Question of the Week: Are Christian organizations hate groups?

From the highly recommended: Answers in Genesis <www.answersingenesis.org>

Subject: Are Christian organizations hate groups?

 

Why are Christians and Christian ministries increasingly getting slapped with labels of hate and intolerance?

Responding to LGBTQ View in browser Christian "Hate Groups"? The "law of love" was considered by Jesus to be the first and second greatest commandments. As followers of Christ, we should be characterized by a love for God and a love for others. So why are Christians and Christian ministries increasingly getting slapped with labels of hate and intolerance?   Get Answers A Storm of Response After the Rainbow God promised he would never judge the world again with a global flood. He told Noah's family that whenever a rainbow appeared it would be a reminder of that covenant. Since the 1970s, the rainbow (though not all of its colors) has been associated with what is called the "gay" movement—known today worldwide as the LGBTQ movement.   Read More Audacity Audacity is a film about a Christian struggling to find his voice as a young believer in a culture that rejects the biblical view of homosexuality. This movie follows him as he learns to lovingly speak the truth to his friends, in spite of their opposing views.  Love Can't Stay Silent "Audacity will force you to examine what you really believe about homosexuality. It will rock your assumptions . . . a must-watch!" —Alex Kendrick: Director/Producer, Fireproof and Courageous Order Now Christian Group to Pay for Transgender Surgeries A professing Christian group is raising money to pay for gender-reassignment surgeries for transgender people. Read More → ChristmasTime at the Ark See the Ark in rainbow lights, watch a spectacular Ark-sized projection show, enjoy a Christmas buffet, shop for handmade gifts, meet adorable animals, and more! Find Out More → Answers for Women 2018 In a culture that increasingly devalues human life, get equipped to contend for life on April 6–7, 2018. Register Now → Teach through the Bible in four years with this full-featured Sunday school curriculum for all ages. Get equipped to confidently share the gospel and biblical authority with this award-winning worldview magazine. Teach kids that the Bible is more than a dusty book of stories so they can trust its life-changing message of salvation! Copyright © 2017 Answers in Genesis, All rights reserved. PO Box 510 Hebron, KY  41048 view in browser

John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

How changeable, how unstable are our feelings! What a broken reed to lean upon! But God's Word says plainly again and again that one who trusts in the dear Saviour now has, at once, everlasting life, shall not perish (John 3:16), and shall not come into condemnation (John 5:24). Praise God, one who commits his soul's salvation to Jesus and relies on His plain Word may be sure that he now has everlasting life! - John R. Rice

What kind of life is it we get when we trust Christ? It is "everlasting life," our text [John 5:24] says! Then it must last forever. Jesus Christ is no deceiver to promise everlasting life, then keep us only a few hours or days or years! His word is an infallible guarantee. If you got life, you got everlasting life! Praise God for that! - John R. Rice

Jesus had fed five thousand men besides women and children with five little barley biscuits and two small fishes. The people were amazed at that. But Jesus reminded them that He was the true bread from Heaven [Jn. 6:35]. Just as hungry people could take the bread and fish, so any sinner tired of his sin and wanting the bread of life could take Jesus and have everlasting life at once. - John R. Rice

Of course one who comes to Jesus turns his back on some other things. If you are in Chicago, you cannot go to New York without turning your back on Chicago. And if you come to Jesus, of course you turn away from sin. Repentance and faith go together, and both are a part of this little word "come." One who comes to Jesus comes to get forgiveness, comes to get help about his sins, comes for a new heart and a new life. And always he can get it, for Jesus never casts him out, He promised plainly. - John R. Rice

Do you fear you couldn't come right? Well, if you come at all, that is all Jesus asked. He didn't say, "If you come with a sober face. . . ." He didn't say, "If you come with tears. . . ." He didn't say, "If you make big promises. . . ." He didn't say, "If you come saying, 'Hallelujah!' and with joy running over. . . ." Jesus simply said, "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." Never mind the fireworks; never mind the emotions. If in your poor, tired, sinning heart you want to come to Jesus, then I beg you just simply come today, right now, this moment! - John R. Rice

It was said about some people, "He came unto his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:11). It was the sad complaint of Jesus to some poor sinners, ". . . .ye will not come to me that ye might have life" (John 5:20). But one who WILL come, can come. Yea, if he chooses to come, decides to come, then he DOES come. - John R. Rice

I knew of a firm that advertised sewing machines on television for $29.95. But when people called and the salesman came to see them the company was always out of that cheaper model and wanted to sell an expensive model that cost two and a half times as much!
Well, crooked men may do that way about their promises, but not the Lord Jesus! If Jesus said come, then He will receive you. He has promised and you may rely upon it. - John R. Rice

BIBLE ANSWERS TO BIG QUESTIONS (PART 2)

                                     1 Peter 3:15-22                                  

Pastor Rick Jackson

Located within these verses are two unnecessarily complex questions with rather simple but strong Biblical solutions. I am reminded of how Jesus once told the Sadducees, "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God." This is somewhat the case herein. Having heard the off-the-wall explanations of some early interpreters others repeated the same mistakes until they snowballed into semi-widely held viewpoints that are unreasonably mystical and unmistakably unscriptural. Just because many people believe something doesn't make it accurate. Most lost people in the world believe Heaven can be attained by some sort of good works but they are wrong. Salvation is the "gift of God" [Rm. 6:23, Eph. 2:8-9]. The first of these questions is:

DID JESUS GO TO HELL TO PREACH? [18-20]

Variations of this theme have Jesus suffering in Hell for 3 days, being beat up for 3 days by the Devil and his demons, being locked up for three days and then demanding the keys and leaving. A further view has paradise and hades both together in the center of the earth but segregated. Jesus later moving paradise to Heaven and taking with Him a contingent of others.

Forgetting for the moment the weirdness of these many views let us look at the one thought in agreement with all these views. That is the view that Jesus, sometime after His death, before His resurrection, went to Hell and preached to the lost souls that had lived in Noah's day.

I. THE PROBLEMS ARE IMMEDIATE!

1. What would be preached to souls in Hell? Another chance of salvation? Or was this a "ha-ha, look at you, you blew it!"

2. Why just those particular spirits--- why not all the lost in Hell?

3. This view also opens the door for many weird views (some already mentioned).

II. THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLE & SENSIBLE.

The Bible is always the best interpreter of the Bible. Apply basic laws of Biblical interpretation here (as well as everywhere else).

1. Check the context.

2. Compare Scripture with Scripture [1 Corinthians 2:13]

3. If the plain sense makes good sense seek no other sense [Pr. 8:1-11, Psalm 27:11]

4. Always interpret unclear passages by clear passages not vice-versa [Psalm 119:130]

III. THE SOLUTION IS BIBLICAL.

Here's the solution: Christ, by the spirit, preached through Noah while Noah was building the ark. This puts the time in place in Noah's lifetime. Christ through the Holy Spirit offered salvation to a lost and dying world for 120 years. Their refusal of God's mercy culminated in the flood.

Does this meet the rules of hermeneutics mentioned? Yes! On all counts.

1 Peter 1:10-12 establishes the Spirit of Christ was in the Old Testament prophets

Heb. 9:27 establishes there are no second chances after death

Rev. 20:11-15 establishes when the lost will be judged (not made fun of) for their sin

Lk. 23:43, 46 establishes Christ went to paradise and was in the hands of the Father not the devil

Mt. 25:41, Rev. 20:10 establish when the Devil is cast into Hell and that he won't be in charge there "Better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven” is not Biblical nor true!

Mt. 10:28, Rev. 1:18 establishes Christ has always had the keys to Hell and death

Jn. 19:30 establishes that Jesus finished paying for our sins on the cross and didn't have to go to Hell for three days

the raptures of Enoch (Gn. 5) and Elijah (2 Kings 2) establish the abode of the saved dead "up" in Heaven rather than in the belly of the earth even before Christ's resurrection

Mt. 10:1, Rm. 15:19, 1 Co. 2:4, 5:4; 2 Tm. 2:7 establish this power is still given unto men

other Scriptural interpretations of Eph. 4 are possible without resorting to fanciful speculations

THE RESPONSE OF THE KING

MATTHEW 11

THAT’S MY KING  
                            

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE REJECTION OF HIS HERALD [v. 1-15]

1. The Quest [v. 1-3]

2. The Qualifiers [v. 4-6, Is. 29:18-19, 35:4-6, 61;1-2a]

3. The Questions [v. 7-15]

II. THE RECOMPENSE OF HIS FAVOR [v. 16-24]

1. Their Childishness [v. 16-19]

“Instead of being childlike and humbling themselves, the leaders were childish and stubborn, like children pouting because they could not have their way. The parable in Matthew 11:16-19 revealed the spiritual condition of the leaders, and unfortunately it also reveals the hearts of unbelievers today.” – Wiersbe

2. Their Chances [v. 20, Luke 12 :28]


For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

3. Their Condemnation [v. 21-24]

III. THE RESPONSE TO THE REJECTION [v. 25-30]

1. Praise to the Father [v. 25-26]

2. Path to the Father [v. 27]

3. Personal Invitation [v. 28-30, 22:8-10]

WHY PREACH THE BLOOD?

       

Hebrews 9:12-14, 19-20; 10:4, 19, 29; 12:24,13:20                            

Pastor Rick Jackson

With all the other things in the world to talk about why would anyone talk about The Blood? Couldn’t we avoid that subject for something less controversial, less grotesque, less politically incorrect? You know, something more upbeat, something more appealing, something more in tune with our enlightened times? We could try, many do… but we won’t! It’s only controversial if you don’t believe the Bible, it’s only grotesque if you haven’t experienced it, and it’s only politically incorrect if you are theologically incorrect. What could be more upbeat than escaping the wages of sin? What could be more appealing than the abundant life coupled with eternal life? And what could be more enlightening than the light shining through the darkness to show the way? Why preach the blood?

I. THE EXAMPLE OF THE APOSTLES!

1. Paul preached it! (Rm. 3:25, 5:9; Eph. 1:7, 2:13; Col. 1:20-22)

2. Peter proclaimed it! (1 Pet. 1:2, 18-19)

3. John taught it! (I Jn. 1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

II. IT IS THE EXPRESS MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE

1. Before the Law (Gn. 3:21, 4:4, 8:20, 22:13-14)

2. During the Law (Lev. 17:11)

3. After the Law (Acts 20:28)

III. IT IS THE EXTREME SOLUTION FOR AN EXTREME PROBLEM

1. Bloodless solutions merely multiply rebellion (Gn. 4:3-8, Heb. 11:4, Rm. 10:17)

2. Christ’s Blood is the ONLY solution (Heb. 9:14, 22, 24-28, 10:19, 28-29)

3.  Christ’s Love & His Blood give a song to the saved! (Rev. 1:5-6, 5:9-10)

Question of the Week: Are the stars lining up today for the Lord's return?

From the highly recommended: Answers in Genesis <www.answersingenesis.org>

 

Belief in a literal fulfillment of Revelation 12:1–2 on September 23, 2017, depends upon the constellation Leo having nine stars.

Latest Articles & Media View in browser What to Expect Today, September 23 Interest continues to rise in the biblical sign of Revelation 12:1–2. According to some people, this passage will be literally fulfilled in the heavens today, September 23, 2017, with an unparalleled alignment of stars and planets signaling the Lord's return. Astronomer Danny Faulkner examines these claims in the light of scientific and biblical evidence.   Get Answers Did God Really Create Plants Before the Sun? God created plants on Day Three of Creation Week, the day before he created the sun. But he had already created a light source on Day One that evidently fulfilled many roles the sun would eventually fulfill. This article explores the order of some of the events in Creation Week, the nature of the light that God created on Day One, the length of the "days" of Creation Week, and how God provided for the needs of plants throughout the week.   Get Answers Bill Nye: Science Guy or Secular Activist? At the film's very start, it became clear that "science is under attack" would be a central theme that would appear throughout Bill Nye: Science Guy. Read More → Why We Help: Do Our Microbes Make Us Do It? A group of scientists at Tel Aviv University propose that bacteria in our intestines may be responsible for human altruism. Get Answers → What "Black and White" Twins Teach Us About Supposed "Race" One set of supposedly "black and white" twins is back in the news because they are entering middle school in Birmingham, England. Get Answers → Get Answers These excellent resources will help busy teens and adults understand the big picture of Scripture and give quick science-confirming answers to some of the most-asked questions of our day. What's Included This combo includes the ebook versions of Quick Answers to Tough Questions and The 10 Minute Bible Journey. Order Now Christian Leaders Conference Ignite a new reformation in the hearts of pastors and Christian leaders in your church so that you can stand unashamedly on the authority of God's Word and boldly proclaim the gospel to our dying world. Invite the Christian leaders in your church to join us in Legacy Hall at the Creation Museum October 10–12, 2017, for the Answers for Pastors and Christian Leaders conference.    Find Out More Teach through the Bible in four years with this full-featured Sunday school curriculum for all ages. Get equipped to confidently share the gospel and biblical authority with this award-winning worldview magazine. Teach kids that the Bible is more than a dusty book of stories so they can trust its life-changing message of salvation! Copyright © 2017 Answers In Genesis, All rights reserved. PO Box 510 Hebron, KY  41048 view in browser

John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

When one walks in to the bank and puts money for deposit under the window, he is asking that the money be deposited and kept for him, but he is also taking a step of faith. One who calls on Christ for salvation has already in his heart trusted Christ. That is why it does not take continued calling or begging. That is why the manner of the calling does not much matter, just so one honestly wants mercy and forgiveness and salvation. - John R. Rice 

Any preacher who pretends that when he sprinkles a baby, he is helping save that baby, is a usurper, a false prophet, pretending to take the place of Jesus Christ, which he cannot do. There is only one mediator, the Scripture says. - John R. Rice

Any mother and father who bring their child for sprinkling or christening, and take solemn vows for the child, are taking on themselves too much. They cannot save the child, they cannot take vows for the child. And if they teach the child that he has become a child of God, or has gained any favor at all with God by being sprinkled as a baby, they are guilty of wicked sin. They may so deceive the child and damn his soul by letting him believe that he has obtained some merit or some standing by that act. - John R. Rice

Even if an adult is baptized, and even baptized in the scriptural form, by immersion, and if the minister teaches that in the act of baptism one receives salvation, then he guilty of claiming for himself that which belongs only and solely to Jesus Christ. "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." - John R. Rice

Proxy religion is out of the question in New Testament Christianity. Jesus Christ is the only proxy, the only mediator, the only go-between, the only channel of salvation. - John R. Rice

Truly born-again people may have doubts about their salvation because they do not know the plain promises of God's Word. That was true in my case. When I was saved my dad thought I was too young to know what I was doing, so he discouraged me. I went on for three sad years not sure I was saved. Then I got to reading the Bible and found John 5:24 where Jesus promised, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." I KNEW that I had heard the Word of God, had read it many times. I KNEW that I had trusted Jesus Christ the best I knew how. So there suddenly, gloriously, came the assurance that I was really saved! I know I am saved because it is written in the Bible. - John R. Rice

What more do you want if you have the words of Jesus Christ written down in the Bible again and again, saying that the moment you believed on Jesus Christ you get everlasting life? Is not the Word of God enough? If you felt light as a feather, if you saw a great light, if you were moved by intense emotion, would that be better than "thus said the Lord" in the blessed Bible? Jesus said, "Verily, verily." Is not that enough? - John R. Rice

BIBLE ANSWERS TO BIG QUESTIONS

GENESIS 6:1-7

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. WHO ARE THE "SONS OF GOD" IN GENESIS 6:1-4?

1. SOME GOOD CHRISTIANS THINK THEY ARE FALLEN ANGELS

Here are their main arguments:

-angels are called sons of God in Job 1:6, 38:7

-giants were produced by these demons & women [Gn. 6:4]

-angels are chained for this sin [2 Pt. 2:4, Jude 6]

2. SOME GOOD CHRISTIANS THINK THEY AREN'T FALLEN ANGELS

-good, not fallen, angels are the ones called sons of god [Job 1:6, 38:7]

-people of faith are called sons of God [Jn. 1:12, Gal. 4:4-7]

-Bible doesn't say the giants were offspring of this union but that they existed at the time. Substitute the word "mountains" and see how it still makes sense [Gn. 6:4]

-"mighty men" were the resulting offspring (fresh DNA strands}

-giants exist later without "angelic" help [I Chr. 20:4-8, I Sm. 17=Goliath]

-Jesus said angels don't marry (why would God give them reproductive abilities if He did not intend for them to reproduce) [Matthew 22:30, Psalm 139:14, 1 Cor. 14:33]

-Bible doesn't name the sin in Jude & 2 Peter, it could easily be something else

3. THE BIBLE CLEARLY TEACHES THE "SONS OF GOD" ARE SETHITES

"A text without a context is a pretext". What is the context of Genesis 6:1-4?

-Gn. 4:16-24....... gives Cain's line

-Gn. 4:25-5:32 ...gives Seth's line

-Gn. 6:1-7............gives the mixed line of Cain & Seth and the results of unbridled carnality

-note how men are blamed for this offense [v. 3, 5, 6, 7] and fallen angels aren't dealt with like 3:14-15

-because marriages were based on appearance instead of spirituality the godly dwindled down to one man and his family [v. 2, 8]

II. WHY DESTROY THE WHOLE WORLD? [Gn. 6:7]

1. Many were committing the unpardonable sin [v. 3]

2. Many were becoming famous for their wickedness [v. 4]

3. Majority were no longer even giving mental assent to God [v. 5, Matthew 24:22]

-Ten people could have spared Sodom but eight weren't enough to spare the wicked world.

III. DOES GOD REPENT?

1. In the strictest sense God doesn't change His mind [v. 6-7]

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent:

1 Samuel 15:29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.

2. God responds Consistently to man according to what man does [James 4:6-8, 1 Samuel 15:11]

It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night

3. God's patience can eventually run out [6:3, Jeremiah 15:6]

Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting.

The Truth about Palestine & Israel

From the highly recommended: Prophecy Today <jimmydeyoung@prophecytoday.com>

 

Daily Devotional

September 20, 2017           Thank you for reading my Prophetic Daily Devotionals!            Please visit my website to learn more Bible prophecies being fulfilled in these last days.  Deuteronomy 30:5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. For further study - Deuteronomy 30:1-10 The passage chosen for our devotional reading today is what is referred to as the "Land Covenant". Maybe in the margin of your Bible or possibly above the first verse of our reading you find, as I do in my King James Scofield Reference Bible, the title of the covenant to be the "Palestinian Covenant". That is not the title of the covenant, the word "Palestinian" is a man-made word that is a negative word introduced to the Jewish and Christian world in the second century by a Roman Emperor who named the land of Israel, "Palestine". The Bible never calls the land that God gave to the Jewish people, "Palestine". The land is called "Israel". There has never been a land that God called "Palestine", the Lord calls the land "Israel", Matthew 2:20-21. Please do not refer to the land of Israel as "Palestine" but by it's true Biblical name, "Israel". By the way, there was never an Arab state of "Palestine" that must be returned to the Palestinian people. From around 1500 AD until 1917 AD the Ottoman Empire, the empire of the nation of Turkey, controlled what is today, the land of Israel. The Turks ruled this land for over 400 years. Then, until the United Nations gave the Jews this land in 1948, as a nation called Israel, the land was under the sovereignty of the British Empire. There has never been a state, an official government, for the state of "Palestine". The truth is our devotional reading for today promises to give the "land" to the Jewish people. This "land covenant" includes all of the land that God has promised to the Jewish people, some ten times the amount of land that the Jews now control. The total amount of land that the Jews will receive according to this covenant will be given to the Jews during the Kingdom period when the Messiah, Jesus Christ, is ruling and reigning from his Temple in Jerusalem. There will also be a time when the Jews will be brought back into the land of their forefathers, verse 5. The Jews will love the Lord with all of their heart, verse 6, at that time in history. This period of time in the future will be when the Lord Jesus Christ has returned to the Earth to set up His Kingdom. Until the return of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, the conflict over the ownership of the land will continue and intensify. Though God has promised the Land to the Jewish people they will return to the land of their forefathers only to be almost destroyed by their enemies. This persecution will be used by the Lord to turn the Jews to their Messiah, Jesus Christ. Remember, seven years at least before Jesus comes back to give His Chosen people, the Jewish people, their land, our Lord will shout and call all Christians up to join Him in the heavenlies at the time of the Rapture, which could happen today. PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank you Lord for keeping your promises to the Jews and to me as a Christian, especially your promise to call us up to be with you forever more. Shofar Communications  P.O. Box 2510  Chattanooga, TN 37409  See what's happening on our social sites

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