Truth Inspires

The "Prince of Preachers," Charles Spurgeon, was not a stranger to spiritual sifting in his day. He once wrote of how the Bible speaks of it in the following way:   “ For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth .”—Amos 9:9. The sifting process is going on still. Wherever we go, we are still being winnowed and sifted. In all countries God’s people are being tried “like as corn is sifted in a sieve.” Sometimes the devil holds the sieve, and tosses us up and down at a great rate, with the earnest desire to get rid of us for ever. Unbelief is not slow to agitate our heart and mind with its restless fears. The world lends a willing hand at the same process, and shakes us to the right and to the left with great vigour. Worst of all, the church, so largely apostate as it is, comes in to give a more furious force to the sifting process. Well, well! let it...

Hurray for Barronelle Stutzman, the florist of 37 years in Washington state!! I applaud her for taking a stand for what she believes. Barronelle refused to provide the arrangements for the wedding of a male gay couple (Roger Ingersoll and Curt Freed) who then promptly sued to have her shut down. A Benton County Superior Court Judge had ruled that her decision was a violation of the Law. Afterwards, a bone was thrown to her by the States Attorney Generals office in the hopes of making this go away, asking her to pay a $2000.00 fine, a $1.00 fee for services, and a vow to never discriminate again. Her reply in writing to Bob Ferguson (AG) was as follows: (Photo: Alliance Defending Freedom) “You are asking me to walk in the way of a well-known betrayer, one who sold something of infinite worth for 30 pieces of silver. That is something I will not do.” Again, HURRAY for Barronelle! She is setting the example--forging the path--for other Christians to show the world that they trul...

Discipleship Starts at the Cross     μαθητής , mathētḗs, “a learner,” from manthánō, “to learn” The American Tract Society states: "A disciple of Christ may now be defined as one who believes his doctrine, rests upon his sacrifice, imbibes his spirit, imitates his example, and lives to do his work." Websters 1828 Dictionary: "A follower; an adherent to the doctrines of another. Hence the constant attendants of Christ were called his disciples; and hence all Christians are called his disciples , as they profess to learn and receive his doctrines and precepts." A disciple is a convert to Christianity but it is important to understand that not all converts are disciples. As disciples we are to bear our cross daily (Matt. 16:24). This means to live and die for Him if necessary (Matt. 16:25). Discipleship is one of the major tasks of the church. In Jesus' call of the "The Great Commission" Matt. 28:18-20, He emphasizes that we are to g...

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. --James 3:13-18 NKJV One of the conundrums of a “New Believer” is the “New” spiritual fight they find within their minds. The Apostle Paul refers to it as the “Flesh lusting against the Spirit” in Gal. 5:17. And for many of those delivered from the darkness of the old sinful habits and into the “…the kingdom of the Son of His love,” Col. 1:13, the w...

Now that May 21st has come and gone, many of the 'Camping" followers will fall into a disillusionment, even if for a short time. This always occurs after a false prediction. But the crux of the matter falls under the banner of discipleship. We as the blood-bought church have been given a responsibility by Jesus Himself, to make disciples accorrding to His teaching not ours. Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV) 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. The Bible never tells us to ascribe to the teachings of any other than what Jesus taught. Had Camping and his followers understood this there would be no issue because there would have been no prediction ...

Today I saw in action something I have given a lot of thought and prayer to in the last few years; that being, the blindness that many believers are suffering from. I was looking over some books today in the Christian Bookstore when I was approached by another patron. We got into a discussion on the teachings of the Bible and how few there are who really hold strongly to the foundational truths that it contains. His position was that most did and mine was that most did not. I said, 81% of "Born Again's" do not.  I referred to a poll from the Barna Group at Barna Poll on Biblical Worldview to back up my statement.  His response was twofold. 1) The poll is incorrect 2) "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink" In answer to the first response I would say Pollsters like Barna, have pretty good success rates. This one in particular has a + or - 3.5% error rate. That said, we still have a problem. To the second response, I say, that's a...