Because of Who You Are

"Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" Exodus 15:11

"Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him." Deuteronomy 4:35

"He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." Deuteronomy 32:4

"There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God." I Samuel 2:2

"I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour." Isaiah 43:11

"That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else." Isaiah 45:6

Tramp Stamp at Church Camp

Tattoos as an Expression of Christian Worship

I wrote on the message board a few years ago how our 12 year old neighbor attended a Word of Faith summer camp where the counselors drew tattoos on the children.  Some counselor had actually drawn a tattoo at the base of this young girl's spine (what the world calls a "tramp stamp")...and the Christian parents where fine with it.

“Restrictive Christians go too far and name everything a universal sin, forbidding some cultural activities that the Bible does not, such as listening to certain music styles, getting tattoos, watching movies, smoking cigarettes, consuming alcohol, and body piercing.” Page 103 of the Radical Reformission by Mark Driscoll

The Sexual EVOLUTION

Sex Magick

This post may be a little "deep" in that it goes into some things which are not light conversation.  However, these are things our young people are being exposed to daily and I feel they - and we - need to know what is going on (II Corinthians 2:11).

A week ago, a college student contacted me to share frustrations about what was being taught in class.  Here is just a sampling of how the professors are "educating" the students over the course of several classes:

• They encouraged the students to discuss their most memorable sexual experiences in class;
• They had the students study nudity and sexual perversion depicted as "art";
• They gave the students an assignment to visit an adult pornography store and make a purchase;
• They had them watch - in class - pornographic materials depicting masturbation, sodomy, and homosexuality;
• They led the students in meditation and advised them to imagine that they are opening their third eye.
  

You might ask, "What type of university is this?"  I tell you that this is not some roadside dive of an institution.  According to the University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP) research laboratory, the education being offered at this particular university is one among the best in the entire world (among the Top 50 to be exact)! 

This student, however, could not understand what all of this sexual perversion had to do with getting an education...so I explained it to them.

Exposing the Mystery of Iniquity

In the previous post, we included a sermon from Pastor Gary Price as he teaches on "Exposing the Mystery of Iniquity".   Excerpts of this sermon have been made available in video form and I wanted to share them here:

• Lucifer, the Praise Leader
  Who was Lucifer and why should we care?  How is he at work today?
   
• What Happened in the Garden of Eden?
  Did all of mankind become bound by sin because Adam & Eve ate an apple?  What type of fruit was actually eaten and is this important?  What is the seed of the woman?  Why is there contention between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman?  How was man changed by what happened when they sinned?
   
• Who or What are the Nephilim?
  What does the Bible have to say about angels marrying women and having children by them?  Where do the myths in many cultures about supermen or superheroes come from?  Where are the nephilim now and why should it matter to us?
  

Facing the Giants

Why Do We Need "New" Life?

A couple of days ago, a young girl on Youtube sent me the following comment:

"i don't believe in any of this. i look at these types of videos to laugh...btw,i am not a satan worshipper(virgin,never drank,smoke,took drugs,etc). surprised? a non-believer shouldn't be so "innocent",should they?"

This young woman has the same problem that many Christians do: She thinks being "innocent" or "good" is the result of what she does or doesn't do.   She doesn't understand that it is the very nature she possesses which is anti-God.

I used to wonder why the solution for man's sin had to be so drastic.  Why did God have to allow His Son to be slaughtered on a cross in order to redeem mankind?  It is not because such an act speaks to the severity of sin (although it does), but it is because there was a particular objective in God's mind.  In the crucifixion of Christ, God was killing off the very nature that man possesses.

Years ago, I had a dream that I was speaking to different people about God, and while these individuals professed a love for Jesus, once the conversation was over they turned back and headed to the world.  After this happened a few times, I asked God about it in the dream and He said, "Adam Cannot Be Saved."  It is then that I began to understand what happened at Calvary.

Facebook Christianity

"They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." Titus 1:16

A few years ago, I had a Facebook account and through it, I was able to meet some wonderful brothers and sisters in the Lord.  However, I was also able to see a microcosm of the churchworld in realizing how many professing Christians really have no foundation in, or commitment to, the faith. 

I am sure there are those who sill say, "Facebook has afforded me the opportunity for fellowship and ministry."  Perhaps.  Yet one needs only look at the preeminence Facebook has been given in a number of Christians' lives to wonder whether it has become an idol for many.  They joke about how much time they spend on it, how addicted they are to it, and how it even takes away from other responsibilities they have within their own families.

When I left Facebook, a Christian sister asked me, "What are you going to do now?  I cannot even remember life before Facebook!"  A number of people were sure I would be back, themselves being unable to even consider breaking away from it.

What is it that pulls us to such sites?  Why is it that they become such an important aspect of our lives, where we cannot go out to dinner or even spill a drink without posting a "status update"?  Who are we really glorifying in our interactions on Facebook?

You Can Be An Overcomer

I am late in posting this, but time has sort of gotten away from me lately.  Thank you Bro. Mark for reminding me!

Pastor Zac Poonen is in the United States for a series of meetings over the next month or so. 

March 10, 11 - Atlanta, GA

Attendance and meals are free, but registration is essential
First Baptist Church Lilburn, 285 Main Street, Lilburn, GA 30047
http://www.atlantacfc.org/ (Phone: 770-401-2713)
Live webcast visible at:  http://cfcindia.com

April 6-8 – Loveland, CO

Attendance and meals are free, but registration essential 
River of Life Christian Fellowship,

http://rlcfchurch.org/rlcf-spring-conference-2012/
Live webcast visible at:  http://cfcindia.com

March 24 and 25 – Seattle, WA 

First Romanian Pentecostal Church, 8315 NE 155th St, Kenmore, WA 98028
All are welcome
March 24 - 6.30 pm
March 25 - 10 am, 4.30 pm and 6.30 pm.

The Sunday services at this church will be live-streamed at:
http://www.frpcs.org/media1/ustream-live-streaming

Restore

Hear the cry of your people Oh Lord!

Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Sanctify Yourselves

sanctify: to separate from profane things and dedicate to God; to purify

When I was on Facebook, I once posted something about the need for Christians to sanctify and consecrate themselves unto the Lord.  This led to sincere questions from other Christians who believed that we are incapable of doing such for it is God alone who does this work. 

This type of view is common amongst certain denominations in Christendom, but does not align with Scripture.  There is a work which remains for Christians to "do" and that is in receiving what God has already "done". 

The following message is from Pastor Zac Poonen which I think aptly addresses and presents a balanced Scriptural perspective on this topic.

May we all make ourselves ready as time draws short.