Passion for Truth, Jonathan Cahn, and Glenn Beck.
    Here is an example of PFT’s teaching on Jewish dietary laws: 

PFT’s Jewish “Feast Days Calendar” here: http://passionfortruth.com/contentpages/18858/078d090b-4b67-47e4-9afb-e48a7ff4e24e/FeastDaysCalendar.aspx.


This is the link to the PFT YouTube Channel where there are hundreds of videos of Staley’s sermons, testimonies and Jewish holy day observances:
http://www.youtube.com/user/PassionForTruthVideo?feature=watch


The supporting documentation for not recommending Cahn and WND:
Apprising.org:
http://apprising.org/2012/07/20/discerning-reviewers-of-the-harbinger/.
http://apprising.org/2012/06/28/author-of-the-harbinger-jonathan-cahn-tells-us-90-per-cent-of-it-is-non-fiction/.
http://apprising.org/2013/01/31/steve-strang-of-charisma-media-and-jonathan-cahn-to-sue-dave-james-over-the-harbinger-fact-or-fiction/.
http://apprising.org/2012/08/18/patriotic-idolatry-america-for-jesus-the-nar-and-jonathan-cahn/.
http://apprising.org/2012/08/05/david-james-book-the-harbinger-fact-or-fiction-available/.
http://apprising.org/2012/08/03/prophet-rabbi-jonathan-cahn/.
http://apprising.org/2012/07/30/jim-bakkers-homage-to-jonathan-cahn-who-says-hes-blessed-by-bakkers-mentoring/.
http://apprising.org/2012/07/23/chris-rosebrough-short-circuits-jonathan-cahn-and-the-harbinger/.
http://apprising.org/2012/07/19/jonathan-cahn-harbinger-of-discernment-gone-wild/.
http://apprising.org/2012/06/26/the-harbinger-prophetic-fact-or-fickle-fiction/.
http://apprising.org/2012/06/10/the-harbinger-a-review-and-commentary-by-pastor-larry-debruyn/.
DoNotBeSurprised: http://www.donotbesurprised.com/2012/08/patriotic-idolatry-america-for-jesus.html, and
http://www.donotbesurprised.com/2012/07/the-gospel-presentation-of-harbinger.html.
ChristianResearchNetwork: http://christianresearchnetwork.org/2012/06/28/implications-of-the-harbinger/.
SolaSisters: https://ratherexposethem.org/2012/06/commentary-on-harbinger.html.
ProphecyToday (David James): http://prophecytoday.com/pdf/harbinger_book_review.pdf.
SVChapel (Gary Gilley): http://www.svchapel.org/resources/book-reviews/15-fiction/758-the-harbinger-by-jonathan-cahn-lake-mary-florida-frontline-2011-pp-144-e-book-1000.
TruthwithSnares.org (John Beardsley): http://truthwithsnares.org/2013/02/02/is-the-harbinger-a-dangerous-fiction-or-in-essence-non-fiction-for-americas-future/.
TheBereanCall.org: http://www.thebereancall.org/content/harbinger-matter-critical-discernment.
Herescope (Larry DeBruyn): https://ratherexposethem.org/2012/06/harbinger.html.
Kjos Ministries (crossroad.to) (Berit Kjos):
    http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/2012/harbinger.htm.
    http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/2012/harbinger-zohar.htm (Cahn’s references to Jewish “Zohar”).
    http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/2012/James/harbinger-tree.htm.
    http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/2012/James/harbinger-dream.htm.
    http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/2012/dinsmore/harbinger-1.htm.
FightingfortheFaith (Chris Rosebrough) audio: http://0352182.netsolhost.com/F4F071912.mp3,
    from http://www.fightingforthefaith.com/2012/07/rosebroughs-2-on-the-harbinger.html.
Wikipedia on Zohar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zohar.

Cahn speaks here in “The Zohar Speaks” from YouTube, recorded at his congregation in Wayne, NJ at the Beth Israel Worship Center http://www.bethisraelworshipcenter.org/. He also has another website at Hope of the World: http://www.hopeoftheworld.org/

Glenn Beck interviews Jonathan Cahn:

 

THE “FUHRERPRINZIP” AT WORK: ANDY STANLEY SAYS PASTORS ARE NOT SHEPHERDS

    Even though Andy Stanley anointed Obama as “pastor-in-chief” on inauguration day January 21, 2013, what he meant by this title was far more sinister than first realized. 
    To the extent Stanley has subscribed to the emerging church methodology which necessarily includes absolute and unaccountable authoritarianism invested in the church leadership with the concomitant loss of individualism and freedom for the congregation, so too, the title conveyed on Obama carried the equivalent all powerful status of one who answers to no one, that is, a dictator. Yes, Stanley announced him as dictator over state and church. What, in return, is Stanley’s reward? Wouldn’t seem to be in the next life, would it? 
    Chris Rosebrough of Fighting for the Faith elaborates on the spread of church fascism and how Stanley is promoting the re-definition of what it means to be a pastor, i.e., no longer a shepherd or minister:


CAN YOGA EVER BE CHRISTIAN, OR IF NOT, THEN WHY IS THE YMCA OFFERING SEVERAL KINDS?

IF YOUR LOCAL YMCA IS OFFERING YOGA
to adults and children (in or out of the Montessori school), you should confront them about it in a reasoned way and tell them you are opposed to such in a self-identified “Christian” organization, because yoga is a Hindu discipline. If they will not listen to you or they will not terminate these classes, be prepared to first stop attending these classes and/or cancelling your membership, encouraging others to boycott the YMCA. Enough is enough.
Caryl Matrisciana, an expert on cults, is interviewed here, wherein she says that yoga cannot be Christianized:

Caryl Matrisciana on Hinduism influencing Christians and the culture:

See also: http://www.carylmatrisciana.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=214:yoga-a-christian-perspective&catid=60:alternative-health&Itemid=54, and
http://www.carylmatrisciana.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=96&Itemid=70, and
The history of yoga from the 1960s and the Beatles to the present by CarylTV, videos here:
Part 1 of 2: “Yoga Uncoiled”:

Part 2 of 2: “Yoga Uncoiled”:

Todd Friel of Wretched Radio interviews a Hindu from NJ about yoga:

SOUTHERN BAPTIST PASTOR ED YOUNG “WHAT WOULD JESUS SAY TO _____”

Your popular emergent, seeker sensitive SBC pastor, Mr. “Sexperiment” Ed Young, Jr.

identifies his followers with the likes of Ellen DeGeneres and would like you to believe you’re no different?

This “touching” video commemorates the third anniversary of Ellen’s wedding with lots of photos from the wedding:

Ellen proselytizing her politically correct and aberrant sinful lifestyle packaged as humor? Apparently there are lots of women who identify or sympathize with the plight of the lesbian lifestyle she portrays:

and

Apparently, its really cool for Southern Baptist pastors to speculate about how Jesus would relate to our modern day pervert media stars and starlets that he identifies as “culture icons” (instead of hell bent sinners), as in:

    They certainly would not have a seat at a fellowship meal with Jesus such as the Last Supper, if they were unrepentant and enemies of Christ, even if Christ was a friend of sinners. The question that should be posed to this pastor is “What would Jesus say to Ed Young?” We would guess that he and his useful “culture icons” plus those in his following who identify with these, would be numbered among those whom Christ addresses as “I never knew you!“. “Depart from me!”. 
    At least Jesus Christ could tell the difference between those who were redeemable and those who were not. Ed Young can’t, because he repudiated biblical separation long ago just like the rest of the Southern Baptist Convention and other apostate denominations.

Here is a video from Ed Young’s Fellowship Church:

Ed Young glorifies Ellen DeGeneres, a known lesbian. Not once does Young mention sin. Instead he claims that gays have a “different worldview”, and dances around the gospel, also accompanied by loads of laughter from his congregation, similar to the iconoclastic Degeneres:

Chris Rosebrough of Fighting for the Faith reviews this issue here:

NEW VIDEO UPLOAD-OBAMA LECTURED BY BENJAMIN CARSON OF JOHNS HOPKINS ABOUT POLITICAL CORRECTNESS

Benjamin Carson, Pediatric Neurosurgery Division Director of Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland gives Obama a lecture about political correctness, an educated populace, and a simple fix for healthcare. Obama had his prayers answered in a way he wasn’t prepared for:
Carson quote: “Here’s my solution: When a person is born, give him a birth certificate, an electronic medical record, and a health savings account to which money can be contributed — pretax — from the time you’re born ’til the time you die.  When you die, you can pass it on to your family members, so that when you’re 85 years old and you got six diseases, you’re not trying to spend up everything. You’re happy to pass it on and there’s nobody talking about death panels. Number one.  And also, for the people who were indigent who don’t have any money we can make contributions to their HSA each month because we already have this huge pot of money. Instead of sending it to some bureaucracy, let’s put it in their HSAs.  Now they have some control over their own health care. 
Newer video uploaded of full speech:

Sean Hannity interviewed Ben Carson after the Prayer Breakfast:

Compare to Obama’s heartless “your time is up” solution for the elderly a few years ago, i.e., “instead of surgery, taking a pain killer”, to reduce overall costs, waste and fraud in the system due to unnecessary procedures and tests “piling up”. Obviously, he doesn’t care about prolonging life, quality of life issues, sanctity of life, and/or a person’s value in the eyes of God. Now, the state will play God:

EX SGM MINISTRY WORKER CHARGED WITH 10 COUNTS OF MOLESTATION

Nathaniel Morales has been charged with 10 counts of molestation of boys and will go to pretrial hearing this Friday. No judgment is being made by this blog about the guilt or innocence of this person. We are simply presenting what is already in the public domain. See the articles below:

http://blogs.courier-journal.com/faith/2013/02/06/ex-ministry-worker-in-former-sovereign-grace-flagship-church-charged-with-sexual-abuse/, and
http://www.courier-journal.com/viewart/20130205/NEWS01/302050067/Nevada-pastor-faces-child-sex-abuse-charges, and
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/man-accused-of-molesting-boys-in-1980s-from-md-church-church-is-identified-in-sex-abuse-suit/2013/02/04/62e2a882-6edd-11e2-b35a-0ee56f0518d2_story.html.
This is a quote from the Washington Post:
“An indictment returned in December charged Morales, 55, with ten counts of either sex abuse or sex offense. The indictment says the sex acts involved four boys and occurred between 1985 and 1990, when police say Morales was helping the church with youth ministries, conducted Bible studies, teaching at a Christian school and hosting sleepovers.”

LECTIO DIVINA-A CATHOLIC CONTEMPLATIVE MYSTICAL PRACTICE

What is “Lectio Divina”? Lighthouse Trails Research explains why it is dangerous and should be avoided:
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=10887
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/lectiodivina.htm.
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=3424.
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=10178.
This video shows the Catholic origins of lectio divina, making it inappropriate for Bible believers:

YOGA FOR KIDS GROWING, BUT NOT FOR CHRISTIANS OR THEIR CHILDREN!

Please see our other posts about yoga before reading this. The evidence against yoga for adults or kids is reason enough for Christians to avoid practicing it.
Lighthouse Trails Research has recently shown in quite a few articles just how extensive yoga is penetrating the culture, even being offered to kids at schools,
YMCA Montessori schools, such as: http://www.ymcabwv.org/kennett-montessori, and http://www.ymcabwv.org/page.aspx?pid=532, where yoga is part of the curriculum, and schools exclusively for kids yoga. Check out the following articles at their website:
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=10891.
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=10813.
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=240.
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=10533.
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=6342.
Examples of yoga for kids schools: http://www.sunnyskiesyoga.com/v1/, http://kidsyogaguide.com/,
and video of “Holy Yoga”:

Mike Oppenheimer of Let Us Reason has presented an extensive three part article on Yoga at:
http://www.letusreason.org/current81.htm, and
http://www.letusreason.org/current82.htm, and
http://www.letusreason.org/current83.htm.

SOVEREIGN GRACE-143 COMPLAINTS, “REFORMED” MAN PLEASERS, WASTEFUL SPENDING, 13 CHURCHES DEPART, GIVING COLLAPSES, PEOPLE FLEEING

Below is the most recent update from Brent Detwiler, reviewing the facts about SGM, in its entirety at:
http://www.brentdetwiler.com/brentdetwilercom/2013/2/1/they-loved-praise-from-men-more-than-praise-from-god.html?printerFriendly=true. Bold lettering is this blog’s:




They Loved Praise from Men More Than Praise from God
Friday, February 1, 2013 at 6:45PM
Brent Detwiler
Isa 30:9-14 These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction. [10] They say to the seers, “See no more visions!” and to the prophets, “Give us no more visions of what is right!  Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. [11] Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!” [12] Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israel says: “Because you have rejected this message, relied on oppression and depended on deceit, [13] this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly, in an instant. [14] It will break in pieces like pottery, shattered so mercilessly that among its pieces not a fragment will be found for taking coals from a hearth or scooping water out of a cistern.” 
This is the story of the southern Kingdom but it is also the story of Sovereign Grace Ministries.  Judah relied on oppression and depended on deceit in order to reject the message brought to them by the Holy One of Israel.  So too, the leaders of SGM have repeatedly employed the same means because they were unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.  But this sin has now become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly.  “Oppressions and deceit had been the ‘wall’ they built to assure their safety and prosperity, but it will be shattered to pieces” (NIV Study Bible).  C.J., Dave Harvey, John Loftness, the interim Board, and current Board are the most culpable. 
We now have a situation in Sovereign Grace Ministries where multiple crimes were allegedly covered up by the President, Chairman of the Board, and pastor over the Pastors College.  C.J. has a long and documented history of covering things up.  John has a 19 month history of doing the same during his nine months on the interim Board (Jul 2011-Mar 2012) and ten months on the current Board (Apr 2012 to present).  I am not surprised by the attempts to cover them up but I am shocked by the extremely serious nature of the charges.  For instance:

  • “The facts show that certain individual Defendants and other predators not named repeatedly physically and sexually abused children.” (C 1) 
  • “Defendants negligently hired sexual predators.” (C 25)
  • “Defendants concealed the ongoing sexual predation in order to avoid any financial or reputational harms to the church.” (C 31)
  • “Paul Poe was repeatedly sexually assaulted by two men.  The primary perpetrator was a pastor and teacher.  The secondary perpetrator was children’s ministry worker.” (C 37)
  • “Karl Koe was seven years old when he was repeatedly sexually molested (approximately ten times) by the male son of a Church pastor.” (C 53)
  • “Defendants, including the pastor father of the predator, failed to take any steps whatsoever to prevent the juvenile sexual predator from preying upon other children.” (C 56) 
Complaint 1 refers to “individual Defendants.”  Tomczak is named for physical abuse but who are the other Defendants accused of sexual abuse by the Plaintiffs? 
Complaint 25 says “Defendants…hired sexual predators.”  How many Defendants hired predators?  How many predators?  Were the predators pastors?  Were they children’s ministry workers?    
Complaint 31 (and many other Complaints) alleges a massive cover up.
Complaint 37 references a pastor-teacher and children’s ministry worker.  Who are these individuals?  They no longer work at Covenant Life Church according to Joshua Harris but are they still in ministry?  Is this pastor-teacher one of the Defendants, a current pastor-teacher in SGM, or a former pastor-teacher?  Same for the children’s ministry worker.
Complaint 53 and 57 allege “the male son of a church pastor” repeatedly molested minors and the pastor-father did nothing to stop it.  Who is the son?  Who is the father?  Has it stopped?
C.J. knows the answers to these questions better than anyone.  What has he covered up?  Is the Board of Directors aggressively investigating him?  Why hasn’t he been put on a “leave of absence”? 
There are 143 Complaints in the class action lawsuit.  Directly or indirectly, they all point back to C.J.’s leadership as senior pastor of Covenant Life Church for 25 years and President of SGM for 22 years. 
This lawsuit will prove to be another chapter chronicling the ethical demise of Sovereign Grace Ministries and its key leaders. 
But this demise has been allowed to happen because many pastors in SGM have refused to face the facts and deal with the truth.  They say “See no more visions! and Give us no more vision of what is right!  Some glory in their ignorance and pride themselves in their restraint.  They refuse to read anything “negative” about  SGM in obedience to their superiors.  They will not immerse themselves in the facts and show distain for the evidence.  Such is their rebellion against God all the while congratulating themselves on avoiding “devilish slander.”
Then there are those pastors who understand the truth about C.J. and SGM but will not take a stand for righteousness.  They are the largest group.  They know lying, deceit, hypocrisy, favoritism, injustice, and oppression have been on full display the past 1½ years (and longer) but will not speak for fear of being put out of the synagogue.  They will not press hard questions upon the Board or demand an accounting from C.J.  They take no resolute action.  They will not reprove the abuse and corruption that is so evident.  They capitulate to the ruling powers.  In the name of “gospel unity” they remain silent.  To be honest, I have no respect for them.
John 12:42-43 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; [43] for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.
Fear, love and praise.  They all go hand in hand.  Notice, these evangelical leaders loved praise from God but they loved praise from men MORE!   They were afraid to take on the spiritual power brokers of their day who could damage their reputation, impede their advancement, destroy their religious livelihood and cut off their social network.  They would not speak up and confess their faith because they coveted recognition by men more than approval by God.  They were compromisers.
Such persons are silenced by the love of praise and the idol of ease.  They crave life in the synagogue and abhor death on a cross outside the city.  They will not trouble themselves.  They appease and enable; they don’t reprove and correct.  They make terrible pastors because they want everyone to like them. 
Not being put out of the synagogue also equates with not losing favor with the Reformed community and its powerful leaders.  To speak against C.J. is to invite their rejection and hostility.  The Reformed “big dogs” not only bark, they bite like pit bulls.  It is my hope and prayer that more of them will begin to honestly evaluate the mountains of evidence against C.J. and other SGM leaders in the coming year.  They too have enabled C.J. and contributed to the demise of Sovereign Grace Ministries.     
People have feared C.J. and coveted his praise.  Such fear and coveting remains pervasive in SGM.  It has destroyed the movement.  The “audience of one” has so often been C.J.  It is a harsh reality but leaders and pastors have frequently been motivated by the praise of C.J. more than the praise of God. 
C.J. has great power to harm you and great power to help you.  So does his inner circle.  Very few friends have been willing to risk being on his bad side.  Those who have are no longer friends.  They were cut off.  Though he still retains great power, his power has been diminished.  That is a gift from God.  The Lord has seen fit to remove Dave Harvey also.  John Loftness will be next.
The story of Jesus healing the man born blind in John’s gospel provides a paradigm for how the fear of man operates among Sovereign Grace pastors.  
John 9:18-34 
[18] The Jews [i.e., the leaders that were hostile to Jesus] still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. [19] “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” [20] “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. [21] But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” [22] His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. [23] That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 
[24] A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” [25] He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” [26] Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” [27] He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” [28] Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! [29] We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” 
[30] The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. [31] We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. [32] Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. [33] If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” [34] To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out. 
Here are a few observations that fall far short in expositing the full meaning of the text.  The parents didn’t disown the son but they did disown Jesus.  They believed Jesus was the Christ but they would not acknowledge it because they were afraid the Jewish leaders would put [them] out of the synagogue and cut them off from Jewish society. 
The parents of the blind man were nominal believers but not genuine disciples.  They knew Jesus had healed their boy but instead of saying so they lied.  They wouldn’t identify with Christ.  They refused to be honest about what they knew to be true.  But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know.  Ask him.  They also passed the buck.  Don’t ask us, ask him!  
How often I have seen this in Sovereign Grace Ministries when “hostile” leaders have interrogated timid pastors.  “Are your reading Brent’s documents?  Do you access his blog?  Do you believe what he is saying?”  “Have you been in contact with him?”  These timid pastors respond like the parents of the blind man, “Don’t ask me, ask someone else!”  They believe what I’ve written is true (or largely true) but they will not say so for fear of being put out of SGM.  Nor will they identify with me.  
The same is true of many associate pastors who disagree with their senior pastor’s support of C.J. and SGM.  They will not take the senior pastor to task because it could cost them their job. 
Isa 51:7 “Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.” 
In contradistinction, you’ve got to love the response of the man previously blind!  He is direct and he is sarcastic (e.g., Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?… Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes.).  He defends Jesus and he corrects the powerful leaders.  What did he get for his courage and outspokenness?  And they threw him out – that is, out of the synagogue!  The consequence his parents feared, he did not fear.  They lied and passed the buck.  He spoke the truth and suffered for it.     
Cowardice and its resultant compromise are rampant in SGM.  Numerous doctrines have already been altered, concealed, or marginalized in order to win the favor of men outside the movement.  Charismatic experience as defined by Paul is at an all-time low inside the movement (cf. 1 Cor 12:4-11, 27-31; 14:26-33).  The malignancy of self-promotion and self-preservation continues to metastasize.  It puts even the gospel at risk in the future (cf. Gal 5:11; 6:12).  
Few Sovereign Grace pastors have been willing to suffer rejection and persecution over the past 18 months.  Despite the obvious evil of oppression and deceit, they will not testify against C.J., Dave, John, the interim Board or current Board.  Like Jesus told his disciples, the world cannot hate you (John 7:7).  It is this unwillingness to be hated, despised and rejected that imperils SGM.  When a pastor becomes preoccupied with saving his life, rather than losing his life, he forfeits his soul (cf. Matt 16:25-26; Mark 8:35-36; Luke 9:24-25).  It is time to get out of the ministry.  No one should follow a pastor who has demonstrated no willingness to suffer.    
There is no going forward in SGM unless there is a going backward.  The sins of the past must still be acknowledged.  Hundreds of leaders and thousands of people remain unreconciled to SGM.  No one on the leadership team, interim Board, and current Board should be nominated, elected or appointed to positions of leadership under the forthcoming polity agreement.  Nor should anyone on the former Polity Committee.  Not only did the proposed SG Book of Church Order reveal the hearts of Board members, it revealed the hearts of men like Jared Mellinger and Matthew Wassink.    Now of these men should serve in future leadership positions unless they are willing to address the past which they have thus far been committed to cover up and leave unexamined.  
“Because you have rejected this message, relied on oppression and depended on deceit, [13] this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly, in an instant. 
Sovereign Grace Ministries is like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly.  Providence has made that clear!  And yet SGM continues to hype its accomplishments on the website.  They really believe press releases and a new polity are the answer.  They forget, God will bring down their pride despite the cleverness of their hands (Is 25:11b). 
Blind to the irony, SGM recently highlighted the nine students attending the upcoming Pastors College after 15 years of operation.  Six of the nine men come from churches led or overseen by a former or current SGM Board of Director.  Hint!  Moreover during the last fiscal year, $871,394 was spent on the Pastors College according to the Audited Financial Statement just released.  That is incomprehensible. The Pastors College is now a failure by all objective measures. 
Discerning pastors don’t want to immerse pastoral candidates in the leadership culture modeled by C.J. and those around him.  That is one of the stated reasons Covenant Life Church pulled out of SGM.  I suspect the Pastors College will be swallowed up by Al Mohler and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.  I can’t imagine it will survive.
Thirteen churches have left SGM in the last seven months including the first, third and sixth largest.  That equates to over 7,000 people which is more than 25% of all members and that number doesn’t take into account the thousands of people who have left SGM churches. For example, hundreds of people left each of the churches in Orlando, Knoxville and Richmond.  Richmond saw 400 out of 750 people leave.  The exodus continues in many SGM churches and will only worsen. 
Giving to SGM has also plummeted.  For the fiscal year ending August 31, 2012 (not Dec 31, 2012) contributions dropped by 1.7 million or 36%.  As a result, SGM had to use up 1 million in savings and liquate 250k in assets in order to meet budget. 
Since August 2012, the financial crisis has only worsened.  Eleven churches left after that point.  Many that remain with SGM have stopped giving or severely cut back.  People’s confidence has continued to take a dive and deservedly so.  How can people and churches continue to give anything to SGM? 
Last fiscal year, SGM spent 400k in donor’s money on the relatively worthless work done by Ambassadors of Reconciliation and the Three Review Panel.  Their combined efforts effectively soft pedaled or covered up all the serious issues in SGM.  And to this day, SGM remains unwilling to release any figures regarding C.J.’s past or present compensation. 
Now there is a class action lawsuit against SGM, its President, its Chairman of the Board, and its pastor over the Pastors College.  How much money will this cost donors in lawyers’ fees?  Who is going to pay out the millions in damages if awarded to the growing list of Plaintiffs in the future? 
The serious problems that exist in SGM are now widely affirmed by Christian leaders and notable publications in the United States.  C.J. has discredited himself.  Dave Harvey was removed from all ministry in SGM.  John Loftness and Gary Ricucci are at the center of the class action lawsuit.  Jeff Purswell has nine students in the Pastors College.  These are the main players plus Bob Kauflin who has enabled C.J. as much as anyone.    
Believe it or not, I still hope for a miraculous recovery of SGM.  But that will not come until men are willing to address the oppression and deceit that has caused SGM tobreak in pieces like pottery.  I’m afraid the sailors in the ship who threw Jonah overboard had more sense than most SGM pastors.  
The sailors got to the bottom of things and addressed the problem – Jonah.  They didn’t fear him.  They feared God.  Not so in SGM.  Though the sea has gotten rougher and rougher no one is willing to address Jonah’s rebellion (so to speak) and assign fault.  Until that happens the raging sea will not grow calm.     
It is the praise of men and the fear of being put out of the synagogue that has silenced the majority leaders and pastors in Sovereign Grace Ministries.  Until that radically changes the violent storm surrounding SGM will grow even wilder than before.     
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Article originally appeared on (http://www.brentdetwiler.com/).





MANILA’S 406 YEAR OLD IDOL-THE BLACK NAZARENE

Feast of the Black Nazarene, January 9, 2013.
Hundreds of thousands of barefoot Filipino pilgrims and devotees of the Black Nazarene during this year’s procession in Manila Philippines, January 9, 2013. Every year thousands of devotees join the procession seeking for guidance and answered prayers from miraculous image of Jesus representing his passion and suffering. An estimated 9 million people joined this year’s procession which lasted for 18 hours.
The annual religious event center on a 406-year-old black icon of cross-bearing Jesus Christ, the Black Nazarene is a life-sized, dark wooden sculpture of Jesus Christ carrying the cross, believed to be miraculous by many Filipino Catholics. The idol is said to have been brought to the Philippines by a Spanish priest from Mexico in 1606. Originally with fair complexion, it turned dark after it survived a burning ship on its arrival from Mexico. The image is currently in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo district, Manila, Philippines, where it is venerated weekly with Friday Novena Masses. Its feast is one of the most celebrated religious events in the predominantly Catholic Country, where more than 80 percent of the population professes the faith.




UNIVERSALISM & UNIVERSALISTS INFECTING CHRISTIANITY WITH HERESY

Starting with Evangelical & Catholic universalism:
Some references:
http://www.letusreason.org/Curren31.htm (Mike Oppenheimer, Part 1 of 3)
http://www.letusreason.org/Current34.htm (Mike Oppenheimer, Part 2 of 3)
http://www.letusreason.org/Curren35.htm (Mike Oppenheimer, Part 3 of 3)
http://www.tentmaker.org/articles/universal_salvation_roman_catholic.html.
http://www.tentmaker.org/articles/universalism-refuted.htm.

John Mac Arthur on Pope John Paul II’s universalism a/k/a “Wider Mercy Doctrine. See also Sola Sisters article by Gary Hand: https://ratherexposethem.org/2010/10/wider-mercy-doctrine.html, and https://ratherexposethem.org/2010/10/what-is-christian-universalist.html, the latter dealing with Dallas Willard and Leonard Sweet.

Billy Graham with Robert Schuller on universalism:

Rob Bell’s “Love Wins” interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America”:

Rob Bell’s “Love Wins” universalism (post mortem):

and Bell interviewed by Adrian Warnock:

Todd Friel of Wretched Radio on Dallas Willard on universalism and works salvation in video below.
Dallas Willard quotes:
“Now, I believe that everyone who deserves to be saved will be saved no matter where they are or what they do.” 
“(God) is open and in touch with everyone in the world, and for all who seek them with all of their heart—and that is defined in terms of coming to love Him, and not just have the right beliefs about Him—but coming to love Him, and loving their neighbor as themselves.”
“I am not going to stand in the way of anyone whom God wants to save. I am not going to say ‘he can’t save them.’ I am happy for God to save anyone he wants in any way he can.  It is possible for someone who does not know Jesus to be saved.”

From Manny Silva: Dr. Jay McDaniel refers to Catholic/Buddhist mystic Thomas Merton to teach students at the Northwest Nazarene University and presents universalism and panentheism to them:

Todd Friel of Wretched Radio on William P. Young, author of the “Shack”, a universalist:

Michael Youssef address on William P. Young’s “Shack”:

with points made by Youssef on the Shack’s universalism among 13 other heresies:

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