Rick Warren vs Islam controversy: Warren speaks out

Thankfully, Rick Warren has finally come out about the controversy earlier this week & has clearly established that he does not believe that the Christian God & Allah are the same god. However, I do agree with Chris Rosebrough that the confusion earlier in the week could have easily been cleared up by him coming out immediately after the report &, even better, taken the time to actually speak with the reporter & clarify any confusion he may have had.

Warren did not take the time to meet with the reporter prior to the article being written despite the reporter requesting it. So, Warren should not be surprised when someone of the secular world does not understand the words or intentions of the Christian world. This should be a lesson that when dealing with non-Christians, it is the responsibility of the Christian to make sure his message is being understood clearly and that he has clearly defined typical Christianese. Also, like Chris points out, it does seem Warren is understating what he refers to as a "Bible study" with Muslims.

Warren still has serious problems with his ecclesiology & his seeker-sensitive "messages." And, rather than promoting Warren, the SBC should be admonishing him & trying to counsel him to preach more Biblically-based rather than his typical self-help, seeker-sensitive "messages." All the same, I am very pleased that Warren has clearly stated his stance.

So, if you have been following the controversy, Chris does a great job in this podcast. The coverage of the Warren controversy is covered in the first 20-25 mins if you don't have time to listen to the entire 2 hr show.

Rick Warren Clarifies His Position Re: Islam

Article Link: "Up in flames: Melting false teachings of 'The Shack'"

clipped from www.wnd.com

Up in flames: Melting false teachings of 'The Shack'

Professor takes torch to 'blasphemous doctrine' of best-seller

Millions of evangelical Christians are among the masses who have embraced William Paul Young's "The Shack" as though it were gospel. Even three years since its release, "The Shack" has remained on numerous best-seller lists for more than 100 weeks – a claim no other book can make.

Yet it is infused with counterfeit Christianity, argues "Burning Down 'The Shack': How the 'Christian' Best-seller is Deceiving Millions," a new title from WND Books that publishes June 1.

If such deceptions, which upend biblical teachings on sin, redemption, salvation and damnation, go unchallenged, says De Young, this "feel-good novel" could prove terribly divisive and destructive to millions of Christians.

Order your copy now of "Burning Down 'The Shack': How the 'Christian' Best-seller is Deceiving Millions," the new title from WND Books that publishes June 1.

Article Link: "Has Noah's Ark Been Found on Turkish Mountaintop?"

clipped from www.foxnews.com

Has Noah's Ark Been Found on Turkish Mountaintop?

A group of Chinese and Turkish evangelical explorers say wooden remains they have discovered on Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey are the remains of Noah's Ark.

The group claims that carbon dating proves the relics are 4,800 years old, meaning they date to around the same time the ark was said to be afloat. Mt. Ararat has long been suspected as the final resting place of the craft by evangelicals and literalists hoping to validate biblical stories.

Yeung Wing-Cheung, from the Noah's Ark Ministries International research team that made the discovery, said: "It's not 100 percent that it is Noah's Ark, but we think it is 99.9 percent that this is it."

There have been several reported discoveries of the remains of Noah's Ark over the years, most notably a find by archaeologist Ron Wyatt in 1987. At the time, the Turkish government officially declared a national park around his find, a boat-shaped object stretched across the mountains of Ararat.

Christian Persecution: "Judge rules against religious expression"

clipped from www.onenewsnow.com

Judge rules against religious expression

A judge in Montana has ruled against a high school valedictorian who wasn't allowed to speak at her graduation ceremony because she wanted to give God credit for her success. (See earlier article)

Rennee Griffith is now in her second year of college. She graduated from Butte High School in 2008 as one of the valedictorians, but when she submitted a draft of her speech to school authorities, her First Amendment rights were violated.

"She was asked, as were the other valedictorians, to speak about what helped them get through school. Some people wanted to thank the football coach or the track coach or their uncle or a particular teacher, and they were permitted to do that," explains Griffith's attorney, Bill O'Connor. "The only thing they would not permit, by their own admission, was...her to attribute any achievements to her belief in God."

Draw a pic of Jesus & get suspended

The Rutherford Institute Defends Second Grader Forced by School Officials to Undergo Psych Evaluation for Drawing Crucified Jesus

Christian Persecution: "Raid on Full Gospel Church"

Pray that God encourage & strengthen these Christians and that He will send his angels to protect them. Pray that He use them whether they are in or out of prison. Pray that their persecutors & the rest of the community see their faith & ask what it is about this Christianity that causes them to risk their lives & make people hate them so much. Also, pray that when we begin to suffer persecution, that we will hold fast & never bend under the pressure of Satan & his emissaries.

A muscle does not grow unless stress it put upon it. It is the same with the church. Those Christians who suffer persecution are like no other Christian you will ever meet. Persecution against the Church is begging to grow. Every time the Church has been persecuted in the past it resulted in a stronger, more faithful Church.

Many times in the Bible, persecution has been compared to the threshing of wheat. Back before we had machines to do all of it for us, the farmers would place wheat on the ground & toss the wheat into the air. As the wind blew, the chaff (the useless part of the wheat) would blow away, leaving only the good, useful grain.

This is what happens when the Church is put under persecution. Persecution is a time of weeding out the weak & useless, a time for the chaff to be blown away.

You need to decide now. Are you going to be chaff or grain?

Just before Stephen was stoned (Acts 7), he looked up to Heaven & proclaimed that he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Act 7:55-56).

I heard a preacher once preach on this & he commented that he couldn't find any other reference of Jesus standing next to God, he was always sitting next to God. So he asked, "Why did Stephen say he was standing? Did he make a mistake?" He went on to say that he believed that Jesus, seeing Stephen's faith & knowing what was about to happen to him, Jesus stood.

Just as when we are at a football game & the whole game depends on the last couple of seconds & your team is just slightly behind but has the ball. What do you do? You stand. You are excited.

This preacher thought it was a similar reaction with Jesus. He saw that his boy, Stephen had just stood up & witnessed to the Sanhedrin and knowing that because of what Stephen had just said he was about to die, Jesus stood up. He was excited, he was proud of him, & he was about to welcome his friend home.

When the gun or knife is pointed at you, are you going to cower away later to feel the shame that Peter felt at denying Christ, or when you die is Christ going to raise to his feet & say to God, "Father, just wait till you meet this girl/guy!"?

Great Story: "A Meal On The Moon"

A Meal On The Moon: A little-known fact about the Apollo 11 moon landing

New Book: "The Valley of Vision"

So I ordered a few new books the other day. Not because I had finished the ones I already had but I have an addiction to books that I really need to work on. Anyway, one of the new ones, The Valley of Vision, I opened this morning & read a bit of it. I think I am already hooked & I think this may be one of those books you read & refer to continuously.

It is "a collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions" & after reading only one prayer, I am in love with it. Here is the first prayer in the book called "The Valley of Vision."

The Valley of Vision

Lord, High & Holy, Meek & Lowly,
Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold they glory.

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from the deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;

Let me find they light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
they joy in my sorrow,
they grace in my sin,
they riches in my poverty,
they glory in my valley.

Reading the Bible: Today's verse(s) 9/7/09

"Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don't participate in the darkness of wild parties & drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity & immoral living, or in quarreling & jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires." -- Romans 13:13-14

"The Opinion Of Women"

I have really been enjoying reading this young lady's blog. She is so wise despite being only 18.

clipped from aponderingheart.com

The Opinion Of Women

Woman as inferior beings (Inferior meaning more like an animal than a person) is from the Greek mindset. The Hebrews revered women as precious delicate vessels. The woman took an active part in the community and religious life.

Much of the misunderstanding of Paul’s writing is because of the lack of Hebrew understanding. Some of his teaching were against female domination from Greco-Roman paganism (temple prostitutes and female gods) not from women in general.

We all know of the woman who is priced far above rubies, pearls, diamonds. If you gave a man diamond how well do you think he’d take care of it? If he doesn’t take care of it as it should be then he will have to answer to Yehovah for not being a good steward of the blessings he was given.

I’m finding that a majority of believers not only don’t know the WORD well-enough, but aren’t too keen are the character of Yehovah either.

How does one go from “far above rubies” to “treated like cattle”?

Here are some interesting statistics. There is no way to accurately say that these increases are solely due to taking prayer out of school but the time in history when prayer was removed from schools marks a turning point in our history as a nation. Starting in the '60's, our country has taken a nose dive on the scale of morality. And, that is evident in these graphs. All the same, this info is interesting & extremely disheartening.

clipped from heartofwisdom.com

When Prayer Was Taken Out of School

David Barton graphically illustrates how America has plummeted from righteous living, prosperity, and success in the last quarter-century. Consider the following charts compiled from his publication, America: America: To Pray or Not to Pray

Since the 1962 removal of prayer:

SAT Total Scores

CASES OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES

Includes: Gonorrhea, Syphillis, Chancroid,
Granuloma Inguinale, Lymphgranuloma Venereum, and AIDS

PREGNANCIES TO UNWED GIRLS

Under 15 Years of Age

PREGNANCIES TO UNWED GIRLS

Under 15-19 Years of Age

BIRTH RATES FOR UNWED GIRLS

Under 15-19 Years of Age

PRE-MARITAL SEX

Percentage of U.S. Teenage Girls
Who Have Had Pre-Marital Intercourse

SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLDS

Female Head, No Spouse Present

UNMARRIED COUPLES LIVING TOGETHER

ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION PER CAPITA

VIOLENT CRIME: Number of Offenses

Apologetics: "If God Were Real..."

I thought this was a great rebuttle to this argument & just had to share it. :)

clipped from str.typepad.com

If God Were Real...

It's the temptation of some who reject the reality of God's existence to use the following kind of reasoning as part of their evidence: "If the Christian God were real, He would [X]. However, He does not [X], therefore He is not real."

The problem with a person using this kind of reasoning is that he presumes to know what God would do, and often he does this without the proper knowledge of God's actions in the past, His character, or His overall purposes. The reasoning turns out to really be: "If I were God, I would do [X]. The Christian God does not do what I would do (in light of my purposes and goals), therefore He is not real." But God is a person. He has his own, specific goals and purposes. Because the reasoner's assumption is based on faulty understandings of these things about the Christian God, his prediction of what God "would do" is also faulty.

Matthew 27:39-43 gives another great example of this kind of objection

And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross." In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, "He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He delights in Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'" (Matthew 27:39-43)

If Jesus had come down & saved himself & the others, he would not have been able to save me or their souls. Our souls are much more important to God than our lives.

"The Five Finger Prayer"

clipped from www.lifeasachristianwoman.com

The Five Finger Prayer

clipped from www.lifeasachristianwoman.com

1. The Thumb is nearest you, so begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you..

As C. S. Lewis once said, praying for loved ones is a “sweet duty.”

2. The pointing finger in next. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction.

3. The middle finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators.

4. The ring finger is next. This is our weakest finger. Let it remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain.

5. Finally, our little finger, the smallest finger of all. The Bible says, “The least shall be the greatest among you.” Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

I heard this long ago & had loved it but had forgotten most of it.

God's perception is not the same as mine.

Something I've been thinking about lately.

God's priorties are nothing like our own. So, are we screwed up or is it God who has it all wrong? Well, I'd be willing to guess it isn't God.

I have never really thought of myself as being one of those money obsessed people. I don't have any debt (that I know of) except my car (which is about to be paid off) & I only work as required to keep my job (aka, I am no work-a-holic). However, due to a recent hiccup in my life lately which I will not go into right now, I have realized just how important money is to me. Not so much "money" itself but the pride of having at least that area of my life together (aka, no serious debt & a great credit score compared to my peers).

Due to this recent "hiccup," which could affect my credit score if it turns out it is legit, I have been seriously stressed. I've lost sleep & it has litterally been making me sick to my stomach. It isn't the money. If there is some debt that I owe on, I'm sure I can pay it. What I'm concerned about is my credit score. What will I look like to some banker if/when I go to buy a house?

And then, while getting ready for work, God says to me, "So what?"

"Well, God, that could make it harder for me to get a loan or cause me to pay more later on."

"So?"

"So?! Are you kidding me?! That's a BIG deal!"

"Is it? Is that what is so important in life? Is that the life I called you to? A life as a slave to money & money concerns?"

That's it isn't it. I have made money my master. I have made it an idol. I have put my good financial status up on this pedestal & lovingly gaze on it whenever I think about it.

So maybe there is this mysterious debt floating around out there. So what? There's nothing I can do about it now. If I ever receive paperwork explaining what this debt is & if it is legit (which may not be case due to this company making this claim having a history of illegal practices & scamming people), then I'll cross that bridge when I come to it but until then I should praise God for the blessings He has afforded me so far in this life.

All during last week's stress, I was thinking about Job (which is kind of "ironic" since my parent's preacher spoke on Job on Sunday while I was there). This little situation hasn't quited those thoughts anymore. Now, I'm not saying my worries are anything near what Job went through but it is the message of Job's story that I keep thinking about. "In the midst of a bad day, praise God, anyway." Not always an easy task.

We don't always understand the valley's we go through but God looks at life differently than we do. If you are a Christian & you go through some rough patches, count it as a compliment from God. I know that sounds like a poor reward for following Christ, but God will never give us something that He does not know we can handle with Him. He does often give us things we cannot handle on our own, but if we lean on Him we can. When Satan approached God, He even mentioned Job to Satan.

God wants to bless us but His relationship with us is more important to Him than money, relationships, or anything else that this flawed world can offer us. Don't let hard times get you too down, you can morn, the Bible says so, but when they do come, allow God to work through you in the situation & deepen your relationship with Him.

My Prayer for Today (& every day): "Be Thou My Vision" (Alan Mearns version)

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou mybest Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my Breastplate, my Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Armor, and be Thou my Might;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, and Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, the first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Great Video: "Offended by the Truth"

Colbert vs. Ehrman on the Bible, Jesus, & Fundamentals of Christianity

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Bart Ehrman
colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor NASA Name Contest

I don't always agree with Colbert but he killed it here with the appologetics. Preach it, Colbert! LOL

Christian Persecution: Brittany McComb

clipped from www.rutherford.org

Key Cases: Brittany McComb

After composing her remarks, she submitted them to school administrators according to standard district policy. School administrators, with the advice of their district legal counsel, censored her speech, deleting all three Bible references, several references to “the Lord” and the only mention of the word “Christ.”

When school officials found her to be straying from the approved text, they unplugged her microphone, thus ending the address. Despite extensive jeers from the audience over the school officials’ actions, McComb was not permitted to finish giving her valedictory speech.

clipped from www.cbn.com

Silenced Christian Appeals to High Court

McCoy was one of three valedictorians chosen based on their grades to speak at the school's 2006 commencement ceremony. In her speech, McCoy talked about the emptiness she'd felt despite her success in school, then strayed from her approved script to talk about how Jesus had filled that void in her life.

McCoy, now a student at Oxford University, continued speaking despite no sound, while students cheered in the background. The microphone was not turned back on until McCoy walked away from the podium and a school official stepped up to introduce the next speaker. Watch McCoy's speech here.

Foothill High gave the valedictorians recommendations for what to talk about during their speeches, but no guidelines were set on mentioning religion, according to The Rutherford Institute.

The group also says drafts of McCoy's speech were censored by deleting Bible scriptures and any references to "the Lord" or "Christ."

Christian History: "Tattoos of the Cross"

clipped from www.christianitytoday.com

Tattoos of the Cross

Body art has become yet another way for people to express their beliefs and values. Young Christians have joined the trend, emblazoning Bible verses, crosses, or fish symbols on their biceps or ankles. But they are certainly not the first to do so in the history of the church.

During these long periods of maltreatment, the Coptic practice of tattooing arose.

In the fourth century A.D., the Montanists, a Christian sect relying heavily on the Book of Revelation, began tattooing themselves as "slaves of God" (Rev. 7:2-3). The earliest evidence of Coptic tattooing goes back to the eighth-century, when Egyptian monks began to brand their hands with Christian symbols. Some scholars believe they learned the practice from Ethiopian Christians, who branded crosses on their foreheads, temples, and wrists.

While cross tattoos are no longer widespread among urban Copts, they remain popular among Egyptian Christian villagers as reminders of particular blessings and religious vows. To these Copts of both the past and present, cross tattoos have not been a sign of teenage rebellion or fashion forwardness. Instead, they have been enduring reminders of their Christian faith—showing the Copts' dedication to the One who bore the everlasting scars of mercy, grace, and truth.

Christian Persecution: "Court Allows College to Deny Christian Club"

clipped from www.cbn.com

Court Allows College to Deny Christian Club

A California law school can deny funding and recognition to a Christian club on campus because the group excludes membership to homosexuals and non-Christians, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

Leaders for the national Christian law club say they allow anyone to attend their meetings, but began requiring all members to sign a statement of faith in 2004.

UC Hastings College of Law currently has more than 60 student organizations, including a feminist group, a Jewish student society, a pro-choice group, and several clubs based on race and nationality.

The CLS Statement of Faith is as follows:

Trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior, I believe in:

One God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

The Deity of our Lord, Jesus Christ, God's only Son

The presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the work of regeneration.

The Bible as the inspired Word of God.

Watch the video on the site. It explains much more.

My question is, if I as a white, Christian, Republican, Conservative, Pro-Life, woman join a Mexican/Asian/African-American, Jewish, Democrat, Pro-Choice, Fraternity?