TRUTH WINS! 4

GodThoughtsWired!               Thursday, May 5, 2011 Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion

You are subscribed as %%emailaddress%% TRUTH WINS! 4 ROB BELL FALSE PREMISE #3. The phrase, "Personal Relationship" with Jesus not found in the Bible. "The real issue, the one that can't be avoided, is whether a person has a 'personal relationship' with God through Jesus.  However that happens, whoever told whomever, however it was done, that's the bottom line:  a personal relationship.  If you don't have that you will die apart from God and spend eternity in torment in hell.  The problem, however, is that the phrase 'personal relationship' is found nowhere in the Bible."-Love Wins, p. 10, bold mine C'mon Rob!  Are you serious?  Do you expect us to take you seriously with such a elemental argument? Well then, I think we need some additonal clarification from you Mr. Bell.  In your "youtube response to criticism of 'Love Wins'" you say,  "I believe the Bible is God's word..."  WHY?  The phrase "the Bible is God's word" is found nowhere in the Bible. "I believe in the communion of the saints..."  The "communion of the saints?"  WHY?  The phrase "the communion of the saints" is found nowhere in the Bible. "I believe in the power of prayer..."  WHY? WHERE DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA, "Power of prayer?"  This phrase is not in the Bible Mr. Bell. Enough?  Like you Mr. Bell, many of us believe that "the Bible is God's word."  Likewise, many of us believe in "the communion of the saints," and in "the power of prayer."  WHY?  Because the Bible clearly teaches such things despite the absense of those specific phrases. These are all examples of biblically based beliefs found in historic, orthodox Christianity.  Further, the concepts of the "Trinity," and "Spiritual Warfare" are also CLEARLY TAUGHT IN THE BIBLE despite the fact that such "phrases" are not specifically used. FOR THE RECORD:  Biblical Christianity teaches a "personal relationship with Jesus Christ" because it is CLEARLY TAUGHT IN THE BIBLE! Rob Bell says, "Nowhere in the Hebrew scriptures+, nowhere in the New Testament.  Jesus never used the phrase.  Paul didn't use it.  Nor did John, Peter, James, or the woman who wrote the Letter to the Hebrews." -Love Wins, p. 10 But Paul did say, "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ... that I may know* Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death."-Philippians 3:8,10, bold mine And Jesus did say, "This is eternal life, that they may know* You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." John 17:3 And the Bible clearly teaches, "Not everyone who says to Me (Jesus), 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.   Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'  And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew* you; Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'"-Matthew 7:21-23, bold mine *While it's true that our English translations never use the exact phrase "personal relationship," the original Greek language indicates precisely such a meaning.  In each of the three cases above (as identified by the *) the Greek word for "know" is "ginosko," which practically means, "personal relationship." +Actually, my favorite Old Testament (Hebrew scriptures) reference to a personal, intimate relationship with God is found in the following, "'For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me,' declares the Lord, 'that they might be for Me a people, for renown, for praise and for glory; but they did not listen.'"-Jeremiah 13:11 For more information about the GodThoughts Ministry, clickhere. For more information about the author of GodThoughts, clickhere. PLEASE prayerfully consider supporting the GodThoughts Ministry (click on "donate" button below). The cost to provide this FREEMinistry world-wide in 2010 was $40,700.00 (see Annual Report for full details).

TRUTH WINS! 3

GodThoughtsWired!             Wednesday, May 4, 2011 Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion

You are subscribed as %%emailaddress%% TRUTH WINS! 3 ROB BELL FALSE PREMISE #2. We can't know whether or not everybody will be saved. Bell declares, "Will everybody be saved, or will some perish apart from God forever because of their choices? Those are questions, or more accurately, those are tensions we are free to leave fully intact. We don't need to resolve them or answer them because we can't, and so we simply respect them, creating space for the freedom that love requires."  -Love Wins, p.115, bold mine Again, the fundamental question, in fact, the single most important question each of us will ever answer for ourselves is, "What Do You Believe about the Bible?" If you come to believe that the Bible is the revelation of God to mankind, as I have, then you also have all of the answers to the questions that Rob Bell poses.  For example,  Bell's first question:  "Will everybody be saved, or will some perish apart from God because of their choices?", is clearly answered by the Bible: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."-John 3:16, bold mine Clearly, the Bible is teaching us here that "whoever believes in Jesus shall not perish" and that "whoever DOES NOT BELIEVE SHALL PERISH!" In addition, the Bible says, "Do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish  but for all to come to repentance."-2 Peter 3:8-9, bold mine Indeed, it is a biblical "fact" that Jesus Christ is postponing His Return for the sake of "maximum occupancy" in Heaven.  If no one ever ultimately "perishes," as Rob Bell imagines, then it wouldn't matter when Jesus comes back, thus rendering the above verses nonsensical. Just to be clear:  "Will everybody be saved...?"  The Bible clearly teaches that the answer is no.  And in regard to Bell's declaration, "Those are questions... we don't need to resolve... or answer them because we can't." Perhaps Rob Bell is sincerely unable to answer or resolve these questions, however, the Bible clearly can... and does. For more information about the GodThoughts Ministry, clickhere. For more information about the author of GodThoughts, clickhere. PLEASE prayerfully consider supporting the GodThoughts Ministry (click on "donate" button below). The cost to provide this FREE Ministry world-wide in 2010 was $40,700.00 (see Annual Report for full details).

TRUTH WINS! 2

GodThoughtsWired!            Wednesday, April 27, 2011 Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion

You are subscribed as %%emailaddress%% TRUTH WINS! 2 "Many are being misled by the politically correct, ear-tickling dogma of Rob Bell." -pastor Brad First of all, the very title of Rob Bell's book, "Love Wins," is unbiblical. the Bible clearly teaches that "love DOES NOT win." (see Genesis 3; John 1:11-12) The love of God has provided the opportunity to win, but only those who embrace the truth ultimately win.  ROB BELL FALSE PREMISE #1: Love Wins. Bell's fundamental premise is captured by the title of his book, "Love wins."  Bell asks, "Will all people be saved, or will God not get what God wants. Does this magnificent, mighty,  marvelous God fail in the end?"  -Love Wins, p. 98 In essence, Bell concludes that if everyone who ever lived is not ultimately saved, then God has failed. Is this true? Does God have to get everything He wants to be a success? And if God doesn't get everything He wants, does that make Him a failure? Well, if so, if God needs to get everything He wants or else He's a failure...I've got some bad news for Mr. Bell, by his definition...God is already a MISERABLE FAILURE! Why? Well, a quick review of history shows: 1.  God didn't want them to but, Satan and his demon followers rebelled and fell from heaven.  Did that really make God a failure? 2.  God didn't want them to but, Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden.  Did that really make God a failure? 3.  All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God - something God never intended.  Does this really mean that God has failed? 4.  Our sin has messed everything up and now "The whole world lies under the power of the Evil One" (1 John 5:19).  If asked, would God say, "My bad?" Does God have to get everything He wants to not be a failure? Is God's success dependent upon getting everything He wants? When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, did that mean God failed? When Jesus "came to His own but those who were His own did not receive Him" did Jesus fail? When Satan rebelled was that a failure on God's part? God doesn't want me to sin...but I do. Is that God's fault? Is my sin, God's failure? OF COURSE NOT!  God created angels, along with male and female to have their own free-will. The very fact that everyone DOES NOT CHOOSE WHAT GOD WANTS is a tribute to God's success! Without evil there is no good. Without wrong there is no right. And there is no such thing as "free-will" if people (or angels) can't choose to reject God, just as others choose to accept Him. By definition, love is a choice. And all choices have at least two options. That's what makes it a choice...that's what makes it true love. Love only "wins" in the lives of those people who choose to allow it to win. The fact that everyone does not take God up on His offer of love only serves to prove that God has succeeded in His original goal: to give people the privilege to freely choose. For more information about the GodThoughts Ministry, clickhere. For more information about the author of GodThoughts, clickhere. PLEASE prayerfully consider supporting the GodThoughts Ministry (click on "donate" button below). The cost to provide this FREE Ministry world-wide in 2010 was $40,700.00 (see Annual Report for full details).

THE VALUES OF A DYING GENERATION HOWARD

GodThoughtsWired!                     Monday, April 25, 2011 An Inspiration for Today...A Resource for a Lifetime!

You are subscribed as %%emailaddress%% THE VALUES OF A DYING GENERATION HOWARD "Honor widows who are widows indeed."-1 Timothy 5:3 We added our 8th widow to the congregation last week.  The funeral for Jackie's husband Howard, took place on Thursday, and we celebrated  his life at the Memorial Service on Saturday. "We are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord." -2 Corinthians 5:8 Howard was never famous or rich or very powerful, yet the Memorial Service was one of the richest and most joyful times I've ever had the privilege to participate in. We celebrated his marriage of 56 and 1/2 years.  We rejoiced at his universally acknowledged character traits of honesty, integrity, hard-work, commitment, faithfulness and loyalty.  As far as his wife, three children, and five grandchildren were concerned ...Howard was ALWAYS THERE. A part of me hopes those grandchildren will someday realize how rare and wonderful the character of their Grampa was.  Another part of me hopes that their lives will continue to be so blessed that they'll never truly know how rare Grampa was.  They'll just take it for granted. Either way, at age 86, Howard is a part of a dying generation and, tragically, most of those character traits that best described Howard are dying with them. Today's GodThoughtsWired! is a tribute to those of you in this world, young or old, who still acknowledgeright from wrong, and good from evil. Howard did. For more information about the GodThoughts Ministry, clickhere. For more information about the author of GodThoughts, clickhere. PLEASE prayerfully consider supporting the GodThoughts Ministry (click on "donate" button below). The cost to provide this FREE Ministry world-wide in 2010 was $40,700.00 (see Annual Report for full details).

TRUTH WINS! 1

GodThoughtsWired!              Tuesday, April 25, 2011 Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion

You are subscribed as %%emailaddress%% TRUTH WINS! 1 My initial reaction to Rob Bell's book, Love Wins was "heartbreak," "anger," and "deep sadness," but then I remembered the words of Jesus, "For false Christs and false prophets will arise...so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect."-Matthew 24:24 Remarkably, when the followers of Jesus asked Him what to look for prior to His return He told them that first and foremost, "widespread religious deception" would be the hallmark of the "end times." Thus, it's not at all surprising that a book that teaches a "false gospel" portraying a "false christ" would debut at#2 on the NY Times Best Seller's List in this "time of the end." The errors in Bell's book are blatant and egregious and therefore cannot be ignored.  If Mr. Bell were simply writing a fiction novel I wouldn't waste the energy and effort.  However, the fact that he presents his teaching as "historic, orthodox Christian" (p. x), and truly believes that his thoughts are "biblical" requires a response by those of us who take "sound doctrine" seriously. "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.   For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths."-2 Timothy 4:1-4, bold mine The Bible teaches us that in the last days "many will be misled."  And in these days, many ARE being misled by the politically correct, ear-tickling dogma of Rob Bell. I'll begin addressing the specifics tomorrow. For more information about the GodThoughts Ministry, clickhere. For more information about the author of GodThoughts, clickhere. PLEASE prayerfully consider supporting the GodThoughts Ministry (click on "donate" button below). The cost to provide this FREE Ministry world-wide in 2010 was $40,700.00 (see Annual Report for full details).

An Eternal Tragedy 2

GodThoughtsWired!            Friday April 23, 2010

Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion

an eternal tragedy

PART 2

"Not everyone who says to Me 'Lord, Lord,'
will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord,'
did we not prophesy in Your name,
and in Your name cast out demons,
and in Your name perform many miracles?
And then I will declare to them,
'I never knew you; depart from Me,
you who practice lawlessness."
Matthew 7:21-23 (BOLD MINE)

Have you ever really studied this passage of scripture?  Do you understand its implications?  This isn't a warning to the world...it is a rebuke to the church! 

-Where do you find people who have no problem calling Jesus "Lord"?  That's right, in the church!

-And where do you find people involved in prophecy, deliverance, and miracles?  That's right, in the church!

In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus is talking to the "many" people in the church who think they are saved...but are not!

And HOW IN THE WORLD IS THIS POSSIBLE?  How could this happen?  How could such sincere individuals be so deceived?

"For false Christs and false prophets will arise
and will show great signs and wonders,
so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect."

Matthew 24:24

Do you know what "false Christs" and "false prophets" produce?

False gospels (see 2 Timothy 4:3-4).  By the way, "many" of today's most popular preachers are classic examples!

And do you know what "false gospels" produce?

That's right, people in the church who think they are saved...but are not.

It's An Eternal Tragedy.

*Remember to check out pastor Brad on YouTube.com.  Simply go to www.youtube.com and type in "GodThoughtslive!" in the search box.  We'd love to hear your feedback.

WHY ISLAM IS...EVIL! ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE 4

GodThoughtsWired!                   Monday, April 4, 2011 Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion

You are subscribed as %%emailaddress%% WHY ISLAM IS...EVIL! ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE 4  "God loves Muslims just as much as He loves Christians just as much as He loves Hindus just as much as He loves atheists. God loves everybody, equally, all the time." -pastor Brad's commentary EVIL: "as opposed to good. God is good. Evil is "anti-good," "anti-God"(see Genesis 2:17; Hebrews 5:14). There are 124 verses in the Qu'ran that call for peace and tolerance...all of which, have been replaced!*  To truly understand Islam we must learn that the chronological order of the Qu'ranic surah's (chapters) 1-114, is incredibly misleading.  Islamic scholars are clear: Whenever contradictions appears in the Qu'ran (and there are multitudes of them), The Medina (later) revelation abrogates (replaces) the Meccan (earlier) verses. -see Abdullah Al Araby Thus whenever a contradiction appears in the Qu'ran, the very last surah, chapter 9, takes precendence.  And here's a taste: "Slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them..." -surah 9:5, the Qu'ran, bold mine "Fight them (Jews, Christians, non-muslims),  and Allah will punish them by your hands, cover them with shame, help you (to victory) over them..."-surah 9:14, the Qu'ran, bold mine "O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the Hypocrites, and be firm against them. Their abode is Hell,- an evil refuge indeed." -surah 9:73, the Qu'ran, bold mine "O ye who believe! fight the unbelievers  who gird you about, and let them find firmness in you: and know that Allah is with those who fear Him."-surah 9:123, the Qu'ran, bold mine After 9/11 some of us began to see Islam as the threat that the Qu'ran clearly describes.  Most however, still have little or no idea what Islam truly is, and what practicing Muslims really believe. "To say that al Qaeda is a fringe group may be reassuring, but it is false.  The problem is not that Osama bin Laden believes that this is a religious war against America.  It's that millions of people across the Islamic world seem to agree." -Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek, Oct. 15, 2001 "Those who know nothing of Islam pretend that Islam counsels against war.  Those who say this are witless.  Islam says, 'Kill all the unbelievers...Kill them.'  Put them to the sword...Whatever good there exists is thanks to the sword, and the shadow of the sword.  People can not be made obedient accept by the sword, and the shadow of the sword.  The sword is the key of Paradise, which can only be opened for Holy Warriors."  -Ayatollah Khomeini** "So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?" -Galatians 4:16 *Please click on, The Islamic Law of Abrogation to understand why. **How Islam Plans to Change the World, William Wagner, p. 23.  www.fish-house.com For more information about the GodThoughts Ministry, clickhere. For more information about the author of GodThoughts, clickhere.