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Showing posts from August, 2020

Christ, Mediatorial King Over All

By Pastor Andrew Barnes - Posted at Sermon Audio : Part One Part Two Scripture Text: Romans 13: 1-7 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to w

We Desperately Need Evangelistic Preaching

By Al Baker - Posted at Forget None of His Benefits : FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS volume 19, number 36, August 27, 2020 “We proclaim Him.” -Colossians 1:28 Only 23 percent of Americans attend church or synagogue every week while 40 percent of Americans claim they are very religious.[1] Another study paints an even bleaker picture, saying that only 17.7 percent of the American population attends a Christian church on any given Sunday. This means that only 52 million Americans normally attend church on Sunday.[2] The number of people actually attending church today, of course, due to COVID-19, is far less than that. And there is an alarming increase in licentiousness (people live as they want without consideration of the demands of God’s law) in evangelical churches where people are obviously ignoring the fact that without holiness no one will see the Lord (Heb.12:14). These realities strongly suggest that our churches very well may be filled with false professors of Christ. Ca

Government and Politics: 'Trust Not In Government'

By Andrew Barnes - Posted at Sermon Audio : Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.  - Psalm 146:3 NKJV Editor's note: As we near the November elections I plan to post more sermons from this series by Pastor Andrew Barnes and other items on Christian citizenship. Link: https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=1028181656151

Jerry Falwell Jr. to Receive $10.5 Million as Part of Severance Package

By Christina Darnell - Posted at Ministry Watch: Jerry Falwell Jr. will get $10.5 million as part of his severance package after resigning as president from Liberty University following allegations of a sex scandal. Falwell, 58, told the Washington Post that he will receive $2.5 million over the next two years and $8 million in retirement, in accordance with a contract he signed in July 2019. He says he’s still entitled to it since he has not been formally accused nor did he confess to wrongdoing. “The board was gracious not to challenge that,” Falwell told the Post of his decision to step down in good standing. “There wasn’t any cause. I haven’t done anything.” The Liberty University board announced Tuesday morning (Aug. 25) that they had formally accepted Falwell’s resignation following accusations of a years-long extramarital affair involving the couple and a former business partner, 29-year-old Giancarlo Granda. He was already on indefinite leave after posting photos on In

As Falwell denies reports of resignation, Liberty says he reversed course

By George Schroeder - Posted at Baptist Press: LYNCHBURG, Va. (BP) — Controversy escalated Monday (Aug. 24) around Jerry Falwell Jr. After multiple news outlets reported he had agreed to resign his position as president of Liberty University, Falwell denied the reports, calling them “completely false” – and the school followed late Monday evening with an email saying Falwell “agrees to resign … then reverses course.” Reports of Falwell’s resignation came amid allegations that he condoned an affair between his wife and a man described by Falwell as a family friend. The man, who was also a business partner, told Reuters that he had a sexual relationship with Becki Falwell from 2012-2018, and alleged that Jerry watched their encounters. But in an interview Monday evening with Virginia Business, Falwell called the allegations “90% false.” He told several news outlets he had not agreed to resign. Read more here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Update: 'Falwell says h

August 24: An Historic Day to Remember

Image Source: Wikipedia Posted at This Day in Presbyterian History: August 24th is an important date in Protestant church history. 1560 – The Scottish Reformation was made official when what has been termed the Reformation Parliament rejected papal jurisdiction, outlawed Roman Catholic worship and the mass, and adopted a Protestant confession of faith, now known as the First Book of Discipline. 1572 – St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in France. Persecution of the French Huguenots began as Catherine de Medici, mother of King Charles IX of France, ordered the assassination of Admiral Gaspard de Coligny. He was attacked early on August 24th, setting off mob action throughout Paris by Roman Catholics. Nearly 3,000 Huguenots were killed in Paris, and perhaps as many as 70,000 across the nation of France. 1631 – Birth of Philip Henry, an English Puritan and father of the renowned Matthew Henry. Read more here.

‘My Great Honor!’ Trump Tweets in Sharing Video Calling Him the ‘Most Pro-Gay President in American History’

By Heather Clark - Posted at Christian News Network: WASHINGTON — “My great honor!!!” were the words of President Trump in re-sharing a video on Thursday that characterized him as “the most pro-gay president in American history.” The video was released by Log Cabin Republicans, a homosexual lobbying Republican group, and recorded by Richard Grenell, former U.S. Ambassador to Germany and current special presidential envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations. Grenell has led the administration’s campaign to decriminalize homosexuality worldwide. “President Trump is the most pro-gay president in American history,” Grenell states in the video, which seeks to demonstrate why Trump is, and has consistently been, more pro-homosexual than Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. “I can prove it.” He outlines that Trump knew he was a homosexual when he appointed Grenell as acting director of national intelligence earlier this year, but it “didn’t even faze” the president. Gr

SHOULD MOST EVANGELICALS SUPPORT WOMEN PREACHERS?

Image Source: Off the Beaten Track Posted at Reformation Scotland : A recent survey conducted in the USA indicated that 7 out of 10 self-identified evangelicals agreed that “women should be allowed to preach on Sunday morning”. The results showed that these figures are not reduced when frequency of attendance and attitude to the Bible are taken into consideration. Three-quarters of those who claimed to believe that the Bible is literally true and attend services multiple times a week agreed with women preaching. Age did not seem to make a significant difference in people’s views either. We do not know what arguments these people consider strongest in favour of this view. Popular arguments are, however, familiar enough from the wider debate on this issue. If we claim to take the Bible as literally true, we must consider what it says on this subject. Whatever most evangelicals support we need to know what the Bible itself supports. Let us consider some of the passages that speak c

Christian groups prepare parents to homeschool as inquiries soar amid COVID-19

By Diana Chandler - Posted at Baptist Press : PURCEVILLE, Va. (BP) — Parents across the U.S. and in many foreign countries are exploring homeschooling their children for the first time this fall as schools navigate reopening amid COVID-19 dangers and uncertainties. Christian groups and churches are among those preparing parents to meet the challenge and to navigate homeschooling regulations that not only vary among the states, but are changing amid the pandemic. Membership in the Home School Legal Defense Association , a Christian group working to train and equip homeschooling parents in the U.S. and abroad, is growing at 300 percent of its pre-COVID-19 growth rate, Home School Legal Defense Association senior counsel Mike Donnelly said, adding that the group has about 100,000 member families, compared to 80,000 before the pandemic. “We are seeing unprecedented interest in homeschooling and it’s clearly a consequence of the plans that public schools are issuing for the return,”

Persecution: Lessons from Pliny, Newsom and Lightfoot

By Jeffrey Stivason - Posted at Place for Truth : Paul once commented to Timothy, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” [1] This text tends to make the typical American Christian uncomfortable. They immediately compare their experience to that of the underground church in China or something similar. Yet, the text has a universal application no matter where we live. For example, mention the name of Jesus in certain circles, even in America, and you will experience persecution. Some might wonder if a family member’s passing annoyance or a co-worker’s irritation rise to the level of those who would hunt down or pursue Christians so that we are put to flight for our faith. That is not often the case. Perhaps the most that happens is dinner invitations dry up and opportunities for promotions are no longer presented. And so, we are tempted to think that our light afflictions do not rise to the level of actual persecution. But rather

In Defiance of Tyrants: John MacArthur & Grace Community Church

Posted at Capstone Report: John MacArthur: ‘We are not meeting because we want to be rebellious. We are meeting because our Lord has commanded us to come together and worship Him.’ Grace Community Church and Pastor John MacArthur defied Los Angeles, California tyrants and held worship services Sunday morning. The service took place after a crazy week of legal activities that saw the church win Round 1 in local Superior Court and then lose Round 2 in a late Saturday night Appeals Court decision. However, a large crowd showed up Sunday morning mostly without masks and without social distancing. And the church sent a message. It would meet to follow God’s commands and not man’s rules. Dr. John MacArthur stressed the church meeting was not out of a rebellious motive but a desire to obey God. “We are having church,” MacArthur said to thunderous applause. “It is actually hard to figure out exactly what the city is trying to do to us and with us, but we know they don’t want us

John MacArthur Sues Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom, LA County Health Dept. for Prohibiting in-Person Church Services

By Heather Clark - Posted at Christian News Network: LOS ANGELES — Renowned pastor John MacArthur, who leads Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, has filed suit against Gov. Gavin Newsom, officials with the Los Angeles County Health Department and others, to challenge the prohibition on in-person church services, over which he is being threatened with fines and/or jail time. “Defendants’ mandates are not ‘narrowly tailored’ to further any compelling governmental interest,” the lawsuit states. “Defendants have granted numerous special exemptions to their bans on public gatherings and conduct, including for purportedly ‘essential’ businesses and activities, including, for example, cannabis dispensaries, abortion and other medical providers, daycare and childcare, and shopping.” “Defendants have also provided a de facto exemption for protests against the unjust death of George Floyd, without extending the same solicitude to Plaintiffs’ religious gatherings,” it con

Kamala Harris once hired former Planned Parenthood president’s daughter

Image Source: Breitbart News  Posted at SAYNSUMTHN'S Blog: Kamala Harris was just picked by Democratic Presidential hopeful Joe Biden as his VP. But did you know that, according to Live Action News, the daughter of the former president of Planned Parenthood has worked for Harris? In 2019 Live Action News wrote : Lily Adams — the daughter of Planned Parenthood’s former political organizer president Cecile Richards and union-organizing father, Kirk Adams — has worked for Kamala Harris for years and has been seen stumping with the presidential hopeful. As Attorney General of California , Harris brought criminal charges against Center for Medical Progress founder David Daleiden, whose undercover videos exposed Planned Parenthood’s gruesome part in the trafficking of fetal body parts. Live Action News previously reported that, according to e-mails obtained by the Washington Times, “Officials from California Attorney General Kamala Harris’ office and Planned Parenthood

Why Reformed Christians Are Vulnerable To Social Justice

By Samuel Sey - Posted at Slow To Write : Many young Christians didn’t learn how to understand justice from Scripture. So in college, they learned how to understand justice from culture. And now, they think injustice is justice. And they interpret Scripture through culture, not culture through Scripture. That’s why many professing Christians are more committed to Black Lives Matter than Biblical theology. But our culture’s understanding of justice—or social justice ideology—hasn’t only infiltrated colleges, it’s also infiltrated churches. Professors are influencing Christians to adopt an unbiblical view of justice, and pastors are encouraging them to embrace it—especially Reformed pastors. I’ve received hundreds of emails from people over the last couple months. And they’re almost entirely from people who feel pressured to adopt social justice ideology or critical theory from their Reformed pastors. Social justice has become so widely accepted in mainstream Reformed circles it

How does the Proverbs 31 woman translate to modern times?

By Anna Wood - Posted at Femina Sola Gratia: Proverbs 31 woman is timeless The Word of God is sufficient, inerrant, and infallible. This means that it doesn’t change, speaks to all people in all times, is without error and is incapable of being wrong; thus God’s Word never fails to speak to God’s will or to accomplish His will. Hence, we can know that God’s Word to women, including in Proverbs 31, is both what God wanted women to know and to be when it was written and that it remains so today. God’s Word is truth God’s Word has been maligned and twisted, denied and explained away. Feminism has so attacked and assaulted the Word of God and His church that much of what we think we know about the Word of God is instead man’s word. A drop of poison in a glass of pure spring water, though it might be tasteless and colorless and only a tiny drop, still makes that water poison. We can add nothing to nor take anything from Scripture and have it remain pure. Yet this is exactly what we’v

HOW SHOULD CHRISTIANS RESPOND TO A HOSTILE CULTURE?

Posted at Reformation Scotland : The recent public burning of a stack of Bibles in Portland, Oregon indicates an increased degree of hostility to Christianity. Cultural change is accelerating. Surveys show that the majority of those who want to own the Bible’s authority consider their beliefs are now in conflict with mainstream culture. We are also all too conscious of ways in which the Christian voice and Christian values are being forced out of the public square. Christians may be tempted to respond by retreating; whether that is diluting their message or seeking to hide. Yet we still need to be salt and light in such a culture and to hold out the gospel of hope. How do we do this? What does it mean for our everyday lives? What hope can encourage us in such times? Living in such a culture is not new for Christians, it is often the norm. It was the context of the New Testament. In Philippians 1:27-28, Paul counsels Christians not to be intimidated into withdrawing. They should

John MacArthur Disappointed in Churches Shutting Down; ‘They Don’t Know What a Church Is’

By Jesse T. Jackson - Posted at ChurchLeaders : John MacArthur, lead pastor of Grace Community Church Sun Valley, California, recently made waves by announcing his church would remain open despite the second round of closures ordered by the state government of California. Over the weekend, MacArthur doubled down on his position and said he’s not “nervous” about the situation the church is in. Rather, he sees the whole thing as an “incredible opportunity” to be the church during this trying time. “What is disappointing to me is how few churches are standing up. How few large churches or even Christian leaders are willing to say ‘We’re not going to bow to Caesar. We’re going to serve our Lord,'” MacArthur said during an update video posted to the church’s account. “Large churches are shutting down until—they say January,” MacArthur said incredulously. “They don’t know what a church is and they don’t shepherd their people,” MacArthur added. “Significant leaders aren’t giv