Women and Calvinism

Carolyn James speaks at a Religious Newsletters Association meeting briefly about what it means for her to be a Christian woman. If you're finding the Bible to be male-dominated, double-standardized, and a bit chauvinistic, give an ear to this woman and how she learned that the Bible is not domineering towards women, but rather extraordinarily freeing.

From the DesiringGod.org Resource Library. External link here.

Piper on Abortion

(HT ERC Pastor's Blog)

The Manhattan Declaration

Today, I became the 78,919th person to sign the Manhattan Declaration.

I cannot significantly enough describe how critical and timely this document is. We live in a time of moral upheavel in regards to the three issues the document addresses. If the church does not take a stand for the
1.)sanctity of human life,
2.)the dignity of marriage, and
3.)the right to religious liberty,
then it has abandoned the teachings of our Lord Jesus and is no longer fit to be the precious bride he will call to himself.

This country is trying to pass laws that require YOU to pay for abortion, laws that require you to bless homosexual unions, and laws that will silence your religious establishment if you refuse to adhere.

When these laws are passed, will you be the victims of injustice or the doers of injustice? Are you willing to go to prison for your moral convictions? What does being a follower of Jesus mean in this country when persecution arrives at our doorstep?

The first 150 people who signed this document are the major religious leaders from every branch of Christianity. I have heard that every seminary in the United States has signed the document, with the exception of one. If this isn't enough, read the last paragraph from the document (emphasis added):

"Because we honor justice and the common good, we will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family. We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar's. But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God's."

You can read and sign the document here: The Manhattan Declaration.org.

"I'll take your Jesus if the payoff is right!"

A video by indie filmmaker and director Nathan Clarke of Fourth Line Films and produced by The Global Conversation on the effects of the prosperity gospel where it is currently being tought.

Blog title quoted from "You Will Suffer" by John Piper

(HT ERC Pastor's Blog)

The Prosperity Gospel

John Piper speaks on the prosperity gospel. The background music is "Sanctitatis" by Future of Forestry (Twilight album). Thanks to Pastor Mark for introducing me to this video. It really shines a light on how Christ uses brokenness to spread the gospel, not rewards. He wants laborers who are willing to suffer as he suffered, and take delight in him alone, not worldly pleasures. A powerful reminder...

Is Jesus the Only Way to God?

Relevant Magazine has very good article as a response to the rise of universalism. A surprising number of Americans believe that God is the same in all religions; that you can inherit eternal life whether you pray to Allah, Jehovah, Yahweh, Buddha, The Tao, Brahman, your ancestors, or Jesus.

(Click the image to view the article -->)

Do you know someone who belongs to a different religion? Have you ever neglected to talk to them about Jesus because you were afraid of hurting their feelings or loosing them as a friend? Did that eventually lead you to decide "God could not be so cruel as to send non-Christians who pray to 'God' to eternal torment, could he??"

Jesus said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Peter says in Acts 4:12, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

No other name. Where do the names Buddha, Yahweh (non-trinitarian), Brahman, Jehovah (non-trinitarian), and Allah (non-trinitarian) lead to? Where does their way go? This is not a friendly, feel-good, include-everyone, philanthropist kind of message, is it?

This is the Gospel (good news). Wait! Good news??

Yes, it is good news. Hell is real, and you and I are deserving of it. Jesus came to fufill the law of God because we could not. He is a savior to all who believe. Anyone who does not believe and call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will not be saved. This is not something you want to hold back from that someone-you-know. -KG

Read the article here.

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” -Romans 10:13