September 4, 2008
August 24, 2008
Retailer providing soles for souls
Shoe Carnival, a major U.S. retailer, plans to help provide shoes for the needy next month through a partnership with Soles4Souls, an international ministry that also provides free shoes.
In September, a fundraising and shoe drive in all 300 U.S. Shoe Carnival locations will provide a chance to either make a $2 donation covering the cost of a pair of free shoes, or donate gently worn shoes in exchange for a $5 coupon. Soles4Souls founder and CEO Wayne Elsey says the need is great, and that shoe and money donations will make a huge impact on the lives of thousands of children in desperate need.
“We just gave away 333,000 pairs of shoes in the U.S., right in our backyard. And I had people tell me ‘You know, Wayne, this is the difference between a meal or a gallon of milk for my kids’ — because we gave them back-to-school shoes.”
It is estimated there are 300 million children around the world without shoes. Soles4Souls says it has distributed more than three million pieces of footwear in more than 60 countries.
Barack Obama has “re-opened a wound among American Catholics”
Barack Obama has “re-opened a wound among American Catholics”
Fred Jackson- OneNewsNow – 8/23/2008 6:40:00 AM
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Business/Default.aspx?id=225738
For once I actually AGREE with the Catholic church on something. There is no doubt that the Catholic church and me do NOT agree on Doctrinal issues and we are not likely to see eye to eye on them any time soon. However, on this issue we most certainly agree. The truth is this MUST open a wound for ALL TRUE born again Bible believing Christians. Those that believe every Word in the Bible is the inspired Word of God and it cannot be taken lightly nor can any part of it just be tossed aside because it doesn’t fit our personal thought or desire for today. By the way as you will see even the Catholic church will NOT stand behind you if you support the MURDERING of helpless unborn children. So you can’t be a Catholic and an abortion supporter at the same time either. So why do you Christians think you can be a Christian and a murderer too?
In all honesty I am sickened by all the so called Christians, Pastors, ministers and those that lead others in religious matters backing Obama and calling their people to do the same thing. Have you lost your MINDS? How can any one back some one that is FOR abortion not just while it is inside the mothers womb helpless but also after one is born and some how survived the horrible procedure of RIPPING the baby limb from limb and sucking it’s brain’s out with a vacuum. Obama voted to MAKE the Doctors leave that baby to lay there and DIE because it was unwanted.
No, I am sorry to tell you but you cannot have both worlds. You either support God and everything He stands for and you back it no matter what it costs you OR you are totally against God in everything you do. God will look at those who have supported this kind of demonic trash and tell them to depart from Him because they are workers of iniquity. Look it up for yourself, and see if this is not correct. Read the article for yourself and see which side of the fence you are one, you cannot straddle this fence. It’s one side or the other. Life or death, you choose!!!
The Roman Catholic group, Fidelis, says Barack Obama’s selection of pro-abortion Catholic Joe Biden to be his V.P. running mate “is a slap in the face to Catholic voters” and poses a major challenge for American Catholics.
In a press release sent out overnight, Fidelis president, Brian Burch, declared that Barack Obama has “re-opened a wound among American Catholics” by picking a pro-abortion Catholic politician like Joe Biden.
According to Burch, the American Catholic bishops have made it clear that Catholic political leaders must defend the dignity of every human person, including the unborn.
” Sadly, Joe Biden’s tenure in the United States Senate has been marked by steadfast support for legal abortion” he added.
During the recent Democratic primary campaign Biden said: I am a long-standing supporter of Roe v Wade and a woman’s right to choose.”
Burch notes that in 2004, John Kerry’s support of abortion sparked a nationwide controversey over whether Catholics who support legal abortion can receive
communion.
Burch says “now, everywhere Biden campaigns, we’ll have this question of whether a pro-abortion Catholic can receive Communion.”
“Senator Biden is an unrepentant supporter of abortion in direct opposition to the church he claims as his own. Selecting a pro-abortion Catholic is a slap in the face to Catholic voters,” said Burch.
According to Burch, “The American bishops have instructed Catholic voters to consider many issues, but have characterized the defense of human life as foundational and have explained that the issue has a special claim on the conscience of the Catholic voter. This means that a political candidate like Biden, because of his strong support for abortion rights, forfeits any claim for support despite his views on other issues like health care and the economy.”
HOW Can a “Christian” Support Obama???
Please help me understand this one. Abortion, gay rights and all the other trash he believes in and supports. HOW can any one call themselves a Christian and support this anti-Christ of a man?
Here are a few that do and I will continue to grow this list as the come out of the closets.
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Some prominent charismatic leaders in Florida are throwing their support behind Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.
The Tampa Tribune reports controversial pastor Randy White of the Without Walls megachurch in Tampa is supporting Barack Obama and believes his estranged wife and former partner in the church, Paula White, does also.
According to Federal Election Commission records, Paula White gave Obama’s campaign $2,300, while her husband donated $2,000 to Obama’s White House bid. She is currently under investigation by the Senate Finance Committee for allegedly using the church’s tax-free status to buy lavish furnishings for her personal use.
Without Walls International Church did not respond to AFN’s request for an interview with Randy White.
ANGELS OR DEMONS?
ANGELS OR DEMONS?
By Berit Kjos
July 6, 2008
NewsWithViews.com
“I went into a trance-like state and I saw… the angel of finance…. In that trance I experienced one of heaven’s realities and then that experience became a reality here on earth…. I found myself in a treasure room in heaven. The only item in this room was gold coins, and I began stuffing those coins into my pockets until they were falling out.”[1] Todd Bentley
“… my spirit guides, Jesus and Mamacita, where with me, teaching me to overcome the lower spiritual entities. Now, during the many hours spent in meditation waves of light and peace would flow over me….”[2,p.85] Joanna Michaelson, The Beautiful Side of Evil
“… false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. But take heed….” Mark 13:22-23
What’s driving Todd Bentley? Why do thousands of people flock to his revival meetings?
Some reasons are obvious. Many seek healing, financial success, spiritual experiences and sensual thrills. After all, Bentley puts on quite a show! Known for his heavenly visions, angelic “partners,” mystical tattoos, and irreverent “teaching,” he makes them laugh. One of his many Youtube performances includes this outrageous dialogue with an unbiblical “God”:
“The woman was standing in the back of the room when the faith of God hit the meeting, and her tumor exploded out of her right leg, slid down her leg onto the floor! … [God] said, ‘…I want you to grab that lady’s crippled legs and bang them up-and-down on the platform like a baseball bat.’ [loud laughter] … I grabbed her legs, and I started going, BAM! BAM! …banging them…. She got healed!…
“And there is this older lady worshipping right in front of the platform. And the Holy Spirit spoke to me; the gift of faith came on me. He said, ‘Kick her in the face with your biker-boot..’… I went like this [kicks and shouts] BAM! And just as my boot made contact with her nose, she fell under the power of God.”[3] [laughter]
“You will know them by their fruit,” said Jesus. (Mt 7:16) But the genuine “fruit of the Spirit” (God’s love, goodness, gentleness…) was missing from this brutal show. God’s warnings are becoming increasingly relevant:
“The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so!” Jer 5:30-31
COUNTERFEIT ANGELS AND DEMONIC VISIONS
Emerging Church leader promotes lifestyle rather than faith
Emerging Church leader promotes lifestyle rather than faith
Jim Brown – OneNewsNow – 8/1/2008 7:00:00 AM
A Christian broadcaster claims that Emerging Church leader Brian McLaren is fulfilling the biblical prophecy that in the latter days men will not put up with sound doctrine – according to II Timothy 4:3.
Brian McLaren recently addressed 650 Anglican bishops attending the Lambeth Conference, a meeting he says was characterized by “a loving atmosphere” and “a deep spirituality centered in Bible study, worship, and prayer.” McLaren tells ChristianToday.com that he envisions a new era for Christianity, which “is more about the Christian way of life than it is about a rigid and polemicized systems of belief.”
Tom McMahon, president of the The Berean Call ministry, says McLaren is obviously ashamed of the biblical gospel and is bent upon making it accommodate his own ideas about Christianity and “the Christian way of life.”
“Once you throw off biblical doctrine, what do you have to guide you? This is to me a reflection of what Satan did with Eve in the Garden – this is Genesis 3:1, ‘Yea, hath God said?’ In other words, if you undermine what God had said, then what have you got?” he questions. “Well, you’ve got Proverbs 14:12, ‘There’s a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death’ — or destruction.”
McLaren also tells ChristianityToday.com the future of Christianity will also require Christians to “join humbly and charitably with people of other faiths — Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, secularists and others — in pursuit of peace, environmental stewardship,” and other things that quote “matter greatly to the heart of God.” But McMahon argues that what matters most to the heart of God is that individuals receive salvation on “his terms…through his gospel.”
“And that’s what people of the world, people of faith desperately need,” the ministry leader concludes.
McLaren has joined the Matthew 25 Network, a liberal political action group of Catholics, Protestants, Pentecostals and Evangelicals seeking to get Senator Barack Obama (D-Illinois) elected president.
Evangelicals in ‘la-la land’ over Muslim agreement
Evangelicals in ‘la-la land’ over Muslim agreement
Chad Groening – OneNewsNow – 8/7/2008 8:30:00 AM
The founder of a messianic Jewish ministry says evangelical leaders must be living in “la-la land” if they think Islamic imams will ever say positive things about Christianity, despite the release of a “cooperative statement.”
At the conclusion of a recent four-day conference at Yale University, more than 150 Christian and Muslim leaders from around the globe announced the first step of the “Common Word” exchange drafted last November. The Christian representatives included the heads of both the National Association of Evangelicals (Leith Anderson) and the World Evangelical Alliance (Geoff Tunnicliffe). A statement released at the conclusion of the conference explains that “the intention behind the Common Word is not to foist the theology of one religions upon another or to attempt conversion.”
According to a Reuters report, participants of the Yale gathering affirmed their support for freedom of religion and mutual respect. But Jan Markell, director of Olive Tree Ministries in Minnesota, has reservations about one particular aspect of the inter-faith agreement. Markell admits she is very skeptical about a pledge made by members of both faiths to spend one week per year sharing the “positive aspects” of the other’s faith.
“The mosques would talk about Christianity in a positive light. Christian churches would talk about Islam in a positive light,” explains Markell. “…I don’t believe there’s a mosque in America that’s going to say positive things about non-Muslims. And very sadly, I think they’re will be evangelical pulpits that once a year will get up and say now here are some positive things about Islam,” she laments.
Markell says the idea is “unrealistic, to put it mildly.” She comments that these “evangelical” leaders apparently do not know that many American mosques are the breeding ground for radicals who are calling for the destruction of America and its takeover by Islam.
Other Stories in Church
August 23, 2008
How to Botch an Altar Call!!!
(A few keys for those who don’t want people saved in their altar calls)
- Present an unbalanced message. Only let them see the heart-warming part of God’s character. Preach God’s love but leave out His holiness and justice. That way they’ll think He’ll let them into heaven no matter what.
- Don’t mention repentance until they’re repeating a “sinner’s prayer.” Just get them to say, “I repent of all my sins” while they’re echoing you. They won’t know what they’re saying and they won’t count the cost.
- Above all else, be dignified. Don’t get heart to heart with the people. They would get something out of what you said.
- Skim over the gospel and push the prayer. Pretend the lost naturally understand what Christ has done for them.
- Preach Jesus as a life enhancer not a life rescuer. Tell them how Jesus can improve their life but don’t show them Jesus as the only One who can save them from Hell. People will think if they reject Him they’re only losing out on a spiritual high.
- Try to please the people instead of convert them. Tell them what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear.
- Compromise the message to speed up the process. The Christians who have heard it a hundred times before will be pleased with that. The quicker they get out the quicker they can get to the restaurant.
- Give them the impression that God is so good He won’t send anyone to hell. Don’t present the whole counsel of God or they might realize He is so good that He’ll see to it that justice is served and that all unrepentant sinners will be punished in the fire that is not quenched.
- Speak to sinners as though they were saints. They’ll think they’re God’s children instead of the enemies of God they’ve made themselves into because of their sin. You’ll give them false assurance and mislead them.
- Don’t mention sin or man’s guilt. Resist the urge to explain what Christ came to deliver us from. Don’t show them their need for the Savior. Otherwise it may all make sense.
- Don’t look to the Bible for the substance of your altar call. Only mimic other preachers with large congregations.
- Tell the lost not to feel bad about their sins. That way you will work against the Holy Spirit who’s convicting them
- Whatever you do, never mention Judgment Day. Your audience might take spiritual matters seriously.
- Tell them Jesus is the only way to heaven but don’t explain why. They may think it’s nothing more than fear tactics and leave offended instead of enlightened.
- Confuse the call. This is a great way to botch up an altar call. Don’t let people know you’re asking them to commit their life to Christ. Be vague and general in what you’re saying. Neglect to mention following Christ in your evangelistic altar calls and say things like, “If you don’t feel you’re as close to God as possible raise your hand,” “If you feel lonely come to the front for prayer,” “If you want more of God this is your time,” and, “If you have struggles and need the answer come down.” Just get them to raise a hand. That way no one will be able to count the cost and you’ll even get saints to respond to salvation altar calls, making the results look more successful.
- Only give them half the story. Tell them Jesus died to forgive everyone but overlook the fact that they must personally receive Him to partake of that forgiveness.
- Present the truth as though it isn’t. Be so funny when you share Christ that you belittle the seriousness of the matter.
- Preach forgiveness without repentance. That way no one will know how to be forgiven.
- Be unbiblical. Present repentance and faith as an offer instead of how God does as a command (Acts 17:30).
- Let them think next Sunday is the day of salvation. Don’t make them feel it’s urgent to respond today.
- Never warn of hell. Dangle heaven in front of their nose but rarely mention hell, certainly not as much as Jesus did.
- Only do altar calls inside the church. Never take the gospel where sinners congregate. The lost might get saved.
- Use churchy terms. Use words like, “saved,” “repent,” and “born again,” without any explanation. That way your hearers won’t comprehend what you’re saying. If they can’t understand it, it’s probable they won’t be changed by it.
- Give false assurance of salvation to unsaved Christians. Assure church folk that they are saved even if they bear no fruit. So that you don’t offend the unsaved pew warmers never quote 2 Corinthians 13:5: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.” You could lose some financial supporters and have to depend on God.
- Never mention the wrath of God. If you mention it, people might be awakened to flee to Jesus who “saves us from the wrath to come.” ( 1 Thess. 1:10)
- Study how the apostles preached and witnessed and do the opposite. Don’t explain Jesus’ suffering death on the cross. Otherwise they may think of running to Him for forgiveness. Don’t speak of His burial or resurrection or they might realize He is God. Refrain from commenting about the hundreds of eyewitnesses who saw Jesus after He rose from the dead. That way they can go on thinking He’s a fairy tale. Overlook talk of the messianic prophecies Jesus fulfilled or they might realize that the Bible is true. If they see it’s the truth they may see that following Christ is the logical decision. And whatever you do, avoid what the apostles did when it came time to call people to obey the gospel. Don’t tell them to trust Christ and live for Him. That is too accurate. If they know how to get saved your altar call will be a success.
- Put more emphasis on the “sinner’s prayer” then on repentance and faith. Satan will smile over your departure from Biblical instruction. We are never taught to use a ‘sinner’s prayer’ throughout the entire Bible. If you decide to use it and put more emphasis on the technique than on what we’re commanded to preach: faith and repentance you’ll certainly botch things up. A ‘sinner’s prayer’ doesn’t equal salvation, only faith in Christ and repentance toward God do.
- Let Christians think you’re the only one who can do it right. Always leave the impression that they should only invite friends to church and never actually witness themselves. It will keep you in business and the lost unsaved.
- Don’t let the lost know they are. Disregard subjects like Judgment Day, God’s holiness, man’s sinfulness and justice. That way the lost can continue to think they’re “good enough” to get into heaven.
- Rely upon psychological techniques to manipulate people into responding to the altar call. Don’t rely upon the Holy Spirit or they may actually get saved.
- Make sure you’re the main attraction. Remember the goal in botching up an altar call is for people to leave and say, “What a wonderful preacher,” instead of, “What a wonderful Savior.” Draw all possible attention to how great a speaker and person you are. Otherwise people might see Christ in your preaching and get saved.
- Don’t focus upon Jesus. Finally, the best way to botch up an altar call is not to preach the gospel. Just get people to lift up a hand and pray a prayer with you. Resist the urge to speak of the only One who could save them.
Sometimes the best way to get a point across is to put it in a different light. You now know a few ways to botch up an altar call. Please do not employ them. Do the opposite. You may already do some of them. Don’t let pride keep you from changing and doing things in a Biblical fashion. The bottom line is how true we are to Christ and His word. Effectively reaching the lost is our purpose. Let nothing hold you back from that agenda. May God bless you as you seek to win people to Christ in Bible clubs, churches, conferences, on the street witnessing encounters, at your school, and at your workplace.
Adapted from Becoming an Emissary for God by Allen Atzbi
How Can You Sleep at Night?
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This is an excerpt of an email to Ray Comfort from an atheist.
Ray,
You are really convinced that you’ve got all the answers. You’ve really got yourself tricked into believing that you’re 100% right. Well, let me tell you just one thing. Do you consider yourself to be compassionate of other humans? If you’re right, as you say you are, and believe that, then how can you sleep at night? When you speak with me you are speaking with someone who you believe is walking directly into eternal damnation into an endless onslaught of horrendous pain which your ‘loving’ god created, yet you stand by and do nothing.
If you believe one bit that thousands every day were falling into an eternal and unreachable fate, you should be running the streets mad with rage at their blindness. That’s equivalent to standing on a street corner and watching every person that passes you walk blindly directly into the path of a bus and die, yet you stand idly by and do nothing. You’re just twiddling your thumbs, happy in the knowledge that one day that ‘walk’ signal will shine your way across the road.
Think about it. Imagine the horrors Hell must have in store if the bible is true. You’re just going to allow that to happen and not care about saving anyone but yourself? If you’re right then you’re an uncaring, unemotional and purely selfish (expletive) that has no right to talk about subjects such as love and caring.
James Franz
The entire discourse between Ray and this atheist is now in a fascinating book called, Intelligent Design versus Evolution—letters to an atheist.
http://www.wayofthemaster.com/atheistletter.shtml
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