Only 7% of Australians go to church... We have other gods now - Sport, Beaches, Pubs, Flea Markets, TV, Movie Theatres, Shopping... Our entertain-ment industry is based on illicit sex, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, pornography, profanity, blasphemy, occultism, foul filthy gutter language, crime, violence, hatred, bloodshed, murder, and terror.
In Australia alone one hundred thousand babies are slaughtered every year by abortion. Australian youth have the highest suicide rate in the developed world.
We see many signs of "the last days" - One World Government (The New World Order), One World Army - the UN Peacekeeping Forces, One World Monetary System, The Cashless Society, Drugs, witchcraft... Jesus Christ says, "Can ye not discern the signs of the times?" (Matthew 16:2,3)... On Judgment Day each one of us will arrive at the moment of truth. On the brink of eternity, stripped of all our possessions... we will all face our Maker. We will all have to give an account of ourselves to Almighty God. It will not be the time nor the place for excuses. (Jim, Brisbane)
Dust if you must.
But wouldn't it be better to paint a picture, or write a letter, bake a cake,
or plant a seed. Ponder the difference between want and need.
Dust if you must.
But there's not much time, with rivers to swim and mountains to climb!
Music to hear, and books to read, friends to cherish and life to lead.
Dust if you must.
But the world's out there with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair,
a flutter of snow, a shower of rain.
This day will not come 'round again.
Dust if you must.
But bear in mind, old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go, and go you must, you, yourself, will make more dust.
(Author Unknown)
Lenin said, "Give me one generation of youth and I will transform the world."
Harry Potter books are "Training manuals for the occult" says former witch, Pastor David Meyer, using the names of real demons. God has definite commands against occultism, astrology, and witchcraft, etc.
Pokemon stands for "Pocket Monsters", which are said to have supernatural powers and can grow or evolve... we see the imagination of children being corrupted by occult based games, cartoons and films which encourage interest in magic and psychic powers.
The characters of the game become role-models for the children, and are described as "headstrong, stubborn, vindictive, obnoxious, sexually preoccupied, evil, thieving, stuck-up, cross-dressing jerks". In the past, even in non-Christian cultures, generally, the heroes were noble, self-sacrificing and good. Today, good is called evil, and evil is called good.
If you put garbage in you will get garbage out. A violent and pitiless generation is being created... increasingly controlled by market forces allied to the powers of darkness. Crazes like Pokemon are part of the process of brainwashing youth and turning them against the true God of the Bible... so they can accept the New Age occult religion. (Jim, Brisbane, Qld)
In recent days controversy has arisen concerning the unsuitability of a high
court practitioner to administer justice because of declared "Sodomite"
lifestyle... Our country permits practitioners in the Justice system to follow
a degrading lifestyle of moral evil. The HIGHEST
COURT OF GOD'S JUSTICE continues throughout the whole Bible to condemn as moral
cancer the practice of Sodomites (Rev 22:15, 1 Cor 6:9-11, Rom. 1:18-32). The
cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for these practices. The Highest
Court of the Universe will occur
at the Great White Throne - Rev 20:11-15. God condemns the lifestyle and practice,
but can rescue the sinner - and change those who come to Christ for salvation.
(Bob, Huntfield Heights, SA)
40% of American scientists believe in a personal God they can pray to (Newsweek).
I always thought that if I went to communion on Sunday, having seen our local
priest the Saturday before to forgive my sins, that I had a clean bill for the
next week, and if anything happened (I died) I thought that I would go to Heaven.
But this (Mass, confession) didn't stop me from sinning as soon as I stepped
out of the church. I had no genuine repentance... A man called Graham would
tell me how his life was changed by having a personal relationship with Jesus
Christ. I knew him before and after he was saved, and saw the transformation...
Graham helped me realise I was lost and going to Hell. I got on my hands and
knees and asked the Lord Jesus to take control of my life. I was so overjoyed.
The foul mouth went, the pornos went... The Lord is still purging me of sin,
convicting me in things in my life that I need to get right with the Lord Jesus.
But one thing I definitely know that the Bible says (1 John 5:13) I HAVE eternal
life with the Lord Jesus. My wife is now saved. She was an evolutionist and
realised the great lie that satan had devised for mankind. Three years now I
have been saved and I have been telling everybody how Jesus Christ saved my
soul from Hell.
(Juan, Allingham, Qld)
I had a drug problem when I was a young person and teenager.
I was drug to church on Sunday mornings. I was drug to church on Sunday nights.
I was drug to church on Wednesday nights. I was drug to Sunday School every
week. I was drug to the family altar to read the Bible and pray. I was also
drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents.
Those drugs are still in my veins, and they affect my behaviour in everything
I do, say and think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack or heroin. If our
children had this drug problem, the world would certainly be a better place.
(Story of Encouragement)
To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God. (Sir William Temple)
Much of that which is termed 'worship' today is fleshly rather than spiritual, and is external and spectacular, rather than internal and reverential. Worship is the occupation of the heart ... not by the eyes or the ears, but 'in spirit'... Modern 'worship' is designed to render it pleasing to the flesh: a 'bright and attractive service,' with beautiful surroundings, sensuous music, and entertaining talks... To whom do the choirs sing-to God, or to the people? The attractiveness of singing has been substituted for the 'foolishness of preaching.'
Much of our modern so-called worship is soulical, that is, emotional... professional and spectacular, that which is of the flesh, and rendered to please the ear of man. We must worship 'in spirit'... True worship, spiritual worship, is decorous, reverential, occupying the worshipper with God Himself. (A. W. Pink)
Many songs that are called "praise" actually describe the feelings of the believer rather than the character of God... Genuine praise of God depends on truth. The lyrics of many new praise songs are so shallow... An emphasis on what we "get out" of a worship service - above all, that we feel good about ourselves - displaces the theocentric praise of God with man-centred utalitarianism... so many new compositions dumb down our perception, knowledge, and adoration of God. (Idle Worship; Marva Dawn)
Commercial Contemporary Music... Modern praise concerts where there is a ticket price have moved from worship of God, to the entertainment of the people. You don't pay to worship God! The cost of a praise service can be covered by a free-will offering but when tickets are sold, as in a recent Gaither concert, the emphasis is on entertainment rather than the worship of God. (Canadian Revivalist 2/02)
Evangelism is terribly unpopular these days. The big thing now seems to be worship, worship, worship, and seeking the tangible "presence of God" in the church. Maybe we need a good dose of persecution to get people to get back to the Great Commission... most of what I believe would probably be considered old fashioned these days (give me that Old Time Religion 'cause I'm sick of the new stuff)! I read the KJV, still like hymns etc, and believe that the Bible is the final authority and that God actually means what He says. (Robin, email)
The purpose of music in the church is not to entertain or to attract prospective
members and converts... Music should:
1. Glorify God;
2. Edify the saints; and
3. Testify of the Holiness, Love and Might of God {Ps. 96:1-2; Col. 3:16}.
Music is a MORAL vehicle... Most of what is produced in Contemporary Christian Music attempts to carry a moral message that should appeal to the spirit through an immoral vehicle of music that appeals to the flesh. There is no Biblical support for evangelism through music ... to use ungodly vehicles to reach ungodly people. If we wanted to change a person's condition, we would not do so with those elements that contribute to his current condition {Eph. 5:10-11}. You cannot change anything by adding more of the same. www.biblebaptistministries.com
Have you ever congratulated yourself about the fact that "you have your own opinion"
Or have you ever been reminded that it is important to have your own opinion?
Are you satisfied that you have your own opinion on matters great and small?
Has it occurred to you that on planet earth, of our 5-6 billion souls, most or all "have their own opinion"?
Is your opinion worth more than anyone else's? Are all opinions equal?
If an opinion can be shown to wrong, then this opinion might well be worth nothing!
For instance it is hard to get a job as a teacher if you are firmly convinced that 2+2 equals something other than 4. It is very hard to get a driver's licence if you have your own opinion about what side of the road you can occupy at any given moment.
There is a very modern idea in the world today that this somehow does not apply to religion. The modern idea is that it is important to be fully convinced of what ever you believe.
But this idea is of course false. It is not hard to demonstrate the fact that having an opinion that is incorrect - is a useless opinion.
Using similar logic we can determine that it is simply not possible that everyone's God is the real God. God is not even elected on a democratic basis, so we know that being part of a majority opinion is no guarantee about the nature of God.
This is not some dogma or narrow belief. In fact the Lord Jesus Christ warned us about this when He said "Enter by the narrow gate ......"
Most people who come to Christ understand (eventually) that their own opinions are not as important as the truth.
This is a point that is worth considering. If we know the truth then we can dispense with our opinion!
Whilst some people might be offended by this train of thought - it is in fact one of the greatest blessings in the kingdom of God! It is for this reason that when a Christian is asked his opinion about this or that he can answer (on most subjects) "It is written......." The Lord Jesus Christ gave us this example. As a youngster I used to be amazed that the Lord did not really give the devil a serving when He was being tempted by him.
What an opportunity it was to terrify him with an description of the coming wrath of God! To send him packing, and confine him to Jupiter or Mars.
Now I am much older......... but a little wiser! Jesus could have said many things but He limited Himself to what His Father had given Him to say.
That is the lesson for us here. Jesus said "I do nothing on My own initiative......."
What a blessing this is! .......... All our lives we are dependent on our own wits, or own strength, our own health ......... and our own OPINIONS!
As new creatures in Christ none of this applies, so long as we apply the promise that we have been offered and learn from the example that Christ gave us!
Even though Jesus Christ said that He was the "truth" He nevertheless did nothing on His own initiative. We should follow Him. Since we now know the "truth" we no longer need to settle for our own opinions.
What an incredible privilege it is for a Christian to be asked for his or her opinion when the question relates to something about which God has already spoken. What a chance it is to say "I no longer trust my opinions. I have given up on them! I have spent a lot of time looking at God's opinion and I can tell you what the scriptures say on this subject"
An opinion is nowhere near as useful as the truth. Consider this. Some people say that "it does not matter what you believe so long as you are sincere" Others have said "In the end we all serve the one God" or "There are many rivers but only one ocean"
This provides the Christian with the opportunity to explain that this idea is nearly correct! It is nearly correct because eventually everyone is going to bow the knee and say "Jesus Christ is the Lord"
That is, we do it now. Or we can do it when it is too late! But do it, we shall!
There will be no other opinions! There will be no other Gods! Every knee shall bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord!
On that day, everyone who is sincere in their opinions will realize that having an opinion is nowhere near as valuable as having the truth!
Do you know that my opinion is that God wants us to reasonable. The reason I hold this opinion is because God told me. In fact he told all of us. He said "Come let us reason together..."
God wants you and I to reason through the truth. He wants us to come to the same conclusions as Himself! God claims that is a reasonable thing to ask. In fact He says "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry with you and you perish in the way"
"There is a way that seems right to a man, the way thereof is DEATH" And "add not to His words, lest He reprove you and you be found a LIAR"
Ahh you see I am doing it again. I am having an opinion. Opinions can kill you. (Malcolm Fenton, www.aster.com.au )
Many "Christian" firms have been taken over by bigger non-Christian concerns... it is a pity that many Christians have sold their firms out to the world for money.
Various Bible translations are to a great extent in the hands of that sort of business... it is illegal to use a text from most Bible Versions in an article for public use on the internet unless they have the consent of the publisher. The only way around this is to find or create a Bible Version which is not copyrighted.
I see copyright as a great problem for the future when Christians are going
to be persecuted. The breaking of copyright
may become a good excuse for authorities to arrest Christians and take them
out of circulation. (Harry, Vic Park, WA)
We went to two other churches last Sunday, kinda getting expert now... The first wasn't too bad and we had the opportunity to hear the longest prayer of our lives followed by the longest (OK, it only seemed that way) sermon where the Reverend had to explain that the (modern translation) scripture he read actually had a different meaning in the Authorised version and the key word was meant to be plural, not singular as he read in the modern version. Hmm..... don't mean to be critical, just can't help it, it seems!
The second church was packed (with 8 other people and about 6 kids). They were based on the "Wesley / Methodist tradition" the sign said. Poor Mr Wesley would turn in his grave on hearing their drums except that they didn't use any of his hymns anyway. Perhaps the drums don't go well with Wesley's Hymns! (Chris, Ascot Park, SA)
The church today has become a symbol of institutionalised religion... a set of rules and commandments... God's word was given to all men so they can gain a right relationship with the Father in heaven. A believer's first consideration is to gain a closer relationship with God and to receive His love and experience this love in such a way as to change one's life. Jesus said "who the son sets free is free indeed."
The assembly of believers is to... encourage each other in times of stress and need. This is not just an idea to be expressed while one is in the confine of the four walls of a church building... it's an on going commitment to our brothers and sisters.
A true believer will always be a member of the one true church which Jesus is coming back for in the last day. A believer's church attendance is not an accurate account of their relationship with God. (Peter, Rockingham, WA)
Have just read the article on church decline... agree totally, having been
brought up in an era when the Scriptures were taught (KJV) and hymns on the
whole have doctrine and meaning, written by people who have come out of deep
suffering. The real, genuine believers will one day have to go underground or
have house meetings because of the worldliness in churches. (Charlie & Brenda,
Dalby, Qld)
A local church should be a launching pad, not a parking lot. (W. Wiersbe)
Alcohol is at the root of all kinds of problems... Proverbs 23:31-32: "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder."
There are 637 references to wine, drink and drinking in the Bible. Thirteen different words are translated "wine", with a wide range of meaning, covering everything from grape juice, to concentrated grape syrup to alcoholic wine. Now, why believers should abstain from drinking...
1. DRINKING LEADS TO DRUNKENNESS. DRUNKENNESS IS CONDEMNED IN THE BIBLE
(Isaiah 5:11, Proverbs 23:20).
"Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting (drunken partying)
and drunkenness..." (Romans 13:13). "Now the works of the flesh are
manifest, which are these...drunkenness..." (Galatians 5:19 & 21).
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the
Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). DRUNKARDS ARE AMONG THE LIST OF THOSE WHO WILL
NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD (I Corinthians 6:9-11).
2. THE BIBLE CONDEMNS STRONG DRINK ALSO. (Proverbs 20:1)
"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby
is not wise." NOTE again, Isaiah 5:11, and Proverbs 23:29-31. Distillation
was not discovered until about 1500 A.D. Strong drink and unmixed wine in Bible
times was from 3% to 11% alcohol. Dr. John MacArthur says "...since anybody
in biblical times who drank unmixed wine (9-11% alcohol) was definitely considered
a barbarian, then we don't even need to discuss whether a Christian should drink
hard liquor-that is apparent!"
3. IN BIBLE TIMES WHAT CHRISTIANS DRANK WAS SUB-ALCOHOLIC, BASICALLY PURIFIED
WATER.
"Today's wine is by Biblical definition strong drink, and hence forbidden
by the Bible. What the Bible frequently meant by wine was basically purified
water," purified by adding some alcoholic wine. (Norman Geisler, Liberty
University). The Holman Bible dictionary says, wine was also used as a medicine
and disinfectant.
Geisler goes on to say, "Therefore, Christians ought not to drink wine, beer, or other alcoholic beverages for they are actually strong drink forbidden in Scripture. Even ancient pagans did not drink what some Christians drink today." All alcoholic beverages used in our culture fall under the biblical classification of STRONG DRINK and are therefore forbidden. The least ratio of water to wine mixture used in Bible times was 3 parts water to 1 wine. That produced a sub-alcoholic drink that was 2.5% to 2.75% alcohol. Normally, the ratio was even higher, up to 20 to 1. Their is NO BIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR CHRISTIANS DRINKING THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OF OUR DAY! What early believers drank was sub-alcoholic by today's standards. Pastors and deacons were cautioned to steer around even the sub-alcoholic stuff (I Timothy 3:3 & 8).
4. IT WILL CAUSE OTHERS TO STUMBLE. (Romans 14:21)
"It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to "to drink wine, nor anything
whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak." More than
once, I have heard a believer say "there is nothing wrong with drinking
in moderation..." The problem is, drinking often sets off a chain reaction
of influences that are like tipping over the first domino. Drinking causes some
to stumble, others to be offended, and many to be weakened. One of the top five
reasons teenagers drink is because their parents drink... Parents, you must
remember that whatever you do in moderation your child will likely do in excess.
The Bible clearly defines drinking as an activity that is to be foregone because
it causes others to stumble and makes them weak (fall into sin).
5. IT HARMS OUR BODIES WHICH ARE THE LORD'S. (I Corinthians 6:19-20)
"...your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you... ye are
not your own... glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
See also I Corinthians 3:16-17. Alcohol affects the brain - it dulls the capacity
for self-criticism and the sense of caution, lessens care and anxiety, curtails
the checks on irresponsibility and unreasonable behaviour. Actions follow the
impulses, which is dangerous. Reaction time become slower; coordination is disturbed;
drowsiness follows. Proverbs 23:29-33 gives testimony to the above description
of alcohol on the brain.
According to Good Housekeeping "Even in moderate amounts alcohol has noticeable effects on the body. Because it enters the blood stream it touches almost every organ, and its effects on feelings and behaviour are well known." Alcohol has adverse affects on your oesophagus, stomach and intestines, bloodstream, pancreas, liver, heart, bladder, kidneys, glands and your brain. "The most drastic and noticed effect of alcohol is the brain. It depresses brain centers, progressively produces uncoordination, confusion, disorientation, stupor, anaesthesia, coma, death. Alcohol kills brain cells, and brain damage is permanent." As believers, our body belongs to the Lord. We should not knowingly do anything that would harm it. Alcohol harms the body, therefore we should not drink alcohol.
6. ALCOHOL IS ADDICTIVE.
I Corinthians 6:12 tells us that we are not to "be brought under the power"
or to be controlled by anything. The only exception is the Holy Spirit. (Eph.
5:18). Alcohol is clearly a powerful substance (Proverbs 23:35). Because alcohol
is addictive, we should choose not to drink alcoholic beverages. The final reason
to consider for not drinking...
7. BELIEVERS ARE KINGS AND PRIESTS SEPARATED UNTO GOD.
"The prophets, the kings, the Nazarites, the leaders - those who were special
in the plan of God were total abstainers" says Dr. Paul Dixon... Kings
and public officials were not to drink (Proverbs 31:4-5). Dr. Dixon says "the
priests of the Old Testament were to abstain totally." The Aaronic priests
were not to drink (Leviticus 10:9). Believers are a "royal" or kingly
priesthood (I Peter 2:9), the temple of God (I Peter 2:5). We are God's special
children and should choose total abstinence. Drinking cannot be legitimately
supported by the Bible. Every drink that is available today, even beer, falls
into the category of unmixed or strong drink.
Drinking socially is a worldly activity... believers are neither to be conformed to the world (Romans 12:2) nor love the world (I John 2:15). Our choice should be clear. We ARE to be SEPARATE FROM the world (II Cor 6:17) and LIGHT TO the world (Ephesians 5:8; Philippians 2:15). Perhaps social drinking has enhanced the acceptability of Christians in society, but it has not advanced the cause of Christ, and it does not glorify God! Social drinking is simply a means which the devil uses to blunt our testimony for Christ and squeeze us into his mold. There are at least SEVEN GOOD REASONS A BELIEVER SHOULD NOT DRINK. One should be enough. (David L. Brown, logos@logosresourcepages.org )
The Reality Test: Even in comedy, unrealistic plots and stereotyped characters often indicate a warped moral perspective. Programs that do not depict the painful consequences of wrong actions distort reality. Just as we should not spend our lives aimlessly associating with evil people and fools as it says in I Corinthians 15:33, we also should not invest valuable time watching immoral and frivolous Television programming. Every family member should learn to be a critical viewer, ready to switch off "junk" productions that are done in poor taste. We all should be willing to explain our viewing choices to other family members.
The Value Test:
Relaxation is a legitimate need, but some kinds of relaxation are better than
others. It is for good reason that TV has been called the "plug-in drug".
Even recreational time should not be squandered. Can we justify the time we
spend watching particular television programs {or movies} as compared to other
more active forms of recreation - like reading, visiting with friends, playing
a game, taking a walk, or working in the yard? Does the time we spend watching
TV make us more productive and balanced people, or is it draining our vitality
and undermining our creativity?
The Morality Test:
We live in a fallen world. Consequently, all good art acknowledges the reality
of evil. Art that ignores evil has no depth. The greatest writers and playwrights
of the ages-people like Aeschylus, Shakespeare, Goethe, Eliot, Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky,
Melville- have always grappled with evil. But they portrayed evil without glamorising
or sensationalising it. Sometimes actors need to play roles portraying immorality.
But a good program distinguishes between acting and exhibitionism. As the commercial
networks to boost ratings promote more and more "soft" pornography,
we should keep in mind the simple insight that fornication "acted out"
by professional actors and recorded on film for public entertainment is still
fornication. Human sexual intimacy is too precious to be prostituted by the
media under the guise of "realism" or "artistic freedom".
Similarly, both the testimony of common sense and academic circles affirm that
media violence, even when simulated, has the effect of desensitising viewers,
lowering their inhibitions, and creating an appetite to see more. Today's media,
like the Roman circus, often exploits evil rather than exposing it, gaining
viewers by inflaming their passions. If we regularly test our TV viewing by
these three standards, Reality, Value, and Morality, we will probably find that
it will be greatly reduced-or even eliminated altogether. Your family's use
of the media says a lot to your family and friends about its values, priorities,
goals, and dreams. (From "Setting TV Viewing Standards" by Radio Bible
Class.
(www.biblebaptistministries.com)
Music seems to be an integral part of man. However, music has been a tool used by the Devil to divide local churches. Thomas Cassidy in A Biblical Philosophy of Christian Music wrote, "When Satan attacks the churches of Jesus Christ today, he uses his best and sharpest weapon, the one that he is most expert in, music. There are very few subjects that cause more anger in churches today than that of music."
Today "Christian" music ranges from traditional hymns to contemporary heavy rock "Christian" music.
Bible believing Pastors seek to use Biblical methods to reach people with the gospel. However, Biblical methods are not always "successful" in getting the numbers. So some "fundamentalists" have followed the new evangelical in developing a music programme as a means to success in reaching people. This may require using traditional hymns (for the old folk) and contemporary songs (for the young people).
According to Tom Cassidy "There are 749 references to music in the Bible, and every one of those references is in the context of worship. Music is worship."
Music in relation to man is first mentioned in Scripture in the line of Cain before the flood. After the flood the first mention of music is by Jacob's father in-law, Laban. Cain is remembered for being a murderer and Laban for his deceit and desire for materialism.
James Brock wrote, "People love to sing. They need to sing and to feel that each one has a part in the service. Singing is an inspiring form of worship. Singing by God's people is important to Him." Our singing is to be directed to God... not for the singer's acclaim and the audience's enjoyment. Our singing and playing should be to "edifying of the church." (1 Cor. 14:12).
Col. 3:16, 17 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord..."
Robert Delnay in the Faith Pulpit October, 1986 New Testament Principles of Music s writes "This requires that our songs should convey or at least conform to New Testament truth. It demands a certain discretion in what we sing, in both words, and music.... If music is instruction... church musicians should be something else than performers. Of performers, entertainers, and technicians, we already have abundance. Of people capable of teaching and admonishing in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs , we do not have so many."
"Music is a language... New Testament music glorifies God and minimizes self... involves worship... is instruction and conforms to the message of the cross."
A lot has changed in the music programmes of the churches in the past twenty years... We have seen our churches follow the world rather than the Word. Sadly this abandonment of God's Word has been at least one cause for the carnality of our families, churches, and nation. If the world's music is condoned in our churches then our people will practice the world's values the rest of the week. Worship has become entertainment.
Local church music should be God honouring. Perhaps one should ask whether the music just satisfies the flesh or is it honouring God? The preaching of God's Word should be the major activity of the church service. To develop a musical programme wrapped around contemporary "Christian" music to attract the unsaved is pragmatism and not Biblical. Is the song theologically correct? Is the song understandable or is it drowned out by the instruments? What instruments should be used in the local church? (David C. Bennett)
Extracts from Bible Guidelines for Music with many secular quotes; by Terry Watkins...)
The Bible lists many kinds of instruments (Psalms 150:3-5), yet one instrument is NEVER mentioned! The drum was a very common instrument in Egypt and the lands around Israel. Did the Lord just forget to include the DRUM or is there another reason? Is it because drums are associated with voodoo, shamanism, paganism and magic rituals?
Drums are "played to summon up magic powers" (The Illustrated Book of Signs & Symbols)... and are "used in shamanic rituals to heal people. It is believed that the shaman can communicate with the spirit world THROUGH DRUMMING." (Musical Instruments). "Pagan dances and rituals are always accompanied by the incessant BEAT of DRUMS." (Satan's Music Exposed)
Robert Palmer, contributing editor to Rolling Stone... advocate and lover of rock music, writes, in Rock & Roll An Unruly History: "Bata drums [drums used in voodoo], sacred to the Yoruba people of Nigeria and Cuba... provided a template for the inner rhythms of rock and roll... serve as conduits for spiritual energies, linking individual human consciousness with the gods... the drum rhythms that make rock and roll can ultimately be traced back to African music of a primarily spiritual or ritual nature. In a sense, rock and roll is a kind of 'voodoo'... Drums are used in "voodoo" possession... drummers tap out their rhythm patterns like signals to the realm of the gods, inviting and enticing them to come and POSSESS their devotees."
Little Richard, the self-professed "architect of rock 'n roll", readily admits Satan's control and influence in his life and rock music: "My true belief about Rock 'n' Roll - is this: I believe this kind of music is demonic.... A lot of the BEATS in music today are taken from voodoo, from the voodoo DRUMS." (The Life and Times of Little Richard)
"The shaman was the original 'long hair', the first rock star draped in leather, dancing possessed to a rhythm banged out on a DRUM... communication with the gods was synonymous with DRUMS... the body can become the conduit for a deity... DRUMS are the catalyst for the whole process... what Westerners simplistically call 'possession'." (Appetite for Destruction)
David Tame writes in The Secret Power of Music: "Today's DRUMMER differs but little from the shaman in his incessant beating out of a rhythm, and likewise often enters into a form of trance while performing."
The DRUM has always been associated with paganism and the devil... When the
first blacks from Africa were converted to Christianity they knew the power
and evil influence of DRUMS. And the converted blacks strictly forbid the use
of drums! They referred to the drums as "the Devil's drum". (Hole
in Our Soul: The Loss of Beauty and Meaning in American Popular Music) One simple
guideline for Christian music is NO DRUMS!
(http://www.av1611.org/cqguide.phpl)
May all Christians brighten the corner where they are... (Leonie, Floraville, NSW)
Comments by Bob (Parafield Gardens, SA) about "What a Friend we have in Jesus" (#59, p. 13) evoked a response from another reader who wrote: "Jesus does call us his "friends" in John 15:13-15 "...Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you..." So if Jesus calls us his friends, He must be a friend of ours. The old Hymn is correct and I must say I feel sorry for 'Bob' if he doesn't know Jesus as his friend. This Hymn is a real blessing to young and old and have found it to be the most requested one with the elderly at Nursing Homes."
Bob responds again... In reply to the question of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," this brother quotes John 15:13-15 stating that because Jesus calls us his "friends" then he must be a friend of ours. This is a very erroneous approach to Scripture and the context proves it, for in verse 8 Jesus says "you will be My disciples". So using this logic, if Jesus says we are "his disciples" then he is our disciple. One cannot reciprocate truths. Just because God is love does not mean that love is God.
Why is it that nowhere in the whole New Testament is Jesus called "our friend"? There must be a reason. I came upon the following quote from Donald Carson in The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God, "Observe that Jesus makes a distinction between slaves (douloi; not 'servants') and friends. But the distinction initially surprises us. We are Jesus' friends if we do what he commands. This sounds rather like a definition of a slave. Certainly such friendship is not reciprocal. I cannot turn around to Jesus and thank him for his friendship and tell him he is my friend, too, if he does everything I command him. Strange to tell, not once is Jesus or God ever described in the Bible as our friend. Abraham is God's friend; the reverse is never stated... Of course, in one sense Jesus is the best friend a poor sinner ever had. Nevertheless, that is not the terminology of Scripture, almost as if the Bible is reluctant to descend into the kind of cheap intimacy that brings God or Jesus down to our level" p. 41.
Carson is right on and his exegesis of this text shows the error of reciprocal thinking in terms of God. God is my friend and then my buddy - God forbid!
He also says that this is a favourite in nursing homes. Does that make it true or does it show that people bring Jesus down to their level as their friend but this does not lead to respect that leads to repentance or forgiveness. If at Christmas, people prefer "Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer" to "Joy to the World" does that make it true?
Mr. John Rogers, minister of the gospel in London, was the first martyr in Queen Mary's reign, and was burnt at Smithfield. February 14,1554. His wife with nine small children, and one at her breast following him to the stake; with which sorrowful sight he was not in the least daunted, but with wonderful patience died courageously for the gospel of JESUS CHRIST. Some few days before his death, he wrote the following advice to his Children:
GIVE ear my children to my words Whom God hath dearly bought, Lay up his laws within your heart, and print them in your thoughts. I leave you here a little book for you to look upon, That you may see your father's face when he is dead and gone: Who for the hope of heavenly things, While he did here remain, Gave over all his golden years to prison and to pain. Where I, among my iron bands, inclosed in the dark, Not many days before my death, I did compose this work: And for example for your youth, to whom I wish all good, I send you here God's perfect truth, and seal it with my blood.
To you my heirs of earthly things: which I do leave behind, That you may read and understand and keep it in your mind. That as you have been heirs of that that once shall wear away, You also may possess that part, which never shall decay.
Keep always God before your eyes, with all your whole intent, Commit no sin in any wise, keep his commandment.
Abhor that arrant whore ROME, and all her blasphemies, And drink not of her cursed cup, obey not her degrees.
Give honour to your mother dear, remember well her pain, And recompense her in her age, with the like love again. Be always ready for her help, and let her not decay, Remember well your father all, who would have been your stay.
Give of your portion to the poor, as riches do arise, And from the needy naked soul, turn not away your eyes: For he that doth not hear the cry of those that stand in need, Shall cry himself and not be heard, when he does hope to speed. If GOD hath given you increase, and blessed well your store, Remember you are put in truth, and should relieve the poor.
Beware of foul and filthy lust, let such things have no place, Keep clean your vessels in the LORD, that he may you embrace. Ye are the temples of the LORD, for you are dearly bought, And they that do defile the same, shall surely come to nought.
Be never proud by any means, build not your house too high, But always have before your eyes, that you are born to die.
Defraud not him that hired is, your labour to sustain, But pay him still without delay, his wages for his pain. And as ye would that other men against you should proceed, Do you the same to them again, when they do stand in need.
Impart your portion to the poor, in money and in meat. And send the feeble fainting soul, of that which you do eat.
Ask counsel always of the wise, give ear unto the end, And ne'er refuse the sweet rebuke, of him that is your friend.
Be always thankful to the LORD, with prayer and with praise, Begging of him to bless your work, and to direct your ways. Seek first, I say, the living GOD, and always him adore, And then be sure that he will bless, your basket and your store.
And I beseech Almighty GOD, replenish you with grace, That I may meet you in the heavens, and see you face to face. And though the fire my body burns, contrary to my kind, That I cannot enjoy your love according to my mind: Yet I do hope that when the heavens shall vanish like a scroll, I shall see you in perfect shape, in body and in soul. And that I may enjoy your love, and you enjoy the land,
I do beseech the living LORD, to hold you in his hand. Though here my body be adjudg'd in flaming fire to fry, My soul I trust, will straight ascend to live with GOD on high.
What though this carcass smart awhile what though this life decay, My soul I hope will be with GOD, and live with him for aye [forever].
I know I am a sinner born, from the original, And that I do deserve to die by my fore-father's fall: But by my SAVIOUR' S precious blood, which on the cross was spilt, Who freely offer'd up his life, to save our souls from guilt:
I hope redemption I shall have, and all who in him trust,
When I shall see him face to face, and live among the just.
Why then should I fear death's grim look since CHRIST for me did die, For King and Caesar, rich and poor, the force of death must try.
When I am chained to the stake, and faggots girt me round, Then pray the LORD
my soul in heaven may be with glory crown'd.
Come welcome death the end of fears, I am prepared to die: Those earthly flames
will send my soul up to the LORD on high.
Farewell my children to the world, where you must yet remain; The LORD of host be your defense, 'till we do meet again.
Farewell my true and loving wife, my children and my friends, I hope in heaven to see you all, when all things have their end.
If you go on to serve the LORD, as you have now begun, You shall walk safely all your days, until your life be done.
GOD grant you so to end your days, as He shall think best, That I may meet you in the heavens, where I do hope to rest.
(Note "hope" in Old English had a certainty and assurance)
Further to Bob's comments (#59, p. 13) about the phrase that is sung, "happy all the day", a reader commented: "In regards to "I'm so happy all the day" - is because we are filled with the 'joy of the Lord' - well - most of us are - even if Bob isn't!"
Bob responds: "now I am happy all the day" - does not sound like the Apostle Paul who never spoke of happiness but rather joy. He also states, "I tell you the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart" (Rom 9:1-2 NKJV) and again "For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life." Doesn't sound like he is "happy all the day"!
Happiness comes when good things "happen" to me whereas joy is deep and profound and can exist where the deepest sorrow exists. Modern evangelicals tend to think that happiness is a good feeling whereas a true understanding of joy (as in Philippians) is quite different from what we repeat so flippantly in subjective hymnology.
Heroism is the lost chord; the missing note of present day Christianity! In peace
true soldiers are captive lions, fretting in their cages. War gives them their
liberty and sends them, like boys bounding out of school, to obtain their heart's
desire or perish in the attempt. Battle is the soldier's vital breath! War makes
him a whole man again, and gives him the heart, strength, and vigour of a hero.
EVERY TRUE CHRISTIAN IS A SOLDIER of Christ - a hero "par excellence"!
Braver than the bravest - scorning the soft seductions of peace and her oft-repeated
warnings against hardship, disease, danger, and death.
Noah
Noah walked with God... He breasted the current of the popular opinion of his
day, scorning alike the hatred and ridicule of the scoffers who mocked at the
thought of their being but one way of salvation... A real hero untainted by
the fear of man. Learn to scorn the praise of men.
Abraham
Abraham, a simple farmer, at a word from the Invisible God, marched, with family
and stock, through the terrible desert to a distant land to live among a people
whose language he could neither speak nor understand! Not bad that! But later
he did even better, marching hot foot against the combined armies of five kings,
flushed with recent victory, to rescue one man! His army? Just 318 odd fellows,
armed like a circus crowd. And he won too. "He always wins who sides with
God." What pluck! Only a farmer! No war training! Yet what hero has eclipsed
his feat? His open secret? He was THE FRIEND OF GOD.
Moses
Moses -the man of God -was a species of human chameleon-scholar, general, lawgiver,
leader, etc. Brought up as the Emperor's grandson with more than a good chance
of coming to the throne, one thing only between him and it - TRUTH - what a
choice! What a temptation! A throne for a lie! Ignominy, banishment, or likely
enough death for the truth! He played the man! "Refusing to be called the
son of Pharaoh's daughter, he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people
of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin and success for a season, accounting
the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt."
Again I see him. Now an old man and alone, marching stolidly back to Egypt, after forty years of exile, to beard the lion in his den, to liberate Pharaoh's slaves right under his very nose, and to lead them across that great and terrible wilderness.
REAL CHRISTIANS REVEL IN DESPERATE VENTURES FOR CHRIST, expecting from God great things and attempting the same with exhilaration. History cannot match these feats of Moses. How was it done? He consulted not with flesh and blood, he obeyed not men but God.
Once again I see the old gray-beard, this time descending the Mount with giant strides and rushing into the camp, his eyes blazing like burning coals. One man against three million dancing dervishes drunk with debauchery. Bravo! Well done, old man! First class! His cheek pales not, but his mouth moves, and I think I catch his words, "If God be for me who can be against me? " Whence this desperate courage? Listen! "Now the man Moses was very meek above all the men which were upon the face of the earth." "The Lord spake unto Moses face to face as a man speaketh unto his friend." "My servant, Moses," said his Master, "is faithful in all Mine house, with him will I speak mouth to mouth." Such is the explanation of Moses, the man and friend of God and consequently a first-class hero.
David
David- the man after God's own heart- was a man of war and mighty man of valour.
When all Israel were on the run, David faced Goliath - alone...with God.
Whence did this raw youth derive his pluck and skill? NOT from military camps, nor theological schools, nor religious retreats. Whilst others were learning pretty theories, David, like John, had been alone with God in the wilds, practicing on bears and lions. The result? HE KNEW GOD AND DID EXPLOITS. He knew God only. He trusted God only. He obeyed God only. That's the secret. God alone gives strength.
Nathan
Nathan was another real Christian Soldier. He went to his king and rebuked him
to his face, like Peter's dealing with Ananias, and unlike the Chocolate Soldiers
of today who go whispering about and refusing either to judge, rebuke, or put
away evil because of the entailed scandal in truth.
Daniel
Daniel was another hero... Was he not the man greatly beloved of God who sent
an angel to tell him so? I love to watch him as he walks, with firm step and
radiant face, to the lions' den. God shut the mouths of the lions against Daniel,
but opened them wide against those who had opened their mouths against His servant.
John the Baptist
John the Baptist - a man taught and made and sent of God... Who doesn't love
and admire him? Why, even Herod did... He always told the flat truth, with emphasis.
As he loved, so he warned. He knew not how to flatter. HE WOOED WITH THE SWORD,
AND "MEN" LOVED HIM THE BETTER FOR IT. They always do.
Paul
Here are other foot-tracks - outrageous ones: they can belong only to one man
- THAT GRANDEST OF CHRISTIAN PARADOXES - THE LITTLE GIANT PAUL - whose head
was as big as his body, and his heart greater than both. Once he thought and
treated every Christian as a combination of knave and fool. Then he became one
himself. He was called "fool" because his acts were so far beyond
the dictates of human reason, and "mad" because of his irresponsible
fiery zeal for Christ and men. He determined to know nothing else save Jesus
Christ and Him crucified.
His life was a perpetual gamble for God. Daily he faced death for Christ. Again and again he stood fearless before crowds thirsting for his blood. He stood before kings and governors and "turned not a hair". He didn't so much as flinch before Nero, that vice-president of hell. His sufferings were appalling.
Who could abide such a fanatical, fiery fool? Such an uncompromising character? A tactless enthusiast, who considered it his business to tell every man the unvarnished truth regardless of consequences.
Go where you will through the Scriptures or history, you find that men who really knew God, and didn't merely say they did, were invariably Paragons and Pluck; Dare-Devil Desperadoes for Jesus; Gamblers for God. "Fools and Madmen," shout the world . "Yes, for Christ's sake," add the Angels!
Fanatics among Christians are as rare as the "dodo bird". God's real people have always been called fanatics. Jesus was called mad; so was Paul; so was Whitfield, Wesley, Moody, Spurgeon. No one has graduated far in God's School who has not been paid the compliment of being called a fanatic. We Christians of today are indeed a lukewarm crew. Had we but half the fire and enthusiasm of the Suffragettes in the past, we would have the world evangelised and Christ back among us in no time. Had we the pluck and heroism of the Flyers, or the men who volunteered for the Polar Expeditions, or for the Great War, or for any ordinary dare-devil enterprise, we could have every soul on earth knowing the name and salvation of Jesus Christ in less than ten years.
Alas! What stirs ordinary men's blood and turns them into heroes, makes most Christians run like a flock of frightened sheep. The Militants daily risked their lives in furtherance of their cause, and subscribed of their means in a way that cried "Shame" on us Christians, who generally brand the braving of risks and fighting against odds as a "tempting of God".
WE ARE FRITTERING AWAY TIME AND MONEY IN A MULTIPLICITY OF CONVENTIONS, conferences, and retreats, when the real need is to go straight and full steam into battle, with the signal for "close action" flying.
The "Vox Humana" plays too important a part in our Christian organs and organisations today. The music, whoever plays, is bound to be thin when the tops of "Instant Obedience" and "Fiery Valour" are missing or unused, and without them to play the "Lost Chord" of Heroism is an impossibility.
Wilt thou be a miser and withhold what honour demands of thee? Wilt thou give like Ananias and Sapphira, who, pretending to give all, gave only part?
Come, then, let us restore the "Lost Chord" of Christianity - HEROISM - to the world, and the crown of the world to Christ. Christ Himself asks thee, "Wilt thou be a Slacker or a Militant?" To your knees, man! And to your Bible! Decide at once! Don't hedge! Time flies! Cease your insults to God, quit consulting flesh and blood. Stop your lame, lying, and cowardly excuses! (C. T. Studd)
As the mother of a dangerously ill child sat by his hospital bed, she wondered if he would ever open his eyes again. She had been there, holding his hand and praying to her Heavenly Father to return her son to her. Many prayers had been offered up for the child who had progressively gotten worse by an unknown illness which had started weeks earlier. His once healthy and chubby cheeks were now sullen and drawn. A noise from his bed brought her back from her thoughts. Suddenly her son was talking to her as if he had never been away from her. Speechless, his mother listened to him while praising her Saviour for the miracle before her.
He told her that he had been in Heaven playing with his sister and that her name was Sarah Jane. His mother was dumbfounded by what her child was saying. For many years earlier she had miscarriaged a baby in early pregnancy. When the hospital would have disposed of the "fetus", this mother and father wanted to bury their unborn child at home in their garden where she would have a special place. Unknown to anyone, even her husband, she had named the baby SARAH JANE! (This story is for all parents that thought they lost their little ones. God had something very special in mind for them.) (A true story relayed by a reader at Dalby, Qld)
In 1904, the leader of a great spiritual awakening in Wales was a young Welsh miner with coal dust in his hair and grime beneath his fingernails. He possessed no skills as an orator, nor was he widely read. The only book he knew was the Bible, and his heart burned with a passion for God and His holy Word.
For years, Evan Roberts yearned to preach the gospel. One day in 1904 while Roberts was in prayer, God revealed to him that He was going to send a revival to Wales.
Burning with this vision, Roberts sought opportunity to preach, but found none. He begged his pastor to let him preach, but at first the bewildered minister said no to this overly enthusiastic coal miner. Finally, after much pleading, the pastor relented.
"All right, Evan, you can preach following the Wednesday night service," he said, "if anyone chooses to stay and listen."
Seventeen curious seekers stayed behind. The young evangelist boldly proclaimed that he had heard from God. His message was simple: (1) You must confess every known sin to God; (2) you must remove every doubtful habit from your life; (3) you must obey the Holy Spirit's prompting; and (4) you must go public with your witness for Christ. Although Roberts was unskilled in preaching, the pastor and those 17 church members began to burn with a fiery touch from God.
The next night more came to hear the young preacher, and the fire quickly spread to other churches. In the next thirty days, 37,000 people came forward to repent of their sins and receive Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord. Within five months, 100,000 were swept into Christ's kingdom across the country, and Roberts' vision was beginning to be fulfilled!
Just as God had shown him, Roberts saw the revival leap to England. There,
an estimated 2 million people received Christ. Then the Holy Spirit coursed
out into Western and Northern Europe. Then the Spirit of revival swept across
the world to Africa, India, China, Korea and to America. Historians estimate
that 20 million people came to Christ while this revival burned in America.
(Bill Bright)
Friday Church News Notes, March 29, 2002
(David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port
Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org)
A group of Charismatics used "dream evangelism" at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. This was sponsored by the Foursquare church in Salt Lake City, which is pastored by a husband and wife team... Charismatic teams set up shop at two secular bookstores and invited the unsaved to share their dreams, which were then interpreted. This soothsaying nonsense comes from the alleged Charismatic prophet John Paul Jackson, who has trained some 2,000 people to interpret dreams through his Streams Ministries International. It is used by some of the Vineyard churches.
Oh the terrors of the Christless at that coming! Men who have never prayed before will pray then, in their soul's deep terror, cry to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the Great Day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (Rev. 6:16-17). Vain prayer.
The Lamb's arm of Judgment shall then reach all who would not take Salvation from His Hand of Love. Then will forever cease the happy song, the careless laugh, and the whirl of gaiety, in which the poor victims of the devil are indulging, and an eternity of weeping and wailing take their place.
Then will forever be suspended the world's pleasures and business, with the allurements of the one, and the wear, hurry and bustle of the other, which so often shut out God, and leave no time to think of their soul's deep need. Then will forever be arrested the world's boasted progress, and man in his mad career of proud indifference to the claims of God brought face to face with Him - Judge of "quick and dead" (Acts 10:42, 2 Tim. 4:1, 1 Pet. 4:5).
If Christ were to come this moment would you rise to meet Him (1 Thess 4:15-17)? Are you ready? Are you saved? There will be terrible crying and wailing that day. Men and women crying out for mercy... Oh, foolish lingerer on the brink of that abyss, at whose foot dash and roar the flaming waves of eternal judgment.
The Judge is coming. How darest you trifle with the solemn question of your souls' salvation! Fly this moment to that Saviour who still cries, "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). (From "Come Home")
I saw this incredible sight on Bush Market Day. On the busy footpath was the most
derelict, wrecked, dilapidated, ruined, shambles of a piano. Never had I seen
such a musical mess. Panels were missing, the cover for the keys was missing.
The front was completely exposed, revealing rusted strings, and old bare wiring.
Small pieces of felt were shredded. Dirt and dust covered the workings. Cracked,
broken, and peeling boards on the side gave vague evidence of long gone lacquered
paint and varnish. It looked like it had been laying out in the weather for many
years and the elements of nature had viciously attacked it relentlessly. Seated
behind the keys was the player and owner. He was in the same shape as the old,
derelict piano. He looked like he had just come out of the bush after 30 years
of isolation. His unkempt clothes were grubby, the hands gnarled. He appeared
in need of a good wash. His reddened face showed signs of an alcoholic. He wore
an old battered hat. Beside him were very old, tattered, yellow-bleached music
books... Then incredibly he began to play it. And I had never heard such beautiful
music before. The sound was glorious, distinct, sharp, precise... soul soothing,
strangely stirring the emotions. I was truly blessed. His face softened with a
satisfied glow, with a smile. Could this brilliant pianist have once been world
acclaimed and fell upon hard and difficult times?
(Alan, Shepparton, Vic)
We become wise to salvation through faith in Christ. We learn what is right, what is wrong, how to get right and how to stay right, how to become spiritually mature and to be able to do any good thing that God wants us to do by one thing: The Holy Bible (2 Tim. 3:15-17).
Would you be surprised if the Bible became the main target of satanic attack? In less than 300 years after the Scriptures were completed {A. D. 100}, the simple New Testament local churches described in Acts and the Epistles began to be swallowed up by a hierarchical form of church government with headquarters in Rome. The authority of the Church superseded the authority of the Bible. In fact, this organisation became the number one enemy of the Scriptures. The Dark Ages were ushered in and would last one thousand years until the Reformation. The Age of Enlightenment was ushered in by the Scriptures being restored to prominence and placed in the hands of ordinary Christians. The 19th Century, the century of Moody and Spurgeon, was the century that saw the birth of the modern missionary movement and great revivals. The Gospel and the truth of Scripture as found in the one English translation accepted by Christians were carried around the world.
Should we be surprised then to discover Satan attacking the Truth of Scripture
through Darwin's "Theory of Evolution"
and a call for a new Bible from textual critics who doubted the Scriptures and
whether or not Jesus was the Son of God and who accepted the theory of evolution?
Since we do not have the original writings of the Prophets and Apostles and
since most of us are not fluent in Hebrew and Greek we are dependent upon translations.
It is essential that we have a translation that is as close to the original
as possible so that we have confidence that we know what God said and not just
what someone thinks He said or thought He should have said. {Today there are
over 450 versions or paraphrases of at least portions of the Scriptures.} It
has been said, "A man who has one watch knows what time it is. A man with
two is never quite sure.". With 450 versions there is total confusion.
In the first two or three centuries after the birth of Christ and founding
of N. T. churches, there developed two separate lines of manuscripts of the
Bible. One went through the Antioch church and on into Greece and the area where
Paul's missionary journeys carried him. The
other came out of Alexandria in Egypt
and across North Africa and up into Rome.
During the Dark Ages {A. D. 500-1500}, as Rome and the Papacy gained power over the nations of Western Europe, the Bible was successfully withheld from the people. Only what Popes and priests wanted them to know was revealed.
A number of Greek scholars began to translate the N. T. out of Greek. Erasmus,
Stunica, Stephens, Beza, and others produced a number of editions of the Greek
N. T. by 1550. Robert Stephens'
text became known as the Received Text or Textus Receptus. It is sometimes
called the Traditional Text meaning it was the text of the Bible commonly used
through centuries by N. T. believers. It was called the Byzantine Text because
it represented the manuscripts that came from the ancient Greek speaking world.
Protestant versions in England and on the Continent in the 16th and 17th centuries were based on these ancient Greek texts embraced and followed for centuries throughout the Greek speaking world. English versions of Tyndale, Coverdale, Matthews, Rogers, Great Bible, Geneva Bible, Bishop's Bible, Authorized Version all followed the Greek text used in Greek churches since the first two or three centuries.
The KJV was developed from these other translations after a suggestion by Reynolds, a Puritan leader, that a new translation of the Holy Scriptures in English replace the parent translations. Fifty-four men, High church and Puritans, the greatest Hebrew and Greek scholars of that day, using Greek texts and referring to Bibles in Spanish, Italian, French and German, expressed the sense of the Greek in clear, vigorous English. It became the Bible of the English-speaking world. It was the fruit of one hundred years of translation and revision hammered out by godly men in the fires of persecution. Some of these men were put to death for daring to make the Bible available to the common man. There has never been anything else like it in the history of translation.
During the 19th Century, voices began to be raised that were critical of the Received Text and the KJV. Voices of infidel scholarship began to be raised in support of German rationalism, evolutionary thought and heretical philosophers... denying the inspiration of the Bible, the deity of Christ, and all miracles and anything supernatural... and notions that the Bible is full of myths and errors. The Church of England and Roman Catholic leaders then joined this movement to downgrade Scripture, and the reformation that had produced spiritual revival worldwide for three or four centuries began to wane. It was in this unhealthy spiritual climate that the philosophy of modern textual criticism developed. The Reformation Bibles were born in a climate of spiritual revival and faith. The modern Bibles were born in a climate of apostasy and unbelief.
Constantine Tischendorff was a German textual editor who was instrumental in bringing to light the two manuscripts on which modern translations depend - Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus.
Tischendorff in 1844 found a group of monks in a convent on Mt. Sinai using some ancient pages to light their fires. These manuscript pages were of the O. T., the Apocrypha and all of the N. T., as well as fragments of two spurious letters called Epistle of Barnabas and Shepherd of Hermes. So enamored with the Sinai script, he altered his Greek N. T. in 3,369 instances. Remember, this manuscript that has so influenced modern scholars was found in a waste basket in a Russian Orthodox monastery waiting to be burned. The second manuscript Codex Vaticanus is in the Great Vatican Library in Rome. It has been there for over 500 years. In 1533 Erasmus was given selected readings to show it was superior to the texts he had. He rejected all of them as unworthy.
In the 1860s the Sinaiticus and Vaticanus manuscripts were made available to scholars. Two Anglican professors, B. F. Westcott and F. J. A. Hort, published a book propounding the theory that the original N. T. text had survived almost intact in these two manuscripts.
Dean Burgon, a contemporary of Westcott and Hort, was at Oxford when the German rationalism and Roman Catholic movements were in high gear, with which Westcott and Hort agreed. Burgon devoted his life to textual research in defense of the Bible: "I am utterly disinclined to believe, so grossly improbable does it seem - that at the end of 1800 years 995 copies out of every thousand, suppose, will prove untrustworthy, and that the one, two, three, four, or five which remain, whose contents were till yesterday as good as unknown, will be found to have retained the secret of what the Holy Spirit originally inspired. I am utterly unable to believe, in short, that God's promise has so entirely failed, that at the end of 1800 years, much of the text of the Gospel had in point of fact to be picked by a German critic out of a waste paper basket in the convent of St. Catherine, and that the entire text had to be remodeled after the pattern set by a couple of copies which had remained in neglect during fifteen centuries, and had probably owed their survival to that neglect, whilst hundreds of others had been thumbed to pieces, and had bequeathed their witness to copies made from them. Western Christendom has been content to employ one and the same text for upwards of three hundred years."
The difference between the text underlying the KJV and that underlying the modern versions is vast. In the N. T. alone there are over 8,000 word differences between the Textus Receptus and the Westcott-Hort Text . More than 2,800 of the words in the Received Text are omitted in the W-H Text underlying the modern versions.
The modern versions are based upon a faulty Greek text which was introduced to the world by men who were apostate from the Faith. This text, and the versions founded upon them, weaken key doctrines of the Christian faith and introduce error into the Word of God. Thousands of inspired words are omitted. The result of the multiplication of translations has been the weakening of the authority of the Bible in the hearts of millions. A clear and dogmatic "thus saith the Lord" has been replaced with an anaemic "some manuscripts read..."
The proponents of the new versions contend that the Reformation Bibles were based on an inferior text. They contend that the purest readings of Scripture were not available until the latter part of the 19th century when discovered by Tischendorff and others. They contend that the Bible which was carried to the ends of the earth during the Reformation and great missionary era of the 17th to the 20th centuries, needed to be purified by modern textual critics. We reject this thinking. We know that God would not allow His Holy Scriptures to be corrupted.
Ps. 12:6-7 promises: "The words of the Lord are pure words; as silver
tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord,
thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." {See also Psalm
33:11; 100:5; 111:7-8; 117:2; 199:89, 152, 160; Isaiah 40:8; 59:21; Matthew
5:18; 24:35; I Peter 1:23, 25; Revelations 11:18-19}. God has jealously preserved
the Bible through the centuries. The preserved Word of God was not lost and
forgotten in the Pope's library and in a heretical monastery! We do not believe
the Lord would preserve His Word through the apostate Roman Catholic Church
which persecuted the saints and burned countless Bibles through the centuries.
Rather, the Word of God was preserved by the faithful N. T. Christians who refused
to bow the knee to error, and we have that preserved Bible in the Received Text,
in the King James Bible, and in other faithful Textus Receptus translations.
The King James Version represents the text of the Bible as it has defined Christianity
for at least fifteen hundred years." {Dr. Richard Flanders}
(Dr. Norman Pyle)
Response to Henk Frijters (#60, p. 13)... Legalism is a term used to describe those who, through mis-guided religious zeal, pervert the gospel message by reducing it to a written code, and misunderstand the basis of the New Covenant, which requires adherence to an unwritten code - the law of the Spirit (the law which God writes on our hearts - Jer 31:31). Paul's condemnation of this kind of legalism is clear (Gal. 5:2-4).
Legalists see every apostolic pastoral injunction in scripture as a commandment which, if ignored, will condemn those "transgressors" to hell. They do not comprehend the depths of saving grace. They erroneously equate harshness with holiness. They bind burdens heavy to bear on those who are weak in faith, and they rob them of their joy and strength. Furthermore, like the pharisees, they go beyond those things which are clearly commanded and extrapolate new rules and regulations, all in the name of "holiness". (Allan, Belgrave, Vic)
Hi, I just read your article, what sort of church is this? (#60, p. 8). You sound too good to be true, as there are not many churches around like you. Tell me then where do you stand concerning tongues, slain in the spirit, and the so called revival that is happening around us? I ask, because I used to follow the charismatic teachings, yet God pulled me out of many deceptions, and I see the charismatic/revival, scene as much occult as the Jehovah Witnesses.
I do not go to a church, as all the churches around me, are into the teachings
above that God has shown me is not of Him. I just brought myself a King James
Bible, I am going to enjoy reading it from cover to cover. When asked which
denomination I follow...
I reply: I do not follow a denomination I follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
I suddenly had a sense of what belonging to the church really meant, that I was a living stone, built together, with all true believers across the world, that though I did not go to a particular building to fellowship, I feel more of a sense of belonging than ever before... so when I read your article - What sort of church is this? - it brought tears to my eyes, for I see there are still true believers coming together outside the system, that love God and His word, more than filling seats and making merchandise and money. As I see it many in the churches are not saved.
I have come to truly love the fellowship of believers all throughout the world, knowing there are others like myself, who have been pulled by God's hand from the false system, and now fellowship, with whomever God places in our lives, and that is not necessarily in a building... yet my sense of belonging is real now, for I have come to see the difference between the church that the Lord Jesus Christ is building, and the one man is building... God sees the true sheep whether they walk alone or have others, they are all placed where He has predestined them to be placed. (Sharon, Beldon, WA)
Ed's Response...
What kind of church is this? It is a church where you will not find women preaching
or usurping men. You will not have the confusion of multiplied Bible translations
being referred to. You will not have people falling on the floor with weird
manifestations. You won't have a thrashing rock band centre stage, beating out
repeated, hypnotic phrases. You won't hear supposed tongues and prophecies,
in place of the revealed Word of God. You won't see this church cooperating
in ecumenical events or minister's fraternals, and compromising with false doctrine.
You won't see our youth being taken off to supposed Christian rock concerts.
Thank God.
This church isn't out to win a popularity concert. We will be called exclusive. We will be called separated. We will be called legalistic. People may denounce us as to hard-line. We will not be moved. We will stand with the Truth of God's Word.
Come and see... You will see a group of down-to-earth, real, genuine, friendly people, who love God and His Word. You will see a church active, alive, and reaching out. You will see a church which loves the old-fashioned Gospel. A church that sings the time-honoured hymns of the faith. A church that gladly relates with churches of lke faith and doctrine.
On "Slaying in the Spirit"
"Slaying in the Spirit" is a phrase used to describe how, in some false
churches, people fall backwards in response to prayer. We find no such thing in
the Bible. It is a totally wrong, man-made latter-day delusion. I contend that
any church which condones such things is in a deep delusion. For further detailed
study, I strongly recommend a 331-page book, The Toronto Blessing: Slaying in
the Spirit The Telling Wonder, by Nader Mikhaeil, Southwood Press. It comprehensively
examines such practices and shows their relation to hypnotism, not the Holy Spirit
of the Bible.
I strongly urge every true believer to get right out of the Pentecostal and charismatic mess, and find a Bible-based church.
I am deeply concerned for family and friends who remain in such churches as the Assembly of God. These movements are rife with practices and beliefs which are ecumenical and unbiblical. I firmly believe that the pentecostal/charismatic movement is part of the emerging apostate end time church predicted by the Bible.
On "Revival"
What is popularly called "revival" amongst "Pentecostals" is actually a modern delusion. The practice of "holy laughter" is unbiblical. We see today an over-emphasis on healing and signs and wonders, diverting people away from the true Gospel of salvation by faith in Christ and His work at the cross. The Bible predicts a "falling away" not a world-wide revival (2 Thess 2:3). Nevertheless, we do pray and believe for a truly Heaven-sent, Biblical revival of God's truth amongst His people.
On "Tongues"
In my involvement in counselling people with occult problems, I have discovered
that satan and his demons love people to speak in tongues, especially in their
private devotions. Why? Because it keeps them from praying.
(God's Conditions for Revival, Dennis Hartin, p. 48)
Ed: Tongues is not, and never was, a "prayer language" in the Bible. It has fulfilled its purpose as a sign to the Jews. Churches which promote "tongues-speaking" are sadly deceived.
One of the first things that happens when a man is really filled with the Spirit
is not that he speaks with tongues, but that he learns to hold the one tongue
he already has.
(Sidlow Baxter)
Lenin said: "We will find our most fertile ground for infiltration of Marxism within the field of religion, because religious people are the most gullible and will accept almost anything if it is couched in religious terminology."
Pentecostalism has created abundant confusion and disorder, wrong emphasis, false apostles and prophets, ecumenical compromise, and crazy unscriptural antics. Women preachers and "pastors", you name it. It simply ain't in the Bible! I think let's stick with the old-time Gospel, like the reformers and revivalists of old had.
We cannot ignore the record of history. It is plain, from an examination of the scriptures and the history books - the record shows the sheer deafening silence concerning tongues since about AD70, when God's judgment came upon the Jews, of which tongues was part of His sign to them.
I am not aware of anyone alive today, or in the chequered record of Pentecostal/charismatic history, who can truly fulfil the signs of an apostle and prophet in terms of doctrinal and moral quality and infallible prophetic ministry. Pentecostalism has been wrong from its very beginning. Looking back over Pentecostal/charismatic history, all through the list of names of the "leading lights" of the last century (as per deceptioninthechurch.com/strange1.php and www.bible.ca/tongues-encyclopedia-pentecostal-preachers.php), I see no one who stands out, amongst "Pentecostals" who are sound in doctrine and practice. (Despite all the good they do I include the "classical Pentecostals", Powell, Prasch, and Wilkerson, etc. They still hold to the basic Pentecostal tenets.)
Real Bible-believers hold to the vital truth of the sufficiency of scripture.
I urge all readers to get back to God's Word. (Andrew Craig)
Extracts, with permission, from The Marian Apparitions' Plan to Unite All Religions under the Catholic Church by Jim Tetlow. A much fuller article and video available: "Messages From Heaven" - jtetlow1@rochester.rr.com
Ecstasy!
She appears as a living, three-dimensional lady enveloped in exquisite light.
Visionaries and seers describe a beautiful, young woman glowing in radiant splendor
that transcends human description.
Visionaries report strange lights and glorious visions... of angels, glowing orbs, tongues of fire, mysterious solar phenomena, and peculiar luminous clouds. Because of the tremendous pleasure and joy experienced... "ecstasy" is the word most often used to describe this event. Those who have witnessed her are paralysed and enraptured by her beauty and charm.
Numerous healings and miracles have been reported around the globe. The apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary has repeatedly announced that the most significant signs and wonders are yet future! She admits that she has not yet revealed her full glory to the world. She predicts heavenly signs and events that the whole world will witness in the very near future.
To date, millions of faithful Marian advocates have petitioned the pope to officially name her Co-Redemptrix.
In 1997, Newsweek ran a cover story on the Virgin Mary. In the article they write: "In many ways, the 20th century has belonged to Mary. From almost every continent, visionaries have reported more than 400 'apparitions' of the Virgin - more than in the previous three centuries combined." They are all allegedly being visited by a woman who calls herself Mary, the Queen of Heaven, Our Lady. While devotion to Mary is most noticeable in Catholic countries, Marian devotion is attracting an enormous following from every religion, race and nation.
Unity and Ecumenism
A consistent message given by the hundreds, and possibly thousands, of apparitions
currently appearing worldwide is one of peace, unity, and tolerance. At Medjugorje,
the apparition of Mary has stated: "Dear children, today I invite you to
peace. I have come here as the Queen of Peace and I desire to enrich you with
my Motherly Peace... I invite you to become carriers and witnesses of my peace
to this unpeaceful world. Let peace rule in the whole world. " In another
message, Mary told the seers: "...it is you who are divided on earth. The
Muslims and the Orthodox, for the same reason as Catholics, are equal before
my Son and I. You are all my children." Mary's message of peace and unity
is one that a distressed and perplexed world craves.
Almost all of the apparitions have stated that Mary is going to usher in a new era of peace and unity. Under her mantle all people will gather in peace and solve the problems facing the world.
The Queen's Appeal
In 1996, Life Magazine featured Mary on the cover and asked these questions:
"Why are two billion Hail Marys said daily? Why did five million people,
many non-Christian, visit Lourdes this year to drink the healing waters? Why
did more than 10 million trek to Guadalupe to pray to Our Lady?... Why the apparitions?
Why are Mary hymns creeping into Methodist songbooks?... What is it about Mary?"
The Life article goes on to list numerous apparitions... "In Italy, 50
weeping Madonna statues have been reported in the past two years."
Life Magazine notes Mary's popularity is not just among Catholics: "The emotional need for her is so irresistible to a troubled world that people without an obvious link to the Virgin are being drawn to her. It's not news that Muslims revere Mary as a pure and holy saint - she's mentioned 34 times in the Koran... but to see large numbers of Muslims making pilgrimages to Christian Marian shrines is a remarkable thing. Inter-denominational Marian prayer groups are springing up throughout the world."
Why does she appeal to so many? Is it possible that many are drawn by the numerous reported miracles, signs, and wonders? In a world that seeks interaction with the supernatural, it is no surprise that many flock to the miraculous. These miracles, if true, would rival the miracles performed in Moses' day.
At several apparition sites, a phenomenon known as "the Miracle of the Sun" has been seen by hundreds of thousands... In 1917, at Fatima, 70,000 people witnessed the sun apparently fall from the sky... and then return to its normal position. Many thought this was signalling the end of the world and were sure they would perish. "When the people arose from the ground, cries of astonishment were heard on all sides... Many of the sick and crippled had been cured of their afflictions."
"The appearances of the Mother of God in Medjugorje have been accompanied by a number of miracles, including physical healings (now numbered at 360), reports of the sun dancing or spinning in the sky, rosary links and medals that apparently change from silver to gold, and other phenomenon.... Our Lady of Medjugorje seems to be using them to validate her presence and messages, which, as always, direct us to her Son."
The pope credits the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima with saving his life during the 1981 assassination attempt. Shortly after, Pope John Paul II consecrated the entire world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary... in response to the request by Our Lady of Fatima.
Furthermore, in October, 2000, the pope ordered the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Fatima to the Vatican for the Great Jubilee. On Sunday October 8th, Pope John Paul with 1500 bishops - the largest group to assemble since Vatican II - entrusted humanity and the 3rd millennium to Our Lady of Fatima!
Testing the Spirits
Those who are familiar with the Word of God know that we are to be cautious
when dealing with alleged heavenly visitors. "Beloved, do not believe every
spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God" (1 John 4:1). The
New Testament repeatedly warns of deception, in the name of Christ, in the last
days (Matthew 24:24, 1 Tim. 4:1).
The principal way to test "Messengers From Heaven" is to test their messages with the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16).
Messages From Heaven
The following Marian messages... have received the Catholic Church's approval
and endorsement... The Queen of Heaven: "I alone am able still to save
you from the calamities which approach. Those who place their confidence in
me will be saved." In contrast, the Word of God says: "I, even I,
am the Lord, and besides Me there is no saviour" (Isaiah 43:11).
The Marian apparitions clearly contradict the teachings of Scripture. The apparitions' thousands of messages portray a Queen who possesses all of Christ's distinct characteristics. She is said to be our Mediator, our Intercessory, our Advocate, our Coredeemer, our Suffering Servant, and many other titles that reveal her deceptive agenda.
When tempting Jesus, Satan accurately quoted Scripture. Satan knew that he
couldn't deceive Jesus with an outright lie, but that he must use subtle deception.
Likewise, Satan often mixes a subtle lie in with truth. He is the master of
deception. Not many within the church would worship or follow him if he were
to appear wearing a red suit and carrying a pitchfork. No, the grandest of deceptions
are those that are mostly true.
The Queen's Agenda
As history comes to a close, the Queen of Heaven, who is counterfeiting the
Mary of the Bible, has a specific agenda. She has made several remarkable predictions,
but perhaps none so controversial as her proclamation that the Roman Catholic
Church will declare her Coredemptrix.
According to many Marian theologians, the Co-Redemptrix doctrine will be the last and final Marian dogma, and it will usher in her triumphant reign promised at Fatima. Marian theologians believe it will soon take place: "The last major event will be the proclamation of the Blessed Mother as Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate - the last and final Marian dogma of the Catholic Church. Once she is proclaimed Co-Redemptrix by the Pope, the Queen will unite all religions under her mantle."
Queen Over All
Marian advocates often quote Saint Louis de Montfort, who predicted that: "The
power of Mary over all devils will be particularly outstanding in the last period
of time. She will extend the Kingdom of Christ over the idolaters and Moslems,
and there will come a glorious era in which Mary will be ruler and queen of
human hearts. "
Catholic visionary Mary of Agreda, who wrote the classic "Mystical City of God," conveyed what was told to her about the final era of peace: "Before the Second Coming of Christ, Mary must, more than ever, shine in mercy, might and grace in order to bring unbelievers into the Catholic Faith. The powers of Mary in the last times over demons will be very conspicuous. Mary will extend the reign of Christ over the heathens and Mohammedans, and it will be a time of great joy when Mary, as Mistress and Queen of Hearts is enthroned."
Rome will Rule. When the apparition of Mary speaks of unity, she means unity under the Roman Catholic Church. It is under the Church of Rome that "Mary" wishes to establish world unity.
Queen of Muslims?
Think of the regions of our world today that are potential time bombs - powder
kegs waiting to be ignited by some religious dispute. Can anyone imagine how
religious differences could be resolved in these areas? Who alive on planet
earth today could act as a mediator or diplomat that has the ability to bring
about a peaceful resolution? Certainly for such an historic event to occur,
a supernatural miracle would be required. There are some who are saying that
Marian apparitions and the messages that "Mary" gives from heaven
provide such a possibility.
How could "Mary" have any influence on the millions of Muslims who follow Allah? The Koran portrays Jesus Christ as a prophet, unique in His preincarnate nature, miraculous birth, miracles and moral stature. Muslims revere Jesus Christ. As the Koran states: The angels said to Mary: "God [Allah] bids you rejoice in a Word from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary. He shall be noble in this world and in the world to come, and shall be one of those who are favored. He shall preach to men in his cradle and in the prime of manhood, and shall lead a righteous life."
In the Koran, Jesus is almost exclusively referred to as "Jesus son of Mary," rather than "Son of God." The Koran vehemently denies that Jesus is the Son of God, yet it holds both Jesus and Mary in high esteem.
Mary is arguably more highly honoured than Jesus in the Koran and in the Muslim world. The Muslims, like the Catholics, refer to her as "Our Lady" (il-Sittneh). She is also venerated as a pure and holy saint in the Islamic world.
Mary is mentioned no less than 34 times in the Koran. In addition, the 19th surah (chapter) of the Koran is named after Mary. "Our Lady" is surely seen as blessed above all women by orthodox Muslims. The Koran states: And remember the angels' words to Mary. They said: "God has chosen you. He has made you pure and exalted you above womankind."
Muslims and Apparitions of Mary
While it is apparent that Mary is considered by adherents of the Islamic faith
to be the most blessed woman ever, does this necessarily imply that Muslims
would respond to Marian apparitions or signs and wonders as many Catholics,
Protestants, and Orthodox Christians have done? Would Muslims listen to these
apparitions and heed the messages? In order to answer this question, we can
consider an apparition of Mary that appeared to millions of Muslims in the 20th
century.
At a Coptic Orthodox church in Zeitoun, Egypt, a suburb of Cairo, a remarkable series of events occurred. A woman that onlookers believed was Mary, appeared in the form of an apparition, performing signs, wonders, and healings. This same woman appeared several nights each week for years. The vast majority of spectators were Muslim. Here is a description of the events surrounding the Zeitoun apparitions: "The Zeitoun apparitions... were seen by everyone present... the persons present at apparitional events there varied from several thousand to over two hundred thousand per night. Total witnesses perhaps numbered into the millions."
Several nights each week, thousands of Moslems (who constituted most of the crowds) fell to their knees on prayer rugs spread wherever space permitted, and wept before the magnificent, wondrous, glorious form of Our Lady from Heaven. All witnesses agree that the Lady seemed to be composed of light that usually was intense, yet lessened occasionally.
The apparitions of "Mary, the Mother of Jesus" were serenely animate, moving from one side of the church roof to another, as if to provide a direct view to all the surrounding throng, from which many called to her to come their way. She often responded to the singing or chanting of the crowd, appearing to bow in acknowledgment, greeting and blessing. Sometimes she made gestures of prayer, or held out and waved what appeared to be an olive branch. At other times, thousands watched her radiant form, often aglow with bluish white light, as she held in her left arm what certainly appeared to be the baby Jesus. The Zeitoun apparitions seemed to affect all witnesses, including hundreds who were spontaneously healed.
A Sign to Mankind
Think about the implications - millions of Muslims responding to an apparition
of Mary, falling to their knees and quoting from the Koran. Why did these followers
of Allah respond to these signs and wonders? Why were they so sure that this
apparitional woman was Mary? If events like these repeat in the 21st century
for the world to behold, will the Islamic community follow "Mary"?
The Koran appears to lay a heavy emphasis on past and future signs as evidence that the Day of Judgment is at hand. Is it possible that signs from "Mary" will persuade Muslims that she is a sign from Allah? Could this be one of the "lying signs and wonders" that Jesus warned about? Is it reasonable to speculate that the Queen, through signs and wonders could convince many Muslims to become part of a world religion that contains the name of Christ? Might these same false signs and wonders deceive the world?
Muslims and Catholics
The Koran infers that Allah inspired the Bible, though Jews and Christians have
corrupted the text. Also, it is interesting to note that both Muslims and the
Roman Catholic Church believe that Allah and the God of the Bible are the same.
Quoting from the Catholic Catechism we read: "The plan of salvation also
includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom
are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with
us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."
Could the apparitions that perform numerous signs and wonders, impact "Christians" and Muslims who worship the same God? Could they possibly unite on this basis? Insight from the late Catholic priest Father Malachi Martin, in his popular book, The Keys of this Blood: "In reckoning the future of Islam, Pope Paul takes into account that as a genuinely religious faith, it preserves certain fundamental truths that the Holy Spirit reveals to all people of good will; and that, in God's providence, Islam can be a threshold from which its adherents can be prepared to accept the only historical revelation made by God in this world. There will come a day, John Paul believes, when the heart of Islam - already attuned to the figures of Christ and of Christ's Mother, Mary - will receive the illumination it needs. In the meantime, the Pontiff knows that Islam will stand against him and his church and his geopolitical vision."
An Old Mother for a New Age
Muslims and Catholics could find common ecumenical ground based on signs, wonders,
and miracles associated with Marian apparitions... No doubt this would be one
of the greatest religious miracles in history, encompassing half of the world's
population. But there is another large group that would need to be tied into
the one world religion.
There are hundreds of millions of people in the world today who believe in the gods of Eastern religion. These would include the millions who have converted to Eastern religion through what is commonly called the New Age Movement. It is interesting that Hindus, Buddhists, Native American Indian religions, New Agers and other similar groups already emphasise goddess worship and the earth as our living, breathing "Mother." These groups teach that all religions are similar and that we must unite to solve the myriad of problems facing mankind.
The book entitled Mary's Message to the World contains hundreds of revelations from "Mary," which fall in line with both New Age thinking and Eastern religious beliefs. It can be found at almost any New Age bookstore and may represent one of the bridges between the Catholic Mary and the "Mary" who espouses New Age thinking. Here are a few of "Mary's" messages to the world: "Each religion is worshiping, underneath the outer trappings, its Creator. It is the same Creator! Whether you pray facing the east or facing an altar, or on Saturday or Sunday, it is all worship... Allow us to view the world as a whole and each nation, each religion, as part of this Great Whole. Be tolerant, one of the other. All religions are man-made, inspired by the Creator. All words which have been written in the Holy Books have been written by men in unity with the Creator."
"Mary's" message is to unite: "It is imperative that the world join together at this time to pray to God. Pray for peace on Earth and among men. I seek to embrace all people with my love. I wish to encircle all people on Earth in a safety net which will save your souls... It is only as a whole unit that mankind can advance. Soon a giant leap forward will occur."
Reemergence of the Goddess
Within New Age and Eastern Religious circles, many acknowledge the great importance
and reemergence of the goddess. One of the most unexpected developments of the
late twentieth century is the rebirth of the religion of the Goddess in western
cultures... In America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, hundreds of thousands
of women and increasing numbers of men brought up in biblical religions are
"rediscovering the language, symbols, and rituals of the Goddess."
Buddhist and Hindu Goddesses
Buddhists have a profound and intimate adoration for their female Savioress
who is called, Goddess Tara. "Tara... the Divine Mother of Tibetan Buddhism
is a tender, beautiful, intimately and personally concerned deity who protects
all who turn to her." This description of the Goddess Tara is remarkably
similar to the descriptions given by visionaries who see the "Blessed Mother".
All of the Eastern Religions worship female deities... the Hindu religions are
unmatched in their veneration of goddesses.
The Book of Revelation warns about a counterfeit religious system. Bible-believing Christians call this global religion the counterfeit bride. John the apostle labeled this false church the harlot. The Scriptures also indicate the harlot is associated with a "queen." In Revelation chapter eighteen we read: "For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her..."
We know from biblical history that a queen, (the Queen of Heaven) has played a significant role in deluding people in the past (Jer 7:18, 44:17-25). Is it possible that this same Queen of Heaven will delude the world once more? Is the apparition of Mary paving the way for such a delusion?
Babylonianism is being revived in the name of Christianity... a revival of Babylonism in the name of Christ is now under way. The Bible indicates that this harlot's false religion will encompass the globe. Her counterfeit church will consist of people from all nations, multitudes, and tongues. But God's call is to "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues" (Revelation 18:4). (www.CatholicConcerns.Com)
A Challenge... If we tape recorded "tongues" at a Pentecostal meeting,
then gave the recording to different people claiming the gift of interpret-ation,
would their interpretations be consistent? Any Pentecostals out there willing
to try this?
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