Monday, July 27, 2009

'Man Vs. Wild' Star Set to Lead Crusade in Orlando This Fall




'Man Vs. Wild' Star Set to Lead Crusade in Orlando This Fall










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Sunday, July 26, 2009

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Re-post: You Might Be A Pharisee If...





You Might Be A Pharisee If...

(With apologies to Jeff Foxworthy)

  • If you missed a family reunion or a funeral of a close friend because you didn’t want to miss the midweek service…you might be a Pharisee.
  • If you ever worried about whether or not you should read the italicized words in you King James Bible because they weren’t in the original text …you might be a Pharisee.
  • If you ever gave your pastor a doctor’s excuse for missing a Sunday evening service …you might be a Pharisee.
  • If you ever tried to exchange your bratwurst for an Italian sausage because you found out they were beer brats …you might be a Pharisee.
  • If you say grace before in-between-meal snacks …you might be a Pharisee.
  • If you won’t let your kids read The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe because there is a witch in the book …you might be a Pharisee.
  • If you object to the new church hymnals because they have “contemporary” songs from the likes of Andrae Crouch and Dallas Holm …you might be a Pharisee.
  • If you think the new youth pastor should not be trusted with the care of your children because he has an ICHTHUS tattoo…you might be a Pharisee.
  • If you rebuked the visiting preacher for not wearing a tie when he was in the pulpit …you might be a Pharisee.
  • If you boycotted The End of the Spear because the part of Nate Saint was played by a homosexual …you might be a Pharisee.
  • If you refuse to watch The Passion of the Christ because it borrows too heavily from Catholic tradition …you might be a Pharisee.
Feel free to add any "You might be a Pharisee if..." ideas to the comments section below.


This is all from Gamaliel's Desk by Rick Presley. BTW the comments are about as funny as some of the other "mights".


Be blessed,
iggy









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Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Please pray for Ken Silva and family.

A short note was left on CRN concerning a real tragedy in Ken Silva's family.

My family learned yesterday afternoon that my youngest brother made the tragic decision to end his life. Unfortunately, there was no warning or prior indication something like this could occur and he leaves behind two teenage sons.

If one agrees with or disagrees with Ken on issues, at times like this it does not matter. Please take time to pray for Ken and his family. You might even send him a note stating your sympathies. apprising@hughes.net

iggy





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Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Re-post Universalism: Why I do not agree





This is a re-post. I want to say that I have encountered many who are "Christian Universalist" In the future I will write more on the difference between traditional Christian Universalist and Universal Atonement. I claim to be a Universal Atonement believer, yet with a caveat. I do not see reconciliation at the Cross as salvation. I see that we must receive the Life of Christ to have eternal life. We are all reconciled unto the Father through Jesus, yet forgiveness does not equate salvation. Reconciliation happened at the Cross and continues as we continue to grow in our faith, If we do not grow, then we have forfeited our reconciliation. Most will equate forgiveness with salvation. If one does then there was no need for the Resurrection.
Romans 5: 10. For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11. Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Universalism: Why I do not agree

Universalism has become a major topic… as with hell. The idea of Universalism is I believe based on great compassion. Traditionally and historically that was the origin of universalism in the Christian church.

Though that is commendable… that some taught that we “Saints” had (or will have) such great compassion as to move the heart of God that He decides to purify and bring the unrepentant back to salvation, I see that there is some grave error.

For some brief historical background I recommend that one might look at some of these links ( I may not agree with everything from these websites though I thought some of these pages of interest):

HISTORY OF OPINIONS ON THE SCRIPTURAL DOCTRINE
OF RETRIBUTION BY EDWARD BEECHER, D. D.

Universalism?

Origen of Alexandria (c.185 - c.254)

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts


I have personally come across Universalism in the Apocalypse of Peter in which Jesus is showing Peter hell… and at one point seems to insinuate that those in hell will suffer for a time… and be saved after being purified by the fire.

Again, compassion is a great thing. Yet if it is based on error, then it can not lead us in TRUTH.

The issue is to me in 1 Cor 15: 22. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27. For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all. (NIV)


Now, notice a couple of things here:
1. This is concerning the “end” after Jesus has destroyed “ALL dominion” … in that all kingdoms that are not part of God’s Kingdom… will be destroyed. Yet, even before this Paul is talking about… “so in Christ all will be made alive.”

2.This passage is concerned about those who are “in Christ” and will be raised at the resurrection. So, we must be careful not to take “all in all” to mean those who are not “in Christ”.

Colossians 1: 19. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20.
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

I see here is one of the key issues. I believe that everything created has been reconciled back to Christ through all things were created. Yet, reconciliation… was by the cross and shed blood of Jesus. I have often expressed that forgiveness and salvation are not the same thing nor to be equated as such… so to say Forgiveness = Salvation is not true based on the teaching so scripture. As I have stated before this thought leads to two paths.

1. Universalism
2. Exclusivism

Neither of these are truly valid and correct in my view as they negate each other much as Armenianism and Calvinism does.

Forgiveness was inclusive and universal… for all! One can find the verses in numerous place… but the best known is John 3:16

Yet, salvation is based on one’s relationship with Jesus. Does one need to know the Name of Jesus to be saved… ahhh… that is another topic for later. In that I am not fully convince one need know “Jesus” as “The Name” as that sort of seems to lead to the error of Jehovah Witnesses.

The other error though is to think that because “all creation” has been redeemed, that included those outside of Christ.

Do I believe the earth, animals and such are redeemed? I do… very much, yet scripture teaches these things fell under the dominion of darkness because man fell… not because creation was evil in and of itself.


(A side note here, some seem to teach “flesh” is evil… and I see that is not true… some fleshly desires are corrupt. Yet, flesh is not evil in and of itself. In fact to believe so is to be more in-line with the error of the Gnostics who taught Flesh as evil and Spirit as good. We tend to this in our modern teachings today… even some early church fathers confused this with the misunderstanding of “saved by penance and faith” (CCC 1470) instead of “by grace you have been saved, through faith”… In that we must subdue the flesh and then be justified… Which then nullifies the works of Christ).

Yet again, if one looks closer the verse is about those who are redeemed.


Col 1: 21. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- 23. if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. (NIV)

In this passage, it says we once were “alienated from God and were enemies in our minds”… what this is talking about is the regenerated mind… the transforming of our minds… (Rom 12:2)

Yet, of those who are not being transformed… and stay in their corrupt state of mind…

Rom 1: 28. Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30. slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31. they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (NIV)

(A side note: I think that anyone who intentionally does the things listed and justify it in their minds and call themselves “Christian” better with most certainly check their hearts and seek God. For in the Letters of John it is clear to “hate your brother” is a sign the TRUTH is not in you. I also see that there are some that justify their actions and commit slander, gossip and go out of their way to harm others… this to me cuts across the teaching of Christ to negate the works of the Cross and deny the Life of the power of the Resurrection. We must as believers in Jesus, seek to be as He described Himself in Matt 11:28-29 “I am gentle and humble in heart”).


To me there is a big difference in those who are growing in the Grace and Knowledge of Christ and having the minds renewed by the Holy Spirit, and those who desire to not accept the gift of Life, let alone the forgiveness at the cross.

In that God is just… and merciful. Yet, when one does not desire mercy, nor grace, God will not force it on them. In many ways He gives them the desire of their heart… or rather “He gave them over to a depraved mind”.

Not a great note to leave on, yet I hope that the TRUTH will set you free to seek God in a richer and deeper way… desiring the heart and mind of God.

Blessings,
iggy
















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Monday, July 13, 2009

Opinion? Christian Cruises... vote












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Re-post: My Values and Beliefs



Due to some that have decided to lie about me and what I believe I am doing this "re-post" of what I value and believe. Also note that below are some links to a couple of commentaries I have done as well as a great rebuttal by Nathan Rich concerning accusations against Vineyard.



My Values and Beliefs

I believe... in one God, Creator of all things, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and that these three are co-eternal and are equal. Colossians 1:16

I believe... Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That He is the Creator and that all things were created through Him. He is coequal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He rose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Matthew 1:22, 23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; l Corinthians 15:3,4; Roman 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; I Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13

I believe... that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God and without mistakes as originally written. It is the complete revelation of His will for salvation and the only unfailing rule of faith and practice for the Christian life. It is God’s revelation of Who He is. ll Timothy 3:16; ll Peter 1:20,21; ll Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105, 160

I believe... that man was created by and for God; that by man's disobeying God, every person incurred spiritual death, which is separation from God, and physical death as a consequence; and that all people are sinners by nature and practice. Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a, Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1, 2

I believe... in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit indwelling all believers and thus enabling and empowering the life and ministry of the believer. II Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 4:16,17; Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:1

I believe... in the Old Testament it was understood that the way to God was through a priest. People went to the temple to give their sacrifice and had access to God through the priest. In the New Testament we are taught that Jesus Christ is our access to the Father and none of us needs to go through anyone - not a priest, a rabbi or a pastor - to reach God. John 14:6; I Timothy 2:5

I believe... Because God gives man eternal life through, Jesus Christ; the believer is secure in salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives this security. John 10:29; II Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25, 10:10, 14; I Peter 1:3-5

I believe... God is sovereign ruler of the universe, and He is owner of all things. He has made us stewards of His possessions, and therefore man is accountable to God for that which God has entrusted to him. We are called to give ourselves as believers living sacrifices. That means all our resources are to go to God's glory. Giving can be in many forms, from ones time to money. Leviticus 27:30; Malachi 3:10; Exodus 34:26; I Corinthians 16:2 Romans 12:1

I believe... God has redeemed and is giving man dominion through Jesus Christ over the earth making all things on earth as it is in heaven. John 17:4; Matthew 6:10

My Values are…

To be Missional… (from Friends of Missional one of the best sites I have seen on being missional)

Description of a Missional Church

A missional church is one where people are exploring and rediscovering what it means to be Jesus' sent people as their identity and vocation.

A missional church will be made up of individuals willing and ready to be Christ's people in their own situation and place.

A missional church knows that they must be a cross-cultural missionary (contextual) people in their own community.

A missional church will be engaged with the culture (in the world) without being absorbed by the culture (not of the world). They will become intentionally indigenous.

A missional church understands that God is already present in the culture where it finds itself. Therefore, a missional church doesn't view its purpose as bringing God into the culture or taking individuals out of the culture to a sacred space.

A missional church is about more than just being contextual; it is also about the nature of the church and how it relates to God.

A missional church will seek to plant all types of missional communities to extend the Kingdom of God.

A missional church faithfully proclaims the gospel through word and deed; how the gospel is embodied in our community and service is as important as what we say.

A missional church will align all their activities around the missio dei -- the mission of God.

A missional church seeks to put the good of their neighbor over their own.

A missional church will give integrity, morality, good character and conduct, compassion, love and a resurrection life filled with hope preeminence to give credence to their reasoned verbal witness.

A missional church practices hospitality by welcoming the stranger into the midst of the community.

A missional church will see themselves as a community or family on a mission together. There are no "Lone Ranger" Christians in a missional church.

A missional church will see themselves as representatives of Jesus and will do nothing to dishonor his name.

A missional church will be totally reliant on God in all it does. It will move beyond superficial faith to a life of supernatural living.

A missional church will be desperately dependent on prayer.

A missional church gathered will be for the purpose of worship, encouragement, supplemental teaching, training, and to seek God's presence and to be realigned with God's missionary purpose.

A missional church is orthodox in its view of the gospel and scripture, but culturally relevant in its methods and practice so that it can engage the worldview of the hearers.

A missional church will feed deeply on the scriptures throughout the week.

A missional church will be a community where all members are involved in learning to be disciples of Jesus. Growth is an expectation.

A missional church will help people discover and develop their spiritual gifts and will rely on gifted people for ministry instead of talented people.

A missional church is a healing community where people carry each other's burdens and help restore gently.


Blessings,
iggy


Walking through Romans Download

walking-through-romans WordDoc.
walking-through-romans PDF

These are the unedited versions. New edited versions will be available soon.

This is free to download, but help a fellow out ok?


Free resource: Response to John MacArthur's book Charismatic Chaos by Rich Nathan

To Donate look for Paypal link to the right ----->










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Thursday, July 09, 2009

Best Praise song ever



The song was written in the 70's soon after Clapton was healed of a serious heroin addiction. The song gives credit to Who it was that helped him.






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Derek Webb's controversial song "What Matters More" from his new album, Stockholm Syndrome.

Derek Webb's controversial song "What Matters More" from his new album, Stockholm Syndrome.








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Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Best of: Jesus Is Truth… Jesus Is Grace… living incarnationally beyond mere propositions


This is a repost from 2006:


Jesus Is Truth… Jesus Is Grace… living incarnationally beyond mere propositions


John 1:1-3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.


John 1:14-17. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, `He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'" From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.


One must realize that there is nothing that was created that was not made by Jesus… and without Jesus nothing has been made.

Jesus is the Word… the very words spoken by God when he said, “Let there be…” in Genesis… Jesus is the Let There Be… incarnate.

Modernism has place human reason much too high… in fact it worships it. Human reasoning is what got us into this mess in the first place… remember Eve in the Garden… she looked and reasoned…

Genesis 3:6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Notice she put some thought into this project and reasoned her way to the original sin we now all suffer from… Even in her innocence she being deceived… reasoned wrongly and found death.

Proverbs states what happened very clearly… in Chapter 14: 12. There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

We can reason our way and it seems right on… yet, all we get is death…

What has happened is that many have reduced Jesus as “The Truth” to a proposition which is what is part of what is talked about in Romans… man exchanges the truth of God… for a lie and worship the created things rather than the Creator… Modernist have been worshipping the created version of truth and not the Creator Who is Truth incarnated. They deny that the Jesus is what He claimed… when He stated He is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life”.


Romans 1:25. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.


God calls us to reason with Him… and that is the next part of understanding truth… This is revelational.. And relational… For without God giving revelation and without then having a relationship with Christ we will not hear His voice by His Holy Spirit… The Holy Spirit must indwell us and we must then let Jesus be alive in us… then Truth can be reasoned out with Jesus…

Isaiah 1:18. "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

One must be right with God to be able to reason with Him… that is why a relationship with Jesus is the center of our Faith…

I know I have stated this over and over… Propositional truth is not all evil… it is not all wrong… and it is used much in the Bible… the issue is when it is not used in its proper relationship with Jesus… in fact without Jesus we would only have relativism… based on human reason… and that is part and core of postmodernism… and part and core that has infected the Church. (Note that postmodernity and modernity have many things at odd with The Biblical world view which is why I have never called myself a postmodern Christian. So do use that not in that they approve postmodernism, rather to acknowledge they live in postmodernity as is the denial of many.)

I am stating this again for clarity… that if Jesus is not in the equation… in fact if Jesus is not TRUTH ABSOLUTE incarnate… then you should question your source! For if the source of your truth is even the Bible… it is only through Jesus we can understand the bible…

Here read these passages…

John 5: 37-40. And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
Luke 24: 13 -35. Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.
As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.

He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast.

One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"

"What things?" he asked. "About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.
Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."

He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon."

Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Jesus had to open their eyes and minds… and hearts to understand what had happened…

Paul states it this way: My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. (1 Cor 2: 4-5)


Again, please understand that there are “tools” in modernism and postmodernism that are helpful in our gaining knowledge… yet like any tool… if you use it for a purpose outside it’s design, then it is mostly useless… also it's like like if someone uses the wrong filler material or improper welding techniques which can easily lead to cracking in the weld. Using propositional truth incorrectly can cause some major cracks in one’s theology.

This is why Paul urges; “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will” Romans 12:2

We need the mind of Christ to understand truth… 1 Cor 2: 13-16. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.


Jesus in not just the container of Truth... though Truth is in Him… this is deeper…

This last passage is one I hope will convey what Jesus meant about being The Truth…

He interchanges Himself with Truth without missing a beat… just read.

John 8: 31 - 36. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Notice that it is the Truth that sets you free… yet also if the Son set you free, you are free indeed… Jesus interchanges Himself seamlessly as TRUTH incarnate… It is Jesus Who saves us… not human reason. It is The TRUTH (Jesus) that saves us and set us free… free indeed.

I hope that one will look into Jesus to be saved, they reason with Him… In that proper relationship, propositional truth is a great thing and a wonderful tool…

I know that this will be just brushed off by some… yet like Paul I will not just trust in propositional truth to persuade anyone… for I would rather depend on preaching the foolishness of Christ and see God at work…

TRUTH is a Person... that Person is Jesus... and Jesus can set you free!

Blessings,
iggy















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Derek Webb Stockholm Syndrome

The new CD by Derek Webb "Stockholm Syndrome" is here... sort of... on pre-order. There was some major controversy over a song on the CD. It seems there is compromise of sorts as there is a "clean" version and an explicit version.

Stockholm Syndrome Trailer from Derek Webb on Vimeo.




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Monday, July 06, 2009

Book Review: Religions of the Stars by Richard Abanes



Book Review: Religions of the Stars by Richard Abanes

I consider it a privilege to review any book. Even more when it is a friend’s book, though with that sometimes comes the trepidation that I may read the book too charitable or not charitable enough.

I have gotten to know Richard Abanes over the last year or so at various websites we both hang out at. He is very insightful and what I would consider being from the old school of Discernment ministries. His lineage as I call does come directly from Walter Martin and Christian Research Institute. Suffice it to say I would recommend him as one of the “good” discernment minstries out there. Richard has authored many books and at times even I would consider him a bit controversial.

To be straight forward, Richard and I do not agree on everything. Yet, unlike many who profess “discernment” I have not found him to be antagonistic toward me at all. Personally I think the disagreements are very minor and truthfully, Richard is the type of person that can agree to disagree on the minor things, yet will fight tooth and nail over the essentials.

Religions of the Stars is a very informative book. It is broken into different sections as to how Hollywood stars believe.

Oprah’s New Spirtuality : This covers the life of Oprah which was very humanizing of her, and then goes into the critique of Oprah’s New Age belief in contrast to the Christian faith.
Mormon in Movieland: This section covers and contrasts Mormonism with Christianity
The Buddha Comes to Tinseltown: This section covers how Buddhism came to Hollywood and contrasts Buddhism with Christianity
Scientolgy: Hollywood’s A-List Religion: This gives a very revealing look at Scientology and is very informative. Again, this section contrasts Scientology with Christianity
Kabbalah a la Madonna: This is also an interesting section as Abanes covers and contrasts not just Christianity but also Judaism/Kabbalahism with the new pop version that Madonna and others follow.
The Magick of Hollywood: This section covers Occultism in Hollywood and again contrasts it with Christianity

Each section is informative, humanizing and easy to read. I learned much about Scientology and the type of Kabbalahism that Madonna is into. Richard Abanes really never goes into sensationalism which would be easy to do in such a book.

Now there are two minor critiques:

I do believe there is a “Christian” panentheism. This type acknowledges that God is separate from creation, yet also sees that God is “in creation” in the sense that Romans 1:20 states:
For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Now I would not fight tooth and nail to support this as Biblical doctrine, yet in the debates I have read I do see that this type of panentheism may be acceptable. The thing on this I do agree with is the way and definition Richard Abanes used panentheism as not being Biblical.

In the Magick section I disagree a bit on Harry Potter as being connected with Occultism. Now I truly understand the reasons why Richard sees these books as he does and again, would not argue and divide over our disagreement. I do agree to an extent as I would be cautious to let my kids watch the movies or read the books without discussing them with them.

Again, I will emphasize that these are very minor disagreements and I would recommend the book to anyone that needs information on these religions.

Personal message to Richard:

Richard, I was amused at one reference to a certain “evangelist”. As I have gotten to know him I see him on the level of Ken Silva. LOL! But, then even a broken clock is right twice a day so Eric could be right on some things I suppose.















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Finally updated some links on this blog







I have been putting off updating my links and finally did it today! I did remove some that were dead and fixed a few that have moved again... and again... (if yours has moved and I missed it drop me a line!)




I did add more to my blog roll or to the list of "those who enable Iggy to write with such hatred about the Word of God and born again Christians"... errr as one of my lovely critics calls you... so on the top of my list of haters... I added:


adventures in mercy
Molly writes of recovering from culitish legalism and finding Jesus
Kevin writes: I just finished a book called “Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee” that talks about my struggles and battles with legalism. I just need a publisher!"
Cwillz Spills (Interestingly the person who wrote about the enablers pointed out this great site!)



That is just a few I hoped to add... there will be more soon as I have time. Check them out and tell them iggy sent you!








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How do you even respond to outright liars and... well... idiots?







I mean this as loving as I can... I mean she is what she is and I guess being a liar and... well... an idiot is fine with her... really it is sad someone claims Jesus and stoops to this worlds methods of trying to harm someone else... I introduce, Discerning the World...




Funny who she left out on my blog roll... but then if any even takes a minute to read her site and then interact with her... will come away knowing she is most probably mentally ill.

But I do thank her for the free promotion... I am sure anyone that goes to her site will check my sites out and see that she is in fact an idiot. Can't turn down free advertising. Now, I know someone is out there thinking, "iggy you are not being very Graceful toward Deborah..."Well I am... After all she is trashing all my friends... as to why? Only that she hates me for some reason.
Deborah, hate is not a Christian virtue...

Pray for her... she really needs it. Yes, that is what we do for idiots... pray for them.. and love them in spite of the damage they do to themselves and others.



iggy










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Saturday, July 04, 2009

A response about Truth





This is a response to a dear friend of mine who preached for many years. I dearly respect and appreciate all this friend has done for God in his life as well as the encouragement he has given me in the past.


He wrote:


You mentioned in one of your replies that something I said was a generational thing. Please remember, brother, that "Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever." He said, "I am the LORD, I change not."Our views of God in His Word cannot change with each generation. Truth is truth, and is unchangeable. What He said is wrong two thousand years ago, is still wrong today. Please don't get caught up with the "watering down the Gospel" movement that is so prevalent in these last days.


My response:



Truth does not change, but our view of truth changes. I used to view some things that I was taught in the bible as truth and later as I read it found those things as not true....


The example I can give is that many Christians if not most condoned slavery for many years. In fact the "Truth" was that the bible taught us we could have slaves as long as we treated them well... yet, now we view slavery as it is... wrong and evil... Truth never changed. Slavery was always wrong and evil, yet it was how people began to have their eyes opened to the truth that changed how we view slavery.


Again, truth never changed, but how we viewed it did. I am not the same person I was when I was firsts saved as Truth (being the Person of Jesus Christ) changed me from the inside out. Truth never change, but my mind as it is renewed, began to see Truth more clear.


Many seem to think that I am or that my friends are saying truth changes and that is not the "truth" at all... Truth is the Person of Jesus who now indwells us and by His Holy Spirit leads us and teaches us in His Truth. This means what was true for us yesterday may change today as the Holy Spirit reveals God's truth to us through Jesus.
I hope you understand that.


Now as far as "generational thing". I view some things like wearing ties. There was a time when no one wore ties to preach, then there was a time that every one wore ties to preach and not not all wear ties to preach... the tie really does not matter to the preaching. The truth (hopefully) is in the preaching and not in the tie.


I view modernism and post-modernism the same way. One may use the tools of either to express the truth of the Gospel. The truth is the Gospel and not modernism or postmodernism.

Blessings!









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Phil Johnson versus the truth...

Phil Johnson created a rather interesting yet very inaccurate flowchart as to what the Emerging Church (emerging conversation) is about.





To show how it really goes I created this flowchart. Admittedly Phil has better skills in creating such things than I do.





So now make your own flowchart and link here to let me know!




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Friday, July 03, 2009

White Man ~ The Michael Gungor Band




God is not a man
God is not a white man
God is not a man sitting on a cloud
God cannot be bought
God will not be boxed in
God will not be owned by religion
But God is love God is love
And He loves everyone God is love
God is love and He loves everyone
God is not a man
God is not an old man
God does not belong to Republicans
God is not a flag
Not even American
And God does not depend
On a government
But God is good God is good
And He loves everyone
Atheists and charlatans and
Communists and lesbians
And even old Pat Robertson oh
God He loves us all
Catholic or protestant
Terrorist or president
Everybody everybody love love
Love love love

Stop the hating please just stop
The hating now 'cause God is love










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Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Greg Boyd: Pathology of the "Religious"











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